i've been putting a lot of little connections/parallels from Mila's second life into her first. Comment on any you notice ;)
Mila woke up with a start. Sirius and James were banging on her bedroom door, taking turns to loudly shriek her name. She glanced at the alarm clock on her beside table. 4.24 AM. She was going to kill them.
She jumped up, and stormed to the door, ripping it open. "WHAT?"
The two boys jumped back; at least they had the decency to look scared.
James was holding a quaffle, he raised it sheepishly. "Fancy a game?"
She stared at them incredulously. Sirius had officially joined them for the final week of summer, and it was doing her head in. Sure, James had constantly bothered her when it was just the two of them, but Sirius brought a whole new element to the table. It made her think about their other, much more peaceful friend.
"I miss Remus," Mila said wistfully. Remus was the only one who could keep the two in line.
Sirius clutched his chest dramatically. "Ow."
She rolled her eyes, but knew it was of no use. She was wide awake now.
"Let me grab my broom," she huffed. And proceeded to slam the door in their now grinning faces.
She could never say no to either of them.
They spent an hour tossing the ball around, before attempting to play a match, which wasn't exactly easy with three people. All it really meant was that one person was keeper, and the other two had to try and score against them. That, or they just hit bludgers at each other. James had all the equipment handy which, due to the summer at the Potters house, no longer surprised her. James Potter had everything.
Mila caught the quaffle that James thrown her way, and tried to throw it through one of the mini goalposts he had. Yes, he even had goalposts.
It was quickly blocked by Sirius, who liked to smirk every time he made a successful play against Mila.
"You're usually better than this, Lovett," he teased.
"Yes, well, I was woken up at the crack of dawn after staying up late last night."
James flew up beside her. "Don't act like you didn't enjoy last night's festivities."
"I find that the things I enjoy usually lead to the most regret," she said.
"Yeah, yeah." Sirius threw the quaffle at her. "Try again."
This time she succeeded. The quaffle whizzed past Sirius' head and through the goal. She pumped her arms and stuck her tongue out at him. James cheered from behind her.
"Alright, I'm bowing out now," she said, and flew to the ground.
James and Sirius begun their protests.
"We're only just getting started," Sirius said.
Ignoring them, she dropped her broom, and laid along the grass, stretching out and tucking her arms behind her head. She closed her eyes, and heard the other boys fly down to join her.
"If you like quidditch so much, why don't you just join the team already?" she said to Sirius, "James is a shoe-in for captain this year, and we already know you're good enough to make tryouts."
James hummed in agreement.
"You two are sweaty messes every time you finish a game. I have to look good for the ladies at all times," Sirius said.
James and Mila laughed.
"But think about how much more rep you would gain from winning quidditch games," Mila pointed out.
Mila didn't have to open her eyes to know that Sirius was giving her yet another smirk. Those seemed to be becoming a trademark.
"Are you saying you want me to join the team?"
She shrugged. "Don't really care either way."
It really was a shame, he would be such a good beater. But he always insisted that quidditch wasn't his thing, simply just another one of his 'many talents'.
She heard Sirius sigh as he laid down alongside her. James copied on her other side.
Her eyes opened, looking up at the sky that was littered with streaks of pink and orange. They had gotten up early enough for the sunrise.
"Fourth year," she whispered. "It's all going by so fast."
"Maybe this year Evans will finally agree to go out with me," James said.
"HA," Mila laughed, "Keep dreaming."
"Oh, I do dream about her. Frequently, and often."
Sirius went still beside her. Mila didn't know why, but he would occasionally freeze up when James talked about his love life. He probably didn't want to lose his best friend to a girl. But, then again, Sirius was garnering a reputation of his own. One that heavily involved the girls of Hogwarts.
"I'm honestly surprised the Evans thing has stuck, James," Sirius muttered.
Mila turned her head and glanced at him curiously. "Why? He's been talking about her since first year."
Sirius met her gaze, his eyes darkening with an emotion she couldn't quite understand.
