Sirius eagerly bit into another sausage, chewing on it with satisfaction; Madeline raised an eyebrow at him.
"What?"
"You certainly seem very hungry."
The boy shrugged, "I overeat before every full Moon." he simply said.
James took on a knowing tone, "It's very important to do so. It takes a lot of energy to play around with a Werewolf." He whispered.
Peter hummed his agreement while drinking some pumpkin juice.
Remus had already gone to the Shrieking Shack; the ritual was always the same: the rest of the Marauders would get there after dinner, and sneak back into their dormitories at dawn, when the wolf would disappear and their friend would come back.
"You have yet to tell me, Mads, how did you get detention with Rathbone?" asked James.
Alice, who was sitting not far from them, overheard his question, and instantly turned towards the blonde girl. "What? A detention? With Rathbone? That's amazing!", she exclaimed.
Sirius knitted his brows at that, "How can a detention be considered amazing?" he wondered, perplexed.
Alice laughed, "Well, detentions aren't amazing. At least, not all of them…" she explained, "But I wouldn't mind staying alone with charming Alastair for an evening."
Madeline smirked, "Yeah, nice point, Al."
Sirius shook his head disapprovingly, "You girls are wicked creatures."
Alice stuck her tongue out at him, and the boy giggled lightly. "And you're the most wicked of them all, Liddell. Frank!" he called, "Control your girl" he said, amusedly.
The boy laughed, "I can't, lad, she's a force of nature." He said, proudly.
Alice looked at him with a smile on her face, and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"So, what's the story behind your detention, Mads?", James asked again, before filling his mouth with roasted potatoes.
Alice turned her head to Madeline too, interested.
"Well…" she started explaining. She just couldn't expose what had happened that night...
Alice gave her a malicious gaze, "Were you meeting with a boy?"
Mads blushed a bit.
"Oh my god! It's Robert Eastwood, isn't it? I had heard he wanted to ask you out! Come on, Mads, tell us about it! You're always so secretive about your lovers!"
Half of the Gryffindor sixth year guys turned towards her. Sirius kept his head down, and continued eating.
Madeline slightly turned her head towards the seventh year Gryffindor boy Alice had referred to. Robert Eastwood was a good-looking boy, with piercing green eyes and curly, brown hair.
As she observed him, the boy lifted his gaze and their eyes locked. He smiled at her with flashing white teeth.
"So… It is him!" exclaimed Alice, cheerful, noticing the exchange.
James raised an eyebrow at his friend, questioningly. He knew that wasn't the truth.
Madeline laughed, "No, Al, it isn't. I was out after curfew because I spent too much time in the library. Filch found me walking back to the Common Room and handed me to Rathbone…"
The girl looked disappointed then, and muttered a low, "Oh… Okay" before turning back to her dinner.
Sirius raised his head when Marlene approached him and exchanged some quick talks before sitting down next to Alice herself. James was looking at Madeline, curious, "I can only imagine what the real story behind your detention is…"
"Shut up, Prongs."
He shrugged, and ate some more steak.
Dinner always passed quickly for Madeline on full Moon's nights. She was scared for her friends. All of them.
They had begun wandering through the Forbidden Forest, and she didn't like that. Yet, again, they were the Marauders. Nobody could told them what to do. They just wouldn't listen.
When the time came, they greeted her goodbye. Sirius also stopped by Marlene to wish her a good night, and the girl shot him an ecstatic gaze.
Madeline smiled at that exchange. Sirius was really trying to get to know the girl.
Half of the female students in Hogwarts were heartbroken because of that.
She was so lost in her thoughts, thinking about them, and wondering what Rathbone would make her do in detention, that she didn't notice someone's gaze on her. It was only when she casually looked at the Slytherin table that she saw Severus observing her. He pointed towards the Great Hall's door, as to ask her a silent question.
She nodded, greeted Alice, Frank and Marlene goodbye, and exited the room.
Severus reached her soon afterwards.
"Hello, love" she said, and they started walking side by side. They headed together towards the Gryffindor Common Room.
