/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟔.𝟙𝟘.𝟣

warning: this chapter deals with themes involving self-harm. while the action itself isn't described, you can skip to the first ~ and still get the idea of the chapter. don't put yourself through anything that could be triggering for the sake of reading the story.

"we loved with a love that was more than love." ~ Edgar Allen Poe

~april 1976~

Artemis put a finger to her lips instinctively the second Sirius's footsteps got too loud. He squeezed her hand lightly, a silent apology, and moved closer to her under the invisibility cloak. Both were experts at sneaking out by this point, and doing it without their usual group only made it easier. It was just the two of them that night. When Sirius had asked James to borrow the cloak, James had immediately offered to go along, but after a pointed look from Remus and a swift kick in the shins from Peter, Sirius was able to steal a night alone with his girlfriend. Girlfriend. Where once he would've cringed at the word, he couldn't stop thinking about it now, relishing every moment he got to let it roll off his tongue. Artemis Blake was his girlfriend. Thirteen year old Sirius would be livid, but sixteen year old Sirius didn't care one bit.

They dodged past Peeves lighting something on fire in the Transfiguration wing, then skidded to a halt, their socks sliding on the marble floor, just outside of Filch's office. "Think he's in there?" Sirius whispered in her ear.

She smiled. "The light's are off, what do you think?"

"I'm just wondering if he sleeps in there," said Sirius, and Artemis stifled her laughter with one hand. "You know, all curled up behind the desk in that old moldy coat he wears, waiting for students to step out of line-"

"Stop it, you're making me feel bad for him," Artemis scolded.

Sirius scoffed and pulled his wand from his pocket, itching to do something terrible to Filch. He'd never forgiven the old caretaker for his many infractions against Sirius and his friends, and he doubted he ever would. "The number of things I could do with him sleeping..."

"Come on, Pads," Artemis said loftily, taking him by the arm and pulling him further down the hallway. "We're not out to cause trouble."

He padded after her. "I'm sorry, have you met me, Blake?"

She turned around, an ironic smile playing at the edges of her lips. "Fine, we're not out to cause too much trouble."

They swept through the halls, down staircases, and around corners with no real direction in mind. It was invigorating just to get out of the common room for a few hours, to walk the hallowed halls of Hogwarts in the dark without the usual throngs of students and noise. In one of the seventh floor corridors, Sirius stopped suddenly and turned to Artemis, his eyes shining in the low light of the torches lining the walls, and put his hands on her waist. That's when Artemis heard the music. It was a low, humming, gothic tune sung by some sort of choir. It chilled her to the bone and made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. "What is that?"