Josephine strolls thoughtfully towards Dumbledore's office, her fingers idly picking at her nails as she ponders her decision about learning Occlumency. She has spent ample time mulling it over, perhaps longer than necessary, and has sought advice from Helena on how to shield certain thoughts from intrusion.
Josie hadn't talked to Regulus since the other night. It did...hurt more than it should have but she knew that her liking him would change the feeling she felt when he decided to go completely mental and be upset with her over stuff that wasn't her fault.
A sudden jolt of pain from her nail-picking brings her back to reality. "Acid pops," she whispers, and the statue responds by revealing a hidden staircase. Climbing up, she hesitantly knocks on Dumbledore's office door.
"Come in," Dumbledore's voice beckons.
With a determined expression masked by a fake smile, Josie steps inside. "Hello, sir," she greets respectfully, doing her best to suppress any negative feelings towards him.
"Hello, Miss Potter," Dumbledore replies, peering at her through his half-moon glasses, his demeanor calm and unsurprised by her visit.
Josie makes her way to a chair and sits down, wincing slightly as it creaks. "Are you alright, dear?" Dumbledore inquires, concerned.
"I'm fine," she assures him, clearing her throat. "I'm here to discuss your offer, about learning Occlumency."
"Ah," Dumbledore acknowledges, taking off his glasses and placing them in front of him. "Have you familiarized yourself with the books on the topic from the restricted section?"
"Yes, I've read all of them and have made sure that I truly want to pursue this," she replies confidently.
"That's good, dear," he remarks, nodding. "I can schedule a specific time during the week to teach you. How about Wednesdays?"
She mentally checks her schedule to ensure it's feasible. "Yes, Wednesday is great."
"Excellent. You'll meet me here each Wednesday at 8 o'clock," Dumbledore confirms.
Josie offers a tight smile. "That's fine."
"Alright, Miss Potter, I'll see you next week on Wednesday," Dumbledore says, tapping on his desk to conclude the meeting.
As she starts to rise from her seat, he stops her with a question, "Before you leave, do you have your meeting scheduled with your head of house to discuss future careers?"
Turning back to face him, she replies, "Yes, it's scheduled for next week."
"That's good to hear. I hope you find your way into the career you desire," he smiles kindly, and she returns the gesture before leaving the room.
With the meeting set for next Friday, she can't help but feel uncertain about her future path. The Ministry is an option, but it doesn't quite resonate with her like it does with her brother's ambition to become an Auror.
Perhaps consulting the divination teacher could provide some insights from the future. She lets out a sigh as she makes her way to the great hall, not feeling particularly hungry but knowing she has to be present.
Upon entering, she notices Regulus, and it seems that his mood has improved since their last encounter. She can't help but roll her eyes at the memory of that night. She reminds herself that it's okay to be upset with him for how he treated her. The thought of having to patrol with him later only adds to her frustration.
She sits across from her friends, Dorcas and Pandora. Pandora's attention seems divided, glancing at another Ravenclaw student, probably Xenophilius.
"Where were you?" Pandora inquires, furrowing her brows.
"Reading," she lies, catching Regulus looking her way as she does.
Ignoring him, she focuses on Pandora, teasing, "How's Xenophilius?"
Pandora blushes but clears her throat, "He's good. We've been talking more lately."
Dorcas chimes in, "Go Dora!" before continuing with her meal.
Pandora smiles softly, "You guys would be so cute together," as Josie leans on her hand.
A mischievous glint sparkles in Pandora's eyes as she leans forward and whispers, "So would you and Regulus."
Josie's eyes widen, and she quickly laughs, trying to brush it off, "That's funny."
Pandora rolls her eyes, saying, "What! It's true. He talks about you all the time."
"No, he doesn't," she replies, denying Pandora's claim. Her gaze shifts to Regulus, who is engrossed in conversation with Barty. Why would he talk about me?
"He does talk about you all the time. Although he did come back from patrol a little upset," Pandora persists, raising a brow.
