Toujours Pur | Euphemia Black

Chapter 12 | Awkward Silences

The days that followed the massive argument between Euphemia and Charlus were awkward to say the least.

Due to them having to hang out together in the same group, the majority of the gang ended up feeling like they were in the middle of some brewing cauldron that was about to explode.

The general friendship group still got along rather well, sharing in mischievous escapades and telling funny stories that would make them all laugh uncontrollably into the late hours of the night.

Mia had told Minnie that she had had a disagreement with Charlus, to which her best friend only shook her head and sighed, obviously exasperated at the two.

Florean actually had taken Euphemia aside to ask her why Charlus was talking about her in such horrid tones but Mia had simply shrugged at him, not wishing to go into detail as it still upset her.

Alastor started giving her sympathetic looks that clearly screamed 'I don't know what's up with him' but Mia totally understood why Charlus was so mad at her and why he was adamant to not be friends with her.

She got it, she just didn't see why he wouldn't give her a chance to prove him wrong.

Taking sides is often hard to do, especially if you are friends with both of the people on either side of the argument.

When people make you pick sides it can often be awkward and so the majority of the group decided to stay in the middle of it all, even though they had no idea what the hell was going on. However, there were some exceptions.

Eugenia seemed to have taken the opportunity to cosy up to Charlus and she hung around him all the time, even more than usual.

She would bat her eyelashes at him and laugh unnaturally loud at all of his jokes that only irritated Mia and she could see it annoyed Minnie as well as the Scottish girl had started giving Eugenia The Look whenever she started drooling over Charlus.

"We're just friends," Eugenia said to Pomona when the Hufflepuff girl actually asked her but the infuriating smile that was on the blonde's face practically said everything.

Euphemia didn't know why it annoyed her but the fact that Charlus seemed to be acting so casually about the whole situation actually really upset her because he had hurt her feelings and now he was acting like he didn't give a toss about her.

He probably doesn't, that's why Mia thought bitterly to herself when she was dwelling on these thoughts one night in the tapestry passageway, slouching down in one of the saggier armchairs in the corner of the room.

"What's on your mind?" a squeaky little voice interrupted her from her miserable thoughts and she turned to see Filius seated next to her, looking over at her with slight concern and curiosity.

Euphemia couldn't help but be surprised, she had never talked to Filius much despite being in the same group of friends.

He had always slipped more into the background, often talking to Lyall who was also a quiet member of the group and the two talked a lot about books and lessons.

But now he was inquiring about her feelings, seeing as he had seen her looking rather sad in the corner.

"Nothing," Mia muttered, bowing her head as she blushed a little, having been caught out in her sulking.

Filius gave her a knowing look and she smiled nervously back at the small boy who obviously wasn't buying any of her excuses.

"Then why do you look like your cats died?" he asked directly and Euphemia opened her mouth to say something in return but he was still talking.