One Hundred Galleons

Sirius stepped off the Hogwarts Express with his mates with a bit less mischief than he would have liked. The tide of the war had continued to darken, and Sirius felt the darkness encroaching like the hot wet of a rather humid day. He looked to his mates, who appeared as downcast as he did, shuffling steps, eyes alert, hands in pockets clutching wands.

It was no secret by their seventh year that they were among Death Eaters in their classes. Gone were the days where harmless pranks rolled off the backs of house rivals. No… retaliation from the Slytherins had become far more vicious by the end of their sixth year. Sirius shivered remembering Mary Macdonald who barely made it out of the dungeons that fateful Thursday afternoon. Sirius had never felt such disbelief and anger, and though he loathes to admit it… fear.

Despite growing up in one of the darkest families in wizarding Britain, Sirius never really felt fear like he had these last few weeks. Even as his parents laid into him with dark curse after dark curse… it brought him an exhilarating sense of crazed satisfaction defying them. He remembers turning up on the Potter’s doorstep for the last time, bloodied and wild, after his mother finally scorched him off the tapestry. That had been the start of the summer.

He looked over at his best mates now, all three of them, and he felt the new feeling tingling in his gut like devil’s snare strangling him from the inside out: fear.

Shaking his head from his dark thoughts, he threw an arm around two of them, Remus and James, “Well, lads,” he said, “what do you say to a good, old Marauder inter house party tonight after the welcome feast? Slytherins need not apply?”

James, Remus, and Peter shared a look before splitting matching grins.

Satisfied, Sirius nodded to himself and began the trek with his friends up to the castle. The landscape was alluring on this Scottish September 1st, 1977. It was still light out at dusk, but only just so, the sky taking on a pinkish hue. The Castle just up ahead was sitting strongly at the top of the hill, feeling more like a fortress… especially now.

Sirius considered himself a lover, not a fighter–he believed himself to be inherently good. And it was because of his great love that he was finally burnt off his family’s tapestry. His love for the Potters, his love for muggleborns, his love for werewolves, his love and Sorting of Gryffindor, and, ultimately, his love for muggles that had cost him his place as the heir of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. He was nothing more than an erasable and disposable smudge.

So imagine his surprise when he finally fled from his parents’ wands to the Potters’ Estate that he was welcomed with open arms.

“You’re my brother now, Padfoot,” James had said earnestly, “Always.”

Finally now he’s returned to the only real home he ever had, Hogwarts, for the last time. Fortress indeed–protecting him then and now from the war outside. But, dear Sirius did not account for the war within, and who would protect others from him.

Aurelia Centore was a simple girl. She grew up never wanting for anything, well loved by her parents, always followed the rules, and never once complained about how her life was going. It wasn’t until her parents started getting Daily Prophets broadcasting the deaths of Muggleborn children and their families, and muggle raids and attacks, and Death Eaters invading the Ministry and what have you that Aurelia knew that what was coming after she graduated Hogwarts simply would not do. War would certainly put a wrench in her plans to retire from Hogwarts to the life she was accustomed to–the sweet bliss of serene solitude. After all, war and the threat of imminent violence was why her family left their life in Italy behind.

Now while Aurelia did of course prefer the perfect quiet life, she knew that this would not always be possible. With conflict between Houses at Hogwarts, it was often that Aurelia ended up the butt of some joke or prank–terribly interfering with her anonymity. But over the years Aurelia had developed a certain skillset. Minute changes in how she approached situations, a small conversation here, a well timed joke, an ever better timed misunderstanding, would allow her small quiet life to return to herself. By now during her 7th year she had managed to escape scrutiny or any kind of recognition at all. Aurelia valued her own peace, namelessness, and equilibrium, and she would do anything to keep her life the way she liked it–just as it was. A bit boring, some might say, but ah if it wasn't exactly what the healer ordered.

It was for these reasons that it was no surprise she was sorted into Slytherin on the first night of her first year at Hogwarts. While she didn’t consider herself to be as overly ambitious as some of her other housemates, she could see why the house would be a good fit for herself. After all, she was quite the cunning manipulator.

This was Aurelia’s train of thought as she sat amongst her housemates in the Great Hall, tucking into the Welcome Feast.

