Nyctophobia - Sirius Black

Chapter 40

A/N Surprise!! I'm not a complete failure! 

Afterwards, everything seems to lull back into a pattern, like it was before. There's a few magical accidents on Ruby's part, but not on a large or noticeable scale.

Classes continue as usual, and the Forbidden Forest grows back at a rate only achieved through magical intervention. No one asks.

Jana watches everything like a hawk, noticing far too much, smirking and winking at Ruby whenever she sits next to Sirius, and glaring hatefully at Wren, but less so than before. Wren's solution involves Neverland, a place Ruby has resolved not to exploit. If she can't live there, then she has no business growing attached. So Jana's generally taken over Ruby's control lessons, except for the occasional useless one with Dumbledore, who still insists on stupidly weak spells.

The pair stay out of the Forbidden Forest, focusing on more detailed magic in the library. It works far better than expected, as Ruby learns control, instead of just plowing through dummies with rage fueled Avada Kedavra.

Severus watches those around him too, just like he always has. He doesn't need his sister's magic to read people's emotions. Years of living with Ruby and other Slytherins have made him an expert on reading hidden emotions.

He knows that when Black sits next to Ruby, when they're working on homework, or just working together in class, his smile is a little more genuine.

He sees the weight of guilt in gray eyes when he sits with the other Marauders. Of course, he pretends not to, because it's none of his business and he doesn't care about the Gryffindor, but... at the very least, he sees what no one else, except Jana, seems to. Jana doesn't seem too pressured to do anything about it, never has, and for what just might be the first time in his life, Severus feels responsible for a person besides his sister.

Sirius Black has always been everything that Severus has always hated: Gryffindor, arrogant, and reckless. But maybe not so brave. Because he only ever fought when with the Marauders. If Sirius was alone on the lawn, and Severus was studying outside, the Slytherin was left alone. Black only ever bothered him when he had the other Marauders to back him up. Or just Potter, but never alone.

Like he knew that if he does it alone, he wouldn't win. Except that he probably would, no matter what Severus did. Black was the Gryffindor, so Severus would always be at fault, even if he didn't fight back. And if he completely obliterated Black, Severus would undoubtedly be punished as a monster.

Black just seemed to be avoiding bruises. Like he couldn't take a punch.

Except Severus knows what happens in the Black Manor, because he's friends with Regulus, and he usually ended up patching up the younger Black on the train to Hogwarts.

And if Regulus, who is everything his parents wanted in a son, came to Hogwarts bleeding like he's a misbehaving dog, then what Sirius endured at home must rival what Ruby bore. And if no one seemed to notice, then Sirius was likely on par with Ruby in pain tolerance. He could most definitely take a punch without flinching.

Severus wondered if Black knew that he knew, and thought Severus would threaten him if they were alone. Because clearly Black's friends didn't know.

He had always thought they must be stupid, because Black was clearly hiding a lot of pain, but maybe that's just another stupid Gryffindor trait. They just don't get help when they need it, because they're not supposed to need it. They're only brave because they have everything to lose and nothing to gain, unlike Slytherins who have very little to lose, and everything to gain. Cunning is the best approach when you're winning. You only fight recklessly when you'd rather die than lose what you have.