The Bug Collector | marauders

Another Year

September 1st 1976
The Hogwarts Express

"Sirius, you signed all you letters S.O.B...you do understand the implications, right?" Rose asked sitting next to him, their fingers interlaced loosely.

"Yes I do. My mother is in fact a bitch so it works quite well." He said plainly.

"Oh my god." Rose responded and ran her free hand over her face.

"What?" Peter asked as he was a bit behind in the conversation as he'd just pulled James back into the train, he had his head sticking out of the window looking out at the passing hills, occasionally yelling into the wind.

Regular James things.

"SOB, it means son of a bitch, Peter. He's the son of a bitch." Remus said, stretching in his seat, placing his elbow on Sirius' shoulder with a sleepy smile.

Peter shared a look with James.

After a moment, Rose removed her hand from Sirius' and brought out a muggle book from her bag, she began reading while the boys chatted aimlessly. While she read she absentmindedly twirled the bookmark she'd been unsung in between her fingers, it was a photo of Regulus from years ago, sunlight had pinked his cheeks and flowers bloomed behind him. She had one of Sirius from that same year taped inside her journal.

"Is it going to take Reggie becoming a death eater for you to throw that away?" Sirius said, he'd been staring daggers into the photo before he spoke up.

Rose blinked her attention away from the book and looked at Sirius, she was never sure exactly how Sirius felt about Regulus, or her for that matter.

What she did know, is that Regulus becoming a death eater was closer than she'd wish to know. Severus had been a leading force in the Slytherin house, him, Evan Rosier, and Barty Crouch Jr. seemed to already be a part of, or be in the process of becoming death eaters.

Rose dreaded the day she'd learn the new. She'd imagined receiving a hastily written message from Regulus, saying something like "the mark" or "it is done". She tried not to worry, to think something into existence, but it seemed to be the natural progression of things.

There was also a chance that when it happened he wouldn't tell her at all.

"Perhaps." Rose responded breaking out of her thoughts and closing the book.

—

Once they had almost completed their journey back to Hogwarts a familiar face walked by, a girl with a face much like Dorcas', with a much softer demeanor, the type of girl to wear flowers in her hair.

"Hi, Ode." Rose said as the girl passed with a smile on her face, she turned around quickly and pointed to a badge on her robe.

"Take a look, Evans!" She said excitedly.

"A prefect." Rose said with a friendly smile.

"Does this mean you'll let me use the prefect bath? I've been dying to use some dried up magic flowers and see what would happen." Rose asked half-joking

"I don't see why not, as long as you clean up." Ode said twirling the end of her green scarf around in his fingers.

"Really? Sweet!" Rose said excitedly and Ode shook her head with a chuckle.

"I'll be with Steph if you need me." She said before nodding and walking off in the direction of their blonde roommate.

Sirius looked between the two but said nothing.

"Interesting roommates you've got, Rosie." James said.

"They've been wonderful, all expect the I'm sure IS a death eater." She said making a face. She'd learned the name of their fourth roommate in first year, the fact that she didn't remember it was telling enough that Rose didn't talk to her. She was a blood purist and exactly the type of Slytherin Sirius seemed to think Rose might have been years ago.

As with each year the boys had each changed over the summer, James had a fresher hairstyle(probably in hopes of gaining Lily's attention), Remus had a few more scars(poor lad), Peter seemed to grow a size or two, and Sirius had a few tattoos littered across the visible bits of his body.

"Woof" was seemingly hand poked under his ear, probably by James.

There were a handful of ancient ruins and symbols peeking through from under his shirt.

A star here, a moon there.

And—

Rose could swear she could see the outline of a flower through the thin material of his shirt.

"Sirius Black is that a Rose on your arm?" She asked with a face of utter shock.

"Oh yeah." He said nonchalantly pulling up his sleeve to show the Rose on his forearm.

"I figured, even if one day you turn out to be a real bitch, Rose's are still pretty."

"Oh my GOD." She responded

"I was expecting more of a "Sirius that's so cool, man" if I'm honest." He said laying back a little more comfortably.

"You are—" She was cut off.

"I got one for Moony too." He smiled and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"Feel free to look them over." He said with a smirk on his face.