It All Fell Down | A Marauder's Story

Thirty-Four

"And, all of a sudden I felt really tired. Like the world had drained me for everything that I had." - bgt     

     Sirius Black and Charlotte Riggs stared at the slit of light that was edging its way into the broom cupboard where they were hidden. Both of their wands had been lost in the chaos of the fight that had raged into the night; there was no way to put up charms to hide them. They stood in fear listening to the chaos happening within the halls of their beloved school, but a witch or wizard without their wand could only do so much. And, they decided they would rather live to fight another day than to risk their lives with no wand. 

     A streak of familiar blonde hair ran past their hiding spot. Charlie took a closer step to the opening; Sirius stood closely behind her, ready to draw her back at a moment's notice. 

     A cackle sounded from the hallway; its high-pitch made the hairs on their arms stand on end. "Don't run away from your cousin, Jakey."

     Charlie's stomach turned. She reached for the door before Sirius grabbed both of her arms and yanked her harshly away from the light. "No," he whispered next to her ear so low it was hardly noticeable. "Jake can take care of himself. You are no use to anyone without your wand right now, Charlie."

     "Fuck off, bitch," a stream of red shot past the opening. 

     Charlie nodded but inched closer, doing her best to breathe as quietly as she could manage. She arrived to the door just in time to see the green chase away the red. Just in time to watch Jake's body drop and echo off the stone floor. The sound penetrated her bones, shattering her insides. Everything within her seemed to come crumbling down.

     Sirius' eyes widened in horror. Without thinking, he locked one arm around her middle and clamped his other hand to her mouth; both of her hands landed on top of his, trying to keep her cries contained within herself. He dragged her to the farthest corner of the cupboard where he turned her to face him, hand still on her mouth, fingers pressing pointedly into her skin. 

     Charlie's eyes were wide and shining with tears; Sirius' eyes mirrored hers as well. He tried to silently shush her as her breathing quickened with her contained sobs. She was very aware that she needed to remain silent, but it wasn't like she could just tell whatever it was within her that seemed to snap when she watched his body fall, to just un-break itself.

     Sirius brought his other hand to the side of her face, his touch feather-like. "I'm here," he mouthed. 

     Her tears puddled against the hand he held over her mouth, and he swore he could see worlds crumbling in the depths of her ocean eyes. He didn't know Jake that well, but nobody deserved to die that young. Hadn't Charlie lost enough in this life? And, seeing his friend like this hurt him as much as physical pain. 

     He brought her to his chest, hugging her tightly, doing his best to put into the gesture what he couldn't put into words at the moment. She held fistfuls of his sweater in each of her hands, her mouth open against his chest, agape in the silence of the scream she couldn't release from her lungs. 

      Sirius turned his head to stare at the door for a strange rattling sound came from the outside. It sounded as if someone were holding a large box of metal and shaking it. After the rattling, came the sounds of loud crashing. He jumped with the noise, Charlie still in his arms. 

      He pressed her gently against the wall before creeping silently towards the door. Through the small slit of light he could see that suits of armor had fallen, come crashing down from their different places on the wall. The floor was a graveyard of rusted metal.