Black Hole

"This is the End, My Only Friend"

When Sirius Black was eleven years old and his sister was ten, he learned that his family was not a normal family. 

Other families didn't have a dozen house elves, or held balls every other month, or married their cousins, or used hexes on their children for punishment. Other kids weren't forced into French and music lessons from age four, or feared their parent's with every inch of their small bodies. Other siblings didn't crawl into each other's beds at night, sobbing, or clean up each others wounds. 

They grew up different, him and Lyra-Jade. And Regulus. They grew up scared, and fast, and completely dependent on one another.

"Would it be ok if I slept there tonight," Lyra-Jade had asked him into the mirror on their first day of school, her voice as small as a mouse, "With you. I don't want to be here. It's weird. My dorm-mate looks like a murderer."

"So do you. And of course, LJ."

"Will the others m-m-mind? You're dorm-mates?" 

"No. One of seems like a swot, Remus, the bloke you brought into our compartment, but he's out like a light. If they do, that's their problem, not ours," he declared, his voice turning hard. 

He had never needed anyone but her. He loved his friends, he truly, truly, loved them with all of his heart, but, when it came down to it-

"It's you and me."

Many people asked him, when they saw his married best mates and his sister with a kid, when he was going to find someone.

"I don't think I'm meant to marry."

"No?"

"Nope. I'm meant to be a free soul. No one can hold be back. Plus, I don't need a spouse and kids, I have my people. They're all the family I'll ever need." He had smirked and thrown an arm around his sister, "And I only have room for one women in my life, anyways!"

She had rolled her eyes, "Who, me or Thia?"

"What? You or Thia? I was talking about my bike, of course!"

"Twat."

James, Lily, and Harry were being hunted. Remus wouldn't look at him, and he wouldn't look at Remus. Peter was always away, doing Merlin-knows-what. Mary had fled to America. Mia and Monty were dead. Marlene and Dorcas were dead. 

But, she never left him, and never would.

***

October 31st, 1981

"Fairy!"

"Yes, yes, Thia, we're fairies."

"Fairy!"

She sighed and finished putting her daughter's hair into pigtails. 

Forsythia was obsessed with fairies. But, no, not real, Wizarding fairies, but tacky, made-up Muggle ones, with sparkles and tu-tus and fake wings.

"Fairy, fairy, fairy!"

They were going to go trick or treating in the Potter's old neighborhood. She often found herself taking Forsythia on walks throughout it. Every time she passed the manor, something in side of her hurt. But, ever the masochist, she kept going. 

Remus was staying home, but Sirius was tagging along.

"Sirius," she yelled in the direction of her brother's room, "Time to become a fairy!"

He walked out with a frown on his face.

"What?"

"Whuh?" Forsythia copied. 

"James isn't answering." He said, holding up the counterpart of the small mirror they had given James when he and Lily had moved to Godric's hollow.

"I'm sure they're just busy. Are you ready for glitter?"

"Glittah! Padfu glittah!"

"I have a feeling." He said, grabbing his leather jacket and his motorbike keys, "I'm just going to go and check on them, I'll meet up with you guys later."

Forsythia huffed and stomped her feet.

"Padfu stay!"

"Sirius, I'm sure everything is fine."

He walked over to the little girl and kissed her head, then walked over to his sister and kissed her cheek. "Just want to make sure. I'll meet up with you guys later, alright? I'll send a Patronus."

"Alright, I suppose. Tell Haz his Auntie says hi."

***

He didn't ever send that Patronus, and it worried her. 

She carried Forsythia home, as the little girl was practically falling asleep while walking through the neighborhood with her pumpkin bag full of candy. 

"Lolli." She sleepily murmured into her Mother's shoulder.

"No more lolli's until the morning, I'm afraid."

"Kay."

She entered the flat to see Dumbledore, Moody, and Minerva all standing in her kitchen. Remus sat at the table with his head in his hands.

She froze. Her heart fell to her stomach. "What the h-hell is happening?"

***

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."