White Soul

Regulus Black is well known at Hogwarts, as his name implies. He is the heir to a powerful, pure-blooded family. He is handsome, smart, and he knows it.

A true Slytherin prince.

His daemon, Diaspone, is simply majestic. Her bright, white fur is unique in the school and none is as beautiful as her. She doesn’t talk much, and Regulus wouldn’t be surprised if most people thought she was settled. She does favor bigger forms these days.

He has to admit he does too. It feels like safety.

People part for them when they walk through the corridors, and it doesn’t take long before Regulus is striding down the great hall toward the Slytherin table.

“Did you know?” Barty assaults him as soon as he’s sat down. His brows are furrowed, and a sausage is halfway to his mouth.

“Did I know what ?” Regulus asks in return, throwing an unimpressed look his way as he shifts to make himself more comfortable. Diaspone jumps right next to him on the bench, and sits up straight even as a yawn comes out of her mouth.

“Ev got an invite to Slug club.” The other replies in an accusing tone, throwing a dark look to their friend next to him. The movement disturb Evie, who had been resting on his shoulders in the form of a meerkat. She nips at his ear in retaliation, but Barty doesn't react. His attention is solely focused on Regulus and Evan, eyes glancing at them in turns and a frown on his face.

Regulus slowly turns his head toward Evan, and raise a inquisitive brow at his friend. Evan simply send him a tired look in response, and rub at his temple as though he has a headache. It makes Regulus think that he's already had to argue his case plenty, and he's just come to accept that he won't have any peace today.

“I also got an invite, but no, I assume he didn’t have the chance to tell me yet.” He informs Barty while fixing himself a plate. He also puts one with bits of meat next to him for Diaspone, who gives him an affectionate bump of her head in appreciation. Even though she doesn't really need to eat per se, she likes it. The feeling of having her stomach full and the sleepiness that follows, as well as the boost of energy that comes after.

“Seriously?” Barty groans, looking at them both with disdain, his face the very picture of betrayal. “You both sucks, why wasn’t I invited?”

“Because your talents in potions are debatable?” Regulus hazards, raising his brows.

"Nonexistent." Evan corrects, putting a potato in his mouth right after. “And you’re not a member of a famous family such as ourselves.”

The way he manages to be both sarcastic and smug at the same time makes Regulus's lip twitch upward. He tries to focus on his food, as he didn't have any breakfast this morning, he does need to put some food in his body if he wants to be able to focus in class for the rest of the day.

“He also overheard you calling him fat, and then you repeated it to his face.” Diaspone adds for good measure, amusement dancing in her eyes.

“Alright I get it,” Barty rolls his eyes at them before pointing his fork at Diaspone. “I can’t be berated for telling the truth and not talking behind his back though.”

“You certainly can’t.” She agrees easily. The sense of deep contentment that emanate from her at this instant makes Regulus vaguely thinks that if she were in another form, she would be purring.

The feeling is gone as soon as it appeared. Regulus hears a sudden growl to his right, and turns in time to see Sernon, Evan’s daemon, as he quickly puts a piece of sausage into his mouth. He’s a racoon, the only one of them to have settled yet. A laugh leaves Evan at Diaspone’s expression. Sermon just stole from her plate. Not that she couldn’t get more, but it’s the principle. Another growl leaves her, and Evan laughs harder.

“You won’t be laughing when you feel my fangs around his neck!” She snaps at him.

Suddenly looking very unsure, Evan stops laughing to shoot a look at Regulus, who remains purposely focused on his plate. Sernon lets out a distressed sound. Evie and Barty are watching them. Diaspone rolls her eyes before lowering her head to lick the top of Sernon’s head. She never stays mad at him for long. And it’s not him she was angry at this time- not entirely- that much she can admit to herself. 

“Why do you want to be in Slug club anyways?” Regulus addresses Barty, eager to break the uncomfortable tension his daemon created. The club doesn’t seem that useful to him, it’s only a good way to make connections, but he doesn't think that would be of interest for Barty.

The distraction works wonderfully for everyone. Groans leaves Evan and Sernon, who exchange a exasperated look, but also Evie, who gives Barty a judgmental look as he exclaims cheerfully, “Why, Charlotte Lewert of course!”

