Stargazing || Sirius Black

seventeen

Chapter Seventeen: I really, truly need your help

Earlier that evening

Sirius was a nervous wreck, which wasn't a feeling he had very often. It also wasn't one that he wanted to become familiar with. He didn't know how Peter was a continuous ball of anxiety and still managed to get up in the morning, poor bloke.

Liana Abercrombie was his ticket into getting back into the good spirits of his friends. The girl was wickedly good in potions, and so she was in the good graces with their dear potions master, Slughorn.

She also had access to his potions cabinet, and for the right price she promised something that could hopefully make up for some of his blunders.

The corridor was dimly lit that evening, a bit too quiet for Sirius' liking. He sat on a bench, fiddling with his hands, not so patiently waiting for the brunette to show up with his promised potion.

"You owe me, Sirius Black." He heard Liana say as she made her way down the long hallway. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she carried a small satchel which hung across her torso.

He rolled his eyes, "I'm not taking you on a date if that's your request, I assumed five galleons was enough."

The girl scoffed. "Get off your high horse you arrogant git, the last thing I would ever want is to be seen with you. Poor Theia Gaunt, seems like she's smitten with you and she could do so much better."

Sirius was a bit taken aback by her outburst but didn't argue because, even though he would rather eat spiders than admit this out loud, she had a point.

The girl grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him into the closest broom cupboard.

"You know for someone so against being in close proximity to an arrogant git, you sure are pushy." He grumbled, rubbing the skin on his arm that she had accidentally pinched.

"I nearly got spotted by Slughorn and you're lucky I didn't because a lie would've cost you extra. Bloody hate being put on the spot." She took a vile out of her small purse, ignoring his previous statement. It was filled to the top with liquid the same color as the tinge of blue you see in the night sky.

He reached out for it but she cleared her throat. Sheepishly he handed over the galleons and simultaneously she handed over the potion.

"I'm not going to ask why you needed that or who it's for." Liana stated, her eyes not giving anything away. "Just tell whoever it is that a spoon of sugar makes it a lot better."

Before Sirius could say anything, because the implications of her words were clear, the door to the broom cupboard opened.

He hadn't realized how close he had been standing to it, and with the abruptness of it he found himself falling. He pulled Liana down with him, as he had tried to break his fall but instead found himself tangled limb and limb with a girl who despised him.

Thankfully the potion was unharmed but before Sirius could celebrate that fact he caught the eye of Theia Gaunt.

The look on her face showed one emotion but only for a brief second. It was a swift flicker of her vivid blue eyes, a rapid fall of the ends of her rosy lips that anyone would've missed if not looking close enough.

But Sirius was always looking at Theia whenever she was near. When he was even in the smallest proximity of her, it was like his body knew. She was a light so bright that it was blinding but he couldn't help looking.

The fraction of a second that he saw that look on her face, he felt a piece of himself fall apart. It was the piece that had not admitted that it was so deeply invested in a girl that never ceased to amaze him. It was his heart saying that he was pretty sure that he had just broken the last standing piece of the girl he loved.

Then she was running, and his eyes never left her retreating figure.

'Get up idiot' he thought but it was like his limbs had stopped receiving the messages from his brain to get up and move.

Marcie said something fleeting, it was meant to hurt him, he knew that and if he were being honest it did.

Before he knew it both Marcie and Lily were gone too.

"What the bloody hell are you doing just sitting there?" Liana shouted, shaking him out of whatever stupor he was in. "Run after her!"

Just as he was opening his mouth to say something, anything, he watched as Liana shook her head. He had never seen someone untangle themselves so quickly, stand up and vault into an all out sprint.

'She's doing what you didn't.'

He knew that it should've been him going after Theia, but he knew her. She wasn't going to talk to him, and maybe she would hear Liana out. But she wouldn't forgive him, and more importantly she wouldn't believe him.

She had seen everything she needed to with her own eyes and that was proof enough for her. That was all she needed to verify all those doubts she had of him, and he knew she had a lot.

The only thing he could do was make this shitty situation up to her in the best way he knew how.

Quickly, he gathered his bearings and ran off towards the Gryffindor common room.

It was quiet in the boys quarters, but he knew they were awake.

"Lads." He choked.

Immediately James, Remus, and Peter looked up at their friend who looked like he had seen better days.

"I really, truly need your help."

🌝

Short chapter but I hope it clears up any doubts you had of dear Sirius. Hopefully a new chapter soon. Thank you for sticking with me, especially in my ficklest times xx