Vivicendium ➝ Sirius Black/OC

Aequanimiter

Chapter Fifteen | Aequanimiter

[With equanimity]

On the day of Halloween and morning after the detention, Vivian finds herself laden down with homework and assignments that she hadn't yet completed, tests that she still has to study for, and far too many extra-curricular activities than she is happy with. Avery, arsehole that he is, has scheduled another Quidditch practice tomorrow night, which means that any potential fun she'll have in Hogsmeade will be overshadowed by the knowledge that the day will end with Avery shouting at them and threatening to bash them all with rogue bludgers. Not that Vivian really expects to have much fun in Hogsmeade, of course. Gavin Clarke is an utter bore.

As she's walking down to breakfast, dodging orange and black pumpkin confetti and wondering why people have to make such a big deal out of every single holiday, she finds herself somewhat regretting her hasty decision to ask Clarke to Hogsmeade. She's been regretting it all week, really – ever since she'd learned that he's actually a muggleborn. The looks that Mulciber and his friends have been sending her since their discovery of her so-called interest in someone of lesser blood have been quite unpleasant. She doesn't fancy having her reputation plummet as a result of an ill-considered choice. Then again, it isn't as if Mulciber has any right to make a fuss. Not yet.

The thought of her potential future makes her shiver.

"Alright there, Vivian?" Rosalind wonders as she falls into step beside her just as Vivian is approaching the Great Hall. She shoots a glance at her dormmate and raises an eyebrow at the shadows beneath her eyes. Her lip curls.

"You look like shit today," she's only too happy to announce, much to Vivian's annoyance.

"You look like shit every day," Vivian snaps back, and Rosalind grins.

As they head towards the Slytherin table, where the Bloody Baron is making the most of his Halloween spirit as he freaks out the first year students, Rosalind sighs, "You're in one of your moods, I see. I think I liked you better when you were spouting compliments nonstop."

Vivian grunts and sits down with a huff. She casts her eyes over the hall as she reaches for some toast and rhubarb preserve, and mutters, "I got another fucking letter from that revolting arsehole and it made me lose sleep."

The others were already asleep when Vivian had returned to the dorm after her patrols, and so this is news to Rosalind, who immediately straightens up and spears Vivian with eager, anticipatory eyes.

"You did? Why didn't you tell me sooner? Where is it?" she shoots off, and looks like she's seconds away from leaning across the table to pat Vivian down in her hunt.

Vivian glares at her, hoping that it will keep her at bay. It probably wouldn't in any other circumstance (Rosalind is annoying like that), but before any drastic measures need to be taken, Narcissa demurely takes a seat beside Rosalind and sends Vivian a raised brow.

"You lost sleep over your secret admirer?" she drawls, flicking her platinum hair over her shoulder and smirking. "That is interesting."

Vivian gapes, then points her knife at her and staunchly says, "I lost sleep because it pissed me off so much, Cissy."

At the nickname, the two of them promptly engage in a miniature Slytherin glare-off, until of course it gets interrupted by Rosalind when she rolls her eyes and says, "Oh would you two stop already? Vivian would never lose sleep for any other reason, Narcissa. She's a cold, unfeeling – "

"I will glue your tongue to the roof of your mouth again, Rosalind," Vivian informs her before she can finish her insult, and sends a too-nice smile her way. Rosalind pushes her lips out and pours herself some tea, apparently realizing that the threat isn't said without intent.