Breaking Black (A Sirius Black Love Story)

Chapter 64

Sirius P.O.V.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The sickly green light shot out of Bellatrix's wand before I realized what was going on. Lexi's blue eyes locked with mine as the killing curse hit her right in the chest. Bellatrix's laugh rang through the echoing room and I shouted Lexi's name and a bloodcurdling scream undoubtedly came from my girlfriend as she fell. My legs seemed to break beneath me and my wand tumbled down the stairs as I clutched the cold, iron railing for support.

Bellatrix continued to laugh maniacally but all of the sounds seemed to fade away to an icy, unreal silence.

She couldn't really be gone, could she? Bellatrix and Rodolphus made no attempt to stop me as I crawled over to Lexi. Her legs were curled under her and her arms spread wide, resembling a rag doll. I easily picked her up off the cold floor as if she weighed nothing and I held her close to my chest, hoping to hear her breathing or feel even the weakest of pulses. There was nothing. Black curls fell through my fingers and her pale skin was still silky and warm to the touch. But her icy blue eyes stared unblinkingly at me, wide open and full of shock and I knew I would never see them twinkle with laughter or flash with anger again. They say your life flashes before your eyes while you die. Well the pain that was washing over my body certainly felt like I was dying and every second I spent with Lexi seemed to play again in the back of my mind. A million memories replayed as I stared at her face, like the first time I met her, pranking the entire school, playing Quidditch together, our first kiss, dancing with her at her brother's wedding... In the back of my mind, I could practically hear her humming "Can't Help Falling in Love" while I stroked her hair and she studied a transfiguration book. My heart seemed to be cracking apart and I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

Very gently, I set Lexi carefully on the ground in a peaceful position so you could almost imagine she was sleeping. My fingers shook as I closed her eyelids, unable to stare into the lifeless orbs any longer. As I stood up, my emotions seemed numb except for one thing: rage.

Bellatrix and Rodolphus were still howling at me, not a care in the world that they just ended the life of a young girl and forever altered mine. Red clouded my vision and I stepped forward, about to slam my fist into Bellatrix's face. But I never got the chance to  hit her when the front door flew open and multiple voices shouted a chorus of spells.

Rodolphus fell to the ground as he was hit with a stunning spell and Bellatrix's wand flew out of her hand. I numbly turned my head in shock and comprehended the fact that Mad-Eye Moody, the Longbottoms, and a less familiar witch from the Order surrounded me.

"Sirius, Sirius, get behind us!" Alice instructed as Mad-Eye and Frank advanced on Bellatrix. Her gaze fell to the left of my feet, where Lexi was and her face fell. "Oh dear, Sirius..."

Alice's hand reached for mine and I could already see tears swimming in her brown eyes despite the brave front she was putting on. Suddenly, I yanked my hand away and burst through the door, my legs seeming to have minds of their own. I heard Alice calling after me, but I couldn't let anyone see myself as I broke apart.

I ended up back in the dark woods where Lexi and I first Apparated. Her footprints in the snow were still fresh and perfect. My body slumped against a thorny tree and I resisted the urge to scream. The realization finally hit me that Lexi was gone. We would never get a chance to begin the future together that we talked about so rarely, as I never liked to imagine anything past the next day. Staring across the sparkling white, snow streaked forest, I saw Lexi in a long, white gown and the idea of marrying a girl and committing for life no longer scared me. But that vision was ripped away with a simple spell. I bowed my head on my knees and wrapped my arms around my legs as my heart shattered to pieces and throbbed in my chest. After rocking back and forth for a while, biting my tongue to stop myself from crying out, my wrist, which was pressed against my forehead, seemed to grow hotter.