Monday 8th September, 1976

A week later, I was ready to complete my plan on Prefect duty with Regulus. Unfortunately I had to make it through the day first, and Charms class first thing in the morning was not recommended.

I slumped in my seat, stifling a yawn as the teacher talked about what we should expect in our fifth year of Charms. I was barley listening, dozing off, but I instantly snapped back in focus when the teacher started talking about our O.W.L.s. Looking around, I noticed others did the same.

I listened with rapt attention; all the while unease stirred in my gut. I wasn't looking forward to O.W.L.s, as most older students I knew commonly referred to their fifth year as a year full of hell. My mood turned worse when the teacher mentioned 'assigned seats'. She stared calling out names, and I wanted the floor to swallow me whole when she said my name right after Regulus Black's name.

I groaned, picking up my bag and stomping over to the vacant seat next to him, 'accidently' elbowing him in the process and knocking his ink bottle onto his robes. Regulus cursed under his breath, giving me a dirty look as he muttered a spell to clean his robes. I smiled sweetly at him, batting my eyelashes.

There was a heavy silence, both of us not wanting to be there. The fact that Regulus hated this as much as me lightened my mood a bit, and I decided to take advantage of that fact.

"Regulus," I hissed.

He didn't answer.

"Regulus," I whispered in his ear.

Regulus did nothing as he stared at the teacher.

"Regulus," I sang into his ear.

Regulus's hand curled around his quill, knuckles whitening, and yet he still didn't take the bait. I sighed, pondering what the best way to annoy him would be, when he suddenly turned to look at me.

"Listen, I hate this just as much as you, so how about you shut up and make this easier for both of us?" he snapped.

"Is poor Regulus upset?" I cooed, fake pouting.

He scoffed, lips turning into a sneer.

"I hate you," he said viciously.

"The feelings mutual," I replied, quoting his words yesterday.

We sat in silence for the rest of the class, sending each other dirty looks all throughout it. When the bell finally rang, I was quick to exit the class, leaving Regulus alone in his seat.

I made it to my next class, Defence Against the Dark Arts, which I excelled at and attended the class for sixth years. That meant sharing a class with my brother and his friends, and while I normally enjoyed their company, I was annoyed and angry at Regulus and it was taking up all my brain space.

He was so infuriating, with his perfect hair, and dreamy eyes, and strong body-

I didn't realise I was frowning until I felt James ruffle my hair. I blinked, forgetting my rant as I saw them looking at me questioningly.

"Don't ask," I muttered, slumping on my desk.

"Come on baby Potter, don't be upset," Sirius said, also ruffling my hair.

I narrowed my eyes at him, sitting back up straight.

"First off, don't call me that," I told him. "Secondly, if your brother wasn't such an annoying prick, I wouldn't be upset at all."

Sirius sighed. "What did he do this time?"

With that, I launched into my rant about why Regulus Black was the worst human being ever and should be sentenced to death. Thinking back on it, it probably wasn't the best thing to say to the brother of the person I wanted to be slaughtered brutally and slowly, but there was no stopping me now.

The Marauders were quiet for a second after I finished my outburst, expressions of concern and horror plastered on their faces.

"Well, Prongs," Sirius started, "your sister is very... opinionated."

James snorted, looking at me with a mix of pride and fear.

"Tell me about it," was all he said.

I glared at him before turning away, thinking of all the ways I could murder Regulus Black.

. . .

Monday 8th September, 1976

Prefect duty that night was silent, both of us settling for dirty looks rather than mean statements. We walked side by side, a generous amount of space between us as the sound of our feet on the stone floor echoed in the quiet hallway.

As we walked, I noticed one of the doors leading to an empty classroom up ahead was half ajar and smiled. I felt rather than saw my wand fall through my sleeve into my hand and subtly flicked it, a clash reverberating out from the empty classroom.

My gaze slid to Regulus who was staring at the classroom with a mix of suspicion and disdain. He looked to me expectantly, raising an eyebrow.

"You should probably check that out," I suggested, feigning innocence.

"And why can't you?" he asked, eyeing me with derision.

I rolled my eyes, as if it was obvious. "Because you're closer."

He stood there looking at me, and I was starting to fear he would refuse and make me check when he sighed, shaking his head, and started walking to the door.

My fingers twitched in anticipation as I watched Regulus cross the corridor and close the distance between him and the classroom. I held my breath as he placed his hand on the door, but quickly let it go in relief when he pushed it open.

As if in slow motion, the bucket that had been balancing on the door tipped, and a waterfall of green slime and white feathers was poured right onto Regulus's head. I clapped my hand over my mouth to muffle my laughter as I watched the bucket fall on his head, covering his face.

