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Josephine takes the essay from Professor Slughorn's hand, her gaze fixed on the grade. It isn't exceptional, but it isn't terrible either. Potions has never been her strong suit, and she accepts that.
Glancing at Regulus's paper, which boasts top marks, she lets out a sigh and carefully stows her essay in her bag, patiently waiting for the class to end.
Lost in her thoughts, Josie absentmindedly picks at her nails, oblivious to her surroundings. Although the grade isn't ideal, she had invested considerable effort and stayed up late to ensure her essay is as flawless as possible.
As the class concludes, she silently exits without uttering a word. She reminds herself not to let one mediocre grade affect her so profoundly. It isn't worth it.
Unbeknownst to Josie, Regulus trails behind her, sensing her distress.
"Are you alright, Josephine?" he inquires, his eyes narrowed with concern.
Putting on a fake smile, she replies, "I'm fine. How about you?"
Regulus studies her face for a moment before responding, "I'm fine too."
With a final, forced smile towards him, she says, "I'll see you at the Halloween party this weekend," and promptly makes her exit. She never told him the name of the student. She hopes he has forgotten all about it. She thinks back to the grade she has gotten.
No, she resolves, she won't allow a single grade to have such power over her emotions.
~~~
The weight of the grade undeniably takes its toll on her.
Once in her dorm, she retrieves the paper and fixates her gaze upon it.
How foolish she feels. She knows she could have performed better, could have put in more effort.
Frustrated, she sets the paper aside just as Dorcas enters the room.
"So, you're definitely coming to the party, right? It's on Sunday, but we have no school on Monday," Dorcas inquires, hopeful for a positive response.
"Yes, I'll be there," she assures, forcing another smile. "And this time, I promise I'll stay till the end." Dorcas accepts her answer, seemingly satisfied.
Later that night, with her dorm mates sound asleep, she quietly slips away.
She craves an escape, a respite from it all.
Finding solace at the astronomy tower, she settles herself and rests her head against the railing, taking a deep breath.
Perfection. It's all she ever yearns for. She has no clarity on what she truly wants to pursue after Hogwarts because her thoughts are perpetually consumed by the need to be flawless, to avoid disappointing others. Above all, she dreads the thought of disappointing her father.
Closing her eyes, she inhales deeply, attempting to suppress the ache in her throat.
A faint creak of the door interrupts her contemplation. Josie turns her head.
"Hello?" she calls out, her voice echoing in the stillness.
Regulus emerges from the shadows. "Can I join you?" he asks quietly.
She nods, returning her gaze to the stars. Sensing his presence beside her, she feels a modicum of comfort.
"Are you alright?" she ventures, recalling their previous encounter in this very place, when they engaged in a heated disagreement.
"I'm fine. How about you?" he responds, concern lacing his words.
She sighs, letting her guard down. "I'm fine," she murmurs.
Regulus shifts his position. "I think you're lying," he asserts gently, his voice barely audible.
She turns to face him, arching an eyebrow. "I believe you're lying as well," she retorts.
Josephine can't quite fathom why Regulus seems to care so much. Even if they are friends, she struggles to comprehend it.
He holds a position in her mind that she unconsciously elevates, placing him above herself due to her perceived lack of worth. Hence, his genuine concern strikes her as peculiar.
"It appears we're both liars then,"
"I guess we are," she mutters under her breath, resuming her habit of picking at her nails.
"Why do you do that?" Regulus asks, his gaze fixed on her hands.
"What?" she responds, momentarily perplexed.
"Picking at your nails," he clarifies.
She glances down at her hands, considering his question. "I do it when I'm anxious or when I need something to distract myself," she admits.
Regulus falls silent, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
"What brought you to the astronomy tower?" he inquires, turning his head to face her. A strand of hair falls across his face, and she feels an involuntary urge to tuck it back into place.
She nibbles on her lower lip, contemplating whether she should confide in him.
"I received a poor grade on my potions essay. I know it's foolish to be upset about it," she confesses, her head sinking into her hands. Now that she reflects on the incident, the significance of the bad grade seems trivial.
"I received a letter from my parents," he reveals in turn.
Lifting her head, she gazes at him intently. "Shall we sit in silence and avoid discussing anything?" she proposes.
He nods, and they settle into a quiet companionship. However, their tranquility is interrupted by a distant howl. Their eyes lock, and they instinctively peer down towards the ground below.
"Is that a werewolf?" Regulus wonders aloud.
"Oh, dear," Josephine murmurs. She catches sight of the werewolf accompanied by a stag and a dog. Perched atop the dog is a small figure.
"What the fuck?" she mutters, exasperated by the recklessness of her brother and his friends.
Unable to contain herself, Josie bursts into laughter. "That's a bloody werewolf!" she exclaims, amusement mingling with disbelief.
Regulus stares at her, his expression unreadable.
"I think you're sleep-deprived," he muses, shaking his head slightly.
"Probably. I've only had about six hours of sleep this week," she admits, a hint of exhaustion in her voice.
"Merlin, go to your dorm and get some rest, Josephine," he insists, concern etched on his features.
She rolls her eyes playfully. "Fine, I am tired now," she acquiesces, rising to her feet. He follows suit.
He smirks down at her. "Goodnight, jolie fille," he says.(Pretty Girl)
She rolls her eyes once again, feigning indifference. "I'm too tired to question it," she replies.
His lips twitch with a hint of a smile. They exit the astronomy tower and make their way to their respective common rooms, parting ways for the night.
