The Noble House Of Black

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Tapestries and Fairytales

"Should we wake him?" James and Remus stood next to Sirius' four-poster, looking down at their still sleeping friend. James felt very uneasy. He had never seen Sirius in such a state, the ivory of his skin had gone ghostly pale, he just lay on his bed like Death had visited the room. Only the even movements of his chest said otherwise.

"I'll leave you to it." Remus sighed. He had learned that if people wanted to share, they did. He knew the look on Sirius's face, it was re-evaluation, what is important now, and what can be tossed aside? Something had happened that changed who he is at his core, for better or worse, perhaps both.

There was something in the air that morning, something dark and relentless. Though James could not quite explain it, he knew its name: Miasma. Dark energy.

"Rem?"

It was all James needed to say. Remus was experiencing the same contaminated feeling as his friend. "I know. I feel it too," he replied.

"Do you think it's, well ... the twins?"

"Yes." Remus spoke definitively, but then corrected himself. "Well, twin. Caelum is gone." James was not quite sure why, but Remus took a deep breath in through his nose, and then continued speaking with more assurance. "Must have left at dawn." After a moment of thought, Remus added, "I'll head down to the Great Hall so we won't be missed. See you down there."

James looked over to Caelum's bed, covers thrown so carelessly aside they were in danger of falling to the floor at any time. How had he not noticed? Nothing escaped Remus' notice; he felt both impressed and a little vexed at this. The only information he needed now, however, was that Sirius was in trouble, and that was clear enough. From there he would do something, he did not know what he could do yet, but there must be something.

James gently shook Sirius's shoulder. That was all it took to wake him.

"Where is Caelum?" Sirius asked immediately, as if it had been his last sleeping thought before he woke. James wanted him to say something else. I'm alright, perhaps or, morning, James, how are you today. Let's grab some breakfast. Instead, the silence remained until Sirius pushed himself out of bed and padded over towards Caelum's four-poster.

"I don't know where she went. I'm worried about you, though." James said, staring intently towards Sirius.

"I am not the one missing. My sister must be found." Sirius spoke as if she were in some sort of grave danger, and James didn't know why. Caelum had often left them stranded with little information as to her whereabouts. She liked to brew her own potions and wander the castle, she was luxuriant in her own power. Caelum was the best witch of her age, and everyone knew it, especially Caelum.

There was a moment of silence before James spoke. He wasn't really sure what to say, he didn't know what was wrong, and he couldn't help. James wanted to help; he wanted Sirius to trust him, but he couldn't, and Sirius didn't. "Remus said she left at dawn. I'll help you find her." There was a clear uncertainty in his voice.

"I must insist that you don't." Sirius dismissed the request with finality.

Feeling tossed aside and concerned for his friend, James protested, "You can't search the entire castle on your own! Let me help." But Sirius was not going to give.

"I don't need to search the entire castle. I have just realized where she must be." With that Sirius walked out of the room, leaving James alone in the now empty dormitory.

Sirius made his way up the castle stairs, adjusting his path as they moved. The sun was high in the sky, reflecting a violent brightness off the snow-covered grounds which in turn sent tunnels of dust filled light through the castle windows.

It was not long before his destination was in sight. It was the only art piece in Hogwarts that didn't move, or at least the people inside did not. A large woven tapestry of dark browns and faded rust coloring, braided the faint picture of a wedding, or perhaps it was a funeral, Sirius never could tell. As he stared at the image, like water blotting on paper, the tapestry began bleeding off the wall. When it was finally gone, there were dark mahogany doors in its place.

The room behind those doors would have tall ceilings with white stone pillars that, stalactite like, cascaded down towards the floor, though they did not reach. The floors were covered in uneven, rough-cut stone tiles, and in the very corner of the room would be Caelum. Sirius closed his eyes and breathed in. Held his breath for one, two, three, four, and upon exhaling opened the door. She was sitting in a large red and gold velvet armchair that looked like it belonged in the Gryffindor Tower. The fire crackled softly and in her hand was a copy of a book they had read as children: Beedle & The Bard, it was called.

"Hello, Caelum."

"Hello, brother."

Sirius was in no mood to 'beat around the bush' as Evans would say, and instead got straight to his point. "What are we to do with Mother's request?"

Caelum made a face at the word 'request' before speaking, thought she did not even glance from her book for one moment.

"It is not as if she has left us with any happy options," Caelum sighed and closed her book.

"How very unlike her." Sirius let out a sort of chuckle, and Caelum smiled along, but it was an empty smile. "So, your decision is made?" The laughter left Sirius's chest as he spoke.

"We have no choice but to do what she says. You know that brother. Neither will I be her good little puppet." Caelum looked directly into Sirius' eyes and held his gaze for what she needed to speak next. "You must know, Sirius, for what we have to do next, we will need to go our separate ways. You must follow your path and so must I."

Looking at Sirius' forlorn expression, Caelum relented a little. "Don't look so hopeless. I'll leave you some clues along the way."

"Fair play," Sirius smiled. As he turned to leave her, he noticed she had already returned to the book of fairytales in her lap. He knew better than to ask.

A/N:

Why is Caelum reading Beedle & The Bard?

-Maia🖤