Classes and tea
The first week of class was fine. Regulus had mostly just tagged along with Evan and Barty sense he was the quiet one in their group. Sometimes Pandora and Emmeline would join in. Regulus didn’t mind Pandora, and he tried his best to ignore Emmeline, he didn’t want anyone seeing him with her sort. He’d also gotten a letter from Hagrid asking him to come for tea. He’d accept and was now on his way down to his hut.
-
Regulus knocked on the wooden door and a few moments later the door opened and Hagrids massive frame stood in the doorway.
“Hi” Regulus said with a slightly akward smile.
“Oh hello kid! Come inside tea’s almost ready!” Hagrid said and Regulus walked inside sitting down on one of the chairs, they were very big, so big in fact that Regulus’ legs didn’t even reach the ground. Hagrid set 2 cups down on the table along with a kettle.
“You live here? All alone?” Regulus said looking around the small hut. It was cozy, the walls were brick but covered in pictures and posters of different magical creatures.
“Yeah, I really should get a dog tho” he said sitting down at the table.
“Yeah” Regulus wasn’t really listening. He was instead focused on a poster on the wall its title read ‘stop house elf slavery!’ With a picture of a house elf on it.
“Ah, good picture that is it. Are you interested in the right of the house elf Regulus?” Hagrid asked looking over the picture.
“I don’t know, I mean my family has one, and he doesn’t seem to sad about being a servant. Well my parent don’t treat him the best so maybe he’s just to afraid to say something” He answered turning back to Hagrid.
“Well how about next time you go home you ask him if he’s happy?” He suggested taking a sip of his coffee.
“Yeah I’ll do that” Regulus looked down at his cup.
“So a few days ago I was up in the castle for a meeting with Dumbledoor and I passed the courtyard and I couldn’t help but notice you there with your friends” Hagrid said changing the subject.
“What Barty and Evan?”
“There was 2 girls to, both Ravenclaw I think”
“Oh Pandora and Emmeline? Pandora’s fine, can’t stand Vance tho” Regulus said looking out the window.
“Why? What has she done to you?” Hagrid looked a bit concerned.
“Well you know, she’s…”He hoped he’d get the hint.
“What? She’s what?”
“You know, muggle born” Regulus answered his voice a bit quiet as if it was taboo to say.
“So what? What’s that got to do with her as person?” Hagrid said leaning back in his chair. That made Regulus think, what was actually wrong with Emmeline? She had been nothing but nice to him, and he’d hate to admit it but she was damn good at transfiguration.
“I don’t know, I just thought… well my dad said…” he tried to come up with an excuse but he actually had no valid reason.
“How about this, next time you see her just forget who her parents are!” Hagrid suggested. Regulus thought for a moment before nodding.
“Alright”
-
The opportunity came sooner that expected, it was actually that very same day in their Herbology class.
“Alright Children we will be practicing how to stop devils snare today, and to do so you will practice casting Incendio in groups of 2 or 3” Professor Sprout said and started paring them up. And by some dumb luck he ended up with Emmeline.
“Hi Regulus!” She said with her chipper smile. He wanted to say something snarky, but remember what Hagrid said.
“Hi Emmeline” he said forcing a smile.
“So read this chapter on the train, and I think I know the basics! How about you?” She said setting her Herbology book down on the desk.
“Uhm yeah I already know the spell” he said scratching the back of his head.
“You do!? That amazing! Can you teach me?” She seemed genuinely impressed, not jealous or angry.
“Yeah, so basically…”
The lesson continued and he found himself growing to like Emmeline quite a bit. She was nice, genuinely and actually very talented. They had learned the spell the quickest in the class which had earned them both 5 points each along with getting to leave early.
They were walking down the hallway after class when Emmeline stopped and looked at him.
“Why are you being nice to me?”
“What?”
“This morning you were ignoring me and suddenly you’re acting like my friend!”
Regulus felt a bit embarrassed.
“Well, my dad taught me that witches and wizards like you…. Muggle borns were not as good as the others.” He looked down at the floor.
“But?” Emmeline urged him to continue.
“I spoke to someone and he told me to give you a try atleast! So I did and you were really nice and sweet! So I’m sorry” he looked up at her.
“It’s okay! I’m happy you think I’m nice tho!” She smiled and started walking again Regulus quickly joined her again. He smiled at her as they walked and she smiled back.
-
A few minutes later when Emmeline had gone off to her common room and Regulus had continued on to his own he heard a voice call out to him.
“Oi! Reg! Wait up!” His brothers voice called out. Regulus stopped and turned around to see Sirius running up to him, he could also see potter a few meters behind him.
“Sirius, what do you want?” He crossed his arms.
“Can I get I hi first?” He smiled catching his breath.
“Hi” Regulus couldn’t help but smile at his brother.
“Hello” Sirius smiled back at him.
“So, you need anything?” He asked again letting his arms fall to his side.
“Uhm yeah just wanted to say, I’m proud of you, for making Slytherin and you seem to have found some friends!” A lump formed in his throat, the same way it did anyone mentioned him ‘making Slytherin’ because he didn’t really, he more or less chose Slytherin.
“Pfft, not like it was hard” God why did he say that? Why’d he always have to be so mean when he was nervous.
“Excuse me?” Sirius looked offended, not surprising.
“You heard me”why was he acting like this?
“Really? I come here to congratulate you and you act like this, fucking asshole” Sirius took a step back.
“You’re just jealous because Mum and dad are actually proud of me” Shut up Regulus.
“Oh alright fuck you” Sirius took a step forward again and slapped him hard, he definitely deserved it. But Regulus wasn’t about to let him win. He reached for his wand and pointed it toward him.
“Flipendo!” Regulus chanted and a string of red light shot at Sirius from his wand. He fell to the ground. Sirius was quick tho, he alreqdy had his wand I hand as a distressed James came running up to him.
“Expelliamus!” Sirius spat and pushed James away as he dropped his wand.
“Do any of you care to explain what is going on here!?” Mcgonagall’s strict voice shouted and Regulus turned around. Fuck. Regulus stared at her in horror.
“Professor it’s not what it looks like!” Sirius said quickly getting to his feet.
“Well it looks like you 3 were duelling in the hallways!”
“Please James didn’t eve-“ Sirius looked more annoyed now. Regulus stayed quiet and stared at the floor.
“Save it black, 10 points from all of you plus detention tomorrow night!” Regulus just nodded.
“Now hurry away I’m sure you’ve got classes to attend” Regulus walked away as quick he could without sprinting. Why did he have to be such an asshole.