A/N: In which the Marauders learn something about Sirius that they never knew, and Sirius has a run-in with his brother.

Guest: To each their own, I guess. They definitely had their moments, but I love the Marauders and I don't think they deserved any of their fates. Except Peter, but that's a whole other topic.

the-lights-there: His realization will definitely be verrryy slow! I have a lot planned for Sirius in this story as you can probably imagine

Aamarylis: A very good analysis on Sirius's character ;) He's not going to realize that he's fallen for Vivian until he already has. His heart and thoughts won't align for a while. It will definitely be a shock for him!

haleygur7: True, true, he is very stubborn

LoveFiction2019: Thank you!

hella-sirius: I shall take your ideas into consideration ;) I have a general skeleton outline but it isn't too in depth, so my answer to your projection (lol) is that I don't know yet. My writing method is to let a story go in whichever direction it wants to without too much planning on my part, so whatever Vivian will end up doing, it will surprise us both. I can say though that I'm tentatively thinking of making Sirius adopt some of James's tactics when shit hits the fan later on...that will be extremely fun to write

a-reads: Thank you, so glad you're enjoying the story so far! And true, Sirius is still a bit immature and his cruelty isn't because he's evil. I feel like he was a bit of a bully in school, so that's how I'm writing him for the first half of this story. He'll definitely get past his black and white perception regarding Vivian though! I'm looking forward to confusing him during the process ;) Also I'm glad you like my depiction of Regulus and you'll actually get your wish for some brother interaction in this chapter. Regulus will be playing a huge role in Vivian's future, so there will be many scenes of him in the beginning of the story in order to set up for what I have planned. I personally love Regulus though. He's a flawed character, but he really tries to make up for his mistakes by the end of his life. Anyway thank you for your review and feedback!

Hope you all enjoy!


Chapter Seven | Verum fata

[Fate brings truth]

The afternoon is a beautiful one. The sun makes an appearance in the blue skies and lures students out of the castle between classes to catch some rays of its warmth. Several groups populate the area near the Black Lake. Laughter and conversation can be heard in droves, especially coming from one group in particular.

"The best part, though, was when her face turned as red as her robes," Sirius snickers, pulling his expression into a mocking sneer as he attempts to recreate Vivian's glowering countenance. It isn't a very good replication, but then again, it's rather difficult to copy such a look. When the situation calls for it, Vivian Blair has a very impressive sneer.

Like many other students, the Marauders are spending the remainder of their day basking in the sun. Their ties are loosened and their black robes shucked off as they sit beside the Black Lake and share fond memories of their latest prank. Several other Gryffindors have gathered around them to join in and share the laughter amongst themselves. Any prank involving a Slytherin usually has such an effect.

Marlene McKinnon giggles brightly and leans into Sirius to say, "It was rather clever of you. I do love the way your mind works, Sirius." As she touches the collar of his shirt and smooths it out, it's clear enough that she loves a great many other things about Sirius Black too, and Sirius in turn loves the attention.

With a smirk, he turns his head towards her and catches her eye. Marlene and him have always had one of those relationships that doesn't have a definitive end. Every so often they end up in a heated snogging session. Sirius isn't the sort to have a long-term girlfriend, but everyone knows that Marlene would love to be the first. None of the other Marauders have the heart to tell her that it will probably never happen. Their friend enjoys his freedom too much to let a girl tame him, and the consistent way she throws herself at him only feeds his arrogant nature and his staunch desire to be an eternal bachelor. Of course, being a bachelor doesn't mean that he doesn't have plenty of fun. He's probably been with more girls than anyone else in the school, but his relationships typically only last a week or two before he moves on to the next.

He's restless, and has a certain disposition that makes it difficult for him to trust anyone else besides the friends at his side. Perhaps it's a natural reaction to the familial hardships that he has suffered from these past years; perhaps it's merely because he is Sirius Black, rebellious and independent.

"I still think it's a bad idea, ruffling her feathers like this," Remus inputs as he turns a page in the textbook he's brought with him. Professor Binns had given them an assignment on the 8th century troll wars. The droning lecture that they had suffered through that morning is already escaping his memory, hence his decision to brush up on it before writing the essay they were assigned, which is due tomorrow. Their workload is much increased this year, to such an extent that even Remus is already wondering how he'll accomplish all of their homework, and study for their NEWTs, and perform prefect duties. That's not even including the trouble that Sirius is apparently determined to get them all into this year, since it's their 'last chance to leave an impression'.

