Party talks
The past
1st of September 1972, Friday
Black Mansion – Regulus’s bedroom
“I likes it, master,” Kreacher told him the morning Regulus would start Hogwarts, dusting the stray hairs and specks of dust from his shoulder. “It say strong magic about yous and person.”
Though his mark was on his back, he could conjure up the image of it perfectly, the lines still void of colour that start together on his spine before uncurling in two ways, splitting up and climbing up his shoulder blades in a detailed design. Part of him couldn’t wait for the day it gained colour. Couldn’t wait to see it change and see the magic it would have if he ever bonded with his person. If. If. If. Not when. Never when.
Regulus inhaled sharply, his elf was the only one that had ever seen his mark, sometimes he forgot about that. “It’s an unfortunate spot,” he mumbled in response. Once at Hogwarts he’d have to remember to cover it, having to share a bathroom and dorm. Kreacher’s words caught up with him seconds later. “Strong magic?”
Kreacher nodded. “Yes. Strong magic.” He patted his back, right above the mark. “Mark is black ink ands detailed,” he said. “Strong magic. Weak magic have a pale and simple mark.”
“Oh.” Regulus had never thought about that. “Do you have one?”
“No, of course not!” Kreacher seemed amused by the idea. “Kreacher is magic, master, I has no magic. Yous have it, not is it.”
Huh. He filed the information away, suddenly feeling a little like he couldn’t breathe. Maybe it was nothing. It really was nothing. But he knew something about his person now. Strong magic. They both had strong magic. It was nothing but… but he knew something.
“It’ll be fine, right?” he asked, suddenly desperate for the confirmation. “If they’re my person, they’ll understand why… why we can’t…” His voice and breath stuttered, his eyebrows drawing together in frustration.
Kreacher didn’t answer, he only handed Regulus his cloak so he could go downstairs and face his family. Right before he stepped out of his room though, Kreacher nodded, his ears flopping back and forth. “Your person is what yous need,” he stated. “If yous needs him to understand, he will.”
Regulus smiled, slightly strained but not quite his mask. “Thank you.” His elf nodded and popped away, leaving Regulus to slip out of his room and allow the excitement of the day wash over him.
It was the first of September. His eyes went to the portrait of his grandfather above the mantle, dressed in proud Slytherin colours and a smirk curling up his lips. Regulus’s lips curled up as well, mimicking the smirk like he’d done since he was a little boy and his mother had berated him for laughing out loud, emotions were for the weak and they were a tool. Every time he walked down the stairs, Regulus glanced up and mimicked the smile. He’d practiced for hours, sitting in front of his mirror and smiling a million times until he was sure he was doing it perfectly.
It was his mask, like mother enjoyed reminding him. Every member of the House Black had a mask. Sirius’s was a bright, disarming smile that sparkled his eyes and comforted anyone he met. Even when he was sad or in pain, he just grinned and said something cheerful. Mother’s mask was a grim expression, pursed lips and a constant gaze of disappointment no matter who she looked at. Everyone in the world let her down, it seemed like. Father’s mask was one of indifference, most like Regulus’s great grandfather, his mask Regulus found studying more often than not. No matter what happened, father almost looked bored, Regulus would want his mask to be like that. Bored and knowing.
“Regulus.”
He’d reached the entrance hall, lost in his thoughts. Seeing his parents stand next to the fireplace, shoulders pulled back and chins tilted, Regulus walked up to them. “Mother, father, good morning.”
Mother looked down at him, she was already dressed in fancy robes, her hair up in a beautiful bun in the nape of her neck. “Do us proud,” she said, voice clipped and steady. Her eyes stared at his, a silent promise inside them.
Father clasped his shoulder and looked down for a second. “Enjoy,” he said stonily before his gaze drifted away again, fixing on something behind Regulus.
Ignoring the urge to glance over his shoulder, he nodded. “Thank you, father.” He met his mother’s gaze again and nodded once more. “And I will, mother. I promise.”
They didn’t exchange any more words after that, Sirius had already left and Regulus stepped into the fireplace by himself. Kreacher would take his things to the castle and unpack them, all he had on him was his robes, with several books secured in the pockets.
