Chapter 9
Sirius was asleep when it happened, completely oblivious to the World around him.
All apart from Remus’ arm snaked around him, holding him, stopping him from falling out of the small bed.
They hadn't made it far last night. They had gone for a quick smoke and then disappeared into Remus’ room where they had a giddy, drunken make out session, praying none of his roommates would walk in while Remus was balls deep inside of Sirius.
They were still oblivious when they awoke to knocking.
“Everybody up and put your life jackets on!” a man shouted softly through the door.
Sirius rubbed at his eyes, squinting at Remus through the dark. He couldn't see his face, but surely he must have been just as confused as Sirius.
Someone stumbled through the room and a light flickered on. It had been Peter. He, too, looked awfully confused. And frightened.
Next thing they knew, James was bursting into the room, Regulus, who was already in a life jacket, in tow.
James thrust the life jacket in his hands into Sirius’ without a word and frantically searched for his own.
“What are you doing?” Remus asked wearily, sitting up in his bed and watching James closely.
Sirius glanced at Regulus. Something was definitely wrong.
Regulus was white as a ghost, all colour drained from him completely. All that was left was a shaking shell of a person.
“Reggie?” Sirius took a step towards his brother, reaching out his hand carefully.
“James what's going on?” Remus demanded.
All eyes in the room were on him now.
“We hit an iceberg. The ship- It's sinking.”
The room froze. Nobody dared speak. Nobody dared to breathe.
No. It couldn't be. There was no way in hell. Titanic - the unsinkable ship. That's what it was called. It couldn't sink. Not now. They were so close and they were happy.
Regulus threw up. Then and there, in the middle of the room. His legs shook so violently that he threatened to collapse. James was there in an instant, arm under his, holding him up.
Remus let out a groan. Peter had gone just as white as Regulus had before he snatched the life jacket right out of Sirius’ hands and legged it down the hall.
The four of them stood in silence, staring at each other.
This was it. They were going to die. All of them. Soon they would be buried at the bottom of the Atlantic Sea, lost and forgotten. History.
An official popped his head around the door, smiling tightly, “Do put some life jackets on and make your way on deck. No need to panic, it's just a precaution.” he said before quickly marching off.
They were all going to die.
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“It's okay. We're going to be okay,” James somehow mustered up a smile, “but we need to go. Now.”
The others didn't need to be told twice. Remus was jumping out of bed, clutching at his head, and rushing out of the room with Sirius on his heels in seconds.
Regulus however was proving to be more difficult.
“Reg, love, we need to get to the lifeboats,” James tried to coax him but he was frozen in place. Shaking.
He said something inaudible under his breath and turned to look James in the eye.
“There's not enough,” he finally repeated.
James’ heart sank. That was going to be a problem.
Something in Regulus’ face shifted. He grabbed hold of James and dragged him down the halls. The distant sound of water flooding the lower compartments echoed on the walls.
It only made Regulus go faster, dragging James along with him. He didn't fight him, why would he?
They pushed through the masses of third class passengers to the deck.
It was no quieter there.
Children crying and screaming, mothers shouting, officers yelling out orders as life boats are filled and let into the water.
Well, not filled, exactly. There was still plenty of room on each, but they were let down anyway. Women and children first.
“Regulus!” a woman called out. Regulus hurled around, clutching onto James’ hand harder than ever before.
James could only recognise the sharp woman staring back at them.
Walburga Black.
“Come on, Regulus. Get on the boat,” she commanded, reaching her hand out for Regulus’ as though he were some child.
Then it hit James. Regulus technically still was just a child. He was 17, a whole life ahead of him.
He could get on a boat and get to safety.
James slipped his hand out of Regulus’ and nudged him forwards, but Regulus took the step back again, shaking his head.
“No,” he said firmly.
“No? What do you mean ‘no’? Regulus, this isn't up for discussion. You are to come with me at once. Do you hear me?” Walburga spat, moving closer.
“And you,” she sneered at James, “get away from my son.”
James exchanged a glance with Regulus, shrugged and punched the old bitch in the face.
“No,” he said.
Regulus looked surprised, but didn't seem angry at all. He just stared at James open mouthed before his mouth contorted into a small grin.
