The clock on the mantlepiece, a magnificently carved objet brought back from Japan by Regulus's great-great-uncle Arcturus, ticked loudly over the muffled shouts and bangs that filled the rest of the house. The clock's hands and body were bright silver, its face a gleaming black lacquer. It was decorated with all sorts of creatures from Japan and further afield - a hulking oni, petrels, webbed kappas, a demiguise that only came into view on alternate Thursday afternoons - but Regulus's favourite was the horned serpent which spent most of its time in slumber, curled up around the base of the clock.
Regulus watched this serpent carefully as he blew on his steaming porridge and tried to ignore his brother's heavy footsteps stomping up and down the staircases.
He counted down the seconds in his head and, with fifteen to go, the horned serpent began to unfurl itself. As it twisted up the clock its ivory-and-pearl body shimmered and the emerald on its forehead glinted in the soft morning light.
It reached the door at the top of the clock with three seconds to spare. The serpent and Regulus both paused, both anticipating.
The clock struck nine and the door flung open. A fluffy hoo-hoo bird (a genuine one, Sirius had told Regulus, reanimated each hour to be subjected to the same fate in some sort of Promethean nightmare) flew out to call the time. This particular morning it managed three cries before the horned serpent snapped its jaws and swallowed it whole. The hoo-hoo let out a muffled shriek; Regulus watched, enthralled, as the serpent's body contorted and distended to aid its digestion of the fluffy little bird.
Suddenly, an unusually loud banging (even for Sirius) reverberated through the ceiling. Regulus glanced up. His father, at the head of the table, rustled his newspaper and cleared his throat; Regulus quickly looked back down again and pretended that he hadn't noticed a thing.
"I assume you have packed all your necessary belongings, Regulus?"
"Yes, Father."
"Very good. I expect Narcissa will meet you at the platform—"
Regulus dropped his spoon in shock. "You and Mother won't be taking me?" he blurted out without thinking.
His father slowly lowered his newspaper and gave him a stern stare over the top of it.
"Sorry, Father," Regulus said quietly, cowed.
"Kreacher will take you and your brother to King's Cross shortly."
He swallowed. "Yes, Father."
He ought to have known. After Kreacher had been the one to take him to Diagon Alley to collect his wand, he ought to have known that his parents wouldn't bother to take him to King's Cross, either. He picked up his spoon and prodded it around his bowl, silently berating himself for being so stupid and optimistic and wishful, like a child who didn't know any better.
"You seem disappointed, Regulus."
"No," he lied. "It doesn't matter. It's fine."
The newspaper rustled again. Regulus looked up; Orion carefully folded the paper and placed it neatly upon his side plate. He removed his glasses, placed them on top of the newspaper, and studied his son with an inscrutable expression.
"I assumed you were too old, now, to require your parents to accompany you at all times."
Regulus sniffed and shifted in his chair. He stared at his porridge, frowning. That wasn't what he meant - that wasn't why he was disappointed, he wasn't a baby who needed to be chaperoned everywhere.
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Stars Shine Darkly ★ Regulus Black
FanfictionYoung Regulus Black is about to join his brother at Hogwarts for the very first time. He's reluctant and worried and scared, convinced that he'll be rubbish at everything, that no one will want to be his friend, that a mudblood will suffocate him in...
