Regulus Acturus Black
This day was the day that the children of Nihil were being escorted to Hogwarts. Here Regulus was, standing in front of his crumbling house. No one can blame the Black family, especially after growing up with all the riches, with all the house-elves, and with all the privilege before the war, he and his family did not really know how to take care of themselves. His mother often called on him to clean the house, cook the food with what little they have, and become the house-elf for his mother. He really missed Kreacher, he really did.
Beside him was his multiple trunks, filled with books he got from stealing from the market and a few clothes. No one really had much in Nihil.
He looked towards the bridge, and thought, soon he could get out of the miserable place.
“Reggie!” A voice yelled and soon, he fell on the concrete floor with someone with blonde hair on top of him. He looked up, and a very happy Pandora was on top of him, giggling. “I’m so bloody excited!”
“We get it, Pandora. Do remember that we are not going to be there to socialize,” he stood up with a helping hand from the cheery girl and dusted himself off.
Pandora Lovegood was one of his best friends. He considered her his sister by this point. He always thought she was not supposed to be in Nihil. She was far too kind, far too understanding, and far too good to be in this Merlin-forsaken place. But one thing Pandora will always be is loyal. She should have been sorted to Gryffindor, he always thought. The only one, the only Ravenclaw who joined the Death Eaters for the sake of her friends. For the sake of Regulus.
“Sex in the public, Reg? A bit too much for you, isn’t it?” Regulus turned towards two blokes, one with short blonde hair and a brunette.
“Really, Crouch?” Regulus rolled his eyes towards the guys walking towards him. They both swung their arms on his shoulder, one of each side.
“We are all a bit gay here, Barty,” Evan chuckled. “Reggie here won’t even poke a woman, much less have sex with them in public.”
“I’m still open to dating, you know Reg, or would you prefer just casual sex?” Barty smirked towards him, wiggling his eyebrows. Sooner or later, he was on the floor clutching his stomach and whining in pain as Evan began laughing in the background.
“Should’ve kneed him right in the balls, Reggie,” Evan continued wheezing as Pandora hooked her arm around Regulus’.
“So, what will you do when you meet your brother, Reggie?” she asked. Regulus has been thinking about Sirius the moment he had heard the news from his mother. He did not really know what he would do. Sometimes he thought about punching him in the face, other times he thought about how he would finally be able to hug him again. Mostly about punching him in the face.
“I’m more worried about our plan than my idiotic brother, Dora,” he said as he saw a carriage in the middle of the bridge heading towards them. “Besides, he is too busy with Potter. He already said how he wishes that Potter was his brother instead of me.”
Pandora looked at Regulus with a sad look in her eyes, “You got me, Regulus. That’s enough, isn’t it?”
“You are more than enough for me, Dora,” he affirmed to her.
“I know you do not like hugs, but I’m giving you one anyway.” Pandora said as she smiled and gave him a brief hug. He stood there stiffly and groaned.
“Come on, stop with all the emotions. We have a castle to rob.” Barty announced, grinning as the carriage stopped in front of them. Regulus did not see anything attached to the carriages but books always told him that Hogwarts have Thestrals, those who have only seen death can see them.
“Hi, everyone! We are here to take you to Hogwarts.” A curly-haired girl and a shoulder length blonde-and-blue-haired wearing Gryffindor colors got down from the carriages and welcomed the four of them.
“I’m Mary MacDonald, this is Marlene McKinnon,” the curly-haired introduced themselves and gave a shy smile towards all of them.
“I understand all of you already know Hogwarts as all of you were there two years ago.” Marlene stated as she helped carry their trunks, load them on the top of the carriages, and secured them with a rope. She looked directly towards Regulus and raised her eyebrow. He stiffened, maybe she knew his brother. Gryffindors tend to be social.
She looked away and he felt himself breathe. “So, get on then.”
Barty, Evan, Pandora and Regulus got onto the carriage. Barty, Pandora, Regulus on one side, and Marlene, Mary and Evan on the other. The carriage was filled with sweets from Honeydukes. He already saw the other three helping themselves and stuffing their pockets with a bunch of chocolate frogs, fudge flies, and honeycombs. He looked outside of the window as the carriage went past the barrier. Immediately, he felt a rush of his magic come back. The inside of the carriage turned silent as it seemed like the others felt it too, especially the four children of Nihil.
“That’s so weird, we are never doing this again,” Marlene commented amidst the silence as the four of them straightened their posture.
Pandora quietly casted Lumos with wandless magic as they all looked in her direction, a ball of light forming on her palms. Regulus saw a small smile forming on her face.
“You can cast wandless magic?” Mary asked as she was in awe at the display.
“Brightest witch of her years, although she says some weird things all the time,” Evan answered, giving the girl a grin beside him.
“Why did you get banished then?” Marlene asked and the inside of the carriage was once again silent.
The four of them met during the first years of Hogwarts. Evan, Barty and Regulus met due to their pureblood family relations, although Barty’s family did not really involve themselves with the Dark Lord. Then they met Pandora in the first year of Hogwarts. Pandora was an outcast in her own house in Hogwarts due to her curiosities with magic and her pureblood family. The three Slytherins immediately took her in after witnessing her getting bullied in the hallways of Hogwarts.
The four of them were always loyal towards one another, even if it involved the Dark Lord. Once Evan, Barty and Pandora found out that Regulus was already involved with the Death Eaters even before he came of age, they pledged their loyalty towards him. That loyalty landed them to Nihil.
Regulus was always grateful for the three of them. He always thought that the three of them were his family, nothing more, nothing less.
A cough snapped him out of his own thoughts as Mary began to ask questions about wandless magic to Pandora. The boys plus Marlene continued on eating the refreshments given to them.
“We’re here.” Regulus announced. His heart started beating faster and faster as the carriage went closer and closer towards the castle. He sees Hogwarts, the same as it was when he left. How grand it was, how beautiful it looked with the lake surrounding it. Hogwarts was mesmerizing. He could not believe he was going to be back here once again.
The carriage came to a stop in front of the castle gates. The carriage doors opened by themselves. They all got out of the carriage and there the Headmaster stood in front of them. Albus Dumbledore, the man he loathed, right above Sirius.
“Welcome back to Hogwarts, children of Nihil.” Regulus scoffed at the title. To everyone else, it did not matter to him, but from Dumbledore, he quite despised it.
“You will all be escorted to your dorms as all of you will be sharing a dorm, including Ms Lovegood.” Dumbledore informed them, however he saw that the four of them were very much disinterested.
“All of you do not need to be rescued as it is already in the Hogwarts records,” Barty scoffed at this information and rolled his eyes, earning a nudge from Evan.
“The Head Boy and Head Girl of Gryffindor have kindly offered to volunteer to escort you to your rooms. Please meet Remus Lupin, and Lily Evans,” Dumbledore stepped aside as Remus and Lily gave the new guests a smile and a wave.
That’s Sirius’ boyfriend, he thought as looked towards Remus. He looked towards Lily, and gave her a curious look. Potter’s girlfriend, never thought he would be into muggles.
The doors behind Dumbledore and the Gryffindors suddenly opened, and Regulus’ breath hitched.
“Reggie,” a voice called out to him as the figure ran towards him.
“Sirius.”