Breaking Black (A Sirius Black Love Story)

Chapter 3

August was one of the longest months of my life. It was always hot and stuffy in my upstairs bedroom, which is where I spent basically all my time. I could be found sprawled out on my bed daydreaming, sitting at my desk reading my school books, or talking to my owl, which I decided to name Altheda after the name of a woman in my favorite fairytale.

Time was just dragging on for me. The calendar I kept mocked me: fifteen days until Hogwarts, fourteen days until Hogwarts, thirteen days until... I felt like I was being kept prisoner. I basically read all my school books three times over. Mum made me promise not to try any spells until school... It was hard to keep that promise.

I became desperate the last week of summer. So desperate, I began to clean my room! Yes, that's insane for me. The mess just started to get to me, so one lazy day, I decided something needed to be done. Mum walked into my room to find me knee deep in cleaning supplies- if only I could use magic, then it would be done in seconds! She knew Felix and I were becoming restless. And I knew she was dreading September first: the day both of her babies would be leaving her for months.

Finally, it was August 31. Of course, this happened to be the hottest day of summer. All day long, Felix and I scrambled around packing the final things for Hogwarts. Mum would interject every now and then with a "did you pack this?" or "don't forget that!" After double, triple, and quadruple checking my trunk, I was finally satisfied and set it neatly by my door with Altheda's cage on top.

I expected dinner to be emotional, but surprisingly, it was silent. Mum made some delicious soup that Felix and I ate while she just picked at her bowl and looked down. I've never really been one to be helpful in emotional situations, so I just excused myself and went up to my room.

For four hours, I stared at the clock on my wall, just willing it to tick faster. Sleep wouldn't come for me no matter how hard I tried. There wasn't a single sleeping position I hadn't tried. The temperature seemed to keep rising, so I kept tossing and turning. I couldn't take it anymore!

Silently, I crept out of my bed towards the window. The walls in my house are thin, so the slightest sounds can be heard from anywhere. My sweaty hands carefully opened the window with only a small creak. Just after I opened it, I could've sworn I heard footsteps, but it must've been my imagination. I unlatched Altheda's cage, and let her out so she could get some fresh air with me.

The air outside was noticeably cooler with a refreshing breeze. Now that the sun was down, the humidity seemed to disappear, and it felt like a stuffy veil had lifted off my body. I lifted myself out of my room and onto the roof, trying not to make a sound. Once completely outside, I sprawled out on the shingles, just trying to cool off. Altheda sat by my head, nibbling a lock of my hair, until she saw something in the garden below and flew off to investigate.

The night was absolutely beautiful. Stars stretched out everywhere, twinkling across the pitch-black sky. Constellations glowed bright and I could name them easily just from reading my Astronomy book. Only a couple clouds streaked the view; clouds that glowed silver in the light from the half moon. It was such a beautiful silver grey... Reminded me of a certain annoying boy's eyes I met in Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop...

"Couldn't sleep?"

Startled, I jumped up, almost falling off the roof as my hands lost their grip. My heart pounded in my chest and my fingers dug into the roof, trying to stop myself from falling to my death.

"Shhh! It's just me!" My idiot brother Felix whispered. "Quiet! You don't want to wake Mum!"

"Felix! You nearly scared me right off the roof!" I whispered angrily. My heartbeat was slowly beginning to go back to its normal rate and I slid myself up so I was leaning against the house next to Felix. "How'd you find me out here anyways?"