Song:
Maneater (Nelly Furtado)
"All you need to do is twirl around the cauldron three times under the full moon while chanting the first verse of "Somebody to Love" by Queen in Latin. It's really easy, but you knew that already." Callisto enunciated, looking at Regulus dead in the eye. The two Slytherins were sitting in the Common Room this jolly afternoon of September, when Regulus had the incredible idea of studying potions. Of course, he failed to mention that his potion skills were about as good as as his football skills.
Regulus Black had no idea what football was and Callisto Claire was out of her goddamn mind.
"Oh yes, terribly funny. Really witty!" He exclaimed, snapping the book shut and resting back on the leather couch. The only thing calming him down was the faint sounds coming from the lake as the different sea creatures passed by the glass. If it weren't for them, Callisto would probably end up with a Potions book framing her face and a shoe stuck up her nostril.
"When I said that I was going to help you, I didn't mean that you were going to like it, little Black." Callisto taunted, opening his book to take a look at his notes. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the messy scribbles at the bottom of the page that only only be described as an ogre's failed attempts at writing down its name.
"I could like it if you made the experience a bit more hands on, but you're after Lupin." He commented, a smirk making its way to his lips. Callisto snorted at that and let the book on the glass table, leaning back to the couch on a similar fashion.
"Aw! Does little Regulus Black have a crush on me?" She mocked him, pinching his cheek. Regulus' face immediately heat up and he rolled his eyes. "For the record, you're quite good looking, so don't doubt yourself."
"Who said I doubt myself?" He retorted, the confidence lost at her childish gesture slowly coming back. "I'm merely curious at what you see in him."
"I see how it is." She skeptically mumbled, sitting normally so that she could face him without turning her head. "I have this little game going on with a friend from Durmstrang. In the beginning of each year, we decide on a person that we're going to make fall in love with us by the end of the year. Whoever gets it done first, owes the other a favor and this year, I plan to win."
"So, Lupin is the person you chose?" Callisto nodded at that, stifling a yawn. She had woken up earlier today to prepare a set of orders for Durmstrang before breakfast and it had taken quite a toll on her. It always was like that for the first weeks until her body got adjusted to the new program.
"Precisely." She answered. "The girl Nicholas chose is called Katerina Stoev. The rules we have set is that the other person must be someone we didn't know before and that they have to confess their feelings for the deal to be sealed. If we both finish before the year ends, and it usually does, we play again until summer begins."
"You're a royal asshole, Claire." Regulus sighed, making the girl laugh. She bent down slightly and pushed the hair falling in his eyes away.
"Seemed pretty fond of me a few moments back, Reggie."
"Still am, but this time I recognize that you're disturbed." The boy acknowledged, letting out a sigh. Callisto shrugged and got up, throwing the book on his chest. Regulus groaned as the heavy book hit him roughly and rubbed his eyes, internally coming to terms with his impending doom.
"Well come on, little Black." She urged. "This potions' essay isn't going to write itself."
~ ~ ~
People usually like to say that someone's going in the lion's den when referring to a dangerous situation, but in our case, it's more like the snake's hole. However, Gryffindors are supposed to be brave and that's exactly what Remus Lupin told himself as he skimmed over the contents of the letter for the 15th time this morning. His plate was long empty with Peter's and Lily's help and his pumpkin juice had been downed by an overly thirsty and as always dramatic Sirius, who was too bored to reach for the bottle a few centimeters away.
"Just give it to her, Rem." Lily urged him, spreading a thin layer of honey on her toasted bread.
"That's what we say, but in a metaphorical sense." Sirius chimed in, getting slapped in the back of the head from their fellow Gryffindor and friend, Marlene McKinnon. "Jesus Christ, woman! I'm saving this head for science!"
"They don't need buttheads like you in their experiments, Black." She sneered, taking a sip from her crystal goblet. A bit of the juice spilled on the white linen tablecloth, leaving a red stain behind and the girl cursed, muttering a cleaning spell under her breath. "Who's the letter from again?"
"A friend of hers." Remus answered skeptically. "Her name is Antonia and she's thanking her for her help with something. From what I gathered, it's important."
"You shouldn't have read it but looking past that, you really need to return it." Lily insisted, disappointment behind her words. No matter how difficult Callisto could be as a person, she really didn't need her privacy being invaded like this, especially from one of the people she considered friends at her new school. At least that's what the redhead deemed at the moment.
"You must be completely insane to think that I'm going to go over there on my own in broad daylight." Remus whined, furrowing his eyebrows. "Unless..."
"Fuck you, Lupin!" Lily exclaimed, dropping the knife on her plate with a clatter. Remus smiled innocently at her and stood up, waiting for Lily. "Marlene, I need your emotional support right now."
"Only because you said she's hot." Marlene sighed, getting up and following the two Gryffindors to the other side of the Great Hall. Remus stopped right on his tracks and looked back at Marlene who was dragging her feet on the marble floor.
