The Slytherin Transfer

07: "You're really just a teddy bear."

We end up leaving Richard there, tied to the chair and yelling at everyone to let him go. No one does, and I'm not sure why. Everyone also seems to like me a lot better after the prank, a few even smiling at me when I catch their eye across the common room. I guess Marlene was right. Deighton must really be an asshole.

It's only about twenty minutes until most of the Gryffindors leave for dinner, and as I stand up from where I was lounging on the couch with the Marauders, Marlene, Alice, and Lily I make sure to throw Deighton a wink when I pass him.

"I'm telling you Milton, you'll regret this!" He shouts after me as I head out the portrait hole, calling over my shoulder in response.

"I still don't speak dumbass!"

I sit with the girls at dinner, because I understand what they mean when they say the Marauders can become unbearable. James and Sirius were talking about girls for the entire walk down, and I found myself rolling my eyes so hard I think I pulled a muscle.

Everything is going smoothly, only a few Gryffindors glaring or nudging me as I eat and laugh with my friends. Half way through my second serving of peas, however, someone drops a note on my plate, and I frown. I look up to see who it is, but they've already walked away, leaving me to curiously unravel the paper and read the tiny print.

Meet in the broom closet by McGonagall's room tonight at eight,
Josh.

I suck in a breath, my heart leaping as I look over at the Slytherin table, my eyes finding the back of my brother's head before I turn back to the note and smile softly. Maybe he's going to apologize. Maybe he's going to say that yes, I am his sister, and nothing can change that.

I pocket the note and look up to see two stormy grey eyes staring at me intently.

"What?" I ask Sirius, who points at my pocket with his fork.

"Another note? Who's the secret admirer?" He asks, and I roll my eyes.

"You know, jealousy doesn't suit you, Black," I joke, then shrug, "It's just my brother, he wants to talk to me later."

"Your brother?" He asks, glancing over my shoulder at the Slytherin table, "I thought he shunned you."

"Where'd you hear that?"

He shrugs, "Word gets around."

I glance at Remus, who is staring at his food intently, a red tinge to his cheeks. Maybe I should be angry at him for likely telling his whole group that I cried because of my brother, but I can't. He's too nice, and he was probably just worried about me.

"Yeah well, maybe he wants to un-shun me," I say, finishing my food and placing my elbows on the table to lean forward.

"Hm," he says, eyes narrowed.

"What?" I ask him, and he shrugs again.

"Nothing." He looks back at his food, "Just a little suspicious to me."

"Suspicious?" I scoff, "How so?"

"Well, I mean," he starts, "if stubbornness runs in the family, then your brother probably isn't one to suddenly change his mind."

"You don't know my brother," I say, a little more harshly than intended.

"I'm just saying." He chews his food, "What if it's a set up by some Slytherins?"

I think of Mulciber and the drawing he drew in potions, making me queasy.

No, that's my brother's handwriting. I know it.

"It's not," I say, pushing my plate away.

"See," he points his fork at me, "stubborn."

I pay no attention to his paranoia, rolling my eyes and instead striking up a conversation with Dorcas.