#katrova

“Morning, princess,” Sirius drawled as you passed by in the Great Hall, his signature smirk firmly in place. 

You rolled your eyes. “Drop dead.” 

James, sitting beside him, gasped dramatically. “Oh, sweetheart, if you wanted us dead, you could’ve just asked.” 

Remus, the least infuriating of the three, snorted into his coffee. “You really do have a special connection.” 

You gave him a flat look. “Yes, Lupin, it’s called hatred.” 

Sirius leaned in, his grey eyes glinting mischievously. “Or is it repressed desire?” 

You grabbed a piece of toast off your plate and chucked it at his head. 

James caught it midair, the show-off, and took a bite. “Thanks, love. You shouldn’t have.” 

Your blood boiled.

Why did they insist on flirting with you? Why couldn’t they just leave you alone like every other Gryffindor you couldn’t stand? 

But no. Instead, you got this.

And worse? It was every. Damn. Day. 

It wasn’t just in the Great Hall. 

No, they tormented you, somehow finding you everywhere.

In the library, when you were trying to study.

“Looking gorgeous as ever, love,” James whispered, sliding into the seat across from you. 

You slammed your book shut. “Potter, if you don’t leave in the next five seconds, I’ll hex you into next week.” 

James grinned. “That means you’d miss me for a whole week.” 

You considered launching your inkpot at his head. 

Sirius, of course, was no better. 

One day, he caught you sneaking out to the Black Lake for a quiet moment alone. Instead of letting you have your peace, he followed you.

He stretched out on the grass beside you, smirking up at the sky. “You know, I think you’re obsessed with me.” 

You scoffed. “I think you’ve mistaken ‘loathing’ for ‘obsession.’” 

“Ah,” he mused, “but loathing is just passion in disguise.” 

You kicked water at him. 

He only laughed.

And Remus? Remus was the worst of all.

Because unlike the other two, who were loud and unbearable, he was quietly infuriating.

Remus listened. Remus noticed things. 

Like the way you preferred black coffee over tea. The way you chewed the end of your quill when you were concentrating. The way you always hesitated before answering a question in class, even when you knew the answer. 

And worst of all? 

The way he would look at you.  Like he understood something about you that even you didn’t. 

It drove you mad.

One day, after an especially awful Potions class (thanks to James knocking over an entire cauldron, making the whole room smell like burnt eggs), you finally snapped. 

You whirled on them the moment you stepped out of the classroom. 

“Why?” you demanded, glaring at the three of them. “Why do you keep doing this? Annoying me? Flirting with me? What do you want?” 

James blinked. “We just like you, love.” 

Sirius grinned. “Obviously.” 

Remus tilted his head, smiling that soft, knowing smile. “Why? Does it bother you?” 

You opened your mouth to say yes, to tell them to leave you alone, to curse them into oblivion.

But the words wouldn’t come. 

Because the truth was.

You didn’t hate it. 

You didn’t hate them. 

And that? 

That was the real problem.

So, when he stormed into the empty Transfiguration classroom, slammed the door behind him, and turned to face you with fire in his eyes, you knew you were screwed.

James stood in front of the door, arms crossed, blocking your only exit.

“You’re going to talk to me,” he said, his voice lower than you’d ever heard it. “Right. Now.”

You rolled your eyes, pretending your heart wasn’t pounding. “Get out of my way, Potter.”

“No.”

Your jaw clenched. “Move.”

He didn’t.

Instead, he stepped closer. Too close.

“Four days,” he said. “Four days, and I let you have your space. I let you pretend like you didn’t just rip us apart. But I’m done waiting, sweetheart.”

You scoffed. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

His laugh was humourless. “Bullshit.”

You exhaled sharply, crossing your arms. “What do you want me to say, James? That I regret it? That I miss you?” You forced a smirk. “Sorry, but I don’t.”

Something flickered in his hazel eyes. He took another step forward, and before you could react, he reached out and grabbed your wrist.

Your breath caught because his touch wasn’t rough or angry. It was gentle. Firm, but careful, like he was giving you a chance to pull away. But you didn’t.

Your stomach dropped and the way he was looking at you, you knew something bad was coming.

James’ voice was quiet now.

“You think you’re the only one who’s ever wanted to ruin something good before it could ruin you, Sirius and his family for example and don't even get me started on things with moony?”