The platform was filled with people. That was the first thing Regulus noticed upon stepping out of the fireplace. The second thing was how loud everyone was. People were running around, dragging trunks behind them on the uneven stones and swinging their backpacks around without any regard of the people they hit. All of them were shouting. Calling names, yelling greetings or goodbyes. Everyone was just loud.
Regulus went to the train in a straight line, forcing himself not to pull out his wand more than once when someone he didn’t know yelled something that wasn’t meant for him right into his ear. People were loud and they were rude.
Inside the train was better though, he was early so finding an empty compartment was easier than he’d expected. He quickly closed the door and the curtain, turning to face the compartment with no small amount of distaste in his mouth.
The compartment was old, the paint faded and ink splattering on the walls and benches between random words and little drawings. There was fabric on the seating area, but there were burn spots and questionable stains that got his nose to scrunch up involuntarily.
Sirius had never said anything about this.
Taking his wand out he cast the only cleaning spell he knew before slowly sitting down, gaze wandering about once more before settling on the window. There were so many people outside, he couldn’t stop watching them.
It looked beautiful.
And strange.
He liked the enormity of it, so many people. The platform was packed, owls were soaring through the skies, adults were waving handkerchiefs in the air, students were hanging out of the windows and the doors, younger kids were standing next to the train, banging onto the metal beneath the window their older sibling was hanging out of.
Sitting back, Regulus closed the blinds. It felt strange. Intimate. Like he was seeing something he wasn’t supposed to, people crying and hugging and laughing without restraint. No, it didn’t feel like he should be allowed to watch that.
He pulled out a book and settled back, the ride would be long and he had plenty of books to get through before the start of school in two days. He’d wanted to read every school book at least once, but after getting them, he realized once wouldn’t do at all. Twice. Yes. At the very least.
It was well into the day, he’d already turned the trolley lady away, when the door banged open and a girl stepped inside with a sour expression on her face. “Regulus!”
“Nora,” he greeted softly, carefully closing his book and looking up to meet Nora’s gaze. She wasn’t looking very happy.
Nora Zabini was an old family acquaintance, she had dark skin, dark hair and now, a dark expression. “Where were you? I’ve been searching since this morning,” she hissed, moving to sit opposite of him before halting, eyeing the bench distastefully. “You would think Hogwarts has enough elves to not allow the train to become such a travesty,” she muttered, also taking her wand out to clean the seat before sitting down. “Honestly though, Regulus, I have been looking all over. Why didn’t you join us in the first carriage?”
Regulus shrugged, thumbing a random page of his book. “I had not thought about it.” A lie. He just hadn’t felt like spending all day with a bunch of people he barely knew, he preferred his quiet, his books. It had been nice.
“Sure you didn’t,” Nora muttered, shaking her head at him. “Well then, what are you reading?”
Glancing down, he lifted his book up just enough for her to read the title. “It’s for Transfiguration,” he said.
Nora nodded, leaning over to take it from his hands. “I know. Have you read all our schoolbooks?” At his nod, she chuckled. “Figured. Twice?” He nodded again, Nora grinned, humming an acknowledgement. “Are you excited? Peppa worked on my hair for two hours, I was so nervous, nothing looked perfect enough.”
“Two hours well spend,” Regulus answered kindly, glancing at the tiny curls bouncing around Nora’s head, two thin braids with beads framing her face. “Your hair looks fantastic.”
Nora nodded. “I know.” Flipping through the book, she sighed. “Not looking forwards to this, I’ve heard professor McGonagall is really strict.”
Regulus didn’t have the chance to respond, the door pushed open once again. “Hi kids! We’re nearly there, best get changed so you’re ready!” an excited voice exclaimed, a blonde girl poking her head through with a large smile. “Welcome to Hogwarts!” And she was off again.
He quickly left the apartment for Nora to change into her uniform, leaning back against the door and picking absently at the hem of his shirt, glancing left and right at the students scattered around. He didn’t recognize anyone, though he supposed he wouldn’t. He’d grown up in quite a seclusive group, with only the sacred twenty-eight or families of the same standard.
