ᴏᴍɴɪꜱᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ✵ʀᴇɢᴜʟᴜꜱ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ✵

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈

☾ ʀᴇɢᴜʟᴜꜱ ☽

»»-------≪ °❈° ≫-------««

"Oi! Absolutely fucking not!" Evan roars.

The words explode out of him as though he can barely contain his fury, and his voice echoes off the stone walls of the corridor. Pandora and Xenophilius Lovegood break apart from their embrace on the ledge where they snogged fiercely just a few seconds before. In one deft motion, Regulus has his hand locked around Evan's arm to hold him back while a wide, entertained grin spreads across Barty's mouth. It takes a lot for Evan to get angry, but borderline insanity overcomes him when the emotion is elicit. Barty loves it. Regulus does not.

Identical sea-green eyes narrow at each other, and Pandora tosses her braided blonde hair back as she pushes herself off the ledge. "I am at perfect liberty to do whatever I please with whomever I please, Evan."

"I'm sorry," Xenophilius interjects cordially, either unaware or simply careless of the tension around them. He extends an arm out to Evan. "I'm Xenophilius. It's a pleasure to meet Pandora's brother."

Barty makes a juvenile snort as Evan knits his eyebrows down at Xenophilius' offered hand and ignores him, returning a glare to his sister. "Right, I forgot it's Perfect Pandora's world and we're all just living in it," he snarks venomously, "I don't want to find my sister snogging people in public. Have some fucking respect for yourself."

"Evan, enough," Regulus scolds automatically.

Pandora's mouth thins in an intimidating sort of way while she regards her brother severely. As a girl of profound equanimity, Pandora doesn't yell or fight, but that doesn't mean she can't be frightening. She turns to Xenophilius and places a hand on his chest. "I'll meet you at Honeydukes, darling, I want a quick word with my brother."

With a friendly wave goodbye that doesn't receive acknowledgement from any of the boys, Xenophilius departs the scene.

"My self-respect is faultlessly intact," Pandora remonstrates, looming forth to Evan. A short, derisive giggle leaves her mouth and she tilts her head. "Just because you haven't felt the touch of another doesn't mean others can't, but we'll save the birds and the bees talk for another time. I wouldn't care if I saw you and Barty snogging in a corridor."

Barty's face instantaneously falls. "That would never happen."

Pandora hums sardonically.

Regulus shoots her a disapproving look. "Let it go, Dora."

"Just because I don't do it in public doesn't mean I haven't," Evan snarls, bypassing red and turning maroon.

"Who?" Pandora scoffs, ignoring him. "Your pillow?"

"Walden Macnair," Evan spits out, a vein pulsing in his forehead. "Unlike you, I am not at perfect liberty to do whatever I please with him in public because father would fucking kill him."

An uneasy silence stretches between all of them, and Evan's wild eyes flicker around to confirm the corridor is still deserted. Regulus stares at him, stunned, because how could he not know that his best friend has been sneaking around with Macnair? Barty also observes Evan, but not in the same way, hurt is visible in his expression before he bows his head.

"Ev," Pandora starts softly, moisture glistening faintly in her eyes, "I-I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking—"

"— Piss off," Evan snaps, jerking his arm away when she reaches out for it. He pushes past Regulus and Barty with a grumble of, "I need to be alone," and storms away.

Pandora's bottom lip trembles, and she buries her face into her hands. "I shouldn't have provoked him."

"You were both wrong, but he'll get over it," Regulus reassures, giving a consoling squeeze around her bicep. "We'll walk with you to Hogsmeade."