𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗜 ━━ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧
033. the insufferable slytherins

          𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧'𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗦, 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗥 muggle-clothings as they made their way onto the Hogwarts Express. She refused to join the other Prefects and practically begged Professor Dumbledore to allow her to be with her friends.

"As soon we arrive, I don't want to be seen with you," Everest cast Scarlet a look, glancing up and down with a playful grimace.

"You're being overdramatic, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that," Scarlet told her, pushing her trolly. Jeans looked so uncomfortable, even more than her robes and dresses. Then she heard laughter. The two girls turned around to see James chasing after Remus with a rat in his hands. 

"What the fuck is that," Everest grimaced even more at the sight of the dirty rat. "It looks dislocated."

"It's a strange rat for sure," Scarlet snickered because she knew exactly who the animal was, but it came out as a snort that caught Eve by surprise.

"What happened to your impeccable manners, young lady?" Everest laughed aloud. 

"A week with my mother is going to bring it all back, don't you worry," Scarlet assured. However, questionable thoughts plummeted through her brain. Surely, her behaviour has changed a lot in a way nobody would approve of. She did not want to get shunned and there existed no such person who could change her presentation.

"Is it the Sirius Black effect?" Everest asked in a whisper. "The way you've changed."

Scarlet whipped her head in her direction. "What, how did you know what I was thinking?"

"I told you, I know everything about you."

Then a figure pushed the two girls apart. Evan Rosier stood in between, his arms draped around the two of them now. 

"I'll miss my favourite ladies," Evan playfully grinned, glancing between the two.

Everest rolled her eyes. "Feeling's not mutual,"

"Ouch, you hurt my heart, Eve, what's gotten into you?" Evan raised a brow, then turned to Scarlet who had a small smile on her face as she waved at Dorcas. "Have you two switched personalities?"

"Do you want me to hit you where it hurts?" Everest sneered.

Evan's face paled. "Salazar, forgive me, milady." he removed his arm from Everest's shoulder.

"I'm messing with you, Evan, you can breathe," Everest laughed again, and the colour made its way back to Evan's face. He chuckled too.

"We'll miss you too, Evan," Scarlet told him kindly, and he smiled appreciatively.

"Now, what's gotten you into such a good mood?" Everest asked Evan. "Are you in looove?"

"That's not funny," he blurted out.

Scarlet burst out laughing at the look on Evan's face, he was highly unamused. When the blonde looked around with a large, toothy grin on her face, her eyes settled on Sirius Black on the other side of the station. 

      He, however, did not look impressed; shooting them a deadly glare with his arms crossed, back leaning against the cold tiled wall. 

Evan spoke again. "Do you think your boyfriend is eyeing you or me?" 

Everest and Evan let out another pile of laughter, however, Scarlet pursed her lips, not breaking eye contact with him. His demeanour did not change, he was looking at her as darkly as he was when he caught her laughing at Evan's words—a bubble of strange nervousness stirred at the pit of her stomach. Scarlet Bridget was never nervous, in fact, nervousness did not exist in her vocabulary. 

      Yet there Sirius Black stood, proving her wrong once again.

      Then he started to approach her. She looked away. He didn't.

      When Evan saw Sirius dashing towards the three of them, he gave him a playful grin, his arm tightening around Scarlet's shoulder. Evan was enjoying the matter at hand more than ever—and helping his friend make her boyfriend jealous was just the icing on top of his fun activities. 

Sirius halted right in front of the trollies, making Everest come to a dramatic stop. "Merlin, Black! Someone stole your eyes?" She scolded.

Sirius grinned, his eyes locked with Scarlet's. He moved sideways and kissed Scarlet's cheek. She felt his lips linger on her skin longer than necessary before being pulled away. 

"Take my trolly, will you?" she pleaded to Evan who raised a brow in disbelief. "I'll make it up to you,"

"Yeah, she always makes up for it, Rosier," Sirius finally took his eyes off Scarlet and turned to glare at Evan's highly amused face. Everest huffed, starting to walk away and Evan followed her closely, carrying Scarlet's trolly away to the end of the train—a carriage that is practically booked by the infamous serpents of the school.

"He fancies you, y'know?" Sirius glanced at Scarlet, towering over her frame.

She flickered her stand of hair—that fell out of place—behind her, chin raised confidently. "Doesn't everybody?"

"I'm serious, Blondie," Sirius raised a brow, squinting his eyes.

"I know,"

Sirius groaned. "Not you too!" He exclaimed at the old joke, then sighed. 

"Evan is a friend, why are you so worked up about it?" Scarlet asked. "You see girls behind my back all the time, I told you... I won't stop you,"

"What are you talking about?" Sirius scowled, crossing her arms over his chest. 

Scarlet shrugged, not allowing him to make her confused. "What, you think I don't know? You've done it before."

"Well, I don't do it anymore," Sirius confidently assured.

"What changed?" She whispered seductively, leaning forward. Perhaps Everest was right, it was Sirius Black to changed her demeanour completely.

Sirius opened his mouth to say something. You, he almost said, but nothing really came out. The smirk on Scarlet's face stretched beyond tolerable.

