#ciaran johnson

He loves him until he dies.

"...from this day forward until death do you part."

 She felt Marcus' hand close harder around her own, and she smiled at him, holding his hands tighter as well. Marcus had been her best friend for a long while now, someone she trusted with everything she was and had, and she loved him with all that she could, and more. A year earlier they had been fighting, she had been crying and screaming, and in her wildest dreams she could never have thought this day would come for the miserable pair in the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts. She had never imagined, or even dared, to dream that she would marry someone she loved. She had sent word to Sirius that she eloped to marry Marcus - and had gotten a "Congratulations to you both!" in return. She could almost imagine the smirk on his face when he'd gotten her own.

Marcus' grey eyes met hers, steadily, and it hadn't been more than a second since the minister had finished his instructions – or their vows. Her breath caught a little in her throat, as she smiled and felt the sting of tears in her eyes. “I do.” She could see Marcus’ vision cloud as well. “I do,” she said again, rapidly efter her first time.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife; you may kiss the bride-”

Marcus had drawn her to him before the minister had even finished, and he held her tight, kissing her with the kind of intense passion that had scared them both in the past. Her Marcus, now her husband. Her stomach twisted with butterflies, her heart beating furiously against his chest. He held her so close, so tight, she could feel his heart beat in time with hers. He still held her tight, but released her lips, only to lean his forehead against hers. His eyes were closed as she looked at him, her hand moving up to stroke his cheek “My own, my husband, my Marcus,” she whispered into the air between them, and the small smile of his grew warmer. He opened his eyes and gave her a lighter kiss.

Going back to school after the holidays had been... fairly normal. Apart from one detail. One very large, mostly heartbreaking detail. Even as she'd been on the train back, waiting patiently to be back "home", something had felt very wrong. Why? Because the normal friendly face of one of her oldest friends were missing.

Ciaran.

Having been back in the dorms, it was even clearer to the girl that her friend was no where to be found. No one to sneak away and talk honestly with; he'd been the only one she could be completely honest with, and had been glad to offer the same to him. She was sat in a window, staring out over the Hogwarts grounds, with her heart out of place.

There's something oddly unsettling about being without you. Mother said something about being worried about your mother over Christmas, and I have to say, for once my mother is not all wrong. Only, you know me, I worry about you. I keep wondering if you are safe, if you are okay, where you are... I look at the stars and they say everything will work out for the best. I usually take them for their word, but how can I be sure?

She took a shaky breath and bit the inside of her lip. Memories of hundreds of nights with Ciaran, or laughing in the common room, of dinner in the Great Hall...

The castle feels empty without you. Like someone ripped out the middle pages of a book, stole the heart of the story. So, where ever you might be, dear, let me know you are all right? And I promise my worries will turn into hopefull wishes that I'll see you soon.