Dorcas
“Dorcas!” Dorcas turned around to see Marlene sprinting toward her, showing no signs of slowing. Dorcas backed up a few steps as Marlene skidded down the corridor on her heels.
“God, what is on those shoes to make them slide like that? Scratch that, I don’t want to know.”
Marlene grinned. “Unsticking charm. It’s great, isn’t it? Listen, I need to talk to you about something.”
“Marl, this had better be good. I’ll be late for charms if you don’t make it quick.”
Marlene rolled her eyes and grabbed Dorcas by the wrist. “I meant we need to talk in private.”
Impatiently, she dragged her down the hallway. She briefly checked if anyone was looking before pulling back a tapestry to reveal one of Hogwarts’s many hidden passages. She stumbled slightly as she descended the dark staircase but quickly regained her balance. Marlene muttered something under her breath and her wand lit up, just enough for both of them to see their immediate surroundings. The only interesting thing she could see – well, other than Marlene – was a clock. Why the fuck did they need a clock in a passageway almost no one knew about? It was too dark to see it anyway.
“So?” Dorcas asked. “What did you want to tell me?”
Marlene looked her dead in the eyes. “James and Lily got together.”
Dorcas’s face dropped. She fell silent, processing the information. Pandora would be devastated, never mind Regulus. She could have sworn that James hadn’t moved on so quickly. As far as she knew, Lily hadn’t had a boyfriend - or a girlfriend - in a while. And although Dorcas wasn’t close friends with Lily, she was fairly sure she didn’t like James. As far as Dorcas was concerned, the person she seemed to like the most was Mary. After getting lost in her thoughts for a while, Dorcas realised she should probably reply. She answered with the first question that popped into her head:
“And it’s not public knowledge already?”
“They got together last week, the day of the party. Honestly, I have no clue how no one’s found out by now. I think they’re planning on doing the big reveal in Hogsmeade this weekend.”
“I’ll make sure Regulus doesn’t show up.”
Marlene breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Dorcs.”
Dorcas kissed Marlene quickly, running back up the stairs. At the top, she paused, turning back. Her heart quickened and she opened her mouth. Just say it. “I love you.”
Marlene smiled. “Love you too.”
Although she knew she would be late for charms, Dorcas watched Marlene skip in the other direction until she disappeared. She allowed herself one more moment to stand there before she realized she had to get to charms. Shit.
Dorcas slipped into her seat just as Professor Flitwick started his lecture. She hastily took her books out and pretended to know what she was looking at. Beside her, Mary raised an eyebrow.
"Cutting it close, Meadowes," Mary murmured, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear.
"My preferred term is ‘fashionably late’, actually." Dorcas shot her a quick smile, knowing it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Mary frowned. "You alright?"
Dorcas hesitated, adjusting the cuffs of her sleeves. She didn’t mean to be so distracted, but Marlene’s news was bothering her. James couldn’t have moved on that quickly, could he? Sure, it had been a few months but James was heartbroken. And so was Regulus, even if he didn’t show it.
"Yeah," she said, a beat too late. "Just tired."
Mary didn’t look convinced, but she let it drop. Instead, she nudged Dorcas’s arm. "Well, if you’re so tired already, you’d better wake up fast. Flitwick’s started charming people’s books to hit them over the head if they start daydreaming."
Dorcas snorted despite herself. "That’s… creative." And something she would be using in the future.
"A threat," Mary corrected, smirking as she turned back to her notes.
The quick exchange helped, but as Flitwick began the lesson, Dorcas still found herself reeling. James and Lily. The others were going to freak out. Could she tell Mary? Did Mary already know? Mary probably knew, but Dorcas was unsure whether Marlene found out from Lily or James. And she’d have to tell Regulus— Shit, Regulus.
As she felt her mind drifting farther from the lesson, her book hit her over the head. She shook herself out of it, rubbing her head. She’d deal with that later. For now, she had to at least pretend to be paying attention.
