COMFORT ZONE | Sirius Black [REWRITING]

47. Books and Phials

Tuesday, 11th February 1975

There was only one more day of their mandrake month left, and Madiha was trying everything in her power to be excited about the prospect of being rid of the disgusting leaf at last. But this was a bit difficult with the pressure that Marlene had unknowingly—or knowingly—placed on her.

She had to have a date by the end of today, or else the girl would abandon Remus, who would certainly be annoyed about it purely because he despised last-minute changes. Considering that he also had a full moon coming up tomorrow, Madiha was not about to let that happen.

And neither was she about to go with one of the random boys who asked her.

So, when she found her target perched on the window seat in the common room before dinner, she wasted no time in walking right over.

"Sirius," she plopped down in front of him, "I have a proposal."

He raised his eyebrows. "I don't see a ring."

At his idiocy, Madiha considered backing out for a moment, but her mind was made up already; all that was left was for him to give an answer.

"Get your head out the clouds and listen."

Sirius straightened up. "I'm listening."

"Are you going to the ball with anyone?"

"Nope."

She'd reckoned that much. Sirius had charmingly said no to a number of girls in front of her, and likely many more when she wasn't there. He probably didn't want another Olivia.

"You don't have to," Madiha smiled sweetly, "But can you go with me?"

To say he was a little taken aback would be a huge understatement; Sirius was nothing short of stunned. He had wholeheartedly accepted that this year he would be going stag with James, who was still refusing to go with anyone unless it was Evans.

The stupidest part of that arrangement was that the idiot hadn't even asked her to go with him this year, because Dia had told him to respect that Evans was going with Snape.

Snape of all people.

But none of that mattered now because Dia was asking him to go with her and he was quite at a loss for words.

She started talking again.

"I wouldn't've asked if it wasn't for Marls—she's threatening to ditch Remus and go with me if I don't have a date by the end of today, but I don't want to annoy Remus, and obviously I can't go with Lily or Alice because they've got dates. But if you don't want to go with me, I'll go with James or Pete too, it's okay, otherwise I'll go alone and force her to stick with Remus somehow—why're you looking like that Sirius, is everything okay?"