The One That Got Away| Sirius Black

004| Mean

September 21, 1974

Isabella couldn't sleep as she wracked her brain for a way to stop Jackie and Regulus's date. She was sitting on a windowsill in the Astronomy tower. This had become her spot to sit and think over the years. Sometimes it was also her spot to cry when she got overwhelmed with everything. Tonight, she was scheming though.

She watches as the stars twinkle in the night sky. The moon was full tonight and it shined bright, illuminating Hogwarts grounds. Then Isabella's eyes followed as she saw the Leo constellation. There was one star that shone brighter than the rest, Regulus. Isabella stared at it for a while, thinking about her predicament with the human Regulus.

A loud howl interrupted her thoughts. Isabella snapped her head in the direction of the noise. It was coming from the direction of Hogsmeade. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. She was scared at first, but then the logical side of her brain took over. There's no way there was a werewolf in Hogsmeade, it must've just been someone's loud dog. Then another constellation caught Isabella's eye, Canis Major. There was a star in this constellation that was brighter than the rest, it was the brightest in the sky. Sirius.

It almost felt like a lightbulb went off in Isabella's mind. She would never admit it, but Sirius Black had inspired her next moves.

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September 22, 1974

The next morning, Isabella was buzzing with anxious nerves. It wasn't like her to do something like this. When it came to familial obligations, sometimes she acted out of character. Maybe it was the cunning Slytherin qualities coming out in her.

She felt bad of course. She didn't even love Regulus and Jackie did. Isabella couldn't let them go out though. If Regulus did end up falling in love with Jackie, Isabella would be screwed. The other girls woke up not too long after Isabella. They stretched and woke themselves up a little before getting up to get ready.

Isabella didn't want to look suspicious so she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth after Aurora had gotten up. The girls were silent for a little as they wet their toothbrushes. Aurora was the one to break the silence. "Are you made?"

"What do you mean?" Isabella asks arching a brow.

"About Jackie and Regulus of course," Aurora says in an obvious tone.

Isabella shrugs, hoping she was a decent actress. "I don't fancy him anyway."

"I know, but I know your parents wanted you guys to get married," Aurora says quietly.

"I guess it's just another of my many ways of disappointing them," Isabella chuckles humorlessly. She spits her toothpaste in the sink and rinses her mouth quickly. She tries to leave the bathroom without another word but Aurora doesn't let her.

"You know that's not true," Aurora says. "They just want to earn their status. You're doing what's right for your family."

"Exactly," Isabella says with a nod. Aurora didn't know the full story, but her words were still comforting to Isabella.

When Isabella left the bathroom, Victoria was standing by Jackie's bed. Jackie was sitting on the bed with a red heart-shaped box. There was a huge grin on her face as she read the note attached. "I can't wait for today, Love Reggie!"

"That was sweet of him," Isabella says with a forced smile as she joins the girls by Jackie's bed.

"I know right," Jackie smiles as she opens the box. It was filled with chocolates and Jackie grabs one popping it into her mouth. Isabella watches in anticipation as she chews the sweet. Like clockwork, Jackie begins giggling. Her eyes go wide but her mouth continues to smile.