lupin's time of the month
ON THE MORNING OF tuesday, october 26th, Isla awoke in her dear cousin Sirius's bed.
A dim light was pouring in the room, highlighting the dust flying in the air. Isla sighed, and turned around, only to feel Sirius's arm spread on the bed.
Fluttering her eyes opened, she realised that the sun had barely rose, and the grounds were covered in a light midst, partially hidden under a cloud of fog.
Glancing at the alarm clock on the bedside table which marked 6:57 a.m. and Isla sighed again, knowing it was too late to go back to sleep.
She stretched as much as she could without waking up the boy next to her, and slipped out of bed, the cold air hitting her body.
She shuffled through Sirius's trunk to find a clean shirt, and took her uniform trousers and tie, going in the bathroom.
She sat under the shower after having cast a muffliato not to wake the boys up, and relaxed in the warm water.
Once she got out, the boys were already up, except for Remus. Isla watched them as they tried to be as silent as possible dressing up, to let their friend rest. She smiled at their compassion, they could be so attentive when it came to the werewolf.
"Morning, snuffles." she tugged Sirius's shoulder.
"You took all the covers!" he whisper-shouted in response.
"Your feet were ice cold, dingus."
"Shhhhhh" James glared at them, his hair even messier, if that was even possible, than usual.
"Well I'm not going to bother you guys more I'm going to breakfast before it's too late." Isla glanced at the digital numbers; 7:24, she would have the time to go pick her class supplies up in her dorm.
"See you"
And off she went. She decided she wasn't very hungry, but the need for coffee was too appealing to skip the Great Hall.
The Hall was almost empty, and Isla went to grab herself a cup of coffee, before getting out in the courtyard. She sat on the stairs and lit a cigarette, smoking as she drank her coffee.
Around 8 a.m., James had dragged her to breakfast scolding her about "the most important meal of the day young lady." and she was lazily chewing on her eggs.
"It was probably the first time Sirius had a girl in her bed that he didn't even touch." James joked with Frank, telling him about their evening.
"We did touch, in terms of deadly fights for pillows and the blanket." the girl shrugged playing with her food as the other two chuckled.
"I'm never sleeping with you ever again." Sirius pointed at her with his spoon.
"That's what she said." Isla snarked, grinning at their friends hilarity.
"Next time I'll sleep with Rem, the boy's a literal heater. Plus he's really comfy. And unlike James, he doesn't snore." she added when the bespectacled boy opened his mouth to disagree with her. "Peter moves too much, so that only leaves Remmy-poo as best to nap with."
"She's not wrong though." Sirius nodded. "Moony gives the best hugs, after me."
"Isla stop playing with your food and eat it for fuck's sake." James scolded.
"Why do I have to eat? Coffee and cigarettes is more than enough for breakfast!" she whined, and he gave her a stern look.
"Remember, you are what you eat, now you're not a cigarette are you?"
"I'd rather not be an egg either thanks." she rolled her eyes.
"You are what you eat? That's bullshit mate." Sirius intervened, "'cause I don't remember eating a fucking icon." he flipped his hair and they all rolled their eyes, Isla threw him some eggs.
"Hey where's Remus by the way?" Isla asked the boys. She knew the full moon was tonight but usually he came to class on the day.
"Left him to sleep. Someone should go wake him up actually." James said filling his plate again.
"I have to pick up my stuff in my dorm, I'll go on the way." she agreed and left the hall, hurrying before James could tell her to finish her breakfast.
Back in the Gryffindor tower, Isla went to the boys dorm, only to find Remus still very fast asleep. She watched him for a moment, his freckles popping out on his pale skin, his delicate eyelashes resting over the dark circles under his eyes. He looked peaceful.
She approached his bed and sat at the edge, nudging his shoulder.
"Remus." she said lowly. "Remus come on, time to wake up." she shook him a bit more and he frowned, groaning and turning around. "No no no Rem, you have to wake up." she sighed at the lack of response.
Going to the other side of the bed she managed to sit on top of his side.
"Waky wakyyyy!" she said next to his ear, making him wiggle his arm to hit her. "C'mon Moons! Another day of avidly learning new things!" she said sarcastically.
After some struggles and groans, Remus was finally up. Once she was sure he was going to be okay, she went to the Slytherin common room to take her bag, and headed back to her Transfiguration classroom.
Lily was in front of the classroom, chatting with Mary. She turned her back as she saw Isla arrive, the girl rolled her eyes at the redhead's pettiness, and ignored her back.
