The Project ☆ Sirius Black x reader | UNDER EDITING

☆𝙉𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧☆

"Come on (y/n)... run, run, run!" you huffed under your breath. "You're almost there!"

You sped through the corridors and staircases of Hogwarts with a couple of textbooks held tightly against your chest. You could hear footsteps nearing behind you, picking up speed to catch up.

"STOP FOLLOWING ME BLACK!" you yelled back, looking over your shoulder at the boy trying to reach you.

It had been two weeks since you and Sirius had been paired up for Slughorn's potion project, and every day since then had been an absolute nightmare with him. Coming late to class, sleeping on your research, and failing to show up on agreed meeting times to work on the potion. Enough was enough.

This fool has the audacity to come looking for me now! I don't think so! You frowned, dashing down a flight of stairs, taking two steps at a time to reach the dungeons before Sirius could get to you.

"For Merlin's sake, (l/n), stop running! I've got to talk to you!" Sirius called out, trying to reason with you to stop. Not a chance. If he was going to avoid responsibilities he said he would tend to, then there was no reason why you wouldn't avoid him altogether.

"Not gonna happen!" you scoffed, almost tripping on the last flight of stairs that led to the dungeons. Sirius was just as relentless.

"But- the Animagus Potion, (y/n)! I nee-"

"See that's funny, because I needed you to show up and work like we agreed to. You can't just show up and work when you want to, Black! Maybe you are a slut with no work ethic!" you exclaimed, finally close enough to see the entrance of your destination: somewhere Sirius couldn't go.

Quickly muttering the password, the stretch of bare wall opened just enough for you to slip in before the Gryffindor was close enough to stop you. Stumbling into the common room abruptly caught the attention of the Slytherins, but that was quickly dispelled when they saw who it was.

You quietly made your way to a table on the far edge of the common room—a usual hang-out spot for Regulus and you, but he was nowhere to be seen. Letting your books fall heavily on the wooden surface, you plopped onto an armchair and sighed in relief. All your classes for the day were over and you had successfully avoided your partner.

A cold hand squeezed your shoulder, and you glanced above you to see who it was although you already knew. Scooting over in the cushioned chair, you let Regulus sit beside you. He too, looked tired.

"We've survived another day," he sighed, leaning his head back.

"You look like you barely have. What's got you so exhausted?"

"The Gryffindor boy—Peter Pettigrew. We haven't been able to find a good time to work on the potions project. Our schedules don't match at all, and I have Quidditch practice after class, so I'm stuck in the early hours of the weekends with him," Regulus grumbled, closing his eyes with a frown.

"Must be tough being in advanced classes. The fate of the smart is a terrible one," you mocked him as you ruffled his hair.

"It is. It really is such a pain." Regulus went along with your joke. "I sometimes wonder why you're not taking advanced classes either. You're the smartest person I know."

"If I did, I'd have to take seventh-year N.E.W.T levels and exams which sounds positively awful. No thank you. I'd rather be spared for one more year." You shrugged. "I don't have the time nor the patience."

Regulus opened one of his eyes to glance at you curiously. "Talking about both of those things... How's your project coming along?"

"Don't even mention it, it's been terrible." Just the thought was enough to piss you off. "Not only did your brother decide what potion we were going to do, but he barely even works on the project at all! It's a miracle he even bothers to show up to class at this point."

He seemed pleased with your answer as a small grin curled his lips. "Seems about the right description for him: a traitor."

"Good try, but I'm not going to comment on or encourage your brotherly rivalry." You shook your head, leaning back against the armrest. "All I'll say is your brother is being a real pain in the ass when it comes to getting somewhere with the project. I didn't even want to do the Animagus Potion—he did!"

"Don't do it then."

"And get detention with Sirius until Christmas? Yeah, no thanks. I think I'll pass. I doubt he'd even show up to that either." You grabbed one of your books and flipped to the bookmarked page. "Plus it would stain my end-of-term reports and that can't happen."

"What're you reading?" Regulus asked, glancing over your shoulder to glimpse at the content of your book.

"Studying for Herbology. I got an 'E' in it last time, and I didn't hear the end of it from my parents. In the wise words of my father: only 'O's allowed, don't come back to this house without perfect marks. And that's a direct quote, Reggie."

"It's just herbology. Don't tell me you or your father care that much about Mandrakes?" he teased. "It's not like it's your dream to teach Herbology at Hogwarts in ten years."

"Oh, Merlin, can you imagine the scandal my parents would make if that was the case?" You couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, at least that means we would never risk marrying. My parents would never betroth me to a Hogwarts professor, especially not Herbology, they hated the subject."

"What a convincing argument for a change in career plans." You shook your head with a smile. "Or maybe they'd still do it. I'm a (l/n), after all."

Regulus smiled and stood up. "Let's hope we never have to find out. I've got Quidditch practice soon, let's meet her for supper after?"

You nodded and he headed towards the boys' dormitory stairs. "Play safe, Reggie. Slytherin can't win the Inter-House Cup without our best seeker. And I'd have no one to annoy if you end up in the hospital wing."

"You'll have my poor excuse of a brother. But on that note, you can hex him instead. As his current next of kin, I give you full permission." Regulus joked as he started going up the steps.

"I'd rather keep avoiding him and not break any school rules, but I'll consider it." You responded before burying your face back into your textbook.

Herbology, potions... there was too much to think about and somehow Sirius Black kept being a recurring parasitic thought. You knew that sooner than later you would have to resolve the issue you had with him. But for now, being petty and giving him a taste of his own medicine didn't sound bad at all.