“I’m finished,” Nora announced not too much later, knocking on the door.
He returned inside, switching out his outer robe before joining Nora at the door. “Do you have your bag?” he asked, already looking at the discarded bag on the floor underneath the bench.
She send him a stink eye before grabbing it. “Yes, I do.” Linking her arm through his, she let him guide her out of the compartment. “Merlin, this uniform is just dreadful. A pleated skirt, a shirt and a tie. Tragically boring,” Nora muttered, eyeing her skirt like it had personally offended her. It just might have. “At lease everyone will be wearing it..”
Regulus shook his head and stepped out of the train, heart hammering in his throat. He was at Hogwarts. He was finally at Hogwarts.
∞
The present
31st of October 1976, Sunday
Hogwarts, potions tower
Regulus spend all day in the room, notes floating around him in the air, ingredients shooting to and from his palm, a quill scribbling down more notes.
“Your magic is amazing.”
He stopped, his eyes snapping to Potter, whom was still there. Well. This was only the second weekend, Regulus supposed Potter was too stubborn to give up in a single week.
“Really, I’ve never seen anyone use it like you do,” Potter muttered. He was flushed again, his normally dark shaded ears and cheeks tinted red. Regulus didn’t know anyone that got flustered so visibly and so easily. Part of him wondered if it was a trick, to look off guard and get Regulus to lower his shields. Not that it was doing much good, commenting on his magic, was it a warning? “It’s impressive.”
Oh. A compliment? Regulus blanched, staring at Potter with well-hidden surprise. His magic had been like a second skin to him all his life, he didn’t know any better. “I’m aware,” he finally stated, turning his attention back on his notes. He was studying the effects of pearl dust, a key ingredient of most love potions. Love was an emotion too, maybe if he could figure out how pearl dust worked on those emotions he could figure out how a different ingredient could work on a different emotion.
Potter yawned. Loudly. “Are you doing anything fun tonight?”
Tonight? Regulus glanced at him. “Excuse me?”
“Halloween? It’s Halloween today.” Right. “You didn’t know it was Halloween?” Potter asked, sitting up. “How did you miss that? Haven’t you been in the Great Hall say… all week?”
Regulus sighed, resolutely turning his back to the boy again. “I’ve been busy.”
“But it’s Halloween! There’s the costume party tonight?” Potter sounded like he just heard the scandal of the month, which Regulus could assure you, him not remembering Halloween definitely wasn’t it. According to Nora it was some Ravenclaw couple having a fall-out in the middle of the Great Hall during lunch a week ago, the two aired all their dirty laundry. Supposedly, it was delicious. “Are you not going?”
“I have more important things to attend to,” he said, narrowing his eyes on one of the papers that was currently floating in front of him. Grabbing it out of the air, he turned to Potter, raising it slightly. “Did you put this in my pile?”
“Your pile?”
“My notes. Did you put this in my notes?”
Potter blinked. Regulus narrowed his eyes. Potter tried to smile. “I thought it was useful!” “It’s my notes, Potter!” they exclaimed at the same time.
“We went over this yesterday,” Regulus growled. “My bloody notes,” shaking his head, he glanced down at the misplaced paper. “Can’t believe you touched my notes.”
“I had a momentary lapse of memory,” Potter huffed. “It happens!”
“Not to me, it doesn’t.”
“Better learn to live with it if you want my help.”
“About that.” Regulus turned around with a huff, narrowing his eyes on the guy. “Why are you helping me? We do not like each other. You and Nora do not like each other. Do you owe her? Does she have something on you? What is it?”
Potter shrugged. “Maybe I’m helping you out of the kindness of my heart.”
“Doubt that.”
“I might be!”
“But really though?”
“Go back to reading your notes.”
Regulus huffed, returning his attention to his notes.
It was quiet all of ten minutes before Potter got up and sat down opposite of him. “I’m dressing as a cat.”
Regulus stared at him. “… nice?”
