The Little Sister

12 || rewritten

Madie knew that fifth year was going to be harder, what with her OWLs that year, but she didn't realize how much it would be kicking her butt. It felt like anytime she wasn't in class, her roommate's and her were studying or doing homework.

Like, for example, now. Immediately after lunch, the five girls had crammed at a table in the library. Ian, Regulus joined them soon after and the people who had sat with them had been changing since they sat with down. Nova and Lily had been with them earlier, but now it was Dorcas, Marlene, and Remus who sat at one end of the table.

"Godric, why does McGonagall want it so long?" Lisa complained, stabbing at her parchment with the quill. She looked up to see Madie with her head on the table and her eyes closed. "Is Madie done already?"

"No," Emma said with a sigh. "Reg, you were in charge of making sure she stayed awake."

"Sorry, Lucinda and I were talking Quidditch," Regulus said, gesturing to the Slytherin team captain who sat across from him. Lucinda looked annoyed to even be there, let alone be interrupted by a Gryffindor and she showed her displeasure by huffing. Regulus ignored her, reaching over to shake Madie awake.

"Wh – what? Who's there?" Her hand immediately reached for her wand, sliding it down the sleeve of her robe as she sat up quickly, the parchment sticking to her face for a second. She blinked sleepily at everyone at the table and Regulus pushed the hand that was holding her wand down until it was in her lap.

"It's just us Mad's," Emma said, flipping through her book, her head resting in one hand. "Don't be so trigger happy, got it?"

"I wasn't trigger happy," Madie mumbled, ready to put her head back down on the table.

"Hey no." Regulus gave her hand a shake. "You have an essay to finish."

Her whole face scrunched up at his words and she gave a mumbled response, slipping her hand out from under his. She didn't make any move to remove his hand from her leg and he kept it there, ready to shake her awake again if need be.

She almost fell asleep several more times before Lucinda made a snarky comment about her going to bed and left.

"Maybe she's right," Minnie said, even as she glared at Lucinda's retreating back. "You might as well go to bed if you're going to keep almost falling asleep."

"I'm fine Mouse," Madie responded even as she rested her head on Regulus' shoulder. "And don't you even say anything Remmy."

Remus raised an eyebrow, his mouth slightly open as he was about to agree with Minnie.

"Come on, I'll help you up to your dorm," Regulus said, sliding her papers and quills into her bag. He hoisted both his own bag and hers on his shoulder and tugged her into a standing position.

Not long after they had left, Sirius sauntered through the library doors, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he looked around. Marlene waved him over and he slowly made his way over and plopped down into the chair Madie had been occupying.

"What are you doing up this way?" Marlene asked, studying her chipped nails. She reached for her bag, digging around for a bottle of nail polish, only to come up empty handed.

"I was looking on the map and saw you all hanging out here," he muttered, glancing around the library.

"You looking for someone?" Dorcas asked, not even looking up from the book Remus was helping her studying from.

"Er, no," he shook his head and Dorcas looked up to meet Marlene's eyes in a knowing look. "I was looking for you three actually."

"Us three?" Marlene placed a hand over her heart, pretending to be shocked. "Now whatever could you be looking for us three for?"