"Well, it was only last year he declared his undying love for you."
"Hey!" James protested.
"Oh yeah," Mila chuckled, "I still haven't forgiven you for that by the way."
"Oh really?" James perked up, leaning on his elbow, bent towards her. "What about for this?"
"For what- No, stop! Stop!"
James pinned her wrists down, half on top of her, threatening to chuck a loogie on her face.
Peals of nervous laughter poured out of her. She struggled against him.
"Don't, it's disgusting!" she cried, but James continued his farce.
Sirius stood up abruptly, but Mila was too busy trying to fight James off to really pay attention.
"You're both children," Sirius grunted, and began walking back to the house.
Mila finally managed to push James off of her. "What's up with him?" She nodded her head towards the house.
James settled back down beside her. "Family stuff. There's a reason he comes here as often as he can."
That was true, Mila thought. Sirius was staying with them for the last week before fourth year, but he had also visited frequently throughout the rest of the summer. Mila hadn't thought much about it, but she had sometimes heard James and Sirius talking through all hours of the night. And Sirius didn't sound happy.
Plus, he was always having weird mode swings. He had been since first year. In fact, it was one of the staples of Sirius' personality. You never knew which one of him you were going to get.
"Maybe you should talk to him," James said, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"Why?" She wasn't sure how she could help. James was the one with the functional family to offer up. Mila had nothing.
"Well, I don't seem to be getting anywhere with him."
"That's not true," she interrupted.
"Yes it is. He acts all mopey when we're alone together. The only time he cheers up is when you can finally be bothered to get out of bed."
"Is that why I got the early wake-up call?"
James smiled sheepishly. "He insisted."
She stifled her chuckle into a sigh. "Ok, fine. I'll go look for him."
"But I'm telling you, Potter-" She stood up and brushed the grass off the back of her legs. "I don't think it will help in the slightest."
She searched the house for a while. She checked James' room, where Sirius had been sleeping, the lounge, the kitchen. She finally found him, of all places, in her own bedroom.
"What are you doing in here?" she asked, making her presence known.
He was fiddling with something on her bedside table. A bracelet, she realised. It had been a present from the Potters, James included, for her birthday during the holidays. She had only been living with them for a couple of days at that point, and she hadn't expected anything. It had brought her immense joy when they'd given her the gift, and made her realise how serious they were about her living with them. It was the first gift from her new family.
Sirius gently put the bracelet down, and watched Mila carefully as she came closer.
She put a hand on his arm. "Is everything ok?"
He shrugged her off and went to sit on her bed. "S'fine."
She stood in front of him and playfully nudged his arm. "Well, that's clearly not true."
He didn't meet her eye, he just kept staring blankly ahead of him.
"I don't want to talk about it, Mila."
She hated it when he acted like this. Either he was funny Sirius, her good friend, or he was moody, uncaring Sirius. Except she suspected that when he was like this was actually when he cared the most; he just didn't want to show it.
"Well, I do want to talk about it. So talk," she insisted.
She didn't know what she was expecting. Maybe his mother had been treating him rather harshly. Maybe his father had given him a more severe punishment when Sirius had inevitably acted out at home. Or maybe it was his brother, who Mila didn't actually know much about. Only a year younger, she didn't think she had ever spoken to the illusive younger Black.
Sirius suddenly looked up at her with a sense of urgency. "Do you like James?"
She narrowed her eyes. "What?" She certainly hadn't come in here to talk about that.
"You heard me." He didn't even blink.
Mila wasn't one to share her feelings so easily. She wasn't going to answer the question just because Sirius wanted to bait her.
"Surely that's not what you're sulking about. Don't be a pest, Black."
He frowned. "You're not answering the question."
She sighed, and decided to take his question seriously. He wouldn't open up if she wouldn't.
"Sure I do. Like a very annoying brother." She sat down next to him.
"You mean that?" he asked, his tongue darted across his lips.
