Rumors (Adele Sang it Best)

Arcturus Black Tries To Be Alone

"Rumor has it... "

Arcturus sat in potions class, laboring over the classwork for the day. His hair was tied up with his wand and his sleeves were rolled up. Wiping sweat off with the back of his hand he sighed and looked back at the textbook for information. The Ravenclaw next to him had moved all her ingredients to the edge of the table, it was like she was squishing herself to fit a small space. She had her entire side of the table. Across from him another Hufflepuff was leaning away, practically petrified to be within an arms reach of him. Rolling his eyes he shook his head and focused back on the boiling purple liquid in his cauldron. Maybe something just happened earlier in class or a Slytherin put some cruel hex on them.
"Hey, Black. You took the last of the toadstool caps." A Gryffindor was across from the Ravenclaw, she didn't flinch away.
"I thought Professor Snape laid out the right amount for all of us." Arcturus didn't lift his head, counting his toadstool caps just in case he really did have extra.
"Just give it here."
"Hold on, I'm counting."
"I said give it." The Gryffindor reached across the table and snatched them up before Arcturus could come to the conclusion that they were just the right amount.
"I said I was counting that." Arcturus looked up, his voice was level. He wasn't angry, but the way the other two flinched away he might as well be.
"So what? Are you going to throw a curse at me?" She taunted.
"I'll... Just substitute?" Arcturus flipped through the textbook, it was the best he could work with now.

He didn't want conflict, he didn't want to draw attention to himself more than there already was. It was the last thing he needed, the last thing he hoped for. Flipping through countless pages there was nothing in the textbook about substituting potion ingredients, as much as he was one of the top three students in Professor Snape's class, there wasn't anything he could do creatively to change the outcome of this half assed potion boiling in his cauldron. He knew he was bound to face the unnecessary wrath of Professor Snape because of this, but what was Snape compared to his other teachers? It was as if they all flipped on a dime. Suddenly, once caring teachers turned cold and disrespectful. Giving him more homework than his classmates, lowering his marks. Stirring the cauldron absentmindedly as he tried to not let his mind wander. Pulling the ladle out his eyes widened seeing it had been eaten away at. His expression turned downward.
This was surely going to be the start of a very awful day.

He sat by the black lake, going over his potions textbook. Other books were laid out around him. His hair was still pinned in place with his wand, sleeves still rolled up. The cloak bearing the Hufflepuff house crest was discarded, hanging on a nearby tree branch.Legs splayed out alongside his books.He heard footsteps behind him but dismissed it as students up on the footpath. He didn't look up or stop his studying when he heard leaves crunch underfoot and twigs snap. He paid no mind to whatever was coming down to the black lake, all he hoped was that they didn't bother him.
"I saved you a seat at the Slytherin table since Hufflepuff seems more crowded than usual."
"Go away." He groaned and held a textbook against his face.
"Is that anyway to talk to your best friend?"
"You, Severinus, are not my best friend."
"Why not?" The taller boy sat down next to him. "Everyone needs a friend."
"I don't need one."
"Of course you do!"
"No, I really don't." Arcturus argued.

He remembered when he met the Slytherin his first year. He'd given the boy a pen because he was curious about them. Now, he couldn't seem to Severinus to leave him alone. Continuing to ignore the Slytherin he hoped he would leave him alone in peace.
"Ugh, you're just trying to act all big and tough." Sev laid down in the grass.
"I'm not trying to act any certain way, I just want you to leave me alone."
"But I'm bored!" Sev exclaimed, throwing his hands up to the sky.
"Yeah, and I'm studying. Go away."
"Really, you're not even going to try and talk to me?"
"No." Arcturus flipped a page.
"You said something! That must mean you're going to talk to me!"
"Okay! If it'll get you to stop bothering me." Arcturus frowned.