blood must shed for time to reset

chapter 17

( Glass fractured: this is all i am. )

   —THE MARAUDERS WERE GRADUATING: Banners suspended from the ceiling, trailing down the castle with the colours of corresponding houses. Kids had began to swarm the corridors, eyeing up the leaving students. And mostly, amongst the mess of seventh year wizards, were our four boys, consuming the castle for the last time.

  Earlier that day, they'd pulled an ambitious prank to celebrate the end of an era, and now, as they ran through the hallways, chasing after themselves and laughing, did the happiness dominate the sadness. Sure, this was the end of their childhood, but they had the rest of their futures ahead of them.

   James, infront, hair sweeping in a messy manner and cloak billowing behind, tossed his head back and grinned. He was ready to make a home for himself. To win the war, marry Lily Evans and live an existence of music and love. He had his boys, his girl, and the promise of abundance. With these three qualities, he could take over the fucking world.

  And that's exactly what he planned to do.

     Sirius turned to Remus in the madness of the moment, "Shit, is this really happening?" he asked as people weaved around the idle two, not caring about their close proximity, or the prodigious way they looked at each other. No, everyone was compelled with themselves, and their groups to give a shit about some Gryffindors who made their life a living hell, in the best way possible.

  "I guess so." Remus laughed, cupping the boys cheeks. "I guess so."

  "When we leave this building, we're truly adults."

  "I don't care," the Lupin shook his head, then pressing a quick kiss against Sirius' mouth, "as long as I'm with you, nothing else matters." and then he brought them together again, melting into a puddle of one in the heat of a salient juncture.

  In a jumbled pile of magic and limbs, they found each other, and they clung. For evermore.

  After, pulling away with flushed cheeks and swollen lips, did Sirius grab Remus' hand and pull them into a sprint. Feet slamming against the ricocheting floors, legs carrying them to the next saga in their life.

  Peter ran too, sandy-hair fluffed and glossy, because why wouldn't he? There was so much to himself that he didn't know, albeit he still controlled this second, and thus, he flooded it with indelible memories of his smile, his quickened heart beat, his determination to succeed at existence. He had to. He fucking had to!

      Mary clutched onto the back of Lily, the girls stumbling through Hogwarts in a state of exultation, tripping and falling into Marlene with a lack of care. The blonde was content, sure, but she missed Dorcas. This longing extended all the way to the door, when the crowds pulled to a stop, murmuring discreetly to their peers. Then, out of the shadows seeped the girl herself, wearing a nervous demeanour and crimson cheeks.

  "Okay I fucking hate public speaking," she began, voice flowing for miles, "but...screw it! Marlene McKinnon, you once thought that I was ashamed of loving you, however that couldn't be further from the truth because you're my favourite person in this entire world. From the minute I saw your face, eleven years old and misguided, I fell for your charms and—" she exhaled, "You know what, this speech is far too cheesy for me. Marlene, I love you. So much."

  And then she was met with tangled arms and the scent she'd engraved into her mind. The McKinnon had came bustling through the herd, not a care for who she knocked into, and threw herself at Dorcas. Their mouths met, sinking into the usual manner that they so desired, and everything seemed okay again.

  Everything was so, so okay.

  Severus Snape, being the last of the death-eater squad, went to retort impertinently, albeit he wouldn't get far. Behind him stood Lily, a little dazed from the impending weight of Mary, but entirely sure of what she'd done. The boy's lips locked shut, and as he turned in shock, she brought her hand up, displaying one middle finger raised.