Your throat tightened. “James-”

“No,” he said, his grip on your wrist tightening just slightly. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to act like you don’t care, like you don’t feel this-” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Because I know you do. I know it, and you know it, so stop lying to me.”

Your entire body felt like it was on fire.

“I don’t-”

“Yes, you do,” James cut you off. “Because if you didn’t, you wouldn’t have tried so damn hard to push us away.”

Your breath was coming too fast now.

He took one more step forward, and suddenly, you were trapped between him and the desk.

And Merlin, he was so close.

Close enough that you could see the flecks of gold in his eyes. Close enough that you could feel the warmth radiating off of him.

You wanted to lean in. You wanted to give in. But if you did, there would be no turning back.

So, you did the only thing you could.

You shoved him away.

James stumbled back a step, his eyes widening at the force of it.

“I can’t,” you whispered.

He stilled.

“Why?” His voice was quiet. Almost desperate.

You shook your head.

“Because you’ll break me.”

Silence. James exhaled slowly.

And when he spoke, his voice was steady. Sure.

“We won’t sweetheart, I’d rather die.”

Authors Note: Gang this is insane also not me spoiling yall with two updates in one day

Ignoring them was easier said than done because they weren’t making it easy.

“Morning, sweetheart,” James greeted you in the Great Hall, sliding into the seat beside you even though this was the Slytherin table, and he had no business being here.

You shoved his arm off the table. “Go away, Potter.” 

James beamed. “You’re so cute when you pretend you don’t like me.” 

You resisted the urge to throw your goblet at his face. 

You were reading by the Black Lake when Sirius flopped onto the grass beside you, head resting in your lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.

You froze. “What the hell are you doing?” 

He grinned up at you, completely unbothered. “Getting comfortable.” 

Your hands clenched into fists. “Move.” 

He stretched out more. “Make me, princess.” 

You shoved him off. He laughed the whole way down. 

Remus, of course, was the most dangerous.

Because Remus didn’t flirt obnoxiously like James, and he didn’t invade your space just to watch you react like Sirius. 

No. Remus was subtle. Remus was kind.

Which meant that when he brushed a stray piece of hair from your face during study sessions, you couldn’t even pretend he was being annoying. 

When he carried your books after class, you couldn’t even call him a show-off. 

When he gave you the last chocolate in the pack without saying a word, you couldn’t even insult him for it. 

Remus wasn’t fighting you. Remus was just there, waiting, knowing and that was the worst part. 

They knew you were cracking.

It happened on a particularly bad day. 

Professor Slughorn had paired you with an absolute idiot in Potions, and after an hour of them nearly setting the classroom on fire, you had a splitting headache. 

You stormed into the library, slamming your books onto the table. 

The second you sat down, a fresh cup of coffee slid across the table to you. 

You blinked at it. Then at the hand that had placed it there. 

James, Sirius, and Remus sat across from you, watching you expectantly. 

Sirius smirked. “You looked like you needed it, love.” 

You stared at the coffee. It was exactly how you liked it. 

“…This means nothing,” you muttered, grabbing the cup. 

James grinned like he had won something. “Of course not, sweetheart.” 

Remus just sipped his tea, amused.

You hated them. You hated them so much.

It was late.

You were sitting in the Gryffindor common room (Dorcas has dragged you along to say hi to Marlene), the fire flickering, when it happened.

A group of Gryffindor girls walked past, giggling and whispering about James and Sirius. About how handsome they were. About how Remus was the sweetest and something in your chest tightened.

You scowled, shaking the thought away. 

It didn’t matter. They were annoying. You didn’t care if other people liked them. 

You didn’t care. 

And then you saw them.

James, Sirius, and Remus, sitting across the room, laughing together, smiling, looking like the sun itself lived in their bones.

And you felt it.

That undeniable, horrible, traitorous ache.

You wanted to be near them. 

You wanted to be in that light. 

You cursed under your breath, standing up so fast your chair scraped the floor. 

No. No.

You wouldn’t do this. You wouldn’t-

“Going somewhere, love?”

Sirius was watching you, his grey eyes too knowing.

James and Remus turned too, curiosity flickering in their faces. 

You clenched your jaw. “Bed.” 

James smirked. “Need company?” 

You scowled. “Die, Potter.”

Sirius laughed. “She’s flustered. It’s adorable.” 

Remus just tilted his head, studying you. 

