Brighten Up My Hell

It would be a lie to say that Selena was an orderly person. Although she was very disciplined in certain areas, such as ballet, and took particular care with her favourite books, she found it appalling to spend too much time tidying up. As a result, her dorm-mates soon realised that they had been joined by a new messy person. Previously annoyed with the free-spirited and somewhat messy Pandora, the girls now had a new target – Selena.

Fortunately for the young witch, this fault was quickly forgiven when she allowed her classmates to help themselves from her well-stocked wardrobe. She had such a wide range of clothes at the cutting edge of Parisian fashion that she could have dressed the entire Ravenclaw house. Of course, her new friends' favourite part was imitating the original way she styled her uniform. By the end of the first week, the way she arranged her outfit with confidence had already inspired the entire female population at Hogwarts.

She liked to follow her instincts without being burdened by too many social barriers. This trait had earned her many painful punishments. Despite her determined nature, she always favoured following her impulses. The same applied to her schoolwork. Although she was not a perfect pupil in Transfiguration, she had a real talent for Charms and the art of Potions. In these subjects, everything seemed so much more intuitive to her.

That afternoon, as she practised ballet à la barre using a makeshift barre, she thought about the best way to enchant a record player so that she could benefit from music for her training. Eleanor looked up from her Herbology assignment to admire her series of dégagés and grands battements. She commented, “Wouldn't it be better if you had access to a practice room?”

“Tell me about it! It's all I'm dreaming about!” For the moment, she had decided to keep a low profile, but she feared that her talent would drop if she didn't manage to train quickly in a suitable place.

“I'm sure you could get access to a room,” said Eleanor, convinced.

“What about the music?” she asked with a pathetic look. Apart from an enchanted piano, the choice of music was rather limited.

Eleanor pondered for a moment, looking at her homework with slightly twitchy eyes. “You should get in touch with Marlene McKinnon, she's the one who most often organises the Gryffindors‘ parties with the Marauders.”

Selena nodded. Then she thought maybe she could ask Sirius directly. Or maybe try to go through his handsome intermediary. In any case, she was already supposed to go to the library to study after dinner. There was a good chance she'd run into one of those Gryffindors during her work session.

Realising that she was expected elsewhere, Selena quickly put on her sports outfit and hurried towards the door. Lucy, surprised, called out to her: “Where are you going? On a date?”

“I've got a date with a charming young wizard to practise a certain sport,’” she answered cheekily.

“Ahh yes! You're going to train, and is Regulus going to lend you his broom? How thoughtful of him,” Eleanor said mischievously, wiggling her eyebrows.

Selena rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh. “Not everything is about Regulus, you know.”

“Of course, of course,” Pandora teased. “But if it's not Regulus, then who is this charming young wizard? Someone from your past, perhaps?”

Selena smirked but said nothing, simply winking as she exited the room. As the door closed behind her, she could hear her roommates giggling and speculating wildly. If only they knew how much she used to fancy the boy she was about to see. Not that she’d ever admit it, of course.

Later, when Selena found Regulus, he was already dressed in his Quidditch uniform, the emerald-green fabric hugging his lean but powerful frame. The young witch could hear her heart pounding in her ears. He looked effortlessly regal, like a sculpted figure of some ancient, untouchable warrior. Merlin’s Beard! Concentrating for the next hour was going to be a challenge in itself.

As he watched her approach, she quickly masked her moment of weakness and fell into her usual nonchalant posture.

"Is there one for me?" she asked, noticing that he was holding two brooms.

"Ready for this?" he asked, scanning her face with an unreadable expression.

"I have to be, now that everyone’s talking about it," she admitted with a grin.

"You always have a choice. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to," Regulus replied, his grey eyes locked onto hers with something almost... concerned?

"My dear friend, do you think I am incapable of rising to a challenge?" she scoffed in exaggerated indignation, placing a dramatic hand over her chest.

"I would never doubt you, my lady," he said smoothly, offering her the broom with a slight smirk.