His words make Sirius huff and turn away from the heated look he's been bestowing upon Marlene. Eyeing Remus from his spot against the trunk of the great tree that grows beside the lake, he insists, "It was funny. I know you agree. Admit it, Moony."

Remus, for his part, just rolls his eyes and leans into his book in hopes of staving off the amused flicker of his gaze. For all his adamant rebuttals, he does have to admit that it had been rather entertaining. He might not hate Vivian Blair, but a prank is, after all, a prank.

James, who is stretched out on the ground a few feet away, laughs loudly when he sees how hard Remus is trying to keep his smile at bay, and quips, "He thinks it's hilarious, Pads. He just doesn't want to admit that he didn't come up with the idea himself!"

Remus throws James a look that doesn't help his cause, and Sirius barks out a laugh. To their left, Peter is using a notebook as a fan, having given up rereading the dismal notes he had taken that morning, and sends his friends a grin.

"It was a good idea. Not as good as some of our other ones, though," he adds, and flops down to look up at the sky.

Sirius nods thoughtfully and responds, "Too true, Wormtail. Good thing we're going to make this year count." He throws an arm over Marlene's shoulders and she giggles at the way he heaves her into his side.

With a loud, despondent sigh, James murmurs, "Correction: you're going to make it count. I've got to stay out of trouble this year."

Peter turns his head to look at James with raised eyebrows and incredulously says, "I guess your Head-Boy badge means more to you than I thought, Prongs!"

Remus and Sirius just shake their heads, knowing full well why James is so adamant about taking a different approach this year. Peter, though, is eternally in the dark and doesn't connect the dots until James bursts into laughter and snorts, "My badge? Hell no. Wormy, I intend on getting Lily to fall in love with me by the end of the year, which means that my Marauding days are over. Or at least put on hold for the foreseeable future." The addition is added with a tone of hopefulness, as if he's optimistic that if he plays his cards right, he could have the girl of his dreams and keep his Marauding reputation intact.

Sirius snickers and drawls, "You said that yesterday too, but it was so easy to convince you to sneak into the Slytherin common room last night."

In retribution, James grabs Remus's textbook out of his hands and throws it at Sirius, who yelps a bit as it narrowly avoids his head. Remus sighs at their antics and promptly accios his book back.

At Sirius's side, Marlene shoots James a glower and fixes her hair, which had gotten a bit mussed from the textbook attack. As she threads her fingers through the dark blonde strands, she sniffs, "I don't know, James. Lily was pretty annoyed at you last night. She kept going on and on about how none of you have changed. I almost ended up sleeping down in the common room just to escape her whining."

James looks baffled by this. Remus, unsurprised, starts scrawling down a few key facts to use in his essay later. Peter looks bored as he draws out a packet of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans from his bookbag. Sirius smirks, draws Marlene closer, and playfully tells her, "You're always welcome in my bed, Marl."

The giggle that promptly leave her lips is easily drowned out by James's grousing. "I didn't even come up with the idea! This was all Sirius! I just went along for the ride!"

If any of them is surprised that this subtlety doesn't make a difference to Lily Evans, they don't show it. This is probably because none of them are surprised – except, obviously, James himself, who frowns deeply and sits up, running a hand through his already messy hair and glowering at the surface of the lake. All the mysteries of the universe play out over his expression. Unraveling the mind of Lily Evans is not a simple task.

"Anyway," Sirius says, waving a hand as if brushing aside James's glower. "I don't know why you're so against the idea of getting just payback on Vivian, Moony. She deserves it."

There are those words again – words that have Remus heaving a quiet sigh as he pauses in his notetaking. He glances up from the list of bullet points he's jotting down on the 8th century troll wars and sends Sirius an exasperated look.

"What, exactly, did she do?" he wonders calmly, knowing that it is the best approach to take. A tone that is heavier would only incite Sirius's defensiveness; a tone much lighter would serve to produce a more joking response. He knows just how to handle Sirius's brash personality by now. Six and a half years of friendship has given him a leg up in regards to dealing with his wayward friends.

