Arcane (Regulus Black)

two

I woke up to someone standing over me. She scratched her head as she tapped me again and again. I rubbed my eyes and looked at her. "Sorry I know you're probably tired." she paused "it's just you're going to miss breakfast."

I sat up, rubbing my face slowly waking to reality. I told her I would be there in five and she said she would wait for me, even though I told her it was unnecessary. I freshened up, then groaned realising I had to write a letter to my parents informing them of this news that the hat chose Gryffindor. That is in the case that Regulus has not already informed them.

We met at the table, she waved for me to go over and sit next to her. I took a quick glance at the Slytherin table and saw Regulus sitting with the same people I once called my friends. He glanced up, quickly turned back to them, and completely ignored my presence. I tried my best to ignore it as I walked towards her and sat down. She took her hand out for me to shake and introduced herself, "Taylor" I took her hand and shook it. I told her my name and she smiled. I guessed she was a muggle born then. "My parents are muggle born, imagine their surprise when I got the letter" she smiled as she dug into a croissant.

I returned the smile and took one of the pastries too but I just broke it into smaller pieces. "There you are!" I turned, immediately recognizing his voice. He threw his arm on my neck as he moved closer to me and took a piece of my pastry and ate it. "Chop chop, you've got a lot to do today. Breakfast first though"

"I'm done Sirius" I replied, clenching my teeth. Mainly because from where I sat, I could see Regulus sat there completely ignoring our presence as he ate his breakfast.

Sirius looked up, to see where my glance was and moved closer. "It's going to be like that now Blackwood. You may as well get used to it. Trust me" he sighed, "look but you will always have us and this lovely girl. What's your name?"

She giggled, swallowing then replied, "Taylor Moss."
"Crikey Elizabeth. '' he replied and moved away slightly but with the biggest smile on his face, "now that is how you shove the pure blood's values and traditions up their asses. Make friends with a muggle born. Perfect!" he said to which the rest of his friends clapped in the back, except one I noticed. He had his head down in a book as he took a couple of sips of his juice.

I smiled at all of them, except him. "Hey Sirius, I'll just have breakfast then will you come with me to mail a letter to my parents?" I asked him. He nodded.

I took a couple of bites of my pastry mainly because Sirius watched me, to make sure I ate but also because I lost track of the moment over their conversation. All those years, I grew up with family friends, I had never felt this way just from this conversation with Sirius's friends and Taylor as well as some others off the Gryffindor table.

Dumbledore made a few announcements for the first years especially and the final years with their exams. Sirius and his friends had classes, the boy who had his head deep in the book was taking Care of Magical Creatures, whereas the rest were off to divination but Sirius was adamant to walk with me to the Owlery. I sat up there with him as he helped me write a letter to my parents, explaining my 'misfortune'.

After that, I sat with Sirius beside me. We sat like that in silence for a while. "Do you think they'll treat me how Walburga Black treated you?"

His breath hitched and his face fell. He turned to look at me and took my hands in his, "Liz, I would never wish that on anyone. Nobody deserves to be treated that way ever." his face fell, "but..."

"But" I responded, not finishing his sentence because we both knew the answer. "And Regulus?" I asked, hoping.

He shook his head, "you can try but I don't..."

"I messed everything up. Didn't I? I begged the hat to put me in Slytherin. My parents, Reg, my friends. I have nothing now. It is all gone."

"You can try but I don't think..." he stuttered, "listen, if two people are meant for each... anyway they will always find their way back."

"Do you believe that?" I asked him.

An awkward silence followed between us. I felt a lump in my throat and bit my lip, I played with my fingers. He just sat beside me. "Get up," he said, with a stern face. My perplexing grew. He smiled as he grabbed my hands and I stood up. He placed both hands on my shoulders, "the hat put you in Gryffindor for a reason Elizabeth," he rubbed one side of my face as a couple of tears slid onto my cheek, "We have been friends for years Elizabeth, when all of my old friends abandoned me, you did not." he paused and enveloped me in a hug, "I'm not surprised you didn't get Slytherin. You are not like them at all.''

I smiled at him, "I am sorry," I chuckled, "I don't even know why I am crying."

"It's ok," he replied and cupped one side of my face and rubbed my back. "I'll always be here for you." I smiled at him.

We made our way down the owlery heading back to the Gryffindor Common Room. Maybe he was right. He made silly jokes and remarks anytime some Slytherin walked past us, and jabbed me in the chest, which only kept me laughing. I feel better now. Maybe, we could be all right. We would be. I would be.

That is until I saw him. It had not even been one year yet and his friends were already bullying others, as he stood there smirking. Sirius grabbed my arm to guide me through right before he shot a spell to separate Crouch from the poor Hufflepuff.

Crouch turned around and smiled, "Well well well." he lifts his hands up, turning at the crowd then back to us, " Merlin, you two are worse than Muggleborns."

"That's a lie" I snapped, causing Sirius to tighten his grip on my arm as he pulled me behind him. I was not like the Muggle horns.
"That's right Blackwood. Hide behind the Black. You lose one Black but you've gained this-"

"She never lost me" Sirius sneered, I saw Regulus's face falter for a second as if gaze remained fixed on Sirius's hand intertwined with mine. Truthfully I had not even realised it until I saw his face fell as he glared at us. Malfoy drew his wand out but Regulus told him not to. He told Crouch to lower his wand as he stepped forward, his eyes focused on me.

"Rejected by the only good house. Rejected by your own friends. Rejected by your family. When will you realise you're nothing but an outsider. A reject.

Nobody wants you. Nobody ever has. They just put up with you..." he steered his voice in one tone, "out of spite. Then," he pointed at Sirius's friends, who stood there with their wands in their hands, "they don't want you as their friends. Not really. They see the Black title. They see all of that money. To which you will never touch of course because you are not a Black. You are not a true Black."

I saw Sirius's face fall slightly and I snapped. I pushed his arm off of me, "You want to talk about outsiders, Black?" I sneered at him; his face faltered for a second. "These so-called friends of yours..."I shook my head, "They are not your friends. They only ever saw your Slytherin title. Are they even aware of what you actually think of them? Hmm?" He clenched his jaw, "you're real friends. You're true friends? The ones whom you did not need to pretend in front of, hope you're happy because you've just lost them now.

Permanently. I hope you know what it feels to be the outsider now Black.one day, it will come to you." His face faltered and his breath hitched but I refused to turn back, I grabbed Sirius's arm and walked back to the Gryffindor Common Room. "ignore them" I whispered to him as I rubbed his shoulder and looped his arm with mine as we sat down. He laid his head on my shoulder and cried. He moved to lean closer on me and I did the same.

"I know, I know" I whispered, wiping his tears away as he moved to rest his forehead on mine. James and Remus walked past but turned to sit with us. James simply rubbed Sirius's back and smiled, sympathetically.

"Now are you going to mope around for the rest of the day or should I prank Filch myself?" he teased, with a smirk on his face. I saw Sirius look up, "Fuck off, without me?" he smiled and pushed James as they both got up and grabbed Remus. "You coming?" Sirius asked.

Just like that a new family emerged.