They began training. Regulus first observed how Selena mounted her broom, giving her a few pointers on how to use the wind to her advantage. For the first fifteen minutes or so, she was hesitant, adjusting her grip and correcting her posture. But once she absorbed his advice, something clicked. Her instincts took over, and suddenly, she was no longer Selena Lestrange, but an extension of the air itself.

Regulus was mesmerized. She moved with effortless grace, as if the sky had been waiting for her all along. Every movement was fluid, precise, almost choreographed—her years of ballet training evident in the way she balanced on the broom, shifting her weight seamlessly to make the most minute adjustments. Her speed increased rapidly, and soon, she was soaring through the air with a confidence that left him speechless.

"You've been doing this your whole life, haven't you?" he scoffed, genuinely impressed.

"How dare you mock a harmless young witch?" she snorted, assuming he was being sarcastic.

But he wasn’t. Regulus watched her, fascinated, as she reached out and plucked a tiny enchanted ball from the air without even glancing at it. He had enchanted them to mimic the erratic movement of a snitch, and yet, she hadn’t missed a single one. His admiration deepened into something else—something he wasn’t ready to name.

"No, really," he said, voice lighter than usual. "I don’t think you have anything to worry about. If the Ravenclaw team doesn’t take you, the other teams will be fighting to recruit you."

"We’ll see how I turn out..." Selena replied, still uncertain. She had just landed beside him, her cheeks flushed from the exertion, a satisfied glow in her eyes. The pink tint at the tip of her nose made her look almost... ethereal.

Regulus swallowed hard.

"Anyway, thanks for your help. I'm glad we can be friends. I have to admit, I was a bit scared after my Sorting Ceremony." She handed him back his broom, her voice carrying a rare softness.

That unsettled him. He didn’t want Selena to feel alone. He wanted her to laugh again, to tease him, to fill the silence with her easy confidence.

"Do you want another training session before the try-outs?" he asked quickly, trying to sound casual.

"Oh..." she hesitated, looking almost guilty. "I already have a session planned with Silas the day after tomorrow. Then I don’t think I’ll have time before the try-outs."

Regulus’s face shut down in an instant. The softness vanished, replaced by a cold mask. "Hmm," he nodded stiffly. "It’s true that Brightvale can give you good advice, but in my opinion, you’ll soon be better at Quidditch than he is."

The words were meant to sound neutral, but there was a sharpness underneath them. The idea of her spending time with Silas Brightvale, alone, training—he hated it more than he cared to admit.

They walked back to the castle in silence. Regulus had never been the most talkative, but this time, it was different. The air between them felt heavy. He couldn’t shake the irrational irritation clawing at his chest. Of course, she had to make friends with her own House, but did it have to be Brightvale? The thought of her laughing with him, taking pointers from him—it soured his entire evening.

Before they parted ways, Selena hesitated, as if she wanted to say something more. But Regulus, cutting off any possibility, said coolly, "I have to patrol. See you later."

And with that, he walked away, leaving her standing there, puzzled, watching his retreating figure disappear into the castle.

Later that evening, Remus had joined his friends Lily Evans and Marlene McKinnon in the library. Remus enjoyed studying with Lily. She had always had a calm and composed attitude, which contrasted greatly with the madness that reigned among the Marauders. She was a pretty redhead who excelled in most subjects and took her magical studies very seriously. No doubt she had a need to compensate for her Muggle origins in spite of herself. His friend James Potter had been turned down by her yet again. He had been courting her since their first year. And while nothing seemed to dent the ego of the star of the Gryffindor team, up until now, this latest rejection seemed to have something final about it. He had announced it this very morning to his Marauder friends. He was going to stop being so stubborn with a girl who didn’t care about him. If Sirius and Peter seemed doubtful about their friend’s new resolution, Remus thought it quite possible that James was determined to find a girl who would want him. Especially as he was a very handsome young man, and many young witches already seemed to admire him.

Tonight, their study duo was joined by Marlene McKinnon. A petite sixth-year witch with a huge personality. She was rather pretty, with her straight blonde hair framing her slim face beautifully. Not only was she constantly full of energy, but she also had a great sense of humor and a friendly disposition. She loved to have fun. She and James were often responsible for the most memorable parties in the Gryffindors' common room. Especially as Marlene was part of the Quidditch team as a beater, which gave her all the more opportunity to organize festive events.

