An unlikely pair

6

I leaned back on the grass, arms crossed as I declared, “I will never try to understand your family.”

The brothers burst into agreement, their grins wide and mischievous.

“Please don’t,” Regulus said between gasps for breath, still recovering from his laughter. “You’d end up in a mental hospital.”

“We’re a mess,” Sirius added with a dramatic flourish.

“Especially your hair after we—” Remus and James began in unison, only for Peter to cut them off.

“No! No! No! Don’t scare the poor girl,” he pleaded, his voice high-pitched with mock alarm.

I smirked, tilting my head toward Peter. “No need to worry about me, Wormy. I’ve heard quite a lot myself.” I winked, knowing exactly what reaction my words would elicit.

“What?!” James nearly shouted, his voice full of indignation.

“When?!” Sirius followed, his face a mixture of panic and curiosity.

“Where?!” Regulus’s tone rose in panic, his usual composure slipping.

“How?” Remus asked, the calmest of the lot, though his brows furrowed in concern.

“Calm yourselves,” I said, drawing out my words as if savoring the suspense. “Let’s see…” I pretended to think, tapping my chin. I opened my mouth to answer James question.

“I know what you said!” James interrupted, crossing his arms. “I was just caught by surprise.”

I grinned. “You asked ‘when,’ Padfoot. The first time, or…?”

“Yes, the first time,” Sirius pressed, his tone impatient.

“Two weeks after I got here, in your case,” I replied smugly. “In Regulus’s and James’s case? Two days after I arrived.”

Regulus paled while Sirius’s mouth dropped open.

“And where,” I continued. “Well, you’re fond of the broom closets. But your dorm and the Slytherin common room are also…frequented.”

They didn’t deny it, which only made my grin widen.

“And how?” I leaned forward, letting the suspense linger before dropping the bombshell. “One: I live in the Slytherin common room. Two: Has no one noticed how Sirius’s bed is oddly tidy some mornings? Particularly the mornings after you and Remy have been…” I trailed off with a smirk.

All four of them froze for a moment before their eyes went wide, their faces a mixture of horror and disbelief.

“How in Merlin’s name did you get into our dorm?” Sirius asked, his voice cracking.

I leaned back, folding my arms. “Unlike Reggie here, who has to be snuck in by his boyfriend, I know the password.”

Four sets of eyes whipped toward Peter.

“You told her?!” James demanded.

Peter raised his hands defensively, his face pale. “She’s one of us! And I thought it was fair—I know the Slytherin password. Emergencies and all that.”

Remus nodded thoughtfully. “He has a point.”

“We should throw you in the lake,” Regulus muttered, earning a glare from me.

“Why me?!” Peter squeakes, clearly assuming the comment was directed at him.

“Not you, Peter. Valen.” Regulus clarified, his gaze shifting past me to a figure approaching from across the lawn.

I turned, following his line of sight, and groaned. Bellatrix Black was stalking toward us, her robes billowing dramatically as she was flanked by a small group of Slytherin girls.

“Please do,” I muttered, locking eyes with her as she drew closer.

“Too late,” Sirius said grimly, leaning back with a resigned sigh.

“Sorry, Bellatrix,” I said loudly, standing to meet her halfway. “I can’t deal with your bullshit today—or any other day, really.” My voice was cold, my arms crossed in defiance.

Bellatrix’s lips curled into a sneer. “Do you even know who you’re talking to?”

“Yes, obviously,” I shot back, my tone as sharp as a blade. “I just said your name, didn’t I? Now, why are you here?”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, but I held her gaze. If there was one thing that set me apart, it was my audacity to look Bellatrix Black in the eye without flinching.

“Not because of you, believe it or not,” she snapped, pulling out two red envelopes. “Your mother asked me to deliver these since, for some reason, she can’t contact you directly.” She shoved one envelope at Regulus and tossed the other toward Sirius, her disdain palpable.

“That all?” Sirius asked, his scowl matching hers.

Bellatrix didn’t respond. Instead, she turned on her heel, flipped her hair, and strutted back to her friends, who erupted into hushed whispers as soon as she joined them.

“We should open them,”

“Are you insane?” Regulus said, snatching both Howlers before Sirius could even react. Without hesitation, he crumpled them into a ball and hurled them into the Black Lake.

“You’re learning,” Sirius praised, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

“Well, I’m not hungry anymore,” I muttered, brushing off my robes. “I’ll meet you in your dorm later.”

The boys exchanged glances but didn’t press as I turned and headed toward the castle. The faint sounds of their banter faded as I walked, and just as I reached the entrance hall, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over me.

The world tilted, my vision blurring. I barely had time to steady myself before everything went black.