Parallel Universes • s.black

What Sirius Black Noticed in the Summer of '77

-Sirius Black-

She came back to me.

It wasn't all at once because nothing ever is. After all that had happened in sixth year it would be wishful thinking of me to expect her to be all shiny and new at the end of it.

But she has come back to me. To us. In bits and pieces.

The first time I noticed it was an early Summer afternoon about two weeks after the last day of school, She had shown up on James' doorstep her arm looped through Lily's. I noticed it as soon as my eyes fell onto her.

Her hair.

For so long she'd had it pulled tightly off her face and ticked into a bun at the nape of her neck. And even when she let it out it had hung limp and more white than blonde around her small face. Straight like her mother's. But on that Summer's day her hair fell in tousled waves down her back, spilling over her shoulders like sunshine. Like liquid gold.

The second time I noticed was another couple of weeks later when we took a day trip to Hogsmede. We were in at The Three Broomsticks sipping on some Butterbeers and dreaming about seventh year. James had just whispered something to Peter about Dorcas which had caused Peter to choke so violently on his Butterbeer that he was taking a sip from that it came out of his nose. It was hilarious and we all lost it. That's when I noticed it.

Her laugh.

It had been so long since I'd heard it and when I finally did in that last 24 hours of sixth year it had a hesitant edge to it, as if she wasn't sure she was even allowed the privilege of laughing. But that day in The Three Broomsticks she threw her head back and laughed a real laugh. The kind of laugh that fills the ribs, fills the heart, mends the soul.

The third time I noticed was a warm summer night at Ruby Wilson's, a Hufflepuff with an enormous house, parents who travel and a full liquor cabinet. It was getting close to midnight and Stella and I had just won a game of beer pong against James and Lily when a song came on. An old Pink Floyd song that made Stella squeal and clamber up onto the coffee table. That's when I noticed it.

Her dancing.

I couldn't even remember the last time I'd seen her dance. Maybe the New Years of'76? In sixth year, Stella could barely look at me let alone get on a table and spin around on her tip toes to Pink Floyd while giving me tequila glazed 'bedroom eyes'. But that's exactly what she's doing. She pulls Lily up onto the table with her and she starts singing the words slightly off-key and then I'm laughing because Stella Hart is singing and dancing to a Pink Floyd song when a month ago her soul was dying. Then she leans over and runs her hands through my hair and cups my face while still singing and I'm beaming because I'm drunk, she's drunk and I love her.

The fourth time I noticed was a colder night where Summer had begun to melt into Autumn. I had decided to be romantic and show up at her window like I had in fifth year on Christmas. I snuck her out of the house and into the woods where we lay tangled up in each other under the stars on top of a picnic blanket. That's when I noticed it.

Her love.

We had never gotten to that casual stage. Even in fifth year when it all began it was stolen kisses in stairwells and broom closets and secret glances from across the room. Our relationship was tumultuous and at time disasterous and when we finally got to the point of certainty I lost her, or Voldemort took her. Either way she was gone and we never got to that comfortable point. But that night in the half light we did. We were talking about life after school about how we imagined it would be and how it could be. We were laughing about something I'd said and she leaned over, so casually, so easily and pressed a kiss to my lips, quickly and gently. It took my breath away.

And she continued to take my breath away. All these little moments that I began to notice, I couldn't stop noticing and I hated myself for taking these moments for granted before. Because after sixth year I knew what it was like to live without them.

And I couldn't. I couldn't lose her again.

I wouldn't.

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AUTHORS NOTE

Hi friends, here is the prologue for the final part of 'Parallel Universes'. What did ya think at your first glimpse of 'The Reality'.

Just letting you guys know that the last two parts have been roughly 20 chapters each but this one might be a little bit shorter just because of the way I've planned the plot and structured the chapters in relation to the end.

I'm super excited for you guys to read it!! Now I just have to write it. Yikes.

Don't forget to vote and leave a comment because it means the world to me :)

*loves*

-J xx