Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Josie is on her way back to her common room when the Ravenclaw head boy intercepts her.
"I'm aware that patrol isn't on your schedule tonight, but I have to assign you and Black for tonight," he explains.
"Pardon?" she stammers. Naturally, during the week she chooses to ignore him, fate decides they should patrol together.
The head boy offers what seems like a sympathetic smile. "Sorry, Potter."
"Is there any chance I could be paired with someone else?" she inquires.
The head boy shakes his head. "Don't worry. If he hurts you, just let me know," he assures before departing.
Hurt me? She furrows her brows in confusion, then it dawns on her. Because Regulus is a Slytherin, and his family openly supports the dark lord.
She lets out an annoyed eye-roll before resuming her journey to her common room.
Her emotions toward Regulus are a source of disdain. She knows they can only lead to pain. Yet, her inner romantic continues crafting implausible scenarios with him. It's exasperating.
Josephine also observes how, while engrossed in romance novels, her mind casts Regulus as the male love interest. It's vexing.
She merely wishes that Regulus would cease his inquiries about her, sparing her the guilt of ignoring him and preventing her feelings from deepening.
~~~
Josie finds herself utterly exhausted. The impending patrol with Regulus feels particularly draining tonight, intensified by the fact that it's Friday, extending their duty by an extra hour.
Annoying and draining, to say the least.
On top of it all, Josephine has barely slept the previous night, her mind occupied by a whirlwind of thoughts.
As she walks towards their designated meeting spot, she absently picks at her nails, her nerves getting the best of her. She's grappling with what to say or do.
Should she feign innocence and pretend she isn't avoiding him? Or perhaps conjure a plausible excuse for her avoidance?
Maybe it would be wisest to gauge his mood first, then decide her approach. Yes, that seems like a reasonable plan.
Regulus leans casually against the wall, his attire cloaked in darkness, somewhat intimidating if she's being honest, also hot.
Without a word, he initiates their usual route, and she trails behind. Initial silence envelops them both.
Observing him, she can't help but notice he looks good, although the shadows beneath his eyes seem more pronounced than usual.
She bites her lip, diverting her gaze away from him and back to her steps.
Perhaps she's overthinking things. Yet, she dreads raising her expectations about his potential feelings, only to have them shattered. She does have a tendency to let her imagination run wild.
"Josephine?" His voice jolts her out of her reverie.
Startled, she turns to face him. "Yes?"
Arching an eyebrow, he questions, "So you've decided to stop ignoring me?"
Caught off guard, she stutters momentarily before regaining her composure. "I haven't been ignoring you," she claims, cringing inwardly at the falsehood.
"I hope that you don't think i'll actually believe that."
With a sigh, she says, "Well, it's the truth. I haven't been ignoring you."
He scoffs.
"It's the truth!" She counters once again.
"You've hardly spoken to me in class, and I distinctly remember you practically running in the opposite direction once," he points out.
She had almost forgotten about that incident.
"I didn't exactly run, more like... took a fast walk in the opposite direction," she mumbles under her breath.
Alright, maybe it was been more of a run. Yet, evading her problems has always been her forte. A coping mechanism, really.
"Is this all because of our conversation the other night?" he inquires.
The memory of their talk, her question about whether they'd begin ignoring her soon, flickers through her mind. It might have played a role, but it isn't the core reason behind her avoidance.
She chooses not to respond. Strangely, she feels a twinge of guilt at the idea of lying to him. Normally, lying to others doesn't weigh heavily on her conscience, especially if their business isn't intertwined with the lie. But the thought of deceiving Regulus feels oddly uncomfortable.
"Back to ignoring me then?" She pivots to send him a sharp glare, only to find his gaze already locked onto her. Unyielding, their eyes hold each other's for a suspended moment before Josie finally caves, turning her attention back to the floor.
"I'm sorry," she admits, her voice soft.
He exhales, his tone tempered. "No need to apologize. I'm just trying to understand why you've been avoiding me."
"I've already said I'm not avoiding you! We're talking right now!" She can feel her defenses rising, her emotional walls closing in. She detests when people try to pry into her feelings.
Regulus halts in his tracks, causing her to stop as well. She wishes they could keep walking, but she holds her stance, matching his intent gaze.
"You are avoiding me, and no matter how hard you try to convince yourself otherwise, it's clear you are. Something happened, Josephine. Tell me," his brow furrows, his tone shifting. If anything, his shift in demeanor only heightens her defensiveness.
"Just drop it, alright? Maybe there isn't even a reason," she shrugs, realizing that this approach isn't placating him. In fact, it seems to have the opposite effect, rousing his agitation.
"There has to be a reason!" His frustration is palpable. The dim hallway casts shadows over his face, obscuring half of his features.
"Why must there be a reason?" Their voices escalate, verging on shouting. Josie's anxiety heightens, fearing a professor might emerge from the shadows to witness their heated exchange.
"Because I—" He halts, taking a moment to regain his composure. "I must have done something. So tell me, Josephine."
The way he looms over her makes her uncomfortable, intensifying her desire to leave the situation. Perhaps that urge guides her to reveal what she has been concealing.
"Because I... like you!And I'm trying desperately to ignore you so that hopefully my feelings go away!" Her words slip out, her hand involuntarily covering her mouth. Panic surges within her – why did she admit that? Her intention was to perpetuate her lie.
He freezes, the air growing thick and heavy. It feels like time is suspended. Before he can formulate a response, instinct kicks in and she flees.
This time, she unreservedly acknowledges that she runs. He doesn't pursue her, a fact she oddly finds relief in.
Breathing heavily, Josie finally reaches the Ravenclaw common room. She leans against the wall, regaining her breath before attempting the riddle that grants her entry.
Stealthily navigating the common room, she eventually reaches her dorm. A sliver of hope flickers that Dorcas might still be awake, but that hope fades upon finding her roommate asleep.
Disheartened, she sighs and prepares for bed. The encounter with Regulus leaves her yearning to avoid him at all costs. The thought of disappearing, perhaps faking her own death and leaving the country, surfaces as a tempting notion.