“It’s for Minnie, of course. Girl tries to hide it but we all know she loves the attention,” Potter stated knowingly, nodding to himself. “Can’t wait to see her face.”
Regulus shook his head. “Why are you telling me this?” His gaze tracked over the shadows falling over his face and lighting up Potter’s black hair in an almost blue hue.
“Because I am bored and you are the only person here.”
“Well, go somewhere else then!” Regulus exclaimed, forcing his gaze down. He was seconds away from grabbing his hair and try to pull it out. He was getting a headache from the boy.
Potter pulled a face. “And go where? Remus is studying and Sirius and Peter are in detention.”
Regulus raised his eyebrows. “And there is no one else?”
“Eh, maybe.”
“I need to figure out a way to make this potion, Potter. If you cannot help me, please leave this room so I can focus on doing it myself,” Regulus hissed, suddenly getting annoyed by this entire situation. Potter was supposed to help him, what the hell was going on?
He couldn’t wait to tell Nora all about it.
“Did you read it?” Potter asked, nodding to the paper Regulus was still holding.
Glancing down, Regulus frowned. “I was trying to.”
“It’s about the anterior cingulate cortex,” Potter said, lifting his hand he flicked it to create the image of a brain in the air between them, Regulus’s notes floating to the side to make space. “It’s part of the brain that’s involved in several complex cognitive functions, like empathy, decision-making and emotion. There’s some others but that doesn’t really matter.” He flicked his wrist again, this time another part of the brain lit up. “There’s these studies about what parts of the brain gets activated by emotional pain, like rejection or grief and… Well, I wrote down what might be of use.”
Regulus stared at the brain floating in the air with wide, surprised eyes. “That’s brilliant.”
Potter shrugged. “My dad always says that, to know how to fix something, you need to know how it works when it’s whole. Figured it worked the same if you were trying to inflict something,” he muttered, frowning down at the hem of his shirt that he twisted around his fingers uneasily.
“That’s… that’s clever.” Regulus nodded, already making up a list of books he’d have to read about the workings of the brain. It was one thing to study all the ingredients and their workings, but it was possible to work from the inside out to. It was a good idea. Damn Nora.
“Thanks.”
Glancing up at Potter, he nodded, he’d already forgotten what he’d said to him but sure. The quill on his left was dotting down the names of books he’d have to order.
Nora came to pick him up that evening, striding into the room with a bright, excited smile. “Lord Potter! You haven’t run away yet,” she exclaimed in way of greeting. “I knew I could trust you.”
“I’ve come close a couple times,” Potter confessed, shouldering his bag.
Regulus hadn’t known that, if he had, he’d have done whatever it was more so Potter might’ve actually left. “Really, I should pay better attention.” He flicked his wrist, everything quickly organizing like he’d want them to. “Maybe next time you’ll actually run away.”
“Ha. Ha.” Potter flipped him off before moving to the door. “See you next week.”
Right. Next week. He hummed in response, forcing himself to not look up when Potter had left.
“So… it’s going well, isn’t it?” Nora was practically glowing. “Oh, it’s going so well. Did you make any progress with him?”
Unwilling to admit that yes, he had, Regulus moved past her and out of the room. “I’m starving, will we go out for dinner?”
“Have you lost it? The Halloween party is tonight, we’re dressing slutty and getting drunk. There’s an after in the dungeon.”
“We’re going to the party?” he asked, following her down the stairs. “Do we have to? I’d much rather spend the night in.”
“I’m aware, sweet, but you need to get out more. Remember? We discussed this.”
Regulus sighed. He supposed the last time had been rather pleasant. “What am I dressing as, then?”
“You’ll see.”
Right. That really calmed his nerves.
Well, Nora certainly did her best on the slutty part.
“I am not sure about this.” His arm linked with Nora’s, they moved down the hall towards the Great Hall in their new attire. The music already vibrated through the air and there were already several people walking around with giggling partners, drinks in hand and hair rumpled from kissing.
Nora smirked. “I am.” Of course she was. “Kalin is going to love this outfit.”