Truthfully, she didn't know if she meant it. Well, in some ways she did. Living with someone really did cause you to become very irritated at someones eccentricities. And James had a lot of them.
"Course I do," she said shortly. "Besides, can you imagine what a disaster it would be if it didn't work out? I don't think dating within friendship groups is a good idea."
Sirius remained quiet, so she slung her arm around him. "Now are you going to tell me what's bothering you?"
He clenched his hands together. "Nothing."
"Sirius-"
"It's nothing, Mila. Drop it."
"Oh come on. Tell me."
"No."
"Tell me," she grinned, poking his cheek.
"No."
This time she booped his nose. "Tell me."
He couldn't help it, and cracked a smile.
"Aha! My genius plan worked."
Sirius rolled his eyes, and shoved her off of him. "That was hardly the work of a genius."
She ignored his jibe, and continued teasing. "Aw, did I make Sirius Black feel better?" She lightened her voice to sound younger. "Did I make Sirius Black smile?"
He stood up from the bed, alarming her. "I'll give you something to smile about." He had a suspicious glint in his eye, and she knew it couldn't be good. Maybe it was worse than a loogie.
Oh no, she thought. She rose and scrambled past him out the door. She heard him chasing after her.
"James!" she called for help. "JAMES!"
James' parents dropped them off at the train station.
Euphemia was smoothing Mila's hair back. "You take care of them and yourself, Mila. I don't want to hear about anymore detentions."
"You can't put that on me, Mrs Potter. That's too big an ask."
Euphemia chuckled. "I didn't say you couldn't get detention. I said I didn't want to hear about them."
"Oh," Mila grinned, and hugged Euphemia warmly. "Thank you so much for this summer, Mrs Potter."
She felt arms wrap around her. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Euphemia?"
Mila leaned back to smile at the older woman. "Only one more time." That was always her answer.
She took a step back to go say goodbye to Fleamont, James' father, who was busy with the boys giving them his own warning about behaving this year.
"Need I repeat myself boys?" he asked them sternly.
"No, Sir," they both replied. The three of them saw Mila come over.
"Ah, Mila. Do I need to tell you what I just told them?" He lifted an eyebrow.
"I'm sure James and Sirius can pass it along, Mr Potter," she answered, hitting James shoulder playfully as she went to hug his father.
"Bye, Sir."
He returned her hug. "Bye, Mila. And goodbye to you boys. I expect good results this year. Just because you lack discipline, doesn't mean you lack brains. Use them. You too, Mila."
She stood back from him and joined the boys, lifting up her suitcase. She saluted Fleamont. "Count on it."
"Come on," James said, "Let's get going."
"You're just embarrassed that Evans might see you giving your parents a hug," Sirius grinned. His mood had improved over the rest of the week, but Mila had still been awoken frequently from the late night chats between the two boys.
James huffed. "They're all over me; you would be embarrassed too. No offence, Mum!" He called over his shoulder to Euphemia, but she just shook her head pleasantly and waved them off as they ran through the brick wall to the platform.
Mila searched around the busy station. "There's Remus." She pointed. "Let's grab him."
She had to jostle amongst the crowd to get to him, but she finally made it. She snuck up behind the tall wolf and threw her arms around him. "Alright, Remus?"
She felt his laughter ripple through his body. "I am now. You guys are late, the train's almost leaving."
She let him go. James exchanged his own greeting with Remus. Mila realised that Sirius hadn't followed him. She scanned the platform, and saw him talking angrily to an older couple that she had never seen before.
This couldn't be good.
She left James side, knowing he would only make a scene if he saw what was going on. Maybe she could help diffuse the situation in a quieter manner.
She pushed passed the numerous bodies, making her way back towards Sirius, who was looking more upset by the second. Her heart went out to him. The people he was talking to definitely had to be who she suspected.
"You have no right to tell me how to live my life," she heard Sirius say. "You lost that right a long time ago."
As she reached him, she gently squeezed his arm before sticking her hand out to the tall man in front of him, interrupting whatever they had been talking about.