Suddenly, loud bangs erupted from across the Great Hall. Aurelia looked up, startled, to red and gold fireworks exploding all over. Her dinner forgotten, she and the rest of her housemates attempted to take cover. To her left a student’s hair began smoking from a firework gone rogue.

Aurelia grabbed her wand and silently cast the Aguamenti charm, drenching him from head to toe.

“UGH!” the student said, whipping around in his wet robes, “who the fuck soaked me?”

Aurelia felt a blush warm her cheeks before retorting hotly, “It was either that or let your hair catch fire! Next time I won’t spare you the embarrassment.”

The boy startled at the sound of her temper before meeting her eyes, patting his head. Aurelia huffed and turned away from him, her face hot and embarrassed for her own outburst. Did she reveal too much emotion? Sure, he was rude, but she would rather him be rude and she forgotten, than he be remorseful and she remembered.

“I-I’m sorry,” he said, “I didn’t know my hair was about to burst into flames,”

Aurelia turned back to him, giving him a once over with slightly narrowed eyes. Although recognizing his face from crossing paths in the common room, she knew they had never met or been introduced. He was a tall boy, if not a bit thin with thick black hair and grey eyes. He was rather aristocratic in appearance if she did say so herself. With a regal tilt to his nose, strong jaw, and sharp eyes he looked fit to be a bloody prince! As a matter of fact, the closer she looked, he looked vaguely like one of her classmates from Potions last year.

As she studied him, his cheeks began to colour a bit and he averted his eyes. Bashful, is it? Aurelia thought to herself. She artfully softened her expression. Yes… entice him.

“Black… right?” Aurelia guessed, casually. She smartly tossed a bit of her own curls behind her shoulder. Not too much!

“Um, yes. Regulus,” He stated, introducing himself. He began casting a drying charm over himself.

Just as she thought… Regulus Black. Younger brother to Sirius Black. It was well known that the brothers were now estranged, with Sirius diverging from his familial expectations after being sorted into Gryffindor. Aurelia continued to examine Regulus shamelessly, taking stock and seeing before her a certain opportunity.

Aurelia allowed her eyes to soften and tilted her head to show off a bit of her long delicate neck before stretching a hand across the bench toward Regulus. “Aurelia Centore,” she stated simply.

Regulus blinked rapidly before taking her hand and bowing his head slightly, a mask of his own slipping over his face, “A pleasure,” he said, a renewed sense of confidence seeping into his tone, “forgive my rudeness earlier, I was startled by the… infantile display. Nonetheless I appreciate your rescue,”

“Of course,” Aurelia demurred. She turned her attention to the Gryffindor table where four boys were whooping and hollering, Professor McGonagall on a rampage stomping toward them.

“I’m sure you know my foolish brother,” Regulus said bitterly, “he’s a seventh year as well,”

Aurelia’s attention was drawn back to Regulus. She was intrigued that he knew that she was in her seventh year. Aurelia knew she was a bit of a recluse (by choice, of course), but it seemed that she did not escape Regulus’s notice.

Regardless, what he said was true. She was familiar with his older brother and his friends. Particularly their rather annoying antics. Aurelia always tried her best to remain behind the veil of anonymity that she so carefully wove around herself, but something about her green and silver tie and snake emblem on her robes never fully made her immune to their childish pranks. It didn’t help that some of her housemates were relentless in their violent retaliation. She thought of Snape, Mulciber, Avery and how they had become increasingly secretive, always scheming in some dark corner of the castle.

She looked over at them now, past Regulus. She saw their darkened looks, seething at the obnoxious shouting and laughter from the Gryffindors. Aurelia just silently hoped that she would not be caught in the crossfire.

“You mean one of those boys there is your brother?” Aurelia said with a raised brow, discreetly gesturing to who she knew was Sirius Black.

Surprise briefly flashed over Regulus’s face, before he schooled his expression. Aurelia held back a self-satisfied smirk. He was too easy. 

“You don’t know?” Regulus inquired, failing to hide his curiosity.

“Well,” Aurelia began carefully, “I grew up in Italy,”

Aurelia purposefully attempted to be bashful, silently gagging to herself at her own sickly sweet tone of voice. Share as little information as possible!

