Sirius Black (the_last_black) wrote in tempus_fugit, @ 2008-04-22 17:58:00 |
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Entry tags: | character: remus lupin, character: sirius black, group: the dead, location: number 12 grimmauld place lond |
Date: 22nd April 2001
Time: Night
Location: Grimmauld Place
Characters: Remus Lupin and Sirius Black
Rating: PG-13
The day had begun in a terrifying way. A bang had reverberated through the bedroom, and Sirius was standing up before he'd even realised he was awake.
"M'up!" he said blearily, then looked around for the source of the noise. Finding it, he stumbled backwards with a sharp intake of breath.
Kreacher was also backing towards the door, "Unnatural! My Master--" But Sirius didn't wait to find out exactly what was unnatural, he charged forward and sharply pushed the door against the house-elf, shoving him out into the hallway. He closed it with a bang, and pressed his back against it.
"What's that doing here? Everyone's gone! Dead!" he ranted, quickly retrieving his wand from the bedside and locking it.
Sirius had felt uncomfortable the rest of the day, trying to restrict his movements about the house for fear of the hideous house-elf around the next corner. It wasn't that he was afraid of Kreacher, but he knew the house elf hated him with a vengence, and carried the same armoury of insults his mother had flung. Sirius didn't want to hear those things, not at least until he grew used to being in the house again. Thankfully Kreacher had disappeared off to wherever it was he had been before, and neither of them saw him again for the remainder of the day.
The Sirius who had spent 12 years in Azkaban had not been afraid of number 12 Grimmauld Place. Though he had not enjoyed being trapped there, years of solitude and the terrible moment the dementors had forced his mind to relive, had numbed the effect this building had on him. However, this Sirius had never been to Azkaban, and though leaving home for good seemed a life time ago the wounds had barely begun to scab over. The main theme of his nightmares concerned James and Lily, and baby Harry abandoned amongst the rubble, screaming for parents that couldn't hear him. But always there were the cloaked figures; sometimes covered entirely in darkness, though more frequently only with a cover of light shadow. Their faces drifted past him in horrible recognition, their terrible intent all too clear to Siriuis - but he could not prevent them.
On the first night at Grimmauld Place Sirius had crept into Remus' room, and eased himself into the bed. Though it was no greater comfort sleeping in Regulus' room than his own - in some ways, it was worse - the presence across the bed was silently reassuring. Listening to his friend's quiet breathing reminded him that life had changed, and that nightmares were just that. From that night on, he'd retired to his own room to ensure Remus would at least be pretending to sleep before he went and climbed into the bed again.
Tonight he'd fallen asleep quickly, perhaps worn out by the vigilence he'd maintained on the look out for Kreacher. However his sleep didn't remain peaceful long. He slipped into familiar nightmares, that somehow were no better for repeated experience.
He frowned in his sleep, eyebrows pushed towards one another in despair. When his features evened again, a whimper fell from his lips.
Sirius fell onto his bed backwards, using the tips of his fingers to gently touch his stomach. The bruise felt deep, and as he lifted his head to look he felt sick. It seemed his views on Regulus' admission to Slytherin in the previous September were not ones to be aired over Christmas Dinner. He'd known that before, but somehow he hadn't been able to stop himself from wrecking the perfect scene of dinner. The over-laden dinner table, the disgustingly pompous expressions of relatives pretending to like one another. He hated that those who lived outside Grimmauld place might think he were like them.
He could still feel his father's rough fingers clamped across his mouth, stifling the struggling and the yell of pain Sirius had been forced to swallow like poison.
He closed his eyes, but the world twisted and turned. Sirius opened his eyes, about to dash to the bathroom -
But there was only the rubble of James' home there, and he gave a sob of despair. Was Voldemort still nearby? - Where was Lily, and James? He stumbled over bricks and mortar, then gave a shout of horror as he tripped over an arm. Turning with a heart full of dread, he looked into his brother's face. Had Voldemort done that? Or had James valiantly tried to save his family, destroying part of Sirius' in doing so?
The images faded from his mind, jolted away by the thought that this didn't make sense.
Sleepily he half-opened his eyes, a hand absently groping towards the body beside him. Some girl he'd brought home...He'd remember her name when he woke up. But for now he needed the warmth of the other body.