McGonagall opened the classroom door and Isla went to sit at the back of the class, on her own as usual. She always worked better alone, and Transfiguration wasn't her forte.
Being that she was almost the only Slytherin in the room, filled with Gryffindor and a few Hufflepuffs, she made herself disappear, keeping quiet. Sometimes one of her friends would sit with her, but today she was glad to be on her own and enjoy the calm of her own persona.
"Today we are working on Vanishing Spells, wands out everyone." the old lady said loudly, and the class settled, "Abbott, McKinnon, take the box and give a glass to everyone."
The two students passed around the class, Marlene smiling at Isla as she gave her the glassed cup.
The double period passed quickly, Isla had managed to make the entire glass disappear right at the end, earning five points to her house.
"This is so unfair, you never work! And you manage to get all your spells almost first try!" Sirius whined when the girl joined them in the hallway.
"What can I say darling, it's just talent." she smirked, waving her hair.
"Well that doesn't help when writing your essays does it? Or can I stop giving you my parchments?" Remus snarked, his tired eyes glancing at the pair.
"Don't be a smart ass Lupin, we all know you copy from the text books, you're just good with words." Isla replied with a chuckle. "Big Slytherin move if you ask me." she shrugged.
"As if you didn't do the same thing."
"Never said I didn't." she smiled.
"We have Magical Creatures now, we'll see you later guys!" James piped up, Sirius and Peter following him down the hall.
Remus and Isla walked silently, the boy struggling to keep his eyes opened and wincing at every step he took. They stopped in front of the Muggle Studies room, waiting for their professor.
Isla loved Muggle Studies. First, because she loved learning new things, and absolutely hated feeling like others knew more than her in any subject, and she knew nothing about Muggles.
Second, it annoyed her parents a great deal.
Muggle Studies was also one of the calmer and nicest class, very few students took it, so they usually worked in groups. It was the only time Isla felt comfortable talking to people she didn't know, since they were barely fifteen in the classroom, they all got to know each other a little.
"Hey Alice" Remus smiled at the blond.
"Hey Remus! Isla." she gave her only a small nod and Isla replied the same way.
"Why are they less mad at you than me? You took the Euphoria too!" Isla whined quietly and the tall boy chuckled.
"Because I'm just so influenced by James and Sirius, and I'm so innocent and kind, I'd never do something like that willingly!" he said with a faked offended tone.
"Poor thing." she snarled, as they walked inside the classroom.
The pair sat together, and Remus rested his head on the table. He looked exhausted.
"Rough one?" Isla said softly and he nodded, eyes closed. "The clingy ones are always the worst."
"I'm not clingy!" he shot his eyes open.
Isla quirked her eyebrow in a 'really?' type of look and Remus huffed, turning the back of his head to her, offended. She chuckled before ruffling his hair.
"Anw, big wolf baby is all sad" she falsely pouted and he shoved his head out of her grasp.
"I hate you."
"No you don't." she replied taking her notebook out of her bag.
Remus didn't answer.
One of the best things about that class was that they got to use ball-pens, wich Isla thought was a brilliant invention, not needing to ink up a quill was a huge gain of time.
"Alright, hello kids!" the young teacher greeted them, a nice smile spilled across her face. "Let's move the tables I thought today we're going to have a nice time, we're all tired from the mid semester, so come on, come on get up." she said joyfully.
Remus groaned getting up, and the class was loud, getting all the table on the corners. Isla was glad, that was her favourite type of class; very often, Miss Teagon would make them all sit on the floor, and they'd work all together.
"Shoes off everybody, let's take a nice minute to relieve from all your stress, breath a little." the woman said as she sat on the carpet with the students.
A quitness settled nicely, they all relaxed, and Remus stretched his long legs, his pants rising up to show his lanky ankles. Isla propped herself up on her hands, sitting next to him.
The class went by nicely, Miss Teagun had a nice voice that made following the class easy but wasn't too striking either. Isla and Remus had a brief feet war, trying to push each other only using the formers, it ended after she got hit on the knee.
"Alright so, next week we'll be watching a movie, so you have a good example of what it is, have a nice day loves!" the class ended, and they got back up.
"Ugh that was nice." Remus grunted lacing his old converses.
"Tell me about it. No Sirius, no James, for two hours. Heaven on earth I say." she replied putting back her shoes with a sigh. "I wish all our classes were like this."
