Cellophane

Regulus, for all her good traits, was simple. 

She enjoyed...she didn't even know. The little things, as some people say.

She liked, for example, playing the piano, of course she only played in the first place because her mother forced her to. And when she was a kid she disdained and loathed her daily three hour lesson, and the fact that she had to practice every goddamn day, no exceptions. It's not like she ever complained though. 

But she had to give her mother some credit right? Because now she was incredible at piano, and she felt such raw euphoria every time she could play something complicated the way she wanted to.

 It was also a double edged sword.

With all this passion, there is the fact that every time she got something wrong, it was the most brutal irritation and anger she could feel. The obsessed artist, or whatever.   

Regulus also liked reading. And Quidditch. Regulus supposed she only really liked things she was good at.

She was top of her class, but not because she was smart. Regulus was obviously smart. But being naturally intelligent and caring about school were two different things. No, Regulus was top of her class because she had to be. Her parents expected it, so she was. simple as that. 

Regulus was now the prodigal daughter. And it was such bullshit.   

Regulus was never meant to be the prodigal anything. She was second born. She was supposed to keep quiet, be polite, stay in the shadows and observe. Then graduate, she would go from there. But those had been her intentions since she was a child. That had always been the plan.

So fuck Sirius and all his bullshit. 

Regulus had known about a potential war, and its intentions for a while. There had been talk about it since she could understand what talk was. Voldemort, ending the muggles etc… But Regulus wasn't stupid. She wasn't stupid enough to truly believe in pure blood supremacy, muggle born wizards had no biological differences, Regulus knew that. She knew it was cruel and unfair what they had to suffer, and knew that "mudblood" was wrong. She knew all that moral bullshit. And had forever. 

But, she also wasn't stupid enough to let anyone know she knew that. She wasn't stupid enough to defy her parents, or the pure-blood agenda. 

knowledge was power. And Regulus needed to get herself in a position where she had all the power in the world. It wasn't ethical, but Jesus, she was working with what she had. War knew no ethics.   

So yeah, Regulus Arcturus Black was the prodigal daughter, the Slytherin princesses, whatever else. But the end justifies the means. She had a plan, that's all that mattered. So what if she had to keep up a facade to get there.  

 Sirius, on the other hand, was a complete fucking imbecile. Seriously. Could he not just wait? Did he not understand what she was working toward? Could he not be so impulsive all the time? All he had to do was grin and bear it. Regulus could, why couldn't he? 

She remembered it so vividly. That night this past summer when he left.

Their mum had slapped him. So what? It had happened a thousand times before. But Sirius was always pushing, always seeing how far he could take it. He had taken it too far, like he always did. 

Regulus watched Sirius and their mum fight from her place on top of the staircase, like she always did. He snapped, shouted he was done, claimed he was "leaving for good". Sirius shoved passed her as he made his way to his room,

"what the hell are you doing?" She followed him, annoyed by the whole situation. "I'm leaving, I'm done with this Regulus. Are you coming or not?"

"just relax," her voice was bored. She was leaning against the side of his doorway, observing him shove his things into a suitcase. He was always doing shit like this.

"Relax?" He turned to face her. "Fuck you Regulus," He spoke this, laughing with frustration "you've always been soft, but you're taking it too far."

"Soft? What the hell are you even talking about? And i'm taking it too far? You never know when to shut up! If you would just keep qui-" 

Sirius now advanced on her, pointing his finger in her face.“Enough with your 'keep quite bullshit'! How is that working out for you?” He gestured up to a scar she had on her forehead. “Get your stuff we're leaving." He turned back to finish getting his things. A beat passed and he shoved passed her in the doorway, walking into the hallway. Then turned to face her.

She felt her heart sink. Her voice wasn't giving anything away, though.  "Sirius, stop, you're overreacting."

He shook his head, at his wits end, "It's now or never Reg." 

She was angry. Angry at him for being so impatient, for not understanding what she was trying to do. And why now? Why was he moving so quickly? What was different this time?

"I'm not-I can't fucking leave Sirius!"  She was whisper shouting, gesturing to herself, then the house. 

He nodded, tonguing the inside of his cheek.Then bowed his head to shake it in disapproval.

"Fine Regulus."   

 That was that. They hadn't spoken since. Opting to ignore each other when they passed in the halls. This year so far had been fucking weird. Sirius, and the pending war, and also…of course, James Potter. 

Fuck that guy. She hated him, she really did. And James hated her too, maybe that’s why this worked. Because there truly were no feelings attached. Not in the slightest. However, If anyone were to ask, she would say she was doing it to spite her brother. To piss him off in a…creative way. Maybe she had told herself that at the beginning. But now it was morphing into a familiar stress reliever she was becoming dependent on. As much as it pissed her off to admit. 

Regulus hadn't told Barty or Evan about her rendezvous with James potter. God, they would have a laugh. That would be a shame she couldn't live down, they would never let it go. And she knew James's friends would kill him. Fraternizing with the enemy and all. 

So they told no one. They agreed.

 Except…her roommate Alice knew, but only because she had caught Regulus sneaking out to meet James the second week of school, and demanded to know. But Regulus did not stress about it. Alice wouldn't tell. Also, people thought Alice was strange, so they wouldn't believe a word she said to begin with.

 Of course Alice was strange, but Regulus liked her despite the fact. 

They had been friends since their first year. Both being naturally rather unsociable, their friendship came naturally from being in very close proximity all the time during their most intimate years. Also being able to understand each other without having to say much, or put on fake niceties. Alice didn’t really hang around Regulus’s “crowd”. Not with Barty, or Evan, or any of their acquaintances. 

