𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 [𝐑. 𝐋𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐧]

𝐇𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐄

"You're a whore for success and it just so happens that it translates to good grades at the moment." Callisto observed, Collins' voice drowning in the background once again. "We're all on the same boat."

"Unhygienic..." Narcissa commented, her pale blue eyes averting to the tables next to them where four troublesome Gryffindors were sitting. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed that James Potter was already looking at them with his eyes narrowed. Sirius Black was as usual, exchanging notes with Peter Pettigrew even though they sat right next to each other and Remus Lupin looked like he was about to tear his hair out of his scalp as he eavesdropped an undoubtedly interesting conversation between Gilderoy Lockhart and Rex Brown. Against her better judgement, she nudged the blonde's leg and pointed at their direction with a subtle hand movement.

"You outsmart a group of baboons and their leader stays salty about it." Callisto snickered, tapping her fingers on the wooden desk. "I feel bad for Lupin. Poor boy has to put up with their antiques on a daily basis."

"Lupin? He's just as bad only that he makes an attempt to look more like a normal student and less like a joke."

"Please, one look is enough to understand that he's just an emotionally unavailable sweetheart with self-esteem issues." She noted, catching Remus' eye and sending him a small smile.

"Aren't we all?" Narcissa joked, leaning back on her chair to take a better look of the four boys in question.

"No, Potter is a living cliché out of a romantic novel with his undying love for Lilian Evans, who will eventually give in to his boyish charms and goofy personality. Black was troubled as a boy but he's now in a much better mindset, yet the remnants of his past linger in the form of a nicotine addiction and a thirst for affection and Pettigrew is an outsider in a group of popular misfits, whose deepest desire is to be respected. None of them are emotionally unavailable and quite frankly, none of them are as cute."

"You find Lupin cute?"

"You don't?" Callisto retorted, surprised by the disbelief in Narcissa's voice. "The lad is objectively fit."

"If I had to go for anyone in the group, it'd be Potter. He's annoying and I don't understand half of the things that come out of his mouth but he's-"

"Miss Claire and Miss Black!" Collins' stern voice interrupted her, making Narcissa snap her head to the front of the class. "I hope you don't mind sharing what you two were so deeply discussing during my lesson."

"Of course, professor." Callisto mused, a sweet smile etching on her lips. "I was just talking to Narcissa about how cute Lupin is."

Nobody really knows what was the most entertaining thing that ensued this sentence. Emilia Collins' expression changing from stern and professional to a dumbfounded one at the girl's words? Remus' eyes widening so much that they almost fell off their sockets as his face flared a deep crimson color? Narcissa slowly turning to look at her friend with her jaw dropped at the brutal honesty? The rest of the Marauders' snickers and wolf whistles at the comment? Or Callisto's unfazed state as she continued to look at the teacher, her smile never faltering?

"As I was saying, you will be working in pairs this year." Collins carefully enunciated, slowly turning back to the board. The commotion started to die down and Callisto turned back to her parchment, scribbling random spirals on the top corner of her notes.

"Next time opt for a simple 'I'm sorry, professor'." Narcissa hissed, trying to hide her smile.

"I didn't say anything bad, though. Where's the harm in finding someone attractive?"

"I'll either need a shot of vodka or ten more hours of sleep before this discussion so please, go back to your art." Callisto shrugged and sent her a cheeky smile before doing as Narcissa instructed. She was completely invested in drawing over a particular spiral again and again when a piece of paper landed gracefully on top of her notes. She put down her pen and opened it, coming face to face with an unfamiliar, yet very neat handwriting.