James, who is still moodily studying the lake, grumbles, "Besides being a Slytherin? Do we need another reason?"

His response isn't the one that Remus is looking for, though. He keeps his eyes trained to Sirius, who is thoughtfully leaning back on his elbows as he stretches his legs over the grass before him and peers up into the sky. James needs no other reason to dislike Vivian Blair, but his dislike only extends as far as a more generalized mischief making vendetta. She's a Slytherin, therefore a decent target, but not one that he's obsessed with pranking. He targets plenty of other people throughout the various houses just as much, including his fellow Gryffindors. Sirius, on the other hand, seems to have formed an almost singular agenda regarding his pranks on Vivian ever since first year, and they've only gotten more intricate as time went by.

With a shrug, Sirius breezily proclaims, "It's not what she's done; it's what she could have done."

Naturally, his vague words make them all turn to look at him with raised eyebrows, and Sirius in turn looks slightly uncomfortable. This is a rare spectacle, seeing as he usually enjoys attention in any form, whether good or bad.

"Look, it's hard to explain. It's a pureblood thing. None of you would understand," he says, a little gruffly, and doesn't extrapolate.

James laughs incredulously and reminds him, "I might."

But it hardly matters that James is a pureblood too, because he comes from a very different family than Sirius does. His parents have nothing against muggles or muggleborns. They don't care at all for the stringent social divide that had formed the foundations of Sirius's upbringing. They might both be purebloods, but they are very different kinds of purebloods, and as such, they share very different traditions.

Sirius shoots a glance at James and twists his mouth into a wry expression, obviously wondering if he should let them in on his real reasons for disliking Vivian Blair. As he ponders the pros and cons, James rolls his eyes at him and drawls, "I thought your reason is because she calls you a blood traitor all the time."

In turn, Sirius rolls his eyes too and mutters, "Please. Do you know how many times I'm called that? I don't care what she thinks of me." Then, glancing over at Marlene, he nudges her off him and says, "Go on, Marl. I'm dismissing you."

The girl gapes at him, but when she sees that he's being serious, she angrily stands up and says, "Well! See if I let you pull me into a broom closet this year, Sirius Black!"

"Aw, c'mon, Marlene. I just want to have a private conversation with the boys," he tells her, but doesn't sound very sorry about it. He doesn't look sorry, either, when Marlene frowns at him and stomps off, muttering beneath her breath.

Peter watches her go with a baffled expression, partly because he just doesn't understand girls, and partly because he's always a little impressed with how easily Sirius gets his way. Furthermore, they all expect the pair to make up promptly before the week is over, most likely in the very broom closet that Marlene had just sworn off of. Sirius always manages to smooth things over with just a wink and his signature grin, no matter which girl he's got his eye on. They fall like dominos every time, unable to resist his dashing, rebellious charm.

The topic of said charm is not at the top of this particular discussion, however. James nudges his friend with the tip of his shoe and demands, "Well? Tell us. I always thought you just hated Blair because it was fun."

Sirius pointedly moves his shin away from James's shoe and scoffs, "It is fun, but the real reason…" he trails off and sweeps his gaze surreptitiously around the area as if to check for eavesdroppers. His antics only make his friends lean in closer, their curiosity mounting.

"The real reason…" he murmurs, dropping his voice low and catching each other their eyes with deadly solemnity, "…is because she insulted my hair back in second year."

James immediately chokes on his laughter. Remus sighs mournfully and returns to his notebook. Peter nods understandably and pops a Bertie Bott's bean into his mouth, then makes a face and spits it out only seconds later.

"Are you serious?" James demands, and then clamps his mouth shut because every time he asks that question, Sirius smirks, "Why yes, I am Sirius," and it's stopped being amusing a long time ago.

This time, though, Sirius's response is a bit more original when he shrugs, "Well, I've got another reason, but I'm not sure any of you would – "

"Oh just say it already," Remus says impatiently, looking up again from his book now that he knows that Sirius had just been playing around with the hair thing. (Though, in all fairness, his hair is his prized feature.)

