I led them down the long corridor, away from the ballroom's noise and glitter. The polished marble floors echoed under our shoes, the air growing quieter with every step.
"This way," I said over my shoulder, opening the door to my room. "We can hide here until the music dies down. It's the only part of the house that isn't infested with politicians and people pretending to like each other."
"Thank Merlin," Regulus muttered as he stepped inside, already dropping onto the sofa with a sigh.
Sirius gave a low whistle as he wandered in after him, glancing around like he owned the place. "Well, well. So this is the infamous lair. I half-expected cauldrons bubbling in the corner and jars full of pickled bat eyes."
I rolled my eyes and sat on the edge of the bed. "Sorry to disappoint you. The dungeon aesthetic is reserved for Hogwarts."
Regulus smirked. "It's actually... neat. I didn't think you'd have taste."
"Thank you, I think," I replied dryly.
Sirius, of course, couldn't sit still. He moved around the room like a restless dog, touching things he shouldn't, glancing at the shelves lined with books and potion vials. Then he stopped near my nightstand.
His grin faltered.
He was looking at the small silver picture frame sitting there a moving photograph of me and Petunia. It had been taken by Andrew at the Black Lake, both of us caught mid-laugh, sunlight bouncing off the water behind us. He'd given me the photo weeks later as a surprise.
Sirius picked it up, tilting it slightly. "You like her?"
I met his gaze, unimpressed. Of course he'd ask that. I knew he liked Petunia too well, half the boys in our year did. She was clever, kind, and so oblivious to all the attention she got it was almost ridiculous.
"She's my friend," I said evenly.
Sirius arched a brow. "Right. Because everyone keeps moving pictures of their friends on their nightstand, next to their bed."
I tilted my head slightly. "Do you like her?"
His smirk faltered into a frown. "Isn't it obvious?"
"Well," I said coolly, "you should forget about it. I like her too."
The silence that followed was sharp enough to cut through the air. Sirius blinked, as if I'd just spoken Parseltongue.
"You what?" he said flatly.
I shrugged, deliberately calm. "You heard me."
His jaw worked soundlessly for a second before he scoffed. "You're joking."
"Do I look like I'm joking?" I asked, expression perfectly serious.
Regulus, who had been pretending to polish his sleeve, looked between us with wide eyes. "Oh, this is going to end so well."
Sirius threw him a glare. "Stay out of it, Reg."
"I'm trying," Regulus said dryly. "But you two are arguing like it's a duel for her hand in marriage."
Sirius turned back to me, arms crossing. "You think you've got a chance?"
I gave him a faint, sharp smile. "Well, if it's between the boy who actually listens to her and the one who talks about himself for fifteen minutes straight..." I trailed off. "Yes, I think I do."
Sirius's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? I'm charming!"
"You're loud," I corrected.
"I'm confident!"
"You're annoying."
Sirius turned back to me, eyes narrowed. "You really think she'd pick you?"
I shrugged, pretending not to care. "She already talks to me more than you. That's a good start."
Regulus let out a low whistle. "Ouch
Sirius glared at both of us. "You two are insufferable."
Regulus rolled his eyes. "You're both idiots."
We both turned to him. "Excuse me?" we said in unison.
Regulus crossed his arms. "You're fighting over her like it matters when Amos Diggory already asked her to Hogsmeade after Yule."
I froze. "What?"
Sirius blinked. "He what?"
Regulus looked far too entertained. "Yeah. I saw them in the corridor .He asked, she said yes."
"Before we left for the holidays," Regulus said casually, inspecting his nails like he was discussing the weather. "Near the Charms corridor. You could practically hear Amos stuttering from the other side of the castle."
Sirius's mouth dropped open. "Before Yule? And you're just telling us now?"
Regulus shrugged, looking smug. "You two were too busy arguing over Thought I'd spare myself the drama."
I narrowed my eyes. "And yet here you are, telling us now."
"Well," Regulus said with mock innocence, "I got bored."
Sirius groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Merlin's beard. Amos Diggory. What does she even see in him?"
I crossed my arms, muttering, "I should've knocked him off his broom during the last Quidditch match. Next time, I might just make sure he stays unconscious long enough to rethink his life choices."
Regulus snorted. "Yes, excellent plan commit mild assault over a crush. That'll definitely impress her."