"I'm Mila Lovett, it's nice to meet you, Mr Black. You too, Mrs Black."
Through the corner of her eye, she saw Sirius eyes widen at her actions, but he quickly hid it and instead, looked bitterly to the side as she conversed with his parents.
Mr Black stared at her hand for what seemed like an eternity, before taking it and giving it a quick shake. He didn't touch her a second longer than was necessary.
"You're friends with our son?" he asked, though the way he said son was rather disdainful.
"That's right," Mila smiled. "He's a great friend to me."
Two years ago she would have said no such thing, but right now all she was aiming to do was get Sirius as far away from them as she could. Mrs Black had other ideas.
"Is that right?" she asked coldly, "Are you also one of our son's many admirers?"
Mila didn't know how to reply to that, or how they knew that much about Sirius' life. Her eyes drifted to another boy who stood beside them. He looked just like Sirius, but his hair was shorter, and he was more lean. Ah, she thought, that must be how they know.
"Which son?" she joked, but held her head high. Provoking them was probably a very bad idea, but she couldn't help herself. They were looking at Sirius so disappointedly that she was feeling oddly protective of him.
She'd never heard a peep out of Regulus before in her life, but he chuckled at her response right away. That was probably very brave of him. She shared a quick glance with him. His parents didn't take it quite as well.
"Hmm," Mr Black wrote it off. "Which house are you in, young lady?"
Mila didn't know why they wanted to prolong the conversation, but she saw Mrs Black was eyeing her up, like she was considering her for something.
"Gryffindor," she stated, trying to keep the nerves out of her voice.
"Well, that can't be helped," Mr Black said. "And your blood status?"
She saw Regulus' eyes widen in surprise, and felt Sirius grip her arm tightly.
"You don't have to listen to this, Mila."
She was about to argue that, yes, she could; she wasn't backing down from the challenge. But when she turned to look at Sirius, his eyes looked so vulnerable. They implored her to leave with him.
She faced the Blacks. "It was nice to meet you both. But we've got to go now." She spoke with no hesitation.
They merely nodded at her, dismissing her instantly.
Regulus watched Sirius lead Mila away, confused at what had just passed. There was only one reason his parents would ask about a girl's blood status, and it was reserved for potential brides.
He kept his inferences to himself, only speaking when spoken too.
"Do you know that girl?" his father asked.
"Not really, Sir. All I know is she's a muggleborn in fourth year."
He could instantly see his parents disapproval.
"Pity," Mr Black said, "She was a rather pretty thing."
And that was probably the only nice thing the Blacks would ever have to say about Mila Lovett.
When they finally found a compartment, Sirius had appeared to recover from seeing his parents. Mila kept glancing at him worriedly, sure he was putting on an act. The other boys had no idea what had even just transpired, though James could see something was wrong.
"You ok, Sirius?" he asked, as they all made themselves comfortable.
"Fine," Sirius said shortly. Mila hadn't left his side, and took a seat beside him.
James went to say something else, but Mila stopped him. "Leave it, James."
He sighed boisterously, but didn't try to ask again.
Sirius glanced down at Mila, and he looked rather surprise, but when he noticed she had met his gaze, his face drew to a frown.
"You shouldn't have come over there," he said, his voice heavy with something Mila couldn't quite name.
"I was just trying to help."
"Well don't."
"Fine, I won't."
She could understand why he was upset, but not why he was directing it at her. But, again, that was the thing about Sirius. He was just so damn hard to understand.
They sat for a while, but nobody was saying very much. Peter was complaining to James and Remus about how hard classes were going to be this year. Mila didn't see what was so bad about fourth year, it was the OWLs in fifth year they were going to have to worry about.
James was ignoring Peter's complaints, and was devising yet another plan to woo Evans.
"I'm picturing streamers. I'm picturing roses. I'm picturing a four piece orchestra."
"How exactly are you going to sneak an orchestra into the castle?" Mila interrupted.
