12 February: Gryffindor Common Room.
It's almost midnight and the common room is completely empty, Josette was unable to sleep so she left the dorms and slyly closed the door behind. Once in the common room she went straight to the window, cracking it open a bit to let in some cool air.
She was crushing the letter in her hand, maybe because of anger or sadness or both. Regulus keeps sending them everyday, probably seeking apology, Josette doesn't read them just keeps stuffing one after another in her bag.
She was very mad at him and wasn't ready to forgive him or talk to him at all. She knew Regulus wouldn't do it on purpose but he still did and her friends and family suffered for it more than her.
If he hadn't got that mark maybe things would have been different and Josette hated him for it. A single tear of frustration escaped her eye. She was in a lot of stress, with the Slytherins giving her a hard time and thinking about the visions constantly, dreading if it ever came true.
Josette angrily picked up her bag and strode towards the fireplace, turning it upside-down as the letters rained into the fire. Josette fell down to her knees breaking down into tears as her sobs filled the room.
She had lot going on in her mind and she had no one to talk to and it was eating her from the inside. Voldemort may have already came up with a plan to kill her as soon as she graduated from Hogwarts. She has no idea what her future is going to be and if Sirius is in it. She essentially made all her friends target of Voldemort, she may have given them protection but for a certain amount of time. What after the deadline is over?? He will purposely go after them just to spite her and the Ferðamenn, don't even get me started on that, they may have layed low for past couple of months but for God's sake she killed their leader in cold blood obviously they will come for revenge.
And worst of it she couldn't even talk to anyone about it. Whom she did talk to is currently d-e-a-d. She doesn't want to ruin James's planning for the proposal by burdening him with these problems or worrying Remus, he just recovered from Meredith's death and she doesn't want to worry him or scaring Peter more than he already is or ruining Lily's one of the happiest moments of her life or telling Sirius that she has no idea what their future is going to be.
"What are you doing??" Sirius asked coming out of nowhere.
"Holy shit!!!" A wave of sonic came out of her as she jumped in surprise and hit Sirius making him fly into the coffee table. She quickly got up and ran towards him "I'm so sorry. It was unintentional, you scared me." She apologized and helped him up, checking for any injuries.
Sirius ignored the pain as he looked at the tear stains on her cheeks. He placed a hand on her cheeks and wiped it away "Why are crying??" He asked.
"It's..um.. it's nothing." She quickly turned around and hastily rubbed her eyes.
"Mor, talk to me. You are acting weird ever since you woke up at St. Mungo's." He grabbed her hand and forced her to look at him.
"I told you it's nothing."
"Then why are you crying??" He asked.
Josette took some time to answer "I'm..I'm scared.. Sirius." She sniffed. "I'm so scared."
"Of what?? Don't tell me Voldemort, you practically kicked his ass." Josette chuckled and Sirius proudly smiled as he brought a smile to her face.
"I'm scared to loose you and everyone else because of this war I dragged you all into. I'm sorry."
"Hey, you've got nothing to apologize for. It's not your fault." He said pulling her closer to him.
"It is. It is. If I never met you, you would've never been into this mess. Or if I never came here or if I just returned back to where I came from. At least, you all would be safe, Meredith could be alive and Remus and she would have had the future they dreamed of."
"And then what?? If you never entered my life, I would've never knew the meaning of true love. Our parents wouldn't be safe from this war. And about Meredith, it was not your fault. Castiel betrayed them and that's why all this happened, there's nothing you could've done."
"But-"
"No Josette, we don't need you to protect us we are capable of doing it on our own. You have to think about your happiness, what you want."
Josette smiled slightly and broke apart cupping his face "I love you so much, Sirius Black. I don't know what I would have done without you."
"You don't have to worry about that cause I ain't going anywhere." He smiled and pulled her into a deep kiss.
Both laid on the couch in each other's arms and talked for hours before finally falling asleep.
Next morning Josette woke up to empty room beside her, her eyes wandered around in search of her boyfriend and found him crouched in front of the fire place. "Morning." She sang in a happy mood "What are you doing there??"
"These letters, why did you burn them??" Sirius stood up and turned around.
Josette quickly sat on the couch "Umm.. it's..." she stuttered coming up with a lie.
