The Last Marauder Standing || Sirius Black

29-Listen

Everything felt... different. A numbness I haven't felt since my parents died settled over what felt like the entire world. I thought about the first time I saw him, stumbling out of the library, vibrant hair, messy Hufflepuff robes. He had that carefree smile on his face, a small dimple forming at the corner of his mouth. I wanted nothing to do with him, and now I don't understand how I'm supposed to keep going without him. The sky was a little grayer, the grass a little less green, because he truly lit up the world around him.

Sadie, Griselda, and I made our way to platform 9 ¾ on the first of September. It's been three weeks since I stayed at James' house, three weeks since I've seen any of my friends, three weeks since the day that changed everything. I spent every day reading those names in the paper, only looking for someone familiar to me and completely disregarding everyone else. I now felt the weight of each and every name I had ever read on that list. All of those people were gone, just like Kace.

I pushed my trolley by myself while Griselda helped Sadie. Griselda hardly spoke to me anymore, and if she did I often feared it was to inflict some sort of punishment or remind me that I was no longer welcome in her home. That week at James' was pure bliss compared to the hell I soon returned to. We passed through the wall to the platform with no problem, none of us even speaking a word.

I pulled ahead, losing Sadie and Griselda in the crowd. I would see Sadie later that night at dinner, and Griselda wanted nothing to do with me anyways. Right now I had to see my friends. I stood in the middle of the platform, frantically looking around for the familiar red of Lily's hair, or the light shining off James' glasses. I couldn't help but notice that even the families on the platform looked miserable as if they were sending their children off to their deaths, never to be seen again. Did they truly believe we weren't safe at Hogwarts anymore?

"Estella!" I suddenly heard someone shout from behind me. I turned around and saw the one and only Sirius Black.

"Sirius!", I exclaimed with a big smile. The first I've smiled in weeks. Sirius quickly ran up to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into a right hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and returned the gesture, pressing my face into his shoulder. "I've missed you," I said, looking up at my best friend. Sirius smiled down at me.

"I've missed you too" He replied softly as if he knew he had to be gentle with me right now or else I would break.

"You two saw each other a few weeks ago please calm down" James groaned, walking up behind us and interrupting the moment.

"Three weeks to be exact!" Sirius exclaimed, pulling away from me to look at James. I noticed Remus and Peter both trailing behind him. "That is almost a month, Mr. Potter!"

"Yeah, and I haven't seen Lily since June, so stop complaining please" James rolled his eyes.

"Oh, James you know if you went three weeks without seeing Lily you would react the same way" Remus chuckled, patting James on the shoulder. I felt embarrassed as they compared me and Sirius to James and Lily, the most lovey-dovey couple I've ever seen.

"Alright, you got me there Moony. Maybe we should leave the lovebirds alone for a minute" James smirked at us. I felt my cheeks burn as Sirius glared at them for teasing us.

"Yeah, yeah, get out of here, save us a seat on the train" Sirius shooed them away.

"Hang on!" I exclaimed, reaching up to hug James. He was shocked for a minute but quickly hugged me back. I pulled away then proceeded to hug Remus and Peter who blushed madly when I pulled away. "I missed you guys too" I smiled at them. They all gave me genuine smiles before turning and walking towards the train. I turned back to Sirius who was pursing his lips at me. I gave him a confused look. "What?"