AN: Okay, so this isn't the longest chapter ever but I just wanted to get it finished for all you who are waiting! Enjoy and please Follow and Review. I really do love hearing comments :)
Tuesday 17th May 1977
"Is there a problem with your book, Miss Mitchell?"
Professor McGonagall's stern voice breaks through my haze and, ripping my eyes away from the window, I stare at her in confusion.
"Professor?"
"No? Well, maybe your wand then?"
Glancing to my right, I see Regulus skilfully transfigure an old book into a black box. Seeing as we're in class, I assume that I'm probably supposed to be doing the same.
"Oh, sorry Professor," I cringe slightly under her hard eyes and rise from my seat, sheepishly taking my wand from my robe pocket. McGonagall's face doesn't soften but I feel her thin hand pat my shoulder lightly before she walks away.
"You could've nudged me or something," I scowl at my neighbour who, in turn, narrows his steely, grey eyes.
"You're not my responsibility," he replies coolly, turning back to his textbook, his fingers playing with the end of his left sleeve. As I stare at his long fingers, the urge to confront him with my suspicions grows. Instead of placing myself in a compromising, possibly dangerous position, I simply grab my own text book from my book bag and open it.
"Would you mind telling me what page I'm supposed to be on?"
"It doesn't really matter," Regulus admits, gesturing towards his box. "This is ridiculous and the class is nearly over."
How long have I been daydreaming?
"Fine," I mumble, slouching back down onto my seat.
"Is it because of your Auntie?" His unexpected question angers me, despite the barely noticeable sympathetic look on his face. "I heard she died recently."
"Yes," I snap. "Death Eaters."
I don't know what I wanted from him. A confession? Guilt? Both as unlikely. As well as unnecessary, if I'm honest. He doesn't reply and his facial expression hardens, the cold attitude returning. We face McGonagall at the front of the classroom, both sitting stiffly in our seats, awkwardness settling between us.
Even at the start of the year, when McGonagall placed us in our assigned seats, I never felt awkward sitting next to Regulus. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't thrilled about my Slytherin neighbour and, of course, it had to be Regulus Black, of all people, but we just accepted it with equal maturity.
Apologise! Apologise!
I can't make a classroom enemy out of Regulus. As selfish as it is, I'll need him in order to get through my OWLs! And his company wouldn't be missed either, especially in two of my least favourite lessons.
"Time to start tidying my classroom!" McGonagall's welcome announcement brings my school day to an end. "Chop, chop!"
Placing my book back into my bag, I turn to apologise to Regulus but he is gone. My eyes dart to the door and find him hurrying out of the classroom.
"Ugh!" I grunt in annoyance, realising I must chase after him if I'm to keep our sort-of, classmate friendship from deteriorating. Slinging my bag onto my back, I quickly dodge tables and students, soon finding myself speed walking (not running, that would be desperate) down the corridor, after Regulus.
"Regulus!" His back stiffens and his pace slows to a stop when I finally catch up to him. "Hi," I begin awkwardly, suddenly realising we've never spoken outside of a classroom or the library.
"Hello." His tone isn't annoyed or angry, but indifferent and confused, as though I was a stranger.
"Uh, yeah, so, um." Good start, I scorn myself mentally, just get to it! "Right, so, I just wanted to apologise for snapping at you. I'm just, well, a bit sensitive, right now. However, I shouldn't have snapped at you. You were only-"
Oomf!
I suddenly find myself hanging upside down by my ankle, Regulus' confused face the wrong way around. Realising I'd been attacked by a spell I've seen used on students many times before, I quickly whittle down my list of suspected attackers to four. No, three. Maybe two, I don't think Pettigrew would have the balls. As annoyed as I am, I can only think about writing to my mother, telling her that my decision to buy uniform trousers instead of skirts was a fantastic idea and that she should listen to me more often.
"Well, well," Sirius Black, however would I have guessed? "Looks like we have a traitor in our mist, Prongs."
"Indeed it does, Padfoot. Indeed it does."
Sirius begins to hiss like a snake and Regulus' face twists into a scowl.
"At least we stick by our own, Sirius," he spits, reaching for his wand inside his robe pocket.
"Mr Black!" I try my hardest not to laugh, or even cry, when both brothers turn at the sound of McGonagall's voice shouting their name down the corridor. "What on earth are you doing?"
"We're just having some fun," Sirius grins, arrogantly. "Aren't we, Missy?"
Missy? Ooh, if I wasn't upside down right now! If you're going to call me a traitor of Gryffindor, at least have the bloody curtesy to know my name!
On McGonagall's orders, I'm released from the spell and dropped, hard. My blood-filled head pounds violently and the pain in my temples, thankfully, overshadows my anger, otherwise I'd have probably received detention from McGonagall too.
