delphinium - remus lupin ¹

eight | consequences pt.I

Dear diary,

My father always used to tell me to own up to my actions and take consequences because that's how we learn and grow as people. But, he never told me what to do when it was someone else's actions.

Sophie and I aren't that close. We share a dorm, we laugh together, we share the same friends. But not once has it ever crossed my mind that I should take something of hers without permission. I must have had it the wrong way though, because that's exactly what she did and seems to be the centre of all of my current problems...

Sophie and Lara always seemed to be together. No matter where they went, they were both there. Great Hall? Sophie and Lara. Common room? Sophie and Lara. Bathroom break? Sophie and Lara.

Penelope's problem was that she needed to find a moment when Sophie was alone.

After the argument between Lily and Penelope, she found a note in place of her sleeping draught. Written in perfectly swooping cursive letters on a tiny, ripped piece of parchment were the words 'Took your sleeping draught. Needed to get away from Filch. I'll get you ten more in its place. I promise. - Sophie xx'

Penelope had been looking for the vial to try and actually get some rest. The argument with Lily had kept her up all night, and since the potion was so strong she would only need to have a couple of unnoticeable sips before she was out cold.

Sophie was still yet to talk to her about it, and Penelope was getting impatient with waiting for the blonde girl.

She had borrowed Sophie's schedule from her suitcase beneath her bed early in the morning to try and figure out a time to catch her without anyone around. It turns out, there isn't one.

Sophie is constantly accompanied at every point throughout the day, so Penelope had to resort to more extreme measures to get the answers she sought so badly.

"Penelope, what in Salazar Slytherin's name are we doing up at..." She looked at the clock across from her. "Half five in the morning."

"Why did you take my sleeping draught?"

"I needed it. Didn't you read the note? Merlin, if this is about a sleeping draught then I'll get you as many as you need for-"

"I don't want your stupid make-up potions." Penelope wanted to go back to bed as much as Sophie did, but she needed answers. "It held sentimental value." That value is long gone, but it's the principle, I guess. "I want to know why you went into my stuff and took it from me."

"Look, Penny, I don't know." Sophie tilted her head back to the red carpets hanging from the ceiling of the common room. "I saw you with it the other day and remembered it in a moment of crisis. Okay? I'm sorry." She grabbed the blanket she had brought down from the dormitory and started to head for the stairs again.

Penelope wasn't really satisfied with the answer she got, but she didn't think she met the criteria to judge people on their dodgy actions.

"There's someone outside of the door." Sophie turned her head to look at Penelope again. "You're going to have to check who it is. I can't be bothered." And she turned to walk up the stairs.

"Okay..." Penelope took cautious steps towards the common room door, hearing a faint knocking on it as she got closer. At least if they're going to curse me they have manners.

She reached the door and it swung open, leaving her facing Severus Snape on the other side.

"What the hell are you doing here, Severus?"

"I don't need to tell you that." He used a cold tone. He and Lily had been complaining about Penelope, she just knew it.

Lily appeared behind Penelope in the doorway. "He's here for me."

Penelope turned to the side to talk to them both, wondering how coincidental it was that they'd all be up at the same time.

"Oh, hey, Lils." Penelope tried her best to start a conversation, but her efforts failed before they were ever really put into motion.

"Don't call her that." Snape used that same sharp and cold tone as Lily walked to his side. He took a step forward, looking as if he was going to declare his undying love for the redhead next to him. "Lily isn't your friend anymore, Pettigrew. I don't even know how she was in the first place. You're intolerable and you constantly hurt her. You lied about pulling a prank and breaking her trust. That's not a worthy reason to lie to someone, especially not someone as special as Lily."

Oh joy, this again.

"I never lied to her! When did it happen? What prank was it? Because I honestly don't know!"

"Yes, you do know!" It was Lily's turn to shout now. The paintings in the hallways had started to awaken from the disruption but it seemed like, for the first time, Lily didn't care. "Lucius Malfoy told Sirius and James that there was another girl involved in their prank. It was you! It was! I know it!"

"You were probably the one who gave Filch the sleeping draught too. We should have never taught you how to do it. I knew it would cause mayhem." Snape tried to connect the facts together in his head, but, in turn, helped Penelope a lot more.

"You're a horrible, selfish persson and I hope everyone realises it before it's too late." With those final words, Lily turned around and Snape followed.

Penelope found herself expecting to be hurt by the words Lily had thrown her way, but instead, she found happiness in the knowledge that she had finally figured it all out.

Lily was accusing the wrong person, and she was going to prove it.