"You tell me," he grunted standing up, "I swear I feel like a fucking zombie."
"You kind of look like one."
"Shut up."
"You love me really."
"Tolerate, Isla."
She nudged him in the shoulder playfully, making him stumble a little, being that he was weaker than usual.
"I'd say I'm sorry but you deserved it." she snarked, and he pulled her shoulders with his big hands, making her fall to his chest roughly, "Oi Lupin!"
He chuckled as he trapped her between his arms, longing for some touch. Maybe Isla wasn't wrong, he could be clingy around full moons.
"All that for a damn hug, just ask for one Moons." she detached from him as they walked toward the hall.
Lily passed them quickly, her flamboyant hair almost hitting Isla in the eyes.
"This is not a hug, that was a foul attack. As if I'd want to hug you." he rolled his eyes and Isla shook her head with a smirk.
"Dork."
"Insufferable prat."
She stopped to look at him dramatically offended, making him chuckle lowly.
They entered the Hall, going to sit with tired-looking Peter, James and Sirius.
"What's with the funeral faces?" Isla asked plopping next to Sirius, earning a bad look from the second year she pushed aside.
"Flobworms." Sirius said darkly, filling his plate with mashed potatoes.
"Let's not talk about it. How was your class?" James changed the subject, glancing at their two friends.
"It was great, we learned about movies. We're going to see one next week!" Isla said excitedly.
"Watch." Remus corrected her and she stuck her tongue at him.
"Was Lily there?" James asked hopefully.
"Yes, but she won't talk to us. Not planning on going to her either. We didn't do anything wrong to her, she has no valid reason to be mad." Isla said as she put pasta in her plate.
"I guess you're right." the bespectacled boy sighed, visibly worried still.
"She's hanging out with Snivellus more than usual." Sirius remarked, sending a sharp look to the Slytherin table.
They kept chatting lightly, finishing their lunch, before parting ways as Isla walked to her Herbology class.
Herbology was the worst. She hated it, mostly because she hated putting her hands in the dirt. It wasn't out of snobiness, but purely because she hated feeling dirt under her nails, same went with sand, which she despised.
She spotted Sasha who was walking with Marlene, smiling fondly and laughing at some joke she had said.
"Julbob!" the blond shouted at her.
"Hey!" she smiled at them, and Marlene left for her class. "How was your morning?"
"Fine, what about you?" the blond put out her cigarette bud.
"Great, very chill, just what I needed." she sighed, "Can we skip Herbology please." she whined and Sasha shook her head.
"No way, I need this grade." she scolded and Isla let out a growl, not saying anything more.
The class was dreadful as expected, and Isla kept glancing at the clock, earning bad looks from her friend.
"Finally!" she shouted as the bell rang, announcing the end of the class.
She hurried outside, and immediately lit a cigarette, taking lungfuls to relieve herself.
"You are so dramatic." Sasha shook her head joining her and walking back to the castle.
"Not true."
-
That night, a sickly looking Remus left with Madam Pomfrey, and Isla, Sirius, Peter and James hurried to the empty classroom where the bubbling cauldron sat.
"Alright, the moon should shine in a few minutes." She muttered, hurrying to look at the potion, and throwing her robes to a corner.
She rolled up her sleeves and inspected the mixture, smiling smugly.
Suddenly, a ray of white light fell through the window, and they heard a howl in the dark night.
"Okay, take out the leaf and bath it in the moonlight." she ordered as the three boys did as told.
"Oh my god this feels so good" Sirius whimpered, passing his tongue in his now empty mouth.
She handed them phials to put their leaves in, still in the moonlight, adding a strand of their hair and a teaspoon of dew.
Isla was completely focused, she could not mess up in that moment. She added the Hawk Moth chrysalis inside of them and took the three phials out of light, putting them delicately in a small trunk. She shot it closed, assuring it was completely impermeable.
"And now we wait for a bloody lightning storm. So if you haven't started planning on how you are telling Remus about this, you should." she told them, cleaning the cauldron.
"Don't worry we'll do it." James assured her before grinning excitedly. "I can't wait to know what am I going to be!"
Isla smiled at their child-like excitement as she finished packing up her supplies. She drew her wand out of her pocket and went to the old cupboard.
"Alohomora" she muttered and the door opened. She placed the small box which contained the three vials and shut the door with a few protecting spells.
"You coming to the infirmary tomorrow?"
