Chapter 7
“Regulus! Parchment for you!”
Barty’s voice echoed through the practically empty common room as he descended the stairs from their room, letter in hand.
Regulus and Evan were sitting on the velvet chairs in the middle of the room, the fire roaring and illuminating the dark space. A chess board sat in between them, and Evan was close to putting Regulus in checkmate. Though, to be fair, the latter’s mind was elsewhere.
“Regulus?” Barty’s voice cut through his friend’s thoughts as he plopped down onto the couch across from them and threw the letter on the coffee table. “Did you hear me?”
Regulus looked up from the chess board and gave his friend a small smile. “Yeah, thanks”.
He reached over and grabbed the parchment, the familiar writing satisfying his curiosity. Slughorn had mentioned the Slug Club a couple weeks ago, it was only natural that his letter of invitation arrives right on schedule.
“What’s it say?” Evan asked, not looking up from the chess board. He was meticulously planning his next move, though it didn’t matter. Regulus wasn’t feeling competitive.
“Slug Club invitation,” Regulus responded, opening the envelope and confirming his suspicions.
Professor Slughorn would like to cordially invite you to the Slug Club of the 1977-1978 school year. This is an incredible honor…
Regulus closed the letter and shoved it into his pocket. The material was more or less the same as last year. He’d read about the specifics of the first meeting later.
“You don’t say!” Barty leaned forward, a smile curving his lips in an almost cynical way. Regulus blinked, leaning back slowly into the couch.
“I do…” he started, slowly. He heard Evan chuckle beside him as he slowly moved a rook a few spaces forward.
Barty slapped his hands down on his legs and laughed, his eyes sparkling. “Well, isn’t that a coincidence, eh Evan?”
Regulus turned to face the blonde boy, who was now watching Barty with a grin. “It certainly is, Barty.”
“Alright, what’s going on?” Regulus’ gaze rapidly shifted between both of his friends.
Barty and Evan exchanged a glance and smile before Barty stood, reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out a letter identical to Regulus’. He set it aggressively on the table.
“Guess who’ll be joining you this year, Reggie!”
Regulus’ eyes widened as Evan pulled out the same letter and laid it on the table beside Barty’s.
“You’re kidding…” Regulus started, examining both pieces of parchment. Neither Evan nor Barty had been invited to the Slug Club last year and hadn’t shown any interest in trying to get in since their denial.
“Read it and weep, Regulus. You’re not the only smart-arse around here.” Barty sat back down and crossed his arms, triumphantly.
“How did you get in?” Regulus marveled, turning towards Evan, who just grinned and shrugged in response.
“Guess old Sluggy changed his mind about us. It’s your turn, by the way.”
Regulus quickly examined the board and moved his pawn forward, completely aware that his piece was about to be stolen. And by the way Evan’s face lit up, he knew his friend realized too.
“No, but really. Slughorn couldn’t stand you two…especially after your potion-“
“-exploded in Lily Evans’ face, yes, Regulus, I’m well aware.” Barty finished Regulus’ sentence and took back his letter from the table. “Suppose time was all the old man needed to realize what talents he had right in front of his face.”
“Checkmate,” Evan stated, knocking Regulus’ piece off the board. He swung his legs over the arm of the couch and laid his head down, looking up at Regulus. “I don’t know how we got in either.”
Barty scoffed in mock offense and Regulus found himself laugh. “So, you’ll both be there?”
“September 30th,” Barty answered, his smile returning as he reread the letter. “Guess that’s how I’ll be spending my Friday night…”
Evan chuckled and folded his hands across his chest. “So, we’ll all be there. Including…”
He didn’t even need to finish his statement before Crouch groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
Regulus swallowed at the realization. Yes, Dorcas was a member of the Slug Club, and had been since last year. She, Regulus, and Pandora were some of the only 5th year students invited and she’d been thrilled. No way she wouldn’t be in attendance.
“She won’t talk to us.” Regulus was stating the obvious, but the topic of Dorcas still brought about a sense of unease into the air.
“Yeah, unless McKinnon is there,” Barty emphasized her name, his voice so thick with disgust that Evan snorted.
“Right…” Regulus agreed, though his mind was entirely elsewhere.
The group had entirely ostracized Dorcas after her involvement with Marlene McKinnon became public. For no other reason other than she was a Gryffindor. And involved with quite an annoying crowd, quite frankly.
Regulus clenched his jaw. Why was his mind traveling to James right now? Their little note-passing game was nothing more than a way to pass the time. And they weren’t even friends…
No, everything that happened with Dorcas was totally different. And even if he and James started-
“Reg? Hellooo?”
Again, Barty’s voice brought Regulus back to reality. Both he and Evan were watching him, their faces unreadable.
“Sorry, what?” Regulus exhaled slowly, willing the tension to leave his shoulders.
“I asked if McKinnon is a part of the Slug Club,” Barty said, his eyebrows raised in a way that Regulus recognized as his sign of annoyance.
“No, not that I remember,” he responded, and internally decided he should call it a night.
He wished Evan and Barty a good night as he stood and exited towards the dorms, shoving his hands in his sweatshirt pockets.