And so we begin
The common room is a dark and foreboding place at the best of times. However, the Slytherin common room had a special air that was hard to explain. It reached deep into his soul, making it hard not to come undone under the watchful eye of their founder's portrait.
Salazar Slytherin was a man best known for his hate, but not much was known about his love, not his love for the children he taught, not his love for the friends he founded this school with, not even his love for his own children, born of his blood. And yet it seemed the children of Slytherin house knew it so easily, so well in fact they often avoided the portrait for this reason.
Regulus Black knew he shouldn't have sat out in the common room tonight, the rich green velvet couch, coupled with the warm quilted blankets, left by students long since graduated, made it feel so sickly sweet. So much so one might forget all the horrors of being in this house, the way people looked at them in the halls, the glares and scowls they got just for existing, the high expectations, the need to walk in groups, the way Slughorn carelessly tossed aside all the renovations needed to upkeep a damp basement dormitory. In truth, there was black mold growing, rats that scurried along the stone floors, and an endless supply of sick first years from the draft that came in through the winter season.
Regardless, they all had pride. Too much pride to go to McGonagall, who would do nothing anyway, or to Dumbledore, who may do something, but it was embarrassing to ask, to have to.
Regulus sat on the couch, a book on his lap that was, yes open, but he hadn't read a word of it. Something to do with Herbology he was sure but his mind had escaped him almost an hour ago and he was stuck.
Stuck on none other than Sirius Orion Black. He'd been thinking about his brother more lately, the winter hols did that to him. When he was alone in that house, his only company being his parents he got to thinking about his older brother often. he missed him of course but how could he bring that into words? His brother left because he chose to, nothing Regulus could do would change that. No crying, screaming, or need would bring him home, so he'd waste no more tears on it, admitting he had in the first place was embarrassing enough.
A voice cracked open the solemn mood. "are you just going to sit there all bloody night? Merlins shaggy-Reg? Hello?" Evan Rosier. Of course, his best friend, Regulus broke his gaze from the portrait and traded it for Evan's face. A downgrade if you asked him.
"What?"
"Are you just going to sit there staring at that dusty portrait all night? Barty, Caius, and I have booze and we figured you might need a good drink. Care to join us?" A party? Really? The night before a transfiguration exam? He expected nothing less.
"Maybe...where did you even get alcohol? Slughorn has us pretty much on lockdown after the last party" In truth it had just been the 6th and 7th years throwing an absolute rager after winning the quittage cup last month...but Slughorn had to do something seeing as two students were found on the astronomy tower attempting to fly without brooms and another three were caught snogging...shagging... something in the middle of the common room floor. Regulus had gotten pretty drunk that night as well, but that was nothing he deemed as noteworthy.
"Well...Mongrove had a friend in Hogsmeade who gets her stuff-and I still have a top-of-the-line stash! Just one drink Reg c'mon!" Typical, leave it to Evan to always find a way.
Despite desperately wanting to escape his thoughts in favor of a bottle, he shook his head. "Not tonight, we have an exam tomorrow, and if I know you, it's never just one drink. "
"Okay okay...if you say so, but you're welcome to join us...are you...sleeping down here tonight? Again?"
Regulus nodded, placing his book on the floor to yank a quilt he was fond of on top of himself. Evan continued, moving ever so slightly forward, a subconscious thing really. "If it's those dreams...you're always welcome in my bed if you need it"
The younger of the two shrugged, eyes locked on the portrait again. "no. It's not the dreams, those I've figured out. Im just...in my own head I think. I just want to be alone tonight."
Evan nodded, hand running through his sandy hair. Regulus was a year younger and yet a mystery to him. Despite being so close Regulus felt a million miles away at times, lost in his own world. Sometimes Evan wondered if hed ever truly get lost in his own head, the vastness maybe confusing him and turning him around so far hed never actually come back.
He hated thinking about that, his dearest friend ending up a shell of the brilliance he was now. "alright...if you sure..."
The footsteps faded hesitantly, and before long the common room was silent once again, save for the sound of the crackling green fire Regulus liked so much.
He slinked down off the couch, bringing his quilt down with him as he sat against the leg of the furniture. The fire was warm, but small at this hour. Rumor has it the fire itself hadn't stopped burning since Salazar lit it himself the first evening of Hogwarts' opening. Regulus believed it, the green flames felt ancient and almost sentient in a way, flickering with life the more students passed by it in a day, besides, in his 5 years being here hed never seen the flame go out.
He curled in on himself soaking up the fleeting warmth. He couldn't shake the feeling in his gut, he wanted Sirius, he needed him, but Merlin forgive him if he ever actually said such a childish thing outside of his own head. Instead, he allowed the emotions to overtake his body, heat pooling in his eyes as the tears dripped down his cheeks. Why? Why did he always end up like this? Crying about Sirius? Alone. He hadn't cared to stay, he didn't care even after he'd left, so why was he sitting here wallowing when he could be drinking up a storm and forgetting his brother's name?
The footsteps behind him hadn't concerned him until he heard the somewhat familiar voice.
"Black? Awfully late to be up in the common room isn't it?"
Severus Snape, a boy in his brother's year. Of course...this night couldn't get much worse, could it?
His black hair lay just at his shoulder, his robes ruffled at the sleeves but otherwise neat, eyes a solid dark grey stromy in temperament which matches his usual mood. Severus Snape was by far the most promising potions student of their generation, and a half-blood at that. Two years ahead of Regulus, so what exactly did he want with him?
"Snape..to what do i owe the pleasure?"