borealis • R. LUPIN

chapter 2

chapter 2 - birthday fun

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Poli was one of the older girls in her grade. Of course no one really could've guessed because of her short stature, but she prided herself on that very small and relatively insignificant fact. She turned 16 a few weeks after the first term started in her 5th year at Hogwarts.

The day of her birthday consisted of getting extra treats from the kitchen elves, (she made good friends with them considering her love of food and her political correctness toward getting the rights they deserved but that's besides the point) receiving happy birthday wishes from nearly everyone who passed, (even from the few nice and unprejudiced Slytherins she knew) convincing teachers to let the one assignment she didn't do go because it was her birthday, (adding in the puppy dog eyes she had mastered over the years) and walking into the Gryffindor common room and nearly having a heart attack from the jump-scare that her friends had planned for her surprise birthday party. It was perfect because she loved surprises and she loved to party. They had reserved a table for foods, (specifically Poli's favorites) levitated a banner that read "Happy Birthday Poli!" In colorful block letters that seemed to dance to their own tune, and had spread apart the couches to make room for a makeshift dance floor.

During her time at Hogwarts, she had become widely known as one of the nicest girls in not only their year but possibly in the schoolalthough from the people she often yelled at's perspective she wasn't all that nice. Upon making her way around the room, saying "Hello" and "Thank you" to everyone that showed up, she realized not only were there just Gryffindors, (although they were the majority) but there were also a few Ravenclaws, a handful of Hufflepuffs, and some very nervous looking Slytherins. The Slytherins, of course, kept to themselves in fear of getting yelled at by arrogant Gryffindors, namely an infamous group of them, or anyone else for that matter. The Hufflepuffs took a liking to either chatting by the food table or dancing in their slightly intoxicated manner. Most of the Ravenclaws simply sipped on their drinks and chatted but the few more outgoing ones danced with the Hufflepuffs. As for the Gryffindors, they were all over the place. They supplied the booze and the food, the controlled the music or they danced to it in their most extravagant ways, or they laughed in their groups of friends, drinking eating and sharing stories. Poli smiled at the atmosphere.

After making her rounds, as she made sure to thank everybody who attended or anyone who wished her happy birthday, she chugged a cup of Firewhiskey, grabbed another one and drank while dancing next to either her best friends or some loopy Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. All-in-all, she was having a great time.

That was until Sirius Black came up behind her dancing figure.

His hands poked her shoulders, making her jump and whip around to face the arrogant Black boy. His hair still as long as ever, and his smirk seemingly impossible to slip off. His grey eyes held mischief and adventure and trouble.

"What do you want, Black." Poli kept her face calm and tried to keep her words from slurring but she seemed to fail. She had to partially shout and get closer than she wanted considering the loud music. They had cast the Silencing charm on the common room but Poli thought secretly Mcgonogall knew but let them have their fun anyways.

"Just coming to wish the birthday girl a happy night." Poli raised an eyebrow, eyeing the grinning face of James Potter, the sheepish smile of Peter Pettigrew, and the nervous avoiding eyes of a shy Remus Lupin a little ways behind him in the ever growing crowd of party-goers. She eventually just gave a light and polite smile saying her "thanks you" and turning back around to continue dancing. A hand on her shoulder stopped her though, and she sent an innocent yet threatening gaze when eyeing the pale hand the had landed on her shoulder. When he didn't get the memo, she harshly batted it off, her smile once again turning into a scowl in the face of Sirius Black. It was a constant in their relationship. It was a known fact that she wanted nothing to do with the boy that caused nothing but trouble, but he absolutely adored making her angry. She resembled that of a kitten in his eyes.

"Anything else?" Poli asked venomously.

"Would you like to dance?"

The question caught her off guard. She had heard the rumors. The rumors and opinions that Sirius Black not only fancied her but that the two would make a good couple. She couldn't stand those fucking rumors.

She smiled at him, making it as genuine and sweet as she could muster and then said a simple, "Fuck off." She turned away again but instead of stopping her, he stepped around her, blocking her path of leaving.

"Why not?" Sirius didn't whine, he didn't plead but his eyebrow was raised and he tried to suppress his smirk to make him seem more sincere.

"Oh, Sirius, because," she continued with her faux-sincerity. "You're a twat." She patted him on the shoulder and she could her the snickers from not only his gang of trouble makers, but from those that could hear the conversation around them. "And if you should know anything about me, it's that I don't dance with twats." Poli spotted a Ravenclaw with two half-full cup of Firewhiskey going past, she grabbed them from the poor boy, gesturing at him to go on when his shocked gaze met hers. She turned back to the boy in front of her who seemed to have a light smirk still on his face and eyes twinkling in amusement.

Poli knew how to wipe both of those things off his face.

She downed one of the cups, smiling at the burn that went down her throat but also in anticipation of her next act.

"Drink up." She said with a smile.

And she poured the drink over Sirius Black's head.

His eyes widened and his smirk went slack. His hair stuck to his head making him look like a wet dog. She heard the cackles and gasps of those around her, the music lowered in volume and everyone either stopped dead in their tracks or laughed until tears came to their eyes (the latter being his group of best mates.) Sober Poli would not have done that. Maybe she would've simply flipped him off or just ignored him and walked away. But no. Her tipsy self had to be extra. Her tipsy self was an absolute genius.

Sirius' body was unmoving and so she rolled her eyes, grabbed the boy by his shoulders and pushed him into his group of friends who were still howling in laughter and were waiting to catch him. She caught Remus' eyes that were wide, and the grin on his face made Poli incredibly proud of herself, and sent him a wink which made him flush and turn away as they guided a stunned Sirius Black back to their dormitories.

And that, for Poli and Sirius' fifth year, is how their friendship started.

But that wasn't until after the prank war.