“Why should I care if he does?” Regulus answered lightly, gaze gliding past the students in the hall. He was dressed in fitted leather pants, a loose white blouse on top with a crooked crowd propped on his head. He was feeling very uneasy about it all.
The fact he had a crown drawn on his back, hidden under the fabric, wasn’t something Nora was actually aware about. Now he wondered if he should’ve told her after all, so she’d not have made him dress like a bloody king.
“I haven’t a clue,” Nora replied. She was dressed like a queen, her hair braided in dozens of tiny braids, intertwining in a beautiful creation in the nape of her neck. The crown on both their heads were silver, green emeralds embedded in.
The doors opened and music wrapped around them, loud rock music that pounded in their ears, sweat and loud voices mingling with the music that greeted them. The centre of the hall was already filled with people dancing, even some professors were dancing around.
Nora looked around with a relaxed smile. “Ah, nothing like a school party.” She winked at him before taking his hand and pulling him towards the drinks.
The drinks were fantastic. But the flask Nora sometimes handed him was so much better. Magic prevented the punch from being spiked, but nothing could touch Nora’s flask. Regulus was forever grateful, getting drunk at the side of the Great Hall, leaning against the wall and silently studying the people on the dance floors without any company to distract him.
There was a surprising amount of Ravenclaws that he’d only ever seen lost in their studies and at the front of the class, that now stood smack dab in the centre of the dance floor. The Hufflepuffs were the crazier dancers, which wasn’t surprising. They were dancing off beat and completely in their own style, Regulus couldn’t help but feel like he was intruding, watching them. They truly looked happy, just happy.
The Gryffindors were the ones that were all the way at the front, shouting along with the music and creating tiny pits of pushing people back and forth. Also, very unsurprising.
And the Slytherins, the ones that had actually gone for a dance, were mingled through the groups. They danced at the sides or with the Ravenclaws, mingling with the few friends they had in different houses.
“You haven’t asked me to dance,” Nora’s voice announced her presence at his left. She was one of the Slytherins that had been on the dancefloor almost the entire time. “There’s a slow dance coming soon, will you join me?”
Regulus met her eyes and nodded, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Of course, love, I will always dance with you.”
Nora grinned, letting him lead her to the floor. “I like drunk you,” she whispered, as they fell into a waltz they’d learned years ago when they were kids, completely off sync to the music.
“That’s lovely but I am not drunk,” he whispered back, twirling her forwards before tugging her back against him. “Did you have fun tonight?”
“Lots of fun.” Nora smiled, gaze flickering to the wall Regulus had just vacated. Most of their other house mates were still standing there, the ones that had come. Lip and Arry part of the group, they’d come dressed like werewolves.
It wasn’t hard to figure out why Nora kept looking there, Lip staring back at the two of them with poor stealth. “He’ll figure it out,” Regulus said.
Nora rolled her eyes. “Someday, right?”
“Someday.” Smiling, Regulus picked up the pace. “He can’t look away from you,” he informed her. “I think he’ll realize any day now.”
“Yeah, when he’s drunk.” Nora shook her head. “I deserve better.” That, she did. “Kalin’s been looking at you too, you know.”
“Is he now?” Regulus asked, twirling her around again. Moving her to the other side of the room, he smiled down at her. “This is our dance, we don’t have to talk about the others, you know?”
“Well, what else is there to talk about? You still refuse to talk about the potion with me,” Nora exclaimed. Lowering her voice, her gaze swept past the people around them. “How’s it going with James Potter?”
Regulus shrugged. “Why is he helping me?”
“That’s for me to know.”
Regulus hummed in acceptance, his lips quirking up. He’d seen Potter already, dressed in a cat costume just like he said. He’d somehow convinced McGonagall for a dance as well, Regulus had to bite his cheek to not gawk, not believing his eyes.
He didn’t know what to think of the guy. All his time at Hogwarts, he’d known Potter to be several things. He was Sirius’s friend. He was great at quidditch. He liked to prank, especially the Slytherin house. He was always surrounded by people. He was always loud. He was never serious.
