The Untold Story of RAB

The Potions Class

What a horrible way to start the school year. Potions, with none of her friends. As Diana entered the class her stomach plummeted, half the class were Slytherins, the only other Gryffindors were Ernest and Ginevra, along with a few Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws. She took the empty seat beside Ginerva who was looking equally unhappy with the class population.

    The Weasleys were one of the few ancient pureblood families who weren't chummy with pureblood supremacy, which made them a target. The Slytherins were often the ones throwing the darts.

    Diana looked around at the classroom, a stoney dungeon room that was always cold and smelled of strange ingredients. Tables were set up in rows with a pair per table. A boy with black curly hair at the front of the back of the classroom got her attention, Regulus Black. She moaned internally, it wasn't enough that she had to put up with him giving her weird glances and being Gryffindor tower's sworn enemy but now she had to be in the same class as him.

    Over the past four years they had only ever had one class together, second year charms. She doesn't even think they ever really spoke before bumping into him on the train. That might surprise some people given how Hogwarts years were only made up of a hundred or so students. But the Slytherins really kept to themselves, especially from Gryffindors.

    Slughorn, the potions teacher and head of Slytherin, entered his classroom fashionably late as usual. He looked a little off balance holding a piece of parchment in his hand.

    He looked around the class, sighed, crumpled up the paper and stuffed in the pocket of his tweed cloak. "I will be assigning partners this semester."

    A roar of groans came up from the students.

    "I don't want to hear anything about this, I'm the teacher, this is how it'll go."

    Ginerva rolled her eyes.

    He began pairing people up, half way through Ginerva leaned over and whispered "Di, notice how no Slytherins are getting put together. I bet it's a plan from McGonagall or Dumbledore, to put the kids on the path to darkness with kids who may be able to change their minds."

    "Or just give them an easier way to hate crime some muggleborn," Diana said with a dark laugh.

    Ginerva just shrugged.

    "Ginerva Weasley and Duncan Ashe" Slughorn called.

    Ginerva sighed, got up and went to join Duncan on the far side of the classroom. At least she got put with Duncan, one of the nicer Slytherins, someone who got into Slytherin just for ambition and not for ambition for the dark arts.

    "Diana Montgomery and Regulus Black."

    Diana snapped her head up at the sound of her name. You have to be kidding me she thought but held her tongue.

    She noticed Regulus getting up from his desk and coming to join her in the back corner.

    It felt like infinity he was walking towards her, eventually, he reached her and sat down beside her without a word. His bookbag resting at his feet.

    They sat in silence until Slughorn was finished with the names.

    "This will be your potions partner for the rest of the year, get comfortable and spend the rest of class getting to know each other and reading chapter 1 of your textbook," Slughorn said as if reciting some tired speech.

    Diana brought up the courage that the Sorting Hat saw in her and said, turning towards Regulus said, "I'm Diana Montgomery."

    He, in return, turned and looked at her slowly. He nodded, and with furrowed brows said "I know."

    She pursed her lips unsure what to say next.

    He seemed to sense this and with a small smile said "I'm Regulus." He then took a pause as his eyes seemed to drift off in thought, he breathed in once "just Regulus."

    Diana nodded and before she knew what she was doing she said, "Di."

    His eyes opened wide, "excuse me?" He spluttered.

    Diana realised quickly her mistake, "no I mean, Di. That's what people call me. That's what you can call me."

    Regulus nodded his head, his brows furrowed again. "I see."

    "I'm going to start the reading," she said after a moment.

    That is how they passed the rest of class, in silence reading their textbook.

    Diana could sense him beside her, deeply focused, his breathing was slow and deep. She caught herself studying his bony hands holding open his book and quickly turned back to her own pages, chastising herself.

    The bell rang and woke her from her reading trance. As she was putting away her book into her bag she heard Regulus say a small goodbye and leave.

    Once Diana got up she found Ginerva waiting for her at the door to walk to transfiguration together.

    Diana prayed that Ginerva wouldn't talk about the potions partners. She wasn't so lucky.

    "Duncan kept going on about how good the Slytherin quidditch team is. So annoying! It's not like he's wrong but I could deal without hearing about it. What about Regulus?"

    By now they had reached the large stairwell that led to the upper levels of the school, as they began to climb Diana said "Not bad, I mean we really didn't talk, just read."

    "Ugh, lucky. You're trying out for quidditch again right?"

    "Yup."

    "I think I'm going to try out."

    Diana raised her eyebrows, she didn't know Ginerva was interested in quidditch. "I didn't know you played."

    Ginerva blushed a little bit, "just at home. Arthur's not much of a player but Will and Fredrick are."

    Diana nodded, "it would be awesome to have another girl on the team, Marlene and I were the only ones last year. Do you want to go down to the field and practice tomorrow night?"

    "Really?! I'd love that it would be a great help."

    "Let's train you for seeker and chaser since those are the spots that graduated last year."

    Ginerva agreed just as they arrived at Transfiguration.