For how well known Regulus was, those were really the only people she would consider “friends.” The other Slytherins respected her, for being a Black. And everyone else, for the most part, was too intimidated to get too close. 

She was beyond fine with that. 

   It was Monday and she walked in between Barty Crouch and Evan Rosier as they sluggishly left Potions. 

Her bag weighed heavy on her shoulder. “God I'm exhausted,” Regulus groaned, bowing her head and letting hair fall in her face. 

“Color me surprised,” Barty began, “You’ve had permanent bags under your eyes since you were twelve.” Barty and Evan laughed, and Regulus smiled lazily, not being able to deny it. “I’m convinced you’re nocturnal, reg” Said Evan, still laughing, “I remember our first year when you would come into our dorm at like- what? three in the morning, and act shocked that we were asleep!” 

“Oh yeah!” Barty said, “God, I guess we are just so used to it now, but I remember thinking at the time, this kid must have some serious physiological issues.” 

“Mmhm well,” started Regulus, reluctantly smiling,  “I only recall being revolted by your incompetence, some things never change.” Barty laughed, and opened his mouth to say something back. 

“speaking of,” Evan cut in, “I just bombed that quiz, I know,” he tilted his head back groaning. 

“You never study, I don’t know what you expected.” Barty said, reaching behind Regulus to smack the back of Evan’s head. 

“Oh sod off,” Evan said, “you only do semi decent because Slugghorn sat you next to Regulus, and you cheat off her for every bloody assignment!” 

Barty smiled and tapped his temple with two fingers. “Work smarter, not harder, mate.” 

Evan began to say something back, but stopped when he saw Sirius Black, James potter, and Peter Petigrew walking toward them on the other side of the corridor. They were walking side by side, all laughing and smiling. 

Regulus observed the way the corners of James’s eyes would crinkle as he laughed, and his glasses would slide down the bridge of his nose when he bowed his head forward.

 Fuck. 

“Ahhh, and there he is, folks,” Barty said, mocking. There was enough distance between them so they couldn't hear him.

Regulus elbowed him in his side, “Don’t.” she said in a low voice, and turned her eyes away from the approaching boys, and focused them out the windows of the corridor. 

Please, please, please Regulus internally begged. 

She felt their laughter stop as they approached each other. 

No one said anything. The air was thick. Time felt slow. 

But, it seemed she was almost in the clear. 

Bang. Barty’s shoulder shoved against Sirius’s. 

“Hey, watch where you’re going, blood traitor.” Barty said this casually, not pausing to look at them.

Oh fuck my life. 

Sirius turned back slowly.

“Well, well, well, look at you Crouch,” Sirius grabbed his shoulder,roughly turning him around, then grabbed the white collar of Barty's shirt, and pulled him up. “Big mouth.” Sirius was speaking with an irritated smile. 

Evan pulled out his wand quickly and pointed it at Sirius. “Hey, hey let him down,” Evan began. 

They were all facing each other now. Regulus was standing behind barty, loosely reaching out for him. 

James gripped Sirius’s arm, that still clutched bartys shirt. “Sirius, come on,” James tilted his head to the other side, motioning for Sirius to follow. “Drop it.” 

“Ooh,” Barty said, in a mocking voice, “Wow Black, I didn’t take you for the type to need your little friends to save your skin, all bark, no bite I guess.” 

Bam!

Sirius’s fist collided with Barty’s jaw and it sent him stumbling from his grasp. 

“Hey!” was shouted from both Regulus, and Evan. 

Regulus moved to stand where Barty had been, in front of Sirius, as Evan went to collect Barty, he was clutching a hand to his jaw and cursing. 

Sirius shook his hand from the pain of impact. 

James ran a hand through his hair, and sighed.  

Peter had been perfectly silent and terrified through the whole interaction. 

“What the fuck,” Regulus began, shoving sirius back, “Get a fucking grip!” 

He furrowed his eyebrows as he looked down at her, “How about you get a grip of your fucking puppy, Reggy,”

She hated “Reggy” and he knew that. 

“You motherfuc-” She started, lunging at him. 

But she was pulled back, Someone catching her, mid jump, by the waist and turning her around before setting her down. “Hey, hey, relax.” It was James. His voice was low, and she felt his breath on her ear. He turned back to Sirius who looked confused, and still angry. Regulus was breathing heavy angry breaths, but she felt one of James's hands linger on her waist, before letting go completely and now he was standing in front of Regulus, blocking her from Sirius. 

“Enough,” He said, then walked to grab Sirius's wrist and yank him away. "What would Mooney think of this behavior?" James muttered, pulling a cursing Sirius down the corridor, Peter following close behind. 

“What the fuck was that?” Barty said. Still holding his bruised jaw, Evan had a hand on his shoulder. 

Regulus sighed, then walked toward her friends, and punched them both in the shoulder.

“I told you not fucking do anything.” She wasn't shouting, she just sounded kinda tired.  

“I didn't!” cried Evan. 

“Hey I’m the one who got hit, remember! And what’s the matter with you? You hate them!” Barty gestured his hand down the hall in the direction the boys went. 

“So? That was stupid, you don’t pick a fight in a fucking hallway! It’s a miracle a professor didn't hear us. Seriously have some decorum.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Hey, hey now,” Barty said, “Don’t act innocent, you were about to tackle Sirius if Potter hadn't pulled you back!” 

Regulus opened her mouth to defend herself. 

“What the hell was that anyway? Why did he stop you like that?” Barty voice wasn't accusatory, and Evan shrugged at the posed question. 

But Regulus still felt her cheeks heat up. She got the burning felling like she was on trial. 

She faked a passive expression, and shrugged too,“how the hell would I know? Come on let's go."