Regulus placed a pile of books on the table with a loud thump. "You've been hanging a lot with my brother lately."
"I have no choice," Junia sighed. "It's either that or an excruciating pain greeting me every Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday."
Regulus smirked, "Admit it, he's not as bad as you think."
"Doesn't matter what I think," Junia rolled her eyes. "Alright, what've we got here?"
"Books that might include the procedure on how to destroy horcruxes," Regulus sat down. "I managed to get it out of the restricted section."
"Well you definitely cleared the shelves off," Junia remarked as she observed the tall pile of books. "Let's start then."
Junia looked through the table of content of the first book, looking through the chapters that might include what she and Regulus were looking for quietly. Unfortunately for them, none of the books held any answers to their question.
"That was a waste of our time," Regulus sighed.
Junia smiled, "At least we learnt a new thing or two."
"Like?" Regulus cocked a brow.
"Voldy is insane, heartless and deserves to have terrible insomnia," Junia stated calmly.
"What's insomnia?"
"It's when someone has difficulty sleeping—"
"What are you guys doing here?"
"Sirius!" Regulus exclaimed, happy and surprised to see his brother. Due to their different houses, the Black brothers never really have the chance to interact in school.
"Black!" Junia exclaimed at the same time, however she had a different reason. She forgot about the regular one-hour meeting that she was supposed to have today.
Sirius looked between the two of us. "I understand if Reggie is surprised here, but why are you so surprised? We're supposed to meet here, or did I read the wrong date?" He asked the last question to himself.
"What day is today?" Junia turned to Regulus.
"Tuesday."
Junia turned to Sirius, slightly ashamed for not remembering. "Right then, we are supposed to meet here."
Sirius however, had already had an evident frown on his face. "What were you two doing?" he asked, examining the books scattered on the table.
Junia noticed the change and quickly gathered the books and piled them up together, "Studying. I was just helping Regulus with his Defense homework."
Regulus nodded and began collecting his things, "She's really good." Regulus saw the look in Sirius's eyes and quickly excused himself, "Right, I'll go now. Thanks, Jun."
Junia attempted to carry the pile of books all at once, but failed miserably a second later when half of it fell to the ground.
Sirius bent down to pick up one of them, frustration and negative thoughts flooding his mind. "Studying? With these books?"
"The syllabus changed," Junia quickly responded, as she picked up the rest of the books. "Mind helping me?"
"Sure," Sirius said with tenseness in his voice. What were they doing with such dark books?
Junia and Sirius went to the last row of bookshelves and Junia started to place the books back. She was trying to act as normal as possible, despite knowing very well what Sirius might be thinking at that moment.
"Are you sure the syllabus has changed?" Sirius asked again, knowing very well she was lying.
Junia sighed and arranged the last book on the shelves, before turning around only to find Sirius barely an inch away from her. She stepped back, her back hitting the shelves.
"Why were you reading those books?" Sirius asked her.
Junia breathed in, "I told you. We were studying for defense—"
"Don't lie to me," Sirius cut her off, clenching his jaw. "I don't need you influencing my brother that way."
Junia scoffed, "You better not say anything unless you know the whole truth."
Sirius stepped back, "Fine, if you don't want to admit it."
Junia crossed her arms, "Admit what, Black? Those are just books."
"They're not just books, Crawford. They're dangerous," Sirius argued.
"They're useful," Junia retorted, feeling frustrated by how ridiculous his assumptions can be. She didn't want to tell him about the whole thing because she bet Regulus wouldn't want him to know, but framing her for such a thing? Unacceptable.
Sirius looked her in the eyes with a rather disappointed expression, "I suppose I was wrong about you."
Sirius wished he could just storm off, and Junia wished that he did. Instead, they still spent the next hour together. Unlike the previous meetings, the meeting this day didn't have any of them saying a single word until the bell rings and one leaves. Then the other. Until there were none.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Meg ran up to Junia excitedly, which Junia knew that it means she's got news. "Godric! Is it true? Are you and Sirius Black dating?"
Junia furrowed her brows in confusion. "No."
"C'mon, don't have to lie to me," she smiled mischievously. "Your lover's quarrel has been the main news of the day."
Realisation soon struck Junia. Did someone overhear their fight the other day? Who in their right minds would interpret that as a lover's quarrel?
"I'm not lying, Meg," Junia clarified."Whoever made that up must have something wrong going on in their brain."
"All this time, I thought it was Regulus. Turns out it is his brother all along," Meg said.
"I told you, Meg. We're not dating—"
"Junia Yun Crawford," Ellie scooped her arms just in time and dragged her with her. "How dare you keep such big news from me."
Junia rolled her eyes, "If this is about me and Black, it's not true."
Ellie quickly dropped her arms and sighed in relief. "Oh, Merlin. Thank goodness. I was concerned you might have lost your mind."
Junia chuckled, "Don't worry. I haven't, Ellie."
Not yet.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
"What? You and Crawford girl are a thing now?" James asked as joined Sirius on the bed.
Sirius who was half-asleep with his tie around his head to cover his eyes quickly sat up. "What? Where did you hear that from?"
"Everyone's been talking about it," James rolled his eyes. "So it's true?"
Sirius grimaced at the thought. "Merlin, no."
James sighed, "Well, that's disappointing, cause I really do like her."
"You shouldn't. She's— Whatever it doesn't matter," Sirius quickly brushed James off.
