Loquacious\\ Harry Potter Marauders

Sixteen\\ Reckless

"I find a cigarette to be the perfect pleasure.."
- Oscar Wilde

Sirius was reckless. Everyone knew it. Remus knew it. James knew it. Peter knew it. McGonagal, Dumbledore, Slughorn and even Professor Sprout knew it. Adelaide knew it. So it was no surprise how Sirius reacted when James told him in the hospital wing why Adelaide lay two beds away from them.

"It was WHO?" Sirius bellowed, on his feet in an instant. James looked at him awkwardly. Remus, now almost fully recovered, flicked at the noise. James looked at the floor, up at Sirius, at the floor, and back up again.

"Anthony. Y'know, the guy se was with at the party a few-"

"I know exactly who you mean Prongs. He was the one that put her here? I'm going to fucking kill him," Sirius seethed. Remus tried reason.

"Sirius, don't be rash, look, we can-"

"Rash? Moony, come on! What was he playing at, was he trying to kill her? I should tell McGonagal and have him expelled. Least that was I'd never have to see his smug face ever again."

Peter spoke up quietly.
"But Padfoot, if you get him expelled then he gets away with hurting Adelaide. Whereas, if you, maybe.. Hex him or something, then.. Then maybe..
No, no never mind," Peter trailed off under the harsh stare of James, who was growing from behind his glasses.

"Peter! What kind of message is that sending Sirius?" Remus asked, appalled. Sirius glared at them all.

"Don't patronise me Moony, I'm not a child. I wouldn't kill him but Peter's right, James. What would you do if someone sent Evans to the hospital wing? Eh?"
He asked in one breath, which started out forceful but ended with him desperately clinging to his dark hair.
James' hazel eyes flashed.
"Padfoot, I love Evans. If someone touched her, I'd kill them-"

"Exactly! Well then I think I'm in the right to hex that prick." Sirius spat. Adelaide, unbeknownst to the Marauder's, lay awake in her bed across the room, listening. She had never heard Sirius so angry before. Biting her lip, she took a deep breath and lay down, pretending to be asleep.

"Yeah Sirius, but Prongs is in love with Evans. Adelaide is just someone you want to sleep with." Peter put in loudly.

Adelaide felt as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her. She froze, unblinking, unmoving. She felt realisation dawn on her. Of course. Bitterness followed the sinking feeling that gripped her. Of fucking course. Why else would Sirius talk to her? Why else would they flirt with each other? Why did he compliment her, wink at her, invite her to the party? Probably because he wanted to get her drunk so that she would agree to having sex with him. That's all Adelaide was to him, now that Peter had pointed it out. Another notch in his bedpost, another name on the list of pretty girls that he had slept with. She wondered how long it would have taken her to realise it, if it hadn't been pointed out.

She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to hear what Sirius said next, but she was frightened out of her daydream when the heavy oak door slammed loudly, signalling that one of the Marauder's had left. Judging on what James said next, she presumed it was Sirius.
"Way to go, Wormatil."

Adelaide was released from the hospital wing later that day, with her cuts healed and her body stiff. She went to the Slytherin common room with ten minutes until dinner time, with the intention of getting changed out of the same clothes she had been in since the day after the full moon. Her plans, however, got delayed, when she ran into Remus. He looked dishevelled and exhausted, with bags beneath his chocolate eyes and a long scratch on his face.

"Remus!" Adelaide greeted in surprise. Remus looked up from his shoes, smiling softly.

"How are you Adelaide?" He asked her. Adelaide looked him up and down.