Heavenly Waters||Sirius Black

Chapter 42

Sirius grunts, narrowly dodging a tree root and sidestepping out of the way.

Unfortunately, this nearly sends Harry's friend tumbling to the ground. Ron Weasley turns his head to stare at Sirius in disbelief. Sirius grins slightly, "Sorry about that." He glances down at the limb that Ron can't put weight on, adding, "Sorry about the teeth as well. If you didn't weigh so much I wouldn't have to bite down so hard—"

"I beg your pardon," Ron scoffs, the tips of his ears red with frustration. Sirius bites back a smirk, leaning forward slightly to see a smile pulling at Harry's expression. Sirius continues walking, he and Harry both shouldering Ron as they hobble through the narrow tunnel.

Harry glances over his shoulder at where Hermione walks next to a sleep walking Snape under the somnambulist charm. Remus brings up the rear, his hand twisted in the collar of Peter's shirt. Sirius is still on edge with the rat still alive, desperate to see him turn to nothingness. But Harry had a right to make this choice. Even if Sirius wishes he could kill Peter here and now. The dementors would be better. It would be slower, scarier. He hopes he can watch.

Sirius carefully wedges his body out of the exit to the tunnel, the whomping willow standing peacefully over head. Harry and Hermione help Ron to a tree root. Sirius knows he should go to the boy and try to heal his wound. But he's distracted by the night sky.

He takes a few slow steps forward, eyes tracing the constellations over head, following them down the horizon until he's forced to look upon the castle he called home. Midnight blue cloaks the edges of the castle, mist glowing yellow around the windows that stretch high in towers and classrooms. His heart catches in his throat when he realizes he's searching for someone that isn't there, expecting to see her stand in a window amongst the stars and light.

He smiles weakly when Harry steps up beside him. He can't look away from the castle. As much as it hurts to look at, it would hurt more to ignore it, "I'll never forget the first time I walked through those doors. It will be nice to do it again...freely."

He'd been free the moment he'd arrived at Hogwarts. Free from his parents, the burden of their ideals. He wanted to be free again.

He reluctantly glances down at Harry, "That was a noble thing you did back there. Far more noble than he deserves."

He wonders if Harry knows the horror of what Peter Pettigrew caused. He hopes he doesn't. He doesn't want the boy to know that evil can come in all shapes and sizes, that it can appear as a friend and then turn dark in the blink of an eye. It was the hardest lesson Sirius had learned.

Harry briefly studies where Peter is pleading with Remus and Hermione, begging Ron to save him. Sirius watches the turmoil in his godson's face turn to resolve. Harry glances up at him and says, "I don't reckon my father'd want his best friends to be killers over someone as worthless as Pettigrew. Besides...dead, the truth dies with him. Alive, and you're free."

It nearly knocks the wind from his chest, that Harry has even considered his freedom after being told stories of what a horrible person he is. It's a glimpse of Lily's kindness and James' faith. A glimpse of Gwen's desire to listen to all before making a judgement. Sirius swallows roughly, pointing his eyes back to the castle.

"I don't know if anyone's told you," Sirius tightens his fist, shoves them into his pocket, "When you were born, James and Lily made me one of your guardians—"

"I know," Harry says quickly, glancing up at him fleetingly. Sirius nods slowly, the reaction leaving him slightly nervous. He clears his throat. He shouldn't get ahead of himself, he shouldn't promise things before he knew they were possible. But it flies from his mouth before he can stop it, "I'll understand if you choose to stay with your aunt and uncle, but so you know, you could always..."