CHAPTER 8

— ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ—

Hope Mikaelson

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In less than half an hour they were dressed and Hope could already hear the party downstairs. And as she looked at the mirror she tipped her head in question.

India had given her a pair of leather pants and a black top that honestly reminded her of a mix of the girl from Grease and Katherine. She looked back at India who was holding a pair of heels in her hands with a grin. "Are you sure I should wear this?"

With a roll of her eyes, India promptly said, "If it worked in the sixties or whenever Grease is, and if it works for Kat, then it works. Besides, you look hot as shit and that werewolf is going to howl when he sees you."

Hope gaped at her, "Excuse me, what?"

"Oh, please, he's totally into you," India said as she shoved out of the way of the mirrors, to see herself in the scarlet strapless dress she had conjured for herself.

"So what if he is?" Hope asked with a shrug, "He's probably only happy about the fact that I'm a werewolf too, India."

"So?"

"So, I'm not just a werewolf, India."

"You're right. You're a vampire and a witch. You're literally the whole package, Hope. Why don't you let the werewolf have a chance?"

"What about you and Black?" Hope said turning the conversation around and India glared at her through the mirror as her hair shifted into a longer length that stopped at her waist.

"Stop talking nonsense, Hope! We have a party to go to!"

Hope laughed as India grabbed her hand and pulled her down the stairs. As they reached the party Hope couldn't help to give credit when credit is due. The Gryffindors could throw a nice party. There were places for people to sit and talk and dance and there was food and alcohol and honestly, what else could there be?

Hope rolled her eyes as the first thing India did was take a shot Black passed her and laugh when he said something in her ear. Deciding to leave them alone Hope walked over to James, Marlene, and Remus who were sitting on a couch.

"Oh yeah, my dad's family is British, I think," James was saying and Marlene and Remus frowned. "Well, they have the accent. But they're so old I can't really tell. They're from the Old world."

"They're from Norway, I think," Hope said as she sat down on the arm of Remus's chair, "but, weirdly, they have a British accent."

James shrugged as the other two chuckled. "Maybe I should have a British accent. Mum is always saying that's why she fell for dad, so maybe then I'd have some luck. It seems I've hit a nerve, I just want us to be even, darling," James said in a really bad impersonation of Uncle Kol, and Marlene burst out laughing.

"What? Why did you say that?" Lupin asked.

"How drunk are you Jamie?" Hope questioned.

"About... Drunk enough to do an impersonation of my dad?" He groaned, putting his hands on his head, and looked up at Hope dramatically. "Hope, my dear cousin, could you get me another shot?"

"No. You can go get it yourself."

"But I don't know if I can... Oh, look! Scarlett and Silas are dancing! Gross."

Hope turned her head back and smiled softly and Scarlett was twirled around by Silas who was laughing.

Hope deemed herself as someone who could be quite observant but right now anyone with a set of eyes could see Silas and Scarlett were pretty much the only people in the world for each other.

It was quite strange considering, but if Hope really thought it through Silas had always had a  soft spot for Scar and the latter giggled a lot when she was with him.

"I want to dance with Silas too," James announced standing up and sewing slightly, "Scar is hogging the poor guy. He probably just wants to go find a girl to dance with instead of her so I'm going to step in—"

"I don't think that's a good idea, James, you're drunk," Marlene said, "you should sit down."

"No, no! I want to dance with Silas."

Rolling her eyes Hope sat down on the sofa next to Remus' chair as Marlene took after her cousin to try and stop him from ruining her other cousins and her sort of cousin's moment.

"Hope?" Remus asked her and Hope turned to him, "Can I ask you something about..."

"Me being a werewolf?" Hope asked, slightly annoyed. Remus nodded. "Sure, fire away."

"Well, I don't remember all that well but I'm pretty sure you turn into a full wolf."

"What's the question?"

"How do you do that?"

"I'm a different type of werewolf, Lupin," Hope said with a sigh, she might as well make up a lie with a bit of truth to get the boy off her back about werewolf stuff. "I wasn't bitten like you. The type of lycanthropy I have is genetic and is activated when... The werewolf gene is activated after killing someone. Accidentally or not."

Remus blanched and Hope grimaced. Maybe she should've added that she didn't kill anyone on purpose.

"I activated my 'curse' a couple of years ago when I accidentally turned a machine that was keeping an old lady alive in a hospital," she said and much to her surprise Remus burst out laughing.

"That is the most random way of activating that curse," he said and Hope grinned.

"I'm actually thankful it was like that. Who knows. It's could've been worse and that lady was only given like a few more days left."

After a few more rounds of laughing the two of them calmed down.

"You only talk to me about being a werewolf, did you notice that?" Hope asked suddenly and Remus grimaced as he looked down at his lap.

"I did, yeah. But you're the first one I met and I guess... " He was quiet for a moment before his eyes lit up and he turned to her again, "What's your favorite color?"

"What?" Hope blurted out and he only smirked at her.

"Well, you said I only talk to you about being a werewolf. This is me trying to get to know you as a person and someone's favorite color is a revealing trait of personality."

"Oh is it, Mr. Big Shot?"

"It is," Remus said with a grin, "But if that's too personal for you, I have another question."

"Shoot."

"Are you hurt?"

Hope looked at him with a deadpan face but Remus just kept grinning cheekily at her as if he knew what he was about to say was going to kill her from how cringy what he was about to say was. "Don't—"

"Because you look like you just fell from heaven, angel."

Hope grimaced which only made him burst out laughing and she shook her head. "You're awful Remus. The worst."

"Why thank you, Hope Mikaelson," Remus said, bowing his head as he did a flowery movement with his hand.  "But seriously, what's your favorite color?"

"Not telling," Hope said with a shake of her head and stood up.

"Come on, what is it?"

"If you dance with me maybe I'll tell you."

"Deal."

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