DANICA || REGULUS BLACK

XV - butterbeer

"Lemon drop."

The enormous stone made its turn, revealing a spiraling staircase. Danica placed her feet on the first step, letting herself be brought up to the top.

When the stairs came to a halt, a thick, old wooden door blocked her way forward. She reached out with her fist and knocked 3 times.

"Please enter." a muffled voice calmly said behind the door.

With all her strength, Danica pushed the creaky door open, revealing a majestic dome-like chamber.

The room, adorned with towering bookshelves that reached the ceiling, housed countless volumes, their spines displaying the history of magic in various hues. The air was thick with the comforting scent of aged parchment and magical incense.

The focal point of the chamber was undoubtedly the spacious desk, cluttered with parchment, quills, and peculiar magical instruments. The old headmaster sat behind it, his long, flowing beard cascading over the edges.

"Ah, Miss Lestrange," Dumbledore looked up from his work and rose to his feet. "I've been eagerly anticipating your arrival. Do help yourself to some of these delightful Cadbury Eggs."

He motioned towards a bowl of strangely packaged purple balls.

"I appreciate the offer, but I must politely decline. Thank you."

Dumbledore, with a plastered-on frown, gestured towards the small leather chair in front of his desk for Danica to sit down.

"Miss Lestrange, I assume you already know why have I called you here?" He said as she sat with her legs crossed.

"I'm afraid I'd have to disappoint you, sir. I don't have the slightest idea." she pointed out.

"Very well." he fixed his glasses and leaned forward on the table when he sat down. "I was simply wondering about your well-being as a prefect. How are your duties going?"

"Everything is splendid. The students have been behaving well lately, so there wasn't much trouble Black and I had to come across." she raised a questioning brow at the large stack of wolfsbane placed at the back of his desk.

"Is that so? I'm very pleased to hear about it." he popped a muggle candy into his mouth. "Not even your upperclassmen caused you any trouble?"

That bastard. Of course, he'd have a motive.

"Severus or..?" Danica feigned ignorance.

"No, Miss Lestrange, of course not." Dumbledore lightly chuckled. "James and his friends. You must already know Sirius." he searched for a reaction.

The old man must have spies all around the castle grounds and beyond because every time something happened to his dear favourites, the news would reach him.

Of course, this was a trap. He couldn't care less about her.

"No, professor. We barely crossed paths this year, let alone had any troubles."

For a minute, Dumbledore took in the information, challenging her to say something more with his rock-solid gaze, but Danica stood her ground.