Hoping Dorcas will intervene, Josie looks her way, but Dorcas seems too absorbed in looking at Marlene's to notice.
"Well, um," Josie hesitates before deciding to share the incident, "We caught Sirius trying to get into a classroom, and you know they don't talk much, so I took points from Gryffindor. Sirius then tried to flirt with me to avoid losing points, but obviously, that didn't work. Then Regulus got angry for some reason and accused me of liking Sirius."
Pandora lets out a breath, understanding the situation. "So Regulus was jealous."
Josie's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Of what?"
Pandora looks at her incredulously, "Don't tell me you're that dense."
"What?"
Pandora reaches over the table, taking Josie's hands in hers. "He got jealous because Sirius was flirting with you."
"But Sirius is just joking! He flirts with me as a joke; he doesn't actually like me," Josie protests, but Pandora cuts her off.
"Regulus doesn't know that. All he knows is that his brother was flirting with the girl he likes," Pandora points out.
"He doesn't like me, Pandora," Josie states firmly, believing that Regulus has no reason to like her when he could have any other girl who is prettier.
Pandora insists, "He does," and Josie follows her gaze to Davian, who is glaring at her. She has managed to avoid him since she started her own rumor.
Feeling uncomfortable, Josie takes a breath and says, "He doesn't like me, and I need to go." The intense glare from Davian is unsettling.
Pandora smiles at her, and Josie grabs her bag, leaving the table.
She decides to head back to her dorm until it's time for patrol later that night. Fiddling with the strap of her bag as she walks, she hears footsteps behind her, which puts her on edge.
Checking her pants pocket to ensure her wand is there, she picks up her pace. While they aren't supposed to use magic outside of class, Josie deems it justified if someone attacks her.
The footsteps behind her quicken, and Josie decides to confront Davian, realizing that walking away won't deter him.
"What?" she snaps as she turns around to face him. Davian seems taken aback by her direct confrontation.
"Why would you spread the rumor?" Davian questions, approaching with clenched jaws.
She raises an eyebrow. "You're the one who claimed we slept together. If it were true, wouldn't I know?"
She adds with a tilt of her head, "Maybe you've mixed your delusions with reality."
He scoffs, resorting to insults, "You're such a bitch. I never even liked you; I only wanted to win the bet."
Smirking, he continues, "Though I guess I didn't win, considering how close you are with Regulus. Maybe he did."
Josie's eyes narrow, unimpressed. "Are you really that pathetic? It doesn't matter anymore. Maybe don't lie about sleeping with people."
Attempting to leave, Davian grabs her arm, causing her bag to fall and books to scatter.
"You're just a slut," he spits, taking another low blow, "I wonder how your brother would feel if he knew you were sleeping with Regulus."
Before Josie can react, Regulus appears and intervenes. "Let go of her," he commands, his voice firm.
Davian releases her arm, but he lingers until Regulus makes it clear he should leave.
Regulus stands his ground, and when Davian finally leaves, he turns to Josie. The hurtful words sting, not so much because of Davian, but due to the entire situation.
Josie replies irritably, "Before you ask, I'm fine." Though she appreciates his help, she doesn't want to depend on him right now, still feeling upset about their previous encounter.
Concern etched on his face, Regulus persists, "You don't look fine."
"Then stop looking," she snaps back, walking away, frustrated by his attention.
Regulus follows her, expressing concern "Are you alright?" as they head towards her common room. Annoyed, she retorts, "Well, I don't want to talk too much, wouldn't want you to accuse me of liking Sirius again." The words slip out before she can think.
He pauses, his expression apologetic, "Josephine, I'm sorry." His confession surprises her, making her stop walking too.
Taking a breath, she turns to face him, her emotions still raw. "I forgive you, but that doesn't excuse your behavior. It was rude."
Regulus relaxes a bit, "Now, I'm going to my dorm because I'm tired and... yeah, I'm just tired." Despite the urge to break down, she keeps that to herself, knowing he wouldn't appreciate it.
"I'll see you later, Josephine," he says before walking away, leaving her with a mix of emotions.
~~~~~
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