Thicker than Water (Marauders Era)

14 June, 1974 - Seeing Red

And no one cursed her. Usually no one dared, but she wasn't about to let anyone get away with it. Not without suffering the consequences.

As the boys pulled themselves together, Pettigrew picking himself up from the ground where he'd been clutching his sides in stitches of laughter, presumably at the look of confusion on her face, Lavinia felt herself settle into a cold calm, like she was readying for battle.

"You look good in red, Selwyn. Who knew you were secretly supporting Gryffindor after all this time," Black sounded like he was only just managing to suppress his laughter. Pettigrew seemed to not even be trying as he once again doubled up in fits of giggles.

Lavinia gave them a smile that would have sent smarter people running for the hills. "I'd say I'm surprised you know that charm, Black, but then, you are the vainest of them all." Black opened his mouth to retort, but Lavinia ploughed on, turning her gaze to the other boys. "Tell me, is this what he does instead of homework? Sit in front of a mirror and see if he likes a different color? Shame you haven't found any to your taste, Black. I think you'd look lovely as a blonde."

Lavinia heard laughter behind her and hoped it was on her side.

"Of course I would, Selwyn," Black said smoothly. "I'd look good in anything."

Lavinia laughed, a cold, harsh sound that reminded Eloise and Alexandra, now standing behind their friend, of Rhea Selwyn's usually cruel mirth.

"You wish Black. I actually seem to recall a pair of dress robes at a Christmas Party. What color were they again?"

She saw Black go red and heard Regulus snicker behind her. "Pink," Eloise said, her smirk almost audible in the word.

"No, no," Alexandra pitched in. "He insisted they were salmon."

"Ah yes, thank you," Lavinia replied, without glancing back, again reminding her friends distinctly of her mother as she commanded the situation like she was born to have the world bowing down to her. "Salmon. With lace, unless I'm much mistaken."

Black was beet red now, and next to him, Potter looked utterly torn between outrage on behalf of his best friend and mirth at the thought of the proud, vain Sirius Black in pink frilly robes.

"It's not my fault what my mother made me wear five years ago, Selwyn. And I'll thank you two to stay out of this," he added, snapping at Eloise and Alexandra.

"Oh come now, Black, let your childhood friends have a good laugh. That was a fun party! Your first butterbeer. Your mother was livid but Merlin was it worth it." Her smirk still graced her lips, the only thing out of place in the picture of false innocence painted over her features.

"Don't you dare go there!" Black shouted, an edge of fear to his voice, no doubt remembering the things he'd said that night. Or been told he'd said. It had been a memorable night for everyone involved.

Lavinia faked a pout. "Oh, but Sirius, darling, you were ever so keen to tell us about how lovely Cissy Black was that night." She paused for effect. "You know, I didn't think of it at the time, but it's even worse since she's your cousin."

"Don't." Black stepped forward, wand in his hand, pointing right at her.

Lavinia raised her own wand, dead serious again. "Then don't fuck with me, Black," she responded, raising her eyebrows, challenging him.

His wand twitched and Lavinia didn't wait to see if he was actually going to curse her. "Petrificus Totalus!" she snapped, and Black froze, stiff as a board and fell face first onto the grass.

Of course, now Potter, Lupin and even little Pettigrew were brandishing their wands at Lavinia. She had never jinxed any of them before. Rhea Selwyn didn't believe in using jinxes to prove your point. A lady should never need her wand to settle disputes. Only her tongue.

"Students!" The shout from the top of the stairs made Lavinia's heart plummet to her feet. McGonagall. "What is going on here?" She looked from Black, flat on the ground, to Lavinia's red hair and the Marauder's outstretched wands, which were slowly, almost shamefully dropping to their sides.

McGonagall took a deep breath. "If it weren't the last day of term, you would all five be in serious trouble," the professor said threateningly and Lavinia felt her heart stutter slightly with a mix of fear and hope. "I will let this go. Just this once," she added, making eye contact with each of them. "But if I ever see any of you using magic again students again, I will give you detention for a month."

Lavinia blinked, hardly believing her luck. The professor pointed her wand at Black and he unfroze, scrambling to his feet.

"Now," McGonagall continued. "I expect you all to go about the rest of your day peacefully. If I hear you did otherwise, there will be consequences." And again, she made eye contact with each of them. "Miss Selwyn, if you would like to go to Professor Flitwick, he should be able to put your hair right again."

Lavinia gave a tight nod and almost ran into the castle. Lucky. So damn lucky. If her mother had found out she'd jinxed someone... and on the last day of term, no less. She shuddered. She needed to be more careful. She couldn't afford to get in trouble. Or rather, she couldn't afford the consequences of getting in trouble. She didn't want to know what her mother would do if she landed herself in detention, but she was sure it wouldn't be good.

As it was, Rhea Selwyn was none the wiser when Lavinia and William stepped on the train at the platform. Lavinia's hair was back to its normal color, as pale and bright as her mother's. It was with no small amount of shock that Lavinia saw her parents in the crowd, waiting for their children. She'd expected Charles, as was usual.

Lavinia and William approached their parents cautiously. At least, Lavinia did. She hoped Flitwick really had gotten all of the red out of her hair. She'd lost track of how many times she'd checked, but it had been enough for Alexandra to tell her that if she didn't stop, her reflection would probably become permanently engraved on the mirror. Suddenly, she wished she'd checked one more time.

She needn't have worried, however. Rhea wasted no time in sweeping her son into a hug while Augustus looked on with pride, making a comment about William's successful first year that Lavinia couldn't hear over the strange buzzing in her ears. When Rhea let William go, mother turned to daughter and Lavinia dared to hope she might be about to get the same treatment.

She shouldn't have.

"I hope you've improved your Herbology from last we heard, dear," was all she said before turning and leading her family off the platform to take them home.