Life choices (Remus Lupin Marauders era)

| Chapter 4 |

Imogen's POV

I wake up and get changed into my uniform, still half asleep as my fingers fumble with the buttons on the stiff-collared shirt and I loop the tie around my neck. I put on some light makeup and decide against brushing my hair, knowing that it'll only make my hair an uncontrollable fluffy mess, instead leaving it loose in its natural waves. I race to catch up with the girls, slowly trailing after them as they chat about something to do with the marauders and Lily's friend Severus, a boy who I'd only met a handful of times and seemed to be nice enough, though never really acknowledged me. I'm just glad the outrage has dissipated and things can carry on as they were.

I clutch a brand-new blackboard and a fresh piece of chalk in my hand, at least this board is solid and un-burnable, and if one of them irritates me I can crack it over their skulls easily.

My brothers catch up to me and loop their arms through mine, practically dragging me across the flagstones before sitting me down on a worn wooden bench, setting themselves down either side of me so that I have no chance to escape. Their eyes quickly scan the hall for something or someone before they eventually turn to me.

"Right then little bean, what did they" Fabian violently jerks his head in the direction of where Potter and co. sit at the other end of the table, "do to you last night?" 

I shake my head dismissively and grab a slice of warm toast, thickly coating it in freshly made strawberry jam that tastes like literal heaven.

"Fine," he huffs, "don't reply, but we already know what really happened."

Then why ask? I scribble out.

"We wanted to hear it from you." Gideon answers lowly, his eyes still darting around the room in the fear that someone could overhear and report back to the marauders.

"I want to hurt them so much." Fabian growls, his hands clenching into fists as he practically starts shaking with anger. "What did they do to your old blackboard and your book? Which book was it?"

I sigh and shake my head yet again, taking a bite out of my toast and refusing to make eye contact with the two of them. I know that as soon as I crack and tell them the truth, the fury that will be unleashed will be unparalleled and deadly.

"Tell us Imogen." They say sternly, Fabian's hand wrapping around my forearm and almost making me wince with the strength of his anger.

Just drop it, it doesn't matter anymore, what's done is done and you can't change anything, so what's the point?

My answer causes them both to let out near identical sighs of indignation at my elusiveness. I just try to ignore them and instead continue to eat my toast, pouring myself a glass of orange juice as they continuously start to poke and prod me in an attempt to irritate me into revealing the truth. Alice casts a pitying glance over at me along with a gesture I can only interpret as 'tell them', and that paired with the knowledge that I know that they're not going to leave the topic alone until I tell them what they want, I give it.

It was Alice in wonderland. I finally relent.

Their eyes widen and get a dark, steely look that has me regretting ever obtaining a new chalkboard or listening to my friends advice.

"The one great grandpa gave you?"

I nod weakly and pick at the crumbs left from my toast on the bright, white, china plate, my head bowed low as I try to block out the noise of their muttering. Next thing I know their comforting, yet slightly oppressive, presence either side of me vanishes and a sudden flurry of noise and motion causes me to jump up and look down at where they stand, leaning over Potter and Lupin who scramble to get up from their positions on the floor.