Slowly, he pulled the bucket off and threw it on the ground viciously, turning around to look at me with a furious glint in his eye. The sight of Regulus so deadly calm should have scared me, but instead I felt laughter clawing at my throat, threatening to be released.

"You okay there Buddy?" I asked, voice breathy from fighting back laughter.

Regulus didn't answer, just glowered at me for a moment before swiftly storming away, leaving behind a trail of green slime in his wake. I let out a snicker at the sight, but my laughter was quickly forgotten when I heard the sound of padding feet, most likely belonging to the creature from hell known as Mrs Norris.

I hurried down a few corridors until I felt sure I'd lost her and then continued my walk to the Gryffindor Common Room at a leisurely pace. I was smiling, feeling proud of myself as I thought about my prank. It had been simple, but effective, and I was more than happy with the results.

Revenge prank completed successfully, I thought to myself as I arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room, uttering the password, and walking through the open portrait hole. As I entered the room, I spotted the marauders smirking at one another, presumably back from their own pranking business.

"What's got you so happy?" James asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

I shrugged my shoulders but couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as I walked up the steps to my dormitory. All in all, it had been a good night.

. . .

Thursday 11th September, 1976

"Quidditch is just boring, okay? Y/n can agree with me."

I quickly nodded my head in Remus's defence, and Sirius let out a dramatic gasp.

"How dare you! Quidditch is not boring!" he practically shrieked, looking at us like we were strangers.

"You've known this fact for 6 years. Why are you reacting like this now?" Remus asked exasperated.

"Because every time I hear it, it hurts," Sirius whimpered. "Right James?"

When no answer came, we all looked to James, who was busy ogling Lily as she talked to her friends. He sighed dreamily as he stared at her.

"Isn't she so beautiful?"

Sirius sniffed haughtily. "She's okay, I guess. Not as beautiful as me though, right Moony?"

"In your dreams Black," he answered nonchalantly, though I could see the pink tinging his cheeks.

"A lot more happens in my dreams Lupin," Sirius said with an exaggerated wink.

Remus went a deep shade of pink and focused on his breakfast while Peter gagged.

"Can we not have this conversation at breakfast?" he pleaded.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you want Pete," Sirius answered, ruffling the boy's hair.

I snorted at the look Peter sent Sirius and stood up, informing the boys I was going to class and walking out of the Great Hall. I had just turned the corner when I walked straight into someone's chest, Regulus Black's chest to be specific.

It had been a few days since my revenge prank, and I hadn't been reprimanded by any teachers he might have told, nor had he retaliated himself, so I figured I was in the clear.

My books fell to the floor in the collision, and as I knelt down to pick them up I was reminded of a similar scene happening not long ago on the train. It turned out to be different this time though, because before my eyes Regulus bent down and started helping me collect my stuff.

I frowned at him, trying to figure out why he helped me as he gave me the last of my books.

"Why did you do that?" I asked him.

Regulus blinked. "Do what?"

"Help me."

Regulus looked at me for a second, as if pondering my words, before answering.

"We're prefects. We should help each other, shouldn't we?" he questioned.

I looked at him warily, then shrugged and walked past him. If he wanted to start acting all weird and nice, I wasn't going to be the one to stop it. That didn't mean I was going to be nice to him though, and as he cheerily walked next to me to our Charms class, I couldn't help but be a little irritated by him.

Once we arrived in class, I reluctantly sat next to him and waited for class to start, careful to keep an eye on him just in case he tried anything.

"Now class, today will be a theory lesson," our teacher stated, the class answering her words with sighs and groans. "Please read section three of your books silently, and we'll discuss what we've read after."

There was a flurry of movement as everyone got their books open. I took mine and opened the cover, intending to turn the pages to section three, when my book started screaming.

Everyone's eyes darted to me, and I hastily shut the book, the shrieking dying down instantly and silence descending in the classroom. As much as I wished it, diminishing the noise wasn't enough to stop the laughs and whispers that drifted around the classroom as all the students continued to look at me.

Our teacher cleared her throat, grabbing the classes attention as I sunk into my seat, wanting to disappear more with every passing second.

"Please continue your work," she said.

Finally, my fellow students looked away, their interest in me lost, though there continued to be the occasionally glance and whisper throughout the rest of the class.

"Potter, she said silently," Regulus taunted, his voice barely a whisper as he observed me with a twisted smirk.

I was hit with the obvious realisation that he had been the one to curse my book. That kind act earlier had been nothing more than an excuse to get his hands on my books, and his magic. I glared daggers at the boy next to me, but he continued on as if I wasn't staring holes into the side of his head.

