"I'm just saying if I have that thing in my mouth for a whole month everything will taste nasty. Will I be able to eat and drink? What happens if I swallow it? Will I die?" Sirius wondered absentmindedly as he walked Asteria to her next lesson of the day.
She laughed, "You won't die, but I won't be kissing you if it puts a nasty taste in my mouth."
Sirius stopped in his tracks, staring at her with wide eyes.
"That's a joke. Right?" He asked.
"Why would it be a joke?"
"So you're serious?"
"No, you're Sirius."
He folded his arms tightly, still refusing to move as other students pushed past them in the corridor.
"It's really annoying when you do that." He pointed out.
"You make those jokes too!" Asteria exclaimed.
"Yeah, well, it's only funny when I do it." Sirius nodded.
"I need to get to class I can just leave you here." She smirked, turning away from him.
"Alright, fine." Sirius rolled his eyes whilst still refusing to move.
"Also, I was thinking of revising in the library later." Asteria called over her shoulder.
"What? I'm not spending even more time in the library!" Sirius bounded down the corridor after her.
"Lily and Remus have invited me." Asteria explained, "That way you can hang out with James so he doesn't think I'm stealing you from him."
"Ri..." Sirius groaned.
"Ri? Are we just dropping syllables off my name now? If you keep doing that you'll run out of letters in my name." Asteria joked, elbowing him gently.
"Ri-a!" Sirius rolled his head back.
"I'll see you later, I have class remember? So do you." She flashed him one last smile before disappearing into the classroom and leaving Sirius stood alone in the now empty corridor.
He looked around, debating on whether or not to make his way up the Astronomy Tower for Divination. It would be a long walk and it's not like Sirius particularly needed to pass his OWL exams.
"Sirius!" James called at he walked around to corner and stood at the end of the corridor.
"What're you doing?" Sirius asked, jogging towards him.
"Could ask you the same." James replied shortly.
"Fancy skipping divination? I hear there's some Slytherin prefects that haven't been pranked in a while." Sirius smirked.
"Dunno... Might just go walk around alone." James kicked at the floor.
Sirius frowned, "Okay...?"
"I mean... That's how I've been spending all my time lately." James shrugged, keeping his eyes glued to the floor.
"What's the matter?" Sirius folded his arms.
James kicked at the floor again, "I'm just fine... Don't know about you though; you haven't been very talkative lately."
Sirius stare intently at James now, "You know I'm the king of talking right? I don't think I ever actually shut up." Sirius admitted.
"You're sure keeping quiet around me though." James replied.
"Seriously, what is your problem?" Sirius retorted.
James looked up at him now, "You're keeping some sort of secret from me."
"What?" Sirius stepped back.
"You're keeping some sort of secret from me that involves Asteria and I don't know what it is but... We're best friends, why wouldn't you tell me?"
Sirius was dumbfounded. Sure, he knew of the secret he was keeping from James but it wasn't a big deal. Okay, it was a big deal but it was nothing that affected James.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Sirius shrugged.
Truth was, Sirius didn't want James to overreact. Of course, James would do that either way. Sirius was just worried his friends would expect everything to change when that wasn't the case.
Was it?
"And now you're lying to me. Brilliant. Real good friend you are." James grumbled.
Sirius opened his mouth to put James back in his place but was rudely interrupted.
"Ja-Potter?" Lily rounded the corner now, playing with her prefect badge pinned neatly on her robes, "Black? What are you two up to?"
"Nothing." James replied.
"Literally." Sirius added.
"You two should be in lessons. You're not planning some prank together, are you?" Lily folded her arms and glared at the boys.
"Not together, no." James shot Sirius a look.
"Wouldn't want that." Sirius mumbled.
"You need to go to class then. I don't want to have to take away house points." She raised her eyebrows now.
And then Remus Lupin rounded the corner too.
"Lil, McGonagall says-" Remus stopped speaking as his eyes glanced over the scene, trying to figure out what was going on.
