UPTOWN GIRL | Marauders Era

22 | a deliberate accident

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ANTONIN WAS WALKING around Hogsmeade with a scowl that had been etched on his pale face for the last week. First appearing the morning after their ill-fated quidditch game against Gryffindor, on Wednesday Perenelle had begun to wonder if his face had become stuck that way. Though it was now Saturday— and Perenelle was very concerned her hypothesis was correct.

"Can't you lighten up a little Toni?" Marcie whined, her arm laced with Perenelle's as they struggled to keep up with their brooding companion for the afternoon. "You'll play them again, there's no use in walking around like you've lost your wand up your arse"

Perenelle desperately stifled a laugh, and elbowed Marcie in the ribs. There was certainly no use in poking an already brooding dragon. Really, he had been quite miserable since the game.

Antonin didn't find it funny, as Perenelle noticed his pace slow down and his shoulders tense,

"It's not about the bloody game— it's the cheap shot Black took at me and you know that"

Of course they did, Antonin had only been discussing it at every meal time until one of them told him to knock it off. By some miracle— even Snape seemed to be getting annoyed with Antonin's incessant moaning and groaning.

Defending Sirius was the absolute last thing on Perenelle's mind when it came to her estranged cousin, but it was in fact not a cheap shot. She knew it— and she didn't even care for quidditch. Hell, Antonin definitely knew it and he and Sirius played the same bloody position. The beaters are essentially the attack dogs, no harm no foul!

There was no reasoning with Antonin though, so both girls didn't respond and instead continued following him around. They were taking turns picking which shops to go into and it was Mr. Permanent Scowl's turn about ten minutes ago. He had yet to pick and instead preferred to angrily stomp around the village.

"It doesn't matter" Antonin chuckled about a minute later, and Perenelle shared a concerned glance with Marcie for their friend— was he talking to himself? To them? Still about Sirius? "He's gonna get it right back"

Perenelle pursed her lips as she stared at the back of Antonin's head. He was still walking like a crazed man on a mission. "Do we want to know? I'm almost worried to ask"

"Don't tell me you've gone soft now Per— if anything it'd be for all the rubbish he's put your family through too"

"I didn't realize you cared so much" Perenelle scoffed, and she couldn't help the way her chest tightened at the animosity in Antonin's voice. No matter how much Sirius angered her Perenelle would never wish him physical harm. Not only because she was conflicted over his borderline kindness (is that what she should call it?) on his birthday, but even when her cousin screamed in her face that all she was meant for was to be a pureblood wife she still didn't want someone to hurt him. Maybe she did herself, but that was another story. They were cousins, if she felt the git deserved a hit in the head she'd grow the balls to do it herself. Antonin's words made her slightly anxious.

"Oh forget it— for Sev then, he's put up with the Gryffindor's shite for too long" Antonin reasoned, and Perenelle sucked in her cheeks, "Alright... you do what you want"

Antonin decided on J. Pippen's Potions not long after, and the girls followed him through the aisles as he looked through the various ingredients and recipe books. One thing Perenelle had always noted about Antonin was his intelligence. Experimenting with potions was normally Severus' interest (and as she had learned recently, the Prewett's as well), though Toni was often Snape's partner in his research, and Snape his. Antonin's true calling was anything to do with charms.