And you? You ran.

He had become annoyingly, infuriatingly gentle, like he was waiting for you to figure something out. 

You wanted to scream.  

It was a Tuesday afternoon when everything shifted.

You were in the library, aggressively taking notes when James slid into the seat across from you. 

You didn’t even look up. “No.”

James grinned. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.” 

“I don’t need to.” You dipped your quill in ink, ignoring him. “Whatever it is, the answer is no.” 

James leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand. “That’s a shame, because I was just going to tell you how breathtaking you look today.” 

You finally looked up, ready to snap back and immediately regretted it. 

Because James Potter? James Potter was gorgeous. 

He was always gorgeous, but it was easy to ignore when he was being insufferable. Now, though? Sitting there with his hazel eyes locked on yours, a slow smirk curling at his lips, looking at you like you were the only person in the world?

Your stomach flipped.

You swallowed hard and forced your scowl back in place. “If you think flirting with me will make me like you, Potter, you’re delusional.” 

“Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured, “You already do I just need you to admit it.” 

You hated how warm your face felt. 

That night, as you made your way back from dinner, Sirius found you.

He fell into step beside you like it was the most natural thing in the world. “James said you seemed a bit flustered in the library earlier.” 

You stiffened. “I was not.” 

Sirius hummed, all smug confidence. “Mm sure. But don’t worry, love, it happens to the best of us.” 

You exhaled sharply, trying to keep your irritation intact. “Why do you keep doing this?” 

“Doing what?” 

“This.” You gestured between the two of you. “Flirting. Following me around. Acting like I don’t despise you.” 

Sirius stopped walking. 

You turned to face him, ready to throw another insult but the look on his face made you pause. His usual smirk was gone. His grey eyes were darker, sharper. 

“You don’t despise me,” he said, voice lower now. “You’re just scared of what happens if you don’t.” 

Your breath caught. 

Sirius took a step closer, his voice a whisper against the cold night air. “So, tell me, y/n. What happens if you stop fighting it?” 

You couldn’t answer because you didn’t know and that terrified you more than anything. 

The next day, you were hiding.

You skipped breakfast. Skipped your usual library session. Avoided the common areas where the Marauders usually found you. 

But Remus found you anyway.

He sat beside you on the Astronomy Tower, the two of you staring at the sky in comfortable silence. 

You didn’t question how he knew you’d be here. The marauders always found you somehow.

After a while, he spoke. 

“They’re not going to stop.” 

You exhaled. “I know.” 

“We like you.” 

You clenched your jaw. “You like bothering me.” 

Remus turned to look at you, his expression too soft. “No, y/n. They like you; I like you.” 

You swallowed hard, staring at the stars. “I don’t know how to… how to do that. How to let people-” 

“Love you?” Remus finished gently. 

Your heart stopped, you hadn’t said it, but he had, and you didn’t deny it.

And now, standing in that empty classroom with nowhere left to run, you realized you had already lost.

James was still watching you, his expression steady. Patient.

“We won’t sweetheart, I’d rather die,” he had said.

The words echoed in your head, rattling in your chest, making it harder and harder to breathe.

Because if they caught you if you let them, you wouldn’t be able to escape again. And you were so scared of what that meant.

But James just stood there, waiting. He didn’t push. He didn’t demand. Because he already knew. He knew this was it.

You swallowed hard, forcing yourself to look away. “I don’t-”

Your voice cracked and James heard it. You saw it in the way his eyes softened.

“Sweetheart.”

It was just one word, but it was too much because he didn’t say it with teasing, or smugness, or triumph. He said it like it hurt him to see you like this. Like he would do anything to take that hurt away.

You broke.

A ragged, awful sound tore from your throat as you staggered back, pressing your hands against your face, trying to hold yourself together.

But James was there.

Arms wrapping around you before you could fall, pulling you in.

And you let him. For the first time, you let someone hold you. You collapsed against his chest, and he caught you like he had been waiting for this all along. Like he always would.

You weren’t sure how long you stayed like that. Long enough for the shaking to slow. Long enough for James to run a hand through your hair, murmuring quiet reassurances.

The door opened.

You tensed.

James didn’t let go.

Sirius and Remus stood in the doorway, their faces flickering from shock to understanding in an instant.

Remus was the first to speak. Soft. Gentle.

“Oh, darling.”

