Third Year
The corridor was filled with the usual after-class chatter, but a particular pocket of laughter caught Hyacinth’s attention. She wasn’t sure why—maybe because it was loud, maybe because she already knew who it was before even turning her head.
James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew were huddled together near a suit of armor, shaking with laughter. James had one hand braced against the wall, doubled over. Sirius was laughing so hard that he had to clutch his ribs. Remus was leaning back on the suit of armor, his face buried in his sleeve.
And Peter—Peter was the reason for it.
Hyacinth had never really paid much attention to Peter Pettigrew before. In her mind, he was just the forgettable one—the Marauder who was overshadowed by Sirius’s sharp wit, James’s cocky confidence, and Remus’s quiet charm. But right now, Peter had them all completely under his spell.
She didn’t know what the joke was, but he was in the middle of reenacting something.
“And then—and then—Filch turns the corner, and Mrs. Norris just—” Peter contorted his face into something ridiculous, scrunching his nose and narrowing his eyes. “—starts reciting bloody Shakespeare, I swear on Merlin’s grave—”
James let out a howling laugh. Remus, still hiding behind his sleeve, let out a wheezing sound. Sirius actually had tears in his eyes. Peter, sensing his moment, went in for the kill.
He lifted both hands, mimicking a cat’s paws, and in the most high-pitched, dramatic voice imaginable, declared:
“OH, PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW, MY FILCH, THAT I SHALL SAY GOOD NIGHT ‘TIL IT BE MORROW—”
James collapsed onto Sirius.
Sirius was breathless. Remus actually fell to his knees, laughing into his robes.
And Hyacinth? Hyacinth froze in place.
She didn’t realize how much she missed this. The sound of Sirius laughing—really laughing. It felt like a memory. A moment from years ago, when she, Sirius, and Regulus used to run through Noctis Veil, whispering secrets and tripping over their robes.
-
Regulus was scowling at his Arithmancy textbook as it had personally insulted him. His quill hovered over the parchment, completely still. He wasn’t even writing.
Hyacinth sighed.
“Regulus,” she murmured, setting down her own book.
He didn’t look up.
“This,” she tapped the parchment in front of him, “is painful to watch.”
Regulus’s scowl deepened. “I’m fine.”
Hyacinth arched a brow.
“You haven’t written anything for the past twenty minutes.”
Regulus gritted his teeth. He finally threw down his quill and exhaled sharply, “I don’t get it,” he admitted, quietly. “Professor Vector makes it look easy, but when I try to work the equations, they don’t make sense.”
Hyacinth leaned forward. “Show me where you got lost.”
Regulus hesitated. Then, almost reluctantly, he slid his book toward her.
She studied his notes. His handwriting was neat—he had always been meticulous about his work—but the logic was flawed. Hyacinth tilted her head.
“You’re overcomplicating it,” she murmured. “Look here.”
She rewrote the equation in cleaner numbers, breaking it into smaller steps. Regulus frowned, eyes flickering over the parchment.
“You make it look easy,” he muttered.
“It is easy,” she teased. “If you use your brain, Reg.”
Regulus rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. For a moment, they worked in comfortable silence. Then, softly, almost too soft to hear, Regulus murmured:
“Do you think Sirius ever struggled with this?”
Hyacinth’s hand stilled over the parchment. She didn’t look up.
“He never had the patience for numbers,” she finally said.
Regulus let out a small breath through his nose, “I don’t think he has patience for a lot of things,” he muttered.
Hyacinth closed her book, “You’re smart,” she told him, gently. “You just need to believe it.”
Regulus didn’t smile, but his shoulders relaxed slightly.
-
Sirius wasn’t really paying attention to the match. James was somewhere overhead, darting between the Ravenclaw Chasers, but Sirius’s eyes weren’t on the game.
They were on them. Across the stands, nestled between a group of Slytherins, Hyacinth sat with Regulus.
She wasn’t watching the game either. She was fixing Regulus’s scarf. Sirius watched as she reached out, pulling the green-and-silver fabric tighter around Regulus’s neck, muttering something he couldn’t hear. Regulus tilted his head, listening.
And Sirius felt something ugly twist in his chest.
