Nyctophobia - Sirius Black

Chapter 17

The last thing Sirius wanted to do was go home for Spring break. He would have preferred to stay at Hogwarts like he had every other year, but his parents had insisted that he come home. They were having some esteemed guests over, and Sirius guessed they were going to try to arrange a marriage for him since there was no other reason they could possibly want him home.

He watched Prongs longingly as his former friend greeted his parents warmly, but James didn't even glance at him. Sirius looked at the ground sadly. It was all his fault.

He barely noticed when his mother gripped his arm none too gently and apparated back to the Black Manor. He didn't even sneer at her when she practically threw him up the stairs, ordering him to stay in his room until it was time for dinner. He sat down on his bed, not even glancing around the room. It was different than the rest of the house. The entire Black Manor was dark and dreary except his room. His room was bright, walls covered in posters of motorbikes and muggle girls in bikinis. There was one table that had a Gryffindor banner on the wall above it and on the table were his Quidditch trophies. It was practically a shrine to Gryffindor.

He had always taken such pride in being able to annoy his mother to no end with his rebellious room decor, but things were different now. He was different now. It was all his fault.

Sirius let the charms fall and looked in the mirror. His nose was badly broken, and there were dark bruises all over his face. His lip was broken, and bleeding a little.

The Marauders were thick as thieves. They went everywhere together. They did everything together, even detention. They spent the full moon together. The Marauders were no more. It was all his fault.

Sirius had told Snape that his friend was a werewolf. Sirius had told him where to find him. Sirius had nearly made his friend a murderer. Sirius had betrayed his friend's trust. Sirius had given away his friend's biggest baddest darkest secret. Sirius had no one to blame but himself.

He had regretted it the moment the words left his mouth. He had crumpled to the ground when Snape had left, the full weight of what he had just done crashing down on him. He had rushed to Prongs, hurriedly trying to explain what he had just done.

Prongs had gone white as a sheet, fury building in his eyes, his magic surging.

"How could you do that?! You told Snape?!! What is wrong with you?! You're just like your parents!" He had pushed Sirius into the wall, punching him several times in his anger. He had thrown Sirius to the ground, jinxing him several times. Sirius had done nothing to stop him, knowing he deserved it. James had rushed from the room, throwing the invisibility cloak over his head.

Sirius had transformed into his animagus form, and stumbled to his feet. He needed to try and help fix what he had done. He knew James and Remus would never forgive him, but maybe he could at least help one last time. He rushed down to the Shrieking shack, avoiding the usual route but still getting there before Prongs.

He was surprised to see Severus Snape outside the door, pounding on it and screaming. He heard a cry from the other side of the door and realized who was trapped with the werewolf. He transformed back, and tried to force the door.

"She locked it with her magic. You have to get her out of there! He'll kill her!" Sirius felt indescribably guilty. Snape had a protector, and Ruby would protect him until her last breath, which now seemed so close.

They heard several thumps, and a few cries of pain from the other side. Sirius tried to unlock the door with any unlocking charm he knew, but Ruby's magic held. She was trapped in the room with a werewolf, and they were outside, forced to listen to her fight the beast. Prongs and Wormtail arrived, eventually and tried to help, but it did nothing. Their magic was nothing compared to hers, even as she was dying.