𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄
chapter twenty-seven; New Crushes And Protectors
" Do you actually think I'd ask to be polite? "

  MADELINE HAD, SOMEHOW, become the therapist for her best friends. She assumed they'd mistaken her silence for listening, but in reality, Kai and Bluebelle were simply trying to distract her.

  Not many were aware why Madeline was the way she was, but then again not many cared. The rumors had long faded out, but the bright red stamp of 'SLAG' across Madeline's forehead had not.

  "And Jules had the nerve to claim that game as hers!"

  "She's the seeker," Bluebelle pointed at Kai, "Isn't she technically the reason you win?

  "I can't even look at you," Kai mumbled.

  "Good, I have to go to detention anyway," Bluebelle said, hopping up from the faded blue couch of the Ravenclaw common room.

  "For what?"

  "I missed homework for McGonagall too much," The blonde spoke as she heaved a bag onto her shoulder, "She's a—"

  "Great professor!" Madeline yelled, grinning at Bluebelle's glare, "Have fun."

  "So much," Bluebelle smiled sarcastically.

  She was gone for two minutes before Kai blurted out a sentence that sent Madeline toppling off of the sofa.

  "I fancy Blue!"

  "What, when?" Madeline questioned from the ground.

  "I don't know!" Kai said, "I've always loved you both and now I—" He made wild, meaningless gestures with his hands, "I fancy her!"

  "So, what's wrong with that?"

  "She's Bluebelle!" Kai yelled, "There is no way she fancies me!"

  "Leave it all to me."

  "Maddie—"

  "Shh, the love doctor is here," Madeline hushed Kai loudly, cradling his head to her chest.

  "Maddie."

  "What do you like about Bluebelle?" Madeline questioned dramatically, brushing down Kai's hair.

  "I hate you."

  "I'm doing you a favor!"

  "You're distracting yourself from Black."

  Madeline let go of Kai quickly, getting up from the sofa quickly.

  "Don't be mad," Kai tried, "I'm sorry, look, I'm sorry I shouldn't have said it."

  "Yeah, whatever," Madeline mumbled, not hesitating to leave the common room.

  She did feel bad about it, but this didn't stop her steps. Everything should have been fixed, but in reality, it felt like things couldn't have been worse. She no longer had Sirius, hardly speaking with Remus, Madeline hadn't even spoken to her brother really. None of it was worth it.

  "You look sad."

  "I can't do this right now, Reg," Madeline mumbled, all too tired to even use the boy's full name. She sniffled, rubbing beneath her eyes in an attempt to shove away her tears.

  "What's wrong with you?" Regulus asked stiffly.

  "Nothing," Madeline sighed.

  "Bullshit."

  "It's not like you care."

  "Do you actually think I'd ask to be polite?" Regulus questioned seriously.

  ". . . Both of our brothers suck."

  "We tend to bond over that a bit."

  Madeline snorted but decided to otherwise remain silent.

  "Come on."

  "What?" Madeline questioned as Regulus stood impatiently, "What are you doing?"

  "The offer is fading fast."

  Madeline got up with an exaggerated sigh, following Regulus all the way to the Black Lake. She wasn't quite sure what his plan was, slightly worried when he picked up a rock.

  Until he threw it full force into the water.

  He copied the action, before passing another rock to Madeline. She held the rock as he threw another one.

  "You're supposed to throw it."

  "I got that, can I ask why?"

  Regulus stared at the rock, then Madeline.

  So she threw it.

  "See?"

  "It's strangely therapeutic," Madeline nodded, accepting another rock.

  To anyone else, they looked insane. No debate about it, throwing rocks into a lake past curfew made no logical sense, even to Madeline.

  But it helped.

  As if their worries were tied to the rocks with shiny white ribbon, sinking to the bottom of the lake and drowning under the dark waters.

  This was the first time Madeline saw Regulus smile fully.

  It was eerily similar to Sirius' signature grin, but Madeline wasn't focused on that. She'd dropped a heavy rock being all too close to the water, splashing herself harshly. And for whatever reason, Regulus laughing loudly at her made Madeline's worries dissipate.

  She laughed, too.

  For a second, they were just them. Two younger siblings, with the perception of shitty older siblings, forcing out their worries and replacing them with simpler things. Neither had felt anyone understand them in the way they always hoped for until they ran into each other.

ϟ

  "You can't bale, Maddie."

  "I'm not baling, I need to study," Madeline lied poorly, gesturing to the books around her.

  "You literally always jump at the chance to get out of studying," Bluebelle deadpanned, scooting closer, "You've moped long enough, it's time to move on now."

