New places (Regulus)
Hidden between old homes a boy laid in a room dreading the next day. He couldn’t shut his eyes without breathing heavier and seeing images of things that had happened which he did not want to see.
This boy was Regulus Arcturus Black he was eleven years old and soon the morning would come and he would leave this house. The house where he was tortured, manipulated and scared.
Though regulus did not see it as that, it was the only home he had ever known. Sure his mother would leave cuts on his chest when he misbehaved, leaving the scars there as a reminder but it was his fault. Or at least that’s what he was told.
His older brother laid in the same home and instead of his stomach being filled with anxiety like his younger brother he was full of excitement. They were two sides of the same coin, mirror images of each other, of course they had grown apart since Sirius had left for Hogwarts.
Regulus was left alone in a house with parents burning with rage while Sirius was at Hogwarts surrounded by his new friends. Regulus got new scars on his chest or sometimes deeper ones on his back while Sirius was in detention.
His mother had been so filled with rage that she had crucioed him, it was only for a second and regulus still did not blame her.
Regulus was forced to listen to his parents rampage over his brother ending up in Gryffindor.
Hours passed and suddenly it was no longer night and was the start of a new day.
Regulus got ready which didn’t take all that long but he had been avoiding going downstairs. Eventually he realized it would be better to go down before his mothers screams shook the house, so he headed downstairs.
His brother was downstairs already sat at the table by himself. Regulus sat down next to him ignoring the food that decorated the table.
Sirius turned his head to look at him before smiling, “are you excited?”
Regulus shook his head before pouring some coffee and taking a sip.
“Well I am, what house do you think you’ll end up in? Hopefully not Slytherin all of the kids there are pricks.”
Regulus shrugged before speaking, “you know what house I have to be in, you need to let it be Sirius.”
Sirius’ face suddenly looked confused and sad, regulus didn’t want to let his emotions control him today so he finished his coffee and went to the library.
Sadly in the library he was met with his mother and Bellatrix.
Bellatrix smiled at him, “come in regulus”
Walburga did not smile, she never smiled. Regulus sat down next to his cousin and listened to them talk. Bellatrix had always been his favorite cousin, sure she was a little bit, well, insane but regulus didn’t mind she was always nice to him.
The only time regulus had seen the cruciatus curse used it had been on bella, she had been freshly eighteen and he had been eight. From what he had understood it was because she did not agree on who she was supposed to marry.
“Regulus.” His mother cold voice had broken through his thoughts and he turned his head towards her. “Bellatrix will be taking you and Sirius to the train, I trust that you will be placed in Slytherin.”
Regulus ignored the threat behind her words and nodded his head, “yes maman.”
Walburga left the room soon after that and Bellatrix stood up. “Alright get the your brother and your bags.”
Soon enough they were at the train while Bellatrix was Apparating away.
“I know what you’re going to say but you have to meet my friends regulus pleasee.” Sirius was practically jumping up and down.
Regulus just nodded which made Sirius’ smile somehow grow.
“Oh there’s Remus c’mon.” Sirius said before basically sprinting over to a tall boy covered in scars.
Regulus followed him dreading every moment of his “hogwarts experience” so far.
“Remus guess who this is.” Sirius said grinning.
Remus’ eyes darted between the two boys with a vague look of confusion on his face before he seemed to have realized something.
“Did you clone yourself Sirius?”
Sirius responded by rolling his eyes and wrapping his arm around remus’ shoulder which he had to stand on his tippy toes to do.
“This is reggiekins reggiekins this is Remus.”
Regulus looked between the two of them he would’ve rather just walked off but instead he sighed. “Nice to meet you, I’m going to go now.”
Sirius suddenly moved closer to him. “Why you haven’t even met James yet.”
“I want to go sit in an empty seat and read a book by myself before I am surrounded by people for the rest of the year, you can introduce me to him later.”
Sirius nodded seeming a little disappointed but he muttered a quick bye before he walked off with Remus.
