19 December: Potions Classroom.
"So, today all your potions are going to be ready. Let's hope everyone did a good job we don't need a love-sick puppy running around." Professor Slughorn joked although no one else laughed. "Now, I want each of you to smell your potion and tell us what you smell. Who's first?"
Malfoy raised his hand and Slughorn gestured him to go ahead. Malfoy sniffed the pink vapours coming from the potion "I smell; pine wood, honey and green apples."
"Good" Slughorn walked towards their potion "You have did a good job. Miss Hart, why don't you go ahead."
Josette cursed under her breath and looked at Sirius 'Don't worry' he mouthed. Josette gave him a smile and whiffed her potion. "Wet soil, herbs, cigarettes and um.. leather." She literally smelt Sirius. I really love him!!!
"We all know who smells like cigarettes and leather." James announced and patted Sirius' back who was grinning widely. Some Slytherins snickered and Josette blushed.
Professor Slughorn smiled "Then why don't you go next Mr. black?"
Sirius nodded hesitantly and took a whiff and sighed deeply "I smell; broom polish, leather and I don't know how to describe it... it's like lime but mixed with vanilla."
Everyone turned towards Josette and she blushed harder. That's her signature smell. Sirius looked at her with a grin.
"Well, that's true love!!" Remus commented and class went on.
"Mr. Snape?" Slughorn said and this brought Josette's attention.
"Flowers and Citrus." He mumbled. Josette looked at him who was already looking at her in shock. He smelt Lily. Josette sighed.
~☆~
"Sev." Josette ran after her friend as soon as the class ended "Sev, stop." She caught up with him. "You alright?"
"Yep, my only three friends are not talking to me. I am completely fine." He said sarcastically and again started walking.
"I'm talking to you even if I shouldn't. What you did was very wrong." Josette said walking behind him.
"I know, I was an idiot to say that word but I didn't mean to. I apologised to her like a thousand times but she won't even listen to me." He sighed, both walked into the empty Hufflepuff corridor.
"You need to give her time and spending time with Malfoy is not going to help it." Josette scoffed.
"He's the only one willing to be my friend. And he's not as evil as you think."
"So, he is your friend now??"
"He is, since Lily won't talk to me and you and Meredith are busy with your boyfriends." He scoffed "But seriously?? How can you date Black??"
"He's not bad Sev, he-"
"Severus, why are talking with this traitor." Josette was cut off by an angry Malfoy.
"Because he's my best friend." Josette replied for him glaring at the blonde boy.
"Best friend??" He laughed "What kind of person talks to his best friend after months." He turned towards the boy "Severus, let's go. Avery is waiting for us."
"Seriously?? Now you are friends with Avery too. Who's next, the dark lord??" Josette shouted.
"Jo, I am-" Severus started explaining but was cut of Lucius "Why do you care?? Just stay away from him. He's not your friend anymore."
"Well, he is still my friend. So you better stay away from him." Josette hissed. Both now standing face to face glaring at each other.
"Just leave it okay." Severus pushed them away from one another.
"NO!" both said together "Choose. Choose from one of us." Lucius added.
"Yep. Choose from one of us." Josette said.
"This is ridiculous. I'm not choosing from you two." Severus looked at his two friends.
"You either choose or our friendship is over." Lucius demanded.
"No."
"I'm not joking Snape. Either choose us who will always be there by your side or choose her who betrayed your friendship for the Gryffindors." Malfoy snapped.
"You little piece of shit." Josette yelled grabbing him by his collar.
"Jo, that's enough." Severus forcefully pushed her off of Lucius. "I'm sorry." He added and stood beside Malfoy.
"Sev, you can't be serious!! You are choosing him." Josette was feeling betrayed. She and Severus are friends from since they were five-year-olds. How can he choose Malfoy over her? Her head started to hurt a little. Malfoy stood there with a proud smirk on his face. "Don't you remember the horrible things he said to Lily and me and to you too. He calls Lily a mudblood!!!" she hissed.
"He's not wrong" Severus said in monotone. He was felling really bad for doing this to his friends, but he has no choice. I'm sorry, Jo but Lucius is right, it's about time you choose the Gryffindors over me.
"Odin!!! I can't believe you. I was with you when you called Lily that for the first time even if I shouldn't have. And now again!!" Josette shouted and a sharp pain went through her brain. She cried in pain and fell down to her knees. "Stupid emotions." She cursed.
Severus went ahead to help her but she jerked her hand away from him "Don't you dare touch me!!" she hissed.
"Jo-"
"Don't. Go away. Get out of my sight right now." She shouted.
