𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑, ᴊ. ᴘᴏᴛᴛᴇʀ

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄,

Most say that you can't hear it, some say it's a noise of its own, but to Aries, it was a feeling. It was an ache in the back of her throat, a weight pulling at her shoulders. Growing up, she hated silence; Sirius would joke about her constant need for noise. How she couldn't sit in her room and read like Regulus, instead, she would barrel into Sirius's room wanting to play.

As time went on- as Sirius rebelled, as Regulus hid, and as she fought- she yearned for it. The silence. She wanted it to stop; The noise, the chaos, the pain.

She wanted a break,

That's what James Potter was. Her break.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒,

Many hate it, some crave it, but to James, it was home. He could sit for hours in the Leaky Cauldron during its prime hours. Growing up, James caused chaos. His parents were so focused on work he needed some way to get their attention.

As time went on- as Lily Evans broke his spirit time, and time again- he continued to make it. The chaos. He wanted it to last forever.

He needed a distraction, an escape.

That's what Aries Black was. His escape.

༄༄༄

It was too quiet, Aries thought. The estate was always eerily quiet. Now? It felt vacant.

She knew something was wrong. Her head had always carried the chaos that her house didn't. So, she knew. Before she found Regulus crying in her room, she knew.

"Reg," she whispered, her stomach dropping at the sight of her twin. He was curled into a ball on her bedroom floor, his back resting against her bed. His black curls dangled over his brow. "What happened?" her voice was soft. Softer than she had spoken in years, not since she was 10. She only talked to Regulus like this.

"He-" Regulus stopped, taking a deep breath. "Sirus and Mother got into it; the usual problems, you know? He's a 'disappointment, a failure, a blood traitor.' I stepped in and tried to pull Sirius away before he could do something stupid. Because he was going to, I could see it on his face. After that, Mother started going after me. Saying I'm weak, useless, and would be dead if it weren't for all of you,"

She should have been there. She'd always been there. Always found them a way out. "That's when he lost it. He started screaming at her to leave me alone. Then he pulled out his wand, and she pulled out hers," Regulus's throat bobbed. "You can guess what happened next." He took a moment, staring at his bleeding nails. "He's going to leave."

"No, he's not." It was a lie. They both knew it. This was his chance; Sirius could be free of their family. He had another one ready for him; he deserved it. And, just a little, Aries envied him for it. "When he wakes up, I'll talk to him, okay?"

A couple of hours passed before Sirius started to stir. Aries sat beside him, lightly stroking his hair, a rare act of affection between the pair. Regulus had retired to his room, his eyes puffy and red.

The siblings were each written in the stars to be something. A sparkle of them imprinted in the atmosphere. Aries knew how to play the game. She was strong, levelheaded, and clever. Sirius was brave, rash, painfully loyal, and kind. Regulus– he was different. He was peaceful, ambitious, and intelligent nonetheless, but soft.

"How bad is it?" Her older brother's voice broke her out of her thoughts. His voice was raspy. It always was afterward. It was one of the many sounds she grew to hate; when his voice was like that, nearly gone from screaming. "Don't give me that look, Ri," Aries knew what he meant, the look of pity. She understood why he didn't want it; she wouldn't either. If Sirius or Regulus gave her that look, she'd be angry too.

"You'll live," She responded, her hand stilling in his hair. She hadn't been like this with him since before he left for Hogwarts. Before he left, they were inseparable. You couldn't find one without the other shortly behind. Then Sirius met James; the distance followed soon after.

"Today's the day, right?" Her tone wasn't accusatory; no, it was- sad? Sirius couldn't quite place it, but she wasn't angry.

"You don't sound mad," Sirius stated softly; she shrugged slightly in response. He sat up slowly, biting the groan in his throat. She attempted to get him to lay back down, but he batted her hands away. She had cleaned most of the blood off his face, but the bruises remained. "Ask me to stay and I will," He whispered, turning to face her.

She hated him. How could he ask her this? He wants an excuse to stay. Sirius couldn't decide independently; he wanted Aries to be the deciding factor. If she said she or Regulus needed him, he'd stay. A cowardly thing to do for a Gryffindor.

As Sirius went to break the silence, a voice in the doorway spoke first, "Stay," Regulus whispered, walking into the room. "Please, Sirius," He begged, tears lining his beautiful Grey eyes. Aries could have sworn she heard a crack; she could have sworn it came from her chest.

"Reggie," How could she do this to him? How was she supposed to sit there while he begged him to stay, knowing that if he did, Sirius would hate them for it? He might not hate them for it now, but he would grow to. Take your chance and leave; a part of her wanted to cry.

"I'll stay on one condition," Sirius interrupted his sister. Gently laying his hand on her arm, he continued, "One more fight, and I leave, okay?"

She still wonders why they believed it would last.