BORN TO DIE

X 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐮𝐱𝐮𝐫𝐲
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

ESMERALDA  ALWAYS ENJOYED THE BEAUTY that Hogwarts had to offer, especially the greenery. Whilst on a walk of the grounds Esme noticed Lily and two other girls sat on a large picnic blanket hidden by the trees as the spring breeze passed through them.

"Lily" Esme greeted with a warm smile. Lily smiled wildly as she looked up at her.

"Esme! How are you? Sit down!" The girl exclaimed, patting the blanket beside her.

Sitting down Esme looked at the blonde girl, she had strikingly beautiful features — Esme was jealous. "McKinnon, right?" She smiled, although Esme had a problem with most students — she liked making new friends, she just didn't like the process.

She wanted to try, for lily.

Marlene smiled, "yes, Marlene is fine." The girl turned and nodded at the brunette, "that's Alice fortescue, she's a bit full on at first but even once you get to know her she won't shut up" Marlene laughed, although that was short lived as a newspaper hit her head.

"Rude! Anyways yes I'm Alice! Lily always speaks about you!" The brunette exclaimed.

"All good, I hope" Esme smirked, her eyes dancing around the trio. They were all beautiful, not only looks wise but there kindness and unprejudiced views were refreshing.

Marlene winked, "oh no— terrible" she laughed. Alice, again smacked Marlene with the quibler. "Ignore her, she's an instigator. Lily speaks very highly of you."

Lily flushed red, "so how have you been, I barely seen you at the party?" The ginger girl spoke, leaning back on her arm as she stared at Esme.

Esme blinked, Tell them the truth."Ive been well, I've been focusing on my studies as of late." She hadn't lied necessarily, just wavered the truth slightly. Esme never had to spend too much time worrying for her grades, she was luckily gifted in her studies and had never once went below an E ( not including her momentarily slip to an A in potions the first term ).

Marlene nodded, "reasonable with N.E.W.T's next year, I see why you and Lily get on so well" the girl yawned, falling back onto the plush blanket.

"Have you gotten your grade up in portions?" Lily asked, her head tilted slightly as she stared at Esme.

The girl nodded, "it's back up to an O." Esme smiled, winking thankfully at her. If not her lily's help, Esme still would've been stuck on an A.

"Lily?" Alice spoke up, her soft eyes glancing up at her. "Has potter continued his advances lately? I haven't seen much of him?" Alice asked. Esme felt her palms begin to sweat and her heartbeat began to elevate.

Lily sighed, "they've calmed down slightly but not nearly entirely. It's rather annoying really, I don't even like him! I like—" Lily paused as she flushed red, her skin glowing as she looked down bashfully.

Marlene shot up, "who? Who do you like" the girl grinned as if a child on Christmas morning.

Esme smirked, "go on, who has dared capture our dear lily Evans' heart."

Lily gulped, "It's Mar-, Marcus" she stuttered slightly, her cheeks flushing a vibrant red.

"Marcus?"

"Wood?"

"The seventh year!"

Lily nodded, her gaze stuck to the picnic blanket they sat on. Esme nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing. "I mean if you look past the cockiness, he is a good shag" she shrugged, obtaining horrified looks from the three girls. "It was in fourth year!"

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Esme had received a letter that morning, one from her brother. As she stood at the edge of the astronomy tower, the sun beginning to rise as she delicately ripped the seal and unfolded the parchment.

Dearest sister...

I am writing with particularly good news, due to the private healer we chose we have found out the sex of the baby already. Most families usually wait but Catherine was too antsy.

You, Esmeralda Natalia Nott are the aunt to a beautiful baby girl due April seventh.

Please refrain from telling people, father expects an heir rather than an heiress.

We are ecstatic.

All our love, Cas and cat.

Esme smiled softly and brought the letter to her chest. Auntie Esme... it sounded nice. The slight creak of the door made the girl spin around. "It's only me" Sirius chuckled as he held his hands up. His face was battered and bruised, and an unlit cigarette sat in his mouth.

Esme's face contorted into one of worry, "are you alright? What happened?" She asked softly, her eyes darting over his face.

Sirius let out a ragged breath as he lit the cigarette. "James happened." Her eyes shot wide open.

"Potter did that to you?" She questioned, tucking the letter into her pocket.

Sirius nodded, "I deserved it," he shrugged, taking a long drag of his cigarette. The moon illuminated his face, and Esmeralda couldn't help but notice the tear streaks down his cheeks.

The girl raised an eyebrow, "I highly doubt that Sirius, now what happened" her voice was unusually soft, something that hadn't been directed to Sirius Black since they were children.

Tears built in Sirius' eyes, "I messed up, Es... I really bloody messed up"  his lip quivered, and Esmeralda immediately enveloped him in a tight hug. It felt as if they were children again, Sirius had done something silly and therefore his parents had punished him. Esme was always willing to comfort him.

Sirius clung to the girl as if she was a lifeline. His sobs echoed the tower as his body shook. "It's okay, Siri, I'm here" she muttered, her hand cupping the back of his head as she more or less kept him standing. The moon shone down on them, and it was a twisted reminder. "What's happened.." she asked cautiously.

Sirius stilled, "snape was more or less harassing moony, and I snapped — I told him to meet us at the whomping willow and I exposed— I broke Remus' trust, and snapes going to tell everyone..." the boy muttered, almost incoherently.

Esme knew what had happened. The girl was far from dense, she had figured out about Remus' lycanthropy at Christmas when the boy had coincidently disappeared every full moon for three months.

"Snape won't tell anyone about Remus, I'll make sure of it" Esme whispered, hushing the boy with soothing whispers.

Sirius stepped back from Esme, his jaw slack. "Y-you know?" He gaped, his mind running a million miles per hour. "Remus would've told us if he told you... James? Did James tell you?" He questioned, his voice shocked.

Esme smiled softly, "you lot don't exactly hide it well..." she shrugged, sitting down on the floor. "And I am incredibly bright."

Sirius couldn't help but roll his eyes, of course she knew. "Okay." He spoke, and as the sun begun to rise he explained every gritty detail of his so called prank. He expected Esmerlda to shun him just as the others did, for her to hex him and never speak another word in his direction but she didn't. Esme simply wrapped her arms around Sirius once more. It seemed to become a pattern of comforting the Black brothers.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Esme stood by Remus' bed, the sky was painted in bright colours as the sun sat above trees. The boys face was covered in fresh marks, and his chest was bandaged. Esme placed the jar of green paste on his bedside table and grasped his hand slightly. "Get well soon, rem" she whispered to his sleeping form before turning on her heel.

"Esme?" A croaky voice questioned, James potter sat up rubbing his eyes. He fumbled slightly to grasp his cracked glasses.

Esme turned to james, "hello."

James smiled, "hey" he spoke softly, he patted the bed — indicating he wanted her to sit down. Esme walked over to the boy, sitting on the edge of the bed as she crossed one leg over the other. "What are you doing here?" He asked softly, his eyes trained on her face.

Esme smiled softly, "visiting Remus" she shrugged, her fingers aching to reach his. James eyebrows furrowed, "why would you be visiting Remus?" He asked softly, his head tilting to the side.

Esme smiled, "I heard he had a rough night" she spoke sympathetically. She stood from the bed, smoothing her clothes and just as she was about to turn and leave she gently pulled her wand from her sleeve and pointed it at James' face. The boys eyes widened, "oculus repairo" she whispered, and the crack on his glasses mended allowing his vision to be clear once again. James smiled at the girl as he watched her walk away but then his thoughts revisited the night before.

The prank.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ RIN TALKS

I know the prank was in fifth year but I needed an excuse for some extra angst guys.