Never Cursed

𝔄𝔠𝔢 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡𝔰

Sirius Black

The Cemetery

As the full moon ascended, its eerie light casting upon the winding driveway between the tombstones, Sirius inhaled the crisp night air, his breath escaping in wisps of smoke. "We should turn back now," he said, his voice laced with urgency, "before it's too late. We still have time to go help Remus."

It's close to midnight

Something evil's lurkin' in the night

Under the moonlight

The four boys had left the protected black walls of the castle and ventured towards the cemetery. James abruptly halted at Sirius's voice and turned to face him. "Sirius," he breathed out, "Remus isn't alone. He's with Peter. The two of them will be alright. We'll see them tomorrow morning. And this," he waved at the dark-blue landscape surrounding them, "was Remus's idea anyway."

You see a sight that almost stops your heart

"That's a stupid idea," Sirius whispered although he resigned himself. It's only a matter of a few hours.

He loathed the thought of the Marauders being separated for an entire full moon night but as James had said, it was Remus's idea – and Sirius couldn't go against his will. He trailed behind his best friend, his Doc Martens squeaking as he passed the cemetery gates. As the wrought, crow-ornate iron gates creaked shut behind them, he couldn't help but ponder the safety of their night walk.

Only a few hours, he reminded himself. A few hours. But so much could go wrong in a few hours.

You try to scream

But terror takes the sound before you make it

You start to freeze

As he walked, his wand casting a Lumos to illuminate his path, Sirius caught sight of a small black shadow darting across his vision. Startled, he jumped in fear.

As horror looks you right between the eyes

"It's just Spooky, Sirius," Zafyr reassured him from behind, though his voice carried the same coldness as the wind. The silver-haired boy was walking alongside Gomez while Thing's fingers followed their cautious steps. "He's the cemetery's guardian."

Sirius winced, cursing the surge of fear spreading in his chest. There were at least a dozen other places Sirius would have preferred to be tonight. The thought of being cosily tucked in his warm and secure bed made him shiver with longing.

If he was being truthful, Sirius didn't enjoy being in a cemetery at night with Gomez and Zafyr for company. The more he got to know them, the more he felt like they were a magnet for misfortune. He observed them leading the way, walking side by side, whispering like the violent winter wind carrying away the remnants of dead flowers. At Hogwarts, he wouldn't have minded going to visit a graveyard at night. He had been countless times in the Forbidden Forest, hadn't he? And it was definitely worse. But then, he had known where he was. He knew Hogwarts's grounds inside out. He couldn't say the same now.

Soon enough, the four boys fell into silence, with only the hungry howling of the wolf filling their ears. The freezing air of December made their skin feel tight, except for Thing, who seemed immune to the cold. The thought of Remus being accompanied only by Peter tonight made Sirius's stomach twist.

You're out of time

He wished he had insisted more on accompanying Remus. But James had told him it was Remus's right to experience the full moon with other lycanthropes. And maybe James had been right all along. Maybe Sirius was being overprotective of Remus. When did I become so protective? When did I shift my thoughts solely on Remus?