Mean Spirits ⋆ Sirius Black

― xiii. "TO KILL A SALVATORE"

     "I heard he once stopped a goblin uprising with nothing but an olive and a toothpick."

     "It's no wonder they sent Monarda to prison so quickly. He killed the father of Capulet Salvatore! Can you believe how stupid he is, messing with someone that powerful in the Ministry?"

     Em was fed up of this. She had had enough. She could feel her anger rising, and in the torches on the wall behind Dinah and Melanie, the flames were dancing higher than usual.

     So, she did as anyone would do. Em stood up, cleared a space on the table, and put one foot on the bench. Melanie and Carmilla looked at her in a what the fuck do you think you're doing? sort-of way. Dinah looked up, and her expression brightened slightly. Good.

     She stuck two fingers in her mouth. A loud whistle pierced through the air as Em stood on the table. Carmilla was shielding her eyes. The talking was decreasing, considering one of the subjects was standing on the fucking table.

     "HEY!" shouted Em. "The next person that talks about Dinah behind her back is getting skinned. Got it?" There was a pause. She heard Sirius whistle from the other side of the hall. But, she couldn't hear their names again, and that's what she wanted. So, Emilia smiled, and curtseyed, and said, "Thank you," before jumping back onto the ground, and sitting down on the bench.

     "What the fuck was that?"

     "I'm not being walked on, and I'm not having people stick their noses into business that isn't their own," said Em. Carmilla's eyes had widened to the size of saucers, and she blinked, and they went back to their normal size. She still looked shocked, though, as did Melanie. Dinah was eating at a normal pace.

     "Well, wow," said Melanie. "Good going, Em."

     Em grinned. She grabbed a slice of toast, and stood up again, noticing the time on Carmilla's watch. "I'll see you at lunch," she said, finishing the toast and walking off.

     The amount of conversations about herself and her best friend had died down, thankfully. A small smile danced on Emilia's face at that. Maybe, that would help cheer up Dinah. She knew that Dinah would be missing her father for the rest of her life, but she hoped that the decreased amount of people discussing Augustus Monarda would help a little bit.

     It was getting to her, only in a different way. It was getting to her in the way that it was pissing her off. It was getting to Dinah in the way that it was upsetting her because it was a constant reminder where her father's moved to and will stay for the rest of his life. It was getting to Em because people were speaking of her godfather like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. It was getting to Dinah because people were speaking of her father like he was beastly and disgusting.

     "Fuck, Salvatore!"

     Emilia turned around, the small smile still on her face. She stepped to the side of the room, as she said, "So, yeah, that's happened."

     "I heard," Sirius said.

     Emilia leant against the wall, and he stood in front of her.

     "I think everyone's heard," said Emilia. "Dinah only told me last night. She said she only just found out, and she explained everything she knew. She still doesn't know why he did it. I don't, either."

     "So, the thing about Grindelwald?"

     "That's not true," said Emilia. "Dinah's dad hated his father, he wouldn't have bothered avenging him..." She frowned at him. Her mind went back to a little while ago when he made that comment about Animagi. Emilia looked at Sirius, frowning slightly. "So, um, that thing you said, a while ago... About there being some Animagi in the school, and not on the register?"

     Sirius let out a laugh. "I forgot about that."

     "I didn't, Black," said Emilia. She raised her eyebrows. "So? Um? Care to comment?"

     "I'll tell you somewhere less public," said Sirius. Emilia's eyes narrowed, and he smiled back, evidently aware she didn't trust that. His hand leaned against the wall, and he was leaning closer to her. "I promise I will."

     "You better," said Emilia. "If you break a promise, a fairy dies."

     Sirius laughed. "This is coming from the girl that just stood on a table," he said. She winked at him, smiling proudly. "Say, forgive me if I'm wrong, but weren't you the one that told me off for doing the same?"

     Emilia smiled still. She tilted her head up. The space between them narrowed. "Different situation, though," she said. "I was defending my friend, you were being lazy."

     "I was being resourceful."

     "Lazy."

     "Resourceful."

     "Lazy."

     "How about, I agree, and you let me kiss you?"

     "Hmm." Emilia grinned at him. He leaned in closer, but she put her hand on his mouth, moving it to his shoulder when he looked surprised. "You were being lazy."

     "Resourceful!"

     "Lazy!"

     He barely managed to get the first syllable of resourceful out before she kissed him. She was pushed up against the wall, and her hands sat on his jaw, pulling him closer to her.

     And, then, she heard Carmilla's voice soothingly talking to someone — presumably Dinah, because that's who she addressed — and Emilia pulled back. Both Emilia and Sirius looked disappointed. But, the disappointment only sat on her face for a second, because it dawned on her. Carmilla only had that sort of stance when something had happened.

     Emilia smiled at Sirius, and kissed his cheek quickly, darting off in the direction Dinah and Carmilla were going. Outside. Felt like deja-vu.

     "Carm, what—?"

     "Some assholes in the hall. Mel's dealing with it."

     "Not on her own," said Em.

     It took a minute for both Dinah and Carmilla to realise what Emilia had said. But, by the time they had, she was already halfway back to the hall, a determined frown on her face.

     She found Melanie sitting next to Sampson, Gregory, Prince, and Laurence. Melanie looked up and spotted Em, pausing whatever threat she had been throwing as she did so.

     And, then, Emilia sank in the seat next to Melanie.

     "What seems to be the problem here?"

     Prince whispered, "Oh, shit!"

╔══════════════╗

this is a little shorter than usual but i hope you liked it!!!

also, part one and part two and kind-of being treated like two books, which is why em was re-introduced. (also it's taken four years but i think i'm comfortable with writing making out now?? so you are welcome i'm trying my best here)

let me know what you thought! :)

also, a quick lil note: when she's addressed as emilia, she's acting like she always would've done. when she's addressed as em, she's acting like she wouldn't have done back in chapter one. idk it felt cool to do.

╚══════════════╝