Hours later, she had finished her classes. She and Regulus walked into the Slytherin dorms together after quidditch practice, exhausted. Surprisingly, the room was empty. She had contemplated telling him about James and Lily in practice, but decided not to, suppressing any thoughts of it. Now, alone with him, she considered it again. For the second time, she pushed the thought away. A change of clothes had been left there for each of them, presumably by Pandora. Evan and Barty weren’t nearly nice enough for that. An intricately folded note lay between them, in the shape of a butterfly. As Dorcas picked up her clothes, it unfolded itself and revealed eight words in Evan’s handwriting - We’ll be there at 6. Don’t be late.
“Bastard.” Regulus muttered as they read it.
Dorcas checked the time and nodded her agreement sharply. They had three minutes. Quickly, she crossed the room to the bathroom and locked the door. She pulled on the outfit Pandora had picked. Although it was autumn, she didn’t need warm clothes. Pandora had chosen a cropped white t-shirt with lace trim, a white and green skirt, converse, and silver bangles. Dorcas put in her snake earrings - at this point she only took them out for quidditch practice. She looked in the mirror. The outfit worked, and it fit their place. As she reached for her wand, Regulus knocked on the door.
“Dorcas?”
“Coming!” She picked her wand up and pointed it at the door. It swung open to reveal that Regulus was about to knock again. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Reg! I said I was coming out less than ten seconds ago!”
“Good for you, you’re gay, we know, hurry up!” Regulus said, distracted as he left the room.
Dorcas huffed and followed him. Once they were out of the common room, they were free to run through the school. The corridors were near-deserted. As she ran, she twisted some of her braids up into a bun and stuck her wand through them to keep it up. Dorcas spotted Marlene walking past with James and slowed just enough to lock eyes with her and smile. 'Love you,' she mouthed as she rounded the corner and chased after Regulus. Just before she was out of earshot, she heard Marlene squeal in delight. God, she could be loud sometimes. She caught up to Regulus just as they left the castle and they reached the treeline together. Pushing back the branches of the first few trees, they found Pandora, Evan and Barty sitting just high enough in the tree to not be heard. She let Regulus climb up first, then pulled herself up.
Pandora’s face lit up when she saw them. “Hey, you made it!”
Barty tutted. “They’re late, Pandora. It’s actually thirty seconds past six o’ clock.”
Dorcas considered pushing him out of the tree. “Or hello, as some people say.”
Evan snorted. “Hi, Dorcas, Reg.” He nodded to both of them and threw a pack of Every Flavour Beans each. “Good luck figuring out which ones are good and which ones to give to people you hate. I found three vomits in the same pack.” He shuddered. “Horrible.”
“Remind me why we still buy these?” Dorcas said, inspecting a bright pink one and hoping it turned out to be something like strawberry or cotton candy. After a moment, she popped it in her mouth. She was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t strawberry, but it wasn’t horrible.
Regulus rolled his eyes. “Because you’re all idiots who have decided to ruin your tastebuds?”
Barty nodded. “That sounds about right.”
“Anyway, we decorated the tree a bit. The fairies love it up here. Especially with the lights. See?” Pandora said excitedly.
Dorcas looked up. She couldn’t see any fairies, but the lights were beautiful. Pandora had discovered the tree about two years ago, and brought Dorcas to see it almost immediately. It had widespread branches that lay out almost completely flat. They knew it as the butterfly tree - there were always butterflies in colourful clusters around the branches when they were there. Usually, they gravitated to Pandora. That day, a few of them swarmed around Dorcas’s hair. She smiled as one landed on her braids.
Pandora pointed above Dorcas’s head. “Dorcs, look!”
Dorcas looked up and saw what Pandora was so excited about. There was a cloud of tiny iridescent creatures flitting around above her head. She wasn’t as excited as Pandora, but a smile crept across her face anyway. It was beautiful. She could count at least twelve. Pandora let out a small laugh of delight as a few flew toward her and landed in her hair, almost like a crown.
“They’re beautiful, Dora.” Evan smiled affectionately, the way he only smiled at her.