"R.A.B?? It's from Reg??" Sirius held the half burned letter in his hand which showed 'R.A.B' written on the corner.
"We are not on talking terms at the moment so.." she trailed off.
"Why??" He furrowed his eyebrows "Don't tell me he was involved in your kidnapping!! Everyone else is saying that but I don't believe it, he won't go that low, would he?? I sent him a thousand letters but he hasn't replied to one yet." Suddenly it hit him"Oh Merlin!! He's feeling guilty that's why he's not answering me!! I swear to God I'm going to kill him!!" He kept rambling.
"Relax!!" Josette shouted and pulled him down beside her "It's nothing like that. He has nothing to do with it. And as for the letters, he's not allowed to talk with you and he's staying on your parent's good side maybe that's why he's not writing back." She quickly covered it up with a lie, as usual. But this time it was necessary. If Sirius finds his own blood has something to do with all these, he would be devastated. And with the torture Bellatrix did on her, he's already on the edge. He's ashamed to call her his 'cousin', how can his own blood can go down to this level.
"Oh thank God!!" He sighed "But then why are you not talking??"
"He said some things, I didn't like and I'm just mad at him right now but don't worry, I will forgive him eventually, just need some time."
"What things??" He asked curiously.
"That's personal." She deadpanned "Now, let's get ready or we will miss classes."
~☆~
7 March: Gryffindor Common Room.
It was a calm, silent spring night, and the Kitchen was dark and almost empty, given the late hour. The pale moonlight glowing feebly through the large bay windows and the dim afterglow of the fireplace radiated just enough light to distinguish, the huddle of six settled, barely awake, in the middle of the room.
They sat in a carelessly untidy fashion. Legs were flung across laps, arms were around shoulders, and batches of various notes, books, and chocolate wrappers littered the floor between them.
"Well, I know what I'm going to be after leaving Hogwarts." Lily said firmly, tossing a pamphlet onto the pile in front of her.
"What's that?" Peter asked tiredly.
He picked up the pamphlet that Lily had discarded and smoothed it out. "St. Mungo's Guide to Doctoring Dreams." He read aloud. "We require that each Healer-applicant has at least an 'E' at N.E.W.T.-level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"And why are you interested in healing??" Remus asked.
"I just want to. With this war going on they need as much help as they can get." Lily sadly said "I read the Prophet daily, the deaths and injuries are increasing day by day, that's the least I would help."
Everyone else just hummed in response, thinking about their own career paths.
"I want to be an auror. Just like Mad-eye Moody." James proudly said "I want to fight these death eaters and capture as many as I can."
"Me too." Sirius added "And the first person I'm going to fight is my wretched cousin and every other person I have a misfortune to call my 'Family'" A wicked and proud smirk formed itself on his lips.
"I'm not getting anything in the outside world!!" Remus scoffed. Because of the lycanthropy his career options are limited, rather there are no career options in the wizarding world. "Probably something in the muggle world." He added.
"Don't worry, Moony. I'm sure you will find something and we'll always have your back." Sirius patted his back.
"I'll be helping my mother in her business." said Peter. Mrs Pettigrew is a herbologist, she grows rare herbs and plants and sells them as potion ingredients and for other uses. Peter is actually great at Herbology and he'll thrive at this.
"Jo??" Lily asked "What about you??"
Josette thought about it for few minutes. "I actually don't know. I was just lucky enough to come here, I never really thought about what I want to be."
"What does that mean?? What did you decide in the fifth year, while your career counseling??" Remus asked.
"I didn't decide a career option, I just told Slughorn I have to return back to my 'family' and work with them." She shrugged "And as I just spat at Allfather's face that I don't want to come back, I'll just have to think about something."
"Don't worry, you'll find something that you'll love." Sirius said kissing her temple and hugging her tightly. But Josette being yo think seriously about her life, What do I want to do??
"Don't you think we are to young to be worried about a war??" Peter asked interrupting her thoughts.
"We are but we don't have any other option. It's better to fight than staying hidden in a house." James said and they all again hummed not knowing what to say.
~☆~
10 March: Transfiguration Classroom.
Josette nervously walked towards Professor McGonagall's classroom. She thought so much about her career options but couldn't point on what she really wanted to do, maybe talking to a Professor would help. Usually it's the Head of House's job to talk about these things but McGonagall is better than Slughorn to talk to.
