𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗜 ━━ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧
053. a mutual connection

          𝗜𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗗 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘. A quiet, colourless life. When his lips closed around hers, when his calloused hands held her soft face and his index-fingertips touched the curve of her cheekbones, the silence exploded and she was thrown into a world of colours. Every single thought, everything that mattered was stripped from her tired brain. She saw him. Him, him, him. His lips on hers, his hands in her hair, the feeling of his breath on her face.

      The thrill she had felt the nights she met with Sirius in secret was like none other. And she wanted to do it again. So she did. She left a crumpled-up piece of note in Sirius' pockets after their Defence Against the Dark Arts class and awaited his arrival the moment the clock hit 9.

      When he did arrive, his left hand immediately tangled in her hair, blonde waves looped around his fingers. His right was firm on her back. He was careful. So careful, it worried her. It wasn't lustful, his kiss wasn't filled with an alarming hunger. He was wanting, he was gentle and he was savouring every bit.

Scarlet pulled away, her left-hand firm on his chest. "Sirius," she mumbled, words airy against his bottom lip. He hummed in response, a low, short groan, one that came from his chest. "Sirius,"

"Yes, darling?" Her face was in his hands, the pads of his fingers moving over her smile lines. His blown-wide eyes consumed her sapphire irises. He noticed as her eyes moved to the stars above, outside the window. He watched her watching the stars.

"If you squint," she muttered. "You can see Canis Major. It's really bright,"

He looked at the sky, finally. "Huh," Sirius hummed. "I see it."

"See, I pay attention when you tutor me," she said. Sirius was practically amused at her attempt to turn around the moment.

"Tutoring? I thought it was more of a payback," Sirius shrugged, reminding her of her own words. "Since you assist me in DADA,"

"Hm," she hummed, tightly gripping the railing of the tower and attempting to get rid of the feeling of his soft lips on hers.

"You know, that night when I went to the Dungeon to get you and your friend," he started, similarly looking at the sky. "I met that gruesome Bloody Baron and... he said something odd,"

"He's always saying something odd,"

"Something about history repeating itself when he saw you and I,"

Scarlet turned to him. "What, did you ask what it means?"

"I was going to, he just left,"

"And you didn't try again?"

"Nope," answered the boy, popping the 'p'.

"Were you not curious?"

"Just a little,"

"How do you sleep at night?" she wondered, the curiosity would have eaten her alive. It is eating her alive right now.

"With my eyes closed," he nonchalantly shrugged and she rolled her eyes.

After a moment of silence, she looked at him. "I actually needed to speak to your friends."

Sirius' eyeballs practically fell out of their sockets, "Blondie, I don't think I'm ready to tell them yet."

"Not about this, you idiot, it's something else."

His eyes narrowed in a suspicious manner before he gave in, watching her pleading eyes. 

      AFTER A LONG TIME SPENT ON SIRIUS TRYING to wake up James from his deep nap, Scarlet stood before the Marauders as they sleepily stared at her.

"So, you remember on Christmas when all of you got me something and I didn't get any of you any gifts." Scarlet started to explain, her hand touching the small bag she carried. 

Remus shrugged. "Your mum did, that woman knows how to spend money."

"Well, that was her... not me and it has been eating me alive because I like being even."

James furrowed his brows in confusion, "What sort of household did you grow up in, woman? It's called a gift for a reason—"

"James, shut the fuck up," she turned away from him as he slumped back in his seat, pouting like a child. "In simpler words, I just wanted to get you all something in return."

Then she started to dig through her small purse on which she used a charm to fit all the gifts in her bag and then swiftly pulled out three bags.

She studied the insides closely before handing them out, first handing it to James whose arrogance got to him and he jumped on his feet.

"HA! I get the first one," he made a mocking face to the other boys, and Sirius rolled his eyes.

Whilst he was scrambling through it, she handed Remus and Peter a bag of their own. All three bags were crimson—their house colour.

James ripped the paper that wrapped the box inside the bag, breaking through the seals to reveal a sky-blue jumper. After further inspection and unfolding, James' jaw dropped and melted to the floor under him.

He could see it was a jersey, decorated with navy seams and the Tutshill Tornados double T badge. Under the number on the back, there was a little black scribble resting underneath it.

He squinted his eyes, and then jumped so high, his glasses fell off. "NO WAY, IS THIS REAL?"

The scribble wasn't just a scribble. It was an autograph. The signature read the captain of the team: Brevis Birch. And as the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, it was one of the best things anyone could have gotten James.