“She deserved that,” he grinned.
“Come on, let's get you on a boat,” James said.
“I need to find Pandora,” Regulus said firmly. So sure of it, James didn’t bother discussing it.
“She's too good a soul to just die here. She can't. I won't let-”
James shut him up with a kiss, cupping his face gently and trying to calm him.
“We'll get her, Reg. I promise you.”
Regulus nodded and they rushed back into the quickly emptying corridors, searching for Pandora.
James wasn't going to live. He felt it deep in his bones. This was the end.
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Remus felt sick.
His body still ached from the alcohol and the dancing the night before. Was it even the night before? It couldn't have been.
His vision was still blurry, his head still spun when he moved too fast, he still felt somewhat delirious.
No it was definitely still the same night. Which meant only a few hours ago he had been dancing with Sirius, drinking and smoking and fucking.
Remus couldn't think straight, wasn't exactly sure where he was supposed to be going. All he knew was that they must have been walking around for a while. Probably in the wrong direction. Remus didn't know. Sirius didn't say anything, he just followed silently.
The ship was sinking, that's what James had said, wasn't it? God, Remus could really use a drink right now.
“Remus,” Sirius finally whispered. Remus is pulled back to his senses, only to realise they've walked right into the water.
Oh god.
The ship really was sinking. And Remus would sink right along with it.
The icy water lapped at his feet, sending shivers up his spine. He wouldn't last long in this water. No chance.
“Remus,” Sirius repeated, more urgently this time.
“Sirius I-” His head was spinning. He backed away from the water, but it was no use. It just followed him, creeping up to his feet.
“We're going to die. We're actually going to die. Aren't we?” Remus started to panic. This wasn't how he wanted to go. Not yet. Not now. He only just found love. He wanted to enjoy his life with Sirius. He was going to be happy. They were going to be happy. James finally, finally, got lucky with Regulus. But it all came down to this.
“Remus,” Sirius said softly, a mere whisper, but still loud enough to hear over the water.
Remus turned around to look at him. He took his outstretched hand and let himself be guided away from the water.
I'm going to die. We're going to die. All of us. We're all going to die.
Sirius didn't rush, just slowly pulled him along in the right direction this time, away from the water. They soon found a big crowd of people, all third-class passengers, standing on the stairs.
The gate had been locked. The officials stood there, shaking their heads and shrugging. Locked. They were locked in. Locked down here to die. Die a cold, slow death.
The bloody bastards didn't fucking care they were going to die. All of them.
The children. Their parents. The elderly. The young adults.
Every. Single. One. Of. Them.
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Peter scurried out of the room, pulled the French boy's life jacket over his head and ran. What was his name again? Sam? Simon? It didn't really matter.
“Sorry, James,” he muttered to himself as he ran.
He made it onto the deck just as the first lifeboats were being loaded up.
“Women and children! Only women and children!” a man was shouting. Peter pushed through the crowd to him.
“Please, sir. My family- They need me. My wife, she is alone with our sick child. She needs my help. Please-” Peter lied, making sure he made it convincing.
“Your child will still be sick if you're there, sorry, pal. Any women and children!?” the guy continued.
God damn it! Peter had to come up with something. He couldn't die. There must be something he could do.
He had escaped death before he could do it again.
It was the reason he was going to America in the first place. He had made it so far, he couldn't die now.
See, Peter had been on the run from a group he had been part of. They had been friends, of some sort. They looked out for each other.
Peter came from a poor family and ever since his father had died in a mine explosion, life became very difficult.
He fell into the wrong crowd of people, only he didn't know that then. They stole and gambled, beat up younger and defenceless children. They did drugs and sold them for insane prices.
When Peter realised what he was doing, thanks to his new friend, Marlene, he sold them out to the police. Only a few of them were actually found, the others… Well the others made it their mission to hunt down and kill Peter.
So he ran. He packed his things, took all the money he had and ran. Marlene ran too, for other reasons.
Marlene was fed up with the same old places where nothing exciting ever happened. She wanted change.
So, naturally, she tagged along with Peter.
He sighed at the thought of Marlene. Her big, kind blue eyes…
Oh well. Peter had to get out of here. With or without her. He was not going to die here.