M A R M A L A D E S K I E S

“You mean to tell me that you’ve had this the whole time and don’t just casually wear it to class?” Sirius asked, laughing with her rather than at her. Maybe it was just because his own was so as exponentially history-packed as it was shitty, but he’d always held a certain fascination for other peoples’ lineages. Family histories (other than his, which he’d had beaten into his his since he was still in the womb) genuinely interested him, and he didn’t see why they shouldn’t all have written-up histories; if the deplorable Blacks did, why not everyone? “I am, actually! A few more glasses of punch and I’ll be able to say that with zero-percent sarcasm instead of twenty.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Kathy rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t deny the amusement playing across her features. “I don’t think you quite understood me when I said I couldn’t breathe. I can’t really see either.” The brunette gave a little laugh despite her complaints. “I love my family, honestly, but it didn’t realise it was going to be literally suffocating me.” She meant it as a joke (sort of), Kathy would never speak of ill of her family. "You rate your sarcasm in percentages? What is it normally?"

“Well, we can certainly try and get them to share with us.” Jeanette laughed as she leaned into Kathy’s side with an agreeable nod. The Mclaggen family wasn’t necessarily overly affectionate, but somewhere about the middle of first year Jeanette grew accustomed to Kathy’s way and by the end of the year it came more naturally. Through the years it had become so ingrained in her personality that she hardly noticed it. “We really should stop skipping meals, remind each  other to eat at least.” 

Kathy drooped an arm around Jeanette’s shoulder, grinning from ear to ear. At her remark, she ducked her head. “But I hate how the school regiments our eating timetables. Personally, I think we should be allowed to eat meals whenever we want.”

Sirius did a double take looking down at the wolf mask–– he hadn’t properly seen it the first time and as someone who was best friends with a werewolf, including seeing the transformations every single month for the last year or so…well, he’d been more amused in his life. But he also recognized that this was an extremely personal bias of his; there was no way for him to not take it to heart. He’d always been a fan of costumes, of hiding in party crowds, of verging on offensive–– she had no idea that’s what was happening. And so he just smiled, albeit a bit more tightly than he normally would have. “You caught me,” he said, slipping a thumb under his mask and lifting it up just a bit, so that she could get a proper glimpse of his face. “Didn’t do very well at hiding my identity, did I?”

Kathy looked away with an new air of contentment, oblivious to Sirius’s discomfort. “It doesn’t matter. I didn’t recognise you at first glance, I must admit.” She began to fiddle with the rim of the mask, before lifting it up to show him. “This is actually mine. Deriving from my Native American roots.” As she said this, Kathy couldn’t help but feel that all so familiar swell of pride at the mention of her ancestry. “It’s meant to symbolise direction, leadership and strength.” She lifted the mask back onto her face and turned to pick up some pre-poured punch on the table. “Are you enjoying your evening?”

Alice had insisted that her friends not tell her what their costumes would be, and had refused to reveal anything about hers, wanting to preserve the fun of hidden identity, and also assuming she’d be able to recognize her friends. After a few trips around the perimeter of the dance floor, however, Alice gave up the idea and grabbed the hand of the person nearest to her who didn’t look like they had a date. 

Kathy was beginning to regret the whole idea of wearing a full faced mask. It was very quickly becoming incredibly stuffy underneath it and the temptation to grab her wand and find some form of charm to make the mask breathable was growing stronger by the minute. However, she was momentarily distracted by a hand slipping into hers and a grin slipped easily onto her features (although partially unseen, thanks to the mask).

halloween ball //

"Oh, shush - I've got facepaint on! Besides, do you know how stuffy it is underneath this wolf mask? I can barely breathe!” Kathy then gave him a quick scan, taking in his outfit. “Well you’re looking very dapper," she smiled before narrowing her eyes, recognising the hair and the voice but the lighting of the room made it hard to be sure. "Is that you, Sirius?"

“Well, I have the perfect solution to your dilema if you’re open to it.” Jeanette grinned as she hooked her arm through Kathy’s. “We congratulate no one. Save all your quidditch compliments to shower on the Gryffindor team after our next match. Instead we can go raid the kitchen. I need a snack.”