I was enraged. How could he do this to me? More importantly, how could I have fallen for it? Of course being nice to me had been some sort of trick. Why hadn't I realised that earlier? Why had I ignored all possibilities of danger and instead been distracted by how... good it had been, Regulus being nice to me? I was disgusted with myself.

As soon as class ended I was upon him, demanding Regulus undo whatever curse he'd placed on my book.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about Potter," Regulus lied, looking at me coolly as he crossed his arms.

"Bullshit," I hissed.

Regulus shrugged. "Bullshit or not, I'm afraid I can't help you," he said, and walked away.

I stood there for a moment, fuming, before stalking to my next class arriving in a foul mood which stayed with me up until lunch when I was able to ask Remus to get the curse off. He questioned why it was on there, but I refused to tell him anything. This was something between Regulus Black and me alone, and I would win.

I sat there in the Great Hall, trying to come up with a prank for Regulus when I was hit with an idea so perfect I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. Where would I get the supplies though? I wouldn't be able to go to Zonko's, because the next Hogsmeade trip was ages away and I wanted to get back at Regulus quickly. So, that meant I'd need to borrow the supplies off someone who would have already stocked up on Zonko products before Hogwarts. Someone who had big ideas for pranks and would have a variety of different supplies. Someone like my brother.

"James, my darling brother," I said as I sidled closer next to him, looking at him fondly as I placed my head on his shoulder.

James blinked and scrunched his nose at me, shrugging me off his shoulder and staring at me with suspicion.

"What do you want?" he asked.

I scoffed, placing a hand to my wounded heart. "What, am I not allowed to compliment my brother when I feel like it?"

James raised an eyebrow and I sighed, giving up the pretence.

"Okay fine, I do want something," I admitted.

"Which is?" Sirius prodded.

"Well, I need some supplies from Zonko's, but obviously I can't get there right now, so I was wondering if I could borrow some from you," I explained.

The marauders looked at me, surprise and shock plastered on their faces. Peter's mouth was even hanging open. I'd never participated in their pranks in the past, that was true, but did that really warrant this reaction?

"What supplies?" James asked finally.

I grinned and told them what I needed. They looked at each other, even more confused, but agreed to lend me the supplies. When they asked me what it was for however, I was tight-lipped.

"Since it's our stuff, it would be rude not to tell us what you're up to," Sirius reasoned, trying to get me to give up my secrets once again in Defence Against the Dark Arts on Tuesday the next week.

"Nu-uh," I answered, not even looking up from where I was writing notes.

Sirius let out a sigh and dropped the subject. For how long, no one knew. When class ended, I bid the boys goodbye, ignoring their pleas for information, and made my way to Transfiguration, but I got distracted along the way by Peeves. Or rather, the water balloons he was throwing.

By the time I'd managed to get to class I was late and apologised profusely to an irritated Professor McGonagall as I looked for a seat. Of course, the only free seat was next to Regulus Black, and I grimaced as I sat down beside him.

"Late Potter? I would have expected better from you," Regulus whispered.

"Shut up Black," I hissed, eyes focused on McGonagall.

Regulus scoffed, looking at me with a cruel smirk.

"Shut up? That's the best insult you can come up with? Honestly, I'm a little disappointed."

"Oh, I can call you a lot of other things, but unlike you I actually value my education and am trying to listen to Professor McGonagall," I said, glaring daggers to the boy next to me.

"Excuses," Regulus said primly.

I stared at Regulus in outrage. This boy was surely delusional because what he said made no sense. Excuses? What the hell would I be making excuses for? I voiced my thoughts to him, and his answer made me want to slam his head against the desk.

"You can't think for yourself," he stated simply. "You need your brother and all his friends to hold your hand and make things easy for you, because doing something by yourself is obviously too hard."

I felt the insult hit home. Obviously I could do things by myself, I wanted to do things by myself, but a part of what Regulus said was true. My brother and his friends did always do things for me, even when I insisted on doing them myself. They want to help me, protect me, but really they were just taking away all my independence and not letting me do anything myself.

Was that what everyone saw me as? The girl coddled by her brother and his friends, too pathetic to do anything herself? I gritted my teeth, hating how Regulus's insult affected me.

"You're just talking shit," I shot back defensively.

"I'm talking shit? Please, that's all you do!" Regulus snapped.

"Mr Black! Miss Potter! I will not tolerate that language in my class, nor will I tolerate this bickering. Detention, for both of you," McGonagall reprimanded, looking at me disappointedly.

I glowered at Regulus, and he mirrored my expression. The rest of the class was silent as we bitterly thought over what the other had said.

I hated Regulus Black.

A/N:

okay but like y/n and regulus pranking each other is just ✨✨✨

also idk why but y/n and remus hating quidditch and sirius being offended everytime he's reminded of it is so funny to me

anywho, hope you enjoyed the chapter