Winter is the only season that brought darkness in Sirius. The heat of summer, he could deal with. The strong gusts of autumn wind, he could weather. But winter was his personal hell.
To avoid his parents, Sirius stayed in Hogwarts. His friends all went home, leaving him to sit alone in their once warm dorm. During those days, he barely smiled. His characteristic laugh wouldn't ring through the Gryffindor common room like it would during the school year.
James offered for him to join the Potters for Christmas. But he said no. Afterall, he'd spent all summer with them. He can't possibly intrude their family moment again. Despite James' coaxing, Sirius stayed in the castle.
The worst part of it all ? The letters. Tormenting him through words and Howlers were entertainment for the Blacks. Each letter was a stake through his heart.
Sirius would lie on the cold wooden floor. A letter and an envelope baring a green seal lay opened a few inches away from him. Sirius didn't know what he was feeling. His chest was hollow. It was as if the freezing winds hitting the window outside had came in.
His eyes noted that the room was getting darker. He should light the candles soon. He should get himself off the floor. He should change into warm clothes and sleep on a bed like a normal boy.
Sirius felt himself melt. It's like the sadness in himself had bled out onto the floor. It crept to the walls, to the ceiling. Playing tricks with his mind as shadow does at night. He's a candle that had burned low.
Then the door creaked open.
"Sirius ?"
Sirius' mind told him it was Remus. The boy whose voice could calm any raging storm.
"Merlin, why are you on the floor ? It's fucking freezing !"
Remus had the foulest mouth out of the 4 of them. His colorful word choices had always made Sirius grin. Not now though. The boy was motionless, still. Sirius could see the light peek in, along with socked feet thudding softly towards him.
A palm lands on his arm, slowly rocking him to lie on his back. Sirius' eyes feasted on brown curls and equally honeyed eyes looking down at him worriedly.
"C'mon Black, don't die on me."
There was a tone of humor. Remus tried joking, hoping that'll lighten Sirius' darkness that had filled the room. His arms go around the boy, propping him up to sit agains the bed.
They sat across one another. 2 scarred boy yet one on skin and one below. Remus picked up the letters and skimmed it. He felt bile rise up his throat. The words he read was that sickening.
The werewolf reaches into his coat pocket for Sirius' lighter. It was a fancy little thing. Made of pure silver and shaped like a dragon. After Sirius tinkered with it, the dragon could magically spew fire once the button was touched.
The dragon unfurls and breathes red hot flame, burning the letters. Remus let it fall between them. He enchants it to keep burning safely, leaving the floor unscathed. The fire and smoke made it feel like they had a personal bonfire.
"I'll burn each one to keep you warm." Remus murmured.
The warmth had reached Sirius, finally thawing the cold winter. He pushes the burning letters aside and drew nearer to Remus. The other boy instantly makes room, letting Sirius crawl on him. Scarred arms received him.
"They're serving Christmas pudding downstairs." Remus whispers in his ear.
Sirius chuckles. "You're the only person who could pull me out of the water."
"Wolves are good swimmers, no ?"
Sirius felt his face stretch into a smile. The expression felt foreign, his muscles untrained. But when his smile was met with Remus', it was like sunbeams through a suncatcher.
Remus kisses his temple then his cheek. "You won't drown. Not when I'm around."
He kisses him again.
"I'll make sure of it."
