Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 112

A lull had fallen over the castle, as everyone slowly started getting accustomed to the summer. Exams were all done, and all their classes were done, and all they had to look forward to was maybe flying or walking on the grounds. 

Groups of students would have small picnics on the grounds of the castle, enjoying the pleasant weather.

Isabella stuck to the Forbidden Forest. Except for the full moons when she would stay away, leaving Remus to his friends. She didn't want to get bitten either, she won't lie. 

There was nothing much for her to do either, so she returned the time-turner when McGonagall asked, and then went to lazing around and sketching her heart away. 

Nothing special happened until one evening when Sirius ran to her. 

And the first thing Isabella noticed was that he looked like he was on the verge of crying.

"Izzy," Sirius panted. "Izzy. I fucked up. I fucked up. I fucked up so bad. I—I—It was all my fault. I fucked it all up!"

Isabella was just returning to the common room from the Room of Requirement when Sirius stopped her. 

He looked deranged.

Isabella thought 'calm down' wouldn't be the best thing to say to him at the moment, so she decided instead to ask, "You have to tell me what is wrong, Sirius, or I won't understand,"

"They'll listen to you," Sirius said frantically, grabbing at his hair. 

And Isabella thought she had seen this scene somewhere before. . .Yes, it reminded her of how Snape had looked last year when he came to apologize to Lily. It was the same desperation and hopelessness in his eyes, the utter fear of losing. 

But why would Sirius look like that?

Then it clicked. 

He had pulled that prank on Snape, and sent him to Remus. . .It must have happened yesterday because yesterday was the full moon. . .And everything must have settled. . Remus and the others were probably mad at Sirius, hence his panicking.

"They'll listen to you, Izzy," Sirius said, now pacing across the corridor.  "I fucked up! I know! I swear, I meant it as a harmless prank. I didn't—I wouldn't! Not to him—They hate me now! He hates me now—It's all my fault— I didn't mean to—I fucked up—"

"Sirius," Isabella said slowly. "What happened?"

Sirius stopped to look at her, then slowly, the truth hit him hard. He couldn't tell her either. He couldn't let another person know Remus' secret. Not when he had already messed up everything. 

"No," he said in a small voice, shaking his head. "No, nothing. Forget this happened," and he made to leave. 

But Isabella grabbed his arm, and dragged him down the corridor. Sirius didn't protest much, maybe because he knew going to the common room would be facing the Marauders.

Isabella dragged Sirius all the way down to the Great Lake, and when they were finally there, she sat down on the grass and asked Sirius to do the same. Sirius obliged. 

The sun was a bright ruby orange and was sinking below the horizon slowly. There was no breeze and the heat only told them about the arriving summer. 

They sat facing the lake, staring at the glassy surface of the lake. 

"You don't have to tell me anything," Isabella said finally. "Just let everything out. It doesn't have to make any sense. Just let whatever you feel out,"