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Today marks the day of Josephine's return to Hogwarts, a day intertwined with the possibility of encountering James for the very first time. She dismisses this thought and casts a final gaze upon herself in the mirror. The weeks have passed without a glimpse of Regulus. Now, she is heading back with a fresh haircut, which, truth be told, is the sole alteration.
In front of the mirror, Josephine turns sideways, closes her eyes, and lets out a sigh. She thinks that dwelling on this is unnecessary.
Her trunk in hand, she exits her room, making her way to the kitchen. There, Karina's melodic voice fills the air as she dances, a scene that prompts laughter from Alora.
With laughter still echoing, Josephine approaches the kitchen counter. "Ah, Josie. Are you excited for school?" Karina inquires.
Josephine nods. "Somewhat. I'm excited to see my friends," she replies. Mostly Regulus, if truth be told. It's strange having a boyfriend. She half-expects him to reveal it as a jest, professing his lack of genuine interest.
Karina hums, a mischievous arch of her eyebrows accompanying it. "Any potential interests?" she probes.
Amused, Alora chimes in, "Oh yes, do share."
Josephine chuckles. "Well... there's this boy."
"A boy!"
"We're already dating," Josephine reveals.
Alora's eyes widen. "Who's the lucky guy?"
"Regulus Black."
"I'm not sure who that is, but the name carries a charm," Karina offers.
Josephine laughs once more. It feels reassuring.
"Time to leave," Alora announces, rising. Josie withdraws, granting Karina and Alora their farewell.
Moments later, she exchanges goodbyes with Karina, and Alora Apparates them to the Muggle side of the platform. Together, they traverse the wall before Alora veers towards the teachers' compartment on the train.
For now, Josephine refrains from seeking out her friends. She extracts a small compact mirror from her jeans, scrutinizing the cut on her face. Stubbornly red, she needs to cease interfering with it. Though her hair obscures it, a gust of wind could reveal it. But...she doesn't care; it's just a cut on her face.
Adjusting her hair to expose the blue streak, she finally scans the platform for her friends. Biting her lip, she surveys her surroundings. Fortunately, her parents aren't present or at least concealed from her sight.
Yet, James stands there, conversing with her friends. Her eyes narrow. What is he up to?
Navigating through the crowd, Josephine moves forward, nudging people aside to reach them. Ducking beneath an outstretched arm, she reaches her destination.
James has his back to her and is engaged in a conversation with Regulus, Pandora, Evan, Dorcas, and Barty.
"James," she interjects with a cool tone. His widened gaze meets hers. He observes the cut on her face.
"Finished talking with my friends?" she asks, her glare sharp.
"Josie," he murmurs, prompting her to wonder if he has always known about her being adopted.
~~~
Regulus POV
"Yes, mother," he responds almost reflexively. Suppressing the urge to scan the platform for Josephine, Regulus watches as his mother departs, a subtle release of tension in his shoulders accompanying her exit.
Twisting the ring Josephine had gifted him, his eyes sweep across the platform, spotting his friends minus Josephine. With narrowed eyes, he makes his way over. "Where's Josephine?" he inquires, his approach deliberate.
Evan's scoff meets the question. "You get a girlfriend, and suddenly we don't matter."
A nod from Regulus affirms Evan's jest. "Exactly," he agrees.
"We haven't seen her yet," Pandora interjects, allowing Regulus to finally engage with the rest of the group.
As they continue conversing, awaiting Josephine's presence, James Potter approaches them. Regulus's gaze sharpens as it settles on him.
"Have any of you been in touch with my... sister?" James queries, a plea evident in his eyes.
Evan nods. "During the break, yeah. Why?"
James visibly relaxes. "Is she alright? Where is she—"
"What do you mean?" Dorcas interjects, a puzzled furrow to her brow.
Regulus's intuition turns sour. He has not interacted much with Josephine lately due to his parents' influence, which is pushing him towards the Dark Mark once more.
James's brow furrows. "She didn't tell you?"
"Tell us what?" Regulus presses, his head tilting in James's direction.
A hand rakes through James's hair. "She... she ran away. I haven't heard from her in days. I don't know if she's safe or anything."
"She ran away?" Pandora echoes, voicing the astonishment coursing through the group.
James nods. Before he can expand, a voice breaks through from behind him.
"James." The voice is Josephine's, laden with a chilling undertone. As James turns, Regulus catches sight of her for the first time.
Her hair has been cut, not drastically, but into a distinct style. An added streak of blue decorates her locks. Josephine has shifted, transformed in subtle ways. Her demeanor projects a difference, if slight, but palpable.
"Finished talking with my friends?" Josephine's glare directed at her brother breaks the silence.
Regulus's eyes home in on the cut on her face—angry, red, and raw. His gaze is locked on it. What happened?
"Josie," he breathes, a whisper carrying the weight of his concern. All eyes oscillate between them.
"Goodbye, James." Her words hang in the air, leaving James with a look of longing reminiscent of Regulus's own expression on the night Sirius departed. The ache in it... the sadness. It almost evokes empathy within Regulus.
Respecting his sister's unspoken directive, James retreats. Regulus's attention swings back to Josephine. She tracks James's departure, her gaze lingering before she refocuses on the group.
A fabricated smile etches itself onto Josephine's features, masking a deeper sentiment. The train's whistle disrupts the tension, heralding its imminent departure.
Josephine offers no further words. She simply steps onto the train.
"Talk to her," Pandora nudges his arm. He glances at her, considering.
"It doesn't seem like she wants to talk," he responds, skepticism present in his tone.
Dorcas shakes her head, assertive. "She does."
Inclining his head to their counsel, Regulus walks onto the train after Josephine.
~~~~~ Hi guys please remember to eat and drink!!! you slay!!