Regulus appeared to be digesting the self-disclosure, ruminating on how best to steer the conversation. Aurelia’s eyes twinkled. As if I would relinquish control, she thinks to herself.

“Centore, was it?” Regulus asked.

Aurelia merely nodded.

“Can’t say I’ve heard of your family,” Regulus grew speculative, wariness flooding his voice.

Aurelia, knowing where this was going, said innocently, “Like I said, my family is originally from Italy, but we’ve been coming to Hogwarts for generations on both sides. I believe you call it being pure of blood, no?” Aurelia allowed her voice to lilt a little extra with her light Italian accent.

Regulus smirked, and Aurelia knew she had won him over.

“Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner, Aurelia,” Regulus said with all the regality of a pureblood prince. He picked up her hand again and pressed a kiss there on her knuckles. 

Too much too much too much! Her visibility surely must be compromised! Normally, in situations like this where she knowingly had the upper hand, it was rare that her counterpart surprised her. After all, every word she said, every move she made had an anticipated and predictable response. But to have a boy such as Regulus kiss her hand? Someone could have seen!

She squeezed his hand to dispense her forgiveness, not that she really cared. She offered him a small smile which he returned.

Hearing shouting from the Gryffindor table again, she looked over and met the eyes of one Sirius Black.

Sirius caught the eye of the girl who seemed to have his younger brother a bit bewitched, as it were. He watched her blink at him twice before turning back to his brother and offering Regulus a dazzling smile.

Now, normally, Sirius paid no mind to the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, barring a few cautionary glances for his brother to keep tabs on him. Despite being estranged, Sirius did still feel some sort of obligation to just be aware of what Regulus got up to–particularly in regards to some… darker activities. Sirius fought back a shudder.

“...on the very first night of the term, no less!” he heard from MCGonagall, “Have you no care at all for peace?”

Sirius, tuned back in, opened his mouth to smartly retort but McGonagall beat him to it: “Don’t! Do not answer that,” she said with finality, before huffing back to the head table with the rest of the staff.

“Barely got off with just a warning,” huffed James, “We’re still on then for the party tonight, yeah? I got a couple Puffs and Birds in on it to spread the word,”

“Yeah,” Sirius said distractedly, “Say, have you seen that Slytherin girl before?”

James, Peter, and Remus in unison turned backwards toward the Slytherin table.

“Uh, Padfoot, there’s a lot of Slytherin girls,” Remus said, “Can you be more specific?”

“That one there, Moons, the one talking to Regulus,”

James craned his head further before his eyes lit up in recognition.

“That girl there?” He asked, and Sirius nodded. “I believe she was in our Potions class last year,”

“She’s in our year?” Sirius asked, aghast, “How have I never seen her before?”

“How have you not? She’s quite fit,” Remus observed casually.

“You know her then, Moony?” asked Peter.

“Well, not really. I just know that she’s a Slytherin in our year, same as you all,”

Sirius balked. How had he not noticed her before? Her name escaped him, not that he knew it in the first place. He continued to watch her. She was quite pretty, smiling at his brother. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, drawing his attention to her earlobe down her neck and to her collarbone, just barely visible over the Oxford shirt of her uniform.

“Centore, I think her surname is,” James said, bringing Sirius back to their conversation.

“Centore, you say?” Sirius said distractedly.

“Yeah, I think I remember Lily mentioning her about something, but I can’t quite remember what,”

Sirius grinned despite himself. “Lily, eh, Head Boy?” he said.

“Shut up,” James said, giving Sirius a light punch to the arm.

James and his long time crush of seven years, Lily Evans, had been appointed as Head Boy and Head Girl of their final year of Hogwarts. James was given the opportunity to share a private Common Room with Lily and his own private quarters attached, but waived them. James was operating with a new perspective of giving Lily space. After six years of declarations of love and commitment and being spurned in response, James decided to cool it. Besides, one of the things that he loved best about Hogwarts was sharing a room with three of his very best mates. Together, making up the mischievous Marauders as they liked to call themselves.

As the feast came to an end, Sirius drew up to his full height, saluting his comrades.

