𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐭 {𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲}

| 𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐃 | 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴...

"For he was as clever as the devil, and twice as beautiful."

»»——⍟——««

💜

l o r c a n

"What? Another one?"

"Yep," Caspian popped the last syllable as we stepped out of Honeydukes. "The stairs to the Slytherin dungeons are way too steep and slippery. Little Billy didn't stand a chance."

"He's not so little anymore. He's eighteen," I said. Caspian unwrapped his Cauldron Cake and sank his teeth into it. "He'll always be Little Billy, whether he likes it or not. Want some?"

I ignored his offer. "He's the fifth one in two weeks."

"Balls to be them, I guess," he shrugged loosely. "So close to N.E.W.T.s, too. It's in, like, three days."

The early June air was heavy and hot, with only a light breeze to bring down the temperature. We started down the street towards Dervish and Banges, Caspian's favourite shop and the second stop in our weekly Hogsmeade route. Next would be Scrivenshaft's to replace the quills he had burned through this week, then The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer before heading back.

"Don't you think it's all a little strange?" I asked. "Billy's the best in Defense out of all the Seventh Years."

"So?"

"Alice Briarwood, the Gryffindor girl who severed her arm last week. She was the best in Potions. Rosie Wilson, measles. She was best in Charms, wasn't she? Bea Roberts, broken arm. Arithmancy. Thomas O'Sullivan, throwing up for weeks. Top in History of Magic."

"Ooh-hoo-hoo. Bea Roberts is something else. Tits galore!" He took another large bite of the cake. "Oh, speaking of tits, I was thinking of asking Jamie Lynch out next weekend. You know Jamie Lynch from Hufflepuff. Anyway, she's already said yes, so I guess what I'm saying is that I won't be gracing you with my presence next weekend. Sorry."

His attempt at making his shit-eating grin seem apologetic infuriated me even more. "You're not listening to me!" I moaned in exasperation, which instigated a breath of amused laughter from him. "I am! Alice, Rosie, Bea, James."

"Thomas."

"Same thing. Why's it got your knickers in a knot, anyway? They're Seventh Years, it doesn't concern us. We're only taking our N.E.W.T.s next year, remember?"

I could tell Caspian was beginning to tire of this conversation, but his nonchalance about everything was disconcerting, to say the least. And it wasn't just him, either. None of the professors seemed to realise there was something fishy going on.

The large, swinging sign of Dervish and Banges came into view. The shop was the first one of the block and next to a little alleyway. I saw my chance. Just as Caspian was reaching for the door, I grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, and dragged him away from the main street.

"Ow- what the fuck, mate!" he exclaimed loudly, like a full idiot.

I threw him against the wall with considerable force. "It's that Head Boy," I hissed, still holding his arm in a deadlock. Caspian stared at me for a few seconds before his face contorted in confusion. "The fuck are you on about?"

"The Head Boy, from Slytherin!" I shook him firmly. "Blue eyes? Hair fairer than your white arse? You can't miss him, he's the bloody Head Boy!"

"Oh, yeah, what was his name? Fucken' Cormac or something-"