Sirius grinned. "Actually, I'd pay to see that. Finally, something we agree on."
Regulus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You two are ridiculous. You can't just attack a boy because he asked her to Hogsmeade."
I crossed my arms. "It wouldn't count as attacking. More like... removing competition."
Regulus looked between us, exasperated. "You're both out of your minds."
"Come on, Reg," Sirius said, smirking. "You can't honestly say Diggory stands a chance."
"I can say he's not about to get hexed in the middle of a Quidditch match," Regulus replied flatly.
I shrugged. "Accidents happen. Brooms slip."
Sirius chuckled. "Tragic, really. One minute he's flying, the next splat."
Regulus groaned. "You're psychopaths. Both of you."
Regulus held up both hands like he was defusing a bomb. "Alright, alright stop fighting. Let's do something fun instead."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Like what? Sacrifice Sirius and call it a day?" I said, deadpan.
Sirius shoved off the armchair, mock-outraged. "Oi! I heard that."
Regulus immediately perked up, his lips twitching. "Actually, that's not a bad idea."
Sirius froze mid-step, suspicion flashing in his eyes. "Hold on what's not a bad idea?"
I leaned back against the bedpost, voice perfectly calm. "A small ritual. Nothing dangerous. Just a minor sacrifice to strengthen the protective wards."
Sirius squinted. "...Protective wards?"
"Of course," Regulus said smoothly, standing to join in. "We'd need something symbolic. Something oh, I don't know loud, dramatic, and prone to troublemaking."
Sirius pointed at him. "You're describing me, aren't you?"
I gave him an innocent look. "If the shoe fits."
Regulus nodded solemnly. "It's for a noble cause, really. Imagine it The Cleansing of Sirius Black. Has a nice ring to it."
Sirius stared between us, horrified. "You two have lost your minds. Completely mental."
I steepled my fingers, lowering my voice to a grave murmur. "All we need is a circle, three drops of blood, and a lock of his hair."
Regulus smirked. "Good thing he's got enough of it to go around."
Sirius backed away toward the door. "You're bluffing."
"Try us," I said, tone cool and unreadable.
Regulus grabbed a quill from my desk and twirled it like a wand. "I'll start drawing the circle."
"Oh, it's hilarious," I said coolly, drawing my wand with a lazy flick. With a soft click, the door locked behind him. The sound made him freeze.
Sirius spun around, wide-eyed. "You did not just lock me in here!"
"Security measure," I said simply. "Can't have our sacrifice escaping before the ritual begins."
Regulus smirked, already pulling out his wand. "Right, let's see... something simple." He twirled it once, then flicked it toward his brother. "Incarcerous!"
Ropes shot out of thin air and wrapped tightly around Sirius's arms and torso. He staggered, eyes wide. "Regulus! What in Merlin's name—?!"
Regulus tilted his head, all calm mockery. "It's for the ritual. Don't struggle, you'll ruin the symmetry."
"I'll ruin your face!" Sirius shouted, trying to twist out of the bindings. "You're both insane! Completely mad!"
I stepped closer, wand at my side, wearing the most neutral expression I could manage. "You'll thank us later when the house isn't cursed."
"Oh, sure," Sirius snapped. "When I'm dead, I'll be very grateful!"
Regulus was already rummaging through my desk drawers. "We'll need something symbolic... ."
I pretended to think. "Hair, maybe. A lock should do. It's traditionally a good conduit for sacrifice."
Sirius's face went pale. "Don't you dare touch my hair!"
Regulus glanced over his shoulder, lips twitching. "Too late. I already volunteered."
"TRAITOR!" Sirius barked, thrashing in the ropes.
"Oh, stop being dramatic," I said, raising my wand. "It's only temporary. Probably."
"Probably?!" Sirius shouted.
Regulus started drawing a crooked circle on the floor with the tip of his wand, muttering nonsense under his breath just to make it sound ominous. "Spirits of chaos, we offer this—"
"STOP IT!" Sirius yelled, hopping sideways like a tied-up penguin. "I SWEAR, WHEN I GET OUT—"
The door suddenly creaked open.
My mother stood there, elegant and composed, her eyes sweeping over the chaos Sirius tied up, Regulus half-crouched on the floor, and me standing there with my wand drawn and the faintest trace of a smirk.
Her eyebrow arched. "Should I even ask?"
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