And none of these things had been proven wrong yet, which was good to know, but Regulus couldn’t help but feel off about the guy’s help. Besides the obvious reasons, of course, there was just something else he couldn’t quite place about Potter that irked him wrong.
“Is he helping, though?” Nora asked, drawing his attention back to the present.
Glancing at the guy now, at the cat ears set between his messy black hair that caught the lights of all the candles and wow, the things that outfit did for his arse, Regulus smirked. “That’s for me to know.” Potter laughed at something, a throw-your-head-back-and-my-shoulders-can’t-stop-shaking laugh.
“Oh, I see how we’re playing this,” Nora muttered, smirking.
Regulus found Kalin later on the evening, or maybe Kalin found him when he was taking a walk in the gardens outside to cool off. The after party would start soon, but Kalin dragged him to an abandoned classroom before they’d got there.
Kalin was great. He made Regulus feel great. Leaving the room, he felt like he was glowing, Kalin walking close behind him with his lips still on his neck and his arms wound around Regulus’s waist.
Distracted as he was by said lips, he hadn’t noticed someone else entering the hall they were walking into. He hadn’t noticed until he had, his entire body freezing to a stop, Kalin pulling back without even thinking twice.
“Oh, hi,” Potter broke the silence.
Because of course it was him. Regulus arched his eyebrows, tracking his fingers through his hair. He’d lost his crown, he thought absently. “Hello?” Sending the guy an odd look, he kept walking, Kalin moving quickly to keep up.
Noticing the nervous expression on the boy, Regulus stilled, taking a deep breath to force himself to calm. Slowly, he turned around to face Potter. Kalin turned with him. It was obvious that he was nervous, his fingers running up and down his arms, his gaze darting left and right. “I’ll take care of it,” Regulus whispered, meeting Kalin’s eyes and nodding shortly. “Go on ahead.”
“He can’t-”
“I know.” Smiling tightly, Regulus nodded to the hallway behind them. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Kalin ran off after nervously glancing at Potter one last time, nodding to himself. Regulus watched him completely disappear before turning his attention back on Potter himself, staying where he was with a firm ten meters between them.
Which wasn’t appreciated, apparently, for Potter moved closer, gaze still on the corner Kalin had disappeared behind. “I didn’t know you were…”
“Be?” Regulus arched his eyebrows. “How would you?”
Potter shook his head, his eyes returning to Regulus. He was flushed again, Regulus noticed. “Dunno,” he muttered with an awkward chuckle.
“Right, well, I am. Kalin on the other hand, is not. Understand?” Regulus answered dryly. His fingers absently went to the sore spots on his neck, he hadn’t bothered to check if they’d coloured. Now, just to be sure, he wandlessly pulled a thin sheet of magic across his skin. “I mustn’t really need to explain to you why he isn’t and why it’s better that you understand, right?” The threat was badly hidden, but Regulus didn’t really care much for it.
“Oh! Right, I, uhm.” Shaking his head, Potter visibly pulled his head out of his thoughts. “No, I understand.”
“Fantastic.” Regulus turned around, fully intending to continue down his way when he noticed the costume Potter was wearing. “You changed,” he said before he could stop himself, his gaze flicking up and down.
Eyes widening, Potter nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I did.” Looking down at himself, he flushed red again. “Wasn’t really working out for me.” He’d changed into simple trousers and a shirt.
Regulus frowned. “Why not? Professor McGonagall seemed to like it,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “It looked good on you.” He was turning again, his feet already continuing on their way to the dungeon. “Have a pleasant evening, Potter.”
“Thank you…”
The words trailed behind him as Regulus left the hall and went down the stairs and to the dungeons.
Entering the common room, his shoulders relaxed, two shots appearing in his hands from a smirking Nora that was just pocketing her wand when he arrived at her side. The common room had been transformed into looking like a dingy club, people grinding in the centre from all houses and all ages. There was loud music that Regulus didn’t recognize and didn’t want to recognize and everyone was so drunk, he couldn’t wait to go and join them, moving through the crowd to follow Nora down the stairs to the boy’s dormitory.
