Chapter Eleven:
For the Better

✶

Tuesday,
November 22nd,
1977.

     Taking a rarely used corridor to the Great Hall for breakfast in order to not run into Sirius Black seemed like a good idea to Archer Reyes until, of course, it wasn't.

Defence Against the Dark Arts was first up on Archer's schedule—therefore, Dhruv had a free period, and was opting to sleep in rather than get up early—so he was left to walk to breakfast by himself. He had taken a secluded corridor, and although it was the longer route to the Great Hall and thus would take him longer to reach his destination, there was also a smaller chance that he would run into Sirius.

Archer had been successfully dodging him all week, but knew his luck would have to run out eventually—

He rounded the corner and almost cursed aloud.

There, in the flesh, was—you guessed it!—Sirius Black.

He looked just as startled to see Archer as Archer was to see him, his eyebrows raised and his lips parted in surprise.

"Hello," Archer peeped, out of shock more so than a desire to initiate a conversation. His voice came out in a higher pitch than normal, and he internally cringed. After a second of standing there, feeling stupid, he made a start to move around Sirius... only for Sirius to do the same thing. Their bodies collided with one another, Sirius' hands reaching out and stabilising his shoulders as Archer's cheeks turned a dark shade of pink.

Archer stepped back, readjusting the strap of his book bag as he fumbled for words. Sirius' arms fell back to his side.

Sirius said, "Hey, Archer."

Archer blanched. All of a sudden a wave of anger washed over him—after everything that had gone down between them, this was all Sirius had to say?

"About the other day..." Sirius began, but Archer immediately started to shake his head.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Archer said sharply. "Let's just... forget it ever happened."

Sirius hesitated, but nodded, and said, "I'll go."

Archer watched as Sirius moved past him and started down the corridor. Even though it was what he thought he wanted, watching Sirius walk away from him was painful, and a feeling of regret started to blossom in his chest.

Before he could overthink it, he relented, and said, "We were doing alright, weren't we?"

Sirius turned around instantly, and in the weak light, Archer could properly see him. At first glance, he looked put together—his hair was tidy (well... as tidy as it always was), his robes were immaculate except for his tie which was always loose and his top button which was always undone. His casual demeanour—or, really, lazy arrogance—was as prevalent as always. But as Archer looked at him, really looked at him, he noticed how Sirius' eyebrows were furrowed in the slightest with distraught, and his eyes were overwhelmed with distress. He had clearly been worrying about something. Archer didn't want to presume about what, but he did hope...

"What was that?" Sirius asked, stepping closer.

Archer jolted out of his trance.

"We were doing alright," He repeated. "I mean, these last few weeks have been good, really good. Then Hogsmeade comes around and, well, you know, I left my date with Riley because I couldn't do it. And then you were there, and I'm thinking, shit, maybe this is all going to work out for the better, 'cause you're leaning in to kiss me..." Archer sighed heavily. "But then it turns out you're on a date? Do you know how insensitive that is? Not even just to me, but to Candice—?"

"I know I messed up—" Sirius tried, but Archer was quick to interrupt.

"Do you?" Archer stressed. "You say you like me, and then—and then you go and do something the total opposite!"

Sirius looked to be sick to his stomach. "You're not just talking about the other day."

It wasn't a question but a statement, and it was one that made Archer turn quiet.

"You never even apologised," Archer said quietly, and it felt foolish, like he was a child. He looked up at Sirius and gave a helpless shrug. "I really liked you, Sirius."

The bell rang above them, indicating that the first period was approaching. He had missed breakfast. Archer sighed, readjusting the strap of his book bag on his shoulder again. He turned away from Sirius, about to head in the opposite direction to get to his first class when he felt a hand rest on his upper arm. He turned back.

"Let me—let me explain," Sirius said, his eyes pleading but just short of begging. "Everything. I'll explain everything."

Archer hesitated. "I... I have to get to class."

Archer turned back around, Sirius' hand falling away, and he continued to walk down the corridor. His head spun. Did he want to hear what Sirius had to say? His head told him it would be best to let it go, to leave it in the past and move on, but his heart desperately wanted to know what Sirius had to say...

He sighed, torn.

When did this all become so complicated?

✶

Monday,
August 22nd,
1977.

     Archer knew something was wrong.

