DROWN • Sirius Black

Rivals and Reunions

As Esme and Andromeda wandered the vivacious aisles of the Hogwarts Express in search of a decent compartment they encountered many sights that would most likely haunt the two girls for the rest of eternity. The start of the school year yielded a different significance for each student, the over-achievers, the populars, the lovers and more. Esme's single request was that reuniting lovers had the decency to rekindle their love in privacy, preferably far away from humanity.

The pair finally located the previously reserved compartment. Esme slid the door open only to be met with a certain Black with his arcanely beautiful face lost in the pages of a saged book. His focus only strayed from the source of the  stream of words after Esme had revealed her presence.

"Well if it isn't the Regulus Arcturus Black, Slytherin's clandestine bookworm," Esme announced, jesting the young Black's affinity for literature which he was shameful of; consequently, not many people were aware of this certain avocation of his.

"Well if it isn't, the Esme Celeste Royelle, Slytherin's freshly harvested prefect!" He responded lowering the book, yet not completely closing it, placing his thumb between two pages as a wedge to mark his place.

"Inevitable," Andromeda mumbled, while aggressively chewing the end of a licorice wand.

"A little power never hurt anyone," Esme professed, her sadistic humor causing the Slytherin trio to smirk simultaneously.

"Precisely," Regulus concurred, "now you can bail us out if we're ever caught during," he paused, "illicit activities," he remarked incredulously at the improbability of the circumstance.

Andromeda, revived by his premeditation fervently exclaimed, "Don't forget punishing the first years! Those damn goblins plague the halls every year," she sighs in aggravation, "It's a bloody crisis."

      With the mentioning of the first years, Esme was reminded of her earlier encounter with timid Luke. Much to her disliking, the characteristically indifferent witch, found herself wondering whether the boy befriended any of his peers.

"And lovers!" Andromeda continued her passionate ramble, "So many bloody horny lovers playing bloody tonsil-tag in every crevice and corner."

Amber's dramatics earned Esme to chuckle and Regulus to commit the sacrilegious act of closing his book.

"Speaking of romance," Andromeda mischievously faced Esme now, wiggling her eyebrows vigorously, "how were your summer earnings? Eh?" Andromeda inquired, knowing Esme's reputation of beguiling men.

"Boring," Esme stated, "give me something challenging for a change."

"You're such a psycho," Regulus sighed.

"I prefer the term, ambitious."

      The three comrades spent the rest of the ride exchanging the specifics of their summer affairs while the were not in contact. Esme revealed the rather ordinary events that constituted her summer, which included her annual trip to Paris, where she reluctantly visited her distant and intolerable family members, who emulated royalty and never failed to express their disappointment in Esme with her limited fluency of the French language. Esme was self taught in legimency and occlumency, on various occasions she was accused of possessing the ability to charm speak and she even had an ear for Parseltongue. It was safe to say that Esme was not deterred in the slightest by the daft opinions of bygone Royelles, Esme only yearned for her parents' approval which she effortlessly achieved time after time.

      Esme was not alone, Regulus had not experienced a cheerful summer either. He dishearteningly revealed to his closest friends that his elder brother, Sirius, decided to move out and in with the Potters permanently. The last month of vacation had been laced with bitterness and tension in 12 Grimauld Place.