James stopped to analyse his friend before a smirk formed on his lips, "You— You like her, don't you?"
"I told you, James. It doesn't matter."
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Junia sat quietly on the armchair, sitting horizontally so her legs were dangling from one of the arms of the chair. She was reading, and when the words started to dance she closed her book and watched the window.
The Ravenclaw tower is quite high from the ground, so the beautiful landscape surrounding the castle was visible from the common room windows as there are windows on each side. Junia's favourite window is the one she always chose to sit near to. The window that overlooks the mountains, lake and the vast sky that catches the sun before it sets.
The sun was setting and the orange beam of light kissed Junia's skin. A peaceful moment she knew she would miss once she graduated. She loved Hogwarts. It was a place of comfort for her. Something she could never seem to have at her own house. For others, Hogwarts may just be a school, but for Junia, it was her first home.
She couldn't believe that this would be her last year here.
"Junia," a girl's voice woke her out of her thoughts.
Junia turned to see two girls she had only ever spoken to once in her first year. Marilyn and Blair. "Yes?"
"Would you like to study with us?" Marilyn asked.
Junia simply furrowed her brows, "Why—"
"Just ask her," Blair whispered to Marilyn, though Junia managed to catch it.
"Ask me what?"
Marilyn inhaled a deep breath, not keeping eye contact, "Are you and Sirius Black really together?"
Junia looked down and smiled to herself. "That's why you talked to me after six years? To ask whether Sirius Black and I are together?"
Marilyn quickly stepped back and scoffed, "If you don't feel like answering, just say it."
Blair threw her an annoyed look.
Junia sighed at their antics, "We are not together. It's just a stupid rumour."
"I told you, Mary. Sirius would never settle for someone like her. A blood supremacist who doesn't know her place—" Blair began.
"A blood supremacist?" Junia asked her as she stood up. "Me? What are you two then? At least I don't go around using the privilege of being a pureblood the way you two are."
"We— we do not!" Marilyn argued. "We've got many muggleborn friends."
"Slaves, you mean? Telling them around with your ways? Saying that you can guarantee them a spot after Hogwarts just because your parents work for the Ministry?" Junia said. "You don't even truly like them. If you do, you would've been friends with Meg and Ellie."
Marilyn opened her mouth but closed it again, looking at Blair who seemed to have nothing to say.
"I hope you two have a great day," Junia smiled before walking away.
Junia is not particularly easy to get riled up, but occasionally she can lose control of her emotions, especially when someone comes to ruin her alone time for a stupid reason.
Junia left the tower and walked to the library, in hopes that she would be able to find peace and quiet there. To her surprise, the library was full, even though it was a Sunday. She supposed they were doing work submitted on Monday.
With her thick mantel, she walked outside and found an empty tree near the lake. She sat and leaned on the tree as the cold air combs through her hair.
Under that tree, she drifted to sleep. Until a voice woke her up.
"Crawford?"
Junia opened her eyes to a blinding light directed at her. The sky was dark and the lake can only be seen because it glistens under the starry sky. Had I fallen asleep? What time is it now?
"What are you doing here?" the voice asked again.
Junia looked up to find a face she definitely did not wish to see. "What do you think, Black? I was sleeping."
"Well, sleep inside. It's dangerous outside at night," Sirius told her.
"Why are you here?" Junia asked him.
"Detention duty," Sirius shrugged.
"Of course," Junia muttered to herself as she got up on her feet. Though her balance failed her when she stumbled to the front and caused a domino effect on Sirius.
"Woah!" The two fell on the ground with Junia on top of Sirius.
"Congratulations," Sirius sarcastically said. "You've got excellent balance."
Junia quickly got up, "Very funny, Black."
"Not even an apology?" Sirius got up.
"Sorry," Junia mumbled.
"What?"
"Sorry," Junia forcefully repeated a little louder.
Sirius smiled in satisfaction, "You should get inside, or you might just miss dinner."
"Dinner?" Junia turned to him. "What time is it?" she said as she looked at her empty wrist. She groaned, realising she had forgotten to wear the watch she got as a gift from Ellie.
"It's eight," Sirius told her.
"What about you? Are you not getting dinner?" Junia asked him.
"On my way to get it actually," Sirius said.
Junia nodded, "I see."
There was a moment of awkward silence before Junia started to walk. As far as she knows, they weren't on speaking terms after the incident at the library. Sirius seemed to think that too as he kept his distance a few steps behind her, that was until he swallowed his pride. In the last two days, Sirius realised what he did was wrong. And that he'd have to apologise one way or another.
"Hey," Sirius called.
Junia must admit that she still felt a bit mad after the indirect accusation he made to her the other day, so she pretended not to hear him.
"Crawford," Sirius caught up with her. "Look. I'm sorry for the other day."
Junia breathed in a shaky breath, "You should be."
"Right. And even though I don't fully trust you yet," Sirius continued. "I hope we can be on good terms."
Junia nodded, still a bit bitter about the whole thing, "Okay, anything else?"
"We'll still meet like usual right?" Sirius raised a brow expectantly.
"Obviously," Junia quickly answered. "I am not going through the consequence of not doing so."
Sirius bit back a smile at how honest Junia's response was. "Oh yeah. Have you heard of the rumour?"
"I'm not a big fan of gossip, Black," Junia forced a smile.
"I mean the one that involves you and I," Sirius rolled his eyes.
"Oh, that rumour."