Hyacinth had always been the one who kept them together. When they were kids, she was the glue.
She had been the one who held Regulus’s hand during thunderstorms. The one who stitched Sirius’s torn robes with clumsy, uneven stitches when he tripped over his own feet.
The one who made sure they were okay. And now? Now, she was looking after Regulus.
-
The courtyard was bustling with students on their way to lunch when it happened.
One moment, Hyacinth was walking with Regulus, listening as he talked about a new constellation he was studying. The next, a deafening bang shattered the air, followed by a thick, neon-purple smoke.
Shouts rang out as chaos erupted.
Students scattered, coughing as the dense fog filled the space. Hyacinth jerked back, gripping Regulus’s sleeve.
“Reg, are you—”
Her words were cut off as something sharp exploded near her feet. A surge of magic rippled through the air; wild, uncontrolled. And then, just pain. A force slammed into her ribs, sending her flying backward. She barely had time to register the impact before her back hit the stone pillar behind her.
The world blurred. Her breath hitched. She heard Regulus’s sharp gasp. “Cinthie—?”
A dull, throbbing ache spread across her side, sharp with every breath. The smoke started to clear. And that was when she heard his voice.
“Hyacinth!”
Sirius.
She blinked, dazed, as Sirius came into view. His usual reckless energy was gone—his expression was carved with something raw, something dangerously close to panic. He was already crouching beside her, his hands hovering near her arm, her shoulder like he wanted to touch her but didn’t know where she was hurt.
"Shit," he muttered. His voice was different. Tight. Hoarse.
Her chest ached, and she winced. That was enough to set him off.
"Fuck, Hyacinth, can you breathe?"
She tried to sit up, but the pain stabbed through her ribs. She hissed.
And Sirius actually grabbed her face, gently, tilting it up to look at him.
"What hurts?" His voice was sharp but shaking.
Hyacinth stared. She had seen Sirius mocking, careless, wild. She had seen him angry, indifferent, rebellious.
But she had never seen him like this. Never seen him so terrified
"It's—" she coughed. "Just my ribs. I’m fine."
"You’re not fine," Sirius snapped. He was breathing too fast. His hands twitched like he wanted to shake her. Regulus was at her other side, pale and rigid. His voice wavered. “What happened?”
Sirius’s head snapped up. His eyes flickered over the courtyard, the clearing smoke, the shattered remains of a prank gone wrong. Hyacinth barely registered it before Sirius’s face contorted into something furious.
"Where the fuck is James?"
James, Peter, and Remus had just pushed through the smoke when Sirius’s voice lashed through the courtyard like a curse. Peter’s usual grin dropped. Remus froze.
And James knew immediately, what had happened.
“Shit,” James muttered, eyes darting to Hyacinth, then back to Sirius.
Sirius was already standing. Hyacinth reached for him, but—too late.
Sirius lunged.
"What the hell happened? You said you had it under control" His voice was a snarl, low and dangerous. James threw up his hands. “Mate—Sirius, we didn’t mean—”
"You fucking—" Sirius shoved him. Hard.
James stumbled, looking shocked. "Sirius—”
“She could’ve cracked her fucking skull!" Sirius barked. It was then that Hyacinth realized, he wasn’t just angry.
He was scared.
James, usually quick with a joke, looked speechless.“Sirius, we were just testing the spell—” Peter started, but Sirius cut him off with a glare so venomous that Peter shut up immediately.
Remus stepped between them. “Sirius,” he said, voice firm. "She needs the Hospital Wing."
That snapped him out of it.
Sirius whipped back around to Hyacinth, his hands already moving again. He didn’t even hesitate before slipping an arm around her waist, pulling her up gently. Hyacinth stiffened.
"I'm fine, I can walk—"
"Shut up," Sirius muttered. His grip didn’t loosen.
She wanted to protest. She really did. But she felt lightheaded. And Sirius wasn’t letting go.
-
She barely had time to blink before her hospital wing curtain was ripped open with dramatic force.
“Oh, Merlin’s blood,” Andromeda hissed.
Narcissa gasped, her eyes wide. “Hyacinth.”
