Something Worth Losing | S.B

34: Scout Conrad

Sixth year, for lack of a better term, was absolutely kicking the Slytherin girl's arses. Their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was an absolute demon and made it very known that she couldn't stand the five girls, which made their work very difficult indeed, and their hopes for achieving an Outstanding in the subject were slipping away a little bit more with every lesson. Beatrice saw less and less of Regulus, and more and more of the Gryffindor's, although trying to ignore the rift between the two friends became more and more difficult.

As Halloween approached, Beatrice approached a lonely Regulus in the common room to ask if he wanted to spend the upcoming Hogsmeade trip together, the way they used to. Unfortunately, it was a resounding no, with the boy claiming he needed to do some work and wouldn't be able to make it.

The two best friends remained partners in most of their classes and the ate in the Great Hall together daily, but the rift between them was getting almost impossible to ignore. The rift reached critical mass on the night of Halloween when Regulus promised to attend the Gryffindor party and didn't turn up. Beatrice, regrettably, made a promise with herself to confront him and demand an explanation, and not let him go until she had one, but even the thought caused a funny feeling in her stomach.

She knew it would be easier to ignore it, and maybe in this case that would be the best thing too.

"He's not coming." Grace sighed as Beatrice looked around the Gryffindor common room.

"I don't know-" She tried but Grace interrupted her, not having any of it.

"Regulus. He won't come."

"I wasn't looking for him."

"Don't hurt yourself, Bea." Grace leaned her head on Beatrice's shoulder, taking a dainty sip from her straw. "I know he's your best friend and I know you think he's different, but all blokes are the same at the end of day. They just can't connect their minds to their mouths."

"What's made you so wise all of a sudden?" Beatrice smiled, changing the subject, and pushing her tipsy friend's head off her shoulder.

"And what's made you so daft?" Beatrice dropped her jaw in false hurt, but Grace continued. "You're letting him get in your head, which you don't do with any boys, not even ones you fancy."

Beatrice wasn't sure about that. She let Sirius get in her head. In fact, it seemed he had taken permanent residence. And she would be lying to herself to say that she hadn't been stealing frequent glances at him to see if he was dancing with any of the girls giving him hopeful looks. 'Jealousy' was a word she had been refusing to acknowledge. "Whatever." Unfortunately, it was the best she could come up with.

Grace left her alone. Beatrice sucked contently on her straw, watching the merriment unfold. She saw a fifth year that she recognised from her common room saunter up to Sirius and start a conversation. For the briefest of moments, Sirius' eye caught her own, barely giving her time to react. He was very interested in this girl, laughing at everything she said and leaning back against the wall, letting her get a little bit closer. Beatrice gulped and looked away. It was fine. He was almost 18 now, and single. He was at perfect liberty to do whatever he wanted without scrutiny from her. She flicked her hair over her shoulder.

"Taking it all in?" A voice to her right asked. She turned to see a Hufflepuff from her Herbology class nursing a can of something she didn't recognise. He was good looking, though she had never really noticed before now. (Maybe it was the alcohol). His hair was a dull brown, long and cut like one of The Beach Boys, as though he had done it himself. In fact, he looked a bit like Dennis Wilson, she thought, though with more of a Roman nose. He wore an orange collared shirt with the top few buttons undone, and it suited him very well.