Entwined |r.a.b|

Three

"You were there, Lupin!?" asked Dorcus Meadowes as all the players emerged from the locker rooms. "Was it scary?!"

"Of course it was scary!" Ariah exclaimed. "The Death Eaters were everywhere..."

"I heard a lot of families didn't make it out..." said Donald Gavins with obvious sadness.

"I'm just glad you're okay," Dorcus said. "I heard you were attacked."

Ariah froze, stopping from walking for a minute. "Er — Yeah... But uh, I'm fine."

Ivy inspected her older mentor, not believing her in the slightest. The Daily Prophet said she was out for three days as the doctors tried to stitch up her wound. Of course, Ivy knew the Daily Prophet wasn't the most reliable source. When her uncle killed himself, the Daily Prophet reported that a pack of werewolves had broken into the hospital and turned him into a werewolf. According to the paper, he ran away to join some werewolf circus in Austria. 

"Alright, alright," called the captain, Dana Mae. "Enough about the attack at the World Cup. Let's get practicing."

Ivy tried out for the quidditch team her second year, Dumbledore suggested the game as a way to release her anger. She quickly became the most talented beater the hufflepuff quidditch team had seen. It worked incredibly well in releasing her anger.

A while into practice, Dana was working one on one with a new chaser — a sprightly second year girl with fast instincts and quick broom movements.

Ivy flew over to Ariah at the goal posts.

"You did Tellers project last year?" Ivy asked.

"Yeah," Ariah responded. "It was a pain in my arse working with Sirius Black at the time, I suppose it worked out for the best though..."

"I've got the other." She rolled her eyes. "He makes me want to strangle myself since I'm not one for murder."

Ariah let out a rich laugh. "Sounds like a Black."

"You and Sirius are on good terms now?"

"Oh... well.... I -erm- I guess.... it's complicated?" Ariah said.

"Complicated?" Ivy asked with a raised eyebrow. "You kissed him didn't you?"

Ariah's jaw dropped. "How do you do that?!"

Ivy smirked and shrugged. "You don't have to be an empath to know the signs."

"Well, I don't want to talk about it so..., how's Reed and the little sprout?"

Ivy chuckled. "Reed refuses to go by Reed. He only answers to his middle name now — Jacob. Something about not wanting to conform to the plant hippie life the rest of us Walker's have."

"How old is he?" Ariah said with a chuckle.

"Seven! Drama queen that one is," Ivy said with an eye-roll. "And Bella is the cutest little one! She said her first word this summer — sis vee! I was her first word!"

"How cute! I'd love to meet her one day she sounds absolutely adorable," Ariah gushed. "Maybe you guys can come to our holiday dinner? Not sure all who's coming but it's bound to be a lot, knowing how it is every year."

"I appreciate the gesture and I'll ask — but my dads a bit of a hermit. He hates leaving the house," Ivy said. "Massive anxiety and paranoia runs in the family...."

"Well, I'll have my dad send the invite your way nonetheless," Ariah said with a smile.

Ivy was greatly appreciative of her Hufflepuff big sister. Sure, Ariah was only a year older. But she was wise and somehow knew exactly what Ivy was feeling and what Ivy needed in certain situations. She was the first person who treated Ivy like a person in year one and even after.

"Alright that's enough dilly dallying!" Dana Mae called. "Let's keep practicing and make sure those Slytherins, slither back to their holes!"

Ivy sighed as she entered the library that evening after practice. She hadn't gotten to shower or clean up before working on her project with Regulus. Her hair was thrown carelessly in two messy, loose braids — various flowers poking out between each braid. She wore shorts and her hufflepuff quidditch sweater, which was far too large for her small body.

She found Regulus in a secluded corner of the library. His usual gelled back hair was left naturally curly, the glistening of it told her it was damp from a recent shower. Ivy hated to admit that she had a weak spot for those curls. And his glasses. Merlin of course he had to wear his glasses.

Ivy took a deep breath, preparing herself for this hour long trip to hell. She placed her books on the table, sitting herself across from Regulus. He peered up at her through his glasses, his blue eyes causing her heart to beat erratically in her chest. She cleared her throat.

"You said you had an idea for our project," Ivy said.

Regulus stared at Ivy for a second longer than he needed to before moving his papers around most hectically. Ivy noticed that despite showing himself to be cool and collected around peers, Regulus was really a clumsy, unorganized mess. And of course, he had to be open around her. Of course, he had to show that messy side to her. Showing all those sides of Regulus made it incredibly difficult to hate him.

"I talked to Professor Teller already, just to see if the subject is alright to learn," Regulus said. "It's going to be difficult, we're going to have to do a lot of outside research but if you're up for —"

"Regulus," Ivy cut him off. "What is it?"

He pushed his glasses up securely against his nose. "Right. Horcruxes."

Ivy blinked. "I'm sorry, what? That's extremely dark and —"

"I got it cleared by Dumbledore, as well," Regulus said. "I-I mean, it is up to you but it's a type of magic that we as students aren't really taught about."

"Because it's incredibly dark magic," Ivy said.

"But wouldn't you want to learn about it? How it works, how to destroy one." Regulus had a reserved smile on his face. "I mean, it's an amazing opportunity and of course we're not going to make a horcrux but — know thine enemy, right?"

"Did you just say 'thine'?" Ivy asked. "Such a nerd..."

She couldn't help the small smile that pushed its way to her mouth. Ivy covered it by looking away and sighing. She hated how much she enjoyed seeing Regulus passionate about learning something — even if it was incredibly dark magic. He just had this glow when he was excited, which was mainly over a learning experience. Regulus Black was quite the nerd. "Well, seems you have it all put together so, let's do it."