Kathy laced her fingers between Jeanette’s in an unmistakably affectionate manner. “Are you kidding?! I’d be more than happy to accompany you. I've only had an orange for breakfast and I've skipped lunch again so I’m bloody starving. Oh, but only if we sit around and share with some of the house elves. I don’t like how they slave around down there all day.”

“So what you’re saying is that I’m the kind of cute that can’t even be put into words because it’s so immeasurable and so powerful that you just can’t find the language to express it?” Sirius asked, trying to blink at her in earnest but breaking character and laughing instead–– and besides, he was already in a good mood. Anyone being nice to his friends was someone who had already earned points in his book. 

Kathy narrowed her eyes at him, tempted to take his crisps back just to tease him further, but instead settled in giving him a playful slap on the arm. “Deflate that head, Sirius.” Her expression remained serious, but there was no hiding that amused twitch at the corner of her mouth.

“Nah, you can say it. Slytherin won by the skin of their teeth.” [James sounded positively gleeful as he delivered the assessment. Watching the game from his place in the Gryffindor stands had been very illuminating and had filled him with enormous hope for Gryffindor’s next match - they definitely were in with a shot for the Cup now]

“I was so betting on Ravenclaw to win because I know Gideon is a great leader with such a fantastic team," she exclaimed in stage whisper. "But then again I can’t wait for our team to really strut our stuff in the next game! I’m confident that whatever you do will be great, whether we win or not.”

“It was a very good game, I agree. Ravenclaw clearly has the superior team as a whole, but once Slytherin gets a chance to practice a bit with their new captain and all I’m sure they’ll be as formidable as ever.”

Kathy clapped her hands, still feeling left over exhilaration from the game. “Oh I’m not so sure; Gryffindor are pretty amazing. I know for a fact that James has really pulled some great stunts with his team. I think these next few matches are going to be so exciting!”

“One should always buy socks.” Alice turned back to the shelves and began to pick through them, looking for some Kathy might like. As she rummaged she added, “I don’t know, I think it’s forgivable. After all, you’re always going to have been a part of the muggle world longer than you’ve been a part of the magical world.”

Kathy moved on to check out some of the Inflatable Shoes with a small amused smile. “Forget cats, I can just imagine you being some kind of Mad Sock Lady when you’re older,” she remarked jokingly, laughing a little at the end. “It’s been almost seven years. It so strange. Time really flies. Do you know what you want to do after we graduate?”

[ He laughs ] I thought they were bloody brilliant. Too bad they weren’t able to get the jump on Slytherin. If only they’d scored a few more goals. 

“Oh gosh, I know right?! It was almost unbelievable how Slytherin managed to get that snitch just in time for them to win. I was at the edge of my seat for the entire game. It was amazing!”

“Honestly, there’s no doubt in my mind Ravenclaw should’ve won.”

“I don’t think either side should have won. But I definitely bet my money that Ravenclaw was going to win. You were so great by the way.”

“I don’t like that idea–– I don’t like that idea at all. I’m supposed to be the cute one of the four; everybody knows that. Regardless of the fact that you think I don’t deserve the better flowers and especially regardless of the fact that I would still pull off weeds just as well as anything else–– I can’t believe you’d threaten my street credit like that.”

“Now you know the consequences of getting on my bad side. Besides, you’re not the only cute one, nor are you the most cutest. In my opinion I think you’re all as good looking as each other in your own way. For example, James is cute in that kind of tousled, just-hopped-of-a-broomstick ‘ooh look at me’ kind of way.” She made a lazy attempt at jazz hands to emphasize her point. “Peter is cute in his own sweet, loyal way; Remus is cute in that tall, lanky, awkward yet really intelligent kind of way and you -” She paused for an unnecessarily long amount of time. “Nah, I’m finished.” She stopped on purpose, just for the sake of teasing.

“Well maybe that’s my plan.” Alice waggled her eyebrows at Kathy and laughed before examining the coat along with her. “I don’t know, they probably used some sort of luminosity potion to make it glow, and potions usually have natural products in them.”

Kathy giggled at Alice’s waggling eyebrows. “And I’ll gladly support you! Even though the amount of socks I own are rather pathetic. Maybe I should by some now?” The brunette sighed loudly at the other’s reply. “That’s me again, forgetting I’m a witch and I’m in a magical world.”