Halloween was the first Monday back and the school was decked out in decor, floating jack-o-lanterns, bats that Peeves trained to chase students through the corridor on the second floor, trick steps popping up more frequently on the staircases, and even the paintings have decided to swap outfits and dress up as each other. I wasn't too much in the mood for the festivities, the only good thing is that we were allowed to wear whatever we want in the name of dressing up for Halloween.
Of course I wasn't going to dress up because I didn't have anything to wear, so on Sunday evening while everyone was running around trying to find stuff to wear, I sat reading on my bed, watching with amusement as Dora and Millie scavenged through their wardrobes. "Can I check your drawer, Reg?" Dora asked as she sighed a frustrated huff, probably not having found a vital part of whatever her costume was going to be. "Uh, sure," I mumbled, too engrossed in my book to care much about what they were doing.
A few moments passed as they continued muttering to one another about their costumes, I think they were going as something matching. They mentioned something about ABBA which I know they like to listen to in the common room and sometimes in our room too, Pandora now being friends with the Gryffindors doesn't help considering they never seem to not have ABBA playing. Even when they have music playing, they always have it on in the background. I don't know how they're not sick of it. The music isn't terrible, but it's not that good. "Ooo, what's this?"
At the teasing tone I looked up to see Pandora dangling a pair of not so plain knickers. This is the second time my underwear has been found by someone else and that is two times too many. "Someone's had a change of fashion again," Millie giggled, I just hid my face in my book. I'd only been back one night and I really wasn't in the mood to talk about my lovely experience at 12 Grimmauld Place so neither asked nor mentioned it. They honestly just acted as if nothing had happened after checking that I was alright which was fine by me since I'd rather not relive it through talking about it. Sadly, that meant that they didn't know about how all my clothes I actually liked had been ruined and replaced with a lot less desirable alternatives.
"Mother decided to gift me with a new wardrobe," I grumbled before getting up and snatching them off of her, shoving them into the bottom of the drawer. Never again would those lace pink knickers see the light of day. "A new one," Pandora suddenly wasn't looking smug as her eyes scanned over the contents of my drawer in our shared wardrobe. I gave her a look of disbelief, "did you think I wanted to come in wearing a skirt and practically having my chest on display for everyone?"
Millie stood up from where they were kneeling on the floor, coming over to put a hand on each of my shoulders, "we thought it was a bit odd that you came in wearing that skirt and aren't flattening your chest anymore but we thought it wasn't really our place to say anything. We thought that maybe if you'd changed your mind that you'd tell us when you're ready, or if it was your parents then you'd also tell us eventually." I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath through my nose, exhaling heavily.
"That's ok. I appreciate you both not prying," Millie walked us over to her bed where we perched on the edge of the bed frame, Pandora now having joined us, "the break didn't go very well. I'm now even closer to being forced to marry Barty and having his children. Not to mention on the first night mother destroyed all my things that she thought weren't 'womanly' or something fucking moronic like that. At least they didn't force the dark mark on me." Only once I laughed pathetically at the end did I notice how wet my voice sounded. Millie grabbed me a tissue from her bedside table while Dora hugged one of my arms closer.
"Sorry for teasing you. That was stupid of me, I should've thought more before I did it," she apologised and I just shrugged, forcing a smile up so that I could hopefully trick myself into not crying. I hate crying in front of others, another thing that happens far too often for my liking. I dried one cheek while Dora dabbed at the other cheek with her sleeve, "that all sounds awful, Reg. If there's anything we can do to make it better, just tell us." I didn't really know anything they could do to help but I appreciated the offer. Leaning my head to the side, I rested my head on Millie's shoulder as she ran her fingers through my hair. This time last year I would've died from this much physical contact with anyone. Having spent time with my brother and the Potters really changed me I suppose.
Dora let out a laugh that also sounded as if she were crying, "at least you don't have to worry about anything actually happening with Barty." I shifted so I could see her out of the corner of my eye, "he's head over heels in love with my brother. I suspect he might actually kill yours and his own parents if it meant they could stay together forever." That got a laugh from both Millie and I, "you know? He told me not to tell and I haven't so if he knows you know, you better tell him it wasn't me that couldn't keep my mouth shut," I told her and she laughed even more. "Believe me, dear Reggie, it wasn't you that exposed them to me, it was my lovely foolish annoying brother. He's the one that can't keep his mouth shut. Seriously. He really needs to stop sometimes," Dora shuddered at that and I was completely fine with not knowing what he needed to stop talking about.
Jumping up, her long blonde curls bounced after her as she stood before us, "it's getting late! We need to sort out these outfits!" Millie hopped up too, leaving me to flail backwards onto her mattress with a yelp. "I think we can use these shirts that Reg has," she suggested, already back to looking for clothes before I could even sit up. Suddenly Dora spun around to grab my hand, "we're going to ask Evan for a shirt and some pants, be right back!" With that, she tugged me out of the room in a chaotic storm that she always is.
We didn't stop until we got to the room that had 'E.R' on it along with a few other names. Dora didn't even bother knocking, barging right in, "Hello boys, I request my brother's presence," she demanded, one of the boys who had white blonde hair yelped and hid behind his bed curtains, his hair almost as silver as the 'X.L' initials on his bed frame. "Oh do grow up, I've seen nipples before, believe it or not, I've got them too," Dora rolled her eyes, watching a pale arm reach out to grab the shirt on the floor by the bed before disappearing again. Just then, Evan came out of the bathroom with a towel around himself, his wet hair sticking up in all directions. Even when it's wet his and Pandora's hair is practically white.
He froze in mid step as he looked at the two of us, "Dora, Maia," he nodded, eyes flicking over to look at his roommates, probably wondering where Xenophilius had gone. "We need to borrow a shirt for our costume," Dora told him and went over to where she knew was his wardrobe. "Yeah sure, no problem, just don't even ask," Evan said sarcastically before going on with his evening routine. I wasn't too sure why she dragged me along but I just stood by her and waited as she rummaged around his messy drawer. She let out a small giggle which made me look down at the jumper she was holding that had B.C.JR. written on the label. Evan must have seen because he flicked her on the head before grabbing it and putting it on, crossing his arms and turning away, probably to hide the embarrassing blush that was making his face bright red.
Eventually we made it out with a plain white button up and some trousers which Dora charmed to be white instead of grey. When we got back to our room, Millie had laid out two white shirts, one that I recognised to be my own, and two pairs of trousers that with a flick of her wand, Dora made white as well. "If my calculations are correct, that's three outfits..." I turned to look at them, not entirely pleased.
Millie smiled, "we're going as ABBA," Dora beamed. I didn't share their enthusiasm. "I'm going as Anni-Frid, Dora is going to be Agnetha, and you can be Björn since you're the tallest of us so it doesn't make sense for you to be Benny," Millie explained and it meant nothing to me as I wasn't invested enough in ABBA to know each band member's name and appearance. "And we just wear white," I asked and they nodded. "I'm going to wear this brown belt with my outfit," Millie added, the two girls looking far too pleased with themselves. I suppose after all the times they've been there for me I can dress up for them. "Who's going to be Benny then?"
They looked at me. Blinked. "That doesn't matter, it's gonna be ABA now," Dora declared.
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Merry Christmas guys! Happy holidays and I hope you have a nice winter for those who don't celebrate Christmas <3
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Cosmic Stardust - Jegulus
FanfictionRegulus runs away from home a year after his older brother Sirius did, following him to the only place he knows to be safe... the Potters. It doesn't take long to be treated as family there, but when you're keeping one of the most important things a...