Part of him laughed at how much things had changed since first year, but had somehow stayed the same too.
“We’re doing shots?” he asked, glancing at the glasses spread out on the floor when they reached the dorm.
“We’re going to get so drunk,” Arry started.
Lip nodded next to him. “We’ll be breaking a record.”
Regulus could drink to that.
∞
The past
22nd of September 1972, Friday
Hogwarts – Great Hall
Hogwarts was beautiful.
Regulus had been in the castle for three weeks now and he could say with profound certainty that Hogwarts was beautiful. The entire place was lit with candles and torches, casting yellow and orange lights through the hallways, joined with windows twice Regulus’s size with colourful glass that shone red and green and blue and so many more colours, he felt like he saw rainbows in everything.
Everywhere he went he could feel the magic tingling against his skin, enveloping him and so warm. The Great Hall most of all, though the dungeons came in a close second. The floating candles and hundreds of students crowded together casting spells and discussing potions, magic was the essence of the castle but the heart was the Great Hall.
He liked sitting at the table and just watch people, the seventh years already looking tired and constantly bend over books for their NEWT’s. The fifth years not looking much different, though they pretended they didn’t care yet for it was so far in the future. The second and third years walking around like they owned the place was also a sight to behold, Regulus had caught his brother prancing around more often than not, his merry band of companions crowded around him.
“Friends, Reggie, they’re my friends,” Sirius had corrected him once, but Regulus refused to believe that.
They knew better than to have friends.
His second favourite place would be the library though, the fast amount of books felt like a dream come true. He could spend hours there, not leaving until the librarian kicked him out. She was new and he thought she felt like she needed to prove a point.
Either way, library was great.
“There you are,” Lip – Philip Avery, the tallest boy of their year with buzzed brown hair, pale skin, eyes that sat deep in his face and thin lips – sat himself down next to Regulus, breaking through the carefully crafted silence he’d made in his mind. “Did you finish the Potions essay yet?”
Regulus nodded, tearing his gaze away from the two fourth year Hufflepuffs that were having an argument. They both had such expressive faces, it was hard to look away. “Of course I have, it’s due today.” He arched his eyebrows at the boy that was hastily pulling out a parchment and quill. “We were working on it yesterday.”
Lip shrugged. “I didn’t finish it yet, Arry wanted to go watch the Try-Outs. You were there.”
“Okay.” Regulus turned his attention to his lunch. His dormmates had joined him in the library after class, both needing to finish the essay Regulus had already finished the week it was assigned. They’d gone to watch the try-outs after dinner, it was fun, though Regulus already found the current seeker lacking. One more year and he could show them how it was done properly.
“Please, please help me,” Lip whispered, frowning down at his book as he tried to scribble down whatever he was reading. “I’ll help you with… with… Charms?”
“I do not need your help with Charms,” Regulus muttered, putting a piece of pie in his mouth. Taking pity on the boy, though – and also, he was a Slytherin and it wouldn’t do to lose points during the first month of school – he beckoned Lip for the book. “Write down what I say, yeah?” Lip nodded eagerly and Regulus started citing the rules of what way to stir the potion, changing the words just enough so nobody would know they copied it straight from the book.
“You’re helping him? Him?” Opposite of them sat down Nora Zabini, a dark expression on her face. “I can’t believe you! I’ve been trying to get your help for weeks!”
Regulus shrugged. “You do not actually need my help,” he informed her absently, glancing at Lip’s paper and pointing out the spelling mistakes he caught. “Besides, you only really want my help for transfiguration and that’s only because you don’t like it.” Nora is a brilliant student, second or third best of their year – Regulus being first. Obviously. He’d been the focus of many eye-daggers from Ravenclaw’s first years.
Nora leaned forwards, folding her fingers around her breakfast tea. “Mon amour, my love, my ray of sunshine –” Regulus arched his eyebrows, not looking up from Lip’s book, still muttering words for him to write down. “-I love transfiguration. That woman though…” Nora shivered, glancing at the head table where professor McGonagall was having a chat with Flitwick. “She creeps me out.”
