WRITTEN FOR QLFC, Book Club

These Violent Delights

Prompt:

[creature] Insect

Ladybug Troubles

Sirius' new pet is not something James is too fond of.

"What, in Merlin's holy name, is that?"

At James' horrified tone, Remus pulled back the thick drapes that gently billowed around his bed. He saw James standing in the corner of the room, pointing a trembling finger at Sirius.

"Isn't it pretty?" Sirius cooed, extending his hand towards James, who whimpered and tried to step back but found himself pressed up against the wall. "Pete, what do you think?"

"It's nice, I guess… It looks tasty, though," Peter said, scratching the back of his neck.

Sirius gasped and quickly pulled his hands behind his back. "Wormy! No! Don't talk about eating Miss Lady!"

"Miss Lady? Am I missing something here?" Remus inquired, standing up from his bed and walking closer to Sirius, who had raised his hands to his face and seemed to be murmuring something.

"Moony! He's got a you-know-what in his hands!" James wailed. Hurrying over to Remus' bed, James jumped onto it, the mattress bouncing under his weight. He pulled the blankets over his head and began rocking back and forth.

"A ladyb—" Peter trailed off when James moaned and buried his face in his hands.

"Sirius," Remus said with an audible sigh, looking at the spotted insect slowly waddling on Sirius' palm. "You know James is terrified of that... thing in your hand, right?"

"It's a she—not an it. And her name's Miss Lady," Sirius said, petting the ladybug in his hand. It fluttered its wings, but it didn't fly away.

"Don't name it!" James' voice was muffled through the blanket, but the boys understood what he had said. "Giving it a name gives it power over you!"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Prongs!" Sirius cried, storming over to James' side. Ignoring his shrieks, Sirius yanked the blankets off of him and grabbed his arm, dragging him closer. "Just look at how cute she is!"

"Get it away from me!" James shrieked, flailing his arms and legs in his attempt to escape Sirius' firm grip, but in his panic, he accidentally kicked Sirius' hand.

Sirius gasped and leapt to save the bug, but it was too late. The ladybug fell directly on James' arm, and he screamed as he smacked it off, killing it in one quick motion.

Sirius fell onto his knees next to the bed, his eyes wide with horror. "Prongs! You bastard! You murdered Miss Lady!"

"It could have killed me! Oh, shit…" James paled when he saw the redness on his forearm. "It's starting! I can feel it taking over my soul!"

"Don't be so dramatic," Remus said, striding over and picking his wand up from the table. He cast an Aguamenti on James' arm before wiping it clean with the corner of his bedspread. "Keep your arm covered, James, and if you feel itchy, go straight to Madam Pomfrey."

"What about Miss Lady? James killed her! I demand justice for my poor—" Sirius snivelled as he poked the remains of the insect with his finger. "Merlin, Prongs, you absolute beast… How can you live with yourself?"

"I can't believe you care more about an insect than your best friend's well-being," James said, scooting to the other side of the bed. "At least Moony loves me enough to save me."

"Please, don't drag me into this," Remus said, sighing exasperatedly.

"You're so selfish, James! I just lost my beloved friend, and instead of consoling me, you're talking about your own problems!"

"What beloved friend? You knew the thing for half an hour," Peter said, bewildered at Sirius' phrasing.

"We're sorry for your loss," Remus said solemnly, nudging James and giving him a pointed look.

James' lower lip jutted out petulantly, but he sighed and said, "Fine. I'm sorry for your loss, Sirius. I hope your… beloved friend rests in peace."

"Prongs, how can she be at peace after getting brutally murdered?" Sirius glared at him.

"What if we hold a proper funeral for it—sorry, her? We could dress up in our best robes and bury her near the Forest," James suggested, attempting to distract him.

"Thanks, mate," Sirius said, immediately perking up. "Oh, we could find Mr Lady and their children and invite them to the funeral."

Remus opened his mouth to add in his comments, but James and Sirius were already walking out the door, discussing the food they could filch from the kitchens. He turned to Peter and asked, "You're not going?"

"No, I got hungry just looking at the ladybug. I don't want Sirius to get annoyed at me if I start chomping away on his precious Mr Lady."

Remus snickered and said, "You could find him some other animal to look after. Just no more ladybugs, or else he'll start bawling over Miss Lady's fate."

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