War Of Hearts | Remus Lupin

9. Pumpkin Pastry

MEGAERA CARROW WALKED THROUGH THE HALLS with her head held high, nose up in the air, straight posture. Her shoes making a click clack sound as she strutted. Confidence radiating from her.

Fake confidence. Fake it till you make it.

Megaera has been practically trained to walk with empowerment, asserting domination and elegance. To any outsider like Remus Lupin, Megaera looked fine and a little bit of a snob, in his opinion.

But in reality, the black haired witch was barely hanging on.

After drinking her morning tea she had excused herself from the Slytherin table and was now in a hurry to meet Lily.

She bumped into a group of second year's Hufflepuff's who almost bowed to her in apologies. She felt bad for them but quickly rolled her eyes at her own thought.

She couldn't show kindness in public, it would be a weakness.

She was taught at a young age that she could either show disgust or smugness in public, any other emotion was out of the picture. Especially if it was on the affective side.

Megaera used to think that was the reason why she never saw her parents kiss or hold hands. But at thirteen years old she quickly learned about the truth behind pure blood marriages.

She has never experienced affection, that is until Lily Evans entered her life.

Minutes later she was by her best friend's side, sitting together at their spot.

"Sooo, I'm here" Megaera meekly uttered, folding her hands on top of her lap.

Lily who was fevertly rummaging through her bag, blew a piece of red haired out of her face and gave her friend a teasing smile. "I'm aware"

Megaera rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that was managing to tug at her lips.

"Ta-da!" Lily suddenly exclaimed.

She placed a little pumpkin pastry (Megaera's favorite) and a little bowl of cut up peaches between them. The Slytherin looked down to the food and then towards her best friend.

The food looked good, too good. The last time she had a pumpkin pastry was at Narcisas engagement party. It has been a long time.

But after weeks of Alecto hovering over her, reminding her of just how many calories she didn't need, how fattening her favourite foods are, she couldn't help but wonder how many calories does her pumpkin pastry has.

The custard must at least have tons, between the infinite amounts of butter and flour. Then the filling. It must have more butter and sug-

"Why don't you start with the peach?" Lily's soft voice brought her out of her own thoughts.

She gave her friend a little smile and with shaky hands she took the bowl. Lily gave her a nod of reassurance in response.

"It's fine, fruit's good for you."

Megaera took a bite, then another, then another. Meanwhile, Lily kept making small talk with her.

The Gryffindor knew that with silence, Megaera's mind kept running wild per minute so she tried to fill in the silence as much as she could.

Megaera didn't even notice but she was halfway through her meal.

Lily kept blabbing about the latest Marauder's prank.

"But I think that that's not a proper way to wake people up. Something bad could of happened. And going into the dorms to set up the charms? That's an invasion of privacy!"

Megaera swallowed the fruit she had in her mouth, "But did they also charmed your dorm?"

Lily's lips turn upward and blush started to creep up her neck, "No. But still, some love one's of mine were affected. You remember Mary? Mary Macdonald? They charmed her dorm! She was covered in snow! Her dorm was covered in snow! I went in to see the damage and it was freezing! I mean, she and her dorm mates could have gotten sick. What were those imbeciles thinking? And then Potter! Potter had the audacity to wish me 'Good morning' just as I was exiting Mary's dorm. I mean, the nerve of that lad!".

Megaera had to have her mouth full of peaches to stifle her giggles that were threatening to come out. After she swallowed the mouthful she took the goblet of water Lily also brought her.

"Accept it, Lily. Potter's greetings are the highlight of your mornings."

The Gryffindor's face quickly matched her own fiery red hair. It was one of Megaera's favorite sights.

Both of them couldn't help but burst out laughing at Lily's state.

"Maybe... It just that, he's brilliant! I mean like he's incredibly good at Charms and Transfiguration. And to come up with a spell to make infinite snow fall from the ceiling it's honestly pretty clever! It just the way he handle it that makes him immature".

Megaera grinned at Lily's confession. "But don't tell him I said that! His ego will get bigger."

Megaera rolled her eyes in a playful manner and she felt her sarcastic nature come out. "Don't worry, I won't tell him during our tea time"

Lily gave her a glare, but quickly sobered up. "You know, you and Remus are the most sarcastic human beings I ever met. I swear to Godric, you two are alike in so many ways."

Megaera put away the now empty bowl, feeling repulsed by the idea of being alike her rival. "Way to ruin breakfast, Lils" 

The redhead gave her an innocent smile and shrugged her shoulders.

Megaera released a chuckle but she quickly quietened down when she notice all she had left to eat was the pumpkin pastry. What was once her favourite dessert, she wasn't so sure anymore.

She thought of it too big, too much butter and flour.

Lily broke the eerily silence they have both fallen in.

"How about I eat half and you eat the other half?"

Megaera barely nodded and Lily quickly reached over and started eating her half. She gave the other to Megaera.

She turned to look at Lily, only to find her already looking at her.

The Slytherin felt at ease when Lily gave her a small smile.

With shaky hands she grabbed the pastry and brought it up to her lips, her eyes traveled up to her friend in front of her, who grinned at her even with a mouthful of food.

Megaera took a small bite and her taste buds were immediately met by the sweet and soft taste of pumpkin pastry and she almost moaned in delight.

It had been too long since she had one of these.

She took yet another bite and sighed in happiness.