"Yeah don't worry." Isla answered, picking back her robes and unrolling her sleeves. "I have to go fix some stuff in the third floor bathroom with Evan tonight so I'm sorry, but I have to go."
"You still haven't properly explained why you call him by his first name!" Sirius shouted as she strolled out.
Isla sniggered as she hurried up to meet Evan in the bathrooms they had to take care of. Weirdly, she wasn't feeling the usual doll sentiment at the idea of meeting with her peer. Recently the boy had stopped being a jerk, and they had gotten to talk a bit in an almost friendly manner. There was something about him that Isla couldn't exactly pinpoint, that made her want to dig his soul out to read it, and it made her mad. Isla liked to be in control, which meant, know everything, and Evan Rosier was a fucking mystery.
"Evan." she greeted him as she entered the flooded bathroom, panting.
He was standing in the middle of the room staring around and he turned to look at her, smiling lightly. The floor had sunk at least three centimetres under water, making her every step followed by a splotch.
"Hey Isla."
She put down her bag and put her hair up in a rush, rolling her sleeves once again, and joined him in the middle of the room. A few strands of her jet black hair fell to her face, escaping the messy bun she had made. She was surprised he hadn't said anything about her tardiness.
"It's the piping, there." he pointed at a metallic pipe that was broken and from which the water was dripping.
"Okay," she nodded, "A simple Reparo could fix that right?" she asked him.
"I'm not sure, I tried it earlier and it didn't work but you can try." he shrugged, glancing at her.
She nodded and pulled her wand, but the spell didn't work either.
"Fuck." she muttered as she approached the pipe.
She tried to take a good look at it but she was way too short to be able to see any better. Suddenly she felt Evan on her back, and she turned around quickly, only to see him looking at the pipe, much closer to it than her. She let out a sigh, and moved to let him inspect it better.
"I think there's a piece missing. See? There. It's suppose to hold the tubes together, but I don't see it anywhere." he looked around the room as if he was going to find it, "That's why Reparo didn't work."
"Well, I'd say to ask Filch but I don't think he'd be of any use." the girl sighed, and the boy sniggered. "I'm going to try and find of way to put this water somewhere."
"Have you not mastered the Vanishing Spells yet?" the boy quirked an eyebrow and once again Isla was taken aback by the absence of mockery in his tone.
"Not yet, why? Have you?" she sent him a suspicious look as she grabbed a Spell book from her bag.
"No but I figured you would've, you're good with spells." he shrugged before turning back to face the pipe.
Isla was astonished, she stood still, mouth slightly agape as she stared intently at Evan. Did he just.... said something nice? Fifth year was weird.
She shook herself up and opened her book, searching for a duplicating spell.
"Hey Evan, try this; 'Geminio' it's a decuplating spell."
"D'you mean duplicating?" the boy grinned at her, amused.
"Yeah, yeah." she glared at him, who was he to correct her? "Same thing"
He shook his head, chuckling, and drew his wand from his pocket, before walking across the room to find another pipe fixer thingy.
"Hey frenchie, you do it." he called her, and Isla sighed getting up.
"Geminio" she tapped the tube, and almost dropped the piece. "Shit shit shit!" she tried to grab it but Evan was faster, catching it before it fell in the water, exhuming his chaser talents.
"Good job" he nodded with admiration, and grinned at her again. "That's not an easy spell."
"How would you know?"
"I read books too Isla. How do you think I became a Prefect?" he told her harshly, going back to the broken pipe.
"Bribing." she replied automatically, going back to her book as he burst out a laugh.
Isla looked for a spell for a few minutes as Evan screwed the piping back together, she tried a few ones but to no avail, and she was starting to get frustrated.
"Fucking hell. Nothing's working."
she sighed for her partner to hear.
"Try the Vanishing spell, even if it doesn't work completely at least you can try." he leaned on the wall, drying his hands with a white cloth.
"I only did one class like five hours ago, and I managed to make the glass disappear, but this is... first of all that's a big mass and second, it's an element. It's way more complicated."
"Scared to fail?"
"You wish." she glared at him, his ever resting wolfishly grin spread across his lips. "Evanesco!" the water flinched, and disappeared, leaving a midst on the tiles.
Isla grinned widely, proud of herself, and Evan slow clapped, bending his head in dramatic reverence.
"Not bad for a froggie." he nodded.
"Shut up rosebeef." she spat back, but couldn't help her smile.
