youth ━━ s. black ¹

[ 042 ] a not-so warm welcome

"Hang on a second, celebration should've been yesterday," she realised. "Why'd you postpone it?"

"Because it'd feel like we're celebrating your injuries." Dorcas chimed in with a light grin, looking at Scarlet's bored face.

"Now, wouldn't that be a perfect reason to celebrate," Everest smirked playfully, popping her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her knuckles. That statement earned her a slap on the head.

To say the least, she was glad they did not get on with the party without her.

      "YOU LYING TOAD!" AFTER MANY DIFFICULTY, SCARLET MANAGED to track down Sirius Black who did his best to ignore her. 

      For an entire day.

      Under normal circumstances, she would've been glad to have Sirius leave her alone in peace, however, this was anything but normal. After all, she only found them because they were lurking around in the Slytherin Dungeon in the middle of the night like lunatics.

      Standing opposite Severus Snape.

"Leave me alone," he spat at the two Marauders, but the pair only paid attention to the new figure whose heels clicked with her approach.

"Do you never give up?" She asked the two of them, "Get the fuck out of my place."

"We just want to talk," James rubbed his own arm nervously before turning to Severus. He remembered what Scarlet had said about Snape and his lack of respect for his promises when he got mad. "Please, don't tell anyone"

Something satisfactory lingered in Severus' eyes. He turned to Scarlet. "How long have you known?"

"None of your business, the same way Remus' private life is none of yours either."

"Why would you walk into a place like that if you suspected Remus was a werewolf?" Sirius said in a mocking tone, taking a few steps forward. James shoved him back in a warning manner, sending a glare that was anything but friendly.

"If Dumbledore hadn't made me promise, everybody would know what a vile, filthy creature that Lupin is," Severus uttered with disgust.

"You know what," Sirius' tone turned harsher, anger clouding his judgment. "James should've just let you in there."

Rage burned bright in Scarlet's aura, her voice raised. "What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me, what's wrong with your friend?" Sirius told her.

"Don't ever speak to me again," Severus spat and started to walk away. The remaining three watched his thin and tall figure fade into the dungeon's darkness.

Softly, Scarlet turned to James, an unusual soothing look in her cobalt eyes. "Truthfully, if I was in your place, I doubt I would've done what you did," James looked taken aback at the sudden respect in her eyes. "Thank you for saving him."

"Don't worry about it," he smiled softly and bowed his head in a calm manner. Sirius glanced between the two and scoffed.

James shot him a peculiar look.

A glassy shine was held in his grey eyes, he almost looked ashamed. "I didn't mean it when... I said he should've just gone in there, I—"

"Save it," the sharpness of her tone could have sliced through the mountains itself. "Goodnight."

"Blondie—"

"Goodnight, Black."

As she walked away, an unusual pain formed in his chest. Perhaps it was the breakdown of the expectations she had from others, perhaps it was the fact that she thought she lost Sirius completely. Her breathing grew shallow but she was not going to let anybody see those pointless emotions of hers, she stood her ground against Sirius no matter how much it ached to be harsh to that melancholic face.

      When she stomped over to the common room, she certainly did not expect to see Severus still up and awake.

"What is it?"

"I know," he spoke confidently, voice straight. "I know about you... You're Animagi, you were that bird."

Scarlet's breath hitched, suddenly, the world felt like it stopped spinning. "Severus—"

"Don't worry about it, I never told Dumbledore," he assured softly. "Unlike that Black and Potter, friendship means something to me."

"Potter saved your life," she reminded. "In case you've forgotten."

"His little friend was the one to put me in danger," Severus harshly spoke in anger. "What are you doing with those lot, Scarlet? Associating with such reckless people—"

"Mind your tongue." She warned.

A humourless chuckle left his lips. "Yet, you defend them."

"Salazar, do men really lack the ability to think!"

"Something could have happened to you!" Severus yelled back. "You were sent to the hospital, that's how badly they've injured you, you should've left Black at that instant."

"Relationships and friendships are not black and white, they're complicated, Severus." Scarlet firmly spat. "And you should know that,"

"I should know that?" Severus questioned in a perplexed manner.

"Yes, because I am friends with your arch nemesis and yet you kept my secret instead of snitching on me to Dumbledore," she explained. "You cannot just leave people after one inconvenience, otherwise, we wouldn't be friends anymore."

She was desperate to leave this suffocating common room. Without giving him another glance or giving him a chance to respond, she left and slammed her dorm door loudly. 

𝑪𝑨𝑹𝑨 𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑺

i deeply apologise for such 
a short chapter.