The little incident with Sirius spread fast, rumors of her little date with Sirius got more and more out of line. What was once told as an innocent gesture turned into a secret rendezvous between two secret lovers. Katarina almost tore her hair off when she heard the ludicrous lies that were spread.
"Are you not the least bit concerned?" Katarina paced before the boys, "my whole reputation is at stake here!"
"I'm used to it, there's always gossip going around about me," Sirius yawned as he placed his feet onto the coffee table while leaning back on the red couch.
"Well, I'm not okay with this, that last thing I need is more attraction to me. I've interacted with enough people already, I don't need the whole school to know of my existence."
"Why? Are you trying to hide from people?" Remus perked up at the odd response.
"What I meant was, I don't want to be the center of any gossip. Expecially not entangling Sirius," Katarina tried to cover up her habit of speaking out her thoughts.
"What do you mean especially not with me?" Sirius took the statement as an insult.
"I'm not saying your unpleasant, it's just your fangirls aren't exactly excited to hear the rumors."
"I still don't see the problem you have with my fanclub."
Katarina let out a frustrated groan, looking towards Remus to help explain.
"Well, your fanclub isn't exactly nice to any girls that goes close to you," Remus tried to explain.
"Didn't we go over how they forced one of your previous girlfriends to break up with you?" James jumped into the conversation.
"I need advice people, how am I supposed to evade your fanclub's wrath?" Katarina's breathing got heavier as the anxiety was taking over.
"Why don't try sticking to one of us at all times, that way you're never alone with the fanclub behind the corner," James suggested.
"Great idea James except I don't have arthmancy with you guys."
The five students sat in silence as Katarina envisioned her forecoming doom.
"ARRGH! I'm going to die aren't I?" Katarina covered her face with her palm in despair.
"As much as I would like to disagree, yes, you're going to be ripped to shrewds by those girls," Remus said, Katarina shot him a look.
"Real helpful Remus,"
"I still fail to see how this is a big deal," Sirius shrugged it off while Katarina's eyes twitched in anger.
"You're not the one who's going to get demolished by those girls, who knows what they're going to do to me," She shiverred.
"You'll be fine, besides, if they end up hurting a single hair on your head I'll tell them off," Sirius reassured as he patted Katarina on the head lightly.
"I'm starting to see why those rumors started in the first place," James spoke up.
"Are you looking to get a beating James? Cause I won't hold back," Katarina smiled menacingly.
"Wait no— Remus save me!" James ran behind the couch as he hovered behind Remus's shoulder.
--
The first few classes of the day went by with little to no stress as all the girls kept their distance while she hung near a marauder. It was only in the afternoon, her fifth period did the girls approach her in the halls. She had arithmancy and it seemed like the girls had figured out the four wizards wouldn't be keeping her company.
"Hey you!" A Hufflepuff called out. Katarina didn't stop walking, hoping to her to her class as soon as possible before the girls could lay their hands on her.
"Don't ignore me!" She called out sounding agitated. Another Gryffindor girl walked inforont of Katarina, blocking her path.
"We've got a bone to pick with you," A Ravenclaw girl stepped beside the Gryffindor as the Hufflepuff soon joined.
"I think you have me mistaken for someone else," Katarina tried to get passed the girls but, the Hufflepuff stuck out her arm.
"You're that new student right? The one that hangs with the Marauders as of recent. I don't think we've mistaken you for anyone," She responded.
"And... What business do you have with me?" Katarina fidgeted with her robes hoping they wouldn't beat her up. She squeezed her eyes shut awaiting the blow they might inflict on her.
"What are you doing?" The Gryffindor looked the closed eye girl.
"You guys aren't going to hit me?" Katarina slowly opened her eyes.
"Gods no, why would you hit you?" The Ravenclaw girl disputed immediately, she seemed quite upset at the assumption Katarina had made.
"We might be fangirls but, we're not crazy obsessed that we would hurt innocent students." The Hufflepuff explained.
"Then, why are you confronting me for?"
"We just wanted to confirm the gossip about you and Sirius, you know about you guys dating," The Gryffindor girl looked at Katarina awaiting a response.
"Uh— No, me and Sirius don't have that kind of relationship. It's strictly a friendship for me," Katarina scratched her head, avoiding their gaze. She was a bit embarrassed at her actions previously.
"That's good to hear but, I'm warning you, don't catch any feelings for him. Sirius belongs to all of us and not a single person, we might be understanding this time but, the other girls might go ballistic if they hear you and Sirius are going steady," the Hufflepuff girl warned and soon backed off along with the two witches to their class.
Katarina stood in her spot dumbfounded, she hadn't realised all the students running until a Slytherin had bumped into her.
"Sorry," Katarina knocked the boy down. She stretched her hands and helped the boy up, he patted the dirt off his kegs before looking at Katarina with a smile. It was rather unexpected, she thought the Slytherin boy would yell at her.
"It's alright, you should probably hurry, class is about to start," he smiled softly at Katarina before running off.
For a second Katarina could swear she thought she saw Sirius's face on the boy. She shook her head of the thought, she couldn't be possibly thinking of Sirius so much that other people are appearing as him could she? Katarina inwardly screamed as she ran off to her class. This was going to be a long year.
[unedited]