They all wait as he pauses, looking a bit more solemn than he had moments before, and then finally sighs, "So you know how a lot of pureblood families arrange marriages for their kids when they're still really young?"

James nods. "Yeah, sure. It's one of those traditions that – wait, hold up a moment," he cuts himself off, eyes widening as he turns to stare at his friend. "You're not about to say what I think you are, right?"

The cringe that overpowers Sirius's face is really all the answer they need. James's mouth falls open in shock. Remus looks similarly shocked as he drops his quill and stares at him, while Peter's eyebrows furrow a bit in confusion, apparently not quite getting the message that his other friends have received. Thankfully (or not), James clears everything up for him a moment later, in a voice that's louder than Sirius appreciates.

"You're engaged to Vivian Blair?!" James exclaims, and Sirius immediately scowls at him and launches forward to slap a hand over his mouth, looking around furtively to ensure that no one had overheard. Thankfully, no one has even looked over at them.

With a hiss, Sirius responds, "No, I'm not! Now shut up, would you? I don't want this getting around – it would ruin my reputation!"

Remus rubs his forehead and says, "I think you'd better explain this, Padfoot."

Sirius huffs. "I would if you'd let me." They all quiet down, and he sighs, "I was betrothed to her way back when we were kids, but once I got sorted into Gryffindor, her parents decided I was no good for her and broke it off. As you can all imagine, I was very happy when I got the news." His friends nod agreeably and he adds, "As you all know, my parents decided I was no good for the renowned house of Black, too, and that I wasn't worth the effort to pair off. It really all worked out in the end and everyone's all the happier for it."

With that, he leans back and nods, apparently content with his explanation, however brief. In truth, there is little more to say on the matter. His betrothal to Vivian had lasted only a few years, from when he was about six years old to when he was sorted into Gryffindor. He hadn't seen much of her as a child, only being in the same vicinity as her a handful of times during Christmas parties and the like, and hadn't had a reason to get to know her at Hogwarts either. She got sorted into Slytherin like the rest of her family, properly living up to the Blair legacy and making her parents proud; while he got sorted into Gryffindor and did the exact opposite. The betrothal was broken off only a little while after that, much to the anger of his mother, who had hoped that a union with the Blair family might rectify his own failings. When it hadn't, the mother-son relationship had gone downhill ever since.

His three friends stare at him for a long moment before their reactions bubble to the surface. Sirius looks a bit indignant when James ends up bursting into laughter with Remus closely following him. Even Peter lets out a few chuckles, though it's only because his other friends seem to find it so amusing.

"Oh Merlin, this is too much," James gasps, flopping down into the grass and snickering madly. He's laughing so hard that his eyes are getting a bit watery. Remus, who is always so calm and collected, doesn't look at all apologetic to be laughing as well. In fact, his wolfish grin is wide and encompassing, and looks almost out of place on his normally composed face.

With a frown, Sirius demands, "What is so funny about this?"

He certainly doesn't find it funny. In fact, it's been a thorn in his side for years now.

James and Remus calm down a bit and sober up – until, of course, they happen to look over at each other, and that one little look is enough to send them both reeling back into their laughter. As for Peter, he's stopped pretending to chuckle and is now focusing his attention back to his bag of Bertie Bott's while he shrugs at Sirius. Unfortunately, his feeble attempt at backing him up is exactly that: feeble. It doesn't make Sirius feel any better at all.

James wipes his eyes and says in a tight voice, still stricken with laughter, "It's just – I thought there would be an actual reason for you hating her. You know, like an evil thing she's done to you or something."

Upon hearing this, Sirius's mouth drops open and he indignantly declares, "That is a real reason! And it is evil!"

His insistence only makes James laugh harder, though Remus is starting to calm down enough to say in a relatively straight voice, "So basically what you're saying is that you hate Vivian Blair because of something both your parents decided when you were children, even though that decision ended up not even coming to fruition because it was broken years ago."

Sirius opens his mouth to give him a retort, pauses, then settles for a muttered, "Yeah. And because she made fun of me for it all throughout first year by saying that I'd never live up to the Black legacy because no pureblood family would have me."

This, at least, makes James stop laughing. He frowns and proclaims, "I'll have you, Padfoot!"

