1. Fall
Sirius’s and Hesper’s fall is long and slow.
2. Puzzle
When their parents introduce them, on December 19, 1893, her first feelings are not of love, but of curiosity. He is a quiet, reserved boy, keeping his feelings safely concealed behind a carefully constructed mask. ‘Like a puzzle,’ she will think later, but at the moment all she can think is ‘Why do I have to do this?’
3. Eyes
The first time they are left alone is unbearably awkward. They simply have nothing to say to each other. “You have pretty eyes,” Sirius says out of the blue, looking for anything to break the silence. Hesper blushes daintily, as young pureblood girls are expected to do when complimented and replies with a simple “Thank you.”
4. Singing
On Christmas Eve of that same year the two families go caroling together. After they finish singing “God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs,” everyone joins hands so the younger people can Side-Along Apparate to the next house. This is the first time Hesper and Sirius ever hold hands”in fact, it’s the first time they ever touch each other”and even though it is a wholly practical ordeal, no romance involved, Hesper and Sirius look back on the moment fondly.
5. Present
That year Hesper doesn’t get Sirius a present. It’s not that she doesn’t like him”she has to, at least marginally, for she’s set to marry him. It’s that she hardly knows him. During the next year, however, Hesper gets to know Sirius quite well. She learns what kind of wand he has. Oak, 14 ¾ inches with a phoenix feather core, very springy. She learns he’s brilliant at charms. Most of she learns he’s a complete quidditch nut. Somehow Hesper manages to get a quaffle signed by the famed “Dangerous” Dai Llewellyn. When he opens it, Sirius is almost too awestruck to touch it, for fear that he’ll pop it or smear the autograph or cause some other horrid mishap.
6. Miss
Sirius is an extremely polite young man, almost painfully so. He insists on calling Hesper “Miss Gamp”. It isn’t until two weeks before their wedding that, at a meeting over breakfast, she interrupts Sirius and inists that he call her Hesper. Sirius is speechless, unsure which is more polite, to continue referring to her in a formal manner or to honor the lady’s request. He chooses the latter, smiles and says, “As you wish, Hesper.”
7. Midnight
Midnight, on the eve of her wedding, Hesper’s mother Sarah finds her in her room crying. She’s terrified. It’s not that she dislikes Sirius, thinks they’re incompatible. No. In fact, Hesper has grown quite fond of him these last three years. It’s that she doesn’t feel she’s ready to marry; she’s only nineteen, after all. Sarah holds her daughter close and lets her cry, reminds her that she was married at nineteen too and look how her family turned out: three lovely daughters and a wonderful son. Hesper hardly hears what she has to say. It’s her mother’s embrace that comforts her, prepares her for tomorrow, what will be the biggest day of her life so far.
8. Kiss
When Sirius is given permission to kiss the bride he darts forward, kisses her chastely and then quickly pulls back, looking nervous and silently asking her if it was adequate. She responds with another kiss.
9. Dance
“So,” Sirius says “do you like dancing?”
“A bit. My parents have had me take dancing lessons since I was young, so I’m quite good at it. I wouldn’t say I have a particular passion for it.”
“Me too, actually, although I wouldn’t say I’m ‘quite good at it.’”
“Two left feet?” she asks
He nods and, only moments later steps on her foot. “Oh God! I’m sorry!” he exclaims, looking terribly nervous.
She tries to smile, though it looks more like a grimace and says, “Never mind that, Sirius dear.” And he feels much better about his misstep.
10. Puddles
Three weeks after their wedding, Hesper and Sirius are all settled in their own home in a small, isolated town in the south of England. That evening the two go on a walk together. Sirius, ever the gentleman, holds Hesper’s hand and guides her along the rough path, helping her avoid the numerous puddles from last night’s rain. Looking back, Hesper singles out evening as the point where she first started to love Sirius, if only a tiny bit. How could one not fall in love with someone as kind and polite as Sirius?
11. Stars
That evening the two look at the stars. “There,” Sirius says, pointing upwards. “That’s Sirius. The brightest star in the sky. That’s what I’m named after.” He falls silent for a few minutes, then turns to Hesper. Swallowing hard, he asks in a whisper, “Can I be the brightest star in your life?”
She smiles and slowly, very slowly, nods. “I think you might be already.” Sirius squeezes her hand, the biggest sign of affection and approval he can give at this overwhelming moment.
12. Tears
Sirius is so happy when Hesper tells him they’re expecting their first child that he can’t help but cry. Later, once left alone, he cries for a completely different reason. Yes, he’s happy, but at the same time he is overwhelmed. Is he ready to be a father? He’s only twenty, after all. What if he raises the child wrong? What if he turns out to be a squib or a muggle-lover, like his Aunt Isla? There are so many things that could go wrong.
