Alone Again (Naturally)
To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to, well who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play
13 November 1972
James Potter awoke suddenly, with an excited gasp. Dreams of the most epic prank fresh in his mind as he crawled from his sheets and ran to Sirius’s bed - desperate to share his wicked ideas with the person most likely to find them brilliant.
But when he got to said bed and found it completely void of human life, he frowned. Blinking away sleep, he grabbed the clock from the bedside table and held it close to his face, squinting as he made out the time.
It was only six in the morning! Sirius never woke before seven. Especially not on a Monday.
Frowning, he went about his morning routine - shoving his glasses on his nose to watch as the other boys woke and noticed their missing dorm mate.
A ridiculously regimented morning routine, mind you; detailed down to the minute as he got ready for the day. James Potter had always needed his morning to have order - a little habit he believed brought good days. When he was younger, his eccentric father had tried to spur him out of routines. It would inevitably lead to a meltdown from the young boy as he tugged his ear in threes. After Charlus had intervened - the man scolding his brother right in front of James - the days of Potter Manor became much more organised. James still thanked his uncle for his help, from time to time; relief at the structure bounding.
“Ara probably woke him up early to study or something.” Remus shrugged nonchalantly at James’s comment on Sirius’s disappearance - though the concern in his eyes gave away his worries.
Begrudgingly, James nodded - joining the others as they journeyed down to breakfast.
They barely made it down the stairs before they were accosted by Lily Evans and Marlene McKinnon - the two girls blocking their way as they looked in surprise at the three boys.
“Didn’t Ara sleep in your dorm last night?” Lily whispered sharply, eyes flashing around the Common Room. “She wasn’t there this morning when I went to wake her up.”
“Her bed hadn’t been slept in.” Marlene added, gnawing at her lip.
“No.” Peter squeaked, shaking his head; brow pinched with worry. “And Sirius wasn’t in bed either.”
“When I woke up this morning they were both gone. And it was like six!” James added, prompting Lily to shoot him a little glare.
“Ara never wakes up before six.” Marlene shot Lily a nervous glance.
“Oh, I hope they aren’t doing anything naughty.” Lily tutted as she wrapped her arm with Marlene’s, brushing past James as she rejoined the girls on their decent to breakfast.
With looks of worried confusion, the boys joined the girls. Chattering about lessons and what prank the twins must be concocting that day.
As they opened the doors to the Great Hall, they were greeted by the usual hordes of hungry students. No Black twins.
It was eerily normal in the Great Hall. Save for some kind of drama at the Hufflepuff table that none of them were really paying attention to.
Every single time the doors to the Great Hall opened during breakfast, all heads at the end of the Gryffindor table shot to the entrance, shoulders sinking at the missing presence of the curly haired twins that had cemented themselves in their lives.
The trend continued much the same, all morning.
They weren’t in morning lessons. Even their professors seemed alarmed at the lack of the Black twins - McGonagall more fearful that they were plotting than worried for their wellbeing. Questions were asked to the Gryffindors, but they could only shrug and honestly reply that they had no idea what was going on.
The girls were all deeply concerned, Lily practically pulling her hair out in her concern - whether for her dorm mate, or the amount of potential points that they could lose for her absence was to be determined. Either way, she’d rallied the Gryff girls and their friends in Hufflepuff to hunt for them. The Hufflepuff’s seemed equally nervous about the whole thing.
By lunchtime, all those who vaguely interacted with the second year Gryffindors were worried. There seemed to be a school wide panic about the Black twins. The only person who seemed unfazed was Pandora, who commented incredulously that she couldn’t believe they hadn’t noticed yet and then floated away before they could ask what the bloody hell that meant.
They even looked down at the Hufflepuff table to find Regulus - but the boy had vanished too. Instead, his new friends sat looking utterly befuddled at his absence. It then clicked why the Hufflepuff’s had been so distressed that morning.
The Gryffindor group were all pleased as punch with how Regulus had settled in. After the twins’s birthday, Ara had sat them down and asked them to keep an eye on Reg’s mail - to make sure he didn’t have to read hateful things from their mother, because he always opened the envelope. So far, they’d been able to stop him reading three horrible letters.
It seemed to be helping.
David Moon - with his absurd round glasses - seemed to have glued himself to Regulus’s side. The two went to all their classes together, studied in the library together and ate meals side-by-side. They made an odd looking pair; David with his pin-straight blond hair and chubbier frame compared to the beanpole with a riot of curls that was Regulus Black. Reg in his robes on weekends, next to David with his jeans and band tops. But the two boys seemed not to notice their variety of differences, constantly content in each other’s company.
