The Story of Regulus Black - Years 1-4

L. Erised

2 September fell on a Monday that year, and the students of Hogwarts were all less than thrilled. Everyone, that is, aside from Regulus Black.

He was up at the crack of dawn, a wide grin on his face - all of the events from the night before completely forgotten. He got out of bed, dressed into his school uniform, and packed his school bag with excitement coursing through his veins. He faltered for a moment on packing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and he felt his enthusiasm for the day multiply tenfold.

When he was dressed and packed, he glanced at his watch. It was only six o'clock in the morning, but Regulus was already more than ready for the day. With exhilaration, Regulus bounded over to the bed of his best mate and tore open the curtains.

"Barty, wake up!" Regulus uttered an excited whisper and roughly shook the shoulder of the other boy. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

"Go away," Barty mumbled, and he rolled over to bury his face into his pillow.

"No, Barty, wake up! We have Care of Magical Creatures first thing! Wake up!" Regulus gave up on shaking the boy awake, and resorted to the only other way that he had ever known anyone to wake someone up for certain.

He took a step back from the bed, and leaped onto it. He landed across Barty's back with a laugh, and Barty grunted from the sudden pressure. "What are you doing?" Barty asked, lifting his head from the pillow and looking groggily over his shoulder. "What's going on?"

"You have to wake up, Barty, come on!" Regulus climbed over the boy and sat cross legged next to his head, shaking his shoulder again. "Get up, get up, get up!"

"Ok, ok, I'm up!" Barty said, though there was an air of laughter to his voice. "Merlin's beard Reg what are you? Six?"

"Shut up!" Regulus said, punching his friend playfully on the shoulder.

Barty chuckled, and he grabbed Regulus's wrist and pulled it towards himself. "Are you serious, Regulus?!" Regulus had to fight the urge to make the joke. Barty released his wrist and groaned in annoyance. "It's six in the ruddy morning!"

"Ok, and?" Regulus asked, and he ripped the blankets off of his friend in hopes that it would awaken him more. "Our first class of the term is Care of Magical Creatures!"

"Ok, well waking up at six o'clock in the morning is not going to make the class come any sooner!" Barty protested.

"We can get there early!" Regulus reminded him.

"You're insane."

"And you're friends with me."

"Yeah, why did I make that decision? Pretty bad one, if you ask me," Barty said, and he smirked at the other boy.

Regulus put a hand on his heart, feigning offense. "Meanie."

Barty lifted his head from the pillow and gave Regulus an amused look. "Meanie? Meanie? Merlin, Regulus, you really are six."

"Shut up!" Regulus shouted, and he hit his friend playfully once again.

Barty climbed out of bed and began to get dressed into his school uniform, an air of exhaustion still about him. "Reg, if you ever wake me up before seven o'clock again, I will not hesitate to hex you."

Regulus laughed and gave Barty a disbelieving look. "You wouldn't." He said with an air of humor about him.

"Oh, but I would." Barty said, but even as he did, he was laughing.

Regulus waited patiently while his best mate got ready for the day. When the time had finally come where he was ready to go, Regulus hopped off of the bed and slung his book bag over his shoulder. The two boys walked down to the common room side by side, and when they reached it, it was empty.