Song:
Rumor Has It (Adele)
"Now rumor has it she ain't got your love anymore."
James Potter was what some people might call a "mad genius". It shouldn't be that surprising, seeing as there is no true genius without a hint of madness, but his plans usually relied more on the temperamental spirit and less on the calculating mind. Perhaps that was why he decided that the best way to get Remus and Callisto to talk again was by blowing up his cauldron in the Potions Classroom. Granted, he was taking a fat chance by assuming that Slughorn would put Remus with the Slytherin and him with his lovely Evans, but once again, madness prevailed.
"SHIT!" Remus exclaimed as he ducked just on time and the substance exploded with a loud sound. The boy immediately turned to glance at James who was grinning like a madman, wiping his glasses clean.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin, I believe that it would be best for everyone's wellbeing if you moved seats." A smirk full of accomplishment tugged up in James' lips. "Mr. Zabini, would you be kind enough to seat with Mr. Potter?"
James' smile immediately fell, his eyes trailing over to the two girls sitting on the desk by the window. No, this was wrong! He was supposed to sit with Lily and Remus was supposed to go and talk to Callisto, but Slughorn was either too dumb to understand his true intentions or really didn't give a shit about his romantic life. Either way, James found himself dragging his feet to the other side of the classroom, while Remus tried not to latch at the Professor for partnering him with the single person he despised the most.
"Lupin." Luke greeted, setting his stuff down on the table. Remus didn't say anything, not bothering to make any space for Luke on the desk. The Slytherin though didn't seem fazed, as he let out a chuckle and shook his head.
"What are you laughing at?" Remus hissed, catching notice of the faded hickeys peaking through the collar of his shirt. Hickeys Callisto had left behind, while Remus was left alone trying to distract himself from the fact that she was in a bloody relationship.
"I just find your anger very entertaining." Like calmly responded. "I see you looking at her, and let me tell you, she doesn't give a fuck about you."
Remus' expression hardened, "Last time I checked, your opinion on mine and Callisto's relationship is not exactly relevant."
"You can have her all to yourself once I finish with her, Lupin." Luke continued, not dwelling much on his comment. "If she ever talks to you again that is. Poor Callisto Claire got in a fight with her precious Lupin and she cried in my arms. I could give you more information about what followed, but I don't kiss and tell."
"She wouldn't sleep with you."
"Oh, but she will. Just show her a bit of common courtesy and she'll be putty in your arms." Luke responded, his eyes trailing over to the girl. "Why are you getting so mad, Lupin? Didn't you do the same thing with Ser?"
Remus didn't reply. Instead, his gaze was fixed on Callisto who seemed to be completely oblivious. Feeling his gaze burn holes in her scalp, she looked up, meeting his eyes momentarily before she looked away.
"Don't you dare touch her." Remus calmly threatened, the grip on the crystal vial tightening as images of her engaged in a heated kiss with the boy next to him flooded his mind. Now that he had realized that he was interested in Callisto much more than he originally intended, he could easily recognize the firing pit in his stomach as jealousy. Jealousy because Luke Pucey had managed to fool her and he was going to play with her like she was a fiddle. Jealousy because he could never have something like that with her...
"I've hit a nerve, haven't I?" Luke mocked, shaking his head. "I told you, you can have her once I'm finished. Don't be so impatient."
"I don't think I've made myself clear." Remus stated, letting vial down before it broke in his first. His deadly calm look should be enough to warn Luke that he wasn't joking, yet it only made the boy smirk. "Touch her and you're going to wish you were never born."
"I think I like our odds."
~ ~ ~
The only sound echoing inside the dimly lit Common Room was the sound of the lake, drowning out any other sounds coming from the castle and the soft ticking noise of the wooden clock right above the black bookcase. As usual, the Common Room was empty, except for two students. Luke Pucey was sitting loosely on the black, leather couch, his hands resting right above Callisto Claire's hips as they were engaged in a passionate kiss. Luke's fingers fiddled with the end of her knee high socks, brushing against the skin of her thighs.
