NOX° SIRIUS BLACK

Chapter Thirty-Six

      "Do you remember back in first year when we were playing out by the lake and we found that baby jobberknoll?" Calypso asked. Sirius nodded his head, recalling the instance. "It had been separated from its flock, but we took it back to the castle with us and I did all that research on how to take care of jobberknolls and what they liked to eat, and that sort of thing. We even named the bird Bluebeard, after the Nursery rhyme, and you would go outside everyday and collect insects for me to feed to the bird."

       Sirius chuckled at the memory. He'd spend hours sometimes out there when he started to realize what kind of insects Bluebeard loved and hated for Calypso. For a month in first year, he and the boys heard nothing else from Calypso unless it was about Bluebeard.

      "But, then, one day, Bluebeard died." Calypso continued. Sirius turned to her, but she wasn't looking at him. She simply stared forward, not focusing on anything in particular as she spoke. "It wasn't because of anything we did, it just . . . it just happened. I cried for days and I was inconsolable. James, Peter, and Remus would stop by my room all the time to try and talk to me, but I just couldn't stop crying. And I didn't know why I was so upset over a bird, but I just felt so sad that he had died away from his flock.

      "But you never came to my room to talk to me. At first, I thought it was because you thought the whole thing was ridiculous, but then you found me outside of Herbology and took me by the lake where you had planned a funeral. You handmade a tiny little coffin for Bluebeard, you had James, Remus, and Peter write eulogies, and you even forced other students to come attend a funeral for a bird." Calypso let out an incredulous laugh, turning to Sirius once she sobered up. "Why did you do that?"

       "You were upset." Sirius shrugged before adding softly, "I don't like seeing you upset."

       Calypso sighed.

      "That day, at Bluebeard's funeral, I knew that whenever something bad happened, I wanted you to be at my side." Calypso said. Her eyes lined with tears and she stared at him. "I need you to promise that you'll always be by my side, Sirius. I can't lose you too."

      Sirius held his palm up. Calypso took his hand and laid her head on his shoulder as more tears pooled in her eyes.

      "You'll always have me, Cal." Sirius said, squeezing her hand tightly. "Always."

      "Will you come to the funeral with me tomorrow?" Calypso asked quietly.

      "Of course." Sirius said. He looked down where their hands were joined with a sad expression on his face before sliding his hand out of hers. "You know, Aerin's been worried sick out there. You should really talk to him."

      "I know." Calypso sighed. She lifted her head and stood from the ground. "I'm going to go find him."

      She opened the door and stepped out of the room. Sirius trailed behind her and she walked down the stairs to the Ravenclaw common room. Calypso froze when she saw everyone sitting in the chairs. James's head was hanging off the side of the couch while he snored on Remus's shoulder and Peter doodled on his homework; Dorcas was laughing at something Marlene said; Pandora was walking Lily, Karma, and Alice through some sort of contraption she built; and Aerin sat on the floor working on a puzzle. They all looked up at the sound of Calypso and Sirius coming down the stairs.

      They hopped to their feet and Remus knocked James awake before they all rushed to her.

     "Cal!"

    "You're back!"

   "How are you feeling?"

   "Do you want some chocolate?"