chapter
↳ four
moodboard
↳ none

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When Millie was young, she wanted Sirius Black to be her friend, as much as it pains her to admit that now. She was eleven, and it had been the worst year of her life, filled with questions of who she was and how in the world had she been sorted into Slytherin?

For the first few months she tried so hard to be the Gryffindor her parents wanted her to be. She tried to match the steps of her brother, who was the pride and joy of her parents. Because, in the back of her head she knew that her parents were disappointed. In their minds, she must've tricked the sorting hat. She must've chosen Slytherin personally. Even at age eleven, Millie could tell that her parents didn't love her as much as they loved Benji.

At first she was angry at Benji. It was easy to blame him, especially when he never defended himself. He was like that, she knew. He preferred peace and never rose to accept a fight. It was amazing he was even in Gryffindor. Eventually, after rationalizing logically that Benji had absolutely nothing to do with any of her misfortunes, Millie stopped giving him the cold shoulder.

Millie struggled to find a way to make her parents like her. In her mind, she thought that she should find friends from Benji's house. Wouldn't that make her parents proud?

Sirius Black was a friend of Benji's, although that wasn't saying much since Benji made friends with anyone who breathed. Sirius' story was the exact opposite of Millie's in every way, and that made him perfect for a friend. The further he was from her, the more she was sure her parents would love him. Then it would be a chain reaction, and they would realize Millie wasn't as bad as they thought. She wasn't evil.

Of course it didn't work. Millie was a Slytherin, and Sirius was very adamant about never speaking to people in her house. She understood very quickly that she wasn't wanted by many. Besides, Millie realized soon that there were other people in Hogwarts willing to be her friend despite her house status.

Demetria Jones was a Ravenclaw. Millie wasn't sure what a Ravenclaw was. All her life she had only known two houses: the good and the bad. She hadn't known there were other options.

Ravenclaw was incredibly cool to Millie, and she was amazed at all the knowledge Demetria could attain. She never took notes. She never asked questions. She was just smart. Any time Millie asked how Demetria managed to get such perfect marks despite not studying, Demetria answered with a simple shrug every time. "I have no idea. It's not genetics, because my family is dumber than a pile of bricks," she would always say within earshot of her older sister, just to get a rise out of the girl.

Millie decided Demetria would be a good friend. She wasn't a brave Gryffindor like Millie was sure her parents would've liked, but she was smart and funny. Millie thought she might need someone to make her laugh in the middle of the night, when she doubted herself the most. In return, Millie was there to comfort Demetria in the face of many bullies who came her way.

Demetria would never admit it to anyone but Millie that their words hurt her. In spite of her confident attitude, words did cut deep.

Millie was only eleven, and she had no idea how to confront the four mean third years who were calling Demetria names and making her feel bad about her appearance. She had gone to Benji to ask him to tell Gryffindor's Head Boy or Girl, in the hopes of getting those mean kids to stop. Benji did something better and completely out of character. He stood up to the bullies himself, and hexed them with a hex that Millie later found out was taught to him by a certain James Potter.

Ever since that day, Demetria had a crush on Benji, and each year it grew as she learned more and more about the boy.

-

Millie was beginning to think that keeping up a friendship with Sirius Black might've been easier than dealing with Demetria's theatrical personality. It began this morning, when Demetria tragically woke up the entire Slytherin house just to get Millie to come see her.

Millie's entire house was frustrated with her, and Demetria didn't seem to notice as she stepped into the common room and pulled Millie out of bed.

Millie hated being rushed, especially in the morning, when she had to wash her face and do her makeup. Demetria didn't care, and continued to urge Millie to do things quicker so the two of them could visit the quidditch pitch.

"Where are we going?" Millie asked begrudgingly as Demetria ran through the nearly-empty castle.

"There's quidditch tryouts today, remember?"

Millie stopped. "What? Lucinda said we weren't having them until next Friday."

"Not Slytherin tryouts," Demetria dismissed. "Gryffindor. Benji's going to be there."

"Really?" Millie deapanned. "You woke me up at the crack of dawn to watch a bunch of Gryffindors get sweaty?"

"I know you don't like them, but it's not like I can go alone. That would look suspicious."

"Benji thinks of you as a friend the same way I do. He wouldn't think it was weird."

Demetria huffed, "That's what's so frustrating! I don't want Benji to see me as his friend. I want him to see me as a woman." she wriggled her eyebrows and gestured to her figure.

Millie crinkled her nose. "I'm pretty sure Benji doesn't see anyone as a woman, or a man for that matter. In my mind, Benji sees everyone as these large pink shapes in need of love and support."

Demetria elbowed Millie, giggling. "Leave him alone! It's cute that Benji takes care of everybody."