“Well, lads,” he said ceremoniously, “shall we begin our Welcome Feast after party?”

“Aye aye Captain Padfoot!” The others said simultaneously.

That night in the Slytherin Common Room, Aurelia found herself curled up on a leather arm chair staring out into the Black Lake. If the Common Room were quiet enough, sometimes Aurelia would shut her eyes and listen to the water’s gurgles. Not now though. Now, the Common Room was hustling and bustling with first years and returning students excited to meet, connect, and socialise. Aurelia was a bit disturbed, actually. She didn’t know how her classmates tolerated so much time with others. If Aurelia were in their shoes constantly chatting and giggling, she would be completely depleted of energy. Like an invisibility cloak that’s run out of magic; worn, tattered, and simply used up.

Aurelia looked over at some of the younger children who were seated around the fire trying to charm their robes Hufflepuff yellow and Ravenclaw blue. It must be a party in another house again.

“Ahem,”

Aurelia whipped her head around, startled, and spotted Regulus Black.

Again? Aurelia thought to herself.

She blinked at him expectantly, but he made no move to join her on the arm chair opposite her.. Or say or do anything at all! He merely stood there, watching her. He appeared to be gathering some kind of courage, fiddling with a loose thread on the front of his immaculate robes. He broke eye contact to glance bashfully at his polished shoes.

“Regulus,” Aurelia acknowledged plainly. She directed her attention back to the window, into the gleaming dark of the Black Lake. She supposed that Regulus was rather like the Black Lake, wasn’t he? All swirling and dark and full of mysteries.

“Aurelia,” Regulus said back to her. “May I take this seat?” He gestured to the chair across her.

Aurelia nodded, and watched him take his seat, covering himself with the throw that was draped on the backrest. He gazed out into the Black Lake as she had been not moments before and said nothing more. Hm, I suppose we are on a first-name basis then, Aurelia thought to herself, how intriguing.

They said nothing for the better part of an hour until Aurelia felt her eyelids grow weary, and she excused herself for bed.

“Goodnight,” she said, looking at him shyly.

“Goodnight,” he returned. He did not spare her a glance.

The next morning, Sirius found himself trudging into the first block of a double Potions class alongside three other very hungover friends. Sirius groaned before falling into his seat at a vacant workstation.

“Ugh, remind me to bring hangover potions instead of just firewhiskey,” he mumbled, resting his head in his arms on the table.

Despite the hangover, it was quite a wild night. There were group shots in front of the Gryffindor fireplace. A round of Never Have I Ever with shots. Shots of firewhisky and a drop of Veritaserum for Veritaserum or Dare. Shots for whoever said the word “Wand.” Lots of shots, Sirius reflected fondly. Another successful evening as a Marauder.

“Merlin, if Slughorn brings out the bubotuber pus, I’m gonna be sick,” Peter whimpered from behind him, looking positively green.

“Sweet Circe, don’t remind me,” James whispered between clenched teeth.

Sirius looked up from the table at the front of the room where a steaming cauldron sat unattended. Didn’t look like bubotuber pus, and it certainly didn’t smell like it. Come to think of it, the classroom smelled rather nice for a change, almost like the thick humid air after a heavy rain.

Students continued to filter in the classroom after them. It was a NEWT level potions class, so many Ravenclaws were to be expected. What he wasn’t expecting was to see the faceless Slytherin that had escaped his notice from the last 7 years. He had nearly forgotten her existence again after his crazy night last night, but seeing her face now, he was reminded of his brother's sudden interest.

Perhaps she was the key to getting under Regulus’s skin.

Not that he needed to try very hard to get under his brother’s skin, after all it was quite easy. But, Sirius reminded himself with a laugh, sometimes seeing that stupid little surprise face bothering him in unexpected ways satisfied something sinister in Sirius. If only to assure himself that his brother hadn’t gone fully dark, that is.

It was no secret that many of the Slytherins had begun to outwardly and publicly align themselves with Death Eater beliefs and Lord Voldemort. There had been whisperings and sightings of Dark Marks. Sirius would never admit it, but it sent a ripple of fear down his spine. Especially thinking that someone of his own flesh and blood would participate in that cultish way of thinking willingly. It disturbed him, knowing the truth of his family’s alignment. Sirius always thought of his brother as this shy, helpless little thing growing up. But as they’ve gotten older and increasingly estranged, Sirius knew things had changed.

