Genetics • Sirius Black

Chapter Fifty Seven: So Serious?

When Freya Grey returned to the Slytherin common room, she took her rightful place on the other side of the leather couch Regulus Black sat on. Legs folded under her, she barely looked at him before asking, "Father, this time?"

"What gave it away?" He tore his gaze off the mermaid in his sketchbook. She tilted her head at him, and he leaned back deeper into the couch cushions. "If we are to be neighbors, I think moving into your neighborhood might be a nice change of pace."

"You have never been to my neighborhood." She pointed out.

"I like surprises." He shrugged, then saw how heavy her eyes seemed. "Go to bed."

Shaking her head, she rested her elbow on the couch's armrest and pulled her bag into her lap. She had an essay due in Transfigurations that she'd forgotten about till now. "I have work to do."

"Work tomorrow." Closing his sketchbook, he turned his whole body to face her. Even with her potions, the fire light still illuminated the growing bags under her eyes.

"Sleep is for the weak."

"Is that why you always send me to bed by eleven?"

"If you were not so painfully frail, I would allow you at least past midnight."

"Oh, such a generous woman you are."

"Incredibly humble as well."

"Indeed so." He mused, watching her take out a scroll from her bag. As her head turned, he noticed a glimmery red and gold hair tie holding her ponytail. Lips pressed together; Regs decided it was best that he returned to his sketching.

***

While the rest of Hogwarts was in their dorms (or supposed to be, at least), two Prefects were strolling the halls half-looking for people out of bed but mainly gossiping. Truly, what had Albus Dumbledor been expecting, putting two friends to work together, that they work?

After about an hour-long chat that Lily Evans gently pressed him about, Remus Lupin was nearing the end of his little rant, and all the redhead's nose was wrinkled. "I think they're arses."

"Lily--"

But his attempts to stop her were futile; her freckled cheeks were turning the same shade as her hair. "No, they still haven't talked to you? It's ridiculous. You should be the one ignoring them, not the other way around."

"Well, it isn't." He felt his chest fall into itself.

Shaking her head, Lily was trying to grasp how all of his friends had managed to abandon him, especially after such an awful year. It was hard to be disappointed when her standards of them were already so low, but she never thought they were terrible people, just annoying and rude. However, this was... cruel. Her hand found his bicep, and she gave it a comforting squeeze. "You were too good for them anyway." Leaving Remus Lupin. Have they no heart? "Pratts."

"I'm glad you're still calm." He murmured.

"Sorry." She said meekly, now remembering what one of the few requirements he had before opening up. Don't get upset. Then a crease formed on her brow. "So, why have you refused to join Marlene and I for show night, then?"

Since most modern technologies got disrupted by magic due to some science most people barely understood, Hogwarts muggle-born students got creative with it and found some loopholes for the problem. Lily thought she was savvy about sneaking in a projector she'd charmed and made it an event for her and Marlene since Marlene had a very strong fixation on Lucille Ball. 

However, Remus always refused because he was hanging out with his mates, now exposed to be false. 

"I--" Remus had to cut himself off before he said what exactly he was thinking. "Lily."