And before Hyacinth could react, Narcissa was already at her side, smoothing back her hair, inspecting every inch of her face as if checking for hidden injuries. Andromeda, meanwhile, was pacing at the foot of the bed, her arms crossed, eyes sharp. "Tell me who did it."
Hyacinth sighed, sinking deeper into the pillows. "It's not that serious—"
"Not that serious?" Narcissa nearly shrieked. "Cinthie, you were knocked unconscious!"
Andromeda turned, her voice flat. "Did you know that when Bellatrix found out, she almost left her research lab to strom the Gryffindor Tower?"
Hyacinth blinked.
"What stopped her?"
"Mother." Andromeda sighed, rubbing her temples. "Barely."
"She was ready to hex Sirius into oblivion," Narcissa murmured.
Hyacinth huffed. "It wasn't Sirius."
Narcissa and Andromeda froze, “…Then who?" Narcissa asked, voice deadly calm.
Hyacinth hesitated.
Andromeda narrowed her eyes. “Hyacinth.”
Silence.
“It was the whole gang of Gryffindors”
Andromeda made a strangled noise. "I'm going to hex them."
"You will not," Hyacinth grumbled.
But Narcissa was already fuming. “How dare he?” she hissed. “Do they not realize who you are?”
"I don’t care about that, Cissy," Hyacinth said.
"Well, I do!" Narcissa lifted her chin, looking every bit the Black daughter she was. Andromeda finally collapsed into a chair, shaking her head. "Merlin, you’re lucky we didn’t find out sooner. The Gryffindor table would’ve been cursed beyond repair."
Hyacinth sighed. But despite her sisters’ dramatics, despite the rage in their voices, she felt something warm settle in her chest.
They were here.
No matter what, they were always here.
-
Sirius barely had time to register his surroundings before Regulus shoved him.
"Oi—"
"Are you stupid?"
Sirius froze. Regulus stood before him, fists clenched, jaw tight. His usually composed face was twisted with something raw. Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Look, Reg, I—”
“You lost it.” Regulus’s voice was shaking. "In front of everyone."
Sirius clenched his jaw. “She could’ve died.”
Regulus scoffed. "Oh, so now you care?"
That hit harder than Sirius expected. Regulus stepped forward. “You don’t get to do this, Sirius. You don’t get to act like you care only when she’s bleeding out.”
Sirius’s throat tightened.
"You left us," Regulus continued, voice bitter.
Sirius swallowed hard. "I didn't—"
"Yes, you did."
Sirius turned away, but Regulus grabbed his sleeve.
"She still cares about you, you know," Regulus muttered. "Even if she won't say it."
Sirius exhaled sharply.
"...I know."
-
The sound of footsteps approaching her bed barely pulled Hyacinth’s attention away from the book she was reading. She didn’t react, didn’t look up. She already knew who it was.
James Potter had a particular way of moving—loud, self-assured, impossible to ignore.
But right now?
Right now, he hesitated.
“Black,” he said stiffly.
Hyacinth turned a page, perfectly calm. "Potter."She didn’t invite him to speak.
James shifted. “I, uh… I came to apologize.”
Hyacinth didn’t even pause. “How noble of you.”
James exhaled through his nose. "I mean it."
"And what, exactly, do you mean?" Her voice was perfectly poised, not cold—but distant. Controlled.
James hesitated. "For the prank."
Hyacinth tilted her head. "And?"
James’s brows furrowed. “And for—hurting you.”
Hyacinth finally shut the book. Her fingers rested lightly over the cover, her posture flawless, regal.
“You hurt many people, Potter. Snape. Avery. Mulciber. Countless others. Are you apologizing to them too?"
James’s jaw twitched. For once, he didn’t have an immediate answer. Although he did want to scream that they deserved it, it seemed like an immature comeback.
Hyacinth leaned forward, just slightly. “Or does it only matter because it was me?”
That hit.
James let out a slow breath. “I—”
“You think it’s fun,” she continued smoothly, her voice still impossibly even. “Toying with people. Causing trouble, and humiliating others. You think it’s harmless.”
James didn’t move.
"But tell me, Potter," she murmured, tilting her head. "Did you laugh when I hit the ground?"
James flinched. Just slightly. But she saw it. Hyacinth’s lips curved into a cool, detached smile.