At least Sirius managed to break free from under his parent’s thumb and “traditional” way of thinking, as they liked to call it.

Deep in his train of thought, he did not see Slughorn emerge from his office, jovial with first-day of school energy.

“Settle down, settle down!” He called out over the din of the classroom. “Gather round over here, yes yes, over here by this sample I’ve prepared for today’s class,”

Sirius groaned and dragged himself over to the front workstation, the smells getting stronger and percolating in the air. It was almost too much, overwhelming Sirius's heightened senses. It was like rain, he knew, thick, humid, and wet, but at the same time a relieving smell, like the worst of a storm had ended. He smelled rich, red wine and the smell of fire not unlike the burning flame in the Gryffindor Common Room.

Disturbed, he whispered to Remus, “Do you smell that?”

“Yeah, mate,” Remus confirmed, his own pupils blown, “smells like chocolate, doesn’t it?”

“What?” Sirius said, confused.

But Remus didn’t respond. Sirius watched the rest of his classmates to see if anyone else could smell what he was smelling. He saw curious gazes toward the cauldron.

“Who can tell me what I’ve prepared for you today–yes, Miss Evans,”

“Amortentia, sir,”

“Yes! 5 points to Gryffindor, and tell me what is Amortentia–yes Miss Evans?”

“It’s the most powerful love potion in existence, with a mother-of-pearl sheen and smelling different to each person according to what they find most attractive,” she said, her normally self-righteous sense of pride wavering with a kind of uncertainty. Sirius tried to catch James’s eye, but he was too busy looking rather dumbstruck at Lily.

“Well done, Miss Evans! Yes, well done indeed,” Slughorn said before examining each of his students, “Oh, this should be interesting. Mr. Black, do share with the rest of the class what you smell,”

Sirius blanched, all at once feeling rather shy. He looked at the eager eyes of some of the young girls in the classroom before settling on a pair of bored brown eyes. He blinked once at the Centore girl and looked back at the professor, a renewed sense of conviction settling in the pit of his gut.

“I smell…” Sirius began with a gulp. He took a deep breath in through his nose, and continued confidently, “I smell a bit of red wine… and the smell of the air after it rains,”

Sirius looked back to Centore, willing her to react to his response, but she merely watched the professor with what was clearly mild disinterest. Sirius felt a burning white hot rise up from the soles of his feet. She obviously thinks herself better than me, he thought to himself, typical Slytherin superiority complex, nice one Reggie.

“Ah yes, petrichor referring to the Greek word ‘petra’ meaning rock, and ‘ichor’ which refers to the golden blood of the gods… yes, how fitting,” Slughorn said dreamily, interrupting Sirius's train of thought. “And speaking of golden, Miss Aurelia, my golden girl, please share with us,”

Sirius whipped his head around to look at her before groaning at the dizziness rattling his brain. He felt Lily bristle beside him, and James released a quiet, “ohhhh.” Aurelia was it?

Not unlike Sirius, he watched her take a brief glance around the room before her resolve hardened. She took a cautionary sniff through her nose.

“I smell… I smell chocolate,” Aurelia said simply, looking up from the cauldron first at Slughorn, then at something just past Sirius. He felt the person behind him stiffen. Sirius looked back, and it was Remus looking startled and flushed.

“I thought you said you didn’t know her,” Sirius hissed at his friend.

“I don’t!” Remus insisted quietly, averting his eyes.

“Then just how is it that you both smell the same thing?” Sirius demanded.

“I-I don’t know!” Remus said, pleadingly.

Sirius looked into his friend's eyes searching for a lie, but found nothing. He looked back at Aurelia who had a rather pleased smirk on her face. Sirius knew at that moment, his own face darkening, that he had been played.

Later at lunch, James nudged Sirius to the side to slide in next to him on the bench.

“I remember now what Lily was grumbling about that Slytherin girl that you’re suddenly so obsessed with,” James declared.

“Quiet you,” Sirius said, grumbling, “I am not obsessed with her,”

James shared a look with Remus who was sitting across from them, silently tucking into a roast beef sandwich.

