Tuesday, 2 November 1976
"Sooo, I told my friend that you know about us," Regulus whispered to Lena during potions.
"Did you now?" Lena replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, and…um…she wants us to all hang out."
"What? Why?"
"Because she wants to meet my friends and you're the only person who would not be mortified. And I trust you."
"I would be honored to meet her."
"Oh thank, Merlin. So meet us in the Shrieking Shack on Saturday during the Hogsmeade trip."
"Will do."
Lena and Regulus fell into a comfortable silence as they continued to work on their assignment. Lena decided to break that silence.
"Hey, Reg."
"Yes, Lena."
"Tomorrow's November third."
"You are correct. November third does tend to follow November second."
"Tomorrow is Sirius' birthday."
Regulus let out a deep breath. "I know…I want to talk to him. Tell him how dumb and scared I was—am. Tell him that I love him. I don't know how to, though."
Lena remained silent. She did not know what to say to comfort Regulus. She desperately wanted to give him a hug, the only thing that she could think of that could express how she wanted to help and that she understood how difficult it was for Regulus. She could not, though, in the sea of green and yellow that they stood in.
Lena watched as Regulus reached into his pocket and pulled something out his pocket and placed it on the table.
"Could you make sure this gets to Sirius tomorrow? For his birthday," Regulus whispered.
Lena discreetly pocketed the present. "'Course. I'll let him know you couldn't give it to him in person."
"No, tell him it's from you. I don't think it would be a good idea for him to know it's from me."
"Reg, I'm sure that he'd like to know it's from you."
"Please, Lena," Regulus pleaded quietly, his grey eyes overwhelmed with emotion.
"Alright," Lena conceded.
Tuesday, 2 November 1976
Lena approached the Gryffindor table at dinner to give Sirius his gifts. Lena had decided to wrap Sirius's gifts before seeing him. She had just gotten Sirius some of his favourite sweets. Regulus, on the other hand, gave him a very thoughtful gift. It was a simple gold chain with a circular golden pendant attached to it. One side of the pendant had an etching of a lion while the other side had an etching of the constellation for which Sirius was named.
Peter was sitting next to Sirius, and James and Remus were sitting on the opposite side of the table. Lena sat down next to Sirius and shot James and Remus a smile that widened when her eyes met Remus'.
"Happy Birthday, Sirius," Lena said happily, pulling him into a brief side hug.
"Thanks, Lee," Sirius said smiling. "Is that for me?" he asked, looking down at the gift in Lena's hands.
"You mean the blue wrapped box with the words 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIRIUS!' clearly printed on it?" Lena asked, amused.
"Yes, that would be the one."
"Well, you would be correct in assuming that is for you."
"Can I open it now?"
Lena laughed. "Do what you want! It's your birthday!"
"You've doomed us for later," Remus joked.
"My apologies in advance, Remus," Lena replied.
Sirius grinned as he began tearing off the blue wrapping paper.
"Oh, you got sugar quills!" James said as he swiped one and put it in his mouth.
"It looks like you've got one more," Peter said, pointing at Regulus' gift.
Sirius pulled the chain out and examined the pendant. "Oh, wow, Lena. This is so thoughtful. Thank you."
Sirius passed the necklace around his group of friends so they could see it as he pulled Lena into a bone-crushing hug. Or maybe it just felt like it was bone-crushing to Lena because of the guilt she felt for taking credit for Regulus' gift.
"That's such a great gift, Lee," Peter praised and James nodded vigorously in agreement.
"I'm gonna have to wear it all the time," Sirius said as he put on the necklace.
Remus' scowling went unnoticed by Lena.
Peter and Sirius were walking slightly ahead of James and Remus as they returned to the Gryffindor dormitory. Remus had been scowling since dinner.
"Alright, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, Prongs?"
"Really?" James raised an eyebrow, "Because you were in a good mood for pretty much the whole entire day until dinner, Moony."
Remus sighed, "I didn't realize that Lena liked Padfoot until dinner when she gave him that necklace."
"Are you serious?"
"No, that's the problem," Remus said half-jokingly.
"Very funny, Rem, but Lena does not like Pads. She's just a very thoughtful person."
"Yeah, but—"
"No buts, Moony. She likes you, not Padfoot or anyone else for that matter."
"What makes you say that?"
"Her smile always gets bigger when she looks at you."
"Oh."
"And just wait until it's your birthday. I'm sure her gift to you will blow you away."
Saturday, 6 November 1976
"He didn't!" Lena cried out in laughter.
"Nope, he really did!" Layla replied with glee.
Regulus pouted. "I regret introducing you to each other."
Layla pecked Regulus' on the lips. "No you don't, Reggie."
Regulus continued pouting as Layla recounted stories of Regulus being greatly confused by Muggle objects to Lena. Lena decided she liked Layla. She was easy to talk to and was probably one of the least judgmental people Lena had ever met.
Lena watched as Layla cocked her head around and took in the Shrieking Shack's interior. "Have either of you been here before?" Layla asked.
"No, I just figured this would be a good place to meet because everyone's too afraid to come in."
"Aww, aren't you smart," Layla said happily and Regulus smiled proudly in response.
Lena grinned at the loved-up couple. "It's not that bad during the day, honestly."
"Add some blankets and throw pillows and it'll be a nice cozy hangout," Layla suggested.
"Ooh, and we could string up some lights or lanterns on the ceiling," Lena added.
"And we could—"
"Stop it right now you two," Regulus began. "We are not making the Shrieking Shack our hangout. Now, let's get some studying done."
Sunday, 7 November 1976
"Shit," Lena mumbled as she packed her books for the next morning. "Where the hell is it?"
Lena was missing her Transfiguration book. Lena quietly crept over to the desks in her dormitory and checked to see if it had gotten mixed up with her roommates' things. Lena groaned as she was unable to find it. Lena threw a sweatshirt over her tank top and slid into her trainers. She walked into the common room to continue the search for her Transfiguration textbook. Lena looked under the couches and between the cushions without any luck. Groaning in frustration, the brunette laid down on the couch and put her hands on her face.
Lena shot up from the couch and her eyes widened. She realized that she left her textbook in the Shrieking Shack. Lena peered at the clock on the wall of the common room. It was no longer Sunday. It was nearly one o'clock in the morning on Monday. Lena sighed and began to make her way to the shack.
The sounds the Shrieking Shack was known for traveled through the air as Lena stood in front of the door. She assumed it was some animal or other creature close by that was the source of the noise. Still, the noises frightened Lena.
"Alright, Lena. Just open the door. You were in there earlier and the Shrieking Shack isn't haunted," Lena whispered to herself, trying to invoke a sense of bravery in herself.
Lena wrapped her hand around the door handle and opened the door slowly.
"Holy fuck!" Lena screamed.
To her delight, she could see her Transfiguration book to the side of the room. To her horror, however, she could also see a werewolf arching his back and aggressively fighting a large black dog and a deer. To add to her confusion and disbelief, a small rat was sitting on top of the werewolf's head.
Her scream caused the werewolf and the animals it was battling to turn to face Lena. The werewolf started to bolt for Lena and she swiftly slammed the door shut before it could reach her. She could feel the werewolf pounding on the door, trying to get out, as she pushed her entire body on the door in her efforts to keep it shut. She heard several loud shrieks and howls and she could no longer feel the werewolf's pounding.
Lena let out a deep breath and ran back to Hogwarts, yearning for the warm embrace of her bed.