"But-"
"I said GO AWAY!!!" she shouted and clutched her head in her hands as the pain increased. Severus hesitantly got up and walked away. Lucius crouched down to her "That was fun." He smirked.
"Why are you even doing this?? What do you even need from him??" she asked.
"Nothing. He's just easy to manipulate. Poor little boy, alone in times like these. Beside he can work as an incentive for you." He said, he's usual smirk prominent on his face.
"You wish." She hissed.
"We'll see." He hissed and walked away.
Josette took a few minutes to recover from the pain. She got up and started walking towards headmasters office. She has to tell him about this. Even if Severus is being a huge dick right now she knows he will eventually leave his 'new friends'. She just hopes it won't take too much time that it hurts him.
~☆~
"Where did Mor go?" Peter asked as they sat down at Gryffindor table for lunch.
"She said she wanted to talk with Snivellus." Sirius shrugged.
"I can't believe she still talks with him after what he called Lily." Huffed James.
"Something's wrong with her from past few days, she's been distant." Sirius said sadly. Remus patted his back. "Sometimes I think if I even trust her. I know I do; I trust her with my life but sometimes it's just..." he trailed off.
"Pads, we promised her not to bug about it." James placed a hand on his.
"I know but we trust her, don't we? Why can't she. She even knows about Moony's condition and it's a huge thing. I think we have a right to know about her too." Sirius made his point.
"I know how it feels. Meredith is not entirely clean with me either. She says she has some secrets and she will tell me but she never did." Remus added looking at his girlfriend who just walked out of the Great Hall.
No one said anything after that, they just eat in silence. After lunch they walked out of the Great Hall and made their way towards Gryffindor Common Room. They stopped and hid behind a pillar when they saw Josette and Meredith walk out Headmaster's office.
"So what now, you are going to spy on your girlfriends??" Peter whispered.
"Shh! Just listen. That's the best we can know about them when they are talking with each other." Remus whispered back.
"You told Dumbledore!! And when where you going to tell me??" Meredith shouted at her friend and looked around to see the corridor was empty or not; it was besides the Marauders.
"I didn't tell him about you." Josette mumbled.
"Great!!" Meredith laughed "Now are going to abandon me in everything."
"I'm trying to keep you and Jenna safe." She shouted back and grabbed Meredith's arm leading her into an empty classroom.
"Now what??" James asked.
"The window." Sirius pointed at it and the four slipped into the classroom through the window, hiding behind a book shelf.
"You don't have to do that for me." Meredith argued "I may not be 'you' but I'm still a witch. I can look after myself."
"Josette is not a witch??" Sirius asked and the boys shrugged.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I should have told you." Josette apologised.
"You know, the boys and Lily should have been the first one we tell about us and not Dumbledore." Meredith sighed. "I can't hide it from Remus anymore, it's just feels wrong." She sat down on the desk.
"I think you should tell him. Ask Jenna about it and do what she tells." Josette sat down beside her and placed her head on her shoulder.
"Well she married my Dad and he's a wizard. I think I can tell Remus too." Meredith shrugged. "What about you??"
Josette took a deep breath. "I don't know. It's not as easy as you. Sometimes I think I should break-up with him." Sirius gasped after hearing that.
"Why?? Don't you like him?" Meredith asked.
"I do. I really do. It's just... I'm like walking danger. I don't want to hurt any of my friends. And I don't know if he will still love me after that." Josette mumbled sadly.
"You are not going to hurt any of us." She assured.
"So when are you going to tell Rem??"
"Maybe after Christmas. Let's go we still have to find a way to get Marcel out of your head." Meredith stood up and pulled Josette out of the classroom with her.
The Marauders came out from their hiding spot. "Moony, you are going to tell us whatever Meredith tells you right??" James asked.
"Of course."
"Pads, you are quite??" Peter looked at his friend.
"I can't believe she wants to break-up with me." Sirius ran a hand through his hair.
"She's not going to break-up with you. She said she sometimes thinks about that doesn't mean she is going to do it." Remus said.
"And you said sometimes you think you don't trust her but you know you do. It's just like that." James added.
"And she smelled you in the love potion, she just doesn't like you she loves you." Peter patted his back.
"Then why won't she tell me anything. Meredith is going to tell you right?" Sirius asked his friend.
"Meredith and I are dating for like two years and you just started dating her. Give her some time."
"Maybe you are right." Sirius sighed.
~☆~
20 December: Kings Cross Station.
"Do you really have to go??" Sirius whined.