13. Letter
Only days before his son is born Sirius receives a letter from his father. Apparently his brother Phineas has admitted to being a muggle-lover and has been disowned. Sirius becomes terribly nervous, taking this to be a sign that his son will turn out wrong. When he admits to Hesper his worries she holds him close. Speaking very softly, she tells him that no man as wonderful as he is could ever father a bad child. No matter how their little one turns out, she’s sure he’ll be perfect.
14. Hopeless
Hesper couldn’t have been more wrong. Their child, their little angel, barely survives a day after his birth. The two mourn. To Sirius their future seems bleak, hopeless. How could there be a future when you have lost your child, the one who was supposed to be the most important, most wonderful thing in your life?
15. Funeral
Laying their child”Altair, they had wanted to call him”to rest is a painful affair. Sirius, a quiet man already, doesn’t say a word and looks ill. Hesper clings to his arm and cries in his shoulder, trying to think of ways to make it all better, all the while knowing nothing will ever do that.
16. Smile
Hesper can’t force herself to smile for months after losing Altair. It’s only when Sirius asks her once again to stargaze that she is able to muster a bitter smile and agree. Lying beside her husband and looking at the sky reminds her that maybe there’s something more than just her and her family. That Altair’s death is horrible, but maybe, just maybe, there was a reason.
17. Hope
When their second child is on the way, they hardly dare to hope that things will turn out better than they did last time. To build up a tower of hope and have the foundations crumble beneath you for a second time would just be too painful to bear a second time.
18. Surprise
And so, because Hesper never risked letting herself dream that the child would live, when she gives birth to a large, healthy son it comes as the most wonderful surprise in the world.
19. Conflict
Sirius and Hesper rarely fight, but upon the birth of their son they get into an argument over his name. Sirius insists that they name the child Sirius, continuing the Black family tradition of naming first-born sons. Hesper, however, has her heart set on Arcturus. Sirius isn’t fond of it because he already has a brother named Arcturus, but his gentlemanly side eventually wins out and he acquiesces.
20. Diary
After Arcturus is born the two decide to start keeping a diary of sorts. They’ve become parents now. Sure, they’re nowhere near old, but they want to keep a record of their lives. Most of all, they want to keep track of how Arcturus grows. Perhaps when he’s older he’ll appreciate, if not some of the more embarrassing photos, then this relic of his parents’ lives.
21. Hopeless
Eleven years later Hesper and Sirius see Arcturus off at Platform 9 3/4. A month later they get a letter from him. Arcturus, though thoroughly proud of being off on his own, complains that he’s absolutely hopeless at transfiguration and that he always feels like he’s being watched, what with his grandfather being headmaster and all. Sirius and Hesper just smile at each other as they read his letter out loud and agree that he’ll survive, if only barely. After all, they managed to, didn’t they?
22. Dream
Raising their children is like a dream for Sirius and Hesper. They never considered themselves great lovers of children, but they find that Sirius, Lycoris and Regulus a bright stars in often bleak lives. As bright as the children are to Hesper, Sirius is still the brightest star in her sky.
23. Love
Oddly enough, neither Hesper nor Sirius tells the other “I love you” until many years into their marriage. It is when they are seeing their youngest off to Hogwarts for the first time. Hesper, half happy and half sad at letting little Regulus go, calls out “I love you” to her youngest son. It is then that Sirius realizes he has never told that to Hesper. After the Hogwarts Express pulls out of sight, Sirius pulls his wife aside. Looking slightly unsettle he says, “Hesper, dearest, I’m sorry.”
Looking surpised, Hesper asks, “Whatever for?”
“I’ve never”” he hesitates.
“Never what, Sirius?”
“Never told you I love you.”
Hesper’s breath catches at this and she throws herself at Sirius and pulls him into a tight embrace. “I love you too,” she says, voice muffled by his shoulder.
24. Memories
When they are very old, looking back on the memories recorded in their diary and in their minds is something precious. It tells a beautiful story to them, a story of two people brought together through arranged marriage who found that they would have wanted to be married even if that hadn’t happened. It’s the most precious story ever told for Hesper and Sirius.
25. Peace
When Hesper loses her Sirius she is heartbroken. To live without her brightest star, her sun, is the most painful thing imaginable for her. And yet, some good comes out of it, for now she can die in peace.
The Fall by Iguanarwhal
Story Notes:
First off, none of this belongs to me unless you count an OC who barely appears.
Second, this story is not about the Sirius Black we know and love, but his great-grandfather, as seen on the Black family tree.
Third, I edited this on my own, and take full responsibility for any mistakes. If you catch any, please say so in your review.
Chapter Notes: I'm very pleased to see you've made it far enough to see my chapter notes!
Chapter Endnotes: Phew! You made it! Thanks so much for reading, now if you'd kindly review it'd mean the world to me.