Chapter 2
Time caught Regulus staring at the tracks.
The liveliness of platform nine and three-quarters couldn’t reach him as he stared down at the rusted train tracks. The screams and cries of students saying goodbyes to their families and reuniting with friends after a long summer.
The summer had been tolerable, the dullness of Grimmauld place had almost made him miss the chaos of Hogwarts.
His mother had left him alone, but it didn’t change the fact that he was still caged up there, left to his own devices and praying that he’d survive long enough to see the walls of Hogwarts again.
He missed late night strolls through the castle by himself, the rainy evenings curled up in the library with a book, he missed the company of his friends, despite how loud they were at times.
The chaos and energy of the dorm nearly made up for the lack of joy he had experienced.
He might never admit it to himself, but even after all this -the pain, the torment, the requited hatred- the chaos of his life was all to make up for the lack of Sirius.
As his conscience drifted away from him, he began to wonder what the new school year would mean for them. He would be turning 16, he tried not to celebrate his own birthday, it had always felt trivial. He hated the decorations and the singing, to celebrate yourself with cake and balloons was conceited.
Besides, every birthday celebration meant he was one year older, slowly approaching the day when he would—
“REGULUS”
He came back to reality, suddenly overwhelmed by the noise and brightness of the platform. He turned his head to see who had yelled his name and saw Dorcas running towards him, ignoring her mother who was yelling something at her.
“Regulus!” As she got closer he could see the smile blooming on her face.
She enveloped him in an extremely tight hug as he awkwardly stood there, waiting for it to be over.
She was beaming, looking delighted to see him again. Before he could say hello she had already begun talking.
She recapped the events of her summer to him, which seemed far more exciting than anything he had done, as Regulus grabbed her baggage.
He wasn’t the strongest, but quidditch had helped him gain enough weight that carrying all their bags didn’t tire him out. At the very least he wasn't malnourished.
Dorcas called out a final goodbye to her mother as they boarded. They walked through the carriages until they found an empty compartment, passing some first years who appeared to be playing a very competitive game of Exploding Snap.
“So,” she continued as she sat down,”I got an O in Divination thanks to Pandora, and when I told my mother, she was all, ‘Don’t you lie to me Dorcas Rue Meadowes.’ But I still did the work so it’s not fair.”
As she continued talking, Regulus leaned his head on the cold glass, closing his eyes. He let all the fears of Grimmauld Place off his shoulders, feeling lighter now that he was back. He could never fully let down his guards, but he was safer now, and could relax a bit.
“Regulus, you good? You’re brooding.” She said it playfully, but he caught the flash of concern in her eyes.
“Of course, I’m just tired.” He could hear the forcefulness in his own voice.
She nodded, understanding what his tone meant. “Where are Evan and Panda?”
He glanced down at the station through the window, from here, it just looked like a sea of people.
“Over there!” Dorcas pointed to a spot in the crowd. Regulus observed that she had gotten her nails done, and made a mental note to bring it up when the conversation got dull.
Regulus looked where she was pointing, spotting two blond heads poking out of the crowd, moving between people frantically.
Dorcas leaned over his shoulder, watching as they made a mad dash towards the Hogwarts Express. The train began to move forwards as the twins quickly kissed their mother and climbed aboard.
Evan swung the door open, Pandora right behind him. They dropped their luggage on the rack and flopped down on the seats beside him.
Evan grinned up at him. “Hey Reg.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“We’ve been back for 2 minutes and you’re already grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy.”
“Good to know you haven’t changed. Still our itty-bitty Reggie.”
He scowled. Evan just leaned back and smirked as the train began to roll out of the station.
Pandora slid over to sit next to him, fiddling with her bracelets.
She looked up at him, her eyes twinkling. “How was your summer Reg? Uneventful as usual I assume”
“Actually, I read a very interesting book on the ways in which fascism has been used in the American government—”
Pandora cut him off with a loud groan. “Please, I beg of you, speak no more of these big words to me, my mind cannot take it any longer.”
Regulus smirked at her dramatics. He had grown fond of her strangeness, though it took him some time.
The door slid open as the trolley came by, the trolley woman smiling brightly at them. Regulus thought he ought to have learned her name by now.
“Anything from the trolley dears?”
Dorcas reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of galleons, ordering several handfuls of Fudge Flies, a couple of Cauldron cakes, two packs of Bertie Botts every flavour beans, and four chocolate frogs for each of them to share.
She began to pass a frog to each of them when the compartment door suddenly slammed open a second time, revealing Barty Crouch Jr. standing in the doorway, hair a mess, clothes disarranged, with a shit eating grin plastered across his face.
“Are those chocolate frogs?” He reached out to grab one but Dorcas slapped his hand away. He pulled it back quickly, still grinning.
“Sorry Crouch. You snooze, you lose. Should’ve gotten here sooner if you wanted one.”
“C’mon Meadowes, you know you love me.”
“Nope.”
“Evan? Pandora?”
“Sorry mate.”
“I’m really hungry, sorry.”
“Wow, betrayed by my own friends.” Barty sighed, “Unless…”
“Absolutely not.” Regulus looked at him sternly. Suddenly switching into a pouty face, he said in his most helpless voice “I haven’t eaten in days, you wouldn’t take it from me now would you? Go ahead, I suppose I deserve it.”
“Oh, to Merlin’s bedroom with all of you.”
Barty flopped down beside Pandora, reaching out to comb through her hair. She sat patiently, leaning into his touch.
Some people found it odd the way they each interacted with one another, giving each other space while at the same time staying so close that some might think they were tied together with a permanent sticking spell.
The truth was it had taken time to build up these relationships, they found some parts of themselves in each other and were inseparable. Regulus hated exaggerating his relationships with people, regarding them as no more than a mere acquaintance, but these people were his friends. They had earned that title.
Being his friend did not come easy, but they tolerated it anyways, he didn’t know why anyone would care enough to try and get close to him. He was cold and abhorred by everyone he had ever loved.
They kept his life balanced, keeping him grounded at all times.
His life as a Black was hard, he had to stay perfect and poised at all times, never allowing himself to fail. That was all there was to him really, never much more than what he was meant to be, what had been molded into since birth.
He couldn't allow himself to fall out of line this year. At the moment, he planned to get good enough grades to avoid (more) Howlers from his mother, and not attract the attention of anyone too awful.
After all, he couldn't get in trouble if he stayed unnoticed.