101 Ways to ditch the Date | SIRIUS BLACK

No. 68

"So, you're now quite literally dancing with the devil?" Dexter asked as Ora excitedly recited her plan to him, "Interesting choice, Ora, I applaud it. Similar to how I reached out to you, don't you agree?"

Her lips curved into a smile as her eyebrows raised, "Are you calling me the devil, Dexter?"

"Oh hush, it's a compliment," He laughed, "It just means your fiery and a potential safety hazard but again in a good way."

"I'll take it," She decided, "Ideally I'dtake my time but we'll only be here for a few months more and a large amount of that time will be taken up by N.E.W.Ts so I'll move fast. She's eager to befriend me so I reckon she'll tell me whatever I need to know if she thinks it will further her agenda. Once I found out, then Sirius and I can work together hopefully, take her down before she hurts Emmeline."

"Power couple!" Dexter punched his fist in the air.

She joined in but succeeded in being much more feeble than him, "Exactly! Say 'Huzzah' or something, that's what posh people do."

"They do?"

"Muggle ones."

"Well, I do like their music," He grinned, "Huzzah! Like that?"

She laughed, "Perfect, it goes very well with your accent."

"Indeed," He raised an eyebrow, "Now, shall we get on with what we were meant to be doing?"

"Huh?"

"Practice exam for Lexiustitia? The initial purpose of this meetings before we realised talking was far more fun? I would love to continue but April is over in a few days and the entrance exam is mid-June."

Her eyes widened, "Wait ... it is?" She nodded suddenly, "Oh wait, that actually makes sense, some things happen at the end of the April but I always forget them."

"Oh?" Dexter said as he handed her a piece of parchment, "Like what?"

"Nothing big."

"Didn't answer my question."

"Just my Birthday and things ... nothing important," She looked up to smile at him, "So, shall we get on with our work?"

"You didn't tell me about your birthday?" He dropped his quill on the table, "Ora, that's awful!"

"You just heard me tell you about my Marlene scheme, right?"

"Yes and this is worse," Dexter looked genuinely offended so she stopped softly laughing, "You should have fun with it, it's a chance for everyone to come together and you get presents too!"

"You're rich, don't you just get gifts all year?" She genuinely asked.

"Not receiving them, giving the gifts," He straightened himself up, "I pride myself on my gift giving, I've never heard a complaint."

"Was that because you brought up the Warrington family connections?"

"... well, they were aware but I didn't say it before I gave them the gift or anything," Dexter admitted, "You have to do something, we could all use some sort of relaxation, I'm sure."

"Through me a surprise one," She laughed, "I might just surprise you back and not come."

"Ora, if I throw you a party, you are coming. I will work that into our contract, you know I will," He said matter of factly, "When is your birthday?"

By telling him, she knew she was giving up a major weakness considering she wasn't that big on birthdays. Yet she sensed if they didn't, he'd continue to stall their paper and the urgency of it had now become clear, "30th April."