I hate everything but you

Severus got up and walked to the bedroom door, finding sixteen year old Regulus Black standing on the other side.

"Is Lucius in there? Or anyone else? Can I talk to you?" Regulus immediately fired out, shifting in place.

Severus was taken aback and couldn't respond for a few seconds. Eventually, however, he got his bearings back and responded. "I'm alone. And sure we can talk."

"Great." Regulus pushed past him into the room and sat on his bed before immediately getting up and pacing the room.

Severus closed, and locked, the door before sitting on his bed, by himself.

As soon as Severus's body met the bed, Regulus began talking again.

"I know we don't really know each other, and you and my brother kinda hate each other. But, I really needed to talk. And you're older and gay and trans, so I thought it would be a good idea to talk to you. I hope you don't mind."

"It's fine. But, how did you know I'm trans?"

Regulus still seemed incredibly anxious, but that was also now joined by confusion. "You didn't transition until the end of my second year?"

"Yeah, but....No one really remembers, especially since I didn't really have friends or anything."

"Oh? Well, I do."

Severus nodded. "What did you want to talk about then?"

"So, um....I'm not a boy!" Regulus looked like a deer in headlights after admitting that.

"Okay." Severus responded calmly. "What are pronouns? Do you have a different name?"

"I um....That's kinda what I wanted to talk about."

"Okay?"

"So, I was thinking....Never mind, it's dumb."

"It is not." Severus replied, firmly, though still calm.

"It's just....Reggie, They/Them....Is that okay?"

"That's more than okay." Severus smiled encouragingly.

"Really, but....My name...."

"Is beautiful."

"Is so similar."

"What's wrong with that?"

"You and Narcissa chose such different names from your old ones."

"So?"

"....Doesn't that mean I have to too?"

"Of course not. It's your name. And it's not like we're the only trans people to exist. Many don't change their name at all. Even if it's nowhere near gender neutral."

"Really?"

"Really."

"So, 'Reggie' is okay?"

"Like I said before, it's more than okay."

"What about my pronouns? Do you think anyone will take it seriously?"

"I can name at least seven people, not including myself, who I know for a fact will. And only three are related to you."

"Who?"

"Narcissa, Andromeda, Sirius, Remus, James, Peter, and Lucius. And I'm sure there are others as well."

"You really think they'll support me....At least my gender?"

"I KNOW(A/N: I don't know if I've said it before, so when a word is all capitalized it means that the character is putting an infuses on the word, not that they're yelling it.) they will."

"....My parents....They're not going to like this."

"They're not." Severus agreed "But, they don't matter. You are a thousand times more important than any bigoted opinion they hold. Besides, you're turning seventeen in four months, right? After that it REALLY doesn't matter what they think. Because you'll be an adult and they won't be able to do anything to you."

"I....I guess that's true....I still wish I had their support, though."

"I know....I fell the same way about my parents, but....But, although I hate to say it, that's almost definitely not going to happen."

Reggie nodded, trying not to cry. "Thanks for not sugar coating it....I really, really don't want to hear that, but it's better than a lie."

Severus nodded back. "Yeah, I know....Y'know you can always talk to me right? About anything."

Reggie hesitantly nodded their head. "I...I think I do...now."

"Good. Because, you can."

"T-thanks."

Severus merely nodded. He hadn't had the best experiences with figuring out and exploring his gender identity, so he hoped to give Reggie better....He just hoped it wasn't too late.