  "This isn't about him," Madeline denied angrily, eyes following two judgy Gryffindors as they passed her table. "I really need to study, Blue. I don't want to fail my NEWTs next year."

  "Whatever you have to tell yourself," Bluebelle sighed, collecting her things. She stopped short and hugged Madeline, who was still in her seat, tightly. The brunette was startled slightly, but had no time to comprehend before she was let go, "I just want you to be happy."

  "I know," Madeline smiled gently, "Now go have butterbeer with Kai, we can't both ditch him."

  "If he tries to make a joke about his 'foam mustache' again, I'm leaving," Bluebelle announced, backing away.

  "Aw, Blue, you have to laugh at it," Madeline said, leaning on the back of her chair to face the blonde. "It's his favorite!"

  "My laughs need to be earned!" Bluebelle denied before leaving the library fully, making Madeline laugh before fading into silence.

  She sighed heavily, flipping a History of Magic book open. It may have been a poor excuse to give Kai time alone with Bluebelle, but Madeline knew she really needed to study or she'd have no chance of graduating Hogwarts.

  Very quickly, Madeline found herself distracted by a newspaper.

  She wasn't entirely sure how it wound up shoved between her Transfiguration textbook and an Astronomy book, but who was she to question it?

  The distraction was very shortly appreciated, as by the third page Madeline had read about the murders of countless muggle born and half-blood families in their very own homes. She shut it tightly, shoving it beneath her Potions book to know it wouldn't be looked at again until she was leaving.

  Madeline couldn't bring herself to studying. It seemed so pointless, that people were dying and she was trying to remember the date of a Troll War. That, someone, was out there, orchestrating these massacres, terrorizing the so-called 'tainted blood' of the wizarding community. When her own best friend had been a first-hand witness, and survivor, to one of these attacks.

  When Bluebelle Walters was vulnerable just because her parents weren't magical.

  This hole she'd dug herself into was exactly where Remus found her.

  "Maddie?" He questioned cautiously, "Are you alright?"

  "Fine, Rem," Madeline mumbled, tugging her sleeves over her hands.

  He wondered if the habit was contagious.

  "Are you sure? Because—"

  "Maddie! You've been difficult to find," James said loudly, ruffling his sister's hair as he passed by.

  She did nothing but sulk as James claimed a seat at the table, then Sirius did, then Peter.

  "You lot are particularly rowdy today," Madeline grumbled after a moment, hoping it would send the message of 'leave'.

  "It is for a very good reason, my dear sister!"

  "Stop being strange."

  "No!" James grinned, pulling Sirius into a headlock, "Our little Padfoot has finally gotten back on the horse!"

  "A metaphorical one, I hope," Madeline said tonelessly.

  Sirius was hitting James' arms, but the Potter boy assumed this was him trying to get out of the headlock. Not Sirius trying to shut him up.

  "Girls better watch out, Sirius Black is back on the prowl," James said loudly, with a lopsided grin, "He shagged McKinnon last night, thought he'd lost his game, but he proved us all wrong."

  "It's rude to put other peoples' business out there, James," Madeline said tightly.

  Sirius deflated as she said it. Remus, who had chewed his nails down to nubs, winced.

  Peter was quite oblivious, patting Sirius on the back in a congratulatory manner.

  "It's just you," James defended, letting Sirius go. The boy ruffled his hair and popped the collar of his jacket, slinking back into the chair.

  "Well, maybe Marlene didn't want anyone to know," Madeline said, "Merlin, James, you're so daft sometimes."

  "What's got your wand in a knot?"

  "You," The brunette snapped angrily, yanking her book out of his hands, "I don't care about what you or your friends do, why are you bothering me?"

  "You were sitting alone, I was just talking! I'm proud of Padfoot!"

  "Then be proud of him," Madeline snapped, attempting to pile her books up, "But do not go around telling people he shagged Marlene, it's rude and demeaning and— and you didn't like when people said it about me so why are you being a hypocrite?!"

  James fell silent, a small frown etched onto his features as Madeline angrily stomped out of the library. Her books were a leaning tower, somehow not toppling over as with every earthquake from her footsteps.

  "She was in a bad mood before we got here," Remus said quietly, tugging the open newspaper towards himself, "I've got an idea why."

  James and Sirius both peered at the newspaper Remus slid towards them, articles of war riddled the crisp pages. Peter quickly skimmed over it, and he too found himself frowning.

  "She shouldn't be reading this."

  "You can't protect her from everything, James."

  ". . . I have to try."

( AUTHOR'S NOTE. )
James loves his little sister
so much and no one can tell
me otherwise