Sirius's mouth twitches into a smile, and he points out, "Yeah, but I'm not gonna marry you, Prongs."

James snickers, inches closer to him, then dramatically flutters his eyelashes as he says, "You heartbreaker. Personally, I think I'd make a half decent wife."

Sirius's only response is to roll his eyes and shove him away.

As James tumbles backwards with an exaggerated 'oof', Peter thoughtfully hums, "I think that's a good reason to hate her, Padfoot. I probably would too."

From the grass, James snorts and drawls, "Yeah, but let's face it, you're never gonna get married, Wormtail. To get yourself a girl, you actually have to pay attention to them."

Peter doesn't look overly offended by this and just shrugs as he pops another bean into his mouth and makes a disgusted face upon swallowing it.

"Anyway, I wasn't expecting this," Remus says after a moment of silence, and glances over at Sirius with a careful expression. Sirius notices, of course, and raises an eyebrow questionably at him. Shrugging, Remus explains, "It just seems silly to hate someone over something that they had absolutely no say in. I mean, it's not like she asked to be engaged to you – or that she asked for it the be broken."

James hums and adds, "Yeah, but she is a Slytherin, so I guess it's okay."

Remus rolls his eyes. He puts his textbook down and shakes his head as he says, "Regardless of what house she's in, the point is that he doesn't have a good reason to hate her. He just does on principle."

Sirius frowns at him and defensively reminds him, "Did you not hear about how she made fun of me during our entire first year? That's a reason. Plus she's a foul person overall."

As if he doesn't even hear him (which annoys Sirius to no end and they all know it), Remus goes on to say, "Oh, and another thing – this year, he seems to be noticing her more than usual. So we have to ask ourselves: why the sudden interest, Padfoot?"

The diplomatic question makes them all turn to stare at him curiously, much to Sirius's annoyance. James's eyes flash with amusement. Remus tilts his head patiently. Peter rests his chin on his palm and lifts his attention away from his candy for a moment longer than usual.

Spluttering, Sirius repeats, "Sudden interest? What are you getting at, Moony?"

His lack of a good response makes James's mouth curl up into that look – the one he always gets when he's about to wreak havoc on unsuspecting victims. The one that tells everyone in the general vicinity to watch out because something bad is about to happen. The one that makes girls swoon while simultaneously making them want to run in the opposite direction lest they get caught in the crossfire of an epic prank.

Oh, Sirius knows that look, alright.

"Now that you mention it, Moony," James drawls, his eyes glinting mischievously in the sunlight. "It is rather odd that Padfoot is so intent on pranking her. He almost seems…preoccupied."

Remus's mouth twitches as a grin threatens to overcome him, but Sirius is not nearly as amused. With an unimpressed glower, his lips curl up distastefully and he scoffs, "I am not preoccupied with Vivian Blair."

His rebuttal doesn't seem to help his case though. James raises an eyebrow and slowly quips, "She has gotten rather pretty over the summer. Her hair's a bit longer and her cheekbones are way more defined. Plus, she's a bit more…developed, you know what I mean? Have you noticed, Moony?"

Sirius is starting to look downright dangerous, but it certainly doesn't frighten off his friends. Not even one of Sirius's glares could ever hope to tame the look that James currently has on his face.

Remus clears his throat to wipe out the humor in his voice when he replies, "Oh, I think we've all noticed, Prongs."

Gritting his teeth, Sirius firmly denies, "I do not like Blair."

James coughs to hide a laugh (he fails spectacularly) and then says, "I never said you liked her, Padfoot. I merely speculated that you secretly think she's hot and that you're tempted to break your rule and drag her into a broom closet."

Said rule being that Sirius Black will never, for any reason whatsoever – not even if the girl is ridiculously attractive with a body that's to die for – date, mess around with, or pay homage to a Slytherin. It's a rule that he happens to take very seriously, and to their knowledge, he hasn't broken it even once despite the many offers he's had over the years from various Slytherin females. Regardless of house boundaries, not even those girls are immune to Sirius Black's deadly charm. Alas, Sirius is immune to them.

With a barking snort, Sirius responds, "That's ridiculous. There's absolutely nothing about her that I find at all attractive. Stop looking at me like that, Moony. Contrary to popular belief, you do not know everything."