Sometimes they were joined by Henry Jordan - another Muggleborn in first year, with an older brother in Gryffindor. And given his brother was always helpful with pranks or teaching them how not to get caught; they trusted Henry with Reg.
But David was alone today - joining the others from his year as the seat to his left side remained empty of its usual occupant.
And everything just simply didn’t make sense to the Gryffindors.
It was in their double block of potions that things were finally made clear. As Slughorn read through the register, he didn’t even call out the twins’s names. Upon prompting by the Gryffindors and (strangely) Amelia Bones, he simply told the class that he couldn’t discuss details - but that the siblings were found and would not be in class for the day.
And that was that.
Except it wasn’t.
Because when the boys did their evening jaunt of the castle, searching all their hiding places for their curly haired friends. Looking behind tapestries and in abandoned classrooms.
Discussing prank ideas; brainstorming without their two biggest masterminds.
As they neared the kitchen, the portrait door opened - a short figure emerging, darkened by the glow of light behind. As they carefully shut the door, a wave inside on parting, the figure turned to the boys and they finally spied his face.
It was Regulus. Holding a basket filled with food from the kitchens with a gulp as he wearily stared down the Gryffindor boys. He looked like a mess. His curls flattened on one side, face stained with tear tracks. Bundled in layers of clothing as though having been outside.
Without second thought, James rushed to him - the others jogging behind.
“Reg!” James breathed, eyes wide as he regarded the younger boy. “Where’ve you been?”
“We’ve been looking for you guys all day.” Peter added. “What’s going on?”
“Did you not notice last year?” Regulus asked them with a cocked brow.
The boys exchanged confused glances as they tried to think back to last November. It hadn’t exactly been the happiest of months. After the twins birthday, they’d been a little dejected. The boys had tried to help but it kept building until…
“They disappeared this day, last year too.” Remus turned to his dorm mates. “Remember? After their birthday they were disconnected, and then on Saturday a week later, they weren’t anywhere. And we looked everywhere.”
“Oh yeah!” Peter exclaimed. “Ara and Sirius showed up in the dorm that evening at midnight. I was still awake and heard them come in.”
“What was their excuse, again?” James frowned.
“They didn’t give one, mate.” Peter replied, gaze thoughtful. “Just showed up for breakfast as if everything was normal and deflected every question.”
“They won’t tell you about it.” Regulus’s voice broke through, reminding the boys of his presence. “So don’t ask.”
“Can we ask you?”
“Absolutely not!” His eyes grew wide and panicked, caught in his worst memory. “Besides, I’m busy.”
“Doing what?”
He merely raised an eyebrow in reply.
“You’re meeting them again! Where?” James demanded.
“Potter, can’t you just give them one day?” His voice was soft, startling the others out of their investigative spiral. “Just give us one day.”
With that, the youngest Black sibling turned around and walked the other way - yellow scarf billowing behind him.
Leaving the three boys in his wake, utterly stumped and helpless.
Begrudgingly - and with an exchanged look of bitter defeat - the boys meandered back to the Tower. They scattered dungbombs and charmed tapestries the wrong colours; little acts of mischief in an attempt to cheer themselves up.
It wasn’t the same without Sirius.
So they went to bed, bitterly. Tucked themselves in with faint whispers good night; their disappointment so very audible. It simply wasn’t the same without Sirius there.
Their days were filled with Ara, but the nights were Sirius’s. He was such a steady and upbeat presence. They’d hardly noticed the direction he gave them, the way he kept the boys in spirits and engaged all evening.
Gradually, the three boys drifted into sleep
It was two in the morning when Sirius finally returned. His twin shuffling in behind him.
Their presence waking James from his fitful slumber; the gentle clicking of the door lock, shuffling as the twins climbed into Sirius’s bed.
“Are you alright?” James whispered into the space between their bunks. There was a moment of silence, followed by a small sigh.
“We are now.” Sirius replied, softly.
“You really scared us.” James stressed.
“We know.” His voice sounded strained. “I can’t promise it won’t happen again.”
“I figured. Can you just leave a note next time?”
“I promise.” Ara replied, voice soft and melodic.
With that, there was nothing else to say. James turned back onto his pillow, smuggling deeper into the plush duvet. At least they were alright. Even with the secrets, and dark clouds looming; so close he felt the shadows on his skin.
At least they were here, and they were alright.