And then Sirius. Who had always been so smug, so cocky, so insufferably teasing. But right now, his expression was nothing but raw concern.

A fresh wave of guilt crashed into you. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

Sirius scoffed. “Well, too bloody late for that, love.”

And then he was crossing the room, wrapping himself around you and James both,andyoucouldn’t stop the small, choked laughthat escaped at the sheer warmth of it.

Remus came next, his long arms circling all three of you, steady and grounding.

You exhaled. Shaking. Overwhelmed.

But for the first time, not alone.

You didn’t say it. Not yet.

You didn’t say, I care about you.

You didn’t say, I need you.

You didn’t say, I think I’m falling in love with you.

But James just held you tighter.

Sirius rested his chin on your head.

And Remus whispered, “It’s okay. We already know.”

Somehow, that was enough.

For now.

The next morning, you regretted everything. The vulnerability. The breakdown. The way you had collapsed into James’ arms like you had no fight left in you.

You didn’t do that. You had spent years making sure you wouldn’t do that and yet, here you were.

Wrapped in one of Sirius’ jackets that he had thrown over your shoulders before you left the Transfiguration classroom. Wearing it like it was some kind of shield. Like it still smelled like him.

Merlin, you were pathetic. You needed to put space between you and them. Immediately.

But when you stepped out of your dorm and made your way through the dungeons, you realized the universe had other plans.

James was waiting for you.

Just outside the entrance to the Great Hall, leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed, looking entirely too smug for this early in the morning.

You froze.

James didn’t.

Instead, he pushed off the wall, walked straight up to you, and before you could so much as breath draped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you flush against his side.

“Morning, sweetheart.”

You stiffened. “Potter.”

His grip didn’t loosen. If anything, it tightened. “Aw, don’t sound so grumpy. You’re supposed to be nice to your boyfriend in the mornings.”

“What-”

“Boyfriend.” James repeated, all lazy confidence. “That’s what we are, isn’t it? I mean, you cried in my arms last night. Pretty intimate.”

You shoved at his chest. “You are so insufferable.”

He just grinned. “And you’re adorable when you’re flustered.”

Before you could respond, Sirius and Remus appeared Remus with a book tucked under his arm, Sirius looking far too pleased with himself.

“Oh, excellent,” Sirius said as he draped himself over both you and James. “You found her first. I was worried we’d have to go on a dramatic rescue mission.”

You scowled. “Rescue from what?”

“Yourself,” Remus answered simply, stepping beside you.

That shut you up.

Of course, he knew exactly what you were thinking. That you had woken up prepared to shove them away again, to pretend last night had never happened.

James’ grip on you tightened.

Sirius leaned his head against yours.

Remus just looked at you like he already had all the answers.

“You’re not getting rid of us,” James murmured, pressing a quick kiss to your temple before pulling back, his hazel eyes bright. “So, you might as well give in.”

You swallowed hard.

Sirius smirked. “Don’t worry, love. We’ll make it worth your while.”

Remus sighed. “You are the worst at comforting people.”

You should have been irritated. Should have rolled your eyes, shoved them off, and walked away. But something warm curled in your chest instead.

So, you did the only thing you could. You sharpened your words into knives, and you stabbed them where it would hurt most.

You caught them in the Gryffindor common room after dinner.

James was sprawled on the couch, laughing as Sirius tossed a pillow at Remus, who barely looked up from his book.

They looked so at ease. So right and something in you snapped.

James noticed you first. His expression lit up. “Sweetheart, what-”

“Enough,” you cut him off.

The warmth in his eyes flickered.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. “What’s got your knickers in a twist, love?”

You took a breath. Don’t let them in. Don’t let them see.

“I need you to stop,” you said, voice cold. “All of you.”

James sat up. “Stop what?”

“This. The flirting. The pet names. The stupid, constant presence in my life.” You forced a sneer. “It’s getting pathetic.”

Silence.

Remus finally looked up, his amber eyes carefully blank.

Sirius’ smirk faltered for the first time.

James just stared.

But you weren’t done. You looked at James, aiming for the one thing you knew would cut. “I will never love you.”

James actually flinched. His fingers twitched at his sides, like he was trying not to reach for something. “That’s not true.”

“Yes, it is.” You crossed your arms. “You’re nothing but a spoiled, arrogant Gryffindor who thinks he can have anything he wants just by flashing a smile. But you can’t have me.”

