The Pureblood Princess | Sirius Black

|16| The Astronomy Tower

"Hey, Addykins! Wait up!" Sirius called out from down the long corridor with a wide smile. Adelaide had been keeping her distance from him since their return to school a week prior. She slowed her pace so he could catch up to her.

"Hey," she said casually as he took his place walking beside her as they made their way through the snowy transfiguration courtyard.

"You know, we haven't gotten a chance to really talk since... Since everything," he said wrapping his scarf tighter around him and pushing his hands in his pockets.

"We're talking now, aren't we?" she said readjusting the strap of her book bag, then playing with a stray thread on her own scarlet and gold scarf.

"Addy. You know what I mean," Sirius said firmly. There was a long pause. "Ads, I know something bad happened... and that you don't want to tell me... But I'm your best-friend! We don't keep secrets from each other!" he said getting slightly worked up.

"Calm down," she said with an eye roll and a forced smile, feigning lightheartedness. "It's not that big of a deal..." she said glancing over to Sirius's unconvinced face. "But I'll tell you... just.. not right now."

"Tonight. We'll grab the cloak from James and go up to the Astronomy tower," Sirius told her. 

She shrugged in agreement, internally dreading the conversation to come.

*

Later that night the two curfew breaking mischief-makers were sitting together in the empty astronomy tower looking out onto the serene landscape in silence. The grounds were illuminated by the bright half-moon above, and the stars stood out brightly against the inky black sky. Sirius loved to look at the twinkling stars and constellations, they had a magic all their own, fascinating him without end. He thought they were beautiful when used to look at them from his home in London at Grimmauld Place. However, here in the Scottish countryside, without the light pollution of the busy city, he found them absolutely breathtaking.

Adelaide, however, did not share his deep affection for the starry sky, and never had. They made her feel overwhelmingly small and insignificant. The idea of the vast black abyss made her feel out of control. She felt as if she would get sucked into the black nothingness above if she looked too long.

Sirius focused on the light, while Adelaide was distracted by the dark.

"Addy, what happened?" Sirius asked gently looking up at the sky.

Adelaide looked down to her anxiously fiddling fingers. "You remember how my father asked to talk to me Christmas morning?" She started. Sirius nodded. "Well... he asked me if- if we were friends at school."

"What?! You told him no, right?" Sirius asked. He hoped he was wrong, but he knew Addy, and he knew how much she feared her parents disapproval.

"I told him you were my best friend." She said quietly, peering up to see the shocked look of happiness on her best friend's face. "He said I couldn't be friends with you anymore." She said, causing his face to morph into a frown. "But I told him no." The shocked look of joy returned to Sirius's face.

Initially, he was happy that she stood up for him, but then he remembered what happened next in the story.

"... you gave me the present in front of everyone to make a point, didn't you?" Sirius said. He knew the answer already.

"Yes." She said surely.

"Addy you shouldn't have done that—" he started.

"Yes. I should have." She said confidently. "You would have done the same thing." He opened his mouth to protest, but she was right. He would have stuck up for her and their friendship in a heartbeat.

"Addy... what.. what happened after you left?" He asked tentatively.

"I was punished." She said emotionlessly. There was a long pause, Sirius waited for her to explain further, knowing he would most likely not like what he heard.

Adelaide scrunched her eyes shut, trying to be strong. "Mother used a spell on me... well a curse." She said cooly. "It hurt so much Sirius.."

"What spell?" He asked calmly.

"Crucio.." she whispered, hiding her face in her hands.

"THEY DID NOT! THAT'S- THAT'S AN UNFORGIVABLE! ADELAIDE THAT SPELL IS ILLEGAL!! HOW DARE SHE!" He yelled. He was standing now, practically pulling out his long dark hair in frustration. "You can't go back there Addy. I won't let you." He said determinately while pacing. "We'll talk to Dumbledore! You can stay with James, his parents are so nice! His mum would absolutely adore you! We just have to figure out a way to-" he rambled.

"Sirius stop!" She snapped, cutting him off. Sirius looked at her with confusion. "I have to go back." She said firmly.

"No! You can't Addy!" He pleaded.

"I have to." She said apologetically.

Deep down, Sirius knew she couldn't leave. Not yet anyway.. but he also knew he would stop at nothing to get her out of that house and away from those horrible people. He would do anything to keep her safe.

"This is all my fault." He said miserably, rejoining her on the stone floor of the tower. "If I hadn't said all that stuff the night before-"

Adelaide cut him off. "It was my choice." She said resolutely. "Don't feel guilty. If I had a choice, I'd do it all again." She said. 

*

The two made their way back into the common room late that evening. They expected it to be empty. They certainly didn't expect to see a Lily Evans patiently awaiting their arrival. 

"Ahhh Ginger!" Sirius said dramatically throwing his hands in the air in mock fright. Lily rolled her eyes at the theatrical dark haired boy. 

"Did you tell him?" Lily asked Adelaide as she nodded. "Good. Now, you two should get to bed. We have class tomorrow." Lily said. Sirius looked perplexed about the whole exchange. 

"But-" he began to protest. 

"No! You've kept her up past curfew far too long already Black!" Lily told him. Sirius looked a bit off footed by her authoritative tone. 

"I'll be up in a bit Lily," Adelaide giggled. Lily went up to bed, casting a narrow eyed glare at Sirius. 

"I know you two are friends and all now, but she's a lot scarier than Mary." Sirius said with a shiver as Adelaide smirked. 

"G'night you horrid hound!" she said playfully pushing his shoulder then making her way towards the girl's staircase.

"Goodnight Addykins!" he said smiling as he watched her go. 

*