FALLEN FROM GRACE ⍋ Regulus & Sirius Black

- Chapter 22 -

WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES TWELVE
———

Midnight.

My fingers had now turned a comical shade of pink. Almost ruby in their complexion; which I was assuming my cheeks were to match.

My trousers were damp to the touch and cold from sitting down on the ground to loose myself to watching the water.

And I was tired, finally. Celebratory, sleepy.

I made my way back into the castle carefully. Ensuring I crept in my thin soled shoes to not awake any of the sleeping portraits. Although, truthfully most were incredibly difficult to wake up. Layers of waxed paints probably blocking some ability to hear, I imagined.

The castle was lit up nicely at night. A warm hue that reminded me of a perfect cosy bedroom lamp that my Grandmother had in the hallway. She keeps it on all night so that nobody stubs a toe during a late night toilet trip.

Something about the orange light felt homely and I wished Hogwarts had the same effect when we were actually allowed to roam around within it.

As I was creeping back to the Slytherin common room, I heard a slight muttering around a close corner. A corridor opposite the one I had to go down.

I suspiciously halted and listened in. The voices were young, or at least younger than teachers or any portrait that was nearby (I had memorised them all by this point).

"Uh, that's not true." One voice said matter-of-factly.

"James, it's time to admit defeat." Another said.

James?

That's when I processed the Irish accent. It was James Potter.

Could Sirius be with him?

Before I could question my decision, my impulse lead me to walk in their direction.

"I definitely lost it around here somewhere." That Irish accent said again.

"Lost what?" I said, finally walking around the corner.

James and his tall friend, Remus jumped out of their skin. Clutching onto their chests and letting go of a shocked inhaled breath.

"Fecking hell, Grace." James said rolling his eyes at me.
"Almost gave me a bloody heart attack."

I concealed a smirk. Glancing between the two boys with as much as a disinterested, dull expression as I could.

"Lost what?" I repeated.

"None of your fecking business, like." James laughed lightly and nudged his friend to almost say 'get a load of her'.

I was suddenly curious about Remus. The boy with the deep voice, supposedly to Dorcas. Though I had never heard it. Not enough to really pay close attention to it, anyway. Never heard of him much at all, actually.

I averted my eyes to look up at him curiously.

I wondered why he was friends with such a group of boys. Sirius and James we're unapologetically themselves. Obnoxious and loud sometimes and seemingly fearless, and their friend Peter (though I don't know an awful lot about him either) often accompanied one of them in detentions or whilst being told off. This said to me that though I hadn't witnessed it myself, the blonde one was also disruptive.

Remus Lupin hadn't uttered a word to me. Though he's had no reason to.

I had also never seen him be forced into any classroom I've been in, due to a teacher being sick of him. Or a detention.

If he didn't have his head shoved in a book whenever I glanced in his direction, he was just stood there...silently and unassuming.

I can honestly say, I had never once noticed him before I had spoken to Sirius.

James I knew of, he was in the quidditch team.

Sirius I knew of, he was a pure blood.

Peter I knew of, he's been in detention a few times when I've been there (whether I had one, or was delivering something to the supervisor).

Remus...nothing. I doubt I would have even been able to imagine him from someone describing him.

He seemed surprisingly unshaken by my staring despite the consideration that he might be terribly shy. 

"You know these are Slytherin quarters, right?"
I said looking at the quiet boy.

"Like we give a shit?" James replied almost laughing.

"I'm saying, I probably know this area of castle better than you. So what did you lose? I can keep an eye out." I said almost rolling my eyes at the defensiveness.

"We don't need your help sweetheart, but thanks." James huffed and started darting his eyes across the floor again, choosing to begin ignoring me and getting on with whatever I interrupted.

"Fine." I shrugged and started to walk away, unbothered by the rejection of my offer.

"A map." A voice spoke up.

I turned my head back around slightly, my body following with curiosity.

"A map?"

James Potter looked at his friend in disbelief, and slight offence.

"The start of one anyway. It's not going to be an actual map, just something dumb for Muggle studies but we're being marked on it, so...we don't want to start it again." Remus said unfazed, with a casual shrug.

I nodded.

His voice was deep, like Dorcas said and he had the softest hint of a welsh accent. I was expecting a harsher voice to come from such a big guy, especially with the vague description of "deep".

"I'll keep an eye out." I said as if it were no big issue.

"Thanks." Remus said pressing his lips together tightly for a second in an awkward smile, paired with a nod.

Before I could turn back around James' eyes darted to mine a bit manic and wide.

"Oh, Grace?" He piped up.

I hummed in response.

"You don't happen to know if ya friend Dorcas is single do ya?" He said flippantly.

I saw Remus' head snap to his friends, breaking the manner of unbothered.

I couldn't conceal a small smile.

"I believe so." I replied.

"Good ta know." James nodded and started exploring the floor with his eyes again.

I simply began to walk off, feeling a little tickled by Remus' reaction towards what could have seemed like an odd and random question to ask. His reaction told me why it was being asked.

"You tell people about the map, I'll tell people you're reading fucking Anna Kirinena again. Try me, I dare ya." James vented in the distance.

"Karenina." Remus corrected.

"That's what I said."