CHAPTER 31: Remus' Realization
Isabella sauntered back to the castle, her mood absolutely elevated due to the unknown black dog. She eagerly continued her journey back to the common room when she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Isabella?" Remus called. She turned around and smiled.
"Sup Remus?" She flipped her dirty blonde hair. Remus stared at her for her excuse. She stared back at him and shrugged her shoulders. "Whaaaat are you lookin' at?" She continued to smile at him.
"Uhh, hello? Why weren't you in class today?" He held his hands out. She smiled even bigger.
"OH YEAH! Okay, I have to tell you the BEST story," she linked arms with Remus and started walking towards the Common Room. "So, I was getting my book from my room and Black asked me to skip with him-"
"Sirius asked you to skip with him?" Remus cut her off.
"Yeah! But wait, there's more! So I agree, and that's why I missed class-"
"Because you were skipping with Sirius Black."
"Yeah but Remus, just listen! So we went out to the Great Lake by your guys' tree and-"
"Sirius Black took you to the tree we generally hang out around."
"Boy if you cut me off one more time, I will literally cut you. So ANYWAY, we see a group of first years and we both agree to mess with them. I go to distract them, and I'm showing them absolutely nothing across the lake, but then Black disappeared! He probably ditched, which I don't really care about, but this big black dog came up to all of us and it was SO CUTE! I think it was a boy dog…but he scared the first years away and then he played with me! He was rolling over, putting his paws on me, licking me-"
"A big, black dog. A big, black DOG came up to you and PLAYED with you? LICKED YOU?" Remus yelled. Isabella winced, as Remus was still linked with her arm.
"No need to yell! And yes, this dog must have really liked me. I'M STILL SO HAPPY!" Isabella bounced up and down. Remus couldn't believe this.
What the hell is Sirius up to, he thought.
"Well, seeing as it was probably one of Hagrid's pets, I'm sure you won't be seeing it loose again," Remus grunted. Isabella pouted.
"But I want to see it again! Maybe I'll wait around that area again…he should come!" She sounded hopeful. This was the last thing Remus wanted.
"Don't get your hopes up Isabella…I don't think that dog will come back anytime soon," Remus muttered. Isabella didn't hear him and continued walking to the common room with him, arms linked. "Oh, I also think Professor Binns wants to see you for skipping," Remus remembered. Isabella rolled her eyes.
"I guess I'm going to get detention again," she murmured. Remus smiled at her.
"No need. I told Professor Binns you weren't feeling well this morning and went to the hospital wing. Now I'm not one for lying but-" Remus was cut off by Isabella's big hug.
"OH THANK YOU REMUS! I've never had someone do that for me before. You really are a good friend," Isabella gushed. Remus snickered.
Friend, he thought. The two came to the Common Room and Remus chivalrously let Isabella enter first. The two came across Sirius lounging across the couch.
"Hey Pads," Remus said without a thought. Sirius widened his eyes a little at Remus to hint at him.
"Pads? What's pads?" Isabella looked confused. Remus nervously smiled.
"It's just my little nickname for him…we each have nicknames for each other," he tried to explain. Isabella snickered.
"Well that suits Black- he's always such a bitch so I guess he needs pads, huh?" She slyly smiled at Sirius while he smirked right back.
"Watch it, Clarke," he ruffled his hair. Remus' nervous smile continued to stay, as he was uncomfortable with this tension.
"You ditched me with that prank, jackass," Isabella crossed her arms. Sirius shrugged his shoulders.
"You got boring, I guess," he continued to smirk. Isabella narrowed her eyes.
"Well for your information, I had a much better time with a stray dog, so I'm glad you ditched me," Isabella turned her nose upwards. Sirius' smirk grew.
"A dog, huh? What was he like?"
"Adorable, so playful…I think he really liked me," Isabella smiled. Sirius paused.
"Sure about that, Clarke?" He grinned. Remus widened his eyes and stepped in.
"Well, whatever it was, I'm sure Hagrid has found him and put him in HIS PLACE. I'm sure that DOG won't show himself again," Remus gritted his teeth at Sirius. Sirius winked at Remus and leant back.
"I'd like to see this dog Clarke," Sirius crossed his arms at her. Isabella tilted her head to the side.
"Hmm, I'm not sure when he'll come back, but okay. Remus, wanna come?" Isabella asked. Remus narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, I would love to come along," Remus accepted. Isabella grinned and jumped up and down.
"Okay, okay! This is going to be great AHH I hope I can see that dog again!" She bounced off to her room. Remus watched her go and swiveled his head towards Sirius.
"Really?" He narrowed his eyes at him. Sirius smirked and shrugged.
"She likes dogs I guess."
"What exactly are you playing at?"
"Nothing at all! I just thought my alter ego would scare the first years."
"That's fine- well that isn't cause you shouldn't be scaring first years but did you really have to play with her afterwards?"
"…I thought it would be funny."
"There's nothing funny about it. Isabella has no idea about Padfoot, so let's keep it that way!"
"Relax Moony, I wasn't going to tell her anything about it."
"Good…seeing as you hate her…right?"
"Nah. No hate. Just love."
"WHAT?"
"Calm your tits, I'm kidding! But nah she's not too bad."
"How do you mean?"
"I mean that she's got the same tricks up her sleeve as I do…and I kinda like that. Not her, god no! Just the way she thinks."
"Sirius…she is very important to me, alright? Now I don't mind if you two become friends, but just be careful with her. I don't want her hating me," Remus pleaded.
"She won't hate you, don't worry."
"And you're so sure of that? Seems like you know her really well."
"Maybe I do," Sirius smirked.
"Sirius," Remus warned. "Do not do anything that compromises my friendship with her, alright? Promise?"
"Fiiiine Remus, I promise," Sirius shook Remus' hand and pulled him into a hug. "I like you better than I like her anyway," he murmured in his ear. Remus grinned and pushed him away.
"None of that yet, Pads…later," he winked at Sirius, who chuckled.
"Later it is, then."
Isabella came bounding downstairs the same time James entered the common room.
"WHATSUP LADS," James bellowed, letting the whole Gryffindor tower know he was present.
"Hey James, how was class?" Remus asked. James scoffed.
"HAH! More like, how was Evans?"
"Not with you, I'm guessing," Sirius snickered. James flared his nostrils.
"Can you not, Sirius? You're really cramping my style," James chastised. He caught sight of Isabella and sighed. "You're still here, Clarke?"
"Yeah," Isabella didn't feel the need to fight with James anymore.
"Do you want to leave?" James' tone didn't rise.
"James, leave it," both Sirius and Remus said. James looked utterly shocked.
"Both of you? Really? What the hell are you guys doing anyways?" James spat.
"I'm showing them a dog I saw earlier today," Isabella coldly replied.
"I WAS NOT speaking to you, vermin," James looked down at Isabella. She shrugged her shoulders and looked at the two boys.
"Alright then, maybe next time," she quietly said before walking out of the common room. She walked down the hallway, on the way to the Great Lake. It was weird for her- she didn't want James to hate her anymore. She continued walking when she bumped into someone in the hallway.