Regulus stares at him for only a second before he goes back to eating. He may have had his fair share of lovers, but he never understood Barty's desire to go out and conquer them. Maybe collect them would be a more appropriate term to use, seeing how Barty's numbers are rising. Regulus wouldn't be surprised if his friend has some sort of bet with himself on whether he can sleep with the whole school before graduating.

As long as he spares the children, Regulus will ignore his severe lack of self-esteem. It's not like he can pretend to be above Barty in that regard anyways.

“I don’t like her daemon.” Evie complains at last, rubbing her cheek against her human's.

Barty raise a hand to scratch her head as he retorts, “You’ve never talked to him.”

“I don’t like his face.”

A sigh leaves Barty as he shoots a look at Regulus, who can understand the difficulties of having a picky daemon more than anyone here, before he abandons the previous topic altogether. “Anyways…Have you seen Vance today?”

“No. Why?" Regulus enquiers, briefly looking up from his plate.

“Cause we have practice after school.”

Regulus frowns. Practice is Tuesday and Saturday mornings. He can't think of any reason for that to change. “Why did she move practice?”

“Ah, the subtlety is here, my friend.” Barty grimaces dramatically. “She didn’t move it. She just made an addition.”

Regulus clicks his tongue in annoyance. He would’ve preferred to study instead, and he’s pretty sure that Diaspone would’ve actually liked to be able to enjoy the warmth of their common room, but he did sign up for Quidditch, and passed the qualifications, so he really only has himself to blame for this.

His daemon apparently has the same thought, as she sends him an irritated look, to which he answers with a shrug.

“That’s great, and what am I gonna do in the meantime?” Evan complains in an aggravated tone of voice. Regulus resitst the urge to tell him to study, he has a feeling his advice won't be that much appreciated. It rarely is.

Barty shrugs in a definitely disinterested manner. “Same thing I’m gonna do while you two spend some quality time with old Sluggy. Your dumbass should’ve signed up with us.”

Sernon lets out an offended sound at that, and he briefly stands up on his two hind legs to sit down in that oddly human way he has. “Do you even know how many people die in your stupid game?”

“You broke your wrist only last week.” Evan adds, shooting Barty a contemptuous look. “Why would I want a part in that?”

“The game is fun.” Regulus shrugs, eager to break the argument before it escalates.

Evan raises a disappointed brow at him before a scoff leaves him and he shakes his head. “You’re both idiots.”

That’s how the discussion ends. They go to their last class of the day, which is care of magical creatures for Evan and Barty, and Divination for Regulus. He had chosen the subject at the end of his second year, as required by the school. Divination had always attracted him, it was a given, with his name.

Regulus, the brightest star in the Leo constellation, the heart of the lion. What a joke.

He had learned very quickly that it was all a bunch of nonsense. None of the things they learned made any sense, the predictions rarely became true, and in those cases, it was purely luck. At least he had made a friend. The partner who had been assigned to him two years ago. They hadn't changed pairing since.

It would’ve been hard not to become friends in such a ridiculous environment really, with all the nonsense that professor Onai likes to spout continuously.

That day, they are made to draw three cards in the middle of a tarot deck for their partners and then interpret their meaning. Despite his skepticism, Regulus still listens dutifully to the instructions. As foolish as the subject is, he better have the highest grades.

Across their table, Dorcas seems to have completely given up on listening, and is quietly talking with her daemon instead. A beautiful blue butterfly, which- Regulus recalls Dorcas explaining to him- is a Morpho butterfly.

Dorcas Meadowes is hard to understand. 

She is a year older than Regulus, and had already spent this time studying ancient runes before she decided that she would like to change subject, which she succeeded in doing, a feat that Regulus is still begrudgingly impressed about. Although she doesn't seem to be particularly glad of the change herself, if the attention she put in this class is anything to go by.

However, Regulus can admit to himself that she is one of the few people he finds himself able to tolerate, and that Diaspone approves of, which is rarer than one might think. She's also very honest in a blunt way that Regulus only ever associated with Barty before, and that was after a few months of getting used to each other. He finds it strangely refreshing. When it isn't offensive anyways.