He knew she had to prepare for her detention with Rathbone.
They talked about that day's classes, and as she was about to comment Flitwick's new moustache, Severus looked at her subtly and suddenly said "I noticed Lupin wasn't at dinner, tonight."
Madeline stiffened imperceptibly, and nodded, "Yeah, well, he's sick."
Severus raised an eyebrow at her answer, "He's sick quite frequently."
"That's probably due to his weak constitution…" she commented, and shot him a nonchalant look.
"Mmm…" he hummed, but didn't seem convinced by her answer. "And where did your other friends" he spat out the word, as usual, "Go? They left dinner pretty early…"
Madeline sighed, "Hey, what's this? An interrogation? Why do you care about what my friends do?" she exclaimed, stopping in her tracks to face him.
The boy seemed taken aback by her reaction. She knew then she had made a mistake. She wasn't used to get mad because of his many questions. Severus was a curious boy by nature, and she was aware of the fact.
He narrowed his gaze, "Well, it's not like them to leave you all alone. Not that I mind them giving you space to breath... But I noticed that every now and then, they just go away, and you greet them goodbye like… Like it's normal."
Madeline decided it was time to laugh and pretend like nothing had happened.
"Hey, Sev, are you getting tired of me? Thinking about silly things like that, when you could think about me instead…" she teased, "I don't know if I like that."
The shift in his expression was quite amusing. In response to her comment, Severus took her hand in his and pulled her into an empty classroom.
Madeline giggled at that. It seemed old, unused classes were their favorite refuges.
He was on her in less than a second. She could tell he was growing impatient to take a further step in their relationship, because every time he kissed her, now, he appeared hungrier. She liked that.
She responded to his kisses eagerly, and ended up sitting on a desk, with her legs tied around Severus' waist, and her hands in his hair.
They separated some minutes later, panting, and he started sucking on his neck. "A gift for Rathbone."
"You're crazy" she whispered, laughing. "He's our professor."
"The man likes you." He murmured against her soft skin.
She shook her head in denial, and when he raised his head to give her a peck on the lips, she smiled.
Some seconds passed before he spoke again. "You're hiding something from me." he stated.
Madeline had never felt happier in her life to know Occlumency. She immediately shielded her mind to her best possibilities.
"I'm not." She answered, then.
"Yes, you are." He spoke again. "And it's a big thing… That's obvious."
She knitted his brows. "Severus, stop this nonsense."
"I've always thought there was something strange about those boys…" he commented, as if thinking aloud.
"They're my friends, Sev."
His onyx eyes met her blue ones. "But they're not mine, Madeline."
She gently pushed him away, placing both of her hands on his chest. "You're acting like a total dick." She said.
"If you'd just tell me the truth..."
"What? You will keep the secret?" she asked, sarcastically. "Don't treat me like a fool, Severus."
"Alright, listen, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"
She sighed deeply, "Listen, drop this, ok? Forget any stupid idea you have."
Severus took a step in her direction. "Madeline. They have treated me like I'm nothing for all of these years. Don't blame me for not loving them."
"I'm not asking you to love them. I'm asking you to let them be. Don't insist on this thing." she firmly said, and hopped to her feet.
"But you just confirmed…"
Madeline shot him an annoyed look. "Severus, promise me you won't investigate further on this."
He observed her for a long time. She looked so worried. Almost… Afraid.
Severus felt conflicted then. "I can't make that promise."
"You have to." She stated.
"Or what?"
She crossed her arms. "I'm not playing a game, Severus. This is important. Let it go."
Madeline felt so tired, then. He always found something to quarrel about. She only wanted to spend time with him, talk about nice things, kiss him... But Severus' torment and paranoia was always there.
She thought about Remus, then. She had to protect him. The boy was already so fragile... If someone found out about his true nature, he'd be devastated.
James, Sirius and Peter, on the other hand, were unregistered animagi. That wasn't something Dumbledore would accept.
She couldn't allow someone to reveal her friends' secrets.