“Then why the interrogation in the middle of potions?” James asked Sirius.

“Interrogation?” Sirius asked, aghast, “what interrogation? That was merely a completely civil conversation amongst friends.”

“Yeah, okay,” James said, rolling his eyes.

Sirius waited for James to say more. When he didn’t, he gave him a sharp elbow to the side. “Well, what is it then that Lily said? I thought I sensed some negative female energy during Potions,” Sirius said. After all, he did consider himself an expert on female energy, didn’t he?

“That’s just it–Aurelia Centore is part of Slughorn’s little sluggy club of collectibles. He calls her his ‘golden girl’” James said with air quotes, “It really ticks Lily off. Go figure, she’s not exactly used to not being the class pet, is she? Getting a real taste of her own medicine with that one, poor thing.”

“Golden girl, huh?” Sirius mused, “What an odd nickname for a Slytherin, don’t you think?”

Although a troublemaker, Sirius was no fool. He grew up taking lessons in Latin and French, and knew for himself that Aurelia was a classic European name meaning “the golden one.” How interesting, Sirius thought to himself. Although his Italian was a bit more limited, even he knew that Centore meant one hundred gold pieces. He figured that she must be one wealthy witch. If Sirius was correct, then she only sustained Regulus’s attention for as long as she had because she was a wealthy, Italian, pureblood princess. The thought made his stomach turn sour–just another crazed pureblood fanatic, it made him sick. The perfect Slytherin Princess for the perfect Slytherin Prince, he thought with his gut roiling. 

But before Sirius really went insane and started thanking his blood purist parents for his rigorously formal upbringing, the witch in question entered the Great Hall alone.

She was magnetic, as she walked. Sirius was baffled that he had never noticed. Her hair half out of her face, and half spooling down her back in thick curls. She held her head high, but not too high as to appear noticeably snobbish. Whether she purposefully avoided looking at the Gryffindor table or simply didn’t care, Sirius wouldn’t know. He watched her take her place at the Slytherin table, pull a book from her bag, and begin picking at a cucumber sandwich. Completely alone.

Oddly, as he watched her, Sirius supposed the nickname was fitting after all. The way the light caught the back of her head gave her a certain golden glow, didn’t it? Like someone had spilled molten gold on the hair at her crown, and it had dried to shimmer in the light. Oh yes, she would be the perfect target. To see her broken and dethroned would surely show them. She wouldn't be a golden girl for long.

“Earth to Padfoot?” James said, snapping in his face.

Sirius blinked dazedly back at James. “Sorry, got lost in thought there,”

“Staring at that girl, are we?” Peter heckled.

“What?” Sirius deflected, “No! Just observing the next subject of our greatest scheme yet… wouldn’t you agree boys?”

The other three Marauders groaned.

“No, Sirius–”

“Padfoot why do–”

“Come on, Pads–”

Sirius quite frankly could not believe his ears. “Am I hearing you all correctly? You don’t want to prank an uppity Slytherin pureblood princess?”

James sighed deeply before sharing a look with Remus. “It’s not that we don’t want to prank a Slytherin, Pads. It’s that she hasn’t really done anything, has she? Wouldn’t our time and energy be better spent scheming something up for Snape or Mulciber or Avery or really anyone who is actually deserving?”

Sirius once again could not believe his ears.

“Do you not hear yourself?” Sirius insisted, “Was it not you that just said that Lily has to compete with her? Aren't you interested in levelling the playing field for your sweet, precious Lily flower?”

James's exasperation with Sirius was washed away and replaced with a certain mischievous glint in his eye. “I did say that, didn't I?”

“You did indeed, mate, you did indeed,” Sirius said (rather darkly, I’m afraid).

It was just then, that Sirius noted out of the corner of his eye one young Slytherin prince taking his place next to the Slytherin princess.

Aurelia could not help herself in Potions–it was just too easy. When she noticed the older Black Brother’s attention on her during the Welcome Feast, she knew that her brief proximity to Regulus had caused her to get under his skin. Was it really as easy as sharing a few words with the younger brother? Aurelia made a note to herself to avoid Regulus moving forward. Privately, she was a bit disappointed actually. Upon their first introduction, she was rather intrigued by him… hoping that a friendship or alliance of some sort would be another thread in the veil she was constantly weaving around herself. Aurelia accepted that it was just far too risky and moved on.