"It's just for 2 weeks." Josette said. She is spending the Christmas Holidays at Meredith's house and Sirius wants her to come to the Potter's with him.
"It's two long weeks!!!" he said dramatically.
"Just leave the poor girl alone for some time. I don't know how you put up with his constant whining." Remus said as he and James came behind them with their bags and handed it to her. Peter already left with his mother. Sirius pouted at his friends statement and Josette laughed.
"Mor, turn around." Meredith's voice said from behind them. Josette turned around to see her and Elijah standing there.
"ELIJAH!!!" Josette squealed happily and ran into his arms. He spined her and placed her down. "I missed you so much."
"I did too, little witch." He smiled at her.
"Stop calling me that. I'm not a kid anymore." She whined and buried her face into his chest. James, Sirius and Remus walked up to them.
"Elijah, meet my boyfriend; Remus Lupin." Meredith introduced. Remus smiled nervously and held out his hand. It was the first time he is meeting any of Meredith's family members.
Elijah eyed him carefully. His brothers love was now overflowing. "Lupin?? Half-blood??"
Remus's eyes widened and he looked at Meredith. Is her family like a pureblood supremist He thought "Ye... yes." He stuttered.
"I don't care as long as you keep her happy." Elijah smiled breaking his cold face. Remus laughed tensely "Of course, I will."
"Elijah Coleman." He now introduced taking Remus's still out stretched hand.
"I am James Potter. Josette's best friend and big brother." James said proudly.
"You are younger than me." Josette pointed out.
"I'm still your big brother." James nodded.
"Then I guess I don't have to worry about her. You'll take care of her." Elijah said.
"Of course." James said and side hugged Josette.
"And I'm Sirius Black. Josette's bo-"
"My friend." Josette cut him off. Sirius looked at her with shock who was looking everywhere but towards him. James, Remus and Meredith looking at the exchange between them with concern.
"Ye..um yeah, her friend." Sirius mumbled sadly.
"Nice to meet you all but we should get going now, Mother's waiting for us." Elijah said. Josette and Meredith hugged James and Remus, saying goodbye. Josette went to hug Sirius but he backed away a little.
"Sirius." She whispered.
"Don't." He picked up his bag and walked away. Josette looked at James with worry.
"Don't worry. I'll talk to him." James patted her back and walked behind his friend.
"I'll see you after break." Remus hugged her and walked away. Josette, Meredith and Elijah apparated to Coleman Manor. The huge grey Manor was now covered in white snow and Christmas lights hung around the trees in the garden.
The three walked inside and there was rush of people and house elves running around the house. "Is there some function?" Josette asked.
"A Christmas ball." Elijah answered.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier??" Josette furrowed her eyebrows.
"Because I knew if I told you, you would have never agreed to come here and I really wanted to meet you." Elijah said.
"I hate you." She huffed and started walking towards her room.
"I know you love me!!" Elijah called out from behind her. Josette smiled and chuckled to herself.
~☆~
25 December: Coleman Manor.
"You sure you don't want to come down??" Meredith asked.
"To a boring pureblood party? No thanks." Josette scoffed and turned back to looking out of the window. She was sitting on the window sill looking at the dark sky filled with stars.
"Anything from Sirius??" Meredith walked up to her side.
"Nope. I sent him five letters in past two days he hasn't replied to one." She mumbled sadly.
"Why didn't you tell Elijah that he is your boyfriend."
"I don't know. I should have told him but Elijah will argue how wrong it is. Being a God and dating mortal, it never works."
"It worked for my parents." Meredith shrugged.
"My situation is not like her. I may have to back to Asgard and I don't want to leave anyone and I'm sure Allfather won't allow me dating Sirius."
"Who cares what that old bat thinks??" Meredith huffed making her laugh.
~☆~
29 December: Potter House.
Sirius burned down the 7th letter he got from Josette without reading it and sat on the couch staring into the fire crackling in front of him.
"At least read the letter. See what she has to say." James sat down beside him.
"Is something wrong with me?? Is she ashamed of me being her boyfriend that's why she didn't tell her brother about me??" Sirius asked.
"You are talking non sense. She must have had a reason to do it at least give her chance to explain herself." James said.
"The reason I'm sure she won't tell us." Scoffed Sirius.
"Sirius she's not your friend anymore, she's your girlfriend now. You are dating for four months; this is your first fight. You should talk to her, let her explain herself and you can ask why she didn't tell Elijah about your relationship. I'm sure she will tell you and if she doesn't we will see what can we do. Just talk to each other."
Sirius chuckled "Since when did you start giving relationship advise??"
"Since now." James laughed.
A/N
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