𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍.
chapter forty-nine; Waiting For Someday
" Reckon Dumbledore would let us live in the Shrieking Shack. "
SOMEHOW, KNOWING WHAT she'd be doing post-Hogwarts made the whole end of the year thing a lot less terrifying to Madeline Potter. Even if that something was being on the front-lines of the war that had started while she was being sheltered by her brother and her school.
At least it wasn't a leap into the unknown.
Plus, this new plan for the future included not only her friends, but her brother, and the very boy who was watching her as if she was as sight to behold.
"Nothing looks right," Madeline mumbled, tugging a brush through her hair for the tenth time, "Why does nothing look right?"
"Because you're overthinking this," Sirius mumbled, his chin propped on his hands, "You look beautiful no matter what."
"Sirius," Madeline whined, making the boy chuckle and hop up, "I just wanna look nice for our date."
"Oh, come on, it'll be better if we both put on pajamas," Sirius said, looping his arm around Madeline's shoulders, "Look like we just rolled out of bed—"
"You just want an excuse to get back in bed."
"Well, perhaps after this date I've so carefully planned out."
Madeline rolled her eyes at Sirius' cockiness, lifting her hands and holding onto his arms. The mirror that showed them was foggy but that didn't seem to matter, because it still showed them in the simplest form.
And that was when Madeline knew.
That it may be scary, but fear was well worth it to stay like this forever. To keep a boy who planned silly dates as a way to ease her mind before NEWTs began in mere days, who clung to her because somehow her affection was the most important thing to him. To be with someone as special and beautiful as Sirius Black himself.
"Sirius?" Madeline asked quietly, making the boy hum gently. "I know it took me a long time, and you may not want to hear it anymore, but I love you."
The girl watched Sirius' eyes widen like saucers.
"I just, sort of realized that we've kind of been through a lot and I don't want that to be for nothing— I just want to be with you for as long as time allows."
Sirius just hugged her a bit tighter, his face disappearing into her hair.
"All I've ever wanted was for someone to care about me," He mumbled, "I don't think this could've even happened in the best of my dreams."
"Sap, come here," Madeline said quietly, smiling as she turned in Sirius' arms to face him. His smile was soft and real as she pushed hair out of his face, "I love you."
"I love you," Sirius countered with a growing grin, "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love—"
"Sirius—"
"I love you—!"
"I signed myself up for this, didn't I?" Madeline sighed quietly.
"Oh, the second you kissed me."
ϟ
Sirius Black took Madeline Potter all over Hogsmeade. They went to every shop, made their way through five butterbeers collectively, and had chosen to stop at the lookout to the Shrieking Shack— a tradition they'd never partaken in.
Shopping bags surrounded the couple who'd abandoned them briefly to hold each other instead.
"A part of me wants to stay at Hogwarts forever," Madeline admitted quietly.
"I think a part of me will stay at Hogwarts forever," Sirius mumbled, "By the Black Lake, on the pitch, somewhere in the one-eyed witch passageway. . ."
"Our teenagehood will remain at Hogwarts forever," Madeline agreed, gently patting Sirius ' arm, "But I mean physically, it feels. . . safe."
"Reckon Dumbledore would let us live in the Shrieking Shack," Sirius said nodding, making Madeline giggle lightly, "Honestly, he'd just be glad it stopped being abandoned."
"We're not living in the Shrieking Shack!" Madeline laughed.
"So, where will we live, then?"
"You want to move out together?"
Sirius hummed out a yes.
"You're very casual about it," Madeline mumbled.
"Because there's simply no point in denying the fact that I want to be with you for a long, long time."
Madeline went quiet for a long time. So long, Sirius thought he'd done something horrible. But he hadn't. No, Madeline Potter was just smiling at the news, staring out at the old, haunted shack.
"Maybe the Shrieking Shack wouldn't be so bad after all."
ϟ
"I've gathered you here today to share very important news," James began, straightening his robes as he paced the Marauders' dorm— the only extra member being his very own sister.
"Get on with it, James," Madeline demanded, "I've got another NEWT in half an hour."
"Let me talk," James whined.
"Just go, Sirius is getting antsy."
Sirius gasped offendedly, purposely stilling his previously jittery legs.
"Alright, alright," James sighed, stilling, "I'm going to ask Lily to marry me."
"What?"
"Alright, Prongs!"
"When?"
"You don't think it's too early?"
"No, Wormtail," James said, furrowing his brows, "I don't think it's too early— we're in love and there's a war. Why not ask her before we're on missions every other day? Plus, I've already got the ring—"
"No way, let me see," Madeline said quickly, her smile making James grin, too, "If it's ugly—"
"It's not ugly, it's an heirloom," James defended, rifling through his drawers and producing a small, velvety box.
"Wasn't this great, great grandma Iolanthe Peverell's?" Madeline asked, cracking the box open and admiring a dainty gold ring with three small sparkling diamonds in the center. "It's gorgeous."
"Think Lily will like it?" James asked, and for the first time, Madeline realized he was nervous. "I'll wait until after we graduate, of course, she's smart and will tell me to wait, anyways."
"It was made for her," Madeline nodded, smiling gently as she passed the box back. "I'll finally have a sister!"
"Alright, alright, but don't blow the secret," James hushed, "She can't know before I ask."
"I won't," Madeline defended quickly.
"If you have a kid, I call godfather!"
"You can't call godfather," Madeline told Sirius.
"'Course I can," Sirius said, grin still bright, "I'll be James and Lily's child's godfather, Moony'll our child's godfather, Wormy will be Moonys' child's godfather, and Prongs'll be Wormy's."
"So, you've got this all figured out?" Madeline asked, looking around the boys, "You're all having kids, then?"
"No, we've never spoken about this before—" Remus said, "Padfoot, how long have you thought on that?"
"Quite a bit, was confusing at first," Sirius mumbled, shrugging, "No matter, I've figured it out now."
"You would've been first pick, anyhow," James told Sirius in a whisper, "You're my best mate, Pads."
"Oh, get a room," Madeline said loudly, rolling her eyes as she stood.
"You're jealous!"
"I am not!" Madeline scoffed at James' grin, "Goodnight, then, while you're both still unharmed."
James leaned back as Madeline made her way out of the dorm, only to hear rapid footsteps behind her.
"Mads, you're not really mad, are you?"
"No," Madeline laughed, sitting down on the common room sofa, "I just didn't fancy staring at the living creature that is you lots' dirty laundry anymore."
Sirius blushed as he sunk down beside her, making Madeline laugh and lift her arm around the boy, allowing him to rest on her.
"It got me thinking," Madeline admitted quietly, "About us, family, the future."
"Yeah?"
"I think I want to marry you someday, Sirius."
"I'd be honored, Madeline Potter, and would wait forever for 'someday'."
( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
they're all bABIES Y'ALL
WE HAVE ONE MORE CHAPTER
OF ANOBRAIN I'M GONNA CRY