S O R R Y
ix||transfiguration
The next morning, Maria Potter wakes up at exactly six o'clock and shrugs on a quidditch jumper that James gave to her in his fifth year, the initials 'J.F.P' down in yellow letters on the opposite side of the Gryffindor crest. She quickly slides on some leggings and throws her curls into a bun on her head, grabbing her wand and running out of the dorm.
Her mind is on her friend and her friend only as she hurriedly walks down the empty corridors, practically running at this point.
She finally gets to the hospital wing and opens the leaden doors, seeing three boys sat asleep around one bed.
She runs over and drags a chair next to the bed, making Sirius stir in his sleep as she reaches forwards and grabs Remus' hand.
"Mar?" James grumbles tiredly as he lifts his head from the foot of the bed where he was snoring and Maria gives him a small smile and he grins lazily at his sister.
"Maria?" A croaky voice chokes out and Maria's eyes snap to Remus who goes to sit up but groans in pain, making Maria grab his shoulders gently and prop his pillows up, leaning him back.
Remus' groan woke Sirius who accidentally kicks Peter, earning an 'ow!'.
"Hey Rem." Maria says softly and Remus' eyes are brimming with tears as he stares at her for a second before bringing a hand up and rubbing his forehead as his body shakes slightly, indicating he's crying.
Maria looks at the three boys and nods to the door, gesturing for them to give her a minute and James nods, dragging a confused Peter who trips on his chair, yelping slightly as the two boys drag him out.
Maria sits on the bed next to Remus' legs and gently moves his hand away from his face, revealing his bloodshot eyes.
"Remus—"
"I could've hurt you." Remus whispers hoarsely, "I could never have forgave myself, I—I'm so sorry Maria, I—"
"Hey, Remus, hey." Maria says softly, placing her hands on his cheeks and making him look her in the eyes, "it was my fault. I chose to follow you guys without knowing what would happen."
"W—it's okay if you don't want to be friends anymore." Remus whispers and Maria's eyebrows furrow, "I'm a monster, Maria."
"You are not a monster, Remus John Lupin—hey, look at me." Maria says, moving his face so that he's looking at her again, "you're not a monster, you're a werewolf."
"I am." Remus says, his voice trembling as tears fall freely from his eyes, "I could've done something last night. Hurt you—killed you. . .I could've turned you into a monster, Maria."
"You're not—you didn't. Remus I'm here, look I'm right here." Maria says, taking his hands and placing them on her face messily making him smile ever so slightly, "I'm not hurt, you didn't. I think I'm the one that should be apologising." She gestures to the bandage around Remus's bare stomach and Remus shrugs.
"Nothing Poppy can't fix."
"You're not a monster Remus." Maria says, "not to me, and certainly not to my brother and your other idiot friends."
Remus cracks a smile and Maria grins at him, leaning in gently and wrapping her arms around him in a hug. Remus hesitated but lets his arms drop around her waist gently as his tears stain her jumper, but she couldn't care if she wanted to.
"Can we come back in yet?" Sirius groans from outside the door and Remus laughs into Maria's shoulder slightly.
Maria rolls her eyes, pulling away from the brown eyed boy who offers her a grateful smile.
The other three boys come bounding into the room and skid into their chairs, Peter practically leaping over his as he fumbled to the ground which results in them all bursting into a laughing fit.
"Amazing."
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It's nearly Halloween, in only two weeks, and Maria is trudging into Professor McGonagall's transfiguration classroom when she sees that Alyssa the Slytherin girl that's friends with Regulus is sat in her usual spot, next to her Stanley Harper.
"Oh, Miss Potter, over here." Minerva says to Maria, ushering her to the back of the classroom and Maria sees where she's leading her and stops in her tracks.
"You've got to be joking." Maria says to Minerva when she sees Regulus Black slouched in his chair, his Slytherin tie slung lazily around his neck and his sleeves rolled to below his elbows.
"I know, Mari, but it's the only place left. The ministry has got us doing seating charts because of the missing muggle-borns." Minerva says apologetically and Maria looks between the black haired woman and Regulus before groaning.
"Fine."
Minerva smiles at her gratefully as she trudges over and drops her bag next to the desk, sitting next to him grumpily and Regulus smirks slightly.
"Good morning to you too." The grey eyes breathes y says and she turns her head to glare at him slightly as he holds his hands up in mock defence.
"I don't understand why I can't just sit with Dane." Maria mumbles as she begins to scribble down the notes as Minerva talks.
"Dane?" Regulus whispers loudly, "the Hufflepuff? Why?"
"He doesn't talk, unlike some people." Maria hisses and Regulus smirks, knowing that he's getting under her skin.
"Hey, what did you write?" Regulus asks, trying to look at her paper but she shoves his face away in annoyance.
"Miss Potter, Mr Black." Minerva says in almost amusement, "are we interrupting?"
"No Minnie, it's just him." Maria grumbles, folding her arms on the desk and Regulus holds back a snigger as he gives the Gryffindor head of house an apologetic look to which she shakes her head, again in a strange kind of amusement.
". . .today you will be turning these wooden blocks into silver rings." Minerva says, waving her wand and small, wooden blocks land in front of each of them.
The class breaks out in chatter as they try and change their wood to silver and Regulus watches Maria intently before turning to her on with his own task.
Maria grins her head slightly and stares at the boy for a second, his tousled hair droops over his eyes slightly as he has his head down and it's writing notes and his grey eyes are concentrated until he suddenly smirks slightly.
"You're staring."
"What? I was—I wasn't."
"It's okay." Regulus smirks, meeting her eyes, "I stare at you sometimes too."
Maria's mouth hangs slightly agape for a few seconds before she blinks and goes back to trying to turn the wood into a ring.
She continues to attempt the spell until the wood contorts into a beautiful, silver ring with silver patterns engraved into it. She tries to slip it onto her finger but it slides off and she groans in annoyance.
Regulus has managed to turn his into one, it's in the shape of a snake that appears to wrap around the owners finger and he looks to see Maria's fall off her finger.
He purses his lips and nudges her, holding it out on his palm, knowing it's too small for him.
"Swap?"
Maria smiles slightly as she takes the ring, placing hers in his hand and she slides the serpent onto her index finger.
"Still hate me?" Regulus whispers.
"Oh yeah, definitely." Maria says smugly and Regulus rolls his grey eyes, sliding her ring onto his middle finger before holding it up at her. "Ha ha."
Regulus chuckles ever so slightly as he writes down some more notes and Maria eyes him.
"Why are you all of a sudden talking to me?" She asks and Regulus looks up at her with his eyebrows furrowed.
"I don't know."
"It's just. . .I'm like a blood traitor, right?"
"Well," Regulus says, leaning over sideways to whisper, "what's life without a little rule breaking?" Maria almost shivers at the feeling of his hot breath on her ear and she turns to him, her mouth slightly agape as their noses almost touch.
"Class dismissed."
Maria snaps out of it and clears her throat as she stands up, "see you, Black."
She walks away and Regulus smiles softly after her, "hopefully, Potter."
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