Mean Spirits ⋆ Sirius Black

― v. "WELL. THAT WAS UNEXPECTED"

     "When they get you into trouble for something you haven't done?"

     "No, I think it's just because they're scared of Capulet — and he can be scary, I don't blame them, it's just unfair on me..."

     "You haven't chickened out, right?"

     "Of course not! I'm not a chicken! And, anyway," said Emilia. She grinned mischievously. He looked surprised at it. "There's turning back now. My hair's blue and I've got a tattoo."

     Sirius added, "And it rhymed."

     "Must mean it's true," Emilia remarked.

     To her own surprise, Sirius ended up sitting at the Hufflepuff table for the rest of breakfast. Emilia didn't mind it, nor did she mind the amount of looks she was being given by her fellow housemates. Because, to be fair, Hufflepuffs could be just as judgemental as the other houses. Loyalty didn't mean they were pushovers, and not all of them were fair. Gryffindors weren't always brave, Slytherins weren't always cunning, Ravenclaws weren't always creative.

     And, although she loved her blue hair, not everyone's bound to like it. That's fine. It doesn't necessarily concern them, the colour of her hair, but if they're going to dislike it, then whatever. She liked her hair. She liked her tattoo. She liked not worrying about what others thought.

     It was the end of lunch when the two of them departed. Carmilla put an arm around Emilia and steered her away, just as Sirius went to catch up to James. Emilia ducked to get Carmilla's arm away from her shoulders, but then the two quickly linked arms. The arm was just a little uncomfortable, she felt like she was being strangled.

     "So, Paris spoke to you yesterday?" said Carmilla. Wincing, Emilia nodded. Her best friend held onto her a little tighter. "Yeah, it was trying to show off about it a few minutes ago. Don't worry, though."

     Emilia's eyes widened. "Don't say—"

     "Yeah," said Carmilla. "Dinah almost drowned him in his own bowl of cereal. Then she was almost elbowed in the nose by him — which, obviously, pissed her off, since it was her new nose and all... And then, she stopped trying to drown him in the cereal, but she did give him a black eye because he said he almost did things with you—"

     "He tried to kill my rabbit!"

     "That isn't a euphuism, right?"

     "No! That's disgusting!" said Emilia. She pulled a face. Carmilla looked worried. "No, he was making me nervous and I was holding Ripper so I was making Ripper nervous and I was getting a little panicked so then Ripper was scared and rabbits can die from being scared so yes, he tried to kill me rabbit!"

     "That bitch," said Carmilla. "We should kill him."

     "What? No?" said Emilia.

     "I'm joking," Carmilla said. "But, I mean, if he goes after Ripper again—"

     "Carmilla, no," said Emilia. "People can hear us. There's evidence."

     Carmilla nodded. The two of them grinned and began to walk to their first lesson, which thankfully, was Hufflepuff with Slytherin. Dinah and Melanie were already waiting outside of the classroom when Emilia and Carmilla arrived.

     Dinah had been leaning against the wall when they arrived, whereas Melanie was standing next to her. The two wore matching smirks when Emilia and Carmilla walked up to them.

     "I almost killed Prince," said Dinah, quite proudly.

     "I know enough dirt on the four bastards to destroy them all," said Melanie. She also looked very proud with herself. "It didn't take much to get what's-his-face talking. So, don't worry about it, Em, if Prince the Prick speaks to you again, just leave it. We can already successfully destroy them. They deserve it, after trying to kill Ripper."