"Madeline, why can't you ever take my side? Are they always going to be your first choice?" the Slytherin boy said then, raising his voice and sounding pained.
"Stop acting like a fucking child, Severus! You're seventeen! Stop complaining about your life, stop comparing yourself to other people. I've already done everything to make you trust me… Merlin, I lied to them! For you!" she almost shouted, "I never, and I mean never, hide anything from them. But I did that for you…" she started whispering, and he could see some tears forming in her eyes. He hated himself for that.
"They are my family!", Madeline added. "And I'll always protect them."
Severus took a step back. "I can't promise you anything, I'm sorry…"
She knitted her brows at that. "Well, maybe then I've made a wrong choice trusting you."
His expression hardened when he heard those words. "Why? Because I know they're doing something bad, and I want to find out what that is?"
Madeline almost laughed in disbelief at that. "Oh, yeah, they're such evil boys, aren't they? Spare me this, Severus, you're ridiculous." She looked furious, now. "You only want to find a reason to expel them. And this is so… Childish." She inspired deeply, and closed her eyes.
He knew she was trying to calm herself.
When she opened her eyes again, he saw some frustration in them.
"Please," she said, and approached him slowly. She knew her proximity softened him. "Please, swear to me you'll let this go…"
Severus didn't understand why it was so important to Madeline that he wouldn't investigate on whatever illicit activities the Marauders were up to. That's why he lied to her so easily. He blamed that on the fact he was a Slytherin, and a Death Eater. It was in his nature.
"I swear."
She hugged him then, seeming exhausted by their discussion, and wrapped her arms around his torso tightly. He reciprocated his hug.
"Thank you, love." She whispered against his jumper.
The boy didn't speak, and only hid his face in her hair, getting lost in her familiar perfume.

Madeline knocked on the door of Rathbone's classroom, still shaken from what had happened with Severus.
"Come in", a husky voice softly said from the inside.
Madeline entered the room, and smiled at the man who was standing next to his desk with a book in his hands. "Good evening Professor."
He gave her his usual signature smirk, and observed her face with curiosity. If he had understood that she wasn't in her best mood, he didn't show it.
"Good evening Miss Green. Please, take a seat next to my desk. We're correcting first and second years' tests tonight."
Madeline was genuinely surprised by that. Detentions usually consisted in writing lines, or cleaning things, or helping Filch with something.
She didn't mind correcting tests with Rathbone.
She obeyed, and moments later he also took his seat. He handed her a pile of tests, and took another one for himself.
"No need to mark them. Only sign the mistakes." He instructed her. "If you need anything," he added, then, moving his green-grey eyes from the parchments to her face "Don't hesitate to ask."
"Sure, thank you, Professor."
He nodded at her.
Madeline started reading the essay of a Ravenclaw boy called Robbie Jenkins. He had written very well, but he had omitted some very important things about dragons.
Some time passed and she didn't even care. She was kind of enjoying that detention. It was... Relaxing in a way.
She secretly spied Rathbone every now and then.
His face was unreadable. He was so focused on his job that he didn't seem to notice her staring. Madeline couldn't help but think that his hair fell sexily around his face when he bent his head towards a piece of parchment.
"Were you always a Professor?" She suddenly asked.
Rathbone raised his eyes to glance at her, and some amusement shone in them. "No, actually. Never in fact. This is my first time teaching..." he answered. "Is that so obvious?"
"No, no, it isn't. I was just... Wondering what you used to do before."
Rathbone laughed lightly. "After I graduated Hogwarts, I wanted to spend some time travelling. And I did so. I learnt about the world... And especially about how to live in it."
She raised an eyebrow at that, confused.
"You see, Madeline," he let his tongue linger on her name for more time than what was necessary, "This school teaches you magic. But there's so much more out there."
"Do you mean the Muggle world?"
"That, also. But not only. Are you familiar with it?" He asked, surprised.
"I'm very interested in Muggle culture. Music, in particular."
Rathbone observed her with curiosity. "I see. I would show you my record collection, but it is in my private rooms."
Madeline blushed at that. "Maybe some day..." she muttered, and only too late she realised what she had said.
