good things fall apart • sirius black

Betrothed?

Of course, Ellie and Sirius were both quite practiced at discussing the constellations, though that didn't mean the beautiful girl was any better at actually spotting them. Her star charts were the prettiest, and she'd decorate them all with fancy patterns and drawings that depicted what the constellations were supposed to form the shapes of, but Sirius still had to help her with the placement of them all. He was sure she didn't retain the information on purpose, so that he had to keep telling her, but if that was the case, she never gave it away - he was also happy to ramble about the stars all she wanted.

It just felt good to be back on good terms with her, even if that word 'friends' haunted him.

After being thoroughly exhausted from all the concentrating late at night, whilst also put half asleep by the always relaxing atmosphere of the class, the group trudged back to the Gryffindor common room at a snail's pace. James had a droopy smile on his lips from how happy he was about the great day he'd had, but he was so tired he didn't even notice when his favourite red head approached them.

Lily had wanted to apologise to her friend all day about what she'd said in the common room, however the group had been hard to pin down due to all their escapades. Finally, now they weren't rushing off to cause trouble somewhere else in the castle, and she'd managed to grab their attention.

The brunette spun round when she heard her name being called, coming face to face with Lily as she nearly went crashing into her. Ellie couldn't lie and say she was completely over what Lily had said, it had upset her that she'd been so cruel about Sirius, and she subconsciously took the handsome boy's hand when the red head went to speak.

"I'm so sorry. I've been an awful friend. I didn't realise... I just thought you'd not want anything to do with them ever again. You've got to forgive me." Lily was pleading, and Ellie could see all the seriousness behind her eyes.

"It's alright." The brunette replied simply, a small smile working its way on to her lips.

It meant a lot that Lily had actually come to apologise in the first place, and Ellie knew nothing that she said was out of malice. She was just concerned. Lily was a mother hen after all.

"And Sirius..." The red head looked slightly more uncomfortable about apologising to the handsome boy.

It wasn't easy for her to like the four boys. She'd make an exception for Remus, because he was very hard-working and seemed like the conscience of the group, and probably Peter too, for he rarely ever muttered a word to her anyway. But James Potter and Sirius Black were a whole other story.

"I'm sorry for what I said. I can't pretend I think you're a good influence on Ellie, because you're a rule-breaker and that doesn't sit well with me. However, I was cruel, and I cannot control who my friends spend their time with." Sirius didn't know whether she'd actually apologised or not, but he was grateful for her trying, and gave her a tight-lipped smile and a nod in recognition, "But you have to know I won't be so forgiving if you upset her again."

There was a fire behind Lily's words that did make the handsome boy slightly intimidated, but he didn't have to worry. Upsetting Ellie again was the last thing on his to-do list.

"It's not going to happen." Was all he replied, and Lily seemed satisfied enough.

Ellie reached forward and squeezed Lily's hand in thanks, all being righted again, and the red head rushed off after giving her friend a smile. Half wanting to get away before James Potter cornered her with an exclamation of his love, and half because she didn't want to be out after curfew.

After the incident with Severus Snape, that had resulted in James beating his face to a pulp the night of the ball, all hope of Lily being able to tolerate him had been snuffed out. She liked him even less in fact, and then he'd played a part in upsetting Ellie, and that had just made things even worse.