James opened his mouth, but no words came out.

You turned to Sirius.

“And you.” You let your gaze rake over him in disgust. “You act like you’re some charming, irresistible rebel, but deep down, you’re just a scared little rich boy desperate for attention.”

Sirius went completely still.

Your stomach twisted. You knew how much he hated his family. You knew what that would do to him. But you needed them to hate you. You forced yourself to keep going.

Finally, you turned to Remus.

And for the first time, you hesitated.

Because Remus was just looking at you.

Not angry. Not hurt. Just knowing.

So, you made your voice cruel.

“You’re the worst of them all,” you said, your tone ice. “Because at least James and Sirius are obvious about what they want. But you?” You tilted your head. “You hide behind quiet words and kind smiles, like you’re any better. But you’re just as selfish. You think you can make me feel safe? Make me trust you?”

You let out a cold laugh.

“You’re just a monster waiting to show his teeth.”

The words hung in the air. The fire crackled.

And for the first time in forever, the Marauders had nothing to say. You had done it. You had won. So why did you feel like you had just lost everything?

You avoided them. Properly this time.

No stolen glances. No hesitation.

You ignored the way James didn’t smile in the hallways anymore.

You ignored the way Sirius wasn’t everywhere like he used to be.

You ignored the way Remus had stopped looking at you like he already knew the truth.

You ignored everything and for three days, you thought it was over.

Until, on the fourth day, James Potter cornered you in the empty Transfiguration classroom and everything fell apart.

Authors note: I might have possibly put a frozen reference in here. Also sorry this one is kinda depressing the next couple are too.

James looked around, trying to seem casual, but you could see the way his shoulders stiffened. Sirius was doing his usual confident smirk, but even that felt a little forced. Remus, ever the peacemaker, offered a small smile and greeted Pandora and Dorcas. But it was obvious to anyone with eyes that the air was thick with tension.

And then, of course, there was Regulus.

You had known this moment was coming. But that didn’t make it any easier. Regulus and Sirius hadn’t spoken in months something had happened between them, something no one talked about. All you knew was that it was bad.

And now, you were about to throw them into the same room.

Regulus didn’t move when you approached. His expression was cool, unreadable. Barty was grinning as usual, watching with an amused gleam in his eyes. Evan leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his gaze flicking between you and the Marauders.

Pandora and Dorcas exchanged a look, clearly sensing the brewing storm.

You could feel the weight of their eyes on you. All of them waiting for what was about to unfold.

“Alright, let’s get this over with,” you said, forcing your voice to stay steady.

Sirius shot you a wink and moved toward Barty, flashing that signature smirk. But Regulus didn’t even acknowledge his brother. His gaze stayed fixed on you, like he was waiting for something. Or maybe like he was studying you, trying to figure out how far you were willing to go with this.

“I didn’t know you ran with Gryffindors,” Barty said, breaking the silence. He looked at you with a teasing grin. “Interesting choice, treasure.”

You rolled your eyes. “It’s not like that.”

James shifted on his feet. “Yeah, we’re just... getting to know each other.”

“Yeah, well, the night is young,” Barty replied. “Let’s see how long that lasts.”

Sirius chuckled, but it was clear it wasn’t his usual carefree laugh. He shot a glance at Regulus, but the other boy didn’t even flinch.

You stepped between them. “Can we please just-”

Before you could finish, Regulus spoke up. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.” His voice was quiet, but there was something about it that made the room feel smaller.

Sirius immediately tensed. “Ready for what?” His voice was laced with something sharp.

Regulus tilted his head, eyes dark. “This… circus.” He gestured toward the Marauders. “You think you can just walk into our world and think it’s all going to be fine?”

Sirius stepped forward. “Reg, not everything’s a damn joke, alright? I-”

“Enough,” you snapped, stepping between them before anything could escalate. You hated the way Regulus’ presence had that effect on Sirius, how it pulled out something in him that was so far from the easy-going boy you knew.

Regulus raised an eyebrow. “What? You’re going to play the peacemaker now?”

“I’m not playing anything reg,” you said, voice cold. “You’re my friends. But don’t you dare think that just because we’re Slytherins, we’re all going to agree on everything. I’m asking for a chance here, from all of you.”

Sirius looked at you, his expression a mix of frustration and something else. He opened his mouth to respond but stopped himself.