They finished cleaning the floor, and headed back to their common room.
"I heard a few students saying we need to tune the piano in the common room." Evan said as they started walking.
"Okay, is there some kind of spell?" she asked him.
"Actually, I have this... memory, from a while back, didn't you play piano?" he quirked an eyebrow at her with a smirk. The bastard.
"Yeah, yeah I did. Bellatrix used to force me to play in first year. Narcissa didn't do it so much." she said, stiffening.
Music. Isla loved music. She loved listening to it, she loved playing it. But she hated, absolutely despised playing in front of people. It felt too personal, too deep to share. As a child it had been forced upon her, but now, Isla used it to pour her feelings into. She would sneak inside the room of requirement, and play for hours, away from the peering ears and eyes of the students.
"Could you do it then?"
"Tune it? Yeah I guess so." she shrugged. "Although I'll need help from someone who can play well, I'll probably ask Reggie."
"Regulus plays?" Evan asked, astounded.
Shit, she felt bad for outing Regulus like that, maybe he was uncomfortable with it too.
"Well I take that if you didn't know, he won't accept doing it in the middle of the common room."
"I'll do it. Didn't think that was a question. Partner." he sniggered and Isla rolled her eyes.
"So you play? Never heard you." she stated
"That's because you don't spend much time in the common room. Or in your dorm. Or around Slytherin's in general." he started listing.
"Fine fine. I get it." she glared at him, "Was just asking." she muttered.
They entered the common room and parted ways, Isla rushing to her bed, needing to rest. But before she did so, she glanced at the window, staring at the white bulb in the sky. The moonlight struck her face and, maybe it was just her imagination, she thought she heard another howl.
-
The next day, Isla woke up early, as usual, and went to the kitchens before anyone was up. Grabbing as much food as she could, and enchanting a large cup of tea, she made her way to the infirmary.
Pushing the wooden doors, carefully, not to spill any of the snacks she had in her hands, she entered the white washed room. She spotted the lanky form she recognised as Remus, still fast asleep.
She walked over to him, and put the sustenances on the bedside table. She sat on the chair next to him and stared at his face.
A new gash had appeared across his nose, and he was so pale he could've matched the sheets. His freckles looked like stars sprayed on his cheeks.
Suddenly the boy opened a tired eye, and smiled seeing her.
"Hey." he muttered and she grinned.
"Hey Remus. I brought you tea, and some snacks. Thought I'd come and see you before class." she sat back in her chair as Remus stretched out groaning in pain.
"That's really nice of you Isla" he said softly, his amber eyes diving in her greens.
She smiled smugly, propping her knees to her chest, and grabbing her cup of tea.
Remus sat up, resting on the bed headboard, longing for his tea.
They stayed in silence, quietly drinking their tea and enjoying each other's presence.
"How was last night?" Isla finally asked. And Remus scrunched his nose.
"Been worse. What about yours?" he shrugged and too another sip of tea.
"Finally took care of that bloody bathroom with Evan"
"The one on the third floor?"
"Yep, and I'll tell you what, I managed the Vanishing Spell on the flood!" she grinned excitedly.
"The water?" he asked, impressed. She nodded and he bit his lip, "Woaw, that's kind of amazing! I wouldn't have thought of using that for the water." he admitted.
"Me neither. Evan told me to. He was weirdly.... nice? Anyway, he asked if I could do it and I said no because I only made the cup disappear on the morning with McGonagall, and he told me to try because I was good with spells, and he insisted on that. So I did. And it worked."
"I hate to say it but he's not wrong I mean.... You're damn good. Bit unfair if you ask me." he teased, sipping his tea as he saw her brows furrowed.
"It's my wand." Remus let out a breathy laugh at the bad excuse, "Stop laughing Remus, I'm not kidding! It's very peculiar. The core's a White River Monster Spine, which is associated to great magical power, and the wood's Holly, very rare as well. This wand is very powerful on her own."
"And yet you are the one holding it." he smiled fondly at her and she shook her head.
"Well, I'm changing the subject here, but have you talked with the boys for notes? I don't know if I'm in any of your classes today."
"Don't worry about it, they'll take care of it. They always do. Now, Isla, love, I don't want you to loose anymore time in here so go and have some breakfast." he scolded her.
"Spending time with my ill-werewolf-best friend isn't a waste of time Moons." she tilted her head to send him a soft look.
"I know I know, just... go spend some time with Sasha. You two haven't been hanging out a lot lately."
