A Circular Story

(Title is from the song The Camera Shop from Ghost Quartet)

A/N:

Quick warning - This is a very confusing musical, so if you don't understand the fic, I would suggest finding the plot of Ghost Quartet on Wikipedia or directly messaging me for a summary. Enjoy!

Sirius Black didn't necessarily hate any of his classes. But he did harbor a strong dislike for double divination with professor Trelawney and the Slytherins. That class, with its dank walls and perpetual earl gray scent always gave him the creepy-crawlies. Come to think of it, nobody really liked that class very much. But, if he wanted to pass his OWLs at the year's end, Sirius had to pay attention. Right now, he sat beside the other three Marauders on those ridiculous multicolored tufts, making tea. Trelawney slinked about the room, watching each student pour boiling water into teacups full of leaves. "Remember, students. Pour your water and honey as the spirits are telling you. Then, you may read your fortune." They did as instructed, chattering among themselves. Five or so minutes later, the students had finished making and pouring out their tea. Beside Sirius, his best friend James was imitating everything the professor said in a squeaky voice. She turned to him. "Mr. Potter, is there something you'd like to say to the rest of the class?" The Slytherins across the room snickered. James smirked and tipped back on his seat as far as the purple tuffet would go. "Well, professor, I was just about to ask you to read Peter's fortune." Peter Pettigrew's face scrunched together and he shrunk in his seat, avoiding eye contact. "Oooh, wonderful, students!" The teacher flung her arms outward, robes fluttering in Remus's face. "I will read your fortune, dear boy." Sybil held the teacup with a delicate sort of reverence, cradling the ceramic close to her face. She peered into the wet tea leaves, muttering something. Without any sort of warning, her head snapped up, eyes rolled into the back of her head like two soft marbles. About half of the students gasped. The teacher began to chant in a raspy voice.

"A bear, a killer, a king. You have been many a thing, led many lives. But all share one trait." She paused. "Deceit." The room gasped once more. "Lies have followed you through many existences." Trelawney inhaled sharply, breaking the fragile trance. "Oh, where was I?" She looked down at the cup in her hands. "Ah, yes. The fortune." The teacher squinted down into the leaves.

"Ah, you will grow in loyalty to one who trusts you. Very nice, very nice." Sybil swooshed around the room. "Anyone else?" No one moved. A glassy silence settled down on the class. "Very well. I shall choose, then."

She moved to the next student in line, which just so happened to be James. When the professor cast her gaze upon him, he seemed to shrink into himself. "Now, what do we have here?" Sybil tossed aside the first teacup, turning to James.

"It's, uh, it's my teacup, professor." His remark drew a few snickers from the other students, breaking the tension somewhat. Trelawney's eyes turned steely. She quickly ignored him and turned her attention to the little cup. The same strange trance latched onto her, stiffening the poor teacher's whole form. "Ohhh, I see terrible things, poor child, horrible things. I see, I see a treehouse and a hopeful young girl and a telescope, a promise never spoken but somehow broken. Oh, and tragedy of tragedies. You were a doting father, a rich man. But a murderer as well."

And just like that, she was herself again. "Sorry my dears, I must have dozed off. Erm, I see joys in this fortune, as well as a long life and a happy marriage. Congratulations, dear boy! Now, who's next?" Trelawney's eyes landed on Remus. "Ah, you'll be next, then?" Sirius reached over and squeezed his pertners's hand reassuringly. Remus gulped and nodded. "Yeah." He whispered. "I'll go next."

The teacher smiled absently. "Wonderful! Now, let's see that cup." She did the same thing for him as she'd done for the other two boys. When it got to the trance part, Remus squirmed on his tuffet. Sirius held his hand even tighter, not letting him go. This time was different, however. The last two trances spooked the class, for sure. But this one chilled Sirius to his core.

"Ooohh." Sybil's voice came out in a dry, raspy croak. "You have died so, so many times, Pearl White. I see, oh I see a victim, clawing themselves off of unforgiving tracks. I see a woman thrown into briny waves. And, and a soldier, murdered by a rose and of her own accord. Betrayal after betrayal, in a circular story."

Then, just as before, it was as if it had never happened. The teacher spouted off some silly, vague fortune and turned to the crowd of terrified students. If she noticed their revulsion, she didn't show it. Then, to the horror of everyone involved, Trelawney turned to Sirius. "It seems that we only have time for one last prediction. Are you ready?"

Sirius gulped and nodded. "Yeah, lay it on me." Sybil smiled. "That's the spirit." She began to gaze into the leaves. For one shining, hopeful moment, the reading proceeded as normal. Then, the professor stiffened and slammed her palms down on the table, eyes rolled into her skull, just as before.

"Rose Red." She croaked, packing a ridiculous amount of disdain into those two words.

"Um, professor, that's not my name. I'm Sirius Bla-"

"Oh no, I know who you think you are, Dunyazade."

"Also not my name-"

"I know what you've done, child. And I've seen all the lives you've ruined. The star child, do you remember them as well? And the House of Usher? Or the soldier, your sorry lover? Your child? Or your poor sister?"

Sirius gulped. "I, I don't have a sister or a starchild or a normal child or whatever!" His palm grew sweaty in Remus's. "Please, professor. I have no clue what you're saying."

Sybil stood to her full height. "No, I suppose you don't. What a pity." And then she was herself once more. Sirius didn't pay attention when she gave him a phony fortune, or when he was dismissed. It wasn't until James and Remus started talking that Sirius started paying attention.

"She's bloody crazy, she is!" James was saying. "When she was all like 'blah! Girl and treehouse. Such tragedy, sad! Blah!', that's when I stopped listening."

Remus made a face. "How did you just stop listening? It was fascinating."

"Really?"

"Yes James," Continued Remus, "Reincarnation is fascinating."

James shrugged. "Eh, whatever. I like to think about the future. More hopeful, I figure."

No amount of blind optimism could predict what actually came to pass. James's death in Godric's Hollow was prewritten. And Peter's betrayal, he supposed. Although, that seemed to be entirely his fault. Sirius sat in his tiny Azkaban cell, remembering the hopeful conversation. In the end, Trelawney's words were right. Betrayal and love and loss were woven into his story. Even before they knew about it. That all seemed so long ago. To be honest, it was.

A/N:

I'm so, so sorry, you guys.

Comment down below if you want more GQ content. I always love doing more Marauders stuff!

Sincerely, Ellen