astronomy • marlene mckinnon

four

Astraea Black had managed to land herself in another detention.

Detention for speaking out of turn.

And for defending werewolves.

"Okay," Regulus looked at his elder sister who was pacing back and forth in the Slytherin common room. "It isn't that bad Rea, calm down please."

Astraea stopped her pacing and gave Regulus a disbelieving look.

"Okay, it's very bad," Regulus admitted.

"Very comforting." Astraea rolled her eyes.

"Well, what do you want?" Regulus threw his hands up in exasperation. "Comfort or the truth?"

Astraea made a face at her little brother and resumed her pacing.

This was the third time Astraea had received detention in the term. The first two included her and Marlene McKinnon cleaning the trophy room and then rearranging the equipment in the potions classroom.

She was sure that this detention, which was with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, a complete idiot, would be much more tolerable than spending an hour with the blonde Gryffindor she despised so much.

But it wasn't the detention Astraea was worried about.

Every time a student got into detention, the school thought it would be an excellent idea to send letters to their families telling them that their kid is in detention for whatever reason.

Astraea thought this rule was stupid and made no sense, but, unfortunately, her thoughts would not stop the Professors from sending the letters to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Though, telling Marlene McKinnon to 'shut the fuck up up' and calling her names would be excused, Astraea Black had no doubt that Walburga and Orion Black would not easily forget about her getting detention for standing up for werewolf rights.

"Still doesn't answer my question but alright." Regulus shrugged as he watched his sister pace around the Slytherin common room.

"What I don't get is," Astraea muttered and started to rant. "Why did he give me detention? Last week, that asshole told us that it's really good to put forth our opinions because it gives him an idea of what goes through our brains. And today, when I did put forth my opinion he gave me a fucking detention. And do you want to know what his stupid reason was?"

"I don't want to but I'm sure you will anyway," Regulus shrugged.

"Hilarious Reg," Astraea made a face at him before she continued. "That absolute git told me that I spoke even though he didn't allow me to. Who even is he? Salazar Slytherin? No, right, why the fuck do I need to have his permission to say something."

"Totally agreed." Regulus nodded, a mock thoughtful look on his face.

"I mean, I put forth my fucking opinion because you fucking said so, and now you fucking give me a goddamn detention, for fuck's sake, that piece of shit-"

"Rea," Regulus interrupted and Astraea turned to look at him. "Calm down with the swearing."

"Oh like you don't swear a lot when you're pissed." Astraea crossed her arms and scowled.

"Well." Regulus trailed off. He did swear a lot when he was angry.

"God Reg, I'm so screwed." Astraea sighed and sat down next to Regulus and put her head on his shoulder.

"Your hair's getting in my eyes," Regulus complained as he pushed her away, a small smile on his face. "Oh my god, it's in my mouth too."

Regulus was trying to make Astraea forget about their parents for a moment.