stars | sirius black

epilogue | in peace

When the dust settled, all that's left was pain.

Pain for the ones they've lost. Pain for the people who were gone all too soon. But their deaths were not in vain, they had won. The evil has been defeated; Voldemort disintegrated to dust, courtesy of the chosen one.There was no more need for fighting, they can finally live the rest of their lives in peace.

Can they really?

Can they sleep soundly at night, or will the horrors from the war continue to haunt their dreams? Will they be able to close their eyes without remembering the ones who are no longer with them?

For Sirius and Arabella Black, and the rest of the survivors, the answer was no.

It was a quiet night at 12 Grimmauld Place, a night like any other since it had happened. The loss of their only child brought about an unimaginable pain to the couple. It had been weeks since the war ended and years since their daughter's death, but the pain they felt was still as if they had just lost her yesterday.

For the most part, they would handle the pain well. In fact, the very reason they had fought and stayed alive for this long was for their daughter. They wanted to win the war, so her death may not be in vain. This was especially hard on Sirius' part, she died protecting him. He wanted to make sure it wasn't for nothing.

They sat on the edge of their bed, Arabella's head on Sirius' shoulder. Most nights, they would handle the pain well. But there were nights like tonight, when it was all too much. The couple cried together as they mourn for their daughter, and for their friends they had lost in the war.

"Does it get any easier, Belle?" Sirius asked, rubbing her back in a comforting manner, though he needed comfort as well.

"I sure hope so, I'm getting a little dehydrated from all this crying." She joked, a sad smile adorned her features.

Sirius let out a quiet laugh, he admired his wife's ability to make him smile even in the darkest of times. "If she and Remus were here right now, they'd probably yell at us for being such sappy sods."

"I know, I miss them. I'd give anything to hear their voices again, even if it is just to yell at us for being sappy."

"I miss them too, Belle."

"Then let's give them a visit." Arabella said, standing up and grabbing her coat that was lazily thrown on a chair.

"It's ten in the evening. Isn't that too late?" Sirius asked with his eyebrows furrowed. "Graveyards are scary on their own, but this late at night? They're really something else."

"Come on, you've lived with ghosts at Hogwarts for years. Don't tell me you're afraid."

"I am not!" Sirius protested, standing up to face Arabella.

"Then grab your coat and let's go!" She huffed and left the room without another word.

"This is insane." Sirius muttered, but he grabbed his coat nonetheless and followed Arabella out the room.

...

Going to visit Remus and Cass never got any easier for the pair. It's always difficult to see the names of the ones you loved most etched on a tombstone, a reminder that they are no longer with you. They made their way to the graveyard at Godric's Hollow, where Remus and Cass were buried near James and Lily.

"Sorry for the late visit, we just missed you so much." Arabella said, tears brimming her eyes as she looked at her daughter's grave.

"Not a day where we don't, darling." Sirius said, placing flowers some flowers down.

"You too, buddy." He said, now referring to Remus.

"We'll meet again soon, my loves. I hope you both are doing well, wherever you two are." Arabella smiled sadly down at her daughter's grave, letting a few tears fall.

"Give our best to Fred and Tonks as well. Figured you have found your way to each other over there by now." He said, knowing her daughter's and the Weasley twin's relationship.

"Sirius!" Arabella exclaimed in shock.

"Oh, come on! I'm just trying to lighten the mood a bit. We both know those two had something going on." Sirius said, rolling his eyes playfully at his wife.

"I know, it's just..."

"I know. It's difficult." Sirius said, pulling his wife to his chest and wrapping his arms around her.

They stayed like that for a moment before they heard the sound of someone walking towards them. Alarmed, they pulled out their wands.

"Who's there?" Arabella asked, her wand drawn, eyes looking for any sign of danger.

"It's just me!"

"Harry?" Sirius asked, lowering his wand.

Harry stepped forward, his eyes meeting his godparents' eyes. "Sorry for startling you."

"It's nothing." Arabella said, her expression now softened as she reached her hands toward him and engulfing him in a hug. "How are you?"

"Just the same as you." Harry replied, pulling away from Arabella. He adjusted his glasses before placing a bouquet of flowers down at Cass' grave. "You know, trying not to break down at any given moment."

Sirius and Arabella nodded in understanding.

"Why is it that the best people are always the ones who are gone too soon?" Harry asked to no one in particular.

"The world didn't deserve them." Arabella replied.

The three of them stood there. Mourning for their family. Wishing things could have been different. Wishing they were all still together in the realm of the living. They knew they deserved so much better than what they had been given. But what else were they to do but learn to play with the cards they were dealt? It may not be now, but soon they would come to accept it, and in time, be grateful for it. Though they had lost loved ones, the ones that will live after them will come to know a better life.

And so Sirius, Arabella, and Harry stood there, together, as the night went on in peace.

...

a/n: the end!! oh wow, I have so much I want to say but I am going to try my best to keep it v short bc I have a mountain of homework and readings that need to be done. So I just wanna give every single one of you who read this story til its very bitter end, a huge thank you!!! thank you so much for being sooo patient and for all the votes and comments y'all left, you have no idea how much it means to me.

It took a long time to get here, but it is finally done. On to the next thing!

But what is the next thing? Well, for starters I'll finally start on the second part of my james potter ff and maybe even get a remus one in the works. I have sort of fully adjusted to my college, so I can start updating more frequently. And while we are on the subject of what is next, if you want to check out my non-fanfiction writings, you can head on to my other account -imari to see them. I'll start posting original poems, short stories, and others on there soon.

Anyways, in celebration of me finally finishing this, feel free to comment a question and I will try and answer all of them. You can ask me about the story or if you want you can just ask about me.

Thank you again, I love you all. I'll see ya when I see ya,
Arielle