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Josephine gazes blankly at Evan, her expression unmoving. "No, Evan," she says, shaking her head.
"But–"
"It doesn't make sense." Evan needs assistance with his essay, but the way he is approaching it... is confusing.
"I'll just get Barty to do it," he sighs. They sit outside in the courtyard, surrounded by trees.
"I'll help you with it, but you basically wrote down exactly what the book says."
"Well, I don't know what else to put!" Evan rubs his eyes and runs a hand through his tousled blonde hair.
Josie leans up from where she is casually relaxing against the base of a tree. "It's okay, Evan. When is it due?"
"In two days." Evan twists a few strands of his hair, which has grown longer than she has ever seen.
"I'll make you a list of what the essay needs, okay? No need to stress because if you can't do it, I'll help you more, alright?" Even with her own workload, she is determined to assist him. Maybe she'll even consider doing it for him, though she has her own essay to complete.
"You have work too, Josette. I'll figure it out," Evan smiles lightly.
"Still, I'll make you the list." She leans back against the tree once more.
"Thank you." Evan fiddles with a few bracelets. "You're going back to Alora and Karina's this summer, yeah?" he asks.
"Yeah, but I plan to find my aunt. I'll just have to see where exactly she is and... lots of other stuff too." The last words are mumbled, and all her plans are rooted in hope.
Her mind drifts back to Regulus in the ensuing silence.
Merlin, she both hates and loves him.
It's a constant battle. She entertains thoughts of missing him and possibly breaking off the agreement with Mary, only to be reminded of the pain she feels. He is her first love, and of course, it's bound to hurt. She reminds herself of that often.
Though she ponders the uncertain fate of her love life, the possibility of meeting someone new fills her with an additional layer of heartbreak.
Perhaps embracing solitude until her eventual demise isn't such a dreadful option, especially if death comes sooner rather than later. Realistically, she acknowledges that the pursuit of horcruxes will likely culminate in her demise. How can she confront both Tom and Dumbledore without sacrificing herself?
Granted, having Ara on the inside, now equipped with knowledge of horcruxes, does offer a glimmer of hope. Yet, the specter of death still looms. She never plans on divulging her predicament to her friends.
After Hogwarts, or maybe even during the upcoming summer, she contemplates seeking out more horcruxes. Perhaps, just before locating the final one, she could sever ties with everyone and meet her fate in solitude.
To the outside world, she merely would vanishe. No one would know that the supposedly "dead" Ravenclaw girl had uncovered all of Voldemort's horcruxes before succumbing to death. This train of thought leads her to James and Euphemia. Would they even notice her absence?
"Josette?" Evan's voice interrupts her musings. She snaps back to reality, meeting Evan's concerned blue eyes. "You alright?" he inquires, furrowing his brows.
Josie appreciates Evan's kindness. He cares for her beyond the shadow of Regulus, understanding that her feelings are complex. Evan is her brother, and she vows to protect him even if she faces the possibility of death.
"I'm fine, but I have a headache," she lies slightly. Truthfully, she longs to retreat to her dorm to shed a few tears or immerse herself in a book. "I'll get you that list later," she assures him before grabbing her bag and standing up. A parting smile is exchanged with Evan before she walks away.
Valentine's Day has passed, and she has spent most of it sequestered in her dorm, only emerging to give Mary a small birthday present. As she strolls back to the castle, she navigates through somewhat crowded hallways.
The middle of the day sees many classes canceled due to what she suspects is James and Sirius orchestrating an explosion to avoid a quiz.
"Josie!" Mary's voice calls from behind her.
Turning with a smile, Josie watches Mary approach swiftly. "Are you alright?" she asks.
Mary nods. "Yeah, just—" She pauses, her gaze fixed on something behind Josephine.
Not that Josie cares, considering Regulus is strolling down the hall at this very moment, right behind Mary.
Their eyes lock briefly before Mary swiftly ushers Josephine to a secluded corner, even grabbing onto Josephine's tie. Josie glances back at Regulus but quickly averts her gaze upon realizing he is staring at them.
"Flirt with me," Mary whispers in a low voice.
"Flirt with you?"
"Yes."
Josie takes a deep breath. She is never good at this, never good at flirting. Regulus is, or at least, he is with her.
"I'm not good at flirting," she confesses in a hushed tone. They have to wait until Regulus passes, and Josie suspects the girl Mary likes is also walking down the hallway at the same time.
"Okay, well... let's make it look like we're about to go sleep with each other."
Josephine tries to stifle her laughter as Mary leads her away from the hallway, resisting the urge to glance back at Regulus.
Josie focuses solely on Mary as they enter an abandoned classroom. Mary locks the door, and their laughter erupts, only to be muffled by a charm Mary casts.
Josephine makes a conscious effort not to let thoughts of Regulus infiltrate her mind as she shares laughs with Mary. But she can't help wondering if he feels as hurt as she does when he sees them. Does it pain him the way it pains her?
