Author's Note: For the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Season Two/Finals Round One, as Captain for the Caerphilly Catapults, writing with the line, "Are you sure about that? Really sure? As in... sure sure?" Also, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 586. Seven Days.
Seven Days
(AU. Lucy has a photography class project. She has to take a picture of one person every day for a week, each day representing one of the seven deadly sins. Her sister, Molly, volunteers.)
Even though Molly was a senior and Lucy a freshman, they always walked home from their high school together every day. Lucy had friends she could've walked with—Molly really didn't, but she wouldn't have minded walking alone. Yet they ended up falling into the pattern anyway.
And every day, Molly would be quiet while Lucy enthused about whatever had happened during her day.
"Ooh, I got a new project!" Lucy exclaimed on one day. "For photography. I have to take a picture of the same person every day."
There was a rare pause in her chatter, and so Molly asked, "Every day?" It wasn't the amount of work that bothered her—she did a lot more of it than Lucy, was more dedicated to school than Lucy—but it seemed irritating for whoever was being photographed.
"Just for a week," said Lucy. "Each day is supposed to be one of the seven deadly sins. I just don't know who I'm going to photograph."
After a second, Molly said, "You could photograph me."
"You?"
"Yes."
"But—but you never volunteer for things like that."
Molly gave a sigh. "I'm in a generous mood. So I'll volunteer."
"Well, okay," said Lucy. "But…. Are you sure about that? Really sure? As in… sure sure?"
"I guess," Molly said.
"Great!" Lucy's usual excitement was back. "So which one do you want to do first?"
o
Day One: Wrath
"Look angrier, Molly!" Lucy exclaimed.
The more her sister pestered her to look angry, the more frustrated Molly got. Which made her look angrier. Which made her sister realize pestering her was succeeding. Which made her keep doing it. Which was annoying Molly more and more.
She didn't know why she'd volunteered for this. She felt like an idiot, waving a fist at the camera.
"I'm trying!" she snapped at Lucy.
"Shuuuush, stop moving."
Lucy snapped a few more pictures in an attempt to get the perfect one. "Now move. To the right. I need more of the red curtains in the shot."
Molly did.
It was going to be a long afternoon.
o
Day Two: Envy
The color of the next day was green. Green with envy. Just classic, Molly thought, her mental tone sarcastic even though it was true.
She wasn't sure how to look envious, but Lucy was determined to adjust her posture, her expression, to be just right….
"Hold that," said Lucy, and moved backwards again to snap more pictures.
o
Day Three: Greed
Lucy was obsessed with the lighting. Molly was supposed to grin—which she wasn't good at—while holding paper money as if fanning herself. She was trying to concentrate on that, but Lucy's fussing was distracting her.
All of the lights were behind the camera, and were only getting in Molly's eyes, but Lucy was trying to adjust them to focus on the bills in Molly's hand.
It probably didn't help that they were just lamps and flashlights gathered from around the house.
Her photos were one of the only things that Lucy fussed over, and it was interesting to see her sister fuss for once, instead of herself.
In Molly's opinion, at least.
o
Day Four: Lust
When Lucy had told her they were doing the sin of "lust", that day, Molly had turned as bright red as her hair.
"Don't worry, it still has to be school appropriate," babbled Lucy.
She experimented with camera angles over what Molly was actually doing, but Molly was still thinking that she wasn't so sure about her decision to volunteer for the project.
She wondered if Lucy's teacher wasn't so sure about the project after that day, either.
o
Day Five: Sloth
This was the easiest day. All she had to do was look lazy, so she could actually be lazy. On the down side, Lucy was encouraging her to not get too motivated during the little breaks.
"Stop doing so much homework!" she scolded.
"Well, I'm sorry your homework is taking up so much of my time," said Molly.
"You volunteered," smiled Lucy.
o
Day Six: Gluttony
Molly was staring down so much food, but she didn't get to eat any of it.
To be fair, most of it wasn't real food—it was painted or bleached to Lucy's liking for the pictures. But Molly was still hungry.
Apparently she represented some of the sins better than she thought.
o
Day Seven: Pride
"This shouldn't be hard for you," smirked Lucy. "Last day, easy one."
"I can't be that bad," Molly insisted.
"Uh huh."
Lucy moved to be behind the camera. "Just try to look natural."
Molly scowled.
"Not that natural. Your 'I told you so' natural."
Molly raised an eyebrow at her.
"Not that, either."
Molly sighed.
"Molly."
She smirked, this time, at her sister's frustration, and the flash went off.
o
"I got an A!" Lucy squealed as she bolted into the house, several days later. Molly was right behind her—their parents looked at the girls, Percy pleased, Audrey amused.
"The teacher said she loved it!" Lucy continued enthusing. "I got the highest grade in the class, and—"
"—You couldn't have done it without me?" asked Molly.
"Yes, that. I'd like to thank—well, you."
"Thank you," Molly said sarcastically, with a little bow.
Lucy hugged her tightly as Molly scowled again.
"I wonder what our next project will be…."
END