Remus purses his mouth, biting back a smile. "Just so you know, Padfoot, Blair is walking right towards you."

With a jolt, Sirius immediately sits up straight and casts a glance over his shoulder. As he does, James and Remus burst into laughter again and Sirius glowers at them. There is no trace of Vivian Blair on the school grounds. Her bright red and gold uniform would definitely give her away, seeing as she still hasn't managed to change her clothes back to how they're supposed to be. This only further proves to him that, despite Remus's quiet demeanor, he should never be underestimated.

"Oh sod off," Sirius mutters, and reaches over to grab a handful of Bertie Bott's from Peter's large bag. But even when he starts chucking them at his two friends, it doesn't lessen their snickers in the least.


The Marauder's teasing has worn off by the time the next class is scheduled. At least the teasing that's directed at Sirius. In Potions, Slughorn does a double-take when he catches sight of his own house prefect striding into his classroom wearing bright red and gold robes. That Vivian appears to be some over-zealous Gryffindor wannabe seems to baffle him into speechlessness, and he casts surreptitious glances at her through the entire lecture. The Gryffindor side of the room is dying by the end of class, trying to keep their laughter down, and Vivian's face switches from her usual pale complexion to the color of her robes every time she catches one of them smirking at her.

It only gets better in Transfiguration, when McGonagall takes one look at her and her thin eyebrows shoot straight up into her hairline.

"Miss Blair…that is quite an…outfit you're wearing. I had no idea you appreciated Gryffindor so much," she says, looking both confused as well as strangely amused. Still, it certainly doesn't sway her disciplinary mind when she adds, "Of course, you are technically out of dress code. I expect to see you in your proper uniform during our next class."

The fact that she lets it slide this time (well, she is the head of Gryffindor house) only makes Vivian even more annoyed, which is extremely amusing and Sirius has to literally stuff his fist against his mouth to avoid breaking out into uncontrollable laughter – especially when she turns in her seat to glare fitfully at him from a sea of black and emerald.

Indeed, her Slytherin housemates do not seem to know what to make of it either. Their primary reaction appears to be frustration, but it is the manner in which they express it that is so entertaining to the Marauders. Some of them direct their annoyance towards the four of them specifically, somehow knowing that they are to blame for their housemate's predicament. (It isn't that much of a leap, considering their history.) Still others are more frustrated with Vivian herself, as if they actually think that one of their own has made an abrupt, out-of-the-blue decision to become a turncoat. It's those reactions that are the very best.

"So, you fancy yourself a Gryffindor these days, do you?" Regulus asks her as he passes her in the halls later that afternoon. The corner of his mouth is just barely uplifted and his dark grey eyes are blanched with silvery amusement that is heavily curtained. If Vivian was anyone else, she might actually think that his tone is aggravated instead of purposefully rough to hide said amusement. As it is, his inquiry only makes her groan and walk a little faster, casting an envious glance at his emerald and black uniform and wishing that she could wrangle it off of him and –

Well, not like that. She just wants to trade. His pristine black and emerald robes are a thing to be envious of, and she'd do just about anything right now to return her own uniform to its proper coloring. Unfortunately, none of the spells that she's tried have worked, despite her penchant for charms. Whatever spell the Marauders used to turn her robes such a repulsive color is a pretty advanced one – a fact that makes her both frustrated as well as grudgingly impressed.

In any case, Regulus's normal outfit is making her even more frustrated than before, and she walks a little faster. He easily falls into step with her, his longer legs catching up to her fast stride within seconds.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, but I don't really think red is your color," he tells her with a shrug. She huffs and is about to respond when someone beats her to it.

"Really? I think red looks spectacular on her," a voice drawls from the windows, and both Vivian and Regulus turn to see the Marauders lounging against the space. Well, half of the Marauders. Sirius and Remus are obviously waiting for their next class, but Potter and Worm-fellow (or whatever his name is) aren't around so that's a plus, at least. Vivian sends Sirius a particularly nasty sneer that doesn't even make him bat an eye at her. No, it's Regulus who really manages to get a reaction from his rebellious older brother.

