Style // Sirius Black

Chapter XLIII

The actual test of relationships is not always time but the capability to evolve and learn from disputes. It's the idea of growing together and not apart, working through the barriers that stand in the way and the different quarrels that may arise. Being forced to work through these issues makes relationships work and makes them stronger.

Without any turmoil in a relationship, how does one learn? Without these, there will forever be words left unsaid and feelings left untouched. There will be trust issues, resentment, and everything that bubbles until the explosion is irreversible. The damage done will be left to collect dust, just as the memories of the time together do when it's over.

There comes a time in everyone's life when the bullet hidden deep within the rotation reaches its chamber. This bullet waits, counting the seconds until the fatal shot is taken. The real test is whether or not that trigger is pulled. Love is a game of roulette if people allow it to be.

-----

They hadn't spoken since the start of the week. They had scarcely traded looks, and it was sensed throughout the entire castle. The first-ever tumult to brew between Lyra and Sirius as a couple, not just as two adversaries. This wasn't the same type of dispute as when they were at each other's necks. Those were handled by exchanging vitriols and disparaging one another down to nothing–this, this was much different. Neither considered themselves in the wrong, and it would be the surrounding parties that yielded the price of their intransigence.

It was the day before both Sirius and Lyra were to leave on the goose-hunt that Dumbledore had tasked them to, and still, neither wanted to speak with one another. Neither party was good at communication nor relationships. This pairing was the first time Lyra had ever loved someone in such a manner, besides the crush she once had on Rory McLaggen. Outside of that, Sirius was the only one to capture the heart of Lyra Potter–which meant he was the only one capable of ever breaking it.

"Are you not going to speak to him at all until you leave?"

Lyra glimpsed over at her twin brother with raised eyebrows at his hasty comment. It was Lyra's study hall period, and the younger of the two was relishing the silence she had come across, knowing damn well that the next few weeks would be filled with anything but. She had told Dumbledore that the lover's quarrel would be solved by the end of the week, but that was the exact opposite of what had happened. Lyra hadn't as much as brushed her arm past Sirius, fearing he'd try to confront her about the night after the full moon.

She had busied herself tending to Remus and her brother, aiding Madam Pomphrey in nursing the boys back to health. She had left the eldest Black brother to the caretaker, electing it more advantageous to help those that actually appreciated it versus someone who condemned her. Lyra was cognizant that some of the things she did were petty, but she was beyond hurt at how Sirius reacted to her interference. She had just wanted to help.

"My relationship is none of your concern, Potter." Lyra barked, shifting her concentration back to the charms homework in front of her.

"It is, actually, Potter," James retorted, grabbing the quill from his sister's hands, "Because you guys are about to go off hunting for something that could possibly kill you. That is if you don't kill one another first. Lyra, you're my sister; I hate seeing you like this."

"Well, there's one person in this whole damn castle that is to blame for it," she lamented, heart aching for her lover's tenderness, "And he just so happens to be your best mate."

"And your boyfriend," James persisted, driving for his already reserved sister to let even the first wall of hers down, "Don't let this come between you guys. You're hurt because you almost lost him; he's hurt because he could have lost you. Don't you get that? Or are both of you too dense to realize you're mad at one another for caring whether the other died?"