𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆, regulus black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒: 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

"I'll do it myself," said Regulus, stretching out on the sofa in the common room. "You can proofread it and add your name and get credit for my hard work. You're welcome."

Rune laughed bitterly as she stood over him. "I don't think so."

Regulus folded his arms behind his head and looked up at her. "My Transfigurations grade is better than yours."

"By like point one percent," she huffed.

"Still better. Fine then you do it and I'll proofread it. Less work for me. I won't complain."

He shut his eyes and sighed, "Now if you'll leave me alone, I can get a break. I already see you for all ten of my lessons."

Rune remained where she was and after a few moments, Regulus' eyes shot open. "Fine. We can both do it by ourselves. And then we can see which one is better and we'll use that one."

"My one will definitely be better," she commented.

"Again. My grade is higher than yours."

Rune seethed, "We already have so many assignments and so much of homework, what's the point of wasting more time by doing a full assignment when we only need to do half?"

"So, you're suggesting that you and I... work together?" he asked, with an undertone of disgust.

"Yes!" she exclaimed.

Regulus shut his eyes again. "Not interested. Since you're so busy, we'll go back to my initial plan. I do it, you proofread it. Sorted. Goodbye now."

Rune clicked her tongue and grabbed the pillow from beneath his head, leaving his head to fall flat on the sofa. "You're so immature."

As she stomped away, Rabastan laughed, "Damn. You two act like an old married couple."

"Oh, piss off, Lestrange," she snapped, climbing up the stairs and going into the girl's dormitories and to her own room.

While Rune had her period every month like normal girls, along with her endometrium shedding, the serpent part of her went through its shedding as well.

Of her skin.

It usually occurred on day 5 of her cycle, but the 5 days leading up to it was uncomfortable and painful. Naturally, that made her more on edge, and with the way Regulus Black was ticking her off—

A sharp hiss fell from her mouth and Rune flopped down onto her bed, feeling her body coil and uncoil from serpent to girl.

Her wristwatch told her that there was still an hour before curfew. She'd wait a while before slipping out of the room and brewing a painkilling concoction which would hopefully induce a day long sleep.

To pass the two hours, despite her throbbing headache, Rune pulled out her very battered copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

It was one of her favourite novels.

She often saw too much of herself in the main character. She wondered if she had the chance, whether she too would damn her soul for eternal youth and beauty.

Maybe not eternal, but she would definitely wish for longer youth. For a while more between where she was and her eighteenth birthday.

Rune, subconsciously reached for her journal.

Do you read?

She kept one hand on the journal, waiting to feel it warm up and used the other to turn the pages of the novel.