𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄
chapter thirty-two; Fall Off Your Broom
" Don't be cliche, Doll. "

  MADELINE POTTER WAS, in fact, still in the Astronomy Tower when Sirius Black arrived. He debated how to approach her, but settled for just claiming the seat beside her. Neither spoke, the cloak of silence hugging them like it was meant to comfort instead of strangle.

  "Do you really love me?"

  The question tasted sweet on Madeline's lips, but her voice shaking turned it almost bitter in Sirius's ears. He'd expected everything he'd said to turn around and hit him in the face, and he should've known better than to think Madeline would start off with the easy stuff.

  "Would that scare you?"

  "Terrify me," Madeline mumbled, "Because I don't know what that's supposed to feel like."

  "Loving someone or being loved by someone?"

  "Shouldn't they be the same thing?" Madeline questioned, "Like, if I love someone, they love me, and it's just one huge feeling?"

  "Being loved by someone is different than loving them," Sirius said after a moment, "On the non-romantic side of things, Remus loves me. We ruddy annoy each other a lot of the time, but he helps me with homework and when I have. . . nightmares. . ."

  Madeline was unsure if his hesitation was out of fear or embarrassment.

  "And he shares his chocolate with me, and I know he's got my back. Forever," Sirius paused for a long time, shuffling one leg under him before speaking. "And I love you. I guess that just feels like. . . you know Fizzing Whizbees?"

  "Don't be cliche, Doll."

  Sirius' heart fluttered at the nickname, though he shoved it back down. "My point is; you make me happy in a way no one else has. People have made me happy before, sure, but— I dunno, Mads, you just have this way of making people feel good. Like no matter what I've done wrong or dealt with, I'm still just Sirius. Not the disowned Black, the screw-up Marauder, the playboy. . . you don't ignore it, either, you just. . . sort of. . . accept it.

  "And it's fine if you're not sure," Sirius continued after a long silence, "I don't want you to say anything if you're not. . . confident in the answer."

  "I think I just need the summer," Madeline whispered finally, "To sort it all out. . . you, James, everyone. . . I appreciate the people that care about me, including you, but. . . I don't need a savior, Sirius. Not James, or you, or Kai, or Blue, or Remus, or Reg. I'm 17 and I think it's time for me to fall off the broom a few times. On my own terms."

  "You've fallen off enough brooms to last a lifetime."

  "I want to make mistakes," She rolled her eyes at Sirius, "And I mean stupid ones like sneaking out of my dorm and going to the shop by myself and buying a shirt that, yeah, is maybe a bit risque, but I just want one. I can't have a bunch of blokes shielding me from everything."

  "Especially not when we do the most damage," Sirius smiled tightly as Madeline turned to him, "It's alright, Mads."

  And for the first time in a long time, it really was alright. Madeline Potter found herself smiling at the stars that felt within reach, because the weight she hadn't even realized was crushing her was suddenly gone.

  James knew. It sucked and was sure to cause a storm that wouldn't die out for months, if not years, but he knew. Sirius accepted Madeline's confusion instead of forcing an answer out of her, and Regulus no longer had to face his parents. Kai had finally gotten a kiss from his apparent life-long crush, what this meant was unclear, but it'd happened. Remus was no longer burdened with the weight of a secret, neither was Lily or Marlene (who Madeline now felt as though she didn't have to avoid) and she felt this immense pressure that was crushing everything, release.

  Finally, Madeline wasn't some gem to be protected. She had never been, but people were seeing it for the first time, Madeline Potter wasn't a fragile flower guarded by her brother and his friends, and any other kid she'd befriended, they'd turned her into that.

  Shocked by war headlines, rattled by derogatory terms, crushed by rumors, all that bloody protecting had done nothing but stripped Madeline down to a weaker version of her.

  But now she could build from rubble up. The spark inside of her could be kindled and grow into the fire she was always meant to hold— it had always just needed a little oxygen.

ϟ

  Since the Potter twins and Sirius Black had all turned 17 in the past year and earned their apparition licenses, they were simply allowed to apparate home. This, of course, was good news in the degree that the three teens needn't spend any time together, but it was bad with the small factor of Regulus Black.

  James and Sirius had apparated separately the second they could, which left Madeline and the unknown fourth guest. Technically, Madeline was allowed to apparate both herself and Regulus, but she'd just barely earned her license and didn't want to splinch either herself or Regulus.

  Which is how they wound up taking the Knight Bus.

  The Floo Network would've been cleaner, and probably safer, but it was so crowded Madeline was sure the Knight Bus would be quicker. Regulus was very abhorrent to the idea of the Bus, but with a bit of coaxing from Madeline, the duo were clinging onto un-secure beds for their lives.

  Madeline thanked the conductor as he retrieved their trunks, bidding him goodnight as the bus screeched off into the night. 

  "Come on," The girl sighed, yanking her trunk over the curb in front of the Potter home, "Mum and Dad are probably worried sick."

  "Right," Regulus mumbled, following Madeline to the front door. 

  Regulus found himself entranced with the home the second he stepped inside. It wasn't much smaller horizontally than Grimmauld Place had been, he was sure it didn't have as many bedrooms and floors, but the foyer was just big enough to collect shoes and coats, a spare hat and a key dish. The living room was directly to the left, the sofa appeared as though people actually sat on it, a formal dining room to the right, which on the opposite end of the spectrum, looked like it had never been sat in.

  A staircase took up a part of the hallway Madeline was walking down, and as Regulus followed her he discovered the hallway let to the kitchen. It was rather big, but the small table made it feel crowded. Along with recipes and photos tacked up randomly, a calendar that still real 'DECEMBER 1975', and a colorful rug. It had open arches leading to the dining room and living room respectively.

  In short, it was what Regulus always imagined a real home looked like.

  "Lovie, where have you been?" The voice of Euphemia Potter yanked Regulus from his daze, his blood froze in his veins. 

  Suddenly he realized what he was doing, running away, to a family that didn't know him; he wasn't Sirus. And they wouldn't accept him as they had to his brother.

  "Uh, well," Madeline cleared her throat, stepping aside so her mother could see Regulus, "We took the Knight Bus."

  "Regulus," Euphemia said in shock, only making the teen more uncomfortable, "Merlin's Beard, Madeline, we could've picked you up!"

  "I know, it was last minute."

  "What's that?" Fleamont questioned, striding in from the living room. "Hello, Sirius."

  Regulus tightened his lips, hanging his head. Fleamont paused his action of taking a mug down from the cabinet, turning back around.

  "Dad, Regulus Black," Madeline said, clearing her throat, "Reg, my dad, Fleamont."

  "I'm sorry—"

  "What's going on?"

  Sirius' lopsided smile fell when he saw Regulus, the kitchen began to feel far more crowded than it had minutes prior.

  "Reg?"

  "Sirius."

  "Mum, when's dinner going to be ready—" James' words died on his lips, his stride stopping abruptly.

  "This just got awkward."

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
The Black and Potter sibling clan
in one house will be chaotic
wow