Stars
𝄥𝄞─captivated by music herself─𝄇
He crept up the winding stairs, his breath puffing out as a cloud of whitish smoke every step he took. Regulus didn't want to admit it, but he was cold, no, freezing. What encouraged him to leave his outer robes behind on a chilling Christmas night he didn't know – he didn't care anymore. After all, no one would grieve if he was chilled to death.
Round and round he trailed upward, enjoying the peace–the quiet, the tranquillity. Most of his fellow Slytherins had gone home, and even though he received invitations from the Malfoys, Lestranges and the Goyles, he signed up to stay at Hogwarts. Salazar knows he'd stay anywhere rather than with the blood supremacists. Regulus wanted so badly to be with his brother, to be anywhere rather than Slytherin – but he knew he couldn't. So he endured the torture of living with the Blacks.
Regulus was only a few steps away from the door of the Astronomy Tower when he paused. There was someone there — playing some kind of musical instrument. He silently poked his head out, looking around to see who it was. Her back faced him, the long hair dancing in the bitter December zephyr, the familiar notes of Debussy's Syrinx blew its way welcomingly around him, warming him despite the cold. There was a blotch of onyx swishing its tail next to her as she played, perched on the tower wall. A shadow of a basket trembled as the wind swept, delivering the delectable scent of hot chocolate—topped with marshmallows, he fantasised, oh, how I want to have that now—towards him. The gleam of a blue-and-bronze tie glinted in the moonlight, giving him some relief—at least she wasn't a Gryffindor.
He slipped through the ajar door, making his way quietly towards the tower wall to sit beside the girl. She had her eyes closed, lips pursed as she played her flute, the music notes floating about, lightheartedly flowing from her memory. Regulus saw that she oscillated slightly, swaying from side to side along with the music. Her cat tilted its head at him as he sank down onto the stone, listening attentively. The Syrinx never failed to draw him in–hypnotised, captivated, bewitched. It was his solace in the Black household — his only lifeline that kept his sanity. Sirius was the first one to introduce him to this kind of music, the Muggle one, against his parents' wishes. Orion and Walburga didn't mind that much — they tolerated classical music, it wasn't that bad.
He harked, letting himself drown in the pool of music. It reminded him of the saudade times he shared with his brother in the room covered with Muggle-related posters. What he wouldn't give to go back to the past when he didn't have to worry about disappointing the Dark Lord and whatnot.
◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹
The girl ended the music with a trilling note, lightly setting down her flute in its midnight blue case, and Regulus could still hear the echoes of the airy notes resonating
in his brain. She played tremendously well, outstanding even. It was as if she were music herself. I must remember to ask for her name. Mother wouldn't be that opposed to me befriending a Ravenclaw, I suppose. The girl sighed lightly, brushing wisps of auburn hair away from her face, her shimmering emerald eyes widening in surprise as they landed on Regulus. She smiled at him, and he smiled back awkwardly. He shivered slightly — why did I not put on my robes? and blinked in surprise as the girl reached into the basket and passed him a steaming cup of hot chocolate with small white marshmallows swimming on top, beaming.
Regulus accepted it, cradling the hot drink, surprise lining his sharp features. Why did she have two—was it that she anticipated someone to join her? He shrugged to himself internally, sipping the deliciously sweet yet bitter drink, relishing in the warmth that spread through him. "Thanks.." The girl only smiled in response, reaching down into the basket and offering him 2 biscuits in the shape of a snitch and a bludger before daintily munching one herself as well. She's nice, a voice in his mind whispered. Where does she buy these shortbread?
The clouds shifted, and the moonlight shone effulgently, scintillating the girl's flute case as it lay on her lap. The silent pair looked out and up at the celestial night welkin, noiselessly extolling the alluring constellations and novas. Then, the girl extended her arm abruptly yet gracefully towards the starlit skies, gesturing to a cluster of stars above them and looking questioningly at him. One of them shone unique yet strikingly, standing out amongst the others. Regulus smirked slightly. "That's the constellation of Leo." He murmured, staring at the coruscant stars. "The one you're pointing to is Regulus." The girl smiled in response, then pointed at another clutch of stars in the shape of a large, shaggy dog. Regulus's breath caught in his throat—he stared up at the dog star, memories rushing into view. They were part of the Alpha Canis Majoris, or Canis Major, and the girl, blissfully unaware, smiled at the stars.
Sirius. Regulus's eyes moistened, and he blinked quickly, putting on a calm mask on his face. "The brightest star there is–" His breath hitched, "Sirius." He paused to take a deep breath, calming himself, "They're part of the Canis Major constellation."
The girl's emerald eyes widened in shock and realisation. She gave an apologetic smile and sighed, wrapping an arm around Regulus as half a hug. He didn't fight back–he felt safe, and reciprocated the gesture.
Regulus and the girl sat there, huddled together, staring up at the heavens, deep in their own thoughts. Occasionally, Regulus would sneak a glance at the girl, letting himself be captivated by her beautiful and soft features. Only when dawn broke, she left, hanging a few flute notes up in her wake, leaving a smitten Regulus sitting there, spellbound, looking at the rising sun with a vacant look, the ghost of a kiss on his cheek.
He never got her name.