"You know what else is cute? Getting eight hours of sleep every night and not obsessing over boys."

"You just don't understand because you haven't found that special one yet."

"Oh, woe is me," Millie said as the two of them walked onto the quidditch field.

Practice was already in session when they arrived. According to Demetria, they could've arrived when it started, had Millie not been so slow. Ignoring her complaints, Millie walked across the pitch. She and Demetria sat on the grass just beside the entrance of the changing rooms.

"You don't find any boy this year cute? What about girls?"

Millie rolled her eyes, "I don't have a crush on anyone, okay? I'll start dating after Hogwarts. Once I become the makeup artist for a famous wizard rock band, I'll hook up with the hot guitarist."

"How is that any more realistic than me dating your brother?" Demetria asked, a wrinkle between her brows.

"I didn't say it was realistic. It's just a dream." Millie stood up and dusted off her robes, "I'm going to find something to do while you watch my brother fly around."

"Have fun being boring!"

Millie snorted and walked into the changing rooms, looking for anything to entertain herself with. She found it rather quickly. On one of the benches sat a cooler filled with pumpkin ice pops. Millie snatched one up right away and unwrapped it. On her way back to Demetria, she bit into it and winced at the instant brain freeze.

"There are ice pops in the changing rooms if you want to get one. I can go get you one too, if you don't want to miss the practice," Millie said.

Demetria shrugged. "They're almost finished anyway."

Millie noticed the disheartened tone in her friend's voice. "What's wrong? Did something happen while I was gone?"

"No."

Millie took the lollipop out of her mouth and examined the field. "Oh," she said as soon as she saw Marlene hugging Benji. "Did she make the team?"

Demetria nodded, getting up. "I'm sure it's nothing, right? I don't need to overreact. It's not like we're dating or anything. I don't really have the right to be upset."

"Demetria, wait — " Millie tried to stop Demetria from leaving, but the Ravenclaw was adamant about leaving as soon as she could. Millie let her go, thinking it might be better to just let her think things through. Millie wanted to reach out and comfort her friend. She also wanted to reach out and slap Benji for being so blind to her friend's feelings. She couldn't decide which one she wanted to do more at the moment.

There was at least forty-five minutes until breakfast started, so Millie considered going to back to the common room to touch up her makeup or perhaps get a few more minutes of shut-eye. Just as she was about to get up, however, she heard a voice from the changing rooms: "I brought enough ice pops for everyone on the team. I don't know why we're short."

Eyes wide at her mistake, Millie tried to shove the rest of the ice pop into her mouth. Unfortunately, she couldn't because of the temperature, so she was quickly caught red-handed by the absolute last person she wanted to see.

"Ah, so the culprit isn't too far from the crime scene."

Millie looked up at Sirius Black and snorted. "I thought they were free for everyone."

Sirius slumped down beside her, his body heat radiating from all the exercises and drills the team had just done. He drank a sip of water from his thermos and sighed shakily. "I can't believe you would take my post-practice snack. Now what will replenish my carbs? What if I faint in the shower? Will it all be because of Millie, that evil slytherin who stole my ice pop and would even give me one, small taste?"

"Are you always this dramatic?"

Sirius shrugged, smirking, and leaned into Millie a bit, "It's endearing, isn't it?"

"It's annoying."

Sirius pouted, turning to Millie, "Can you please just share your ice pop with me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"You're gross," Millie answered, absentmindedly licking her ice pop and studying the field. "I don't want your sweat on my ice pop."

"It's my ice pop, though."

Millie smirked, "Really? Because I would estimate that I have about four bites left, and the more you disagree with me, the more I don't want to give you one."

Sirius brushed his hair back with his fingers. "I'm beginning to think Benji got all the nice genes in your family."

"Three bites left."

Sirius cursed under his breath and began to whine, enunciating nearly every word. "Millie, I'm dying. Seriously, breakfast is lightyears away and I'm starving now, in this moment. You're going to starve me to death. I can't believe you would actually, willingly, watch a fellow student die just because you won't share your ice pop — "

"Merlin! Shut up!" Millie interrupted his dramatic spiel. "If I give you one bite will you leave me alone?"

Sirius' expression suddenly brightened. His eyes brightened. "Yes. I swear."

Millie handed him the ice pop. Sirius took a (rather large, mind you) bite and handed the stick back to Millie, a satisfied smile on his face.

Millie twisted her face in annoyance as she finished off the ice pop.

Sirius chuckled.

"What?"

"We just indirectly kissed, you know."

Millie stood up, gathering her stuff. If she hurried, she could touch up finish off her look before breakfast. "Grow up, Sirius."

"No, thanks, darling."

-

a/n:

this book should be a lot longer than muse bc I want to take my time on each chapter

anyway don't be afraid to comment and vote!