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Josie observes her brother and his friends from the Gryffindor table during breakfast. It's the following day, and her eyes can't help but be drawn to them. They are filled with laughter, clearly having a wonderful time.
Her thoughts are interrupted as Dorcas and Pandora take their seats across from her.
"Good morning," she greets them, taking a bite of a strawberry.
"How was the patrol with Regulus?" Dorcas inquires.
Josie fidgets with one of her rings. "I think I may have upset him."
"Really?" Pandora questions, helping herself to some pancakes.
"I'm not sure. I might have said something I shouldn't have, but I can't go back and change it now."
"You're probably just overthinking it. I'm sure he isn't upset," Dorcas reassures, briefly looking up from her plate to meet Josie's gaze.
Josephine doesn't reply. She stirs her food around her plate, her attention caught when she notices Regulus staring at her.
What the fuck
Regulus seems oblivious to the fact that she has noticed him. To distract herself, Josie glances down at her watch, pretending to check the time.
"I'm going to go. I'll see you guys later," she announces, waving goodbye to her friends and grabbing her bag. She ponders if Pandora is now considered a friend. She doesn't know much about her yet, but perhaps they are on the path of becoming friends.
Unbeknownst to her, someone stands beside her until they call her name. "Josephine."
"Oh! Regulus, hello," she greets him, forcing a smile as she always does.
"What's your first class today?" he inquires as they walk together.
"Transfiguration," Josie replies.
"Same here. Mind if I walk with you?" Regulus asks.
Merlin, they have quite a few classes together.
"Yeah," she agrees, relieved that Regulus seems willing to accompany her. Maybe he isn't upset with her after all. Or perhaps he is just pretending. Stupid overthinking.
"You're very quiet, you know? Considering who your brother is, I expected you to be more like him," Regulus comments.
She doesn't quite know how to respond to that.
"I'm quiet?" she asks, genuinely surprised. She didn't think she was that quiet.
Regulus nods, a lock of hair falling across his face. "I feel like I'm doing most of the talking, which is unlike me."
A small, genuine smile tugs at Josie's lips, the first in months. "I suppose I just don't have much to say." It's a lie. She has plenty of things to say. Plenty of things she wants to scream out until her throat hurts, but no one seems to care. So why bother speaking at all?
"I think that's a lie," Regulus remarks, his gray eyes narrowing as he studies her.
"Maybe," she concedes, not wanting to delve deeper into the topic.
They reach the Transfiguration classroom, and Josie notices Professor McGonagall's eyes narrowing at their arrival. Perhaps she finds it odd that we walked in together.
It appears that students from all houses are in this class.
McGonagall claps her hands to gain everyone's attention.
"I do not want to hear any complaints about today's assignment. It's your first class with me this year, and you will be paired up with another student. We are focusing on teamwork and collaboration this year," McGonagall announces.
Josie contemplates the significance of being paired up with other students in multiple classes. It's a new development this year, and it seems unusual considering that teachers had previously been fine with students working alone. But now, with the rise of attacks on Muggleborns, half-bloods, and blood traitors, it all seems connected. Dumbledore must have a reason for enforcing these pairings, perhaps to ensure their safety. However, that part still doesn't quite make sense to her.
Her thoughts are interrupted as the professor begins reading off a list of names.
"Regulus Black and Josephine Potter."
Paired with Regulus again? Josie follows Regulus as he makes his way to a back table and takes a seat next to him.
"It seems we're paired up in many classes now," Josie comments lightly, noticing a slight twitch of Regulus's lips.
She absentmindedly picks at her nails as Professor McGonagall continues calling out names until she finishes.
"Alright, students. For the first half of the year, we will be focusing on the vanishing charm. However, we have many other spells and topics to cover as well. Today, we will be working on the Inanimatus Conjurus Spell. I want you to read about it in your books and then work with your partner to write an essay on it."
The professor clears her throat, capturing the attention of two other students, before continuing. "If you finish early, turn in your essay and you may be dismissed. If you can't complete the essay in class, continue working on it afterward."
With that, Professor McGonagall walks back to her desk.
Josie turns in her seat to face Regulus.
"Do you want me to do all the work?" she asks
"Pardon?" He asks. She realizes that he is consistently at the top of most classes.
"I can do all the work if you want me to," Josie offers, secretly hoping he will let her take the lead. Not that she doesn't trust him to do it right (she doesn't), but she wants to ensure they finish quickly.
"Isn't this supposed to be a two person assignment?" Regulus holds up two fingers, signaling that it is meant to be a two-person assignment. Josie's gaze is drawn to the rings he wears on his fingers. Hot
"Yes, but I can read about it and write an essay quickly so we can get out of class faster," Josie suggests, hoping to convince him to agree.
Regulus smirks and leans closer to her. "Can't give up control, huh?" he teases.
She blinks in surprise, caught off guard by his comment.
Regulus leans back, his demeanor returning to normal. "We'll work on it together. Which do you prefer, reading or writing?" he asks.
Josie's eyes narrow, still processing his earlier remark. "Writing," she answers. She loves reading, but reading about a spell? No, reading about romance is more her style.
Regulus smirks again and opens the book, signaling their collaboration.
~~~~~
I love Regulus Black why can't he be real and not dead???? ALSO you guys should comment and vote please🙏🏻🙏🏻