Then, earlier that morning, when she overheard the Lupin fellow whisper that he smelled chocolate from what was obviously Amortentia, she thought that naming the same scent was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that her “interest” lied elsewhere. Not that she was actually interested in Lupin at all. Although… Come to think of it… he was rather rugged in a bit of a handsome way, wasn’t he? Did she see a Prefect badge pinned to his robes? Could be a useful little tidbit of information for later.

All this to say, she was sure that Sirius was distracted enough by the little white lie to go back to forgetting all about her.

So she was quite shocked to feel eyes burning into the side of her head as she made her way to her seat in the Great Hall. She did not give them the satisfaction of eye contact, a glance, a smirk, nothing! Just blankness–a seemingly unaware disposition.

Have I miscalculated? Aurelia thought to herself. She was sure! She was certain that she would have drifted away from Black’s radar with the simple utterance of the word “chocolate.” Sweet Salazar, how could this happen?

Oh and here comes Regulus now–of bloody course, the absolute last thing she needs.

Aurelia tried hiding behind a curtain of hair and turning her body away from him just so, to give the appearance that she was simply far too interested in her book to give him the time of day.

“Aurelia,” she heard from behind her hair.

Aurelia couldn’t help herself. She took a deep breath and emerged from her hiding spot in plain sight.

Regulus stood before her, a small smirk on his face, eyes glittering. His black hair was coiffured pleasantly above his brow, his tie was perfectly straight, and his robes immaculate.

Aurelia sighed to herself. Well, at least he’s pleasing to look at.

“Regulus,” Aurelia acknowledged, a small smile of her own finding a home on her face. Aurelia decided then that ignoring him outright would attract attention from some of the other students in their own house… what could be worse? A Gryffindor gone rogue, or a team of disgruntled baby Death Eaters?

Aurelia wasn’t stupid. Aurelia was quite bright, actually. She had earned her way into Professor Slughorn's club of elites because of her magnitude in potions and demure nature. Sure, she was no Severus Snape or Lily Evans, but she could hold her own. It also helped that she was rich and a pureblood–which was probably what ultimately appealed to Slughorn in the first place.

Now, although Aurelia stood out for potions, she was also fine in other subjects. Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology… it all came rather naturally to her. In an effort to not be noticed, however, Aurelia allowed herself to get average grades. She never cared to stand out too much as that would garner attention from professors, praise from her parents, and competition from peers. Attention was something that Aurelia abhorred above all else. It was a disturbance.

Well… barring Care for Magical Creatures, that was. She was a sucker for the small, the cute, the furry, the majestic. All animals, really. She had an affinity for all kinds. They drew near to her as she drew near them. She stood out there, but it was fine. She was one of three students who took the NEWT level; the other two were Ravenclaws. She allowed herself to excel there without feeling the threat of acknowledgement.

Although Aurelia’s report card might bear mostly Acceptables and Exceeds Expectations, she was perceptive, clever, and intelligent in ways that her final grades did not demonstrate.

But now, what would be wiser? Would giving Regulus the cold shoulder put a target on her back for the likes of Mulciber and Avery? Perhaps… But if she were to continue to associate with him, could she really bet on the older Black leaving her alone? She supposed that by allying herself with Regulus, she would undoubtedly be harassed by those horrible Gryffindor boys. Could Regulus and his mates protect her and scare them off? Would it become violent? Well, I don’t like violence, Aurelia thought to herself, but I do just want to be left alone.

It was for that reason that Aurelia brightened her face up at Regulus, her eyes half shut with the fullness of her smile. She shut her book and began twirling her hair, looking up at him expectantly.

Regulus, appearing gratified, smiled back down at her. “May I join you?”

“Of course,” Aurelia said.

Regulus slid onto the bench next to her and began neatly piling his plate with fresh fruit.

Aurelia opened her book back up with one hand and continued to read.