Asteria sat in Charms, completely oblivious to everything that was happening in the corridors just outside the classroom. She flicked through her book, widening her eyes at the realisation of how much they would have to memorise for the upcoming OWLs.
"Halloway, hey!" Someone hissed from behind her.
She ignored it.
She should have known though, you can't ignore a Slytherin.
"Halloway!"
Asteria gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes as she forced herself to turn around. Her gaze met Snape's cold one as he grinned with victory at gaining her attention.
"What?" She snapped.
"No need to be so rude." Snape smirked.
"What?" She repeated.
"I was wondering if the rumours about you and that dirty gryffindor blood traitor were true?" He sneered.
Asteria bit down on her bottom lip, "Do you want me to tell Regulus you said that?"
Snape opened his mouth angrily to reply when the boy he was sitting next to interrupted.
"Don't talk to that mudblood, Snape." Avery spat towards Asteria.
"Last time I checked, Snape was a halfblood himself." Asteria frowned at the two of them.
"Snape? Since when? You're a liar and a muggle!" Avery chuckled.
"Miss Halloway! Please refrain from distracting the other students!" The professor called from the front of the class.
Asteria grumbled and shot one last glare towards Snape before turning back around and facing the front of the class.
The end of the lesson couldn't come quickly enough. As they were dismissed, Asteria shoved her books into her bag as quickly as possible before dashing from the room.
The corridor remained empty as she escaped and the only other person already out was Lily.
The redhead lent against the wall opposite where Asteria stood and looked up as she approached.
"Lil? What's up? Aren't you meant to be prefecting?" Asteria asked, moving closer to Lily.
"Yeah, probably. I just need to speak to you." Lily grabbed Asteria's arm and pulled her out into the corridor as other students started to file out of the classes.
Asteria followed quietly until they stood alone, under the shelter of the large oak tree.
"What is it?" Asteria asked, pulling herself free from Lily's grasp.
"I know about you and Sirius."
The breath got caught in Asteria's throat. She certainly hadn't been expecting that, nor did she know what to say of how Lily would react.
"I'm not mad you kept the secret. I get it, really I do. I mean, I kind of wish you'd come to me but... Anyway, I'm getting distracted. I was prefecting earlier and came across James and Sirius arguing." Lily explained.
"What? Why would they be arguing?"
"I'm guessing if you didn't tell me, Sirius didn't tell James. James seems convinced there's a secret and is annoyed Sirius won't tell him." Lily replied casually.
"I said something like this would happen! I said this would make James hate me!" Asteria exclaimed angrily, "I was right and he didn't believe me."
"Ria, you and Sirius need to get over whatever reasons you have for trying to hide your relationship and-"
"Woah, Lily, I'm not sure this is a relationship." Asteria chuckled lightly, trying to ease the situation but failing fantastically.
"How long have you two been thing? I've known for the past week, Sirius is terrible at hiding things." Lily shrugged.
"This is off topic." Asteri brushed her hair out of her eyes, "The label of me and Sirius isn't relevant."
"Okay, but we will be having this conversation at some point." Lily nodded, "You need to get Sirius and force him to tell James. You guys don't have to go public to the whole school, just let James in on the secret. Surely it isn't worth making them fall out? You can't expect Sirius to choose between the two of you, that's unfair."
"I'm not making Sirius choose! I want him to be honest with James I really do. Obviously James is closer with him and a better friend." Asteria grumbled.
"Ria, just tell James the truth. He deserves it." Lily pleaded.
"I will do." Asteria agreed, "But since when have you been so interested in James' wellbeing?"
Lily blushed slightly, "Do you think it's time to go and revise? The OWLs won't sit themselves."
-
A/N
Currently, I'm planning on making this story into a trilogy but idk
There will be at least one sequel to this book but don't worry this one isn't nearly over yet
Also, hopefully I'm going to be publishing a lot of new stories soon so please check those out
Thanks again!!!