"Wait a minute; I never said she's hot."
Lily's cheeks flared a deep red color that could only rival the one of her hair and badge. "Okay, that was me. But come on, Rem! Just admit it already!"
"Yes, she's beautiful." He mumbled, hastily turning to the front so that the two Gryffindors wouldn't notice the blush spreading on his face. He mentally scolded himself for saying "beautiful" instead of "hot", something that would definitely not slide past the 16-year-old Cupids walking right behind him. Thankfully, Remus was saved by the bell or rather, saved by the table, because they were just a few steps away from Callisto and there was no way anyone would comment on that.
Just as he had predicted, glances and glares were thrown their way as the red was now trying to survive in a sea of green, but the three friends pushed the uncomfortable feeling aside. Remus finally spotted Callisto sitting opposite from Regulus and Narcissa Black and nudged Lily. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail, exposing her long, delicate neck and the robes were tossed aside on the table, leaving her only in the inner layer of the uniform.
"No, why would you think that?" He heard Callisto's hoarse morning voice. "Pass me the wand, you oaf."
Two pairs of cold eyes fixed on him and Regulus immediately got up and started walking towards the door. Narcissa looked at Callisto and back at them but the blonde was too busy wrapping a new bandage around her hand to notice the three Gryffindors behind her.
"Did he really just leave without his wand?" She chuckled, finally realizing Narcissa's stares. "What are you looking at?"
"The three musketeers." Narcissa coldly replied as Callisto turned around, her eyes immediately falling on Remus before they settled on the new presence.
"What is it with you, Lupin and appearing out of bloody nowhere?" She said, shocked to see him at their table. "Good morning, Ginger and random girl I've never talked to before."
Marlene's eyes widened and she pushed Remus gently to the side, sitting down on the bench. The Slytherin fourth year sitting next to them opened his mouth to complain but one sharp kick from the feisty Gryffindor was enough to shut him up.
"Marlene McKinnon." She introduced herself, gingerly extending her hand. Callisto tilted her head, momentarily observing the girl. She had long, wavy dirty blonde hair that were lighter in the ends from the sun and complimented her pale, pinkish complexion. Freckles were splattered on her cheeks and nose, another sign that she had spent the hot months of the summer on a much more tropical place than London. Unlike hers and Narcissa's eyes, Marlene's looked like aquamarines with small darker spots if you took a closer look and shone with kindness. Her dark pink, pouty lips had formed a small smile that showed off the dimples on her rosy cheeks.
"Callisto Claire." She shook her hand, smiling briefly at her before turning to Remus and Lily. "How can I help you?"
"Oh uhm... You just dropped this and it seemed important, so here you go." He said, handing the folder to the blonde. Callisto smiled, relief washing over her and put the letter in her bag, making sure that it was well tucked in.
"Thank you, Lupin." He returned the smile, feeling a weight being lifted off his shoulders. "Ginger, Slughorn invited me in that club of his and he said you can help around. What the hell am I supposed to do there?"
"Sit still and look pretty." Narcissa chimed in, earning a somewhat awkward nod from Lily. Narcissa hadn't taken Potions for her N.E.W.T.s but that didn't mean that she wasn't invited to the Slug Club from her fourth up to her sixth year at Hogwarts.
"Essentially." Lily agreed, shrugging. "Both Remus and I will be there so you should be fine."
Narcissa snickered at that but Callisto ignored the gesture and glanced at Marlene. "What about you, Marlene?"
"Oh, hell no!" She immediately refused, letting out a warm chuckle. "You're all borderline masochistic for voluntarily attending these horrid dinners."
"It's not that bad Marlene, I swear..."
~ ~ ~
Callisto Claire learned the hard way that Lilian Evans' way of convincing herself that something wasn't in reality as bad as expected, was to assure her friends of it. What first began as a pleasant evening soon turned into a painstalking form of torture that included: Smiling and shaking hands with strangers, indulging in the tropical snacks available, dancing if you were lucky enough to have a partner and hiding behind the tapestries from the man and host himself, Horace Slughorn.
Callisto was horribly bored. Narcissa had made it clear from the beggining that Potions was out of the question for her and since she had a boyfriend, it was not like Callisto could ask her to be her plus one. Regulus on the other hand, wasn't invited even though he was the son of Walburga and Orion Black, which further proved his incompetency in the lesson, and had rejected Callisto's invitation by claiming that he wouldn't go throught that even if it were for her "pretty eyes".
And through this series of unfortunate events, the blonde Slytherin was sitting next to Remus who was most probably zoned out, and Lily who seemed positively annoyed by her date's feeble attempts at convercing with a pretty Ravenclaw.
"Lupin, can you stab me with this fork?" She mumbled, not averting her gaze from the professor who was on yet another rant about one of his guests.
"Only if you stab me first." He whispered, eliciting a silent chuckle. She gingerly kicked his foot under the table, making sure that the high heel of her dark blue shoes would come in contact with his ankle. "Very mature, Callisto."
