To Have and To Hold: Sirius Black

Lupin

    Days had passed and Victoria looked worse than ever. Her eyes were red, and her dark circles were ghastly. Her skin looked dull, representing how she felt within. Her bright blue eyes had turned almost grey and her smile had completely disappeared. She had almost stopped eating altogether causing her to look sick and pale. On the inside, she felt demoralized and spent most of her time in the Room of Requirement. She had even started skipping classes, just to stare into the mirror of Erised. She constantly wrote the phrase 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi'  over and over, captivated by the mirror. 

   Her friends had noticed her changing, but kept to themselves. It killed Sirius to see what Victoria was going through, but he was hurt as well. It made sense that she was sneaking off with Regulus, disappearing for hours on end not getting back to the common room until the middle of the night, everything fell into place. 

   Walking down the hall, Victoria faced the stares and whispers that followed her everywhere she went. It had been over a week since her fight with Sirius, his fangirls were the most bothered with Victoria, appalled by the way she treated Sirius. She ignored them, keeping her head held high, trying to hold on to any ounce of dignity she had left. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist and led her through the crowd to an empty classroom. The hand belonged to Remus.

"Victoria, are you okay?" Remus asked, concern written all over his face.

"Fine," I responded, not bothering to look him in his eyes, "Not sure why you'd care anyway."

"Victoria, I'm sorry I didn't seek you out sooner, any of us, but you see how this looks? You would disappear for hours with the same excuse every time and then you're caught with Regulus more than once. I don't believe you did anything with him, but it does look suspicious." Remus replied, shifting awkwardly on his feet.

"I told Sirius that I would never do anything with his brother, we're just friends," I replied, tears forming but I willed them not to fall.

"I know, but if you don't mind my asking, what were you doing with Regulus, surely you had enough friends. Why seek out the one person Sirius despises?" He asked, gazing down at me intently.

"I- I can't tell you, I wish I could, but I can't." 

"That doesn't make any sense, why can't you tell me?"

"I just can't." I stammered.

" I can tell that you aren't okay. You aren't showing up to meals, and it looks like you haven't been eating at all. You're starting to miss classes, and you barely show up to the common room. I have no idea where you're running off to. Sirius thinks it could be the Slytherin dormitories."

"WHAT? No, I'm not running off to the Slytherin dormitories, I haven't spoken to Regulus since the night of the fight between Sirius and I. I'm fine Remus, you can stop worrying." I replied, Remus, cupping my face in his hands, compassion apparent on his face.

"No, you aren't. That's why I'm ditching the boys and spending all my time with you. Just because you started dating Sirius doesn't mean I stopped caring for you, I still have those feelings, I won't act on them of course, but I'll always be here."

"No, Remus, everyone would hate you for it. I appreciate that you care, but I'm fine on my own." I was astonished that Remus would ditch his friends to spend every waking second with me.

"Too bad, I don't care if you want me around or not, I'm here. Also, James, Lily, Peter, Marlene, and Alice feel awful, they've wanted to talk to you, but they can never get you alone. They didn't want to choose sides, they haven't chosen sides. James has known you since you were a baby, you're like his sister." Remus replied, still holding my face, "He's tried persuading Sirius to hear you out, but Sirius is blinded by the resentment he holds for his brother."

"I wish they would've told me that to my face, I've been going through hell. Everybody hates me for breaking Sirius Blacks, Hogwarts hottest Marauder, heart."

Remus wasn't lying. He followed me everywhere I went. He made sure I ate, went to class, did my school work, and even studied for the upcoming N.E.W.T.S. We had gotten closer than ever, sure we had already been really close but we'd never spent so much alone time together. Finally, I felt like pieces of my broken heart was being put back together, all thanks to Remus. Currently, I was sitting in the library when a second-year Ravenclaw approached me and Remus.

"V- Victoria Windsor?" The boy asked nervously.

"Yes?" I asked smiling down upon the boy.

"Dumbledore wants to see you in his office. He says he loves Pumpkin Pasties." With that, the boy ran off. 

I told Remus I'd be back after he sent me a confused glance, and ran off to Dumbledore's office. After shouting the password at the Gargoyle I made my way into his office.

"Ahh, Miss. Windsor, do come in. Take a seat if you will." He said calmly gesturing to the seats in front of his desk. I was always amazed by Dumbledore's office, filled to the brink with portraits and trinkets, "You're probably wondering why I called you here. Let's get straight to the point. I have a task involving Thestreal United if you're up to it."

"Oh, sure sir," I replied cautiously. The last thing I'd want to do is attract attention and be killed by Voldemort.

"Very well. I want you to tail Horace Slughorn."

"SIR?" I almost yelled, appalled by Dumbledore's request, "You want me to follow a teacher?"

"Why yes, that is exactly what I want you to do. I believe he's dabbling in the Dark Arts, communicating with dangerous wizards, I need to see what one of my Professors is up to." He replied like he was asking for the most normal thing in the world, "Remember, keep this to yourself, I'll see you in three days time."

"Sir, I can't possibly-"

"You'll find that anything is possible if you set your mind to it. We're at war, sometimes the choice between right and easy is hard to distinguish. Oh, and I heard about Mr.Black and yourself, I am most deeply sorry."

I left his office anxious than ever. I was supposed to follow a teacher without getting caught and report their doings to the headmaster. Just as I thought my life couldn't get any more difficult, I bumped straight into a raven-haired boy.

Sirius Black in the flesh.

                                                                                    **********

Hey! If you guys are confused about Thesteral United, don't worry it will all make sense in a few chapters! Also, I know Professor Slughorn isn't working with Voldemort, but again you'll just have to wait to see what's gonna happen in the next few chapters! I decided to have Remus comfort Victoria because it's in his nature, and he would never let a dear friend break down like the way she was... Anyway, I have so many good ideas that I'm really excited to write!  This is already Chapter 29, which is crazy, and with what I have planned, there may be around 50 chapters! (I'm not completely sure, it could be more.) I update literally every day and I write chapters in bulk, so I have so many chapters I haven't even published yet. (Today is December 2, 2020, for clarification)

XOXO,

SiriusBlackLover <3