"She's a Slytherin. Not a Gryffindor," he says, sounding distinctly annoyed even though, moments before, he had been joking around. Or, at least, it had sort of sounded like it. She's never seen a playful side to Regulus before, but she figures it's probably full of his usual dry sarcasm.

Sirius's eyes darken imperceptivity. He pushes off of the wall as he retorts, "That doesn't mean she can't wear a bit of red every now and then."

Beside them, also leaning against the window ledge, Remus calmly watches the scene with cautious eyes. He seems content to sit there and let the brothers have at it for now.

Regulus's eyebrows raise into a sardonic expression, looks over at Vivian's extremely red and gold robes, and takes a step towards Sirius to scorn, "A bit of red? It's obvious that you had something to do with this. If I find out that you snuck into her dorm, of all places – "

"You'll what, write to mummy?" Sirius sarcastically throws back, and barks out a laugh. "Please. That trick stopped working years ago. I don't care what that old hag thinks."

It's common knowledge that the Black siblings don't really get along. They usually outright ignore each other, but every so often, they get into arguments in passing. Vivian has always found their relationship to be odd. Not because of the obvious – that Sirius is the black sheep of the family and that Regulus is the prodigal son – but because their arguments always come across as being fueled by something resembling protectiveness. Instead of arguing for argument's sake, they usually seem more like a way that the brothers acknowledge each other. It's confusing and backwards.

Regulus's eyes flash. "When are you going to get it into your thick skull that this isn't a way to treat a girl? You're so disrespectful – "

"I've never had a girl complain about the way I've treated them," Sirius cuts in with a dashing smirk. As if to prove his point, he winks at a group of Hufflepuffs who are lingering nearby, no doubt waiting for the same class, and they break out into whispered giggles. Then, crossing his arms, Sirius nods at Vivian and adds, "Besides, she's not a girl."

Before Regulus can say anything else, Vivian rolls her eyes and sarcastically wonders, "Then what, pray tell, am I?"

Sirius smirks vividly at her and starts to say, "You're a b – "

"Don't call me a bitch," she snaps at him before he can finish, and he raises his hands in surrender.

"I was gonna say a 'bat out of hell', actually," he says innocently. She could honestly strangle him, especially when he snickers, "It's nice to know how lowly you think of yourself, though, Blair."

Remus sighs and tilts his head back to lean against the window pane.

Regulus straightens his robes, making sure to flash his prefect badge at Sirius (as if he actually thinks that this will frighten him), and drawls, "Don't cross the line, Sirius. You might regret it."

Like Remus, Vivian also sighs. Regulus must know that this sort of comment will only entice Sirius to rebel against him. They are brothers, after all. He can't have gotten that out of tune with how Sirius's mind works. As expected, Sirius's reaction is precisely what Vivian assumes it will be: raised eyebrows, a smug expression, and a sardonic, "Ooh, are you protecting her, Reg?"

The question is dryly amused. It makes Vivian frown, because before this moment, it hadn't crossed her mind that Regulus might be doing just that. Is he protecting her? She's not sure why he would be. After all, they barely know each other.

Regulus rolls his eyes and calmly replies, "She's a Slytherin. Of course I'm protecting her. She's in my house and I'm a prefect. You're such an idiot sometimes."

Well, apparently Regulus is still quite in tune with his brother, because this very calm response does wonders at annoying Sirius. Grey eyes flash – two pairs, to be exact – like rainstorms colliding in an ocean. This argument doesn't seem to be anything like some of the other ones Vivian's witnessed, but she doesn't know why it's suddenly changed just because she's somehow gotten involved in it. She wouldn't have expected herself to be a variable in their blood feud, and yet she can't shake the feeling that she has somehow become one.

Grumbling beneath her breath, Vivian sends Sirius a glare and snaps, "If your childish prank doesn't go away by dinner, I'll make sure you don't have an evening to yourself for the rest of the term, Black."

She really should have known that this would only make Sirius cough out a laugh and say, "You want me that badly, huh? You could have just asked."

Regulus's eyes darken, but Vivian is quite finished with having him step into the unexpected role of her personal savior and she just breezily replies, "Maybe next time, I'll make you use that toothbrush on the owlery floor."

