good things fall apart • sirius black

Uncertainty

Ellie wanted to laugh at the way Camille lounged on her mattress in the Orangery as if she was Lily or Marlene. It got even more hilarious when she'd protested like a child at being told she wasn't allowed to smoke in there because of the plants, but her Aunt complied anyway. Even after spending two months together in France, they found themselves alone as everyone began getting things ready for the return to Hogwarts completely happy in each other's company. The more time Ellie spent with the Camille, the more she felt like they merged into the same person, and the goodbyes they'd have to exchange soon looming over their heads was beyond frustrating.

That chatted casually, mainly about a certain handsome boy who they'd spent hours talking about back at the chateau, for Ellie needed some more advice before she'd have to brave him on her own at school. Things were fine between them, but 'fine' meant that things could also be better. She hated those moments where he shut her out and ignored her existence. Everything else aside, it was just plain rude.

Already Ellie was starting to feel like she might have to forget about the possibility of Sirius ever becoming her boyfriend altogether.    

"What about Remus?" Camille suggested casually after the beautiful girl complained she felt like Sirius didn't even see her sometimes anymore, "I'd say he's bordering on Sirius Black handsomeness, and it's difficult to compete with us aristocrats."

"I love Remus."

"There you go then."

"As nothing more than a friend."

"That's boring." Camille whined, a playful edge to her voice that Ellie recognised in her own tone a lot.

"Aren't you supposed to be giving me grown-up advice? Something along the lines of 'don't waste your time on boys, you should be a strong and independent woman'?" She fired back, setting the parchment with sketches on aside to spin on her stool and look at her Aunt properly.

Camille sat up and shrugged.

"You already are a strong and independent woman, your mother and I made sure of it." There was no questioning that Ellie's confidence had only grown over the summer in France, but nearly all of it had melted away under the unpredictable scowls of Sirius, "The way I see it, is that you'll probably have lots of boys in your life. We already know there's some form a queue for you back at Hogwarts, and so it's best that you experiment with the people you're most comfortable with, for at least then you can be open and understanding with them."

"Experiment?"

"Myself, your father, Mia and Monty, will all be a lot happier to hear that whatever you get up to in your private life, is happening with people that respect you. Everything has to be safe and consensual, that is always the first rule."

"You're- Are you telling me to..." Ellie couldn't get her words out, flushing bright pink.

"I'm not telling you to do anything." The smirk that tugged up the corners of Camille's lips said otherwise, "Pining over a boy however, is not the way forward. As a Dubois woman you don't chase, you are chased."

"I don't want to be chased. I want things to go back to how they were between me and Padfoot before summer." Red cheeks fading, the beautiful girl began to pout, "This year was supposed to be different. Things were supposed to change. I wanted them to."

"But they haven't, and they might not. That will be something you have to come to terms with." Camille beckoned Ellie to join her on her bed, both of them flopping onto their backs with dramatic sighs, "I know it's difficult, honey, but relationships like this always are. Give it time and then if you think that he's moved on, you will have to as well. You have been friends for a very long time, that will never change, but you might have to find another boy to love in that romantic way."