☆UNEDITED☆

Published on 12th December 2020, 11:49 am, IST

¹³ Revenge Before Christmas

"I was being awesome!"

━━☆━━

☆    "EMMELINE AND I broke up last night," Was the news James had brought up the next morning at breakfast.

    "How? Why? How did she take it?" Remus questioned.

    James shrugged for a response, shoving scrambled eggs into his mouth. "Actually, she broke up with me."

    "What!"

    James nodded. "She was actually really nice about it.
    We were in the middle of dancing, and she literally stopped on the dance floor and dragged me over to the food table. She said that we should break up because I was still in love with Lily Evans and that it wasn't fair on her to date her while I was still in love with someone else. She said that she hoped Lily would come around and that she, Emmeline wasn't the one for me."

    "Well, good for her." Remus smiled, buttering his toast. "But you and Emmeline weren't the only couple that broke up last night, were you?"

    James snapped his head up, looking at Remus with curiosity and hope. "Who broke up? Was it Lily and Aubrey?"

    "No," Remus shook his head, "I ran into Rin this morning, she said that she broke up with Leonard. But you already knew that, didn't you, Sirius?" he looked at Sirius with a knowing look in his eye.

    All eyes darted to the person in question.

    "I did," Sirius said slowly. "Actually, I was there with her when she broke up with him."

    "At least something good happened last night," James said gleefully. "What happened? Tell me everything!"

    Sirius frowned slightly. "I don't think Rin would want me to tell you the details of her break-up. All you need to know is that Leonard did something unforgivable."

    James folded his arms, pouting childishly, but sat up straight and glowered at the end of Sirius' sentence.

    "What did he do to her?! Nevermind, should we prank him?"

    "Oh, yeah, definitely. But Rin did handle it pretty well yesterday, though."

    "Why? What did she do?" Peter asked, eyes shining in anticipation.

    "She used the Vermiculus spell on him. Made worms appear on him." Sirius smirked, "Lovely sight, seeing him running around the hallway in his knickers, trying to shed off his pants."

━━☆━━

    "What are you guys doing?" Rin asked the marauders who were sitting in a huddle in the common room, hunched over something, startling all of them.

    "Heyyyy Rin!" James smiled at her, not-so-subtly shoving a book under the couch.

    Rin smiled fondly, plopping down next to Sirius, slinging an arm around him, he flushed an unnoticeable blush.

    "What are you doing?" She repeated her question.

    "Homework!"

    "Studying Quidditch strategy!"

    "Food!"

    "I was being awesome!"

    Rin snorted, "Homework? But you told me that you finished all of it before the dance. James, only you play Quidditch out you four. And Peter, food? Really? Couldn't you even try? And Sirius. . . You know what, I'm not going to even comment on your sentence. Now, what were you really doing?"

    Remus sighed defeatedly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "We were planning a prank," He stated.

    "On whom?" Rin inquired interestedly but then groaned. "Is it Bertram again?" She asked. "Lily is still mad about that prank. And if it's Snape. . . Lily is still defensive about him, so whatever you do, don't be too harsh on him-"

    "It's not Snivellus or Aubrey." James groaned. "It's Dexter. Sirius told me you two broke up."

    Rin rounded on Sirius angrily, "You told him what happened?!" she screeched.

    "No!" Sirius held up his hands in defence. "I just told him that he did something unforgivable and that you handled it well."

    "Right," Then she reached under the sofa and got the book out, a charms book. "Now let me in on the prank. I want that bastard to get what he deserves."

    None of them liked the malicious glint in her eye.

━━☆━━

    Leonard Dexter stalked into the great hall, it was the last dinner at the school before the Christmas holidays.

    As per Rin's request, Dorcas and Lily had sat with the marauders for the feast.

    Much to the latter's loathing for James Potter, who was positively beaming, for Lily had sat down across him.

    The group of seven glared at Leonard as he stalked into the great hall, without a care in the world about what had happened the night prior.

    "Look at him!" Sirius snarled, glowering at Leonard. "I think the git deserves what he's going to get!"

    Lily and Dorcas shared confused looks with each other, not knowing about the contents of the prank.

    "Just watch,"

    Rin discreetly pointed her wand at him under the table and whispered "Pustula!"

    Leonard screamed as huge purple boils began forming on his body, the largest ones on his forehead forming the word 'cheater'.

    Soon, all the students started howling with laughter, the marauders and Rin sharing multiple hi-fives, the teachers trying to regain order but failing to stifle their own smiles either.

    Leonard was finally escorted to the hospital wing by Professor Sprout, and the laughter had slowly subsided, though everyone was still talking about it.

    Professor McGonagall approached the little group, looking stern but the small twitch of her lips proving otherwise.

