Shooting Star

Chapter Eight

Christmas dinner was quite interesting.
Natalie was angry because Sirius and I were there, and I was everybody's favorite. Conversations generally went as follows:
"Hey, Eliza! How are you?"
"I'm good, thanks. You?"
"Good! And who's this charming young lad?"
"My boyfriend, Sirius."
"Ahh, you've got a boyfriend!"
"Yeah, I do."
"Natalie, hi."
"Hi."
And then they'd walk away. It was quite amusing. I didn't like it, though. It gave her more reason to be angry with me.
My Uncle Arthur got drunk, my mum got angry. Two of my aunts hadn't spoken in years, but they both liked Sirius and ended up talking to him at the same time, and consequently to each other. A war didn't break out, either. Dad was 't drinking, so maybe it was okay. Mum was pissed the whole night. Until Uncle Arthur spiked her drink. She was fine, then. He winked at me as he did it and I smiled and turned away. I'd seen nothing.
Everyone loved Sirius, though. He didn't drink, either. It was nice. I had to lock Snow in her cage, though, but that's okay. She didn't mind.
After everyone left, we finally went to bed. My dad hadn't drunk anything, so it was all okay.
When I heard my father snoring, I snuck out of my room and into Sirius'. "Black." I whispered. "You awake?"
"Yeah." He said from the darkness. "You okay?"
"Yes. Are you?" I tripped over his trunk on the way to his bed. "Lumos." I whispered, and my wand lit up.
He was laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. He sat up when I lit up the room. "What's up?" He asked.
I laid down beside him and turned off my light.
"Okay." He said, laying back down and putting his arms around me.
I'm sure this wouldn't make any sense whatsoever--I tried to tell Lily once, and she informed me that it made none--but I swear to God that when Sirius hugs me or holds me, I can feel his pain.  I'm sure I'm imagining it. It might just be the way he holds on so tightly, like a drowning person would a life preserver. It's like he wants to convey it without talking. It reminds me of that muggle song, Come Together, by the Beatles. They're popular in the muggle world (not without good reason, either. They even play their songs in the wizard world sometimes). Hold you in his arms so you can feel his disease.
I started to cry silently. He probably wouldn't have known, had I not been getting his shirt wet.
"What's wrong, love?" He whispered, stroking my hair.
"I love you, Sirius." I said.
"I love you too."
I buried my face in his shirt.
"What's wrong, Eliza?" He repeated.
"Nothing. I love you."
"I know. I love you too. What's wrong?"
"I love you so much." I repeated.
"Okay." He was trying not to get exasperated. "But why are you crying?"
"It isn't fair."
"What isn't fair?" He stroked my hair.
"You deserve so much better."
"Than what?"
"Everything. It isn't fair, all you've had to put up with."
"I'm okay." He said.
"No you're not, Black. You've said it yourself."
"I'm happy right now."
"But you deserve to always be happy."
"I'm with you, aren't I? How could I not be happy?"
"You're a kiss-up."
"You're just now figuring that out?" He kissed my forehead, his arms tight around me. "I love you, Eliza Taylor."
"I love you too, Black."

"Black, come with me." I said as we finished breakfast the next morning.
"Am I in trouble?" He stood up.
"No. I'm going to introduce you to something great."
"I'm scared." He followed me out.
I took out my favorite record and put it on the turntable.
"What's that?"
"A record player. From it emanates pure beauty."
"I don't see me on it."
I laughed and played my Mendelssohn vinyl. We listened to part of it in silence.
"Very pretty." He said. "Not as pretty as you, though." He smirked.
I rolled my eyes. "Suck up." I repeated. "See, and now I've introduced you to something classy and you can be refined."
"You expect me to be refined?" He raised his eyebrows.
"No." I laughed. "I expect you to mess around with James about it."
"I can do that! This'll be great." He grinned and kissed my cheek. "You're amazing."
"So, Taylor. About yesterday..."
"What about yesterday?" I prompted.
"When we were outside..."
I waited for him to try to make up excuses for what I'd seen. "Yeah?"
"You took off my clothes."
"I did, Black. Good remembering skills. Now hush and listen to the music." I knew I shouldn't have done that.
"You are a naughty, naughty girl." He shook his finger patronizingly at me.
"Shut up, Black." I said warningly.
"You wanna have sex with me!" He sing-songed.
"Black." I warned, grabbing my wand.
"You wanna have seeeex."
"I'll hex you."
"You wanna--"
I turned him into an owl. He started squawking and I laughed, picking him up and putting him in Snow's cage.
After a minute, my mum came in. "Wasn't Sirius in here?"
I pointed at the cage.
"You turned him into an owl?"
"He was misbehaving." I said.
"Can you turn him back?"
"I could. He makes a cute owl, though, doesn't he?"
"Very cute." She laughed. "Change him back."
"If you insist." I took him out of the cage and changed him back, just as Natalie walked by the door.
"FREAK!" She screeched. "Mum, make her stop!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Hush, Natalie." Mum said.
"Don't tell James!" Sirius pointed at me.
"I'm gonna tell James." I said.
"Don't tell James."
"I'm gonna tell James."
"No! Then he'll turn me into one!"
"You make a lovely owl, though, darling."
"If I didn't love you so much, I'd probably be angry." He started to laugh. "Don't tell James until I've turned him into a frog."
"As you wish." I grinned.
"I was coming to tell you that we're going out to dinner tonight." Mum said.
"All right."
She walked out, probably regretting her life decisions.
"I have something to introduce you to, too." He grinned, grabbing my hand and pulling me from the room.
He withdrew a cassette player from his trunk, and a mix.
"Oh God." I said, truly terrified of what I might hear.
He put the mix in. I flinched as I heard the reels start.
Drums started loudly.
"Oh." I said.
"What?" He grinned.
"I thought it'd be worse than rock." I laughed. "Who is it?"
"Bon Jovi. They're American."
"You like this song?" I grinned.
"Yes. Why?"
"It talks about feelings. What is it?"
"Never Say Goodbye. And shut up."
I laughed. "It's not bad." I said.
"Not bad? It's genius!"
"Handel is genius. This is good."
"You like a handle?"
"Handel. He's a classical composer. He's next on my list to show you."
"Oh, the great things I can show you." He said wistfully.
"It's a date." I laughed.