“She creeps everybody out,” Lip stated. “Is that all?”
“Yes, you wrote your name on top of the paper? And the professor’s name?”
“Have now!” Lip grinned, putting his assignment away. “Anyways, there’s a party tonight and we’re sneaking in.”
“There’s a party tonight,” Regulus echoed. “And we’re sneaking in?”
Lip nodded, stuffing an entire slice of apple pie in his mouth. It was a talent. “We are. We are so sneaking in.”
The party was in the Hufflepuff common room, Lip had convinced him, Nora and several others of their dorm to join him.
“We can’t go in there!” Noa exclaimed that evening, looking mildly panicked by the idea. “It’s not our house!”
“It’s a party, nobody cares if we’re Slytherins or not!” Lip exclaimed.
Regulus shrugged. “They might care that we’re first years.”
“Let’s find out, shall we?” Lip exclaimed, dragging them forwards to the door.
They didn’t care. The door swung open at the right knock and they were met with loud strange music, a room filled with people lounging around on chairs or dancing absently spread out through the room. Smoke clouded the ceiling and there was someone mixing drinks, loudly telling everyone about everything they were putting in.
“Come on then,” Lip hissed, pulling them to an empty sofa and setting them down.
Regulus shot Nora a look, furrowing his brows. “This is a strange party.” Nora nodded her agreement, eyes taking in everything around them. There were students making out all around them, pressed against the walls or sitting atop of each other on a couch or chair. Regulus absently wondered why there wasn’t anyone walking around with amuses, but as no one questioned it, he kept his mouth shut.
“I got shots!” Lip exclaimed, returning to their couch with a platter filled with shots. “And look!” Behind him, several Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws appeared. Regulus recognized them from class, they were fellow first years. “We figured we’d head down to their dorm and play some games,” Lip informed them.
Sounded like a good plan.
Walking back to the dungeon with Nora later that night, Regulus grinned up at the ceiling. “Hogwarts’ so beautiful, isn’t she?”
“You think she’s a she?” Nora giggled.
They’d been drinking wine at parties all their lifes and Regulus had recognized the fuzzy feeling he got from the first shot he’d taken. But he’d never felt this fuzzy. “Duh.” He grinned. “Hogwarts is beautiful and pretty and really nice.”
Nora danced around him, a bright smile on her face too. “So you think she’s like a girl?” she exclaimed. “Boys can be pretty and beautiful and really nice too.”
“Mother says they can’t be,” Regulus stated. He remembered telling her once, he always thought some boys were far prettier than some girls. But his mother had gotten angry, really angry. Only girls could be pretty and beautiful and nice.
So that was what Hogwarts had to be.
Nora shrugged, hands swinging back and forth at her sides dramatically. “Maybe…” She giggled, taking his hand and pulling him to a window. It was one of those large ones, where you could climb into the still and sit against the walls, looking outside. “Have you ever had a crush on anyone?” Nora whispered.
“Never,” he declared, shaking his head.
Nora giggled again, shaking her head. “Really, never, never? I’ve had three.”
“Three?” he echoed, eyes wide. “Imposisble.” He blinked. “Imposiseble.. Impos-ie-ble.”
Nora had doubled over giggling. “Definitely had three! Really cute boys in Hogwarts, you know.”
Regulus nodded. He supposed that was true. “Maybe.. But you don’t have a crush on me, right?”
“No!” Nora violently shook her head. “You’re my friend!”
“I don’t have friends,” Regulus informed her, voice cooling. Sliding out of the window still, he continued the way to the dungeon.
Nora frowned, running after him. “What do you mean, you don’t have friends?”
“I just don’t have them.” Crossing his arms, Regulus shrugged. “Friends are bad, they show you’re weak.”
“Your mother says that?” Nora asked, hiccupping.
Regulus nodded. “She showed me, once. Friends are bad for you and,” he frowned, “and I’m bad for friends. I don’t have them.”
“Okay.” Nora smiled, linking her arm through his. “Then I’ll be your companion!”
Well… his mother had never said anything about that… He’d just have to be careful around her, it’d be easy.