Nyctophobia - Sirius Black

Chapter 16

"You're completely disregarding the painful transformation."

"I'm broken enough bones to know I'd be fine. You don't have to worry about me. I'm not a werewolf, and I'll be healed in no time. Why are you in the Headmaster's office with the Marauders, anyway? Did you finally stand up for yourself?"

"No. The Headmaster is telling me not to tell anyone Lupin's a werewolf."

"Don't worry, Headmaster. We won't tell anyone. There. That's settled. Can we go to bed?" Dumbledore nodded, his face uncharacteristically serious. "Okay. Let's go, Sev. I'm not going to Gryffindor tonight. I do not care what McGonagall says."

"You're going to heal yourself before we go anywhere." He said stubbornly. She sighed, but healed herself, the ripped flesh merging again, only slight scars where the distinct scratches had been.

"There. All better. Let's go." She glanced back one last time to see Black glance up at her for a second only to see something she thought she would only ever see in her own eyes. It was a myriad of emotions: pain, loneliness, fear, determination, and most of all, guilt, shame and regret. There were so many emotions that it would be indecipherable to nearly everyone. Only those who had experienced it could understand how one person could feel everything so strongly and bear it. Only those who knew that feeling could recognize it. She found that if only for a moment, that no one, not even him, had to feel it.

Then she looked away and left, pulling her brother to the Slytherin common room, and then to his bed. She took a quick shower to remove the blood that covered her and changed into her muggle clothes so she could sleep. Severus was awake when she climbed into bed next to him.

"I was so scared you wouldn't wake up." He mumbled hugging her tightly. "I was so scared you were gone."

"I'm here. I'm here. I'll protect you. I won't leave until you find someone else who can protect you like I do."

"There's no one like that." Severus said, unable to hide his sadness in the truth of his words.

"There was a girl who brought me back." Ruby said suddenly. "She said her name was Wren Pan. She asked me to stay until she could come protect you. Do you know her?" Severus shook his head, but she saw the recognition flicker in his eyes. Ruby let the lie go. She didn't really need to know who she was. She could see the trust in her brother's eyes. This girl would protect him, and as always, that was all that mattered.

Apparently despite everyone concerned being sworn to secrecy word had gotten out in the twins' friend group. They were all worried about the twins, and even more worried about Ruby when they found that Severus was fine. Ruby thought it was rather annoying, but it also made her feel warm inside. Someone actually cared that she was almost killed by a beast. They would actually care if she died or disappeared one night.

After the first night she had to sleep in the Gryffindor dorms, but Jana snuck in in her animagus form to check on her. Ruby also found that she started having more panic attacks from the darkness and was grateful that there was someone there to bring her back to the surface, even if it was her friend as a wild cat.

In a less than a week it was Spring break, and the twins had gotten an invitation to stay at the Malfoy Manor for break.

"You should go." Ruby smiled at her twin. "I'll be working the whole time anyway, and you'd be alone at home all day."

"You'd be all alone for two weeks."

"I'm working, Sev. I won't be alone. There's other people that I work with. And besides, this isn't about me. It's about you. You are good friends with Lucius, and you shouldn't be staying alone at home the entire break just because I'm working. You can have fun. I'll be happy knowing you're having fun."