Regulus Black and The Horcrux Hunt

Chapter 4 - Trouble

A month had passed and Claudette had grown displeased with the lack of learning.

"It's ridiculous, really. Where do they find these teachers?" Claudette huffed.

Ivan shrugged, "I don't know, but less work for me."

"Maybe we should start teaching ourselves." Claudette offered.

"We could just leave it and try and survive the year." Ivan retorted.

"Don't you remember what it felt like? That hopeless feeling- knowing that you couldn't do anything?" Claudette quipped.

Ivan sighed, of course he knew.

"It's forbidden, Locket would find a way to punish us." Regulus huffed, rubbing his hand.

"So we gather up some more people and we create a secret club to learn defensive spells." Claudette explained.

"Like our own Order of the Phoenix." Regulus jeered.

Both Ivan and Claudette looked at him confused.

"Right... it's run by Dumbledore to go against Voldemort." Regulus explained.

"How do you know all this?" Ivan quizzed.

Regulus shrugged, "Lupin."

"We've got to be able to defend ourselves- after everything that's happened." Claudette sighed.

"How do you supposed we rally a group willing enough to let us teach?", Regulus quizzed, "I don't know if you're aware, but we're either hated or feared by the entire student body."

"I have my ways." She assured.

Regulus and Ivan decided they didn't want to know.

"Guess we better start hitting the books." Regulus chuckled, playfully shoving Ivan.

"You can do the reading, I'll make sure to look at all the pictures." Ivan jeered, ruffling Regulus' hair.

"So it's a plan." Claudette cheered up.

Ivan nodded, "I think we could pull it off."

They both looked to Regulus for his input.

"Alright, alright. It's a plan." He huffed.

Claudette began doing a victory dance causing both Ivan and Regulus to groan.

"Awe, am I embarrassing you?" Claudette chuckled.

"Yes." Ivan scoffed.

"Always." Regulus quipped at the same time.

Claudette stopped as they entered the Great Hall, but only because she had spotted something from across the room.

"Regulus- why is your boyfriend here?" Claudette quizzed in confusion.

Regulus looked towards where she'd been looking and sure enough, by the teachers table, was the one and only James Potter.

James had a very different look when he was speaking to Dumbledore, he looked so serious- no pun intended- and mature.

Regulus didn't notice because it was a look James never wore around him.

It was clear as day as he made eye contact with James.

He seemed to light up in response, as if Regulus brought out all his childlike joy.

James' gaze was full of love- tooth-achingly sweet and entirely consuming.

Before James, Regulus' didn't know it was possible to love unconditionally.

James was truly a gift.

And how he managed to make Regulus feel like it was just the two of them in a room full of people, was beyond him.

Ivan managed to shove him to continue walking in his surprised state.

The Bulgarian boy yanked Regulus down to sit beside him as Claudette slid into the seat across the way.

"Attention everyone", Dumbledore called, causing the hall to go silent, "Our lovely Madam Hooch has gone on maternity leave."

"That being said", He continued, "Filling her roll until further notice will be Hogwarts Alumni, James Potter."

James smiled and waved quite like he were famous- and apparently so.

The crowd clapped and cheered, some louder than others, minus the Slytherins.

Regulus was sure by now Slytherins were sworn in with three things in mind: Don't associate with Gryffindors, hate all things muggles, and despise James Potter and all he stood for.

At least until they were old enough to form opinions of their own.

The only thing Regulus was bugged by was the sole fact that he spoke to James every night and he'd never heard anything about James' return to Hogwarts.

Regulus would say that dinner commenced as usually, but it was a weird thing for sure to see James at the teachers table- laughing it up with Professor McGonagal.

His eyes traveled from the laughing pair to Professer Locket, whose eyes seemed to drill holes in the back of James' head.

Jealous, maybe. Of how easily James fit in with the professors. Or maybe she just genuinely disliked him, for reasons unbeknownst to Regulus.

She'd mostly left Regulus alone, but he'd also be a lot more careful- with Ivan and Claudette breathing down his neck.

He didn't fault them for it, they just hated seeing how hurt he'd been. Regulus figured if the rolls were reversed he'd do the same.

The wounds on his hand had healed for the most part and now it was merely another scar to add to the list- if he hadn't already loved the massive one on the side of his face.

Of all things the scar had to be a lightening bolt.

Ivan thought it was cool, but Regulus thought it made him look like a freak.

Now his hand was butchered as the words 'I must not tell lies' were permanent white marks on his pale skin.

Regulus begrudgingly ate his food in silence, listening to Claudette talk about her Arithmancy class.

He had to practically elbow Ivan every-so-often to wake him from dazing off to nod at his girlfriend as if he'd actually been paying attention.

Of course Regulus would do the same for Claudette if Ivan started going on about his love for plants.

Although even he'd admit those rants were especially boring.

Before long, the trio headed out of the hall.

Most of the crowd were in front of them, so they felt no rush to get anywhere.

Besides they could all use a nice peaceful walk around the castle.

It was a nice thought, but the walk didn't last very long before Regulus was tugged into a hidden passage.

Ivan chuckled before wrapping an arm around Claudette, "We'll see you tomorrow."

The two of them headed on their way leaving Regulus to James' mercy.

James' hands cupped his face, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, "Hi, Love."