Regulus found an empty seat by the back of the train and started reading.
Sadly it did not remain empty for long.
Evan and pandora rosier came rushing in seeming out of breath.
He had seen them at a few family gatherings but had only spoke to them once.
Eventually they realized he was there, Evan looked at him and immediately burst out laughing while pandora was looking at him curiously.
In between laughs Evan started talking “sorry, sorry it’s just you’re looking at us like we killed your cat.”
“I wouldn’t be looking at you at all if you had sat anywhere else.” Regulus said coldly before getting up but was met with pandora tugging on his sleeve, “there aren’t anymore free seats.”
After he sat back down he did his best to ignore them but they kept on whispering between themselves- not very quietly either.
A few minutes later the train started to move and a boy opened the door, he had dark brown hair and a few freckles.
And much to regulus’ distaste he sat down right next to him. “What are You Doing Reading a Book?” The boy said looking appalled.
He was met with a glare which made Evan start laughing again.
“God you have to stop looking so offended when people say one word to you or I’m going to die.”
The boy looked regulus up and down before putting his hand in front of him, “barty, and you are?”
Regulus stared at him blankly, “regulus.”
Pandora smirked before speaking, “Regulus Black.”
Barty suddenly looked overjoyed about something, “my father hates your family.”
Regulus sighed, “And who is your father.”
“Bartemius crouch sr.”
This made regulus raise his eyes rows a little bit. “My family hates your father.”
He said before turning back to his book.
A few minutes went by before barty grabbed his book and tossed it to Evan.
“I’m bored and let’s all be honest your family is probably the most interesting out of all of ours so you’re going to talk or I’ll destroy your book.”
Regulus stared at him blankly before lifting up his wand and muttering something. his book flew into his hand and he opened it back up trying to find the page he was on.
The train ride was passing slowly, eventually regulus finished his book and had nothing to do so he passed time staring out the window. He had tuned out the others voices eventually.
All of a sudden the compartments door was slid open causing regulus to turn his head.
His brother was staring at him, he looked at the other people with a confused look before he seemed to realize something. “C’mon James wants to meet you.” Said Sirius with a grin like he was saving regulus.
Regulus sighed and followed Sirius. He could feel the anxiety eating at him, he started picking on the skin around his nails. They got to his compartment soon and Sirius grin somehow grew.
“James this is Reg” he said without missing a beat. James who seemed to be in a heated conversation with a boy who had straw hair and looked quiet, turned around so fast his glasses started slipping off his face.
“Hi! Sirius has told me so much about you” regulus has never wanted to fall into a hole more than he did in this moment.
Twenty minutes later they had roped him into a game of wizards chess with everyone except Sirius playing because he wanted to comment on it.
Basically there were 2 players on each team and they’d take turns moving a piece. Regulus was playing with Remus who seemed to be pretty good at the game. A couple minutes later it was regulus’ turn and after staring at the board he realized he just needed to move his queen to the left a couple of places to win.
As the words checkmate left his mouth Peter looked confused, he turned to sirius who looked between him and Peter before he realized. “Oh peters never lost before” regulus turned back and muttered a quick apology but Peter didn’t seem upset anymore.
“It’s fine James’ fault honestly leaving my king unprotected.” Said Peter with a shrug.
James rolled his eyes letting out a small laugh, “I never said I was good.”
Soon enough he was inside hogwarts staring at all the bright colors and old paintings. It was so different from his house that he was shocked.
For some reason he was near the kids who had sat next to him on the train, the boy, barty was laughing about something pandora had said.
Then he heard his name. Pushing down all the feelings of guilt and anxiety he had he walked up and took his seat.
“Regulus black, hmm yes you could do well in ravenclaw perhaps?”
“No it has to be slytherin”
“Yes I see, remember your house does not define you no matter what your family may think. Well it’s going to be.”
“SLYTHERIN.” The hat called out regulus looked over at Sirius mouthing the words sorry as he walked over to the Slytherin table.