selenophile || remus lupin

chapter forty one

"I really don't feel like doing detention with Minnie right now," whined Sirius.

"Suck it up, buttercup, we're here," said Remus.

Sirius groaned and walked inside, and the five Gryffindors saw McGonagall sitting at her desk, grading papers.

"Oh hello, I figured that today you all probably need to catch up on your missing transfiguration homework. I know a few of you," McGonagall all but glared at Sirius, James, and Peter. "Have quite a bit of work to do. However, you two," she looked at Remus and Ophelia. "I don't believe you two have any missing assignments, and unless I stand corrected, then you will be sorting through the textbooks in the back of the room."

Peter, Sirius, and James all sat down at a few desks in the large classroom while Remus and Ophelia walked over to the directed area where textbooks were stacked on top of each other.

For about two and a half hours, the five Gryffindors worked in (almost) complete silence, apart from a few of Sirius' whines towards McGonagall, or Peter asking James for help on his homework. The two and a half hours had gone by way too slowly, in Ophelia's opinion. All she wanted to do was to just head back to her dormitory, take a nice warm shower, and fall asleep in her bed.

Fortunately for Ophelia, she didn't have to wait long, as she and the rest of the group were instructed that they were free to go. The marauders and Ophelia started a long walk up to Gryffindor tower, chatting and laughing loudly as they went.

Unfortunately for Ophelia, it turns out that the group might have been laughing a little too loud and bringing on unwanted attention.

Unwanted attention is an odd phrase, at least for James Potter and Sirius Black. As far as they were concerned, any attention was wanted attention. And don't get Ophelia wrong, she loved attention. As long as it was from people she liked and enjoyed hanging out with.

The long list of people she enjoyed being around did not include the three Slytherins that the group earned their attention from. Rosier, Mulciber, and the younger Lestrange.

As the marauders and Ophelia were walking through a brightly lit, yet empty hallway, the three boys stepped out in front of them and blocked their way.

Ophelia rolled her eyes and said a polite, "excuse us," as she tried to push through.

"I don't think so," spat Lestrange.

"Be polite, Rabastan. We don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable, now do we?" asked Rosier, feigning politeness.

"What do you want, Rosier?" asked James, who had his wand out and pointed at the three boys. He stepped up beside Ophelia and she felt Sirius do the same on her other side.

"Now now, Potter, no need to get defensive," snarled Mulciber, earning an approving glare from Rosier.

"We only wanted to talk to this little lady right here," smiled Rosier, still putting up a fake front.

"Whatever you have to say to her can be said in front of all of us," said Peter, pulling out his wand as well.

"Aw look at them," mocked Lestrange. "They all have their wands out, thinking that we were going to attack them. As if they can defeat us in a duel."

"What do you want?" asked James, once again.

"We already told you, Potter. I knew you were dumb but I didn't know you were deaf as well," laughed Mulciber.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" asked Ophelia.

"Well, it's a bit private, you know? I'd prefer if we could talk alone?" said Rosier.

"Not a chance," sneered Remus.

"Well, my dear Ophelia, I was wondering if you would like to go to Hogsmeade with me in a few days," Rosier asked, as politely as he could.

"As if she'd go with you," laughed Sirius.

"I'm sorry, is your name Ophelia? I didn't think so. Get out of my face, Black," sneered Rosier.

"I will never, and I mean ever, go out with you, Rosier-"

"Please Ophelia, Evan is just fine."

Ophelia sighed and rolled her eyes, "Evan, I would rather bleed out than go out with you."

"That's not very ladylike of you, now is it, Ophelia?"

"I don't give two shits about being ladylike!"

"Watch your language, Ophelia. You'll learn very soon that people don't like ladies who use words like that."

"What's that supposed to mean? I'll learn very soon?"

"Let's just say, you'll be seeing a bit more of me soon. Especially once we go back home for Christmas."

"Rosier-"

"I told you not to call me that, you little slut-"

At these words, all four Gryffindors cast hexes at Rosier, who easily shielded himself. Mulciber and Lestrange were quick to fire back and it soon became a full duel between the four marauders and the two Slytherins. While the two sides were fighting, Rosier took his chance.

"What were you saying, sweetheart?"

"Rosier-"

Rosier slapped her harshly, which went unnoticed by the six dueling guys in the background.

"You dirty little whore, call me that one more time and you'll wish you never met me."

"Evan," started Ophelia, trying to collect herself from being slapped and choosing her words cautiously, not wanting to get slapped again. "What do you mean, I'll be seeing you a bit more during Christmas break?"

"Don't even worry about it, sweetheart. All will come to the light in all due time. All good things, of course."

He turned around and snapped, causing the duel to stop and Mulciber and Lestrange saunter out behind him.

"I can't believe that dick. To call you a- a- well you know what he called you!" exclaimed James.

"Jamsie, it's alright-"

"No, Ophelia. It's not! Those are harsh words!" said Remus.

"Remmy please," laughed Ophelia. "I've been called worse. Much worse. This is just what it's like being a female."

"What do you mean?" asked Peter nervously, as if afraid to hear the answer.

"I mean that most women hear that type of stuff every day. Do you guys know what catcalling is?"

"Yeah."

"Yes."

"Yep."

"No?"

"Well, Pete, it's basically when people shout weirdly inappropriate and sexual things at you. It's gross and uncomfortable, and I hear it a lot. Most women do, honestly. We get catcalled, and sexually harassed, and assaulted, and it's just something that we have to live with. It happens all the time. Guys will come up and make advances on me, they won't take no for an answer, or I'll have to endure it otherwise I'll get punished," she glanced at Sirius. "It's not something that you guys need to fight about, it's normal."

"But it shouldn't be!" said Remus.

"No, it shouldn't be, but it is. I've learned to live with it, to just ignore it, and so should you. Otherwise, you guys will be dueling just about every other day."

The five kept walking up to the Gryffindor common room, all four boys were utterly dumbfounded at the recent news they had just learned. As they were walking, Peter walked up to Ophelia who was in the lead.

"Ophelia, why's your face all red?"

"I don't know, maybe I'm just blushing or something?"

"It's only on one side of your face."

"Odd."

"No it's not and we both know it. What did he do to you?"

"Nothing that he hasn't done before."