stars | sirius black

37: Stars

OCTOBER 30, 1993
Astronomy Tower, 11:45 pm

ARABELLA ARROWAY COULD NOT get a hint of sleep. The nights wherein she hasn't been able to sleep has been outnumbering the ones that she has ever since she found out about Sirius' escape from Azkaban. Instead of staring at her room's ceiling, she decided to take a walk around the castle until she eventually ended up at the astronomy tower. 

For the most part, things at Hogwarts have been okay for her and Cass. Every now and then, they'd hear a few whispers coming from some students but they never really got bothered. As long as they kept their "opinions" to themselves, the rest of Hogwarts carried on with their lives.

Arabella looked up at the night sky and sighed. She shivered from the cold air and pulled her coat tighter around her. As she looked up, she saw dozens of stars, bright and twinkling; some of them forming constellations that seemed vaguely familiar to her. However, one constellation stood out among the dozens that surround it. That one she knew how to point out for the longest time as it came with one memory that she could never forget and was still so clear it was as if it'd happen yesterday.

_

"HOW DID I manage to keep you around as my girlfriend for an entire year? I didn't accidentally manage to give you a love potion, did I?" Sirius asked Arabella, his arm around her as they took a night stroll around Hogsmeade. It was a Saturday night and they managed to sneak out with some help from the map and their friends.

"You kept me around as your friend for around fifteen years, it couldn't have been that difficult." Arabella laughed, nudging Sirius gently on the side.

They came to a stop at a grassy field just outside of Hogsmeade. 

"What are you doing?" Arabella asked, he head tilted in confusion but a small smile was present on her face, as she watched Sirius lie down on the grass.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Sirius asked, once he got comfortable, looking up at her.

"It looks like you're getting your clothes dirty." Arabella retorted, an eyebrow raised.

Sirius rolled his eyes but laughed nonetheless, "Shut up and lie beside me."

Arabella shrugged and positioned herself to lie beside Sirius. The two of them looked up at the night sky and saw nothing but bright stars. Arabella needed a few moments to take in how beautiful everything was.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I could name some of the stars and constellations we see right now?" Sirius asked, turning his head to look at her but she was not looking back. Sirius didn't mind as he swore he felt his heart skip a beat and couldn't help but catch his breath.

"Astronomer Sirius Black. Now, that's a side of you that I had no idea existed." Arabella joked, laughing.

"Well, love, I am named after the brightest star in the night's sky."

Sirius proceeded to point to her all the stars and constellations that he knew that were present including Polaris, Andromeda, and Perseus. Arabella swore that she could hear Sirius talk about and point out stars for an entire year and she'd never get bored or tired of it. Every now and then, she'd sneak a peek at Sirius while he's in the middle of pointing out constellations and she would feel her heart practically melt at the sight. Sirius has never looked more at peace and she wanted that image of him to last in her brain forever. 

"How about that one? " Arabella asked, pointing at five bright stars and connected them to form a W shape. "Am I actually seeing something or am I just pointing at a bunch of random stars?"

"That's Cassiopeia."

"Tell me about that one." Arabella said, turing to her side in order to put her head on Sirius' chest. 

"Well, she was named after vain queen Cassiopeia from Greek mythology who always boasted about her unrivalled beauty. She's the mother of Princess Andromeda, the one from the constellation that I talked to you about earlier. It's known as the 'Seated Queen' because according to myth, she was placed in the sky and forced to wheel around the celestial north pole on her throne when she angered Poseidon by boasting that she and Andromeda was far more beautiful than the nereids and sea nymphs."

"Woah." Arabella said after Sirius finished telling her the story. "It's amazing that you know that. It's actually a really interesting story and Cassiopeia is a really pretty name."

"I suppose it is."

_

ARABELLA OPENED her eyes to find herself back at Hogwarts' astronomy tower and away from Sirius' arms at a grassy field just outside of Hogsmeade. How she wished that she could just stay in that memory and relive it over and over again.

As she looked at the five bright stars that formed a W above her, she sighed to herself.

"I miss you."

_____

SIRIUS LOOKED up to see his favorite constellation as it graced the night sky with its presence. Flashbacks to the night of their first anniversary replayed in his head, the memory as clear and bright as the stars above him. Memories of her now flooding back to him.

"We'll meet again soon, Belle."

__________

damn i've been updating so much what is wrong with me??

anyways, i hope you like this short but kinda sweet part. let me know what you think down in the comments and give it a vote if you think it's worthy of one.

lots of love and i'll see ya soon,

arielle