Of The Solstice

Stand Your Ground

"I don't see why we have to wait," Evan said, his voice low and insistent. "We've been dating for months, Cali."

I shook my head, feeling my heart racing. "I'm just not ready," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Evan's expression darkened, and he stepped closer to me, his hand gripping my wrist tightly. "You're always like this," he said, his voice rising. "You never want to do anything I want to do."

"I just need more time," I pleaded, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

Evan sneered at me. "You're always crying," he said, his grip on my wrist tightening. "It's pathetic."

~

The memory faded, and I was back in the present, with Sirius's arms wrapped tightly around me.

"Come on, Bugs," Sirius said, his voice gentle. "I know you're not feeling great, but you need to eat something. It's not healthy to skip meals."

"Im not hungry right now Pads" I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You've got to eat, I know you're still shaken up. But I promise we're not going to let you starve either," Sirius reassured me, rubbing circles on my back in a soothing manner.

I sighed, leaning back into Sirius's embrace. "I know, it's just hard to think about food right now."

James chimed in, his tone serious. "But you have to eat, Cali. You've been through a lot today, and your body needs fuel to recover."

Remus nodded in agreement. "He's right. Skipping meals isn't healthy"

"You guys are like the brothers I never wanted." I chuckled, agreeing to head to the Great hall.

~

As we made our way to the Gryffindor table, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. The Great Hall was always so crowded, Sirius stayed by my side, making me feel a little more at ease.

I took my place next to him, feeling his hand on the small of my back and I leaned into him slightly as we waited for the food to appear.

My attention was drawn to the entrance of the Great Hall. I noticed Evan and Barty Crouch Jr. walking in.

I turned to Sirius. "Oh for fucks sake." I whispered, gesturing towards them.

Sirius followed my gaze and shook his head. "Let's not worry about them."

As we started to fill our plates with food, I couldn't help but keep an eye on Evan and Barty, hoping they wouldn't cause any trouble.

As they approached our table, I felt a wave of unease wash over me. Evan's eyes met mine, staring daggers at me, somehow still focused on his conversation with Barty.

I felt Sirius's grip on my back tighten, and I knew he was aware of the tension in the air. James and Remus also tensed up, ready to intervene if necessary.

But to my surprise, Evan and Barty simply walked past our table without incident, heading towards the Slytherin table. I let out a small sigh of relief, grateful that there was no drama this time.

"Looks like they're not looking for trouble tonight," Lily commented

My eyes followed Evan and Barty until they were out of sight. "I hope they keep it that way," I said.