"Padfoot!" James called, now running to the pair and sending Scarlet a nod of acknowledgement. Of course, the other two joined along. "We've got to go, train's about to leave."

Sirius nodded at James and then turned to the girl. "I'm afraid I won't see you over Christmas."

Scarlet's smile flattered. "What do you mean, where are you going?"

"I'm staying over at James," Sirius victoriously smirked. "Convinced Mother that I'm staying back at Hogwarts, she won't find out a thing."

This time, nothing came out of Scarlet's lips the moment she opened her mouth to speak. The words melted away. "Very well, I'll see you in January, then?"

"Of course," he nodded, then opened up his arms for a hug only to put them away awkwardly the moment Scarlet raised a brow. Hugs were not a regular thing for the duo.

"Later," she sent him a tight-lipped smile and then sent James a scowl in regular Scarlet fashion before moving away.

"Don't scowl at me!" James protested. All three of his friends' faces paled, they shot him warning gazes.

"Excuse me?" she turned back around, looking around at some of the students who cast James a worried look. People do not normally pick an argument with Scarlet.

"I said, don't scowl at me," James told her.

Scarlet found his behaviour laughable. "Are you having a mid-life crisis?"

"Mid-life?" Remus questioned. "He's only 17."

"My point stands."

"Why are you being so hostile?" James asked her, and Sirius had no idea where this was coming from. "I stopped pranking your buddies on your request to Sirius."

"I never request anything," she spat back, reminding him that she is above it. "I reminded him what an annoying, mannerless, unlikable git it makes him for making people's lives miserable."

"Then answer my question,"

"I don't know, Potter; Maybe it's the fact that you keep harassing my friend by asking her out every day of the year," Scarlet told him. James was lucky Lily's patience level was higher than most girls, otherwise, he would be 6 feet under the ground by now. "Take a hint."

"I don't harass her,"

"Yeah, Blonds, that is completely ridiculous," Sirius immediately replied after James' protest.

"Can you all kiss each others' arses after I'm gone?" Scarlet mocked.

"I make an effort to ask her out because I like her, I never overstep any boundaries."

Neither Remus nor Peter replied, causing Sirius to shoot them a glance and if looks could kill, Remus would have kneeled over and died. He did not want to upset James more than he already was.

With a roll of his eyes and a silent sigh, he continued to stare at Sirius with a bored expression. "Totally," there was zero conviction in his voice.

James slowly turned to his short friend. "Peter?"

"Why are we casting votes, exactly?" Scarlet questioned, turning to make sure the train was not moving.

"Because I'm going to prove you wrong," James answered.

Scarlet laughed, making James feel more stupid. "No one has ever been able to do such a thing but good luck anyway, Potter."

Peter shallowed hard, glancing between James and Sirius. "Well... if Scarlet says it then..." he looked at the floor and James' eyes widened with severity and Peter shrugged apologetically. "I can't argue against it."

A victorious smile made its way into Scarlet's crimson lips. Despite being on his friend's side all the time, Sirius thought he would allow James to lose an argument a thousand times just to see that smile one more time. 

"What the fuck does that mean?" James snapped.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Potty-boy, this wouldn't be the first time you're wrong." Scarlet tapped his shoulder mockingly, leaving him as flustered as ever before walking off.

"What was that about?" Remus questioned him.

"I did ask out Lily again, but that is beside the point," James slowly looked at Peter whose shoulders were hunched. Remus assumed the rejection got to him this time. "Biggest betrayal of my life."

"What?" he said in a high-pitched squeal. "Maybe lay off a little and Evans will realise what she's missing."

James thought for a moment. The group was huddled together for a mere moment, waiting for James to collect his thoughts and take a piece of good advice.

Then he finally spoke, "No."

They all groaned. 

"Pads, tell your 'girlfriend' to stay out of my business." He made bunny ears as he spoke the emphasised word.

"Can't do, Prongs, it's literally Scarlet Bridget we're talking about." Sirius shrugged, despite being on his side when it came to such a matter.

Scarlet was not as affected by that small argument as James was. In fact, she forgot about it the moment she got on the train. Evan requested if he and Scarlet could be excused from the prefect compartment so they could join the rest of their friends.

      Her Slytherin friends always saved her the window seat, mainly because she threatened them to do so the last year and almost set Barty's pants on fire for refusing to give up the seat. The compartment consisted of Everest, Evan, Dorcas, Barty, and Regulus as it always does. With the exception of Severus, she had no idea where he was, probably annoying Lily.

      Scarlet spent the majority of the train ride in silence as she found herself unable to get infuriating thoughts out of her mind. She was not going to see Sirius over the holidays, perhaps that would help her get him out of his stupid head.

"Hello, earth to Miss Bridget," Evan was dramatically waving the palm of his hand in Scarlet's face, snapping her out of her daydream.

"What the fuck do you want this time?"

Everybody glanced at her wrily, confused. "Did that Black scramble your brain, Scar?" Evan asked, looking at her up and down.

She rolled her eyes, looking back out at the scenery of trees. "I'm simply tired,"

"What's gotten into you, Bridget!" Everest exclaimed, not in the mood to see her best friend drowning in misery all of a sudden. "You were quite cheerful at the station?"