James scratched his head. "I hadn't thought about that. Say, have any of you ever thought about learning to play an instrument?"
Mila scoffed, looking to Sirius like she normally did whenever James had a terrible plan and she wanted to laugh at him. Sirius was still quiet beside her.
"Enough sulking, Black," she said. He merely spared her an irritated glance.
She tried again. "Siri-"
"I think I'm going to catch some air," he stated, standing and briskly leaving the compartment.
"So bloody dramatic," she muttered, covering up the fact she was worried. It would do her no good to worry about Sirius Black.
She patted the now empty space beside her. "Remus, tell me about your summer," she said cheerfully.
He looked at her dubiously before relenting.
"What do you want to know?"
Nearing the end of the train ride, James finally convinced Mila to join him in looking for Sirius. They began walking the stretch of the train, looking for their broody friend. Mila had already filled James in on what happened at the platform.
"I don't know why he's so hellbent on suffering alone," Mila complained.
"Says you! You never would have spoken up about your mum last year if Lily hadn't told me," James said.
Mila didn't like being reminded of that day. While it was true she wasn't the one to tell James, she hadn't exactly been alone. Sirius had listened to her talk about her mum for ages, and was there for her, which was only what she had been trying to do today. He was just too stubborn.
"Whatever you say, Potter."
He groaned. "I always forget how alike you guys are."
"Whatever. So when are we going to be practicing our transformations again?"
Over the break, James, Sirius and Mila had been getting awfully close to transforming into full animagus'. Peter had been updating his progress in his letters. Remus still had no idea any of them were even attempting it.
"Gotta work out the quidditch schedule first. I'll get back to you," James said. By the end of the summer, he had indeed got a letter about taking over captain duties for the quidditch team. Their former captain had graduated last year.
"Yeah?" Mila grinned, "Totally knew you would get it."
"Jealous?"
"Please," she scoffed. Though she had to admit, she wouldn't have minded being captain. There was only one thing she loved more than her friends, and that was quidditch. Luckily James shared the same enthusiasm.
They began talking about when tryouts were going to be held, before she heard a cold voice behind her.
"Lovett, didn't get enough attention in your cabin? Had to walk around and find more?"
"Rosier," she sighed, and turned to face him. "What do you want now?"
His bared his teeth at her. "What I want is to not have muggle scum rubbing their existence in my face. Get back in cover where I can't see you."
James had tensed up, and was in the process of grabbing his wand from his back pocket.
"No hexing," she told him, "I can handle this."
She stepped closer to the snarky Slytherin. Evan Rosier was in her year, and intent on making her life a living hell. Gryffindors and Slytherins didn't get along, especially where the Marauders were concerned. But Rosier always went out of his way to try and catch Mila off guard.
"Rosier, dear, I don't really fancy getting into a tiff with you. No chance that you could just, I don't know, move along?"
He sneered. "Why should I? You're the one who doesn't belong here. It's sickening Dumbledore still tries to appease the masses by letting you mudbloods into this school."
Mila smirked. "Technically, we're not at school yet, Evan. As far as I'm aware, mudbloods are allowed on trains."
He got right up in her face. Mila wasn't scared of him, but she was scared of what James might do. She spoke before Evan good.
"Save it for the quidditch pitch, Rosier."
She promptly turned her back on him, pulling James alone with her, and continuing the way they had been going.
James was slightly red in the face, all angry and bothered.
"Why didn't you let me hex him? He was alone; we could have had him."
"Can't have the new quidditch captain getting detention on the first day." Mila shrugged him off. "Besides, we still have to find Sirius."
James wasn't letting it go. "You shouldn't call yourself that."
"What?" It dawned on her. "A mudblood?"
He nodded.
"Why not? It's what I am." And she would own it. Pricks like Rosier wouldn't make her give up Hogwarts. Nobody could do that.
"It's not what you are. You belong here just as much as anyone," he reminded her.
"I know that." She rolled her eyes. "Geez, Potter, don't go defending my honour or anything. What would Lily think?"
