When the Roses Went Black: The Lost Lover of Sirius Black

XXII

TW//mentions of scarring

**shorter

The next few days after the attack, Rose got around very slowly. One of the days was even spent in the Hospital Wing. Rose thought Madame Pomfrey was going to faint when she saw what was carved into Rose's back. Using different creams, Madame Pomfrey was able to heal some of the burns, but the scar and the word was still there. "You were cut very, very deeply Miss Ferbreezeo. You are lucky this didn't do any damage to your spine. Though the initial burns have been healed, you were still cut very far into your back, and the pain will not subside for a few days," she said, standing over Rose's bed. She then got very quiet. "I do regret to inform you that the... word... will be there forever. You were cut far too deeply for that to be mended. I'm so sorry dear." Madame Pomfrey looked inches from tears when she broke the news. She cupped Rose's face and gave her a sad smile before walking away.

Rose leaned back on her pillow with her eyes closed. She didn't want this mark. To show she was once defeated. But she couldn't hide from her scars. They made her who she was. Remus even told her that when he visited. "Do not be ashamed of your scars Rose," he asserted. "Be proud of how you overcame them, and what you learned. Our scars are our story, and our wounds are our past." Remus understood being ashamed, and he most certainly understood the lingering sting of scars. But they made him beautiful, and Rose was glad he understood.

The days after the hospital wing, Lily made Rose tea and Sirius put ice on her bare back. Remus always offered her chocolate, which she knew always made him feel better after his cycles. James and Peter would knick cookies from the kitchen. Rose would often refuse them pampering her like this, but it touched her how much they cared.

One day while in the boys' room, they were talking about Rose's attack. James mentioned how "no one has seen much of that git Lucius lately," and how many wondered "what happened to the little cockroach." Four of the friends put in their theories, but Sirius sat quietly with a small smile playing at his lips. Rose leaned in and whispered, "Any idea what happened to him, Black?" Sirius kissed Rose on the cheek and patted her on the thigh. "You handled Bellatrix, I handled Lucius. Call it even," he replied with an indifferent shrug. Rose looked at him for a moment, admiring how far her man would go for her. She leaned on his shoulder. "I don't even want to know Black," she laughed, quoting him from long ago. Sirius, catching on, kissed her head, tapped her nose, and told her, "Then you won't know darling."

***

Exam week came, and not even the most faithful of Death Eaters had their mind on anything else. As for Rose and her friends, every spare moment was spent studying. So many times they would wake up, all asleep on each other, mumbling spell names in their sleep. Rose studied so hard for Charms, that she often dreamt of an angry goblin chasing her and casting a sleeping spell on her. She'd shoot awake in a cold sweat, screaming that Merlin never utilized the spell against the goblins.

Nonetheless, every friend got at least an E in their exams, some getting an O. When seeing that their marks qualified for being an Auror, Sirius picked up Rose and spun her around in the middle of the hallway. "You know love, since we'll both be kick ass Aurors, I may have to suffer living with you," Sirius said with a wink. Rose threw her arms loosely around his neck. "That's the best idea you've had since dating me," she replied, smothering his face with tiny kisses. The two caught many sideways glances from passerby, but they didn't care. Sirius put Rose on his back and they ran together through the halls, both shooting winks at a fuming looking Lucius. Their future was right in front of them, and despite the war raging on beyond them, everything looked so bright.