Genetics • Sirius Black

Chapter Sixty: Sneak Out.

Perhaps, she could get around Filch; he never stood directly in front of the Slytherin entrance. He hovered at the corridor in front of it after McGonagall told him off from sleeping at the doorway. Stunning and poisons would make it clear that it was Slytherin, therefore, giving Filch an excuse to be there longer, but perhaps if the stun--

"No." Regulus blended the nose of his charcoal mermaid.

Freya's attention turned back to her environment and straight to Regs. "What?"

He extended his arm and inspected his drawing at a distance, then decided her forehead was slightly too light. "You can't sneak out."

Curling closer to herself, Freya knew she hadn't been speaking to herself and glared at Regs. "It's creepy when you do that."

"It's creepy when you poison me. Call us even." Content with his analysis of the mermaid and Freya, he put the sketchbook back on his lap. She started at him with a face that said "Really?" and he smiled at her sweetly. With an eye roll, she shook her head at him, but Regs knew the corners of her mouth were upturned. "Staying in the common room another night won't kill you."

Running a hand through her hair, Freya honestly questioned his statement. "What's Sev doing?"

"He's hanging out with his other friends."

"Sounds dull."

At that, Regs held back a laugh but quickly rid himself of his joyful once Barty Crouch Jr. stepped down from the staircase. Both of their heads snapped in his direction, and his eyes widened at the eerie mirroring. "Am I interrupting?"

"No," Freya answered.

"Yes," Regs breathed quietly, and Freya glanced at him as Barty sat on the couch's armrest across from them.

Arms crossed, he still looked well put together in his deep purple pajamas and slippers. His hair was slightly damp, and they could inhale the freshness of his shower, even from where they sat. With a smile, he looked at Freya. "How's your DA essay going?"

"I finished it."

His head tilted at her words. "It was seven pages."

"Six and a half." She corrected.

"She assigned it today."

"She has the standards of a five-year-old, and the topic was not anything new." Though her tone was entirely factual, Barty chuckled at her statement, which made Regs stare at him over his drawing. Laughing at Freya being mean was Reg's job.

"Well, you're not wrong," Barty said, then glanced around the barren common room. "Place is still crowded, huh?"

"It's a quarter to eleven. We have classes tomorrow." Regs there was a certain clipped-ness to his tone that had Freya shooting him another look, and Barty's grin widened slightly more. Pissing off the Black Heir was probably a very poor idea, but in Barty's mind, that proved he saw him as a threat to Freya's attention.

"Fair point, Black." He mused. "Perhaps, it is my turn to join them." With a yawn, Barty stretched his arms over his head, causing his shirt to lift up just enough to show his pale lower torso. Regs wanted to deck him out and knew Freya would not fall for such a foolish show of skin. However, when he turned to her, her gaze had briefly flicked off Barty's face and then back. "Hope you both have a good night." Barty smiled, then just before he went up the stairs, he turned back. "Your hair looks stunning, by the way, Freya. I like the way you parted it."

As she thanked him, Regs wanted to let out the biggest sigh. Once Barty finally left, Freya's head snapped to him, and Regs pretended to be sketching. She gave him some time to not play stupid, then she said. "Go to bed."