Soirée ✶ Sirius Black

17 - betrothed.

FLORENCE COULD NOT HELP THE FROWN that possessed her face as her eyes scanned the letter, her lips slowly mouthed the words written upon the parchment.

She could sense the three pairs of eyes upon her as she read it.

"What is it?" Marlene asked expectantly eyeing Florence, she leaned over trying to read the words as Lily held her back with a look of disappointment.

Florence finished the letter the last words being 'love, mum.'. Looking up to meet the eyes of her friends. "Oh just a letter from home, asking how I'm doing."

Marlene and Mary hummed in satisfaction, but Lily still eyed Florence suspicion evident to which the blonde sent her a cheery smile that looked much too real.

"Okay," started the redhead, "we have to get to class now...you coming?"

Florence sent them a false smile, "I actually just got a headache, I think I'm gonna stay back. I'll catch up with you later, yeah?"

Marlene and Mary nodded as Lily sent her a sympathetic smile. "I'll come back to check on you." She said.

Florence nodded, "thank you." She said quietly.

As the door closed Florence looked down at the letter, a tear streaming down her face.

Why are you crying? She thought to herself wiping the stray tear from her skin. You always knew this would happen.

Dearest Florence,

Your father and I have wonderful news! It seems this year at soirée season really paid off, good work. You caught the eye of Amycus Carrow: A very worthy candidate. Also might I add, a member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. This is always what your father and I hoped for you. We could never be prouder.

Last week we sat down with the Carrow boy's parents and came to an agreement. You will be betrothed to Amycus due to be married at the end of this year. Over the summer we can get all the preparations for the wedding in check.

Expect an owl from Amycus soon.

Love,
Mum

Maybe if this had happened last year she could've been okay with it. But, not anymore. How could she? It seemed Sirius held a bigger place in her heart then she once had thought.

FLORENCE HAD COMPLETELY BLOWN OFF ALL HER MORNING CLASSES. Only making her way out of the dorm for lunch.

The great hall was filled with people eating their lunch as the blonde walked in scanning her eyes for her friends. Spotting Lily sitting alone she made her way over with a small smile sitting down next to the redhead.

"Hey." Florence said quietly as Lily's mess of red curls lightly swiped her face as the green eyed witch turned around.

"Hey, you okay?" Lily asked with a comforting smile as she passed a platter of food over to Florence.

Something about the girl assured Florence that she could trust her. "I got a letter from my parents. Apparently they have found the perfect guy for me. As of now I am officially betrothed, and it sucks. I don't even have a pretty ring for merlin's sake!" Florence sighed as she shoved a strawberry in her mouth.

"Priorities." Lily nodded her head.

Florence did a double take, "so you aren't going to ask why I'm betrothed at 17 almost 18?"

Lily shook her head, "No, because that isn't going to help. I'm guessing that you just want someone to talk to right now, and i'm here for you."

"Thank you, Lily."

A pair of arms enveloped Florence's waist as she looked down with a smile immediately recognizing it to be Sirius, her smile didn't last long as her lips tugged down into a frown at the thought of not being able to take it further with him.

"Hi there," Sirius whispered in her ear as Florence turned her body to face him on the bench. Lily got up with a small wave and smirk at the two as she made her way out of the hall.

Florence stuck her tongue out teasingly at the redhead as she retreated. She turned back to Sirius greeting him in return.

"What are you doing tonight?" He asked stealing food off one of the platters in front of them.

Florence smiled faintly, "I'm not sure yet, why?"

"Meet me at our spot tonight at 9. I have a question for you."

"And I have an answer." She spoke raising a brow, "where exactly is our spot?"

"The corridor." Sirius said as it was the most obvious place ever.

"Okay!" Florence said in a singsongy voice.

"I'M HERE. WHAT DID YOU WANT TO
ASK?" Florence asked as she stood before the boy with gray eyes staring at her. Sirius smiled softly as he led her to the bench lining the corridor.

"I've been thinking..." he started.

"Shocker," Florence spoke before she stopped herself. The blonde slapped a hand to her mouth as she tried not to laugh.

Sirius rolled his eyes dramatically muttering a "ha, ha."

"Before you so rudely interrupted me." Sirius spoke giving her a look, "I like you, Florence."

The blonde smiled at him.

"I don't want to be screaming at you from across a common room, or beating around the bush so I'm just going to get it out now." He started, "I don't believe in having a long speech to say this or claiming we're soulmates because that is not true."

Florence narrowed her eyes slightly at the boy. Sirius ignored this as he continued, "But I like you and I think that should be enough. So what I'm getting at here is would you consider being my girlfriend?" He finished looking to the girl hopefully who had frozen at his last few words.

The words of her parents' letter echoed within her mind, the words of her future betrothal. Florence had always known it was coming, the day where she would just be one of those insignificant purebloods, barren of any redemption.

But, a part of her always thought she would leave.

But before she could process what she was saying the words slipped off her lips, "Yes."

Sirius grinned widely as he brought the girl into an embrace.

"OOOH! BLACK'S GONE CRAY-CRAY FOR FLOWY! FLOWY LOOKS LIKE SHE GONNA THROWY A PUNCHY AT PEEVES." Peeves the poltergeist flew above them the little man with wickedly slanted, orange eyes, a bell-covered hat, and an orange bow tie was cackling. "Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty with your lip-locking in a corridor! Oh what would sweet, Minnie think of this?"

Florence laughed at the ghost above them as Sirius glared up at him as he cackled loudly, "Oh what would sweet, Bloody Baron think of this, Peeves?"

All humor was gone from Peeves' face in a second at these words replaced with utmost horror as he flew away.

Florence looked over at Sirius, "threatened are we?" She asked.

Sirius gave her a confused look, "threatened of a ghost? You so would not go for Peeves."

Florence grinned, "No, you're threatened that he is funnier than you!"

"He is not!" Sirius gasped dramatically.