"That's what happens when I'm bored." She hissed, nodding along at the professor's words. "What is he talking about now, Ginger?'
"I'm listening to him, but I'm not processing." Lily noted, raising the crystal goblet to take a sip of pumpkin juice.
"Miss Claire!" The sound of her name made her head snap up and she smiled politely at the man, her head tilting to the side. "Ivan just told me that you two have met on various occasions before! What a pleasant coincidence."
The man at question, Ivan Gregor, was an Aurologist, most famous for his papers on how one's aura is affected after a significant change in lifestyle. Callisto remembered seeing the tall man with the hawk-like, brown eyes and pointy beard at the various tables Nicholas' blood supremacist parents had organized over the years. She always attended, helping him keep a picture prefect image with the sole purpose of him receiving a notable trust fund at the age of 18.
"Indeed." The man confirmed, smiling politely at the blonde. "It will be a shame not to have you at the Lawson Balls this year, Miss Claire."
Callisto just nodded, the smile on her lips never faltering. Lily side-glanced at her and the two girls shared a knowing look that screamed "Oh Merlin, this guy is a creeper!".
"Lawson?" A tall boy Callisto knew to be Philip Parkinson inquired, his pitch black eyes resting on her. "You know the Lawsons?"
"A necessity to be invited to the Balls." Callisto drawled, annoyed at the snooty look the boy was giving her. The boy just nodded and turned back to his date, making Callisto roll her eyes.
"Lawson? You know the Lawsons?" The mocking voice of none other than Remus Lupin said. Callisto glanced up and down at him, taking in his tall frame that was complimented by the ironed, black suit. His dark brown eyes were glinting in amusement, a new found confidence shining through them. That confused the blonde greatly. Not too many hours ago he would blush furiously and fidget whenever she said something merely suggestive and now she could tell him the dirtiest thing and he would probably not even flinch.
"Very mature, Lupin." She teased, kicking him lightly again under the table. "Why don't you go back to your date and leave me alone?"
"Don't have one." She had gathered that much but it never hurt to make sure. "What about you? No Regulus Black for you tonight?"
"Are you suggesting I'm sleeping with Reggie? Don't you know I only have eyes for you?"
"I feel like you've said this to more people than I'd like to think." He retorted, smiling teasingly at her.
"They say that perceptive and hot is a killer combo. They're right." Callisto sighed, picking up her goblet. "Granted, Regulus wouldn't step a foot in here and for good reason. I did think of asking Marlene, but I don't know her well enough."
"Our Marlene?" He questioned, completely dumbfounded. Callisto groaned and set the glass down, annoyance flashing in her eyes.
"You're doing it again, Lupin!" She complained, angrily pushing a strand of her perfectly curled hair behind her ear.
"What?"
"Our Marlene? What's with that possessive pronoun and why are you so keen on using it?" Remus chuckled, leaning back on the chair.
"Force of habit, Callisto. And for the last time, call me Remus." He insisted, taking into advantage the situation and lightly kicking her ankle under the table. The blonde's eyes narrowed but he continued to look at her with his grin never faltering.
"I'd much rather call you mine." Remus opened his mouth to respond to that but Lily's hand swiftly slapping both of their heads sneakily was enough to stop him from doing so.
"What in Merlin's sparkly thong is going on?" She hissed, a strand of red hair escaping from her updo and falling straight in front of her emerald eyes. She blew the strand out of her way, her glossy lips forming a pout.
"I'm shamelessly flirting with him but my efforts are not appreciated." Callisto sighed, fiddling with the skirt of her long, flowy, royal blue dress. "Kind of hurts, Lupin."
"Oh shut up, Claire."
"I have come up with about 20 ways you could shut me up. Shall I elaborate?" She muttered, leaning slightly closer to him.
"Jesus Christ, why am I sitting next to the female Sirius Black?" Lily mumbled, trying to mask her amusement with an expression of horror. Callisto's nose scrunched up in disgust and she shuddered lightly.
"Don't compare me to that fugly dog, Lilian." Remus snorted at that, averting his gaze to the window opposite from him. If only Callisto knew how spot on that description was...
"I'm merely suggesting." Lily retorted. "Now about the flirting..."
"Oh yes, my dearest Lilian." She dramatically sighed, placing a hand on Remus' thigh. "Lupin doesn't give into my charms. I'm afraid he's broken."
"Broken?" Remus questioned, smirking at the blonde. "Should I be offended?"
"No, it's just that whenever I want something, I usually get it."
"And what do you want, Callisto?"
"Let's keep it family friendly, Lupin." She winked, kicking him one last time under the table. His grin faltered and his eyes slipped on her red lips before he recomposed himself and looked away, feeling his face heat up lightly at the thoughts swarming in his head. That didn't go unnoticed by the blonde who discreetly leaned closer to him, removing her hand from his thigh.
"I love a good chase, darling..."