matching hearts ━ r. lupin

Chapter 02

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟎𝟐
*ੈ✩‧₊˚

"Based on what you've told me, you and your idiot counterpart are lucky," Regulus said.

September went by as quickly as it usually did. It was a month of readjusting to living at and going to Hogwarts. The workload was significantly different than Aria's fifth year. Now that OWLs had come and gone, all that the professors spoke about were NEWTs.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "James isn't an idiot, and we aren't lucky. Evans just knew she didn't have a reason to be angry anymore."

"James is an idiot, don't bother denying it, and she had more than enough reason to be mad," Aria interjected.

Aria, Sirius, and Regulus were sitting on a blanket under a tree by the great lake. With them was a picnic basket full of food that Aria got from the house elves. They had decided a picnic would be this week's "family bonding" activity. Aria was the one who created the whole ordeal when they were younger. She was well aware that Sirius and Regulus would never willingly talk to one another if Aria didn't give them a reason to, and she decided that their being siblings was reason enough.

And despite Sirius's pride and Regulus' stubbornness, they never said no to her. They knew better than to do so.

"Okay, so maybe she had a bit of a reason," Sirius admitted.

"You publicly humiliated her best friend which led to him publicly humiliating her." Aria looked at him, unimpressed. "And though I'm not angry that she ditched him after seeing his true colors, it shouldn't have been that way."

"We both apologized to Sniv- Snape. Several times as a matter of fact he had to hex us to stop." Sirius told the pair. "James also made it up to Evans. Still is trying to."

"Not sure why you're friends with any of them," Regulus added. "Self-entitled Gryffindors, the lot of them."

"As opposed to slimy gits like Crouch." Sirius sneered.

Regulus opened his mouth to respond but Aria beat him to it. "No pissing contests at family bonding."

"Well, how else are we meant to entertain ourselves." Sirius grinned and both Aria and Regulus rolled their eyes.

Aria grabbed another strawberry and squinted as she gazed ahead. There were other students everywhere. Some alone but most in groups, all hoping to occupy themselves. It was a rather sunny day for September in Scotland. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that in a week it would begin raining every day. She turned to her two brothers and saw Regulus looking down at his potions book while Sirius shamelessly checked out the boy who was sitting on the crisp grass, leaning against a tree as he read.

"Uh-uh," Aria said immediately, swiping at her brother who hit her hand away. "Don't you go shagging him."

"I wasn't-" Sirius weakly defended as Aria stared him down. "Well... why not?"

"Slag." Regulus coughed, ignoring the glare from Sirius that followed his statement.

"Because," Aria answered his question. "I know him and he's sweet. He does not deserve to be one of your victims."

"So he's into guys?"

"And girls."

Sirius arched a brow. "And you know this because..."

Aria sent him a grin that said enough.

"Christ," Regulus muttered.

Sirius turned to him. "Do you plan on joining this conversation any time soon or are you going to keep pretending to read that stupid book while delivering snide commentary."