If tonight Remus and Lily were trying in vain to work, Marlene seemed to be doing her best to break their concentration.

“Will you come and watch the Ravenclaw try-outs with James and me?” she asked, interrupting the young wizard’s reading of a sentence from the runes manual once again.

“Ehhh...” Remus sighed, casting a desperate glance at Lily. Just as he was about to tell Marlene to be quiet and that he had no intention of freezing to death watching an opposing team’s try-outs, Marlene continued with a wicked grin. “Come on, Remus, don’t you want to see if any Ravenclaws look particularly good in their Quidditch robes? Maybe a certain new recruit?”

Lily, already losing patience, slammed her book shut. “Marlene, if I hear one more word about Quidditch, I’m hexing your mouth shut.”

“Oh, Evans, you wound me,” Marlene said dramatically, clutching her chest. “It’s almost like you don’t appreciate my lively and charming presence.”

“Lively and charming aren’t the words I’d use,” Lily muttered under her breath.

Before Remus could make a sarcastic remark, a graceful figure approached their table.

“Hi, Lupin! Hi, you’re Evans, aren’t you?” Selena said, turning to Lily with a smile. “My name’s Selena Lestrange, I’m new here. I’m glad I found you, I had something to ask you...” she said, addressing Remus.

Remus was so surprised that she had come to their table that he remained speechless. Why was she talking to him? She had barely acknowledged his existence before. And why did she sound like she was happy to see him? His brain short-circuited for a moment, utterly failing him.

Then, realizing that she hadn’t yet spoken to the last person at their table, Selena turned to Marlene and apologized, “I’m sorry, we haven’t met either? What’s your name?”

Marlene’s face remained blank for a moment. Seeing that she seemed to have become mute with admiration for the young ballerina, Remus finally came out of his astonishment to help Marlene and made the introductions: “It’s Marlene, Marlene McKinnon.” He finally managed to say.

“Oh!” exclaimed a delighted Selena. “You’re just the girl I was looking for! Thank you, Mr. Lupin.” She said these last words, hoping to have sparked his curiosity for a future discussion between the two of them.

Marlene’s face turned scarlet. She stammered, “O—oh… wh—why did you want to meet me?”

Remus raised an eyebrow. Marlene McKinnon, at a loss for words? He had witnessed some strange things in his life, but this was a first.

Lily let out an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, for Merlin’s sake, this is a library! Can you lot take your flirting elsewhere?”

“Oh, don’t be jealous, Evans,” Marlene said, winking. “There’s enough of me to go around.”

Selena, amused, leaned in and whispered to Marlene, glancing at her homework: “Maybe it would be better if we both had a chat outside? I’ve got a few things to ask you if you don’t mind.”

Marlene practically shot out of her chair. “Absolutely. Let’s go. Immediately.”

Remus blinked as he watched them leave. “Well, that was… unexpected.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “If they get any louder in here, Madam Pince is going to combust.”

“I don’t know, Lily,” Remus mused, smirking slightly. “I think Marlene may have combusted already.”

Godric's socks! What was happening? Marlene was so excited by the turn of events that she had to forcibly stop herself from doing a little victory jig. Instead, she forced three deep breaths, trying to remain composed. She had just sat down next to Selena Lestrange on the steps of the library’s adjacent staircase, and was struggling to contain herself. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d met someone so refreshingly bold.

Selena placed her brown leather backpack on the ground and, to Marlene's surprise, and pulled out a small almond-green box.

"Would you like one?" Selena asked, a small mischievous smile on her lips. "I find it hard to survive these late-night homework sessions without a sweet snack."

Marlene leaned in, intrigued. “What are these? They look like something straight out of a wizarding pastry shop!”

“Magicarons with pistachios and bitter almonds,” Selena said, handing over the box with a wink. “The best in the world, or so I’m told.”

Marlene couldn’t resist. “Oh wow, incredible taste!” She took one, and within moments, a smile spread across her face. "These are amazing!"

