Queen of Disaster | 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝐿𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑛

Chapter 31

Diana decided not to talk about her feelings to Layla. It was her best friend's birthday after all, and she wanted Layla to be happy without having to worry about Diana. So she swallowed up every word that was killing her inside, trying to distract herself from all the thoughts that were haunting her.

He's just another stupid boy, Diana told herself over an over again, but deep down, she was surprised that she felt hurt.

It was a small gesture. All he'd done was to finish the assignment, and he was willing to give her half the credit anyway. Diana should've been glad, if anything. But it still bothered her, and she hated the feeling.

She had started to think that Lupin was different. How wrong she had been...

"Look, I know you don't want to talk about it, but it's obvious that it's bothering you," Layla told her after a few days had passed. The look of distress was visible in Diana's eyes, and there was no denying. "And you have every right to be pissed at him. I would be too. But you need to talk about it."

"There's nothing to talk about." Diana shrugged, trying to sound as careless as possible. "I'm actually glad that he finished the assignment on his own. I'll get the extra credit without even trying. Now I can spend more time on practicing Charms and Transfigurations. We've got O.W.Ls coming up in a few months."

Even though Layla didn't buy a word of what Diana had said, she didn't push it anymore. Diana wasn't one to talk about her feelings, and she was hard to break through.

The day that Diana had been dreading finally arrived. It was Monday morning, and Diana had Ancient Runes as her first class. If she hadn't loved the subject and its teacher, she would've dropped out the class immediately.

Waking up early for breakfast, Diana entered the Great Hall through its doors with Layla right beside her.

"Look. Regulus is there," said Layla as the two approached the Slytherin table, gesturing at where Regulus was sitting all alone, holding onto his knife and fork in a graceful manner. "Should we join him?"

"Are you asking me if I want to annoy another human being?" Diana raised her brows in mock-disbelief, before scoffing. "Please. As if you have to ask."

So, with mischievous grins playing on their lips, they walked toward Regulus.

"Hey, pretty boy," Diana called once they reached him, smirking.

Regulus closed his eyes and groaned in annoyance without even looking up as Layla took the seat beside him and Diana sat opposite them.

"Not you two again," Regulus said reproachfully, rolling his eyes.

"Shut up. You love us," said Layla, pouring some tea into her cup as she kept on smiling.

Regulus glared at her. "I absolutely don't —"

"Your opinion is irrelevant in this situation," said Diana, thrusting her fork into a sausage on a large dish in the middle of the table, moving it directly to her mouth and taking a big bite from it.

Regulus gave her a look. "Didn't your parents teach you dining manners?"

     "Oh yeah, they did. Big time," Diana said with her mouth full. Regulus grimaced in disgust, but Layla only laughed.

     "That's why I call her my little brother," she said, grinning.

     Diana and Layla went on for long minutes, preserving in annoying Regulus to the best of their abilities throughout breakfast. But even though Regulus kept nagging about how didn't want to spend his morning with them, he didn't get up to leave even though he could have. Because deep down, he was enjoying their company.