𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒

「 snape's worst memory 」

   "Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night, And wouldn't you love to love her?" Marlene began to sing, a smile bracing onto El's face as she did so. "Takes to the sky like a bird in flight, And who will be her lover?" She couldn't help but look towards Eleanor who was focused on her guitar. But the blonde already knew the answer to that question. No matter who the girl dated or how much they avoided the truth. The way that Sirius looked at her and the way that she looked at him was unmatched.

   "All your life you've never seen a woman, taken by the wind. Would you stay if she promised you heaven?" And Eleanor could promise her the world but Heaven was reserved for him. "Will you ever win?" No. Not in this lifetime.

   "She is like a cat in the dark. And then she is to darkness." It was unexpected when they met, out of nowhere almost. And the blonde fell headfirst without realising. Now, Marlene couldn't escape these feelings. "She rules her life like a fine skylark, And when the sky is starless."  Yes, without him then she may have had a chance. But she didn't. Even when she told herself that, her feelings never changed. If she had feelings for another or not, she couldn't help these feelings that continued to taunt her for the past five years.

   "All your life you've never seen a woman taken by the wind. Would you stay if she promised you heaven? Will you ever win? Will you ever win?" The girl looked back at her own guitar, trying to snap out of it. Yet Dorcas saw the looks and the feeling of pining, she felt the same. If only she noticed that she could give her heaven if Marlene gave her a chance...

   "Rhiannon," Eleanor sang softly, "Rhiannon, Rhiannon," The blonde was far from oblivious. She knew why Marlene chose this song, she noticed the way she stared, and she noticed the way Dorcas suffered. Even if she loved Marlene, she could never return the strength of her love. That was something she accepted but she was also selfish. She couldn't lose Marlene, no matter if it hurt them or others. It wasn't platonic love either. But her heart was stolen by another. It was him, it always had been and always will be. "Rhiannon."

   "She rings like a bell through the night. And wouldn't you love to love her?" Marlene couldn't keep up this cycle. It wasn't good for anyone involved. She was addicted. The pain, the love, the neutral: it was a beautiful nightmare. "She rules her life like a bird in flight, And who will be her lover?"

   "All your life you've never seen a woman taken by the wind. Would you stay if she promised you heaven? Will you ever win? Will you ever win?" Then she thought of the comfort that Dorcas had brought this year alone and none of it seemed worth it. She knew what the best option was but was that the one she was willing to take?

"Rhiannon," It was stupid, wasn't it. They were only sixteen and seventeen but felt like everything needed to be planned out now. The fear of war had dug into them all quickly. To be honest, they didn't know if they were fighting or not. Eleanor did. The day of her birthday, she had declared which side she was on. "Rhiannon, Rhiannon," Nobody knew who was going to survive. "Rhiannon." Options were selected and confirmed. Their forever could be two years or fifty. Nobody knew for sure.

"Dreams unwind. Love's a state of mind." It was true, love was a state of mind. One that contorted and manipulated everything around them. It was enough to drown you but the lucky few were kept afloat. "Dreams unwind.
Love's a state of mind." Marlene trailed off as Eleanor played the ending chords. Sometimes listening to the mind over the heart was the best strategy. There was less heartbreak involved, that was the only promise.

♱

"What's got you so joyful?" Eleanor asked, taking her seat next to Remus in Herbology. The boy had a dreamy look on his face as he stared at the poisonous plant. Not the usual expression that one pulls whilst a few centimetres from instant death. He turned towards the girl and just smiled.