The Story of Regulus Black - Years 1-4

CVII. The Night it Happened

CW: unhealthy consumption of alcohol

Regulus Black awoke at half-past nine the next morning.

He knew that he should've woken up earlier, but he also wanted to get the most sleep that he could. Regulus rolled onto his back and arched it, stretching his limbs as far as he could and letting out a deep yawn. He could hear shuffling around the dorm indicating that at least one of his dorm mates was awake; he hoped it wasn't Barty.

Regulus sat up and stretched again, his arms going above his head and popping one of the vertebrae in his spine back into place. He opened the curtains on the side of his bed that was facing away from Barty's and threw his legs over the edge.

Getting dressed was fairly easy that day. Since it was a Saturday, there was no enforcement of uniforms so all of the students were free to wear what they pleased. He put on a pair of dark tartan pants with a thick black polo-neck tucked into the pants. He didn't bother putting on a coat, seeing as how he would be staying inside of the warm castle all day.

Regulus slipped on his shoes and packed his book bag with nothing but what he would be needing for the tutoring session that he had gotten himself roped into. How someone could be struggling in Care of Magical Creatures, Regulus was unsure. After all, to him, it was the easiest class at Hogwarts.

He made a hasty stop in the Great Hall on the way up to the library to grab a quick breakfast. The four tables, during the hours between the main meals, were covered from end to end in snack food that the students could come to grab if they got hungry. Regulus grabbed a muffin, not quite hungry enough to eat anything more but not full enough to make it until lunch.

He picked at the muffin on his way up to the third floor. He was just putting the final bite into his mouth as he crossed the threshold, earning a dirty look from Madam Pince who could only see him chewing. He gave her a nod of greeting which went unreturned and continued back to the tables where he assumed the other person would be sitting.

When he rounded the shelves and the tables came into view, he could see only one person sitting at them. Regulus looked at her, his heartbeat increasing just a bit as she tucked a strand of her wavy blonde hair behind her ear and looked at the textbook in front of her. He tore his gaze away, afraid that she would look up and catch him staring, and he looked to be sure that there was no one else.

Assuming that the person simply hadn't arrived yet, Regulus moved to take a seat at one of the tables. However, risking another glance toward Gwen, he noticed that the textbook that she was staring at was the one that they used for Care of Magical Creatures. He stopped dead in his tracks, his mind racing and telling him that there was no way that she could possibly be the one that he was meant to be tutoring.

Though, when she looked around as though searching for someone in particular and the two met eyes, he knew. She seemed to realize at once, as well, and he could see her expression harden into one of dislike. Regulus briefly debated on just turning around and leaving - he could find someone else who could help her. However, he didn't want to disappoint Professor Kettleburn, and he had already woken up early for it.

He hesitantly made his way over, dropping his book bag onto the table and sitting slowly in the seat across from her. "You're the one I'm supposed to be tutoring?" He asked.

She nodded her head curtly. "And you're the one who's supposed to be helping?"

He nodded his head just as curtly, and they stared at one another in silence for a moment. Regulus admired the way that greens of all shades - light, and dark - seemed to swirl together in her iris'. A bit of hair came out from behind her ear and she quickly tucked it again, breaking Regulus out of his trance-like state.