"Nothing to say?"
James exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. She had seen countless expressions on James Potter’s face; cocky smirks, easy laughter, smug satisfaction.
But she had never seen this. He looked… off balance. Frustrated.
Not at her, but at himself.
"You’re right," he admitted, his voice lower than before. Hyacinth blinked, just once. She hadn’t expected that.
James let out a shaky breath. "I never thought of it like that. I swear, I don’t-" He stopped himself. He knew now that his excuses meant nothing.
Instead, he straightened his shoulders, "I was a right bastard," he said plainly. "And I’m sorry, Black. Truly."
Hyacinth studied him. She had been expecting deflection. Defensiveness. That insufferable, unyielding James Potter arrogance. But he was not making excuses. And strangely… Hyacinth found herself less annoyed.
She exhaled through her nose, flicking an invisible piece of lint off her blanket.
"I accept your apology, Potter," she said smoothly. "Try not to be so insufferable next time."
James let out a breath that sounded suspiciously like relief.
He turned to leave but paused at the curtain.
“…For what it’s worth,” he muttered, not quite looking at her, “McGonagall has given the four of detention for the next four weeks, and you will be receiving handwritten apologies from the four of us.”
Hyacinth didn’t react.
She lifted her book, casually flipping the page, like nothing had happened. And James Potter left the hospital wing, fully convinced that Hyacinth Black was the coldest, most infuriating ice queen he had ever met.
-
The ache in her ribs was dull but persistent as she settled into the plush chair by the fireplace. Her movements were slower than usual, deliberate. She still felt the weight of the day—of Sirius’s hands gripping her waist as he half-carried her, of the stunned silence in the courtyard after his outburst.
She hated it.
Hated that she had been at the center of some spectacle. Hated that her body betrayed her weakness in front of him, in front of James Potter. Hated that it reminded her of the past, of when Sirius and she were still children, still something whole, still—
“Did he visit you?”
Regulus’s voice cut through her thoughts. She glanced at him. He was sitting across from her, hunched over his Arithmancy homework, but his quill wasn’t moving. Hyacinth arched a brow. “Who?”
Regulus looked unimpressed. “Don’t act like you don’t know.”
She exhaled sharply, leaning her head back against the chair. “No.”
Regulus’s jaw tightened. His fingers curled around the edge of his parchment, knuckles white. She watched him for a moment before she sighed.
"Stop that," she murmured.
Regulus glanced up, startled. "Stop what?"
"Tensing like that."
"I’m not—"
"You are." She gestured to his clenched fist. "Just say it, Reg."
Regulus pressed his lips together. Then, quietly: "It should’ve been me."
Hyacinth blinked. "What?"
Regulus dropped his quill, frustration flickering over his usually careful features. "I was the one walking beside you. I should’ve been the one who got hit, not you."
Hyacinth felt something twist in her chest. She sat forward, ignoring the dull ache, and reached for his hand.
"Regulus." She didn’t soften her voice. "You are not allowed to think like that."
Regulus didn’t meet her eyes. "It’s true."
Hyacinth exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "That’s not how it works. Accidents happen."
Regulus laughed bitterly. "Not to you. Not to—" He swallowed. "Not when Sirius is around."
Hyacinth stilled. Regulus looked away. His voice dropped. "He lost his mind when he saw you hurt."
A strange, heavy silence settled between them. Regulus finally met her gaze. "He still cares."
Hyacinth hated how much that hurt. She squeezed his hand once before letting go. "It doesn’t change anything."
Regulus’s eyes darkened. "Then maybe you’re the one who needs to stop tensing up."
-
She sat near the window, watching the landscape blur as the train carried them toward London.
Regulus sat beside her, quiet. On the other side of the corridor, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were in their own compartment.
Sirius was laughing at something James said.
But when Hyacinth glanced his way, his laughter faded. For a fraction of a second, they just stared at each other.
Then Sirius turned away.
Hyacinth exhaled softly, closing her eyes. She hoped this summer would be less tiresome, maybe she would even get to spend some more time with Andromeda, the older girl was going get her Potion Mastery, and it would be a long time before Andromeda had a moment to spare again.