Sirius leaned against the castle archway, his gray eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on you. You stopped a few feet away, arms crossed, though your gaze lacked its usual sharpness.

“There you are,” you said, your voice tired but soft.

Sirius straightened, his smirk fading as he took in your expression. “What’s wrong?” he asked, concern lacing his tone.

You hesitated before stepping closer, the weight of the day pressing heavy on your shoulders. “It’s just… everything. It’s too much sometimes.”

Without a word, Sirius reached out, his hand brushing against your arm in a silent offer of comfort. You didn’t pull away. Instead, you sighed and leaned into him, letting your head rest against his chest.

He wrapped an arm around you, steady and warm. “You should’ve said something sooner,” he murmured, his voice quieter now.

“I didn’t want to bother you,” you admitted, closing your eyes as his presence grounded you.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Sirius said firmly. “You can always bother me. I mean, I’m kind of a mess most of the time, but for you…” He trailed off, his fingers lightly tracing circles on your back. “I’ll figure it out.”

You pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, your eyes searching his. “I don’t know if I can do this alone anymore.”

“You’re not alone,” he said, his voice steady. “You’ve got me. Always.”

The sincerity in his words made your chest ache, and for the first time in weeks, you felt a spark of hope.

“Do you mean that?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“I do,” he said without hesitation. “I know I haven’t always been the best at showing it, but you matter to me. More than I can say.”

A small smile tugged at your lips, and you nodded. “Okay. Let’s try this again.”

Sirius grinned, a softer, more genuine version of his usual bravado. “We’ll get it right this time.”