Usually, she wouldn't have minded the slight advance, but this was the first time she'd ever had a boyfriend. Frankly, she couldn't really decipher if she was truly interested in the boy, though his kindness and polite nature were enough for her at the moment. She was used to being treated as a one time thing (not that she really minded seeing as she struggled to make a meaningful connection with her lover), but this time, Luke Pucey actually made an honest effort to get to know her. Although a bit forced at times and borderline bland, she was surprised by his questions about what interested her, her future plants and her life back in Bulgaria. And so, she thought that maybe I'd be worth it if she actually gave him a chance. After all, she didn't have anything special to lose.
"Someone's impatient..." Callisto muttered, pulling away slightly. Luke's eyebrows furrowed momentarily at her distancing herself, but he quickly recomposed himself.
"Must be the hot girl on top of me that's making me impatient." He retorted, a feeling of sick satisfaction erupting as he took notice of the small smile on her lips. "Come on, baby..."
"I think it'd be better if we waited a bit." Callisto began, sliding off his lap. This time, it was impossible for him to hide his frown. "Why are you looking at me like that? It's just a few days."
"It's the same thing, Callisto." Luke mumbled, kissing her jaw. "What difference do a few days make?"
She slightly pushed him away, his hand gripping on her wrist tightly. She cringed at the harsh contact, trying so shake his hand off only to find out that his fingers were wrapped around her hand steadily.
"It makes a bloody difference to me." She hissed, her glare resembling poison. "What's your deal anyway?!"
"My deal?!" Luke shouted in exasperation, anger flashing in his dark eyes. "If we're not going to fuck then what the hell are we doing? I've been listening to your bullshit non-stop, pretending that I give a crap when in reality, you are utterly insufferable!"
"What the fuck are you saying?"
"I'm saying that any guy that says he's interested in you beyond just fucking you, is full of shit."
Callisto stood frozen, every word penetrating her chest deeper. She could feel the tears stinging in her eyes, the faint burning sensation in her throat as she swallowed a lump only fueling her anger. She seemed to have lost all control of her body because suddenly, a searing pain was tearing her knuckles. However, the pain could hardly match up to the satisfaction filling her at the sound of his nose colliding with her fist.
"YOU BITCH!"
"If everyone's gonna call me that, then maybe I should start acting like it."
With a last scowl, she spun on her heel and walked out of the Common Room, letting her legs take her whenever they wanted. If Remus' opinion had felt like a bucket of freezing cold water being emptied on her, Luke's outburst had only allowed the sting to settle deeper. How bold of her was it to assume that someone would actually care about her when even the person she considered her friend hadn't hesitated to list every single thing wrong with her in the most cruel way. Hell, how could she expect someone to have pure intentions when her own parents had seen her as nothing more than a nuisance. It was almost comical how she had allowed herself to act in such a naive way when she knew exactly how heartless people could be. She saw that in herself every day when she looked in the mirror.
"Of fucking course." She blurted out when she saw the distinct figure of Remus Lupin sitting close to the window. She should have guessed that the Astronomy Tower would be occupied, though in a lapse of better judgement she just hoped that she would be the only one facing the likes of teenage angst.
"Listo." He greeted, turning around at the sound of her voice. Immediately, her eyes narrowed at the mention of the nickname. She could clearly see two bottles of firewhiskey right next to him, the one around 3/4 empty while the other one was thankfully full. "Just the girl I wanted to see..."
"Bullshit." She calmly stated, ready to turn around and rush off to somewhere not plagued by Remus fucking Lupin.
"Very much not." He insisted, motioning for her to come over. She glanced at his extended hand, mentally cursing herself for inching closer to him. His lips tugged up in a satisfied smirk as he took the bottle from the ground and passed it over to her. "Care to join me for a drink?"
Callisto let out a humourless laugh, "You're a bastard, John. First you say all those things about me and now you want company as if we're friends."
"John, huh? It hurts hearing the spite in your voice."
"Maybe that should teach you to hold your tongue."
He didn't reply, not trusting himself enough to tell her how sorry he truly was. Instead, his eyes fell on her right hand. Her knuckles were significantly redder compared to her pale complexion, and in the middle, he could see the skin tearing up as blood slowly oozed out of it. Unconsciously, he reached for her hand.
"You're bleeding." He acknowledged, trying not to focus on his own bruises. Immediately, she tore her hand away. "What happened?"