"Does it have to do with the fact that Sirius is not returning home this winter?" Regulus spoke up. Scarlet wanted to slap him with her book.

"I hate you, Reg." She stated.

Barty then bursts out into a peal of giggle that he was trying to hide. "Now we know what's wrong with her."

"Nothing's wrong with me!" Scarlet scoffed. "Do you think I'm that obsessed with him?"

"You spend an awful load of time together," Dorcas spoke up finally. "I get that he's your boyfriend, so, I won't judge you if you're upset you can't see him."

"She's Scarlet, she won't get upset over a Gryffindor," Barty scoffed in a matter-of-fact tone.

"But it's not just any Gryffindor, besides, the Blacks and Bridgets spent Christmas together all the time," Dorcas argued.

Barty scoffed. "You think she'll make an exception for Sirius Black of all people."

"Why is it surprising," Regulus chimed up, he preferred it when his friends were not speaking about his brother so casually.

"I dunno," Barty shrugged. "I didn't think it was any serious, I thought they were simply shagging."

"I'm literally sitting right here," Scarlet snapped loudly, and as usual, as she spoke, the entire compartment fell quiet. "And I'm not shagging him,"

"Yes, please don't put that image into my mind," Regulus grimaced, his eyes fell shut in disgust. After a moment or so, he dared to re-open them only to see everybody watching him curiously. His eyes lingered over his friends for a while until Evan spoke up.

"You're imagining it, aren't you?" 

"Shut up, it's Barty's fault!"

"Everest did announce it after we won the Quidditch match last month that she sees you snog him all the time," Evan reminded. 

Scarlet squeezed her eyes shut along with Everest, although the brunette was trying to help when she announced that—allowing the attention to settle on them and assuring the two were serious—the mere moment came back to haunt them.

      It was the most intolerable train ride ever. Barty annoyed Scarlet so much, that she shot him with a spell that turned his face grape-purple. Then he begged her to change it back before they got off. 

The group of friends strutted down the station, and Everest disappeared the moment she saw her parents, but not before greeting Scarlet with a tight hug and muttering, "I'll miss you so much, write to me about everything!"

She ran off to a couple dressed in proper muggle clothing, and two of Everest's brothers stood right behind them. Everest hugged her parents tightly, and they all burst out into a peal of exciting cheers. One of her brothers held a small baby in his arms, and Everest was quite eager to hold the little girl.

"Regulus!"

The bitter voice of Walburga was unpleasant in sound just as she was unpleasant in demeanor. 

"There they are," Regulus scoffed, turning to hold onto Scarlet's wrist and dragging her to the corner where the Blacks and Celeste Bridget stood proudly. Scarlet was surprised to see Orion who was rarely ever seen at the station. In fact, she forgot he existed. 

"At least one of you made it back home." Walburga scoffed, speaking rather loudly. Orion patted Regulus' shoulder to show off his support in his reunion with his son after all these months, but the gesture was rather cold.

Celeste engulfed Scarlet in a hug, it was not tight but it was a warm embrace nonetheless. 

"How is he?" Walburga curiously asked Scarlet. It did not take a genius to know she was not asking this in a genuine manner, but rather asking if he was tarnishing the Blacks' already doomed reputation. After Andromada's incident, they were rather careful. "Is he causing much trouble?"

Scarlet thought about telling the truth, then she did not. That change came with some good. "No, Mrs Black... he's been good this year."

Regulus' shoulders relaxed and Orion let out a breathy chuckle to ease the tension between them. "Bringing the best in him, are you not, Scarlet?"

A woman brushed past Walburga's shoulder, and she whipped around and recognised her immediately. Scarlet had no idea who it was, but Walburga sneered. "Half-blooded filth."

"Here she goes again," Scarlet murmured to Regulus who almost went red trying to hold back a chuckle. "Every year."

It was quite embarrassing, the way Walburga acted around a crowd of people. Celeste locked her arms with Scarlet's, the two's heels clicking in unison as they walked through the station.

"CELESTE!" A woman called nearby, and the mother and daughter averted their gaze to see an excited Euphemia waving vigorously toward the woman. Scarlet looked at her mother, and just for a moment, her arm moved up. Then it fell still. She shot her a nervous, wry smile—one that looked quite nostalgic, an earnest smile.

It turns out Euphemia was quite contemptuous, even with Celeste's lack of acknowledgment. She continued to smile. Celeste had this look on her face—as though Mia's smile alone threatened her to blurt out a large, toothy grin and fall right into her arms. 

      Fleamont was practically teary-eyed as he engulfed James into a tight hug, and because of Scarlet's impeccable eye-sight, she could see the bottom of Sirius' leather jacket right behind the large trolly. 

Walburga and Orion—who were walking before them shared a look of grimace, and turned back around to shoot Celeste a look that said, 'have they got no self-respect?'. Celeste merely shrugged. Yet, something screamed inside of her to defend her old friend.

𝑪𝑨𝑹𝑨 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑺

my ships r all over the place
someone help me.