The Slytherin Transfer

32: "I'd like to give them flowers."

News of me and Sirius being together spreads like wildfire through the school, and though I'm happier than I've ever been, I'm facing a lot of backlash from all the girls he's ever screwed over.

So far, I've received three Howlers, two of them accusing me of sneaking Sirius a love potion, one of them telling me I'm nothing more than a filthy Slytherin Death Eater, and all three bursting into tears at the end. Sirius says he knows who sent every single one, but I told him I didn't want to know, claiming I couldn't care less what others think.

Girls from other houses that I've always been well acquainted with now give me nasty looks in the corridors, and I have to take specific routes in order to avoid traps they've set for me. I can't afford to drink from any glass I've left unattended, as there's a high chance it's been dosed by some potion. I even caught someone trying to steal a strand of my hair to make a Polyjuice potion and break up with Sirius while shapeshifted into me. It's an understatement to say it's getting a little out of hand.

I walk into the common room with a snickering Lily and howling Dorcas, both of them stumbling over each other in glee as they sneak glances at my hair.

The commotion gains attention, and soon a chorus of laughter is sounding through the room. I keep a determined look on my face as I march right over to the seats by the fire and stop in front of Sirius, who is comparing History of Magic answers with Remus while James messes up his own hair in the reflection of a spoon. Peter watches him out of the corner of his eye, occasionally fiddling with his own thin head of hair in relish. They all look up as I stop in front of them, their mouths falling open.

Dorcas and Lily continue to double over with laughter behind me, and the four boys all look at each other, clearly also trying to contain their amusement. Remus covers his mouth with his hand, but not before I see his wide smile, and James is suddenly shaking with barely controlled cackles.

"Hey, Cass," says Sirius calmly, but there's the hint of a smile on his face as his eyes flicker to my hair, "you look different. New robes?"

James bursts into laughter, and Remus sniggers behind his hand, Peter snorting with glee. Behind me, Dorcas has hit the floor from lack of breath, and she pulls Lily down with her.

"I don't know which one of your crazy exes did this," I start, gesturing to my full head of green hair and narrowing my eyes, "but it's the last straw."

"I think it's lovely," says Remus, and I turn my blazing eyes to him.

"Watch it, Lupin."

He puts his hands up in defence, though the amusement is still evident on his face, and James stands up, leaning forward to inspect my hair in the firelight.

"This is brilliant!" he laughs, and I smack his hand away as he reaches out to grab a strand, "Really suits you."

"Did this just happen now?" Asks Remus, putting down his work.

"She —" wheezes Dorcas, speaking for the first time since she walked in here and using the arm of the couch to get to her feet, "she — we —"

"We were in the bathroom," says Lily, who's stopped laughing by now but is still grinning from ear to ear, "and on the way out, this bucket of water, or what we thought was water, overturned on Cass, and she came out all soaking and with green hair."

Everyone laughs again, and I roll my eyes. Just then, Mary appears at the bottom of the staircase, takes one look at me, shrieks in apparent delight, and disappears back up to the dorms.

"Nice hair, Milton!" Calls Caradoc from across the room, where he sits with a howling Marcus, and I flip them both the bird.

"Do you have any idea who could've done this?" I ask icily to Sirius, and James reappears at my shoulder.