Chapter 10- That Moody Blonde Girl
The night of Regulus's sorting into Slytherin House was a sad one for Adelaide. Regulus had he follow in the footsteps of his blood status obsessed parents and he was upset with her. Adelaide lied to him and hurt him. She felt horrible. Horrible because she couldn't tell him the truth and because, regardless of the truth, she should have found a way to write him. Her parents absolutely adored Regulus. If they were going to let her owl anyone it would have been him. But she was a coward and didn't even suggest it.
She padded her way up the stairs to the girls dorm lazily after the feast with her head down, trying to contain the swirling emotions brewing within her.
"What's wrong with you?" Marlene asked bluntly as she entered the room.
"Oh.. uh nothing." She replied.
"You're sad about Sirius's brother going to Slytherin, aren't you?" Mary said softly. Adelaide looked up to see Mary McDonald's face full of sympathy, but didn't answer.
"What's wrong with Slytherin?" Lily asked defensively.
"Nothing." Adelaide sighed as she flopped onto her cozy bed. She didn't even change out of her day clothes before falling asleep awkwardly on top of her duvet.
The next morning, Adelaide awoke early and uncomfortably, realizing she had slept in her clothes. She dragged her body out of bed and into the bathroom to change into fresh set of robes and to try to make herself look presentable.
While she brushed through her messy hair, she made it her mission to try to apologize to Regulus. While she couldn't tell the whole truth, she could hopefully convey the immense amount of remorse she possessed. She went down to breakfast with the boys, set down her bag in her usual spot next to Sirius, but then set off for the Slytherin Table.
"Where's Ads going?" Peter asked, scratching his head as he watched the mass of platinum blonde hair walk away.
Adelaide spotted the young black haired boy whom she was looking for. He was sitting quietly with a couple of other first years Adelaide didn't know.
She cleared her throat, "um Reggie? Can I uh- talk to you for a moment?"
The boy turned around with a cold look in his eyes she had never seen directed at her before. "Why?" He said with the signature languid pureblood drawl.
"I wanted to apologize." She said more confidently than she felt. "Can we talk somewhere else?" She asked.
"Very well Adelaide," he said in a bored tone as he rose form his seat. He sounded so eerily like his father, Orion Black, that it momentarily left Adelaide in shock.
However, she quickly composed herself and the two made their way out of the great hall, unaware of the looks they were receiving from other students. Once in the hall, Regulus stood with his arms folded over his chest, looking bored once again.
"Reggie. I'm so sorry. I know I messed up. I should have written you." Adelaide said sincerely, though lying at the same time.
"It's fine." He said.
"No, it's not. You're my friend and I should have taken your feelings into account." She said firmly. "Please forgive me Reggie. I know Sirius and I are best friends, but I considered you one of my best friends too." She said in small voice. "Please forgive me." She finished with an uncharacteristic amount of unadulterated feeling.
Regulus was still hurt, but he could see the sincerity in her apology. As much as he was upset, he missed his friend more.
After a long moment, Adelaide was about to give up, but then he finally responded. "I forgive you Addy." He said softly. His tone was warm again, and his lips quirked upwards into a small smile. He was immediately, and somewhat violently, squished into an embrace by the small smiling Gryffindor girl.
The two made their way back to breakfast with wide smiles upon their faces. A complete change from the expressions they wore only a few minutes before. Again, they were completely obvious to the analyzing looks cast by their fellow breakfast eating peers.
"See you later Reggie! Tell Merlin I said hi!" Adelaide said waving goodbye and walking to sit with the other Marauders.
"Will do Addy!" He said waving back laughing.
As she sat at the table, all of the boys, except Sirius, gave her a quizzical look. Sirius was the first to speak. "I guess you two made up huh?" He said bumping shoulders with the girl.
"Yes we did. You were right." She conceded.
"As always," he added with a smirk.
"Don't ruin the moment troll face." She said, trying and failing to stop her self from grinning.
After about two weeks, everyone had mostly gotten into the swing of things again. Mary had quickly become Adelaide's best girl friend. Marlene and Lily could probably be considered her friends too, but Mary and Adelaide seemed to just click. Mary's bubbly and kind personality complemented Adelaide's more reserved nature. Mary found that Adelaide very kind and generous behind her tough exterior.
One Sunday afternoon in early October, the two Gryffindor girls were sitting together in the library afternoon trying to finish their assignments for the next week. Adelaide was having trouble concentrating on account of the two girls whispering behind her. When Mary got up to look for a book on mandrakes, Adelaide's attention soon found itself placed on their conversation rather than her Herbology essay.
"Bet she wishes she was with the rest of her Slytherin friends." Sneered one girl. "All she does is hang out with purebloods anyway."
"You know I heard her parents were death eaters." Spat the other.
"Really? Well it doesn't surprise me a bit. I'm sure the pureblood princess will fall instep with them as well." Said the first girl.
"Don't forget about her pureblood prince Regulus!" The other laughed.
Adelaide felt angry. How dare they gossip about her! But she knew that fighting them would only further the rumors against her. So, instead forced her feelings aside, packed her things and lied to Mary saying she was heading back up to the tower to meet the boys.
When she got to the common room she walked determinedly toward the girls stairs. She just wanted to be alone.
"Adelaide!" Called the one and only James Potter.
"What do you want?" She snapped coldly. James was taken aback by her tone.
"You okay, Ads?" He asked concerned and confused.
"I'm fine. What do you want?" She said coldly once again, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I just wanted to say hi." He said hesitantly.
She rolled her eyes and stomped up the stairs to the girls dorm where she stayed until dinner.
When she came down for dinner she walked down to the hall alone. Her mood had improved, but she felt on edge, as if she suddenly became hyper aware of other people around her. She walked by a group of Ravenclaws on the staircase who sniggered as she walked past them.
She was just outside the large double doors to the great hall when she came across Regulus.
"Hey Addy!" He called out happily, trotting to stand next to her.
"Hey Reg," She said morosely.
"What's up with you? You seem more moody than normal." He pointed out.
"I'm not moody!" She defended.
"Yes you are, but it's okay." He shrugged. "I'm used to it." She gave the boy a side eyed look as he smirked and they entered into the hall.
"See you around little Reggie," she said messing up the boys hair before he walked away to the Slytherin table, trying to smooth it back down.
As she walked to where Remus was already sitting at the Gryffindor table, she noticed the judgmental looks from the other students and it made her frustrated once again. She sat her self at the table in a huff, brows furrowed.
"You okay Addy?" Remus asked concerned.
"No." She responded shortly, scooping up some mashed Potatoes and plopping them on her plate forcefully.
"Wanna talk about it?" He coaxed.
"I don't see the point. It won't change anything." She said as she grabbed some roast chicken and all but threw it on her plate. She looked up to see Remus looking completely unfazed by her moodiness. She sighed. "Are you aware of what people call me?"
"That moody blonde girl?" Remus guessed jokingly.
"Why does everyone keep calling me moody? I'm not moody!" She screeched. Remus raised an eyebrow at her outburst. "Okay fine maybe I'm a little moody..." she conceded. She slumped in her seat. "They call me the Pureblood Princess. They all think I'm one of those blood status obsessed crazies." She said softly, looking down at her chicken and potatoes.
"Well anyone who really knows you, knows that you're not. Who cares what those people say?" Remus said with a reassuring smile that Adelaide returned.
"You really are the voice of reason amongst our band of marauding idiocy." Adelaide told the now blushing boy. "Thanks Rem."