“Thanks, Ev.”
Pandora didn’t talk much after that, watching the butterflies in fascination. Apparently there were also fairies, but Dorcas hadn’t seen any yet. Dorcas zoned out as Barty and Evan started their usual bickering. Regulus rolled his eyes and also seemed to zone out. A few minutes later, Dorcas found herself pulled back into the conversation when Barty repeatedly said her name.
“Dorcas. Dorcas? Dorcas!” He snapped his fingers as close to her face as he could get without falling out the tree. “Earth to Dorcas?”
“What do you want, Barty? I was making some beautiful scenarios there–”
Barty grinned. “So you’re choosing me over your daydreams now? Aww, how kind. See Ev, I’m definitely her favourite!”
Dorcas sighed. “I did not say that. Are you two having another one of your stupid arguments over who’s my favourite again? Why is it always me? Why can’t it be Pandora or Regulus?”
“Because Pandora’s too nice to admit that Evan’s her favourite even though they’re twins, and Regulus is an indecisive little shit whose opinion changes every day. Therefore, the only option left is you.”
Dorcas glared at him. “I’m no longer an option. I’m removing myself. Stop arguing over me.”
“But Dorcas–” Evan protested.
“How about this? You’re both annoying right now. Stop.” She glared at them both. “Happy?”
Barty and Evan looked at each other and shrugged. “Yeah.” They said in sync.
“Thank God that’s over,” Regulus sighed.
“Who wants food?” Evan asked, lifting his wand.
“Wait, there’s food?”
“It’s been floating above us the entire time, B.”
Dorcas cracked a smile. Idiot. Evan brought the food down to the makeshift table in the centre. Evidently, Pandora, Evan and Barty had been to the Great Hall and smuggled out enough food for the five of them. Impressive. They must have been there before anyone else to get all of this. The most notable part was the bowl in the middle, filled with sweets. Dorcas grinned. Everyone would be on a massive sugar high later. As she ate, Dorcas couldn't shake the thought of Lily and James. Since Marlene had told her, Dorcas hadn’t had much time to process it. She didn’t have a lot of time to think before Evan and Pandora finished. They put their forks down at precisely the same time, vanishing their empty plates and grabbing the sweet bowl. Dorcas, Barty and Regulus shared a look. They rarely got to witness the siblings fight, but when they did, it was top tier entertainment.
We should have brought popcorn, Barty mouthed to her. She nodded in agreement.
Pandora glared at Evan. He glared back. They tapped morse code messages to each other for a few seconds before Pandora had a sudden outburst. She slammed her fist down on the tree branch.
“Give me the fucking sweet bowl, Ev, or so help me God, I will end you.”
Dorcas was mildly concerned, but assumed it was relatively normal. Everyone thinks Pandora is the sweetest person in the world – until someone tries to take her sweets. Or hurt her brother. Dorcas vividly remembered the time someone hexed Evan. Pandora had– well, let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. Dorcas blinked—by the time she opened her eyes, Evan had surrendered the sweets. He glared at Pandora for a moment but decided to take it out on Barty, resuming their bickering. Although it wasn’t about who was her favourite now, it was equally annoying as before. She tuned them out and turned to Regulus.
“Would you have any qualms about pushing them out the tree?”
Regulus looked at Evan and Barty and turned back to her, shrugging. “Nope.”
Pandora intervened by shoving the sweet bowl into Regulus’s lap. “Please don’t push my brother out of the tree.”
“But you don’t have an issue about us shoving Barty off his branch?”
Pandora pondered it for a moment. “No.”
“Hey!” Barty turned, outraged. “I heard that, Panda!”
Pandora tilted her head innocently. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Barty.”
Barty folded his arms and leaned back into the tree, sulking. Evan laughed. A few minutes later, Dorcas saved them all by suggesting they go back to the dorm before they actually threw Barty out the tree. Then Evan suggested they race back, and everything dissolved into chaos. Everyone scrambled to get down. Dorcas flicked her wand twice, vanishing the food and turning out the fairy lights. As her friends all pushed past each other to climb down the tree, inspiration struck.
