𝕿𝖗𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖗 - ʳᵉᵍᵘˡᵘˢ ᵇˡᵃᶜᵏ

Chapter 13: Cigarettes out the Window

[ November 26th, 1977 ]

     THEONA WAS in desperate need for some time with her friends. Time away from Evan and their relationship, and especially time away from Regulus. Evan was telling the truth when he told her that seeing Regulus drunk would make her ill at even the thought of him. She had barely spoken to him the entire week, and when he tried to start conversations, she shut him down. He claimed he could hardly remember anything from the party, but she knew he was lying.

     "So, any updates on how Regulus keeps winning his games?" Remus asked, lounging back against the bleachers.

     They were out on the quidditch pitch. James, Sirius, Peter, Marlene, and Dorcas were flying around, passing a quaffle back and forth while Remus, Lily, and Theona watched. Mary was out on a date with Dirk Cresswell, claiming she was just horny. Theona really hoped that was the only reason, because the last thing she needed was to have to hang around Cresswell if he and Mary started dating. He was kind of an ass.

     "No, but I feel like I'm getting close," she rasped. She had caught a cold from all her time spent outside watching the Slytherin practices.

     "The next Gryffindor versus Slytherin game is on December sixteenth, so you still have time," Remus assured, sending her a dimpled smile.

     "Yeah, well, the sooner I figure it out, the sooner I can stop hanging around Regulus," she shivered, not from the cold, but from the thought of the Black heir.

     "Yeah, and Evan," Lily added, giving her a look.

     "Evan's different," Theona insisted, pursing her lips.

     While the others had seen the fun in Theona and Evan's fake relationship, Lily had been less than pleased. For good reason, of course, but Theona was still trying to convince her otherwise. She had realized she quite liked Evan, and she didn't want to stop talking to him when this was all over.

     "Whatever you say, Theo," Lily hummed, turning back to watch James play.

     "Let's just focus on figuring out their secret," Remus mediated, nudging Lily's knee with his own, "Sirius has been in a shitty mood for over a month and I'm tired of listening to him whine."

     "Your love for him is so heartwarming." Theona teased, giggling when Remus glared.

     She settled into silence, bringing her attention back to the game of catch. Dorcas was flying circles around everyone, doing an extra loop around Marlene every time she passed her. If there could be a winner in catch, Dorcas Meadowes would've been it.

     "Why doesn't Dorcas play for Slytherin? She's very good," Theona wondered aloud, watching as Dorcas stole the quaffle in mid-air.

     "She used to, but she quit because of all the prejudice comments," Lily explained, "they never respected her because she was a girl."

     "That's stupid," Theona decided, "all the best quidditch players I know are girls."

     "Don't mention that around Prongs, he might just cry," Remus snickered.

     "Hey, Lils!" The man himself called, flying over to them. "Hop on!"

     "No way," she shook her head, turning pink in the cheeks.