What the Heart Wants (Sirius Black Love Story)

Chapter 19

If there was one thing that Sirius loved, it was Christmas with the Potters. He, James, and James's parents had just finished dinner and were finishing up last minute preparations for Christmas the next morning. James and Fleamont were hanging strands of garland along the walls, and Sirius was helping Euphemia arrange a pretty plate of biscuits and a glass of milk on a table next to the Christmas tree. They may have all been teenagers, but that didn't stop them from continuing the happy Christmas traditions from James and Sadie's childhood.

The fire in the fireplace turned green, and Euphemia glanced at the clock with a frown. "Is that Sadie already?"

In answer, two figures appeared in the fireplace. The tall, thin form of Professor McGonagall was supporting Sadie's small frame, gently guiding her out of the fireplace and into the room. There was a pause as everyone stared in shock at Sadie's appearance. She was deathly pale, trembling violently, and her eyes held a haunted look as she stared blankly ahead, seeming to be looking right through all of them.

Fleamont was the first to recover. With an air of deliberate calm, he walked forward and pulled Sadie gently away from McGonagall and led her to the sofa, guiding her into a sitting position. Euphemia was at her side in an instant, whispering soothing words and stroking her daughter's hair comfortingly. James crouched in front of her as Fleamont turned to walk back to McGonagall. Sirius slowly moved to sit on Sadie's other side.

"What happened?" Fleamont asked McGonagall quietly. The Transfiguration professor was equally quiet as she responded.

"Death Eaters," she explained grimly, and Sirius felt his stomach drop as Euphemia let out a gasp. "Albus is with the Prewetts now, but he'll be here shortly to give you more details. Sadie doesn't seem to be in much of a state to do so."

Sirius grabbed Sadie's hand and gripped it tightly. In her first direct reaction to anything since arriving at home, she looked down at their hands before turning her head to lock eyes on Sirius.

"Hey, Sadie Mae," he whispered. She blinked a couple of times. Then she slowly moved until she was curled up in his lap, face buried in his chest and hands gripping fistfuls of his shirt as though it was the only thing keeping her grounded in reality. Sirius swallowed his surprise that she had turned to him in favor of her brother or parents and wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her close. To his relief, Euphemia was looking at him warmly, no trace of resentment present in her expression.

The flames in the fireplace turned green once again, and Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room, looking weary. Euphemia stood quickly and invited both him and McGonagall to sit down. They quietly murmured their thanks and accepted her offer. Euphemia and Fleamont also sat, looking at Dumbledore expectantly. He sighed.

"Caroline Prewett is dead." He glanced at Sadie, who had stiffened and curled up even more tightly against Sirius's chest. Euphemia gasped quietly, and she, Fleamont, and McGonagall bowed their heads sorrowfully. "The others have sustained only minor injuries." He turned toward Sadie and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "Miss Potter." She barely turned her face away from Sirius to look at the headmaster. "Young Bill Weasley has been asking about you. He tells us that you saved him and his brother, Charlie, from Bellatrix Lestrange." Sirius felt all the air leave his lungs in a whoosh. "That was incredibly selfless and brave of you. Though they are eager to thank you in person, Molly and Arthur wanted you to know how grateful they are." When Sadie didn't respond, Dumbledore sighed and pulled a vial from his robes. "Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, perhaps you could help her get to bed. Here is some Dreamless Sleep Potion. She's been through quite the ordeal this evening."

Knowing that this was a ploy to get them out of the room so that the 'grownups could talk,' James and Sirius normally would have protested strongly. One look at Sadie, however, was enough to quell those urges, and they obeyed without complaint. Sirius shifted Sadie in his arms so that he could carry her bridal-style up the stairs and into her bedroom. James went to her dresser and pulled out a set of warm pajamas as Sirius set Sadie down gently on her bed. She reluctantly let go of him to take the pajamas from James. The boys turned away politely so that she could change, though it was hard to ignore the soft whimpers that came from her mouth as she did so. When she had finished, they turned back around and sat on either side of her.