She had meant it as a joke, but James frowned. "I'll always defend you," he said quietly.
Mila reined in her smile. She couldn't have James knowing how much that meant to her. Even after all their years of friendship she'd never live it down.
She heard him gasp lightly, and looked ahead to where he was staring.
"Speak of the devil," she murmured, and approached the upcoming scene with caution.
Lily Evans was hugging a sobbing Marlene McKinnon in her arms.
"Is everything ok?" James asked.
"Oh great," Lily said, "Just what I needed. The other one."
"Other?" Mila asked.
"If you two must know, your darling pal Sirius has just stormed on into our compartment and caused a ruckus."
Mila tried to look into the compartment the two girls had been in, but the door was closed.
"What did he do?" Mila narrowed her eyes.
Lily's cheeks turned slightly red. "Well, uh, he-"
James tried to place a reassuring hand on Lily's shoulder but she smacked it away.
"He broke my heart!" Marlene sobbed, and it took all Mila had not to shake her head.
Mila shared a look with James.
It was common knowledge that Marlene had quite a large crush on Sirius. You wouldn't have thought so, for all the guys she was rumoured to have made out with, but she constantly harped on about him to Mila in their dorm room. Mila often wondered whether Marlene started some of the rumours herself to make Sirius jealous.
Alice Fortescue burst, quite suddenly, out of the said compartment. Mila was dying to know what was going on in there.
"I can't watch them any longer!" Alice complained. "I'm not going back in until they leave."
"Oh for Merlin's sake, will someone just tell us what is going on?" Mila asked.
"Go see for yourself," Lily wisecracked. "Maybe you'll have a chance at stopping them."
It suddenly seemed quite daunting, the idea of not knowing what was behind the door. She looked around for James, who was behind her in an instant nodding at her to proceed. At least she had backup.
She cleared her throat and slid the door open.
"Just what is- oh. Ewwww."
James had the same sentiments from behind her. "Gross."
Before her very eyes, Sirius Black was eating Mary Macdonald's face off. Not literally of course.
Mila leaned her head out the door to speak to Lily. "How long have they been at it?"
"About twenty minutes." Lily didn't seem at all impressed.
James spoke up, "Do you think they have realised we're in here?"
Mila considered him. Sirius had Mary pinned against a cushion, both were seated. They hadn't paused for breath yet.
"I'm gonna say that's a no, James."
"Hmm," he agreed.
Mila took a hesitant step towards the embraced couple. "Oi!"
Sirius didn't lean back from Mary, but he did appear to have heard Mila and held up a finger to her, indicating he would only be a moment.
Mila shook her head. "The audacity… We're not even at school yet and he's already bagged a girl."
James had had enough of Lily being upset that Marlene was upset. "Give it a rest, Sirius, would you?"
Mary and Sirius finally broke away from each other.
"Why are you spoiling my fun, Prongs?" Sirius grinned. Mila could see it wasn't a genuine one. He was still hurting.
James had been the first one to get his nickname. While transforming over summer, he had spent a whole day with just antlers on his head, unable to get rid of them. They'd worked out his animal was a deer, hence the nickname.
"I don't think anyone's having much fun, mate," James reasoned.
"I think I'm fine where I am," Sirius asserted.
Mila knew there was no point arguing with Sirius when he was like this. "Let's go back, James."
Sirius looked at her suddenly, like he hadn't realised she was there. He took note of Mila's scrunched up nose, and blatant disgust, and was about to pipe up and say something. She beat him to it.
"Honestly, Mary, what were you thinking? I'm certainly not slut-shaming, but you can do way better than Sirius." Mila knew that would tick him off.
She was right.
"Hey!" he began to argue, but she didn't let him get a word in.
"Off we go, Potter, let's find the others."
James was more than happy to follow her out, and Mila pointedly closed the door behind them, not sparing Sirius a second glance.