“James and Lily are dating!” She called down to them. Everyone froze. She was planning on saying that in a different way, but she couldn’t take it back now. While everyone was still in shock, she ungracefully rolled over the branch and hung from it by her arms. Before she could think the better of it, she dropped to the floor. The final butterfly around her head took off and flew back to Pandora. As Dorcas watched it go, she noticed the sadness in Pandora’s eyes, the tension in Regulus’s expression. How could she fix it? Hastily, she called back over her shoulder, “Uhh, joking! Distraction! C’mon, who wants to win?”
Dorcas took off running. Every so often, she checked over her shoulder to see if anyone was catching up. Regulus was quickly gaining ground. Oh I don’t think so, Reg. Gradually, she increased her speed until they reached the common room. She skidded to a stop outside the blank stretch of wall and gave the password. Ignoring anyone who tried to talk to her – not many people – she walked through the common room. As soon as she was through the door on the other side, she was running again. Yet again, inspiration struck. It was likely a stupid idea, but who fucking cares? It would be fun. Instead of running down the stairs, she slid down the banisters. It was a hell of a lot quicker, and less tiring. She reached the boys’s dorm in no time. Tired, she walked in and dropped onto Barty’s bed, still cursing herself for telling them so carelessly.
Regulus walked in moments later. “Nice one, Dorcas.” His voice quietened. “Is it true?”
“What?”
“Is what you said true? James and Lily are dating?”
Dorcas looked down, biting her lip. “Don’t tell them you know.”
“Why would I?” Regulus bit out. “Sorry, that came out too harshly. I just–”
“I know, Reg.” She cut him off before he could make any excuses.
Regulus nodded. After he processed what she had said, his eyes widened. “Wait, you know?”
Dorcas shifted uncomfortably. “Marlene and I knew. I’m assuming you told Pandora?”
Regulus nodded and opened his mouth to continue the conversation, but snapped it shut again as Pandora, Evan and Barty walked in.
“We got stopped in the common room,” Barty complained.
Dorcas raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? Blaming your failure on someone else? Unacceptable behaviour, Bartemius.”
Barty gasped dramatically. “Oh no, she used the full name. I think I might faint. Evan, catch me!”
Evan grinned and slapped Barty on the back of the head like he’d been waiting for it all evening. Regulus and Dorcas burst out laughing, James and Lily forgotten. Barty groaned.
“I said catch me, you idiot!”
“Oops…”
Pandora swatted at Evan’s arm. “Don’t slap him, you prick. You heard exactly what he said.”
Evan grinned. “Dora, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to do that all night! Could you not tell?”
Barty raised his hand from where he now lay on the floor. “I could.”
Evan pointed at Barty, still looking at his sister. “See, Panda? If even this idiot noticed, you should have known.”
Dorcas snorted. “He has a point, you know. And I, too, have been waiting to slap him. Now I don’t need to. Thanks, Ev.”
Evan high-fived her. “Always.”
Regulus looked down at Barty. “You were asking for it, you know. If you wanted someone reliable, you should have chosen Dorcas.” It was the first time he had spoken since the others walked in.
“She was the one I was talking to. That was never going to work. Evan, I’m never trusting you again.”
Evan lay a hand on his heart. “I’m forever wounded, B.”
By this point, Pandora was sitting comfortably in the middle of Evan’s bed. She pulled her knees into her chest, rocking back and forward. Evan sat down next to her, letting her lean into him. Dorcas turned to face them, sensing she wanted to speak. She had a feeling she knew what Pandora was going to ask. The knot in Dorcas’s stomach grew as Pandora began to pick at her nails nervously. The one remaining butterfly in her hair flew down to land on her hand. She stared at it for a moment before she spoke.
“Dorcas, is Lily… I mean, are James and Lily actually together?”
