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Today, Josephine reluctantly finds herself on a Hogsmeade trip, courtesy of Dorcas's persuasion skills.
"Come on," Dorcas tugs her hand.
"I'd rather go back to the dorm," Josie mutters.
"No, you need to step out of the castle for a bit."
Josephine withdraws her hand from Dorcas's grip and walks ahead, her mind elsewhere. Dorcas grumbles but catches up quickly.
"Josie!" Pandora greets with a bright smile.
Forcing a smile in return, Josie's attention flickers to Regulus.
He is already staring at her.
Quickly averting her gaze, Josie feels the awkwardness of being grouped with him again. Unfortunately, she ends up walking alongside him as they move forward.
"How are you?" He asks tentatively.
"Fine," is her curt reply.
Though still nursing hurt and anger, those feelings aren't dissipating anytime soon. It is just convenient to bury them, much like her love for him.
Josie isn't sure where their relationship stands now. But she can pretend indifference quite convincingly.
Focusing on her nails, Josephine manages to slip away from her friends as they reach Hogsmeade and makes a beeline for the bookshop.
The weather outside is turning warmer, a stark contrast to her choice of a long-sleeved black top.
Browsing through the familiar aisles, Josie notices some new additions. A book on Anne Boleyn catches her eye, albeit inconveniently placed on the top shelf.
Frowning, she attempts to reach it, only to realize it is beyond her grasp.
"Which book do you need?"
She flinches at the unexpected male voice and turns to her right. Just Remus.
"The one about Anne Boleyn," she points to the book. Remus stands tall, even slightly surpassing James in height.
Moving closer, Remus effortlessly retrieves the book, though a faint wince escapes him.
Her dark eyes narrow, but Remus promptly hands her the book.
"Thank you," she says. "Oh, and Happy birthday," she adds with a genuine smile. It feels refreshing to engage in conversation with someone outside her usual circle. Not that she means any offense to her friends; she just craves a break from the usual routine.
"Thank you," Remus replies with a nervous smile, taking a small step back, a slight grimace crossing his face.
The recent full moon flashes in her memory. "Are you alright?" she inquires, noticing his discomfort.
Remus nods, shifting on his feet as the old wooden floor creaks beneath him.
Everything in the shop seems antiquated, crafted from wood.
"Just messed up my knee is all," he explains.
"Oh," Josephine recalls a potion in her bag that could help. "Hold this," she hands him the book and rummages through her bag, a task made challenging by its clutter.
"Here," she offers him a small vial of silver liquid. "It will help with the pain."
Remus accepts it hesitantly, his gaze shifting between her bag and the potion.
"I have loads of things in this bag," she reassures him.
He hands her back the book, uncorks the vial, and drinks the potion.
"The potion should take effect within a few minutes," she informs him, taking the empty vial and stowing it in her bag.
"Thank you."
"It's no problem," she replies, offering him another smile before heading to the counter. He follows suit, carrying two books of his own.
After paying for their books, they leave the bookstore together.
"Do you want to join us in the Three Broomsticks? James and the others are probably already there," Remus suggests as they walk a few feet away from the shop.
Unconsciously, her gaze finds Regulus among the throng of students in the village. He is with Evan, yet his eyes are fixed on her. Their glances collide for a fleeting moment before she redirects her attention to Remus. "Sure," she agrees, though her mind lingers on the brief connection.
He smiles warmly at her, and they set off towards the Three Broomsticks.
Is she engaging with Remus to incite a reaction from Regulus?
Perhaps.
Josie acknowledges the pettiness of her actions. Despite having done something similar with Mary when he was still engaged, she feels he deserves a touch more discomfort.
Merlin, the conflict within her is exhausting. Wanting him to suffer while simultaneously nursing feelings of love for him feels like an endless struggle.
Upon reaching the Three Broomsticks, Remus holds the door open for her, and she steps inside, followed by him. He guides her to a table where his other friends are seated.
"Josie!" Sirius greets her with a grin. "Hello," she responds, exchanging pleasantries. Sirius sits beside Peter, leaving James alone on his side of the seats. She opts to sit next to him.
"Are you taking those Apparition lessons?" James inquires.
"Yes, though I won't be able to take the test in April. Did you pass yours?"
"He didn't," Sirius interjects with a smirk. Remus lightly nudges him. "It's true!"
A chuckle escapes Josie. "Yeah, I failed. So what, Padfoot? You would've failed too if the instructor noticed you left part of your hand behind!" James retorts, his lips twitching with suppressed amusement.
"I didn't leave anything behind!" Sirius retorts.
"Yes you did" Peter says. Sirius shoots a glare at both James and Peter.
Peter nervously smiles, shrinking further into his seat as if trying to vanish.
"Thank you," James whispers to her, his expression earnest.
She turns to him, her eyebrows raised in question.
"For talking with me again. I know I... messed up a lot of times," he continues, attempting a smile.
Josephine's frown deepens slightly. Merlin, that admission stirs a wave of guilt within her. "I've made mistakes too, James. It's okay," she reassures him.