When the professor finally stops speaking, Regulus immediately starts to ‘focus his mind and energy’ on Dorcas, while shuffling the deck of cards in his hands, and then draws three randomly. He spreads them on the table.

The fool, the hanged man, and the chariot.

“Alright…” He looks at the cards in concentration while lightly threading his fingers through Diaspone’s fur. “Looks like you’re not the smartest in the bunch, so you’re going to fall in a chariot, and die." He concludes in a bored voice. "Tough luck."

A snicker leaves Dorcas, and she shares a look with her daemon. “Hear that, Liri? I better confess my love to my crush before it's too late.”

“Well, you can start by telling me,” Regulus offers selflessly as he leans on the table with his elbows, a smirk playing on his lips. “Do the love of your life happen to have a name?”

“Mmh..." Dorcas makes a thoughtful sound before a smile comes to break her facade and she pushes Regulus away playfully. "Afraid not. Their parents sadly didn't think of giving them one."

“Meaning it’s someone we know.” Diaspone tells Regulus with great amusement. He hums thoughtfully while regarding Dorcas, who raises a challenging brow at him, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Are you two finished?” Professor Onai interrupts them before another comment can be made.

“No professor.” Regulus replies, abandoning his smile for a more neutral expression. “I just finished interpreting her cards with the book.”

“Good, good,” She eyes the cards on the table before nodding to herself. “Your turn then, go on Miss Meadowes.”

Like Regulus before her, Dorcas takes the cards and starts shuffling them. She closes her eyes with a sigh when the professor tells her that it'll help her focus her energy more easily, then she picks the three cards and lays them out before them.

The tower, death, and the high priestess.

“How lucky we are.” Diaspone muses. Her ears flatten when Onai’s howl flaps a chastising wing in her direction.

“Okay, so…” Dorcas muses slowly. She takes a moment to read the book open on the table before saying in an uncertain voice, glancing at Regulus as though he somehow knows the answer. “Something that you previously thought was accurate has been challenged; you’re going through a change, or it’ll happen in the future, maybe in your love life? And… You’re gonna have secrets.”

“The high priestess is a difficult cart to read.” The professor intervenes with a light frown. “It could mean that Mr. Black's future is not supposed to be revealed just yet, but do try to pick another card, we might learn more.”

Regulus and Dorcas exchange a tired look before she takes a card and put it down.

The star.

How fitting, Regulus thinks in bemusement. Diaspone snorts.

“That card represents hope, so don’t give up, and you’ll get results in something.”

Regulus raise a doubtful brow. He has no hope, and the only thing he is doing right now is doing his best to please his parents. The prediction doesn't seem to be particularly aimed at him. Every divination class just seems to be confirming the low opinion he already has on the subject, he thinks with a bit of annoyance. What a waste of time.

When class is finally over, Dorcas takes it upon herself to walk Regulus to the Quidditch pitch. She says it's because it's no bother, but he is fairly certain it's because it's less of a bother than to go back to their common room and actually start to write the essay that she was supposed to give Slughorn the week before. 

They take their time walking, and Liri occasionally fly close to Diaspone- never touching her- before going back to her spot above Dorcas's brow. 

She's shy, Regulus noticed before. He never saw her touch another daemon, except Sernon. It might be because he's smaller, less threatening, he knows Diaspone get along better with small daemons herself for that reason. She's sweet though. Dorcas always has something blue on her- be it clothes, hair extensions, or makeup like today- to match with her daemon, and Liri seems to like it, as she always gravitates around wherever Dorcas put the blue.

They arrive on the pitch a few minutes later, and Regulus immediately feels assaulted at the sight of the Gryffindor team facing his. With their previous history, he quickly deduces that this is an argument. One he very much doesn’t want to be a part of. Less so when he notices Sirius in the crowd. Frustrating. Unsurprising.

Regulus hasn’t talked to his brother in months- not his brother anymore, Mother repeats. Aside from the occasional cold eye and snide remarks, they haven’t actually interacted since he left a year ago.