It was The Tales and Tails of Newt Scamander by Hamish Clarke, who was a prominent reporter for the Daily Prophet in the 20s and 30s. Aurelia was just getting to the part where Newt Scamander published the textbook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. She thought it was rather ironic that she was in a NEWT level class where the textbook’s author was also named Newt. She was familiar with the circumstances of the publishing of his book, a riveting tale that ultimately found Scamander in the middle of the Global Wizarding War against Grindelwald! But to read it from someone who watched it all firsthand… She just couldn’t believe that–

“What are you reading there?” Regulus interrupted.

Aurelia bit back an impolite groan. She did loathe to be interrupted when she was trying to read! This is precisely why she never bothered getting overly close with her roommates. Their incessant need for excessive socialization was something that never appealed to someone like Aurelia, who rather liked the peace of isolation and the focus it granted her. Escaping into a good story, fiction or otherwise, was hard to do when one was constantly being interrupted for useless talk!

In any case, Aurelia simply flashed the cover of the book to Regulus and kept on her merry literary way. Regulus nodded his head in recognition before tucking into his lunch quietly.

Aurelia was struck by Scamander’s involvement with the Global Wizarding War and how a simple magizoologist could have a hand in defeating the greatest dark wizard of all time. Aurelia’s thoughts soured… was Grindelwald the greatest dark wizard of all time? Now, she wasn’t so sure. Another wizarding war was starting, Aurelia could just feel it in her bones. The thought disturbed her–thinking of all the lives that have already been lost at the hands of another claiming to be the most powerful dark wizard of all time. Magical blood spilled in the name of weeding out inferiority. Aurelia just could not reconcile it.

And really, what differences did she have between herself and someone like Lily Evans? Truly nothing! Evans was a gifted witch born to muggle parents, and what did it matter? And Newt Scamander, as far as she knew, his blood status was unknown, but he was a champion of equality in terms of blood purity and the protection of muggles and magical creatures. Although Aurelia was a pureblood, logically, she felt that there was no difference between her and any other witch and wizard in this school.

However… Aurelia could admit to herself that she did use the culture’s climate to her advantage if only to claim for herself what little invisibility she had. As always, her sense of self-preservation won out in the end.

It was this train of thought that caused Aurelia to put her book down and turn to Regulus with her full attention. She analyzed him. The first night of term at the Welcome Feast she had sized him up to be the perfect pureblood prince. She knew that he had been spending more and more time with the violent types in their house, but was it real? Was it genuine? Aurelia did want peace for all, but mostly for herself. Could she willingly associate with a blood purist like that? Would the facade of it all weigh on her to the point of regret? Peace, but at what cost?

Aurelia thought back to Hamish Clarke, a muggleborn himself, and how his experience bled through the pages of the biography that she now clutched in her hands. 

Regulus stared back at her with wide eyes, mouth open, and hands full of roast beef sandwich. Mid-bite.

“Regulus,” Aurelia began carefully, “Have you read about Newt Scamander before?”

Regulus swallowed thickly, “Well, only a bit during Care of Magical Creatures third year. Why?”

Aurelia couldn’t keep the earnestness out of her voice. “Well, here,” she said, handing him her precious biography, “you should read about him. It’s quite interesting, especially the bits about Grindelwald,”

Regulus was clearly shocked. He quickly put down his sandwich and brushed his hands off on his robes before gingerly taking the book from her. He read the title again and gave her a bit of a side-eyed look.

Aurelia could feel her face heating up. She knew she was being forward; they had barely spoken. They were not friends, nor were they even acquaintances, and yet she was compelled to share so much. Salazar, maybe the whole not having a social life thing is really starting to get back at me, Aurelia thought to herself ruefully. Hopefully, her sincerity in her innocent offer appealed to him. Although, it was a risk, wasn’t it? Everything seemed to be a risk these days. She supposed he could accept the offer and either return the book feeling a kinship with her, or she has alienated herself from his true blood purist beliefs, effectively becoming a known blood traitor.

She supposed she was a blood traitor after all, but that didn’t matter to her, what mattered was the known bit, and what it meant for her future.

"Thank you, Aurelia. I will let you know what I think," Regulus said, maintaining his princely character.

Aurelia nodded to him with flushed cheeks, quickly gathered her belongings, and fled the Great Hall.