Sky Full Of Stars *Sirius Black Love*

122

The month of November went by as fast as the past ones, bringing along more homework and stress for the students before their holiday break. Skylar was with Professor Griffin learning about Occlumency once again, perfecting the art of closing her mind. With constant exercise, she has been able to successfully keep the Professor out of her mind at almost every chance he took. She has even found ways to enter his own, learning things that were not for her mind to know. Today she experienced his first love, a female named Jennifer who was an Auror. Skylar witnessed her death in his memories, something the Professor suppressed and was surprised to see Skylar pull from his mind. The female died a painful death, on a mission to solve a goblin and wizard battle that had begun over a drinking match. As the drinks went on, both parties became agitated. The bar keeper called Auror's to the scene, the Professor and his girlfriend being one of the two called to help. When his wife attempted to stop the battle, she met her death from the use of dark magic by the wizard. He cursed her, poison wrecked through her system. The curse was meant for the goblin, being intoxicated the wizard miss-fired and directly attacked Griffin's wife. There wasn't a single thing he could do to help her, no counter curse was discovered as the wizard killed himself after seeing the damage he created. Griffin held his wife as she took her final breath, watching the life fade from her eyes slowly and painfully.

When Skylar pulled herself from the Professor's mind, she noticed the marks on his neck had grown.
"I obliterated both sides of the party, including the other Auror's who joined my wife and I on that mission. I used dark magic that I had learned to use from books I studied while in my time in Germany. I got fired that day, almost sent to Azkaban for my use of magic. The only reason I wasn't was because Professor Dumbledore spoke for me, requesting I work under him as a Professor myself. This was when he first became Headmaster, he already had high rankings and the ministry believed in his ability to keep me in line. They allowed my employment under the condition I was to stay out of the ministry's work force. I can't leave Hogwarts either, my home during holidays is here" Griffin walked around his classroom, shaking off the memory Skylar brought forward. She could tell how badly it was affecting him, even if his throat wasn't being painted in the dark lines from magic, his skin turned pale and there was a hollowness in his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that" Skylar said, hands shaking from the emotions she felt during her time in his mind. Watching a loved one pass in that way would make anyone violent, she would have reacted the same way.

"Don't be. It means you are getting better at occlumency which is what we need. Have you felt anything from your arm since being at school?" He asked, still pacing the room.

"Actually no" Skylar said, watching the line his shoes made on the tile. "I've kept my guard up in my mind like you suggested. Since then I haven't felt anything"

"Good, keep doing so. I think you will have an easier time with your tattoo when you are off the grounds. You plan to go home for Christmas correct?" He asked summoning tea for the two of them. Skylar took hers but Griffin just continued to move. He knew if he didn't, his dark energy would continue coursing through his veins. He had to keep the energy in line, afraid it would overtake his thoughts. With Skylar in the room he couldn't risk his mind losing control.

Sirius and Skylar planned to go to their cottage for the holiday break, but Mr and Mrs Potter insisted all of the friends join for the time off. Including Peter who was back to clinging to the friend group. Where they went, he went. It was beginning to feel normal with him again, even if Sirius didn't trust him around Skylar still. He wanted to believe his friend was pure hearted and nothing happened when Skylar lost her memories, but that wasn't the case. Keep friends close but enemies closer is how he saw his situation. If Peter was close, he could figure out what truly occurred. Though James and Remus have both warned Sirius not to make Peter an enemy until school ended, asking him to push his feelings to that point in time. Sirius thought as long as Skylar wasn't with Peter alone, he could do what his friends asked of him. Skylar has filled her free periods with trips to see Griffin and Hagrid, both who seem to enjoy her spending time with them.
"Yeah, I'm going with James to see his...I mean our parents" thinking that she was technically James' sister was still weird for her.