"You know," Dorcas interrupts his train of thoughts when she sees what caused him to stop in his tracks. "You're pretty fast, you can always run."

Regulus can't help but scoff at that. Firstly, he's not pretty fast, he's the best seeker in the entire school, and even if this doesn't necessarily mean he'd be the best runner in the school, he's still more than pretty fast, thank you very much. Secondly, Blacks don't run.

So, with a flat look, he bids farewell to Dorcas, who gives him a pitying look he pointedly choose to ignore, and then starts walking toward the changing rooms. He hopes to not attract any attention, but even this small mercy is denied from him when he hears Emmeline Vance’s voice calling him.

“Oi! Black!” She exclaims, her glare leaving James Potter- the two captains had been talking, Regulus realizes- in his favor. “Where the hell were you!?”

At this moment, everyone turns to look at him, and Regulus close his eyes with a sigh. He doesn’t want to scream, so he approaches the gathering with all the calm he can muster, which is a lot.

Diaspone’s head lowers, her ears perks up, blue eyes sharp as she walks next to him.

“I was in class.” Regulus keeps his eyes solely on his captain once he is standing close enough. His tone is flat. “I had divination.”

Emmeline narrows her eyes at him. “Crouch told me you’d finish early.”

“I said I’d finish early.” Barty cheeps in from the side lines. He receives two equally annoyed looks.

Potter suddenly speaks. “Look, I don’t have time for this.” He tells Emmeline with a deadpan look. “We’re leaving anyway, and it’s not my fault Slughorn can’t keep track of who is on the pitch when.”

Regulus wants to roll his eyes at his self-righteous tone, and that’s when he feels a sudden anger on Diaspone’s side of their bond. His first reflex is to look at her, but he's met with his brother’s eyes instead. Not his brother, Sirius.

His eyes are hard when he looks at Regulus, and underneath the cold mask he adopts everywhere now, the Slytherin feels a pang in his chest.

He almost wants to go and have an actual conversation with Sirius. Explain, apologize, whatever it takes to get his brother back.

Diaspone must sense whatever feelings these thoughts produce, because he hears a growl next to him, and her voice.

“No.”

She’s always been the one to forgive, to ignore. To go and comfort Aragon even when he gave no sign he wanted her to. She’s glaring at him now. If Regulus can't trust himself, he can definitely trust her. He takes a step back, and cross his arms over his chest to force himself to stay still. His daemon’s hostile sound doesn't go unnoticed by the others. As soon as he makes a move, a lion is between him and any view he had of Sirius.

Regulus recognizes Arthur, Potter’s daemon. His eyes narrows, and he briefly has the thought that he believed the other to have already settled as a deer. He looks much more menacing now. Regulus's eyes snap to Potter, who is watching him with a mix of scorn and anger.

His own anger flares at that. Of course Sirius isn’t his brother anymore, he already has a brother. He doesn’t need Regulus. Diaspone’s glare leaves Aragon in favor of Arthur. She shows her teeth.

“Regulus.” Emmeline says, a warning in her voice. “Go change.”

Regulus slowly takes a step back, not letting his dark gaze away from Potter. When he finally does, after another tense moment, it's to look at his lion. He lets out a small scoff of disdain, uncrosses his arms, and turn around to leave. Diaspone snap her teeth at the daemon before following him briskly, her jaw clenched so hard Regulus feel it hurt.

Practice is good, everyone is aware of Regulus’s mood, even if he doesn’t show it, and no one wants to end up on the wrong side of his wand, so they leave him alone. Regulus drinks the separation potion, so Diaspone remains on the ground, laying on the stands away from the other daemons. She faces the Gryffindor changing rooms, eyes open and ears up.

Regulus knows it’s stupid, and he wants to tell her, make some remark that’ll make her glare focus on him instead. The other team will go back to the castle as soon as they are done changing, and they won’t need to get closer to the pitch to do so. Her guarding presence between him and them still makes him feel better.

He spends the time relaxed, as much as he can be, and trains alone with the snitch. He frees it, fly around a little until he’s lost it, and then uses the sun rays to catch that golden spark. The hardest part of his job is all the techniques and such he has to do in order to catch the snitch while avoiding bludgers, other players, and of course be the fastest out of the two seekers.

