The Ice Queen [s.b.]

↠winter break, part one, 1.24

What's Been Done Has Been Done.

December 20th.

Unbeknownst to Annalee Fawley, Sirius Black has a problem. Several of them, actually. Namely, whether or not to go back to his parent's house.

Without Anna, they might turn him away. If she comes, they might kill her. 

If he doesn't go at all, there'd be hell to pay that summer. If he goes, he has to bring Anna. But Anna had been raving about how she's so excited to finally go to Lily's. Not to mention, it'd be putting her in danger. Therefore, of course he can't take her back home.

But then he can't go back home.

And then his parents might not take him back that Summer.

But he would never, could never put Annalee in harms way. Protecting his princess, and all.

Snapping him out of his thoughts, Annalee walks up behind him and rests a hand on his shoulder. The two are in their nightly meeting in the Astronomy tower.

"Sirius?" she asks gently. "Are you quite alright?"

He pastes on a smile, "Of course, Princess. Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"I am," she confirms. "I'm simply delighted to be meeting Lily's mum and dad. Not so much her sister, though. I'll be needing a good supply of dungbombs from the twins."

He chuckles, "Good."

"Are you excited to go home?" she asks, almost hopefully.

"Not really," he admits. "I might stay at the castle."

"Why?" she asks immediately. "Are your parents being frustrating? Is it about me?"

"No!" he lies insistently. "It's not anything about you, but my parents are always frustrating."

"Okay," she says softly. "If you're sure. So long as you know you can always talk to me. I'm going to miss these meetings loads. Wait- will you mirror me every night? Eight o'clock? On the dot?"

"That was quite the progression," he mutters. Louder, he adds, "I will. I promise you. And I'll miss the meetings a lot as well. You more than the meeting, but all of it in general."

Anna sits down criss-cross applesauce on the floor. Sirius sits down next to her.

"You're the best, you know that? You may have your faults - we all do - but you're a good person, Sirius Black," Anna says sincerely. "I know you're parents are like mine. Cruel, demeaning, and just terrible. I just want to make sure you don't forget that, should you go into the belly of the beast."

"Okay," he says softly. "They just... are so terrible."

"We're starting a revolution here. Don't forget that. Every move we make will either make a spark, or diminish one. Tread lightly," she warns, no element of gentleness to her voice.

"I know. We won't stand for what your parents did to you, what with Evan. And we have to fight against Riddle. He hurt you and we won't stand for that," he says, with a sort of harshness that makes Anna remember something she tends to forget: Sirius is a Black. He was raised with them, and has the same iciness as Annalee when he needs to.

Anna lets out a sharp breath. "Good."

They spend the rest of their time together basking in the comfortable warmth characteristic of their relationship.

December 22nd.

The train blows, and Annalee and Sirius depart for the Winter Break. 

Lily grabs Anna's hand and pulls her towards her parents.