The Stag and The Harpy | James Potter

Brother

Phoebe looks up from her reading on Nifflers when Sirius pokes his head in the library.

She was still vibrating with excitement from shopping, her dress hanging safely in a locked closet at Lily and Fabian's flat. She knew James. He'd be desperate to get a look, but she wanted to wait. She wanted the surprise.

Sirius grins at her, saying teasingly, "Sorry, it's just me. James and Frank are still cozying up with the ice lollies."

Phoebe quirks a brow, smirking as she asks, "Ice lollies?"

He enters the library fully now, waltzing over to where she's perched in her chair and he takes the one across from her, confirming, "Yes, that's what I call them."

Her quizzical stare makes him grin as he explains, "Because they have sticks up their arses." He chuckles when she lets out an unladylike snort, his hand reaching for the cigarette still smoldering in the ashtray on the table between them. He narrows his eyes at her, noting her easy smile and pink cheeks.

"What's up with you?" He accuses, nudging her foot with the toe of his sneaker. Phoebe flushes deeper, admitting, "I picked out a dress today."

Sirius's jaw drops and he gasps, "Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?! The Phoebe I know does not blush over dresses!"

Phoebe laughs and swats at his arm, scowling playfully when he blows smoke in her face. His smile grows soft and he teases, "We've come a long way haven't we?"

Her heart clenches and she nods, smiling wryly as she says with mirth, "I always thought you and I would end up alone. Seems to be a common thing in children from broken homes."

Sirius smirks, chuckling at her words. He'd said the same thing to her before, though then they were by the black lake. Not in the very home that had nearly broken him. He'd figured that the two of them would travel the world. And then somehow they both fell in love and started a new adventure, one they hadn't seen coming. He sighs, taking one more puff of the cigarette before he sets it back down in the crystal full of ashes.

"You seem tired," Phoebe says pointedly, setting down her book and facing him completely, her legs swinging over the arm of the chair. Sirius runs a hand through his hair and shrugs, saying dryly,

"Pheebs, I've been tired since we left Hogwarts." He hesitates, his grey eyes landing on the ones in front of him. So familiar. So similar. Her eyes remind him of his brother. He swallows and finally continues, "Do you ever wish we could go back?"

Phoebe laughs, nodding slowly, "Yeah. Sometimes." She grins as memories flood her mind, teasing, "I'd love to go back in time and not snog you."

Sirius snickers, tutting arrogantly, "Please. I'm the second best snog of your life."

The Veela sighs dramatically, reluctantly admiring, "I suppose that's true." She smiles at him, eyes tracing his face. He was every bit the boyish heartbreaker he'd been the night they'd first chatted on the edge of the astronomy tower. But he looks grown, surprisingly mature and wise. She knew he had it in him, though perhaps that was also a symptom of their shared family issues. Coming out on the other side of it better. Stronger.

Sirius quirks a brow when the blonde sits up straighter and clears her throat, saying uncomfortably, "Now, I know we've never been eager to discuss our feelings."

Sirius barks out a laugh, waving for her to continue. Though when he sees her eyes shining, he sits up too. His voice is concerned as he asks,

"What is it, ma moitié?"

She flashes him a watery smile, grasping his outstretched hand. She doesn't know why it makes her so emotional. He's been her rock for so long, the only one that understood when her emotions were so hard to express that they were drowning her. They were one in the same. He was her other half, her brother. She laughs at herself and wipes her tears away quickly before saying,

"Je dois te demander quelque chose."
[I have to ask you something]

Sirius nods quickly, his eyes widening in surprise. She smiles faintly and admits, "You're the only real family I have left. At least that's how I feel. And even if you weren't, even if all the people we've lost could still be here I would ask this of you."

"Fucking hell! Spit it out, woman, you're making me nervous," Sirius cries, squeezing her hand as she laughs again. When her eyes meet his again, they aren't shining with tears. Only mirth and certainty. And love. The first time he'd felt love was when Phoebe Griffin looked at him like that.

"I want you to walk me down the aisle."

Sirius stares at her blankly for a few minutes, his grey eyes wide, reflecting a range of emotions. She waits nervously, exhaling the breath she didn't realize she was holding when his face lights up.

"Tu plaisantes?"
[are you joking?]

He's cautious, not getting his hopes up. He'd never considered that she would ask that of him. That she would want that from him. Perhaps it was lingering self doubt from his childhood, though she had helped wash most of that away. Phoebe laughs, shaking her head and insisting,

"Je suis sériuex!"
[Im serious!]

Sirius grins, his heart swelling with affection for the Veela. His sister. He quickly stands and pulls her to her feet. He throws his arms around her, hugging her tight and swaying back and forth as he yells,

"YES OF COURSE!"

Phoebe laughs, hugging him back so tight it makes her arms hurt. Her eyes water again, glassy with unshed tears. James was her love, the person she was meant to marry and be with until the end, the person she wants to wake up with and go to bed with at night.

But Sirius was her soulmate, her brother. Her partner in crime. They were cut from the same cloth, bitter to the world and revolted by feelings until that one drunken night in the astronomy tower. They'd been each other's support, each other's back bone. She needed him, and he needed her. When they separate, Sirius' grey eyes also hold some tears, not that he would ever admit it. He clears his throat, sizing her up before saying firmly,

"I don't know who is in charge of who we meet in life. I don't know if there's a god or gods or some old wizard in the sky that looks like Dumbledore. But whoever they are, they lead me to you. I didn't know what I was missing until I had you, Phoebe. You're my best friend."

The Veela's lips twitch into a watery smile and she whispers,

"This is where our family begins Sirius. No scorched faces off of family trees or demanding parents. You and me. Someday our kids will know that we made our family. We chose it."

His grin is brilliant, and it's then when he looks young. Untouched by time and war and exhaustion. He smirks and grabs her hand in his, the matching grey stones of their rings catching the light as he says,

"Je te vois."
[I see you.]

Phoebe laughs and responds in kind, her heart full of affection at the familiar words. The same ones uttered the night they became friends, just in a different language.

"Je te vois."

{{My heart can't take it.}}