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REGULUS BLACK. ┕━━━━━━━★━━━━━━━┙
BRIAR D'ALESSIO sat alone in a corner of the Potions classroom (in hopes that no one would join her, she didn't particularly feel like socialising with anyone), waiting for the lesson to start. It was no surprise that Professor Slughorn was late; he never quite seemed to know what time it was. Once, in her fourth year, he'd forgotten that he had a class entirely and hadn't turned up the entire period.
"Hello, there! Why so gloomy?" Gemma Prince greeted cheerfully, sitting down beside Briar (much to her dismay). "You don't mind me sitting here, do you?"
"Of course not," Briar replied, forcing a smile. She wasn't in the mood for conversation, but Gemma had always been nice to her and she didn't want to be rude. "How are you?"
"Meh," Gemma replied, dropping her bag beside her, and yanking out her Potions textbook. "I wanted to thank you for getting me into Slughorn's party last night. I had an amazing time, and Patrick Keynes asked me to Hogsmeade next weekend."
Briar wasn't surprised. Gemma was a girl whose confidence was bigger than the Pacific, and she liked to flip her silky auburn hair whenever she got the chance. She also had a big appetite for dating (not that Briar was judging). She'd managed to date most of the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin boys in her year, there were rumors about her having an affair with an unnamed Gryffindor, but Gemma always denied those. It was just as well, she'd be treated as a traitor by the rest of her housemates.
"What about you?" Gemma asked, casually. "Had a nice time?"
Briar shrugged. "Not really, it wasn't any fun, so I left early."
"Hm, well, the problem is that you don't have a man. No offense, but that cousin of yours, Malfoy? He sort of scares them away, if you ask me," Gemma replied. "Have you any experience with boys at all?"
Briar frowned, feeling embarrassed. Truth be told, the closest Briar has ever been to a boy was Sirius Black, the previous night. But to be honest, she'd never really thought that courting a boy while in Hogwarts was necessary. What was the point? Once she graduated, her parents would find her a suitor, and she'd be married. "I, erm, went out with Evan Rosier once."
Gemma looked horrified. "No! Oh Briar,, no wonder you stay away from boys! The only one you've ever been with is a complete pig!"
Great. She thought, apparently everyone knew that Rosier was a dirty twat. How could she have been so stupid?
