A New Year
Regulus Arcturus Black was fighting the urge to scowl at every person that walked by. It was the 1st of September 1975 and he was surrounded by groups of families and friends who were all hugging each other and exchanging words of love. Regulus grimaced. Love is weak, his mother said to him a few weeks ago. Love makes one vulnerable.
But even as Regulus muttered words of disgust under his breath, a part of him wished he could one day feel loved. Regulus then caught sight of a couple who were holding hands and laughing together. The Slytherin boy’s heart nearly stopped when he saw that the couple was actually two boys. Envy crept into Regulus’ heart and stabbed his heart repeatedly. He wondered how the two boys could show affection to each other so openly and without fear of discrimination. Once again, Regulus was reminded that he could never experience love like the two boys had.
After all he was cursed. Cursed to remain single forever.
No one liked him. The girls that giggled and twirled their hair at him does not count.
And he liked no one. His little crush on a particular Gryfinndor boy by the name of James Potter does not count either.
“Are you alright, Reg?” Dorcas Meadows, Regulus’ best friend. Though he never admitted it aloud. As usual her long braided hair was cascading down her slender shoulders and her wrists were decorated with bracelets that matched the silver necklace around her neck. Evan Rosier, Regulus’ best friend as well, had given Dorcas the necklace as a birthday gift the year before. And ever since then, Dorcas had worn it everywhere.
“Reg? Did you hear me?” Dorcas asked, cocking her head to one side.
“I’m fine, Dorcas,” Regulus replied. The truth was that he was not. Especially since his brother and his three best friends were laughing several feet away from them. However, Regulus kept his composure and did not twitch when his eyes subconsciously flickered to Sirius. But the 14 year old Slytherin failed to stop the butterflies in his stomach from fluttering when he laid eyes on James Potter. Regulus desperately wanted to kill those butterflies but at the same time, he wanted to ran his hand through Potter’s lovely hair.
Regulus clenched his fist as he pushed his thoughts about Potter to the back of his head.
“Where is Evan and Barty? And Pandora? Especially Pandora. I need my Pandora,” Regulus said. Pandora Rosier was the glue that held the Royal Court of Slytherins together. The beautiful girl with white hair was the one who kept the four Slytherins sane. And she was also the genius who came up with the name of their group: the Royal Court of Slytherins. A mouthful of a name but lovely all the same.
“Oh so she’s your Pandora now? Last time I checked, she was my Pandora. After all I am her favourite,” Dorcas winked at Regulus, hoping to get a reaction out of him by doing so. Unfortunately the boy did not move a muscle and she frowned in disappointment.
“Keep dreaming, Dorcas but I am her favourite. I am her brother after all,” a rather chirpy voice said behind them. Regulus and Dorcas turned to see Evan with his arm looped with Pandora’s.
"You are all my favourite," said Pandora, her dreamy voice, calming Regulus’ mind.
Beside the two Rosier twins was Barty Crouch Jr. who was unexpectedly carrying all the luggage.
Barty’s face could not be seen but his outfit screamed: ‘I am Barty and I am rebellious so I am going to show that I am a menace by dressing in black clothes paired with chains and lots of rings that I have stolen from Regulus’. “Care to help me?” Barty’s voice could be heard from behind the pile of bags.
Dorcas lessened Barty’s load by taking some of the bags while Regulus stood there, suppressing an amused grin. “What happened to you?” Dorcas asked.
Evan chuckled. “He lost a bet to me and I got him to hold all of our bags,” the blonde boy explained proudly.
“It was rather mean of you, Evan,” Pandora said.
“I know but he lost the bet, Pan.”
“What was the bet anyway?” asked Dorcas.
Barty scowled and glared daggers at a grinning Evan. “Evan and I were fighting over who could pull more people and I regretfully said that if he could get a girl to flirt back with him, I would do anything he wanted me to do,” Barty explained.
“Well I’m a handsome fellow. Who wouldn’t flirt with me?” Evan smirked and he received a disapproving frown from Pandora.
“I could name several,” said Regulus, earning a delighted smirk from Barty.
Evan rolled his eyes and then allowed Dorcas to steal Pandora away and guide her onto the train. Just like the previous year, Dorcas first stepped into the train and then bowed down slightly, holding out her hand for Pandora to take. “Mi’lady,” Dorcas said flirtiously, winking at the girl. Pandora giggled and took Dorcas’ hand and boarded the train.
When the other members of the Royal Court of Slytherins boarded the Hogwarts Express, they immediately went looking for an empty compartment. However, they crossed paths with a certain group of Slytherins whom they disliked. “Fancy seeing you here, Black, you and your freak show,” sneered Avery. Muliber and Snape were behind him, both were scowling.
“Get out of my way, Avery,” Regulus said. His face devoided of any emotion.
Avery had a smug grin on his face that Regulus so desperately wished to wipe off. Avery then stepped aside and allowed the Royal Court to go past him. But as they did so, Avery exclaimed, “What’s with the pet Ravenclaw?”
His remark instantly caused the Slytherins to clench their fists and draw out their wands. Out of the four Slytherins, Evan was the most furious. He gritted his teeth and grabbed Avery by his collar. “My sister is not a pet,” Evan hissed. “So unless you want to be toothless for the rest of your pathetic life, I suggest you stay out of my way and don’t you dare call her a pet again. Do you hear me, Avery? Or are you deaf from having to hear your annoying voice every time you speak?”
Avery sniggered but Regulus could see him trembling. Evan was a nice person but when someone threatened Pandora, he disregarded his morals and punished the one hurting his sister. Any member of the Royal Court would do the same when it came to defending Pandora or any one of them. Evan let go of Avery’s collar and cursed under his breath. Regulus had his gaze fixed on Evan but when he spotted Barty’s agape mouth and flushed cheeks, Regulus smirked and watched Barty fangirl over Evan instead.
The four Slytherins and the Ravenclaw settled down in a spacious compartment. None of them spoke about Avery and his stupid remarks. As Regulus rummaged through his bag for a book to read, he came across his Prefect badge. He had received it during the holidays and when he realised what it meant, he wished he could ship it back to Hogwarts. Regulus believed being a Prefect was a waste of time and effort. Although having the authority to remove points from houses did seem rather fun.
Regulus contemplated whether he should tell his friends about him being a Prefect but he decided not to as he did not want to be bombarded with questions.
He would have to go for Prefect duty soon and patrol the Hogwarts Express but for now, he sat with his friends and observed their conversation.
“I think you should just sneak in and stay with us,” Evan was saying to Dorcas.
“But where would I sleep? On the same bed as Barty? I rather not.”
Barty held his hand to his heart and gasped dramatically. “Dorcas Meadows, what is that supposed to mean?” he exclaimed, feigning being offended.
“I mean I don’t want to sleep in the same bed as your smelly arse,” Dorcas teased. Barty threw his scarf at Dorcas who threw it directly at Barty’s face. And soon it turned into a small scarf fight. Pandora laughed, grinning a toothy smile. Evan laughed so hard, he was clutching onto his stomach. Even Regulus could not hold back a grin and looked away, covering his smile with his hands. Only his friends could make Regulus smile and only with them did Regulus allow himself to. Moments later, the five friends were throwing their scarves at each other.
A new year at Hogwarts had begun and Regulus thought that absolutely nothing could go wrong when he had his friends by his side. Little did he know that things were about to change forever. But for the greater good or for the worse, it was up to Regulus to decide.