Roses All The Way Down【Sirius Black】

ⅩⅩⅩⅠⅠⅠ. 𝐆𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐮𝐭

Virginia was cautiously optimistic to the point where she only packed her most important belongings. Some of her sets of robes and the textbooks she wouldn't need stayed folded in their respective places. Click stayed resolutely on the side table, the torn box of records sitting below it.

Dorcas and Marlene were hurriedly throwing everything into their suitcases the morning of their departure. Lily and Virginia had packed days ago and sat on Lily's bed, swinging their legs and chatting. Alice and Mary were doing their best to help the two unpacked girls, but everything had become such a mess that it was quite difficult. It was a chaos Lily and Virginia were attempting to ignore.

"Do you think you'll try to take the second year exams as well?" Lily asked when the discussion shifted to classes.

Virginia shrugged lamely, "probably not. I don't know any second years, I'd rather stay with Fab and Gid. I was thinking about taking the fourth year exams for Care of Magical Creatures and Divination though, join you guys."

Lily nodded, "I can help you study. Who knows, with enough work - you could even skip to fifth year."

Virginia chortled, "we'll see Lil, we'll see."

Virginia had never been on the Hogwarts Express - a fact the Prewett twins had apparently forgotten with the way they mercilessly imitated her shocked expressions.

"And there's a candy witch?" she asked, looking around in awe. Gideon and Fabian snickered from next to her, "alright idiots, I have to find Sirius."

"Ohhhh replacing Alaric as your lover boy?" Gideon asked with a smirk. Fabian elbowed him and his twin looked to the side in confusion. A few paces in front of them, Alaric was walking with Arthur and Molly. He had stiffened. They all had. Gideon grimaced, "I mean... ah - uh we know you don't like Sirius. But why do you need to find him? Want to hate him closer to him and-"

Molly twisted her head around and smiled sympathetically at her brother, "stop talking Gid."

He ducked his head, his ears turning bright red. Virginia scratched her chin awkwardly, hating everything about this situation, "Sirius just doesn't have anywhere to go for vacation so he's staying at my house. Because we're friends. Friends."

"You don't need to explain yourself Nia," Alaric said, also turning around with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Right... well, bye..." she awkwardly turned around and practically sprinted down the other length of the hallway. She slid the door open in the compartment the marauders always sat in - at least according to them. Remus was curled in a ball in the corner by the window. Peter had his nose stuck in a book with a confused expression on his face while James talked to Sirius animatedly.

Sirius's face brightened when he saw Virginia. She smiled and plopped down next to him. James finished his sentence and glanced over at the two of them.

"Now remember," she said, giving Sirius a look, "you-"

"can't swear, I'm Christian, I don't even like magic, I have a girlfriend that I'm incredibly loyal too although we're waiting for marriage - obviously, I like nothing more than reading although cleaning is a close second, I know the Bible by heart, hymns are my favorite genre of music and I already got Christmas presents for all of them... that one is true."

Virginia blinked twice, "you-you were actually listening to me?" she asked, remembering her incredibly long rambling session one night when they'd been in the common room. He nodded like that was obvious.

Remus's head peeked up from under his jacket, "what'd you get them?"

"I got the mother one of the T things."

"A cross," Virginia supplied.

"A plaque for the father that says - All Things Are Possible -"

"Luke-" Virginia began.

"18:27," he bounced his eyebrows when he cut over her. She stared at him, completely dumbfounded. James smirked, Peter looked intrigued from behind his book, and Remus was trying to hold back a grin, "sweetheart, I did my research. And now... for the sister a shirt that says be the light - Matthew 5-14. And what did I get for Virginia again?" he tapped a finger to his chin in mock thought, "ah yes a necklace that says Matthew 5:29."

Virginia grinned up at him, "idiot," although the word was insulting her voice came out in a way that sounded almost loving.

"Which one is that one?" Peter squeaked.

Sirius cleared his throat dramatically, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out."

"Basically, if you're going to sexualize girls - just gouge your eyes out," she shrugged like it was simple. James snorted.

The train chugged into Kings Cross Station a few hours later. Families were crowded on the platform, getting as close as they could before falling into the tracks whilst waving their hands wildly. Since Virginia and the Marauders were near the back of the train, they waited while other people got off before them. She saw Gideon and Fabian with red faces being showered with kisses from their mother. She could see Alaric and Arthur's old brother bringing them into a crushing hug.

Virginia stood and dragged her trunk down, wheeling it down the hallway next to the compartments. She waded through the heartfelt reunions and shrieks of joy when she and Sirius emerged from the train. She saw James's mother fussing with his hair, and heard Peter's father say something about how proud he was of him. She walked through the wall like she had been told to and emerged on the other side. A few feet away stood her family. Ophelia saluted her with a genuine smile. Her parents adopted tightlipped expressions.

"Greetings Virginia and..." her father glared down his nose at Sirius, "friend." She had prepped them but they were still incredibly judgmental, that came as no shock to anyone. Her mother brought her into a hug before leaning down and fixing her hair and outfit. Virginia stood there awkwardly.

"How are your grades?" her mother asked shrewdly.

"Really good. I have good grades in all classes!"

"Not top?" her father interjected. She squirmed awkwardly. He shook his head, "alright come along now, let's go home."

Virginia didn't know a lot of things. But she did know one with absolute certainty. That place wasn't her home.

Sirius was set up in the minuscule guest room across the hall from the room Ophelia and Virginia shared. There was a cot and a small side table. The cot was barely tall enough to fit his trunk under it and he could only pull it out half of the way. Getting clothes was going to be a struggle. The days leading up until Christmas were blissfully uneventful. Sirius and the two sisters cleaned and cooked and ate the stew and sandwiches they made. They shoveled the front yard, woke up every morning at six am to watch the news as told by a Christian white man, and went to church.

Sirius did not look happy when he shoved himself into a crisp suit, although he looked rather dashing - which Virginia couldn't deny. She herself was wearing a blue dress with lace trim that made her look like a woman of the age of eighty. She didn't think she was going to be self conscious of herself until she remembered Sirius. For reasons unknown, she felt embarrassment crawl into her stomach at the mere thought of him seeing her looking so dumb. She didn't have much of a choice however. They crowded into the car and drove the three blocks to the massive chapel.

They took their seats, Sirius looked rather awkward as he was squished in between Virginia and her mother, and the service began.

A/N... We got snowed in so I had lots of time to write plus I feel better, I wasn't entirely sure what to do with this chapter but I hope you like it!