She knocked on the door and opened it slightly "Professor McGonagall, do you have a minu-" she stopped when she saw a whole meeting set up in the classroom. Dumbledore, Moody, McGonagall and a very old man sitting around the desk, discussing something. Josette instantly knew it was something about the Order or why would the meet together??
"Did I heard right or you just called me 'Professor McGonagall'??" She joked.
"I'm sorry Minnie." Josette chuckled. The adults in the room laughed "I'll come later."
"No, no, it's alright we were just leaving, come in." Dumbledore stood up and the other old man nodded. "I'll just see Mr. Knight out. Alastor, I'll get the papers, we can wait few minutes." He added and both walked out of the classroom.
"I can wait outside." Moody said as Josette nervously sat down in the chair.
"No, it's alright." She shook her head.
"So, what is this about??" McGonagall asked.
"I want to talk about my career options. I don't know what I want to do after leaving Hogwarts." She mumbled.
"Ohh." McGonagall whispered "Then what did you decide during the OWLs year??" She asked.
"I didn't. I was supposed to return back home, do something with the family but now I can't." Josette said.
"Why??"
"Umm..." Josette was thinking what to tell her.
Should I tell the truth?? She's even in the order and I know I can trust her.
Do you really want to??
Yes, I guess. I mean, she obviously won't tell anyone if I asked her to.
Well then, go ahead.
Am I dreaming our you just agreed to what I said??
Okay for the last time, I am you and if you kept talking to yourself like this you'll definitely go mad.
Yeah...um..sorry??
For the love of God!! She's waiting for an answer!!
Josette turned her attention back to the Professor. "Mr Moody??" The man hummed in response "A little help here?" And then the two launched into the whole story. McGonagall like others took it pretty well, I mean a little less surprised and much less questions. I guess she already knew something was different about Josette and know she finally knew what.
"So, I technically shot at my grandfather that I never want to return back to his 'kingdom'" she aircoted "And now I don't know what to do with my miserable life!!"
"You can become an Auror." Moody suggested "Would work great for the order, getting information from inside the Ministry." Josette thoughtfully nodded.
"No, no, no." McGonagall shook her head "Miss Hart, no order, no war, think what makes you happy not what works for someone else." She eyed Moody who in return rolled his eyes.
"You wouldn't like to know what I like." Josette mumbled.
"Just tell me."
"I like dark magic, to work with new spells, to try every other dark spell which hasn't been used for years. It's. Just. Amazing." Josette eyes glowed a little purple as she said these things but quickly shook it off. McGonagall look stupefied by her answer, while Moody was intrigued in her. "And killing people." Now that shocked Moody as well. Josette then realized what it sounded like "Let me rephrase it. To kill bad/evil guys."
"First: you are too young to be playing with dark magic, so no. Second: even aurors don't kill the bad guys, so no to killing as well." McGonagall said. "By your interests and marks, your best career option is either a curse-breaker or an Auror."
"Told you, Auror's the best." Moody smiled proudly.
"I don't want Ministry's job rather I want to stay as far as I can from the Ministry." Josette politely declined.
"And why's that??" Moody asked, slightly offended.
"You have seen movies, right?? A being superior than humans, they will either fear it or use them for their own purposes and I'm pretty sure that applies in real life as well."
"Then we will make sure that they never finds out." Moody said "And we could use some honest people like you. Besides, fighting the death eaters, I'm pretty sure you can't deny that." He smirked.
Josette smiled slightly "You are right. Then Auror it is." She sighed, finally found what she was looking for.
"Auror training programs are under my supervision and I can already tell that you are recruited." Moody patted his back.
"And for that you have give up practicing dark magic cause auror catches them who use it." McGonagall said. "And you have to get atleast five 'Es' in your NEWTs with Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology and Charms as your main subjects."
"I will get that easily not so sure about Herbology." Josette said thoughtfully.
"Then you better start studying."
"Thank you so much Minnie." Josette got up.
"It's alright, miss Hart-"
"Please call me Mortis-" Josette started.
"And believe me she doesn't let just anyone call her that, you should be honoured." Moody finished for her and they all shared a laugh.