“You can have another, but I’d advise you to eat it later,” Selena warned, her tone suddenly serious. “The almond enchantment is so strong that you’ll keep the almond taste in your mouth for days. You eat too many, and you’ll smell like cake. Seriously.” Selena rolled her eyes with a grin.

Marlene, eyes wide with mock horror, sniffed herself. “You mean to say I might turn into a walking bakery? Now that’s a side effect I didn’t see coming. I’d never be able to get away from James if I smelled like cake!”

Selena chuckled, clearly enjoying the banter. “Better start walking around with a charm to mask it.”

“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” Marlene asked after finishing the last of her almond macarons, still in awe of this girl’s chill but somehow cooler aura. Selena wasn’t just confident—she was magnetic. Marlene was already a fan.

Selena straightened up, her face growing serious again. “I need help with two things.”

“Oh? Do tell, I’m all ears,” Marlene grinned, already knowing that whatever came next would be interesting.

“I’ve heard Gryffindors have a magical record player in their common room. I’d like to replicate it,” Selena explained, glancing at Marlene with a hopeful look. “You know, for our dance practice.”

“You want to make a magic record player? Please, if that doesn’t scream ‘Marlene, let’s go wild,’ I don’t know what does,” Marlene laughed. “I’m in. But there’s no way I’m missing out on the after-party.”

“Exactly,” Selena grinned, clearly amused. “And I also need help organizing a party. But not just any party. A girls-only party in the Ravenclaw dormitory.”

Marlene’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait. A party? For girls only?” She leaned in, interested. “This sounds suspiciously like a rebellion.”

Selena nodded, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “Exactly. I like boys, but once they’re around, everything changes. The atmosphere is... different. You know, some girls get competitive, others act strange.”

Marlene raised her invisible glass, her eyes twinkling with admiration. “A secret society for rebellious witches? I’m sold. But we’ll need proper food and drinks. Any chance we can sneak in some alcohol?”

Selena’s grin widened. “If you can find some, go for it. I’ve already got weed covered.”

Marlene paused, her eyes narrowing with an impressed smirk. “You’ve been here two weeks and you already know where to get your supplies? Well, I have to say, I’m both terrified and impressed.”

Selena gave a dramatic flip of her hair, raising her chin with pride. “Never underestimate a young girl from a noble family.”

“Right,” Marlene said, chuckling. “Now we’re talking. And as for the music... I'll pass the record player on to my brother. He’s in seventh year.”

Selena’s eyes brightened. “Your brother? Who is he?”

“Mason McKinnon,” Marlene replied with a wicked smile. “You’ll want to know who he is soon. Trust me, if the rumors are true. He’s captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team.”

Selena blinked, clearly impressed. “Quidditch captain, huh? I’ll have to watch out for him if I want to be the new ravenclaw seeker.”

“Watch out, indeed,” Marlene said teasingly. “But I bet you’ll get along just fine.”

When Marlene returned to the library, her friends—Lily and Remus—were waiting with expectant glances. They’d been dying to know what the mysterious conversation was about.

Marlene plopped down with a grin so wide it could have lit up the room. “Well, guess what? I can’t tell you,”she said dramatically, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed.

Lily’s brow furrowed. “What? Why? You’re being ridiculous.”

Marlene just winked. “It’s a secret.” She glanced at Remus, giving him an overly dramatic, playful look. “You’ll find out eventually. Maybe... if you’re lucky.”

Remus frowned, clearly confused. He felt a small pang of jealousy—a secret? What was that about? He leaned over to Lily, muttering under his breath, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this...”

Marlene just smirked at him.

“Don’t worry, Remus,” she said with a mischievous grin. “It’s not that interesting. Well, not for you anyway. I’m sure Selena’s already got plans for someone else’s time.”

Lily rolled her eyes at Marlene’s obvious teasing, and Remus couldn’t help but feel his heart sink a little. The joke had been funny, but it was also... well, a little too pointed. Maybe he didn’t know what was going on, but he certainly didn’t like the way the conversation left him hanging.