/Lioness\ Sirius Black

[thirteen]

• past •

It was the night after the full moon. Remus was laying in the Hospital wing as the three other Marauders went to breakfast. It had been a particularly rough night for the werewolf so he would be bedridden for the rest of the day. At least that what Madam Pomfrey told him.

Ever since they were children, Remus never let Astara go anywhere near him during a full moon. Even when she turned herself into a lion, he still didn't want to slight possibility of her getting hurt. So instead she would stay with him the day after while he was healing, to protect him while he was weakened. Even if nothing would hurt him in the castle.

So, here she was, a beautiful white lioness cuddling into Remus's uninjured side, her muzzle resting on his rib cage as she slept with him. She was very comfortable as an animal as she didn't have to talk to anyone and people didn't pet her like she was a normal cat.

As Sirius, James, and Peter walked in, their eyes immediately went to the large car that rested on their friend. They were silent for a second as they tried to figure out what was happening. Peter was the first to speak.

"Is-isn't that the same lion from fi-first year?"

"It is!" James said in surprise a little bit too loudly as it woke up Astara. Her sleek white body morphed back into a human as the boys stared in shock. She sleepily groaned as she had been waken up and lifted her head to look around.

When she saw the three boys looking at her with wide eyes, she smiled tiredly at them and said, "Morning.."

The three boys looked at her, waiting for an explanation as Astara put the pieces together on why they were freaking out.

"oh."

***

"How long have you been like this? A animagus?" James asked as he looked at Astara . They had moved from the Hospital Wing to the Gryffindor Common room once Madam Pomfrey gave Remus the clear.

"Since I was six. I never wanted Remus to be alone during the full moon." She responded with a small smile.

Remus smiled at the memories of when they were younger but her eyes weren't focused on him. Sirius hadn't said anything since they got back. He was glaring at the floor but focusing me on nothing.

"Why did you help him?"

His voice was quiet but angry enough that everyone turned to him. The room became really tense. Astara looked at him confused as he lifted his head to look at her. "Why did you help him back in first year?"

The dark skinned girl smiled almost nervously and chuckled saying, "'Cause he's my friend." Like it was a ridiculous question. Which it was, to her. Sirius looked at her, baffled as she looked at his friend in disbelief.

"Why on earth would you want to friends with someone like him?" Sirius almost shouted at her. Neither of them noticed as the rest of the Marauders got up and slowly made their way out of the room and back upstairs.

"Why do you hate him so much?!" She yelled back at him.

"Well for one, he's alive-"

Astara looked at him in shock as her hair started to turn red and bobbed. She hands up before they fell limply to her sides. "Oh my god! How could you say something like that?! He's still a person! Severus is one of my best friends! Why can't you accept that?!" Her eyebrows were furrowed as she stared at him as her eyes turned from dark brown to pale blue in sadness.

"Why?!" He yelled the question at her. Sirius looked furious. "Because he doesn't deserve someone like you! He doesn't deserve anyone! I don't want you near him! It's either him or me!" Saying these words was something he regrets the most.

Astara stared at him with an unreadable expression. Sadness, angry, sorrow, expressionless. Her eyes stared at him in almost shock but her stony face didn't change. Her short red hair grew pass her shoulders and turned dark blue, her eyes turned a dull grey.

Astara started to slow back up, back to the stairs of the girl dormitory. Tears started to run down her cheeks as she said this.

"Goodbye Black.."

Sirius stared at her in shock as she walked up the stairs. Not looking back to see the black haired boy with matching tears on his face.