Roses All The Way Down【Sirius Black】

ⅩⅩⅩⅩⅠⅠ. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮

The right time didn't happen as the next two months dragged on. Before anyone at Hogwarts could really process it, it was April. Lily was in a frenzy. She still had two more months until the beginning of June and the dreaded End Of Term Exams, however she scrambled from classes to the library and then back to dorm just in time for curfew. While Alice hung out with Frank, Mary with Peter and Dorcas and Marlene with each other - Lily dragged Virginia to her bed for study sessions. In their down time the other girls played games but Virginia had been somehow infected by Lily's constant striving for perfection.

By mid-April she was running around after her. She left sometimes for Quidditch Practice and once a match, where they won against Hufflepuff. Sirius and James were often spotted lounging in the Common Room with their feet rested on tables, engaged in conversation about some thing or other.

The second Thursday of April, Virginia was walking down the hallway. She muttered to herself under her breath in an attempt to retain some of the information, "porlocks - horse guardian native to England and South Ireland, Fairies - highly mistrustful and vain creatures. Knarls - quills of magical properties, distract with-" She was cut off when she slammed into someone, sending their books flying and thudding against the ground, "I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention!" She immediately kneeled down to help her pick up the books.

"Don't worry about it BG," said a cold voice from above her. Virginia cringed and looked up to see Johanna standing above her. She got to her feet, brushing off her knees awkwardly.

"Sorry I haven't been coming, I didn't think it was best. What with us finding out who the other is. I know you don't like me and quite frankly I'm not to jazzed about you," Virginia shifted her stance.

Johanna shook her head, "we were friends though. I mean the first time we met... you said... so you live your life for you. Nobody else can tell you how. Be a heartless, evil and selfish person if that's what you want."

"How do you remember that?" she asked, her brows furrowing.

"Because it meant a lot to me... it made me realize that's not what I want but it is what I am. I'm trying to get better, I promise you. I'm trying to help Pandora too and she told me, if I ran into you that... she gives you permission."

"Permission?" Virginia asked, her brain turning quickly to try and figure out what that meant.

"To date Sirius, not that you need it of course. But she won't interfere or try to hurt you or anything," she smiled a little bit before it fell quickly, "so do you think we can still meet?"

"No," Virginia answered plainly, "But we can start over and rebuild from the ground up. Y'know like normal people, how they become friends."

"Friends," she echoed, "I like that." She extended her hand, "I'm Johanna Shacklebolt."

Virginia took her hand and shook it lightly, "I'm Virginia Waters, pleased to meet you."

The next two days were spent avoiding both James and Sirius out of pure and all encompassing terror that James would corner her and demand an explanation. And that seeing Sirius for too long would cause her to burst out her feelings in a most embarrassing way.

However, James found her in the library with her head in her hands as she stared down at her Divination textbook.

"So no right time yet?" James asked. She jumped at the sound of his sudden voice, shaking her head and making to stand. "You're not subtle Waters, we know you're avoiding us. Sirius thinks it's due to declining mental health and I'm not going to tell him differently, you should though."

She looked over at him and shook her head again, "what about... no? I never tell him? I never have to deal with it? I put my feelings in a box and never have to say that I-"

"Hey guys!" Sirius greeted jovially causing Virginia to jump another few feet in the air as she stared over at him.

James smirked, "have to go... water my fish..." he dashed off.

Sirius cocked one brow before sliding into the seat across from her, "I need to tell you something." Virginia stared over at him. What if he shared his feelings first? What if he looked her in the eye and confessed his love to her? He opened his mouth and she was already preparing his response. "I was thinking Friday night we could leave school and rescue your grandmother."

Virginia's mouth fell open and she gaped at him, "excuse me what?"

"She's dying and she needs medicine of some kind or another. James, Peter, Alice, and the Prewett's have offered to fund the mission. Of course we'll need to transfer the wizard money into muggle stuff. But you can use your wings and we can use our brooms."

"We?" Virginia asked leaning forward, "who all would go?"

He grinned and clapped his hands twice above his head, "team?" He looked quite proud of himself for that dash of dramatic flair.

Lily, Alice, Frank, Marlene, James (one of them must have grabbed him), Remus, Gideon, Fabian, Molly, Alaric, Arthur, Peter, Dorcas, Mary and - most shockingly - Johanna stepped out from behind the books. She stared at the legion of people assembled in the library alcove.

"Well more accurately," Lily said walking forward, looking up at Molly for support as she laid a sheet of paper on the table in front of Virginia, "this is the plan. Alice and Frank distract Dumbledore with questions about being an Auror, he seems to always notice when someone is missing and you'll probably be gone for most of Saturday. Marlene and Peter will distract McGonagall for shift one with Transfiguration Questions, maybe they'll actually study too. Gideon and Fabian will take shift two, distracting her with dung bombs outside of her office. Shift three, the ones she actually likes, Arthur and Molly will enchant her with delightful conversation."

"Okay..." Virginia said, trying to process everything she had said, "what about you and Dorcas? Both of you hate flying..."

"We're the last defenses in the Gryffindor Common Room," Dorcas supplied, "and then Marlene and Alice will join us eventually. And if needed, Lily can talk old Dumby's ear off."

"What about Jo?" she asked, looking cautiously at her.

"She's coming," Johanna smiled warmly, in a way she never thought she could have seen the girl smile, "with Alaric, Sirius, Remus, James and obviously you."

Virginia shrugged, "this seems stupid and ill-advised."

They all murmured their agreement.

"But let's do it," she said, a grin sliding onto her face.