She sends him one last narrowed look before stepping off with a flourish of her bright red robes, and Sirius smirks. His eyes slid back to Regulus as Vivian stomps away. His younger brother is visibly annoyed, which is a rather rare thing to behold because he's always so closed-off. Sirius tilts his head curiously and, in a slightly less hostile voice, wonders, "Why are you protecting her, Reg? You aren't even friends."

And just like that, his brother shuts away his annoyance, and all his emotions really, and lets out a quiet scoff as he coldly stares at him.

"…Purebloods will have to stick together from now on, and Vivian is going to have to choose the right side," Regulus slowly says, his eyes burning like a firestorm of grey. He sends his older brother a dark look and adds, "It would be in her best interest not to associate with the likes of you."

Just as quickly as Regulus had cloistered away his emotions, Sirius's rush forth at full throttle. He takes a threatening step forward, no doubt to give Regulus a piece of his mind and to remind him that he's being far too idealistic about their family, but before he can, his brother shakes his head at him and turns to stalk off in the other direction, and Remus puts a hand on Sirius's arm before he can follow.

"We have class," he reminds his friend, and tugs him back to the window ledge. Sirius crosses his arms and snorts.

"…Purebloods sticking together…what's that supposed to mean, anyway?" he mutters to Remus, who hesitates before reaching into his bag and pulling out the Daily Prophet. It's yesterday's edition, but the headline is just as impactful as it had been when he'd read it the day before.

"Probably this," Remus says quietly, and hands it over.

It's nothing they haven't seen before. These days, muggleborn murders have become much more commonplace. It had started increasing in frequency over the summer and has only picked up since then. It seems that at least once a week, if not more, there is some story or another detailing the grotesque murder of yet another muggleborn wizard – or, in some cases, gruesome torture. Some of the victims manage to pull through with their lives, but they are irrevocably altered by what they had experienced. It's disgusting, and unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be slowing down.

Sirius's jaw clenches as he studies the image that's printed on the front page. A Dark Mark cuts through the sky above a dilapidated home. The snake moves through the skull, its mouth a cloudy shadow; a harbinger of death and evil at its most refined. The only thing in the image that isn't moving are the two bodies that are sprawled out in the yard. One is halfway strewn against the steps leading into the house; the other face-down in the grass several feet away. If the image itself isn't telltale enough, the caption makes it doubly clear.

'Two Muggleborns Found Dead Outside Brighton'

Repulsed and suddenly sick to his stomach, Sirius shoves the Prophet back into Remus's arms and scrubs a hand over his face.

"I knew that Blair was going down that road. Half the Slytherin house probably is – mark my words, Moony," he hisses, and Remus frowns.

His voice is hesitant when he murmurs, "You don't know that. Regulus only said – "

"That she's going to pick a side," he interrupts in a quiet voice, lest they be overheard. He turns to catch Remus's eye and solemnly says, "As a pureblood witch from a notoriously Slytherin family, what side do you think she's going to choose?"

It's obviously a rhetorical question, and also one that Remus doesn't have a straight answer to. While it's true that he's never outright disliked Vivian Blair, he also doesn't really know her very well. Sirius had gotten off of the pureblood supremacist path early on when he was sorted in Gryffindor, and hadn't looked back even when he severed his last remaining ties with his family and moved in with the Potter's. Vivian…well, he's got no idea if she would be willing or even able to do the same thing.

But surely such a drastic measure would indeed be necessary? By the way things appear to be heading in the wizarding world, Remus highly doubts that she could remain in a passive role indefinitely. Though he hates to admit it, Regulus is probably right: she will have to choose a side. They will all have to choose a side.

The question is which side? The easy road, the low road – the road that's natural and straightforward and meaningless, because it doesn't require any sacrifices to be made? Or the one that requires all the sacrifices in the world – the one that steals from you your youth, your safety, even your life?

In this moment, as Remus stands in the hallway and silently ponders things that should be beyond the magnitude or the interest of a seventh year student, he does not expect that he will ever find out which road Vivian chooses. After all, she belongs to an entirely separate world from him, and by all rights they should never cross paths at all. Of course, he doesn't at this moment take into account the design of fate, and that despite its outward appearances and its wayward reputation, no one is immune to the pull of it.

Not even Vivian Blair.