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"Another party?" Josie questions, observing Dorcas as she prepares herself.
It is Friday night, and Dorcas has received an invitation to yet another party.
"Marlene invited both of us," Dorcas replies, picking up a top only to discard it moments later.
"Do I have to go?" Josie inquires.
"Yes, actually. The other girls have been missing you," Dorcas responds, finally settling on an outfit and heading into the bathroom to change.
Josie rolls her eyes and gets off the bed to select her own attire. Being October, she relishes the opportunity to dress in a spooky manner without receiving judgment. She opts for a black turtleneck paired with a blue plaid skirt.
As Dorcas emerges from the bathroom, Josie enters and swiftly puts on her chosen ensemble. She tidies her hair and applies a touch of makeup.
"Do I look okay?" Josie asks, stepping out of the bathroom.
Dorcas scans her from head to toe. "You look hot."
Josie laughs, and together they make their way to the Gryffindor common room. Josie wonders if Pandora, Evan, Barty, or Regulus will be there.
Upon entering the common room, the pungent scent of alcohol assaults Josie's senses, and she cringes, recalling her disdain for intoxicated individuals. She pats her pockets, only to remember she has left her wand behind. Shit.
Dorcas leads her over to the group of Gryffindor girls.
"Oh my Merlin, Josie! I haven't seen you in ages," Mary exclaims, enveloping Josie in a warm hug. "Mary!" Josie reciprocates the embrace.
Lily and Marlene join in the reunion, and they begin discussing their experiences at school.
"So, Josieee, I've noticed you've been spending a lot of time with Regulus," Mary wiggles her eyebrows mischievously. "What's that about?"
"Oh, um, we're just paired up for prefect duties," Josie mumbles.
"Ohhh," Mary nods knowingly. "Well, he's quite hot. You should give it a go."
Josie's eyes widen. "No, thanks."
Laughter fills the air, and their group eventually disperses. Josie finds herself a quiet corner table in the common room. As she picks at her nails, she surveys her surroundings. Her eyebrows shoot up when she spots Remus pinning Sirius against the wall. Josie quickly averts her gaze.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar boy sits down beside her. She arches an eyebrow, unsure of his identity. Perhaps he is a Gryffindor?
"Hey," he greets her with a smirk.
"Hi?" she replies, scooting her chair slightly away.
"I couldn't help but notice how pretty you are, so I thought I'd come and say hi," he says, his short brown hair and blue eyes captivating her attention.
"Oh, thank you," she replies, nervously picking at her nails as he lingers.
"So, did you come here with someone?" he inquires.
"Yeah, my friend Dorcas," she replies.
He nods. "You know, how about we leave this place together?" He smirks, his gaze lingering up and down her figure. His hand reaches out and touches her thigh.
"No," she firmly responds, pushing his hand away.
"Come on, have some fun," he persists, placing his hand back on her thigh.
"If you don't let go of me, I'm going to stab out your eyes," she says with a smile that hints at her seriousness. In all honesty, she would do it.
Rolling his eyes, he releases his grip. Seizing the opportunity, she stands up and makes her way towards the door and notices her Slytherin friends, who are secluded in a corner. As she heads towards the door near their location, she notices that the boy is following her. He grabs her arm and attempts to drag her back.
"Stop," she mutters, but he ignores her, gripping her arm tightly.
Frustrated, she turns around and delivers a punch to his face.
He groans and collapses to the floor, prompting a gasp from the entire party. It seems like everyone has heard her punch him.
"You fucking bitch!" the boy shouts from the ground, clutching his nose.
"Thank you," she replies calmly, then walks out while nursing her hand. She has only playfully punched her brother before, and she realizes that punching someone with the intention to hurt them is far more painful.
She senses people coming up behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she sees Regulus, Barty, and Evan.
"Hello," she greets them with a forced smile before focusing her attention ahead. They catch up to her, walking beside her.
"Are you alright, Josephine?" Regulus asks, reaching for her hand, causing her to pause. He examines her hand, which is likely to bruise.
"Damn, Josette, I didn't know you could pack such a punch," Evan chuckles as he drapes an arm around her shoulder.
Barty gives her a thumbs-up, and she laughs.
"What exactly happened?" Regulus inquires, looking up at her, diverting his attention from her hand.
"He wouldn't take 'no' for an answer," she explains.
Regulus's gaze shifts towards the door they had just walked through, his eyes narrowing.
"I actually threatened to stab out his eyes if he didn't let go of me. Part of me wishes I could have done it," Josie shares.
Regulus turns his attention back to her, and a faint smile tugs at his lips while Evan and Barty burst into laughter.
"I think it's best if I head back to my common room. I'm exhausted. I'll see you all tomorrow," Josie waves goodbye and makes her way back to her own common room.
~~~
The following morning, Josie flexes her hand and winces, feeling the lingering pain from the previous night's punch. Making her way to the Great Hall, she settles at the Slytherin table, surrounded by her friends, except for Dorcas, who is likely still in Marlene's dormitory.
She greets everyone with a "good morning" but then notices the bruised hands of the boys. Her gaze lingers on their hands, and Regulus, catching her stare, simply raises an eyebrow. Have they been in a fight with someone after she left?
Her question is answered when the boy from the previous night enters the Great Hall with a heavily bruised face. Josie's eyes widen, and she turns her attention back to the boys.
All of their hands are bruised—clearly, they have taken matters into their own hands and exacted some form of justice.
A thought crosses Josie's mind, causing her cheeks to flush momentarily. Kinda hot, she muses internally, but quickly snaps out of it, offering a grateful look to the boys. Evan shrugs nonchalantly and continues eating.
Josie feels a surge of gratitude for having met them.