"What? Of course we-"
"Miss Archambaud! OUT! It's barely 8 in the bloody morning, Mr Lupin should be fast asleep!" Madam Pomfrey cut her and she husherred to the door, escaping the angry woman's wrath.
"See you Rem!" and the door closed.
Remus sighed deeply as he finished his cup of tea, and smiled seeing everything Isla had brought for him. He felt his stomach tugging a little, and soon he felt drowsy again, and fell back asleep.
Isla, on her side, walked with a wide smile. The weird knot in her tummy had finally stopped fluttering whenever she talked to Remus, fina-fucking-lly. She had been right all along, it was just the changes of the summer, he had grown a lot and the surprise had unsettled her.
Isla walked to the Great Hall, thinking back about how nice it was to have conversations with Remus, in all friendliness and comfort.
She sat at the Slytherin table, and put a spoonful of scrambled eggs and broccolis in her plate, neatly divided.
"Isla?" she heard someone calling her and turned around.
"Reg!" she grinned seeing him, and patted the seat next to her. "Come sit, love."
He hesitated a little, glancing around.
"Sirius isn't here if that's what you're worried about. Besides, it's not as if his presence would change anything." she reassured the lanky boy who eventually, sat down.
"Heard you and Evan are getting along." he told her, reaching for a toast.
"Didn't know you were into gossip Reggie." she looked at him smugly before explaining. "We barely tolerate each other, I don't know why everyone thinks we're best mates or something."
"They don't think you're mates, Cyla." he gave her a knowing look, to which she replied with a disgusted noise, "It would make sense though. You might be bethroated pretty soon, and he seems to be the likeliest person to be chosen for you."
"What. The hell, Reg?" she had a shocked expression. "I'm not getting bethroated! Especially not to Rosier!" she said that bit louder than she intended.
"I though we were on first name basis, Alcyone." Evan said from behind them, the name sent a shivver down Isla's entire body. "What were you talking about?"
"Call me like that one more time and I'll break your nose." Isla hissed, glaring at him as he sat across from her. Great, just what I needed right now.
"We were talking about how she's settling into her Prefect position." Regulus explained quickly, his black locks falling to his face, covering his pale eyes.
"With me? She's living the dream."
"Nightmare, Evan."
He scrunched his face before taking a bite out of her plate, making her entire body stiff. She hated people who stole from her plate, it was unhealthy, disgusting and unnecessary.
"Back off Rosier." she spat and he chuckled darkly.
"Wha-" he started, but at the same moment, three giggling girls wearing Slytherin's uniforms approached.
"Hi Evan!" one of them mewled, making Isla roll her eyes as Evan grinned at them.
"I'm off, Reg, let's hang out soon alright?" she told him as she stood up, pecking both his cheeks.
And without a single look to the handsome Evan, who was openly flirting with his little fan club, she walked away.
Going outside for a cigarette, Isla tried to stop thinking about the icy cerulean eyes who tormented her mind. What was it with this boy that made her go mad. Just the sight of him made her want to slap him straight in the face, but whenever they were alone, he became someone else.
He could be surprisingly attentive, kind, even. It was contrasting with he's usually bruised face, from the fights he picked on everyone, and his habitual disgustingly charming self. It was no secret that half the school drooled over him as they did with James and Sirius. But, opposite to her two Gryffindor friends, Evan gladly took advantage of the situation.
Although, she didn't think he had ever abused any of those girls, seeing him play with their feelings, overtly flirting with a dozen girls at the same time, disgusted her.
Sirius had a same kind of demeanor, but his blunt honesty made the playing less hurtful and complicated. He always told his latest conquest that he wasn't looking for anything serious (sense the irony), and quickly got over to the next one.
Isla finished her cigarette and stood up, going back to her dorm to pick her school supplies. Taking her Muggle Studies text book out of her bag, she dropped it on her bed, and it fell open.
On the margin of her notes, some doodles gained her attention and she smiled at the sight. The games they played with Remus in boring classes or the doodling wars they had, seeing who could make the most marks on the other's notebook. It usually ended with ink-stained hands, and large grins.
She had a thought for Remus, all alone in his hospital bed, looking all sad and scared, and she had to contain the urge of running to see him.
"Sasha?" she called to the bathroom.
"Yeah?" the blond shouted back.
"Everything alright? Classes start soon!"
"Yes I'm drying my hair, dufus!"