Dorcas thought more carefully about her response this time. Regulus suppressed his emotions so much that Dorcas wasn’t even sure they existed anymore, making it easier to ignore the question. The indirect answer was clear enough to him—it always was—and Dorcas suspected that he didn’t believe it was a joke anyway. Pandora likely didn’t believe her either, but it was more of an outright question than confirmation.
“Dorcas?” Pandora asked again, when she still hadn’t answered.
Dorcas nodded, not meeting Pandora’s eyes. “They are. It’s… I don’t know what it is.” She looked to Evan for help. He shook his head in refusal. “It’s… it’s a recent thing.”
Pandora’s face fell. “Well, it’s not like it matters, right?” she said, trying to brush it off. She stood abruptly, continuing, “I mean, why should I care about what she wants to do?”
Evan reached for her hand. She avoided his eyes, and Dorcas could tell Evan was hurt. “It’s okay to not be okay, Pandora,” he said quietly, releasing her.
Dorcas kicked her legs back and forth. The silence in the room was heavy. As she tried to think of something to lighten the mood, Barty appeared next to her. He had the bowl of sweets in his lap. Dorcas smiled.
“You brought the sweets!” she whispered in excitement. “I thought they were still in the tree,”
“Nah, I summoned them when we were out of the forest.”
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Dorcas asked.
“Candy battles?” Barty guessed.
“Candy battles,” she confirmed. “Why do we call them candy battles? We’re not American.”
“Because candy battles sound better than sweet battles.” Barty grinned. He cupped his hands around his mouth, unnecessarily loud as he shouted, “Gather round, children!”
“Barty, I’m older than you.” Regulus remarked dryly.
“So are we,” Evan gestured to himself and Pandora.
Barty waved them off. “Sit on the floor,” He instructed, eyes gleaming. Dorcas matched his expression. After a moment, they sat in a circle on the floor. Barty continued. “You are about to take part in the Sweet Battles!”
Dorcas carried on for him. “The only explanation you imbeciles are going to get is this: there are sweets. You will be fighting for said sweets. All three of you hand over your wands, no one is getting hexed.” The three of them dutifully handed over their wands. “Oh, and one more thing. Watch out for Pandora. I have a feeling this is about to get very competitive.”
Regulus raised an eyebrow, and Pandora cracked a grin. “So it’s a free-for-all then?” she asked, her fingers twitching as if ready to snatch up anything that came her way. Evan rolled his eyes but was already eyeing the sweets. Barty and Dorcas grabbed as many as they could in preparation. They held them high above their heads, grinning as they declared,
“Let the candy battles commence!”
The room erupted into chaos.
A bunch of Every Flavour Beans shot past Dorcas’s head, and before she could move, a chocolate frog launched itself directly at her face.
“Barty!” she yelped, swatting wildly.
Barty only cackled, already flinging fizzing whizzbees in Regulus’s direction. “Anything goes in the candy battles, Dorcs. I thought you knew that?” he called over his shoulder.
“I hate you sometimes!” She shouted back.
“Oh, I know. I’m an absolute ass sometimes.”
Across the room, Evan had thrown himself between the beds, popping up only to lob caramel toffees with terrifying accuracy. Three struck Barty in the back of the head in quick succession. Dorcas grinned, ducking just in time to avoid a sugar quill and responding with a well-aimed peppermint toad. It smacked Regulus squarely on the shoulder. He turned, slow and affronted, as if she’d just insulted his entire bloodline. Which, if any of his family portraits had been there and seen, she probably would have.
“This is barbaric,” he muttered, dodging another round from Barty.
“This,” Dorcas corrected, grabbing a handful of jelly slugs, “is war.”
Regulus barely had time to sigh before Barty launched another handful of acid pops at him. Finally having no choice, he retaliated with a round of fizzing whizzbees, speeding at Barty’s head with deadly aim.
Dorcas just laughed at the chaos, her chest light for the first time since she had made that stupid announcement. God, she loved her friends. Honestly, they were more like family than her parents. But for now, they were the enemy. Smirking, she picked up a few stale cauldron cakes, prepared to win.