Vance only talks to him at the end, she calls him back when he wants to follow everyone to the changing rooms.

“You were very good today,” She praises him with a smile, a warm hand on his shoulder. Regulus doesn't shake it off. “As usual. The only problem is that you don’t pay enough attention to your surroundings, as soon as you see the snitch you just go straight for it, we’ll try to do something for that next time.”

Regulus accepts her words with a nod, part of him wants to remind her that he’s won more matches than any of the other seekers, but he also knows that if he came to be hurt during a match, they’d either lose immediately, or the match would be reported. It wouldn't be good for them either way.

“Also, your turns are way too sharp, you could’ve gotten seriously hurt earlier.” She adds with a disapproving frown.

Regulus does argue at that. “This is practice.” He states with an unbothered shrug. “I need to be able to do that in a match, especially if I have the other seeker following right behind me.”

Emmeline bits the side of her cheek, musing over it. That’s what Regulus likes about her, she’s a good captain, not afraid to put her players in their place just like she’s not afraid to listen to them when they have a point. If she wasn’t, he wouldn’t even have bothered to listen. He would’ve just said 'yes' to everything she told him, and changed absolutely nothing to how he acted. He finds that to be the best manner in which to handle most people.

“You’re right.” She admits slowly after a moment. “But I’ll see with a professor if they can teach us some protection spells. It won’t be allowed in a match, but this is practice, and I don’t want any of my players getting hurt when I can prevent it. It’s non-negotiable.” She adds when Regulus opens his mouth to argue.

He recognizes easily the finality of her voice, and chose to relent. “...Alright.”

He’s exhausted when he finally goes back to the dorm. He ended up keeping his Quidditch uniform on, opting to shower in the castle, and the first thing he does when Diaspone closes the door behind them with a stroke of her hind leg is to take it off.

He lets the sweaty material fall on the floor, and remains only in his pants. Goosebumps erupts on his sweat-covered chest with the sudden change in temperature.

Regulus goes straight for the shower, but has to stop in his tracks when he bypass his bed, and catch a glimpse of the animal on it. He stares at it for a second before slowly calling out, his tone confused, “Barty?”

“Yes, dear'?" The other boy says in that tone he uses when he's taunting, as he raise his head from whatever he was doing with his wand. He's sat on a chair close to the desk. His eyes trail the expense of Regulus's torso slowly before coming back up. A smirk pull at his lips. "What's the show for? Not that I don't like it, of course."

Regulus purposefully chose to ignore everything that's been said after the yes dear? and ask with pursued lips while Evan makes a gaging sound from behind him, “Why is there a dead owl on my bed, and why is it on my bed?”

"It's not dead. And don't worry Ev, you know I'd fuck you too. Anytime."

A sigh leaves Regulus. Stupefixed then, and he also recognize Ara, his mother's owl, which is less that adequate. He turns to Evan for a better answer. 

"Regulus, please explain to your friend that it's exactly the problem." The blond asks of him instead of helping, apparently still stuck on Barty's crude words.

"He's your friend too." Regulus replies automatically, feeling on the defensive even as he very much does not want to encourage Barty by reacting to all the discutable and disgusting things he says daily.

"I'm taking a break from him." Evan states, throwing Barty a disgusted look over the book he's still reading, or trying to read, Regulus is sure.

"I wish I could do that." Evie sigh, looking at Barty with tired eyes. Regulus didn't know a meerkat could be so expressive until now. Barty frowns in offense and flicks her ear with a finger.

"Please." Regulus sigh loudly, interrupting the endless banter as he rubs at his temples, already feeling a headache coming. "Evan. What happened with the owl?"

The blond takes pity on him with a single look on his part, and answer while still laying lazily on his own bed. “She had a letter, but didn’t want to give it to us. Also, Barty hates her.”

“You’re lucky It’s me who took the initiative.” Barty defends himself, sending a quick scowl their friend's way. “Evie was two seconds ahead of biting her head off.”

“You asked me to bite her!” Evie exclaims, her ears flat on her head.