    "Potter, Black," She glanced at the other. ". . . Lupin, Pettigrew?" She then sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I think we all know that you four caused this prank-"

    "Please, Professor," Rin cut through McGonagall's voice. "It was me. I did the spell on Leonard." She gestured to her friends, "So don't punish them."

    The Professor stared at her in shock, not quite believing her words. "Miss Potter. . . are you sure?"

    Rin nodded firmly.

    "Well, then, detention, Miss Potter. The day after the holidays."

━━☆━━

    The Marauders and the girls boarded the train, heaving their trunks up the steps.

    A warm hand grasped around Rin's who was unsuccessfully trying to heave her trunk up the steps.

    "I'll take it," Said Sirius, trying to get her trunk out of her grasp.

    Rin raised an eyebrow at him, pushing him away slightly and pointing her wand at her trunk.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" She smirked at him and levitated her trunk inside.

    "I have prefect duties!" Lily groaned, standing up.

    "Aw," Rin pouted, "Now we won't have you for gossip!"

    Dorcas winced. "Yeah. . . about that. . . Marlene asked me to sit with her and her friends. . . but only for a little while! I'll be back when Lily finishes her prefect duties!"

    "Ugh," Rin groaned, falling backwards to her seat. "But that means that I'll have to sit with James and the others! I love my brother, but I haven't talked to you girls in ages! I really don't feel like spending the majority of the train ride talking about pranks and Quidditch!"

    Dorcas and Lily nodded sympathetically, patting Rin on the back.

    "Don't worry Rin, We'll try to come back as soon as we can."

    Nesrin stalked into the marauders' compartment and made a face at the mess the boys had already made.

    James and Sirius were playing a game of exploding snap,

    and Peter was watching them excitedly, stuffing his face with sweets, chocolate already smeared all over his face.

    "Rin!" Sirius smiled, looking away from his game.

    "Aha!" James cried, pointing his want at the identical card. "I win!"

    "Hey not fair! I would've won if Rin-"

    "LALALALALA!" James yelled, stuffing his fingers into his ears. "I can't hear you! I won fair and square!"

    "Oi shut up-"

    Rin rolled her eyes fondly, settling down in the compartment and getting out a book to read. "Boys," she muttered.

    Some time had passed and after two more games of exploding snap, a Bertie Botts eating contest and Peter vomiting after eating too many sweets, James and Peter had fallen asleep.

    Leaving Nesrin and Sirius in comfortable silence.

    "So, er, Nesrin, how are you?" Sirius asked her awkwardly, absentmindedly twirling his wand between his fingers.

    "I'm fine. . .?"

    "Oh, right. Of course. I just asked since we haven't really talked since-"

    "About the dance-"

    "Of course-"

    "I don't really-"

    Both of them fell silent, then started laughing a little at their awkwardness.

    "All jokes aside though," Said Sirius, their chuckles finally coming to a stop. "Are you okay? I mean- not like you have to be- Dexter was your boyfriend-"

    "I know what you mean." Rin sighed, rubbing her temples. "And. . . I'm kind of not okay. . .? I mean, I did want to break up with Leonard, it didn't feel special anymore, but. . ." She hesitated a bit, "I'm still mad that he cheated on me. Like, why did he cheat on me? Wasn't I good enough of a girlfriend? It feels like I-"

    Sirius cut of Rin's rant by hugging her tightly, her responding after a second of shock.

    "You are good enough, Rin. It was Dexter at fault here. He's an arsehole. It's him who wasn't good enough. You deserve better."

    "Thank you, Sirius," Rin chuckled. "I really need that."

    The compartment door slammed open, Sirius and Rin springing apart in surprise.

    Remus stood at the entrance, staring at the two teens suspiciously.

    "Prefect duties are over," He said finally. "Lily told me to tell you, said you would be here."

    "Right, I better get going then, bye Sirius." Rin picked up her book and walked over to the entryway.

    "Remus," She nodded at him and exited the compartment.

    Remus spun to Sirius the second she was gone. "Do you fancy Rin?"

    "What?"

    "I said, do you fancy Rin?"

    "No! Of course not!"

    Remus sighed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright if you do, Padfoot,"

    "It is?"

    "No, of course it's not!" He yelled, thumping Sirius on the head. "She's James' sister!"

    Then he drew a deep breath, regaining his composure.

    "If I were you," He says. "I wouldn't act on my feelings. Rin is James' sister, and he wouldn't forgive you if something happened between you two. I would advise you let this fancy pass."

    Sirius smiled sorrowfully and agreed with Remus' words, but inwardly, he wasn't sure that it was just a passing fancy.

━━☆━━

So, there's not going to be an update next week,
Since my exams are starting.
I'll be back the week after!

See you at the next update! :)

Kathu