James, sensing the tension, decided to step in. “Maybe we should just sit down, yeah? Get to know each other better.”

Pandora and Dorcas exchanged a quick glance, silently agreeing. “It’s fine,” Pandora said, giving you a reassuring smile. “We’ll all survive this.”

Evan nodded, but his eyes stayed on Regulus, waiting for his reaction.

There was a long, unbearable silence before Regulus sighed. “Fine.” He looked straight at Sirius, his voice low. “But this doesn’t mean I’m suddenly going to forgive you.”

Sirius didn’t flinch. “I’m not asking for forgiveness.” His voice was quieter now, less hostile. “I’m just asking for a chance.”

The room seemed to hold its breath. And for a long moment, no one spoke.

Barty, the ever-present wildcard, leaned forward. “This should be interesting.” He winked at you, but it was hard to tell if he was joking or not.

You looked between all of them the Marauders, your friends. There was still so much to work through. So many broken things. So much tension.

But for the first time, you thought that maybe, just maybe, this could work. If you all tried.

It was supposed to be an evening to break the ice, but somehow, the tension lingered in the air long after the Marauders left the Slytherin common room. Everyone had tried to pretend that things were fine, but deep down, you could feel the walls still firmly in place.

James had been the most upbeat, always trying to lighten the mood with that same smile that made your heart flutter, but even his usual charm couldn’t mask the unease that sat heavily between the two groups. Remus had tried to mediate his soft words and gentle gestures but even he couldn’t ignore the fact that Sirius and Regulus were standing on opposite sides of an invisible battlefield.

You had hoped that maybe, after that awkward encounter, things would smooth over. Maybe with time, they’d learn to coexist. But as the night wore on, you couldn’t help but feel the weight of the unresolved conflict between your two worlds.

You found yourself in the common room, staring at the crackling fire as the warmth failed to reach you. It was late, and most of the Slytherins had retreated to their dorms, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

And then, as if on cue, footsteps came down the stairs. It was Regulus.

“Reg?” you asked, your voice softer than you intended.

His eyes flickered toward the fire before meeting yours. For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

“You look like you’re thinking,” he said quietly, his gaze never leaving yours.

You let out a small breath. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore, Reg. Everything feels like it’s falling apart, and I don’t know how to fix it.”

He tilted his head, his dark eyes softening just a fraction. “You’re not the only one struggling with this,” he said, his voice steady but not without a trace of something that almost sounded like regret.

You raised an eyebrow, the last vestiges of your frustration slipping through your voice. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Regulus took a step closer, and the tension in the room thickened once again. “I know you think I’m cold, that I don’t care,” he began. “But you’re wrong. This…” He gestured vaguely, his voice suddenly tight. “This isn’t easy for me either. You think I’m okay with the way things have been? With the way Sirius and I-” He stopped himself, pressing his lips together, as if the words were too much to say aloud. You could feel the weight of his silence, the weight of what he was withholding.

“You don’t have to say it, Reg,” you said quietly, your heart suddenly heavy. “I know. I know about the way you and Sirius are with each other. I see it. But you can’t expect everything to be fixed overnight. We can’t just push it all away.”

Regulus looked away, his jaw tight. “I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t even know where to start.”

You bit your lip, unsure of what to say. “Maybe… maybe it’s not about fixing it all at once. Maybe it’s about taking small steps. Giving it time.”

“I’m tired of waiting,” Regulus muttered, more to himself than to you. “I’m tired of pretending it’s fine when it’s not. When it’s never been.”

Before you could respond, the sound of footsteps interrupted the moment. You both turned to see Sirius, standing in the doorway, his gaze fixed on Regulus.

“Is this a private conversation?” Sirius asked, his voice edged with uncertainty, as though he wasn’t sure if he should be there.

For a moment, the room was still.

Regulus didn’t move. His eyes were cold, but there was something flickering in them something that almost looked like fear.

You swallowed hard, stepping between the two of them. “Let’s just talk. All of us. Please.” You gestured for Sirius to come in, but Regulus stayed rooted to the spot. “This can’t keep going on. We need to fix this.”

Sirius’s eyes flickered from you to his brother. “Yeah. I guess we do.”

Regulus didn’t say anything for a long moment. He was thinking, and you could almost hear the wheels turning in his mind. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he stepped closer. “Fine,” he muttered, his voice softer than before. “But don’t expect me to just forget everything.”

