heart and mind | s.b / r.a.b

v - chapter five

      ❝ mi, i think about you. i do, and you know i do. i just... can't. ❞

today — in twenty minutes to be exact — cynthia, evan and i are going to a party. so my 'young' friend, as i like to jokingly call her, and i are getting ready. i apply lipstick, while she ties her hair into a high ponytail.

it's a shame elladora and regulus can't come with us, but they're both busy with schoolwork. already. i can't believe it, but they are. elladora is studying in the library and regulus is sitting in the common room, writing an essay.

shortly after, we meet evan in the common room, where he is talking to my best friend, until cynthia and i join them.

"you look lovely, mimi," regulus tells me kindly. "so do you, cynthia."

evan pats him good-naturedly on the shoulder, "she's mine, reg. you got your girl."

i chuckle at his protectiveness and intertwine my arm with cynthia's.

"thank you, reggie." i say and cynthia thanks him at the same time.

"well, time to go! you're sure you don't want to join us?" evan asks regulus again, but he still shakes his head.

that's a shame. he would be fun to be around, but i understand he wants to prioritise his school work. or maybe he just wants to avoid his brother.

i can still feel his eyes on me when our trio leaves the room.

sirius told me earlier this week that the room is located on the seventh floor in the left corridor, so that is where the three of us are going right now. cynthia and evan are not really fond of going to a party hosted by the marauders and truthfully neither am i, but it's tradition to host a 'back to school party' and this year the gryffindors happen to host it. last year it was the hufflepuffs — believe me that was fun.

"i never noticed a room here before." remarks evan in confusion.

i scoff lightheartedly, "and you call yourself observant."

i have never noticed a room here either, but why should he know that?

before he can retort something, i open the wooden door and gasp in amazement upon seeing the room from the inside.

the room — no, the hall — is much bigger than i expected. there is a bar counter, a huge dance floor with alternating black and white checks on the floor, and a turntable — that's a thing muggles play music on, as sirius taught me. the room shines in purple, blue and red lights and flickers again and again. there is a garland of lights and in one corner there are several sofas where students smoke and talk.

most of my slytherin classmates haven't shown up, as they rarely do, but there are a few people here. mostly the ones who simply want to drink and dance — or the ones who have friends in other houses.

a couple of ravenclaws are here as well, but the majority are hufflepuff and gryffindor students. not that this surprises me. hufflepuffs have a lot of friends usually, and gryffindors will use any excuse to drink.

cynthia and i follow evan towards the bar, but i know i'll be the only one to drink tonight. cynthia is too young, which is just an excuse. she just doesn't want to drink and i respect that. evan loves to drink, however he promised cynthia if she wouldn't drink he wouldn't either. they're adorable truly.

they won't stop me though. i'm not planning on getting drunk, but i haven't had something to drink in a while, so i gladly take a cup filled with fire whiskey.

"look," cynthia points to the dance floor. "even xenophilius lovegood is dancing."

evan laughs at him, which i understand, but i frown nonetheless. yes, xenophilius lovegood is a madman, he has weird theories and his dancing is off-putting somehow. he's twirling around and hitting the air above his head with his hands, not even on beat, but he's having fun and that is nice to see. besides i don't like how mean evan can get, because that is just not him.