𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 [regulus black]

The next morning, Vivien, Ava, and Ella went to have breakfast in the Great Hall. Scarlett joined them later, after talking to Marlene McKinnon, who was a year above them, along with her elder sister Lily.

Scarlett arrived shortly after they started eating.

“Have you heard? ” Scarlett asked as she spread butter on her toast. “Sirius Black got disowned."

“What?” Ava exclaimed. “Why?”

“He annoyed his mother too much, and she blew him right off the family tree.”

“That’s rough,” Vivien said.

“I know right!”

“Isn’t that a bit harsh, though? ” Ella asked.

“Yeah, according to Marlene, his mother had been threatening to disown him since he got sorted into Gryffindor,” Scarlett replied.

“So, where is he going to live now?” Ava asked.

"He's been living with James Potter, since summer. The Potters took him in.”

“At least he has somewhere to go. That’s good," Vivien said.

“Yeah.”

After finishing breakfast, the four of them got their class schedules from Professor McGonagall and headed to their classes. They had Herbology first, which they had with the Hufflepuffs.

Professor Sprout first gave them a long speech about how they had NEWTs next year and that they had to study hard even this year as next years syllabus will be ralated to it. Then, once she finished, they learned about the Fanged Geranium, which was a dangerous plant.

The next class was Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. Where they heard a similar speech about the next years NEWTs from McGonagall.

“I suppose all the teachers are going to give us this speech,” Ava groaned as they headed to Potions with the Slytherins. “It’s as if they think we don’t know that we have NEWTs next year.”

“I know right?" Vivien replied. “But this year is going to be harder than usual. So, you have to study this time.” She glanced at Ava disapprovingly.

“Yes, yes, of course. I am going to. I need O’s in at least five subjects. Or four. With your help, of course.” She grinned.

Vivien chuckled. “Of course.”

Vivien had always been great at studies and had got almost all O’s last year. The only subject she had to worry about was Astronomy. What she thought would be interesting had instead frustrated her. She was still unable to name a star. She was familiar with all the names but couldn't match them correctly. She had decent skills in Potions, with potential to achieve an O with more effort. And the other subjects she was great at, even History of Magic even though the professor was so boring.

She and Ava entered the Potions classroom and sat down as Slughorn entered.

“Good Morning students!” He boomed in his cheery voice. “Today we shall be learning about the Strengthening Solution. But, before that, I am assigning you assignments for this year. It will constitute 20% of your final grade. And as you all know, you have OWLs this year, which makes this assignment even more important.”

“It is to be done in pairs,” he continued. “However,” he said as everyone glanced at their friends, “I will be assigning pairs. Also, these will be your partners in class as well, for the rest of the year.”

There was a collective groan as Slughorn announced that, which he pointedly ignored.

“Anyway, please move to sit with your respective partners.” He said and started calling out the pairs.

“I hope he has the common sense not to pair us with Slytherins,” Ella muttered.

“Apparently not,” Scarlett groaned as Slughorn called out her name.

“Scarlett Ambrose and Barty Crouch Jr.” Then -

"Ella Morris and Cynthia Greengrass. Ted Martin and Rosie Parkinson. Vivien Evans and Regulus Black. Ava Knight and Wesley Torres....”

Ava grinned, and Vivien groaned, hearing their partners’ names. Out of all the Slytherins, why did she have to get stuck with Regulus Black?!

“You’re lucky,” Ella said, turning toward Ava. “At least you got someone from Gryffindor.”

“Yeah, the three of us are stuck with Slytherins,” Scarlett complained. “Is Slughorn out of his mind?”

She glanced at Black, and he stared back at her as if waiting for her to come. Of course, being the annoying git he was, he wouldn’t move. She picked up her bag and went to his bench to sit beside him, as her friends went to sit with their respective partners. She kept her bag down and turned to glare at Black who was staring back at her with detest.

“Very well,” Slughorn said, “now that everyone has settled down. Let me tell you about the topic for the assignment. You have to do and prepare a research file on the Polyjuice Potion. It should be detailed with an extremely accurate procedure. If you want, you may even prepare it for extra credit. And you can get all the ingredients from me. This has to be submitted before your finals. I am giving you more than enough time, as you also have to prepare for exams. And, I have already told Madame Pince to let you all get books related to this potion.”

“This project is in pairs, as I mentioned earlier. Which you will be doing with the person currently sitting beside you. There should be a combined effort. Very well, now we will continue with the lesson.”

Slughorn then began droning on about the Strengthening Solution, which they would be preparing in the next lecture.

Then once the lecture ended, Vivien turned to look at Black. “Well? What are we going to do?”

“We will also be preparing the potion, of course,” he said in an obvious tone.

“Of course,” she agreed. “But where?”

"That I’m not sure about. What about an empty classroom?”

“Yeah, right,” she scoffed. "Sometime or another, classes will take place there. And this potion is going to take months.”

“Well, do you have any other ideas?” He snapped.

“What about the second-floor girl’s bathroom? Since it is haunted, the second-floor girl's bathroom is always empty.

Black paused for a moment, then begrudgingly said, “I suppose that’s fine.”

“Alright then. We will first find the information this week, and start with the potion next week.”

“Meet me in the library today after dinner.” He said, then picked up his bag and stalked out of the classroom.

Vivien glared at his fading back and scoffed. Of course Regulus Black left abruptly, seeing as he had no manners. She couldn’t believe they had even talked civilly for a minute. But now she would have to spend her evenings with him annoying her, she sighed, because of the project.

A/N : I hope all are enjoying this story! Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions or thoughts. If you enjoy it,  please like, comment, and add to your library. It will mean a lot to me!

-- V.