Aurelia talked nonchalantly to Sybill Trelawney — one of her dormmates — in Greenhouse 3. Sybill was a lively girl with thick, magnifying glasses and numerous shawls. She was odd — but then again the majority of the Ravenclaws were odd — and spent a great deal of time talking about Divination; a subject that interested Sybill deeply. While Aurelia thought that perhaps she was a bit kooky, she did think that there was a certain amount of truth behind Sybill's predictions.
"I wonder what we're going to do today," Sybill whispered, eyeing a strange looking plant.
"I thought you would have foretold it," Aurelia said jokingly.
Sybill scoffed lightly. "One does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."
While they continued on chatting, Regulus walked into the greenhouse, panting slightly. His forehead was embedded in sweat, as if he had just run a mile.
"Sorry I'm late, Professor Sprout," he said nervously, looking around the greenhouse for someone in particular.
"No need to apologize," Sprout said, chuckling slightly. "I was just going to go over what we will be learning."
Finally setting eyes on a certain someone, Regulus made his way over to where Aurelia was standing, giving her a lopsided smile. Avery, Rosier, and Mulciber gaped at him as if what he did was a personal insult; as he had not even spared a glance in their way. In sync, they all huffed, averting their attention back to Professor Sprout.
"As I was saying," continued Sprout, "we will be learning about the properties of bubotuber pus. Now, I would all like you to pair up into groups of three."
"Are we automatically a group?" asked Regulus, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.
Sybill gave Regulus a quizzical look, nodding her head. Aurelia remained impassive, not even giving him a look of acknowledgement. No matter how hard she tried, Remus' words wouldn't stop replaying in her mind.
"I doubt Regulus believes in the Potters' ideals of muggles and muggle borns being equal. From what Sirius has told me, he reckons their — I mean Regulus' — parents have the right idea."
Truthfully, Aurelia didn't know whether or not they were friends. Sure, they talked to one another quite a lot. Did that make them automatically friends — and not merely acquaintances? She thought that they were friends at least; Regulus seemed very adamant on talking to her. But perhaps they really weren't meant to be more than acquaintances. Besides, Aurelia didn't care whether or not Regulus disliked her.
But then why was the thought of him hating muggles and muggle borns, when there were so many others with the same viewpoint, that made her stomach twist unpleasantly?
Trying to distract herself with her ongoing thoughts, Aurelia opened her book entitled Plant Lore, finally finding the correct page. Without looking up, she started reading aloud. "Bubotuber pus is a liquid that is found in the swelling of the bubotuber plant. Bubotuber has a scent that is usually described as that of petrol, and is yellowish-green in colour, commonly being used to help rid acne."
Aurelia could feel Regulus' eyes burning in the side of her head, so she shifted her feet slightly, looking up from the page. While Regulus usually looked at her in a flustered state — which she had no idea why exactly — this time he was looking at Aurelia calculatingly; as if trying to make sense of something.
Sybill cleared her throat awkwardly, causing both Regulus and Aurelia to snap their gazes towards her.
"Do you know what else we're meant to do?" questioned Sybill, looking between the two inquisitively.
"No idea," Aurelia said. "I suppose we could talk..."
"Talk about what?" Regulus inquired curiously.
"I don't know," Aurelia deadpanned. "We could talk about how convenient that the Herbology teacher is named 'Pomona Sprout'.
"I've actually wondered the same thing not that long ago," Sybill said knowledgeable. Her voice then lowered. "I have a prediction though. I do happen to think that when Dumbledore was looking for someone for the Herbology teacher, her name caught his interest immediately, and just like that she was hired. It just so happens that she is very good at her job. A win win for Dumbledore, I say."
"That is a very logical explanation," Aurelia said, furrowing her brows.
Regulus chuckled silently. "I honestly wouldn't expect anything less from Dumbledore."
"Exactly, it makes sense!" Sybill and Aurelia said at the same time. They paused for a second, looking at one another, and just like that they began laughing so hard tears sprang in the corners of their eyes.
"Salazar, you two are weird," said Regulus, trying his best to sound disapproving of their behaviour.
"Trust us," said Sybill, "we've known for quite some time."