"Nothing that concerns you." The snappy tone in her voice made him flinch lightly. Perhaps it was that and the fact that she had just now properly taken a look at him. Under the silver moonlight, his skin looked even paler than she rememberer, contrasting with the dark bags under his bloodshot eyes. The sight made her heart clench and without really processing it, she sat down next to him. Gaining back her consciousness, sitting down was the worst decision she could have just made. He had been cruel to her for no reason. Why did she care? If anything, she should be completely emotionless faced with his torment.
But Lord knows how much she actually bloody cared.
"Go ahead then." She mumbled, extending her hand. "Pass me that god-awful fire whiskey you're downing."
He didn't question it. It was too good to question. Remus just handed her the new bottle, giddiness filling him and mixing with the alcohol in an almost euphoric way as her fingers brushed against his. He felt like a schoolboy in primary school when that one girl with the pigtails and the ironed, periwinkle dress sat next to him and pulled out her bright pink folder embroidered with star stickers. Nobody ever sat next to him, the sight of his scars scaring the young children away. But the little girl didn't care about the scars.
That was until her friend pointed them out and she hastily packed her stuff, leaving him back alone.
"Will you leave?" His voice was shaky, fingers unconsciously scratching the scar on his forearm.
"I'm not leaving you drunk in the Tower, John." She mumbled, her gaze fixed on the grounds in front of her. "Contrary to popular belief, I do have a conscience."
There was it again, the stinging pain in his chest. Finding the strength he needed in the amber liquid, he turned to her.
"I'm a dick." Callisto abruptly looked at him, barely holding back a snarky comment. "I'm a fucking dick and I-I shouldn't have said these things to you. But bloody hell, Listo, you should have just let me finish!"
"Finish what? Insulting me?"
"No, you dumbass!" Maybe he shouldn't have called her a dumbass at this point of the apology. "Fuck, I... You, Callisto fucking Claire are the most frustrating person in this world and I meant every single thing that I said to you, but nothing bad about you could ever compare to how bloody amazing you are. It's just that you-you're you, Callisto. Smart and hilarious and deep down a big ass softie and so fucking infuriating in the best way possible and just so fucking you. So please, just talk to me again..."
He barely had time to register her arms wrapping around him tightly and pulling him in a hug. A bloody hug. Callisto fucking Claire was hugging him and he could have sworn his stomach almost tore out of his abdomen. Everything about her was making his senses go through the roof. From the lingering smell of her perfume, coconut and smoke, to the way her fingers tightly held his sweater. Fear rose in him because all of a sudden he seemed to have forgotten how to breathe and he had to focus on the air entering his lungs not to collapse. But just as he was starting to get used to the lack of air, his body giving up in the sweet dizziness of it all, she pulled away.
Remus Lupin never thought he'd feel cursed to breathe.
"Forgive and forget" Callisto simply stated, the eruption of goosebumps all over her body leaving her behind almost starstruck. Remus just observed her as she took a sip from the bottle, a troubled look in her usually mischievous eyes.
"What happened?"
She turned to him, raising an eyebrow, "What makes you think something happened?"
"I got a hunch."
She let the alcohol slide down her throat, not paying attention to the burning sensation. Callisto could already feel her head buzzing, the effects of the Firewhiskey kicking in.
"That's some good-ass whiskey." She commented, sniffling lightly. "Well, I guess I just broke up."
Remus let out a humorless laugh, "Join the club, Claire."
"Do my ears deceive me or did you just say that you and Callum are no more?" Callisto muttered, feeling an uproar of giddiness erupt in her stomach. Immediately, guilt washed over her. Yes, she didn't like Serena, but Remus obviously did. He looked more than just sad, a heavily troubled look in his coffee brown eyes. "Well, you deserved better than her anyway."
"Sure." Remus mumbled, sarcasm dripping in his words. "Please, Listo, don't lie. We both know I was the one who didn't deserve her and not the other way round. I mean, it was dumb to think anyone would like someone like me."
Callisto furrowed her eyebrows, watching in confusion as Remus rubbed his forehead.
"You know, she didn't care for me or liked me or whatever and I don't really blame her. What's to like anyway? The stupid scars or the know-it-all attitude?"
Her kind seemed to have gotten blank either from the alcohol, or the shock following Remus' words. She didn't really know when her fingers had reached out for his cheek, cupping it and softly tracing the scar. His skin felt hot under her fingertips, all words getting caught up in his throat at her cold touch.
"I think they're beautiful."