Rathbone laughed, then. He seemed pleased by her reaction.
"What's your favourite band?"
"Oh... Probably the Doors, sir."
Rathbone smiled genuinely, "Good choice."
He bent his head to his pile of tests, again, as if putting an end to the conversation. But Madeline didn't allow that.
"What's yours?"
He looked at her, "The Beatles, probably."
"I love them... But you didn't tell me what you did, as a job."
"Oh, I was a journalist. I documented wars, in particular..." his expression darkened, then. "But also some gigs." He said, smirking.
"Wars?" She repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Muggle ones... I always kept aside, photographed them."
"So you've seen... Death, and horror..."
Rathbone's green-grey eyes, always so difficult to decipher, and amused, and, in Madeline's opinion, detached from his own true feelings, appeared threatening, then.
"I did, Miss Green" he only muttered.
"What do you think about the war that's about to come?"
Rathbone sighed, and stood up from his seat.
"I'm sorry, sir, that was inappropriate." Madeline said, as the man started pacing around the desk.
"No need to worry, Miss Green. I understand your concern" he stated, and stopped to look at her. He was acting formal once again. "These are dark times. Evil witches and wizards are trying to impose their ideology on our world... That's scary, I know."
Madeline nodded, "It's just that... I feel... Useless."
Rathbone's espression softened, if only slightly. Madeline moved hey eyes from his face to his burgundy waistcoat. It was hard to maintain his intense stare. "You're just a student, Miss Green"
"Yeah, for now, but in a year and a half, I'll be out of here... And then... I'll fight in this war... And I want to know about the truth about it... Find some guidance..."
The Professor seemed surprised by her admission. He took a step in her direction, and used one of his long fingers to lift her chin, so that she would look at him. "Think about that, darling. Wars are no easy thing to deal with. Be careful what you wish for."
"I... I won't be a coward, sir. I'm sure about this. And I'm not the only one."
Rathbone knitted his brows. Then, he shook his head. "I admire you, Madeline. And your friends, also. Gryffindors to the core, right?" He said, turning from her. "But you should focus on your present, for now. Enjoy these years while you still can."
Madeline stood up too, and circled around the man to face him. "Professor, don't do that to me... Adults treat young people like they know nothing... But we're part of this."
Rathbone studied her with sharp eyes. Then, he smiled at her, though it didn't reach his impenetrable green-grey eyes.
"Let me tell you something about this war, then, Miss Green. You're with him," he said, and she knew who he was referring to, "Or you're with us."
"Who's us?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"One day you'll find out. For now, just remember: there is no middle ground." He stated, and went back to sit at his desk. "We should finish correcting these, so we can both go to bed. Alright, Miss Green?"
Madeline nodded and took her seat next to him like nothing had happened. Yet, her mind continued travelling back to what the Professor had said.
He had seen her with Severus, but... How could he know he was a Death Eater? And why had he warned her about it? Was it out of genuine... Concern? Kindness? Did he want her to open her eyes? Did he knew something about him she didn't know?
She decided to concentrate on her task. An hour later, they both had finished, and Rathbone dismissed her. Before she could greet him goodbye, though, she decided to risk again.
"Professor, would you mind if I came here sometimes? I really feel the need to talk about... All of this. The war. Voldemort. School."
Rathbone stared at her for a long time. She thought he seemed pleased by her request of spending more time together, but on the other hand she knew he was probably thinking it could be perceived as inappropriate by other people.
Eventually, he smirked. "I usually stay in my office until late on tuesdays and thursdays." He said. "Maybe you could help me correct some more tests."
She smiled. "Thank you, Professor." She said, and ran away from his class before he could change his mind.

fuckkforever here.

To those of you who asked me why Madeline says Severus and she are "friends" and not a couple: well, they simply never talked about being together. They know they have something, but they haven't decided anything yet. Severus is also a very reserved person, and Madeline doesn't go around the Castle calling him her "boyfriend" just for the hell of it. I hope I have explained myself. All my love. x