the band

anger & determination

"Hey, Potter. Can I talk to you?" Regulus asked as he lightly touched the back of James' arm. James grabbed his drink and followed Regulus to where he and Celeste once sat.

"What's up?" James asked. Regulus took a deep breath. "Oh! Actually, I meant to tell you, Celeste was asking about you earlier and I know you're into her so I figured you should know." Regulus slowly blinked at James.

"I'm sorry... what? You knew I liked her?"

"Yeah it's pretty obvious. She likes you too," he sipped his drink "never admit it though."

"Potter, I've been pulling my hair out over this the last few weeks because I didn't know how to tell you without it turning into a whole debacle and you're telling me you knew?" James just nodded.

"I kissed you as a mate. I knew from that first date we went on, you weren't exactly subtle. I knew Cel wouldn't own up to it unless I pushed her, so I've been playing dumb. Really didn't know which of you would break first." Regulus sipped his drink in disbelief.

"Kiss your mates often, do you Potter?" James just laughed.

"Don't fuck it up." He said as he left.

Meanwhile Celeste clung to Evan. She'd given him the rundown while they waited. He listened half heartedly while he watched Barty crack on with Dorcas at the bar.

"Cel, I have feelings for you." He blurted out not even looking at her. She stared up at him.

"What?"

"You're abrasive and you're rude and you're plain mad but god damn then you turn around and you're sweet and funny and caring and, fuck, Celeste. You don't even care about the fame. That's what pisses me off the most. You don't care about any of it! You're unapologetically you, your image doesn't matter to you because if you're happy fuck it right? You just want to make music people love and be you, it drives me mad." He didn't look at her the whole time.

"I don't even know where to start with that." She told him. He finally looked down at her, realizing what he had done.

"Because you don't face feelings!"

"I face feelings, Evan, you just didn't describe me." She grabbed his hands. "I care so much about what people think about me, you know that, if I didn't I would be publicly shoving my tongue down Black's throat. So who do you really like, Rosier?" He froze.

"You."

"No, you didn't want to say that to me. Who did you really want to say it to." He took a deep breath.

"Barty."

"And why can't you?"

"Because he likes Bella- I mean, he's always liked Bella, and she's Bellatrix Black I mean, I don't stand a chance."

"I love you, and I am more than willing to be your cover and wingwoman while you find out, but if you ever project your feelings like that onto me ever again I will break your nose. Understood?" He laughed.

"Understood."

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"So that's why I think for my own sanity and my emotional well-being me and Jamie just post that we never explicitly said we were with them and we're all just great mates.... And also I like Regulus Black." Celeste explained to Lily and Mary at the bar. Regulus had been tasked with Dorcas and Marlene. Celeste got the better end of that deal. Lily looked at Mary. Mary sighed.

"Let us think about it kid. You know I want to see you happy. I've been in your corner since the beginning," Mary trailed off.

"But?" Celeste asked. Mary shot Lily a sympathetic look.

"But, and I mean this in the nicest way Lils, I refuse to have them go through what you guys are going through with Lia, Lily and James. Plus, James in two scandals in less than a week is really bad for you." Lily just nodded.

"I'm sorry love, it's not going to happen right now. You can publicly break it off with Evan though if you'd wish. Decide your better as friends." Lily said as she grabbed Celeste's hand. Celeste just nodded. She scanned the club. Regulus appeared to be getting his ass handed to him by Marlene while Evan stood at the bar watching Barty dance with a girl.

"Let me talk to Evan." She replied. Mary and Lily both nodded. She hopped up and made her way to Evan.

"I hate that part." Mary admitted downing what was left of her drink. Lily just chuckled.

"I've never had that happen before. Celeste doesn't fall for people."

"Pandora does. Her person was Celeste."

"Shit."

"It'd still be too soon if I never had to watch Pandora sob on the floor after I told her they were going on this tour."

"Celeste got angry. She yelled at me for days." Lily replied sipping her drink. Mary laughed.

"I've always admired her temper."

"She's learning." Mary cocked her head.

"Learning?"

"How to show emotions other than anger." Mary drank the rest of her drink.

"She won't. The Mcgonagall girls learned from a very young age that the only thing that gets you through life is anger and determination."

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"Cas and Marlene said no." Regulus told Celeste at the bar. She laughed as she took another shot.

"So did Lily and Mary." She grabbed another one off the table. He grabbed her wrist.

"Maybe you don't do that." He offered. She glared at him.

"Do what?"

"Get so hammered you don't remember what happened tonight."

"I don't want to remember tonight. I want to continue believing I never said a single thing to anyone." She freed her wrist and took the shot. He sighed and sat down beside her.

"Another round." He said to the bartender. The man nodded and brought more shots to them. Regulus offered one to Celeste as he grabbed one for himself. She stared at him.

"What're you doing?"

"Getting so drunk I don't remember tonight." He tapped her glass with his own before they both downed their shots.