Sirius had been acting odd all day. He had been several minutes late to their meet, but Archer hadn't thought anything of it at first. It was only a few minutes, really, so what did it matter? But as the day went on, he began to wonder... What had happened in that time to make him late?

He shook his head to free him of these thoughts. No. He was surely overthinking it.

The two boys were sitting on a park bench at the edge of the gardens, not saying a word. The afternoon was slowly changing into evening, the warm air turning cooler. Archer glanced over at Sirius, who looked to be deep in thought, and pulled his knees up to his chest on the park bench. He cleared his throat.

"Hey, erm," he said, "Are you alright?"

Sirius hardly glanced at him. "S'fine."

"Okay," Archer said. A minute passed. He bit his lip. "Are you sure?"

Sirius frowned. "I'm fine."

"Right. Sorry." Archer glanced away awkwardly, but looked back as Sirius let out a heavy sigh.

"No, I'm sorry," Sirius said. His gaze rested longingly at Archer's hands, like he wanted to hold them. Archer wished he would. "I didn't mean to snap."

Archer tried to give Sirius a smile to tell him that it was okay, but Sirius wasn't looking at him.

Nothing could last forever. Archer knew this. With just over a week until they were headed back to school, he wondered if anything would change. At this thought, his heart started to sink. Things were already changing.

He wrung his hands together. "I just wanted to say, erm, I've really enjoyed this summer. Honestly, I think it's one of the best that I've—"

"No, Arch, wait—I need to say something," Sirius said, his voice cutting through the tension in the air like a hot knife through butter.

Archer frowned. "Oh. What's up?"

Sirius let out another long sigh. He took a minute to reply, but when he did, Archer wished he hadn't. "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

Well. Archer hadn't been expecting that.

"What?" Archer whispered, barely audible.

"I said I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"I heard what you said." Archer was slowly shaking his head, frown still resting on his face. His heart was heavy. "I just... don't understand."

Sirius stood up. He still wasn't looking at him. "Whatever this is—it's a mistake. It shouldn't have happened."

"A mistake?"

Archer was there, listening, but nothing was making any sense at all. He just didn't understand. It was all going in one ear and out the other. Why was Sirius saying all that? Was he joking? Was this all one big joke, and he'd stop and break out into that smile Archer loved so much and say, 'Ha, got you!'

But Sirius' expression remained the same.

"I don't..." Archer swallowed thickly. "Why?"

It was then that Sirius finally looked at him. His grey eyes that Archer usually found warm were now distant and cold. "Arch, I don't like you the same way I know you like me. I shouldn't have led you on." Sirius took a step back from the park bench. He hesitated, then said, "I'll see you at school."

Sirius turned away from Archer and walked off. As he did so, Sirius' stony façade fell and he let out a shaky sigh—if only Archer could know the real reason he had done this. He ran a hand through his messy hair. It's for the better, Sirius thought to himself.

Unbeknownst to Sirius, Archer was thinking the same thing.

Sitting there on the park bench, Archer was at a loss for words. He closed his eyes. Everything had changed in the blink of an eye. How could he have been so stupid? It's for the better, he thought, over and over to himself, but he wasn't sure he believed it...

✶

Tuesday,
November 22nd,
1977.

     It was later that day and Archer was studying in the Ravenclaw Common Room when he heard a tapping noise. It broke him out of focus, and he looked around to discover he was the only person in the room. Frowning, he glanced at the time, and his eyes widened—it was past midnight. Had he really been studying for that long?

Tap! Tap!

There was that noise again!

Archer looked around the room again before his gaze landed on the window. Perched on the windowsill outside was an owl. He could hardly see the animal, dark feathers blending in with the sky outside. He blinked. Then it suddenly occurred to him that since he was the only person in the Common Room, the owl must be there for him, and he stood up.

When he opened the window, the owl wasted no time in dropping the letter and irritably flying off—clearly, Archer had taken too long and the animal had gotten impatient. He bent down and picked it up, frowning as he realised there was no writing on the envelope. His mind raced as he pried it open.

It read:

    
Cupid,

I fucked up. And I'm truly sorry. If it counts towards anything, I never liked Candice. Not in that way. Not in the way I like you.

Tomorrow. Midnight. The Astronomy Tower.

I can explain everything.

If you don't show, I understand, and I won't bother you again. I swear it.

Yours,
S.B.
    

Archer closed his eyes for a long moment before opening them again. Well... shit!

word count: 1804
14.12.2023