1 Week Later
"You look like an angry stalker."
I turn to my friend, Helen, who's currently smirking at me, and open my mouth to tell her to shut up. I don't, however, because I realise she's right.
"I just hate him!" I growl, squeezing my quill until it snaps in my hand. "Oh, fucking hell!"
I throw the broken quill across the Gryffindor common room, aiming towards a certain Sirius Black.
"You have to admit though-"
"Don't you d-"
"-he's drop-dead gorgeous."
I groan, rubbing the palms of my hands into my eyes, frustrated that Helen can't see how much of an arse he really is! I really do feel like punching that pretty, make up clad face of hers sometimes.
"Is that really all that matters to you? You know how awful he is, right?"
"Well, it's not all that matters. But it is very important," she wiggles her perfectly shaped eyebrows at me, lightly tossing her neat brown curls over her shoulder. "How do you know he's awful?"
"Excuse me? Are you blind? Or stupid? Or maybe just ignorant-"
"Hold on, now. You've never had a conversation with him, have you?"
I think about that for a moment and I honestly can't remember ever saying anything other than swear words to him.
"I don't need to have a conversation with him to see what he's like." I turn my body away from her slightly, indicating that I am done with this conversation. Unfortunately, as I turn, I catch the eye of Sirius, and a mischievous grin immediately spreads across his face. "Shit."
Twirling the feather end of my broken quill in his fingers, he makes his way across the common room, over to me.
"I believe this is yours?"
"It was," I growl, crossing my arms over my chest. "Now it's broken."
He chuckles. "Yes, and why is that, may I ask?"
"No, you may not."
Sirius nods, looking at the feather for a moment before placing it behind his ear. "I think I'll keep it. It can serve as a reminder of you," he winks arrogantly.
I snort, rolling my eyes to make it very clear that his bullshit charm won't work on me.
"She doesn't like you," Helen pipes up from behind me, an almost desperate, and even jealous, tone to her voice.
"I've noticed," he tells her, not taking his eyes off of me. My light blue eyes narrow defensively as it becomes clear he is trying to break me with his grey ones. "Your OWLs start tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah, so?" I spit, wondering why he's still standing in front of me, his crotch inches from my face, which I'm sure he's well aware of.
"I was just thinking that you'd need a quill," he cocks his head, a slight smirk forming on his lips. "And seeing as I'm feeling kind, I thought you could borrow mine."
I sigh, frustrated by his stupid nonsense. "And why would I want to do that?"
"I don't know. But if you do, all you need to do is come to my dorm tonight and we can arrange something."
The minutes following that are all a bit of a blur. I remember standing up. I remember reaching for my wand. After that, I have no idea what happened.
"Mitchie, what have you done?"
Helen's voice brings me back down to earth and I look nervously at Sirius, who is on the ground in front of me.
Laughter, full on, bellyaching laughter, bursts from me. Gripping my stomach, I crease over, trying to catch my breath as Sirius reaches for his hair to make sure it is still there. That causes another round of laughter, followed by another.
Lying in front of me is Sirius Black, angry that he doesn't know why I'm laughing and panicking because he knows it's bad.
"Sirius? Oh my!" Remus comes over, his shocked expression only just masking his laughter.
"What is it?"
"You're, um, well, orange," Remus lets out a little laugh but Sirius doesn't notice as he runs to the nearby window to see his reflection. All of his visible skin was, hilariously, covered in a strange orange rash, making him look like some sort of creature from a Muggle comic book.
"What did you do?" He roars, turning back around to face me.
"I- don't-" I shake my hand and head at the same time, laughing too much to form words. He takes out his wand, ready to strike but Remus quickly stands in front of me.
"Sirius, let's just get you down to Madam Pomfrey. She'll know what to do."
Sirius scowls at me, anger radiating from every inch of him. I'm almost scared. If he wasn't orange, I would be, but the orange completely takes the edge off of the anger. I can't help but to continue to laugh as Sirius, followed by all of his friends now, quickly exits the common room.
"Okay, okay," Helen giggles. "That was pretty funny. But we should get out of here before McGonagall comes looking."
"You're right," I reply, still laughing quietly as I gather my things and head towards the dorm, everyone in the common room staring at me in shock as I do so. Me and Helen reach our room to find Daria revising on the floor, surrounded by sheets.
"Daria," Helen begins. "You remember saying that Mitchie had a death wish."
"Yes, many times. Why?" She tears her curious eyes away from her work.
"I think you're definitely right about that."
AN: Hope you enjoyed! Review and follow! New chapter will be up as soon as it is written. I want ideas for casual interactions between Mitchie and Sirius so if anyone has any ideas, I'm open to them! :)