"How did you get this?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"I'm Scarlet, I can make things happen." she shrugged and James looked like he wanted an actual answer. He kept staring at her. "All right, I wrote him a letter... maybe two... or seven, he probably hates me now and sent me to shut me up."

"You got Brevis Birch to hate you just so you could get this for me? That's quite the sacrifice and a lot of effort."

"It's called being ambitious, James... it's a Slytherin quality, for your information," she smirked, shrugging nonchalantly. "Besides, I don't care for Quidditch unless Everest is playing."

James was particularly offended at her words but let it slide as he stared at the best thing he owned now. He wondered if anyone could top this specific present.

"Is this your way of apologising for turning my hat into a rat all those years ago?" Peter laughed, putting on the bright yellow hat she had bought him.

"I don't apologise, Pettigrew, you know that," Scarlet winked. As soon as she did, his cheeks felt red and he turned away to hide his face.

All of the sudden, Scarlet felt a pair of arms wrap around her and she yelped in a cry for help. "Oh! Dear Salazar..." she muttered against the shoulder of the figure.

Remus could not help it. In his hand was a maroon jumper with the letter 'R' knitted in mustard yellow. "I know you hate hugs but I could not help it."

He pulled away and frowned when he realised she did not even hug him back. He wondered what if she was made out of ice itself, but did not question the coldness radiating from her figure considering her fantastic senses when it came to gifts. Scarlet took notice of how he wore the same jumper on every occasion ever since third year.

"Mum taught me to knit years ago and I don't sleep much... I got bored so..." she tried to play it cool like everybody else does.

"Are you kidding, you knit this yourself?" Remus gaped.

Peter snatched it away from him and pulled it over his head as Remus leaned down to his height, allowing Peter to help him put the jumper on.

"I love having rich friends," Peter giggled.

"Friend is an exaggeration," Scarlet shot him a playful grin.

"Bridget, is it just me or are you starting to adore us?" James squealed like a girl, jumping on his feet.

"Call it what you want, I just really like returning a favour... after all, you all are amazing when it comes to gifting."

"What did Padfoot give you, I didn't see you opening anything from him." Peter piped in, and Sirius bit the inside of his cheeks suddenly. She looked back at him where he was the only one seated, his arms crossed over his chest. She noticed the threatening glare he sent her, not taking his eyes off of her for one mere second. His jaw clenched, it was a look that caused her breath to hitch.

Scarlet shared a momentary look with Sirius who then declared. "I gave it when I thought the time was right." There was bitterness in his tone.

Remus squinted his eyes at him. "Why in secret and why are you being dramatic?"

"It's Sirius Black, what do you expect?" Scarlet spoke up, louder than the interrogatory tone from the boys.

Everybody shrugged with a knowing look, not questioning it anymore which made Sirius chuckle.

"So, uhm, speaking of Sirius' weird way of gifting... will you three give us a minute?" Scarlet nervously asked, fiddling with the ring on her finger.

Remus and Peter simply turned away, however, James shot the two of them a knowing look, winking which made Scarlet slap him on the back.

After they exited, Sirius popped up on his feet, standing at eye-level with Scarlet who smirked knowingly.

"I think you're forgetting something," Sirius said in a hushed tone.

"I thought you said my smile was enough of a gift," she shrugged, swaying in a musical manner.

"Hm, still..."

He trailed off as Scarlet put her hand inside her bag, a low humming noise reverberated in her throat until a gasp slithered up her throat.

      Despite the usual, neutral look on her face, Sirius saw through it. He could see the exciting expression she held—it almost looked unnatural.

      Edged in her hand—the unopened plastic casing gleaming beneath the overhead light—was Bruce Spingsteen's newest record. Sirius' eyes widened, and he slowly pried the record from her dainty fingers which were clad in the plethora of signet and sterling silver rings, running his hand along the emboldened lettering that read Born to Run.

"Where in Godric's name did you get this? It's been sold out everywhere." He whispered incredulously. He was in awe.

"I told you, I'm Scarlet, I know how to get things done."

      The fact that she had just given Sirius a record he had been chasing for months was not the only thing that sent him over the moon. What truly tugged at his heartstrings was the fact that she cared.

      She did not ever just sit there whilst he babbled about some nonsense—she listened.

      She remembered. She cared. She made an effort.

      He could not help but lean forward to place a long, deep kiss on her lips—one that caught her by so much surprise, that she would stumble back heavily if it weren't for Sirius wrapping both of his arms around her waist, arching her back as he continued to kiss her. The record still remained in his hands yet he found the taste of her a lot sweeter than whatever music he adored. 

𝑪𝑨𝑹𝑨 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑺

is that eve and scarlet on 
the new cover?

yes.