When the Roses Went Black: The Lost Lover of Sirius Black

XXI

TW//mentions of blood, scarring. detailed violence, slight gore

After about 15 minutes of lying on the cold floor, Rose was able to stand and limp onward. Her back was on fire, her head hurt, and her face was wet with salty tears. It felt like an uphill trek, but Rose finally stumbled into the Gryffindor Common Room.

Her friends were all waiting on the couch, smiling at first, but those smiles quickly faded when they saw the state she was in. Sirius rushed up to help her to the couch. When she collapsed onto it, she began to sob quietly into his shirt. The group looked around worriedly, but it was Peter who first noticed the scars on Rose's back. He raised a shaking finger, drawing the group's attention to the word carved deeply on her back:

SLUT

The word was burned bright red into her back, blood dripping all around it. When Sirius rose to inspect what everyone was gawking at, he turned a ghostly white, but then hate quickly filled his steely eyes. He sat back down and looked at Rose. "Who did this Rose?" he asked sharply. Rose shook and cried, but not saying a word. Sirius raised his voice. "Who did this Rose?" he asked, fists balled, shaking with rage. Rose took a deep breath. Her voice was shaky and weak. "Lucius, Crabbe and Goyle. They throw notes at me and tell me about how I don't deserve to be with you because I'm a half-blood. I always tried to not let it bother me because they were just words, and I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to get hurt and-" Rose broke down in sobs again, crying over Sirius's lap. He nodded at all others in the group to leave. All but Lily and Remus stood. Remus looked at Sirius like he was insane.

"Pads, do you really think we're just going to..." "Go Remus," Sirius hissed. This time it was Lily who spoke. "Not bloody likely, what the fu..." Yet once again, she was cut off by Sirius's booming voice. "LEAVE LILY!" he commanded. Remus took a step forward, mouth open, ready for a fight, but Lily tugged back on his sleeve, then nodded in defeat at the staircase to the dorms. Remus cast a haughty look at Sirius, then a worried one at Rose before he and Lily turned away.

Once they left, Sirius pulled Rose up, his voice was quiet and cold. "Rose," he began, "We cannot be together anymore." Rose's hurt look only intensified. She felt something breaking within her. "If you remain with me, this will continue to happen, and I love you too damn much to watch it happen." Rose, struggling to remain calm, took a shaky breath and began. "Sirius Orion Black. I don't care what others think about us. I love you too much to let some Death Eater cronies ruin us." Tears began to fall from Sirius's eyes. "Rose... they will kill you, and it will all be my fault. I can't-" This time Rose was the one to raise her voice. "Damn it, Sirius!" she yelled in a sob. "Just when times get tough you have to leave? I almost killed your cousin for us, do you think that wasn't tough? Do you think that wasn't scary?" "Rose-" he started, but he was cut off again. "No Sirius, it's my turn. I don't give a shit what they do to me. We are stronger than this, and I'd face Voldemort himself for you right now!" She began to shake, tears streaming wildly down her face. "Nothing worth doing is ever easy Sirius. But I love you, and losing you would hurt me more than anything Lucius could ever do. Stay with me Sirius." Rose was pleading at the end, and Sirius fell into her arms, sobbing, all resolve crashing around him.

"Do you understand what losing you would do to me Rose?" he asked breathlessly. "Nothing like what losing you would do to me," she answered softly. "Forever, Rose," Sirius cried between breaths. "Forever. I'm not going anywhere Sirius," she replied, rubbing his back. "Neither am I," he breathed, pulling her even closer. Though he didn't suffer a single cut, Sirius Black was sliced deep within his soul, the blade the very thought of losing his Rose. It struck a fear in him that ran through every vein, rocking him to his core. And though she had been burned deep, and her blood covered her being, Rose Ferbreezeo knew nothing would compare to the agony that would be life torn away from Sirius. No sting, scream, or cry would ever mirror the strife that would encompass her entire soul. It was here the couple realized how hard this would be, and they knew that they would need to put up a fight. Yet if it meant it being for each other, they'd go to war in an instant.

***

The next day after Charms, Sirius Black snuck up behind Lucius. He drug him in a headlock all the way to the Room of Requirement, all in his path clearing out of the way, though Sirius would've been deaf to any protest. Sirius threw Lucius to the ground once they reached the room. Before he could even reach his wand, Sirius called out "Stupefy!", freezing a terrified Lucius in place.

Sirius took Lucius's wand and threw it across the room. Glowering down at him, Black went to town, raining countless punches on Lucius's jaw, face, and stomach. He even kicked him three times in the side, just to hear the snapping of his ribs. Sirius Black looked down on Lucius, whose eyes were begging for mercy, and whose face was covered in clots and splashes of blood. Sirius smirked and began to walk away, but quickly turned to point his wand and whisper "Crucio." Lucius's cries of agony were muffled due to his broken jaw, and Sirius watched with pleasure as he writhed in pain. Casting the curse didn't harm Sirius. Rather, he felt high off the power that his hand had, and he grew drunk in watching the pain his wrath had inflicted. Not saying a word, Sirius leaned over Lucius, almost nose to nose, looking deep into the blue eyes that pleaded for a reprieve. The near-silence was broken when Sirius began to chuckle, which grew to a laugh, which became a great, nearly manic bellow. Having his fill, he made his way to the door. Looking back, Sirius grinned before closing the door, and leaving a moaning Lucius lying in a heap.