You nodded, relieved, but before anything else could be said, the door to the common room opened again, and this time, it was James and Remus.

“Did we interrupt something?” James asked, his voice light but his eyes sharp.

You shook your head, trying to keep the situation calm. “No, just... trying to figure things out.”

James smiled, stepping into the room with Remus. “Well, if anyone’s good at that, it’s us.” His tone was playful, but it didn’t quite hide the undercurrent of seriousness.

Regulus shot him a look, his voice colder than before. “I doubt you’ve had to figure anything out like this.”

James didn’t flinch. “Maybe not. But I’ve got a lot of patience when it comes to things that matter.”

You were not falling for them, and you were going to prove it. The next morning, you arrived at breakfast with a purpose. You sat at the farthest end of the Slytherin table, as far from the Marauders as physically possible.

Did that stop James from finding you? Of course not.

Did it stop Sirius from sliding into the seat beside you like he belonged there? No.

Did it stop Remus from watching you, patient and knowing as ever? Absolutely not.

James leaned in, all confidence and mischief. “Miss me, sweetheart?”

You took a deep breath. Don’t react. Don’t react. Don’t react.

“I wish I could say I didn’t know you,” you muttered, stabbing your eggs aggressively.

Sirius snickered. “She’s in a mood today.”

Remus sipped his tea. “She’s been avoiding us.”

You froze, damn Remus and his stupid perception.

“I have not,” you said, voice clipped.

James raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t show up to the library yesterday.”

“I was busy.”

“You left the great hall the second we arrived.”

“I had things to do.”

Sirius smirked. “You ran away from us last night.”

Your jaw clenched. “I. Did. Not.”

James tilted his head, studying you, and then the bastard grinned. “Ohhh,” he said, something dangerous and delighted flickering in his eyes. “You’re scared.”

You slammed your fork down. “I am not scared of you, Potter.”

James’ smirk only widened. “Not of me. Of us.”

That was it. The last crack in your armour shattered.

You stood up so fast your chair scraped against the floor. The entire Great Hall turned to look.

But you didn’t care.

You glared at James, anger burning through you like wildfire. “You think this is funny, don’t you?”

James blinked, clearly not expecting this much rage.

Sirius sat up straighter, intrigued. Remus, of course, just watched.

“You think you can just waltz into my life and what? Wear me down? Make me fall at your feet?” Your voice was low, sharp, venomous. “Because it’s a game to you, isn’t it? The thrill of the chase, the Slytherin girl who hates you, the one challenge you haven’t won yet.”

James frowned. “That’s not-”

You laughed, but it was bitter. “Well, congratulations, Potter. You win.”

His eyes widened. Sirius’ smirk faded. Remus’ jaw tensed.

You took a step closer, your voice dropping. “You want to know why I’ve been avoiding you? Because I let you get in my head. I let you make me think-” You cut yourself off, inhaling sharply. “But I won’t make that mistake again.”

You turned to walk away.

And that should have been the end of it.

But James Potter was a Gryffindor.

Which meant he had absolutely no self-preservation.

He grabbed your wrist before you could leave. “Wait.”

His grip wasn’t tight, but it was firm. Anchoring.

And when you looked at him.

Gone was the teasing glint in his hazel eyes. Gone was the cocky smirk. There was only sincerity. Frustration. Something raw and real.

“Is that really what you think?” James asked, voice low. “That we’re just playing with you?”

You couldn’t answer because if you said it out loud, it would mean you believed it and deep down, you weren’t sure you did.

Remus sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “You are impossible.”

Sirius leaned forward, his expression uncharacteristically serious. “You think we don’t mean it? That we don’t actually care?”

Your throat felt tight.

“You call it a game,” James murmured, “but we’ve already lost.”

Your breath caught.

James let go of your wrist, stepping back. “Go on, then. Walk away.”

Sirius leaned back, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. If that’s what you really want.”

Remus just nodded, as if he already knew you wouldn’t.

And that was the problem because you could. You could walk away. Right now. Leave them behind. Pretend this had never happened. You could end it here. So why weren’t you moving? Why did your feet feel like they were glued to the ground? Why was your heart pounding like it was trying to tell you something? You clenched your fists. You were so close to freedom.

So why-

Why did it feel like letting go of them would be the real loss?