i g n o r e [s. black]

part one ; chapter three

MELANIE DRANK HER BANANA SMOOTHIE as her friend, Aidan, ranted about her homework.

"I just wish I had more time for life, you know? Half our lives, we're stuck in school, and the half of the time, we're working. Most of the time, people retire and die three days later. I just don't wanna end up like that."

Melanie stopped sucking for a moment, pushed up her glasses, and responded.

"I can name a lot of people in my life that do that exact same thing. I get that you have to work for a living, but it shouldn't take up every moment of our lives."

"Exactly," Aidan exclaimed.

As they walked into the Great Hall, Melanie immediately noticed the marauders sitting in her usual spot. She stopped, took a deep breath, and trailed slowly behind Aidan. Her friend laughed, already knowing why she dreaded sitting by them.

"I don't know why you don't like sitting by them. As long as you block them out, you should be fine."

"I can sit by them maybe one or two times, but not every day, Aidan. It's not even James or Sirius that's getting on my nerves, it's Peter.'

Aidan's eyebrows arched in curiosity.

"Pettigrew? The short, mousy one?"

"Yes! He looks like he's just there, but he snaps at people like it's no one's business. If I'm near him again, I might hurt his feelings more so than I already have."

Aidan laughed and pulled Melanie toward the table.

"I'll sit by you. Maybe that will make the day better?"

Melanie rolled her eyes but complied anyway.

When they sat down, Remus looked up from his book, and greeted them, and James said hello with a stuffed mouth. Sirius smirked at scooted closer near Melanie while Peter looked at her supiciously.

"You're not here to mess with us, are you?" Peter asked cautiously.

Melanie resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and instead answered respectfully.

"No, I'm sitting here because one, this is my usual spot, and two, this is the only place to sit at this table."

"Why don't you sit at one of the other tables then?"

Melanie gritted her teeth, answering.

"I don't want to."

"But-"

"Peter Pettigrew, do not try to impress your friends today because I am not in the mood."

Peter quickly quieted down and ate, shrinking into his shadow. James sighed, and grabbed an apple, biting into it.

For the majority of lunch, Melanie and the marauders barely interacted with each other. They stayed separate, and were cordial with each other, until the last five minutes of lunch, when Sirius sat near Melanie.

Melanie blinked a few times before asking Sirius what he wanted.

"I've been eavesdropping in on your conversation for the past ten minutes or so, and I really need to understand your views on something."

"Okay..."

"You're a feminist?"

Melanie looked at Aidan, making sure that she heard Sirius right, and answered.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because it's needed in a male dominated society that looks at women like they can't do anything."

"And what else?"

Melanie smiled a bit, telling Sirius a few more reasons as to why she was a feminist, and as she did so, Sirius listened intently. He looked genuinely intrigued, until he opened up his mouth again.

"It kinda seems like you're against men, don't you think?"

Melanie's smile faltered as she realized where the conversation was going.

"It's not."

"But-"

"Shut up, Sirius. You already sound like you heard not a word that I said."

"Because none of what you said makes sense!"

Melanie let out a breath of anger, pinched her nose, and looked straight at Sirius with anger dancing in her eyes.

"Don't yell at me."

"But all of what you said sounds stupid!"

"Don't yell at me, Sirius. I'm not loud, so you shouldn't be either."

Sirius laughed obnoxiously, and leaned in towards Peter to whisper to him.

"She knows that I'm right, so she's not answering."

As soon as Sirius finished his sentence, Melanie took an unopened cup of applesauce, and opened it, pouring it into Sirius's lap.

Sirius stopped laughing, and looked at her, angry. He let out a string of curse words and rude sentences as Melanie left the Great Hall, heading straight to Dumbledore's office.