i really loved him

chapter 1

Sunday, 1st September 1974 - Regulus stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express, watching the endless fields of Scottish countryside flash past. It was the beginning of his third year at Hogwarts, and he was glad to be returning; summers at Grimmauld Place were hardly cheerful. He turned to glance around the otherwise empty compartment, wondering how much further they had to go, and whether he should change into school robes soon. The travel robes he'd selected that morning were emerald green and lined with delicate silver – the colours of Slytherin.

"Anything from the trolley?" came the familiar call. The elderly witch who operated said trolley was standing outside Regulus' compartment. He shook his head and she carried on hobbling up the aisle.

It was beginning to grow dark outside, so he made his way briskly to the train toilets and pulled on the brand-new set of jet-black robes he'd bought near the end of summer. On the way back, Regulus passed a carriage occupied by his brother, Sirius, who was lounging back against the window as if he owned the place. Sirius, of course, wasn't alone. Regulus recognised each of his little gang of friends from the previous two years of witnessing their
pranks and general idiocy.

There was Peter Pettigrew, a youthful looking boy with a round and rosy face; Remus Lupin, who was tall, lanky and covered in unexplained scars; and James Potter, the worst of them all. A permanent cocky smirk was plastered across his light brown face, and he had an infuriating habit of tousling his already-messy hair. They were a year older than Regulus but, in his eyes, were all wildly immature. He slowed his pace slightly and regarded them with disdain. Catching his eye, Potter smirked. Then Sirius rose, sauntered towards the glass door and slid it open. He was wearing scruffy denim jeans and a garish band t-shirt emblazoned with 'The Rolling Stones'.

"Evening, Reg," Sirius grinned, leaning against the doorframe. "Care to tell us what you're gawping at?"
Regulus rolled his eyes.
"You ought to change out of those muggle clothes, Sirius. We'll be arriving soon," he replied coldly, then turned to stride back to his carriage. He only held his head higher at the sound of sniggers echoing down the corridor as he slid the compartment door shut.

True to his estimation, the train soon screeched to a halt and the streams of students filed out. The evening air was crisp, sharp in a way that washed over Regulus' face as he stepped onto the platform. An excitable hum rose around him, people everywhere, craning their necks for a glimpse at the castle, as they set off in the carriages drawn by Thestrals; he couldn't see them, but he knew they were there.

Before long, he was sat at a bench in the great hall, helping himself to a dollop of mashed potatoes. The sorting ceremony had been tedious, but Hogwarts feasts were always worth the wait.

The great hall was filled with the chatter of students and the scraping of cutlery against golden plates. The professors, as always, sat at their table at the head of the hall, merrily raising their goblets to a new year at Hogwarts. Overhead, the enchanted ceiling resembled a perfect night sky, whilst hundreds of floating candles cast a flickering glow over the room.

It was pleasant, Regulus thought, but overwhelming. Once the feast was over, he made his way briskly to the Slytherin dormitory and, despite being exhausted from the journey, lay awake in bed for hours before eventually falling asleep.

Monday, 2nd September – On Monday morning, Regulus reluctantly woke up early and went straight to the great hall for breakfast. His intention was to arrive before the main horde of students in the hope of a meal in peace. And, as expected, the hall was mostly empty except for a few early-rising pupils hoping to get a head-start. However, Regulus' wish for some quiet was crushed by the presence of Sirius and his friends, who were sat at the Gryffindor table, currently in guffaws of laughter. From what Regulus could gather from across the room, James Potter had been throwing chunks of bread into the air trying to catch them in his mouth but had instead managed to get a nose full.