Shut Up, Padfoot!

56

Sirius

"Will you please hold still? You'll mess it up," Lily complained.

I rolled my eyes but listened to her. Everytime the nail polish brush ran down a fingernail, I got shivers at the cold sensation. My nails look so pretty so I can't ruin them.

She stuck her tongue out and hunched over my hand to get that perfect model design. Her red hair fell down her shoulder despite the pearly clasp in the back. I remember Cry got that for her one Christmas. I don't think Lily ever takes it off, only to sleep and bathe.

"Why'd you choose me? Why not Moony?" I whined.

I may be complaining but I do admit, I like it a bit.

"I already did his," she shortly responded.

I laughed loudly, earning an annoyed slap from her. I smiled and made sure I didn't move again. 

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah, he asked me to do it. Look-"

She pointed her pinky at Remus on the other side of the common room. I diverted my gaze to him and watched his hand come up. He admired his nails and I watched the shine sparkle off them. He smiled fondly.

"Wait, why did you give him glitter? And mine is plain?" I argued.

She turned her head back to my hand. I continued to stare at him angrily. The Marauder whipped his hand, palm facing him and showing off his nails to Prongs. He gushed over them and James nodded dismissively.

"Because Cry always liked her nails like this! Iris wanted Remus to have glitter so I just put some on it," she excitedly explained.

"Cry would've wanted me to have glitter too!" I exclaimed.

"No, she wouldn't! She hates glitter!" she retort.

I sighed in disappointment. Iris walked over to our table, watching Lily apply the nail polish for a bit. She looked over my shoulder.

"Why not glitter?" she proposed.

"That's what I said!" I cried.

"Because I SAID SO!" Lily roared.

I cringed back, noticing Iris doing the same as well. We stared at her with grimaces. The redhead calmed down and a dreamlike expression covered her face once more, taking my hand and putting it back on the table.

"So it's true redheads are incarnate of the devil," Iris whispered to me.

"Sometimes I forget," I hissed back.

She blew air out of her nose in amusement. Stepping to the side, she pulled up a chair next to me. She tucked some curls behind her ear and laid her head on her hand.

"Do you think Cry is face-palming constantly when she's watching us from above?" Iris wondered.

"You mean from below?" I corrected.

"What?"

I turned to her with confusion. Her brows furrowed and her mouth parted, puzzled at the statement. She blinked and I blankly stared at her.

Clearing her throat, she began, "From below?"

"Yeah. From below," I confirmed.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"What do you mean: 'What does that mean'?" I replied.

She opened her mouth, getting ready to talk. She closed it, trying to figure it out. Iris frowned then opened her mouth once more to reply. When she couldn't register a full sentence, her lips pressed together.

I rose an eyebrow and looked back at my hand. Let's just pretend nothing happened. With the finished hand, I blew on my nails to get them to dry faster.

"Okay! Finished," Lily announced.

I could've squealed at the cute look on my nails. She couldn't do much considering how short they were but I liked that the nail polish covered it all. I can't see under my nail anymore and it really is a reliever.

"Can I do yours, Lily?" Iris questioned.

Lily didn't respond but handed her the nail polishes. She laid her hands on the table and waited for the other girl to unscrew one of the caps.

Lily's never been a vocal person. She likes to do things quietly. Like when you ask for water, she's already reaching into her bag without saying anything. Or for a spare quill, she hands one without even looking at you.

Maybe that's why her and Cry got along so well. Cry was always so reassuring and so loud with her love language. She made sure to say 'I love you' and 'Are you okay?'. It became more often her last couple years, with obvious reasons.

Lily and I are similar in that way. Almost like we were the same person. It was one of the reasons why we got closer after Cry's death. Like we were there for each other even if we didn't say it.

Whatever I couldn't say, it was through touch.

A feather like touch to the back of her neck. Or a sudden hug in the silence. Even the tips of our shoes under the table. Anything that would have me connecting to Fawkes.

I couldn't get my hands off her.

She told me many times that she liked it and it showed I loved her. Told me she got butterflies everytime I merely grazed her skin.

When she said that to me, I just would not stop thinking about it. The way that I could have her feeling everything with the simplest touch.

That's something you can't find more than once.

With the one and only elite lover.

I got out of the chair, stretching my limbs. I walked over to the window and peered outside. There was rain falling. Seems like there was never a day of sun ever since that last day of sixth year. Maybe that was Cry's last dying wish. To bring lasting downpour.

A fiery red bird caught my attention in the eye of the storm. Rain spattered on its wings but it still flew through the clouds.

It's a phoenix.

I strained my eyes to keep watching it. Droplets fell down the window, trails traveling down to the pane. The bird flapped through the strong winds and towards the castle.

Then it stopped.

It froze and closed the wings on itself. Completely, it fell. My mouth opened in surprise and my shocked yell caught in my throat.

The phoenix is going to die.

My forehead pressed against the glass to glimpse the fall fire. I jerked when I saw it getting closer and closer to the ground.

I let out a breath when I saw the wings unravel and swoop on an arm.

My heart slowed its beating and I glanced at the person who was waiting for the phoenix. Dumbledore smiled softly and turned around to enter the castle.

She's been reborn.

-lana