good things fall apart • sirius black

During the Christmas Holidays 1977

Things had been difficult being apart. After the days never separated, together in Sirius' new flat over summer, him going back to school and Ellie having to stay at home had felt like the end of the world. They'd vowed never to be soppy in public, and yet, through September to December, they'd pined for each other as lovesick puppies. So, when the Christmas Holidays came, Sirius returned from Hogwarts, and they were finally reunited, they wasted no second by being apart.

Cyrus had set a rule now that summer was over, that Ellie could only spend four nights a week at Sirius' flat, so on those days when they weren't allowed to be completely alone, they whiled away the hours gazing at each other and taking long walks in the snow through the forest in between the Gryffin's and the Potter's. For once in their lives, they didn't have James pestering to join in either, for he'd invited the new close friend he'd made in Lily Evans to stay with them, because it's more practical for Order meetings, so they were often busy discussing Head Boy and Girl matters. It felt like a catapult into the future, a window onto their lives after graduation, the world in which they weren't together as a group all the time, but off living their own lives in the times they weren't needed by the Order of the Phoenix.

Today was one of those strange days where Ellie felt older than she was as her and Sirius weaved around the snowy trees of the forest, both of them bundled up in their thickest jumpers, coats, and scarves. They kept their hands warm by burying them in their pockets, but of course they were still arm in arm, as close as they could be without tripping over each other's feet.

"I honestly question Prongs' sanity sometimes." Ellie laughed, her breath clouding out in front of her. "Lily's not even agreed to go on a date with him yet, has she?"

Sirius loved gossip even more that his girlfriend did, so now that she wasn't at school with him, he distracted himself by making sure to collect enough of it to keep her entertained. Monday, he'd told her about Alice and Frank getting caught by Mary, of all people, undressing each other in a broom cupboard; yesterday, he'd recounted Peter's trouble with a crush Bertha Jorkins had seemed to develop on him; and today, since they were currently alone, was the lengthy update on James and Lily's blossoming relationship. Since becoming Head Boy and Head Girl, they'd been given an excuse to spend more time together, and it had only had them growing closer. James was as infatuated with the ginger as he always had been, if not more so.

"I don't think he's even dared ask her out since she embarrassed him with a firm no in front of all the prefects," Sirius elaborated. "Moony said it was pretty brutal."

"But he's still thinking of proposing to her after you graduate?"

Sirius nodded. "Providing she becomes his girlfriend before then."

"And he's really serious about it?"

"You know Prongs. He's been fantasising about Mrs Lily Potter since we were like twelve... And I think the war's made a lot of people feel like they need to rush into things."

Ellie could imagine it, the wedding day of some of her best friends, she just couldn't quite believe it might be something she saw so soon. Well, that was a lie, she could believe it, it was just strange to actually speak about the adults they were becoming.

Sirius had turned eighteen just over a month ago, and he looked older for it even now. He'd filled out a little more from preseason Quidditch training and it made him look more like the Beaters on the professional teams; he'd cut his hair a little shorter than normal so he couldn't tie it up anymore, but his face looked more structured for it; and he'd grown a bit of stubble, probably from being too lazy to shave, which was halfway to a beard. Ellie liked it, she'd love him any way he decided to style himself, but he no longer looked like the handsome boy she'd always known. She swore he could've passed for close to twenty one.