Isla mumbled in her breath, cursing her friend for being late, and finished filling her bag, pushing away the memory of Remus looking sick in his hospital bed.
"Alright let's go." Sasha announced, getting out of the bathroom and taking her school bag.
"Did you do... Oh my god." Isla stood astounded staring at her friend. "What did you do to your hair?" she breathed in shock.
Sasha was sporting a very straight short bob cut, a striking difference from her mid shoulder length, and light curls she usually had.
"D'you like it?" she asked with a smirk, but her eyes said she cared about Isla's opinion.
"I do actually." she stared for a few seconds before shaking herself, "Alright let's go."
They walked through the hallways, going to their Ancient Runes class, in the north east wing.
Isla and Sasha were the perfect match. No emotions involved whatsoever, never talking about their feelings, it was comfortable for the both of them. Sure, it wasn't very healthy, but they knew, knowing each other well, that too much sharing would lead to explosive fights, and seeing as they basically lived together, they had to keep anything negative from happening to their friendship.
Isla needed Sasha, she was her Slytherin rock, and partner, without her she wouldn't be able to keep up with her Housemates without killing one of them.
And Sasha needed Isla to realise the wrongness of some of them, and get her back to reality. Because Sasha, who had been raised in a Pure Blood family as well, was still very ignorant about the idiocy of blood status and purity. She still had a lot to learn.
"Planning on going to the Halloween Party with someone?" Isla asked.
"Since when do we have to go with someone?" Sasha spat with a glare.
"I don't know I'm just asking! We haven't caught up in a while." Isla put her hands up in rendition.
"Costume ideas?" Sasha redirected the subject.
"Not really" Isla shook her head, she didn't like dressing up, "Something low-key, I guess. I haven't given much thought about it. You?"
"I'm going as a creepy nurse." Sasha said and Isla quirked an eyebrow, "Not sexy nurse dumbass, I'm going to wear a very very long veil and long dress. I mean you know. Like a nurse."
"What's creepy about that?"
"Stop asking questions, you'll see." Sasha shushed her as they sat in their sits.
Isla started worrying, she really hadn't thought about her costume whatsoever, and the party was in three days. She barely followed the class, worrying as she tried to rummage ideas in her mind.
Her thoughts kept going back to Remus. She felt guilty about the entire animagi ordeal, and as much of a secretive person she was, she felt bad about hiding that from him. Through the entire day, she worried, it wasn't unusual for her to worry about Remus after the full moons, his self esteem took an epic down side at that time.
"For fuck's sake Isla, the hell's wrong with you?" Sasha finally blurted out, tired of Isla's franticness and constant fidgeting in discomfort. "Are you on your period?" the blond said with a knowing look.
"No." the brunette glared at her. "I'm just not feeling very well." that wasn't a complete lie. She wasn't feeling good but it was just a feeling of extreme anxiety.
"You should go to Pomfrey, I can't stand another minute of you bouncing your leg as if there was an earthquake. And don't get me started on the sighing." Isla glared at her friend, and looked back at their Professor.
They were at their second period after lunch, Isla had barely eaten anything, she was still overthinking the way Remus had rushed her out in the morning.
"Alright that's it." Sasha announced, suddenly standing up, "Excuse me professor? Isla here is not feeling well can I accompany her to the infirmary?" she said loudly as the class looked at her.
Isla stared at Sasha with complete surprise and as if she was going to murder her on the spot. The entire class was looking at them, and she could see Evan frown from his seat, intently staring at her.
She turned her gaze away from him, and stood up, at this point, what did she have to loose?
"Alright Miss Archambaud" the Professor looked a bit taken aback, "You may go, Miss Dalavan, I believe she can make it to the infirmary on her own thank you."
Isla left the classroom with a final glare to her blond friend, throwing her bag over her shoulder.
As she walked towards the infirmary, Isla realised that Sasha was actually very right to give that excuse for her, she could go see Remus now. Although literally being thrown out of a classroom by her best friend stung a little.
She was about to push the door open when someone called her name.
"Isla?"
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published: february 1st 2021
word count: 6277
hey guys!! this chapter isn't very full, although it's a bit long, I've made the decision to explore Isla's relationship with Rosier further, since it's a good way to dive into her own upbringing. Don't worry we are still here for my boy Remus, but if they get together too soon it's just going to be boring so i ✨spiced it up✨. Also I just started the new season of The Crown and oh my god.
hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for reading!
- love, colette