Mila let out a shudder. "Yuck. Why didn't you warn me, Evans? I don't think I'll be able to keep down my breakfast."
"Now you know how I feel," Lily said, still clutching a very sad-looking McKinnon.
Mila patted the poor girl on the shoulder. "Cheer up, Marlene, who knows, maybe it'll be your turn next!"
"Ha ha," Marlene said, but it seemed to perk her up a bit. "Though, maybe you're onto something."
"I am?" Mila's eyebrows drew together.
"He's trying to make me jealous!"
That caused Lily to finally release Marlene. "Don't be absurd."
Lily turned to a chuckling James and Mila. "Help me out here would you?"
Very gallantly, James tried to explain to Marlene that, no, this was not the case. He did it half-heartedly, only trying to win brownie points from Lily. When he saw Lily glaring at him, he shut up.
Mila, herself, was still laughing. "Perhaps you should go in and tell him you figured out his plan!"
"Great idea," Marlene beamed, going back through the door that they had just come out off.
"Mila," James tutted.
"What? If Sirius wants to go around causing trouble, then he should deal with the consequences."
They began to hear shouts on the other side of the compartment door.
"On second thought…" Mila grabbed James arm and bolted, before they could get dragged back into another mess.
A month later, and returning from yet another training session, Mila was limping back to the common room. It turned out that James becoming captain wasn't as great as she pictured. He had doubled the amount of practices than was normal, all so they could beat the Slytherin team next weekend. He had officially gone insane.
She had finally forced him to end the hours-long practice, but he had stayed behind to practice some extra drills. She walked alone as it neared curfew. She hoped James didn't get caught on the way back, otherwise he would get another detention. She already had 14 and they were only in the first term.
She wanted to get back to the common room quickly, so she could finish her potions essay that was due tomorrow. Remus was staying up to help her. But of course, like always, nothing was ever that easy.
She felt her limbs freeze up and her body floated off the ground. Someone had cast a spell on her, and she'd been too tired to notice before she could stop them.
"Three guesses who this is," she muttered to herself. It seemed her mouth was the only thing she could still move. Lucky her.
"All alone, Lovett? No friends to protect you?" Rosier appeared from behind a column.
"I don't need their protection," she sniped. Though it wasn't all that confident, seeing as she was already caught in a hex.
"It doesn't seem that way to me," Rosier said, voicing her own thoughts out loud.
"Let me down and we'll see about that," Mila argued, "Only a coward hexes a girl when her back is turned."
His face contorted, something like rage made his features appear as harsh lines. She had gotten to him. It was obvious, because he instantly released her and she fell to the ground.
"Ouch." She rubbed her hip. She'd landed directly on it.
She tried to stand up straight, ignoring the shooting pain.
"Right here, right now?" she asked, knowing a duel was in the midst. Tired or not, she could crush Rosier with or without a wand.
"I see no point in delaying," Rosier sneered back.
"Ugh." Mila really didn't have the energy for this. "Just what is your problem with me, Rosier?"
He seemed even madder the before. He gripped his wand firmly, and she got out her own.
"Sectes-"
"Expellia-"
"Stupefy!" A third person called out.
Mila waited for impact, but it was Rosier who fell to the ground. She squinted the dark corridor for her saviour.
"Reg- Black? Is that you?"
Sure enough the youngest Black brother stepped out into the torch light. A faint surprise was awash his features, like he couldn't believe what he'd just done.
"Lovett," he greeted her, his arms were crossed defensively.
"Why did you do that?" She was baffled. Why would Regulus Black knock out a fellow Slytherin to defend a Gryffindor.
He merely shrugged, and Mila took the opportunity to study him. Like Sirius, he had his own womanising reputation, though it was strictly Slytherin girls she had ever heard rumours about. Regulus was arguably as handsome as his brother. They were still all so young, only thirteen and fourteen, but it was plainly evident that Regulus was going to be a very good looking man when the time came.
Which was totally inappropriate for her to think about, Mila realised. She almost chuckled at her wild thoughts. She could only imagine the look on James and Sirius faces for her even considering it.