“And you wanted to do it." Berty rolls his eyes with a scoff.

“Alright, alright, shut up.” Regulus groans as he close his eyes. “You’re giving me a fucking headache. Where’s my letter?”

Barty holds it to him with a guiltless smile. The envelope is still closed, and Regulus shoots him a look before opening it. He sits on the bed.

My dear Regulus,

Your last letter has pleased me. This club is an excellent occasion to make the right connections, which I trust you will do without tarnishing your name in any way.

I write this letter with a heart full of pride for my only son. Your cousin Bellatrix has recognized an opportunity for our family, and for you.

For this reason, you will be coming home for the school break. The many assignments you told me about that would have required for you to stay at Hogwarts will simply need to be worked on from home, this is more important. I believe that the family library you have at your disposal will allow you to achieve the highest marks in any case.

I look forward to see you home.

Toujours pur,

Walburga Black.

Regulus takes a deep breath, aware of Diaspone reading over his shoulder. He automatically summarize what important informations are in the letter: Mother is pleased for now; he has to make connections in Slughorn's club- he already knew that- he will be going home in three weeks; and Bellatrix is preparing something- not good.

He vaguely registers that his chest is constricted, that he ca, barely breath, and look down to see Diaspone's lower body coiled tightly around him- she turned into a snake.

"Dia." He calls in a breath. The snake blinks at him slowly before even more slowly loosening her hold on him. He can feel how much it costs her.

Regulus can feel Barty and Evie's eyes on them, and he reluctantly raise his eyes to meet Barty's. He fixes him with a flat stare for a second, until the other raise his eyebrows expectantly, and hold a hand out for the letter.

With a sigh, Regulus throw it at him, and goes to fall face first on his bed, shower forgotten. Next to him, Barty takes a few seconds to read the letter, and place it on Regulus's nightstand afterwards without saying a word. Regulus is grateful for that.

It takes a while before he feels a bit better. When he finally does, he takes out a parchment, a quill, and some ink to write his reply. He might as well do it now, his mother doesn't like to wait. His own letter is essentially composed of yes mother, and I'm glad you are pleased, and of course, I will do as you say. All safe words, and by the end of that very simple task, he's even more exhausted.

That same night, there is a party in the common room. Regulus doesn't exactly know why, maybe it's someone's birthday, or maybe his fellow Slytherins simply wanted to get drunk. Nonetheless, he is glad for it. 

He accept gratefully the few joints that Barty hands him, and takes long drags, until his eyes close almost by themselves and the tension he has been arborring since the last hours slowly recedes. Diaspone doesn't have the same opportunity to relax as him, but she feels the same light buzz of the alcohol that he does, and leans into it when he hugs her. She also stay closer to him, so that she can at least breath in the smoke that he exhale. It doesn't take very long for her to relax either.

Afterwards, Regulus ends up making out with some girl that he's fairly sure isn't even in his house, then with Avery- which, he knows, isn't a good choice, but what does he care. His hands feels good and that's what matters right now.

He only stops when Diaspone decides that it's enough. She isn't in the mood to let the red fox that lay behind Avery cuddle up to her, and make that very clear by snapping her teeth at him when he tries to get close. Avery raise a brow, looks at Regulus in question. The dark-haired boy simply shrugs, and Avery snorts in amusement as he takes a step back, removing the hand he had under Regulus's shirt.

Regulus immediately misses the warmth, but doesn't try to continue either, he's drunk and he smoked enough weed to be good even without an additional distraction. He follows Diaspone as she quietly slips out of the common room. When she jumps in the black lake, a laugh escapes him, and he only takes a minute to remove his clothes, he still keeps his pants though. Even in his intoxicated state, the thought of a professor catching him in his underwear isn't an appalling one. He jumps in the water after his daemon.

It's cold, so much that he feels his toes hurt as though they're burning. But it feels good anyways.

They stay in the lake for a long time. Regulus floating on his back while he stares at the stars, and Diaspone alternating between going as deep as she can as a sea lion, and going as high as she can as a falcon.

It feels peaceful. As calm as it can get before a storm.

. . .