"What's so funny?" Regulus asked. He was curious about her, he had been since joining Hogwarts. She was the girl only girl he had ever seen his brother care for. That was enough to pique anyone's interest.
"It's nothing," she giggled, and let out another laugh at the flutter in her voice. She had to clamp her hand around her mouth to stop herself. She was so tired it was making her crazy.
It may have been the dark hall, or the way the torch light flickered on his face, but Mila swore Regulus looked amused himself.
Mila coughed, trying to calm herself. "Um, well- I don't know why you did it. But, thank you."
"He cast his spell first. You could have been hurt," Regulus shrugged.
Mila took his words seriously. A direct hit from Rosier would have injured her badly. He never pulled any punches when it came to her
"Thanks again."
She nodded to Regulus and went to turn away, determined to leave this completely weird situation behind her. Rosier could sleep on the floor for all she cared. He totally deserved it.
"You won't tell anyone about this will you?" Regulus called after her.
She turned back, a soft smile playing along her lips. "Why not? Don't want to spoil your muggle-born hating reputation?"
The corner of his mouth lifted. "Something like that."
She chuckled to herself, and left. She was already half delirious from the training, and now she figured she must have been practically hallucinating. There was no way any of that just happened.
Still, maybe Regulus wasn't the lost cause that Sirius always claimed him to be. He was only young. He could take a leaf out of his brothers book and rebel against his parents like his brother. Regardless, she owed Regulus a favour. That was how Slytherins worked. A favour for a favour. Regulus was right. She shouldn't tell anyone. It would be god-awful if Sirius Black ever found out his brother had helped Mila Lovett before he could.
Weeks later, Mila was hanging out in her dorm. Lily had woken her up with a pillow to the face. Mila had grabbed the pillow, tucked it under her head and closed her eyes again.
"Mila, class is soon."
"I know. I know."
Mila sighed before sitting up on her bed. She began stretching out her limbs one by one. She could feel Lily's eyes on her back.
"Yes, Evans?" Mila asked, still bent over, so her head reached her knees.
"Is Black trying to set some kind of record?" Lily asked shrewdly.
"What do you mean?" Mila held her arms up high above her head.
"He's nearly made out with every girl in our year. Even Marlene's had a crack at it. Though she wasn't too happy when he didn't bother to talk to her afterwards."
Mila finally set herself straight. "And?"
"Well." Lily crossed her arms. "Don't you think you should talk to him?"
"Why? It's none of my business."
Lily tapped her foot impatiently. "I think it is exactly your business."
"Speak plainly, Evans, or I shall have to hex you. What are you trying to say?"
"Nothing. I don't know. Forget it."
Lily sounded mad, but Mila elected to ignore it. "OK."
"Just get dressed will you?" Lily huffed. "You don't want to be late again."
Lily walked out, and Mila let out a breath of relief. She was worried about Sirius too, but the last thing she wanted to do was talk to Lily about it.
Mila honestly couldn't have cared if Sirius wanted to have flings with girls, it only bothered her cause she knew he was only doing it to distract himself and she often had to deal with the fallout. They had just come back from Christmas break, and Sirius had spent it with his family. Needless to say, he had been in a pretty bad mood. Every year it seemed get worse.
Clutching her empty stomach, Mila ran to the Hall in search of breakfast.
She spotted the boys at the table, and walked over to sit with them.
"Alright, guys," she greeted, immediately stuffing toast in her mouth.
James beamed. "Mila! You're finally here to witness!"
"Witness what?" she grumbled. Whatever it was, it was going to be bad.
And for the second time in his life, James Potter jumped on the Gryffindor table during breakfast. All eyes were immediately drawn to him.
"Evans!" James called out.
Mila knew exactly where this was going having been a victim of this exact situation herself. "He isn't…"
"Oh, he is," Remus said.
James pulled out some paper from his back pocket. "Evans, I've written you a poem!"
