"Ready for the first day of school?"
"Yes," Regulus answered confidently. He started walking towards the train.
"Uh... Reg? I think you're forgetting something." Sirius smiled, handing the trunk to his brother.
"Right. Sorry."
"Are you scared?"
"A little," Regulus admitted.
"I just hope you get into Gryffindor."
"Mum and Dad won't be happy if I do."
"Who cares?" But even as he said it, he knew that Regulus cared. Just a little bit too much.
-༓-
"Black, Regulus!" McGonagall called. James and Sirius, who had been shouting guesses for which house each First-Year would be placed in, immediately stopped.
"Not Slytherin, please not Slytherin," Sirius whispered quietly as his brother nervously walked up. He was at the edge of his seat.
McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on Regulus's head. He held his breath.
"Slytherin!" The hat yelled. Regulus got up, looking almost relieved as he headed towards the Slytherin table.
"Sorry, mate," Remus said.
"It's fine."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious. "Is it?"
Sirius turned to his friends, smiling.
"It hesitated." He said, almost gleefully.
"What?" Peter asked.
"The Sorting Hat. It hesitated." Sirius said with a grin.
☆ Regulus's POV — 1 September 1975 - Hogwarts Train
"So Black... I heard what happened." A boy in his compartment asked. Regulus identified him as Rupert Wilkes, a Slytherin Pureblood in his year. The rest of the Slytherins in his compartment didn't turn their heads, but he knew they were listening.
Regulus decided not to feed the gossip, instead of answering carelessly. "Really? What happened?"
"Your big brother ran away- got his name blasted off the tree."
"Good to know," said Regulus.
"So...?" He asked, prompting him.
"So what?"
"Did he?"
"Did who?"
"Sirius." Wilke seemed to be getting annoyed. Good.
"Did Sirius what?"
"Did your brother, Sirius Black, run away and get his name blasted off the Black family tapestry?" Wilke enunciated, obviously not going to relent.
"My family is to be referred to as 'The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, not something as demeaning as 'The Black Family'"
People started turning heads as Wilkes turned red. "Yeah, whatever."
There was a long pause, and Regulus took a hint of the conversation closing.
"You still didn't answer the question," someone said.
Regulus was spared when the compartment door slid open.
"Severus?"
Snape, a fifth-year who was sitting quietly by the window, shot up suspiciously fast. Lily Evans, another fifth-year, leaned back in her seat, pulling out a book. She looked rather uncomfortable to be there, and it was obvious it was only because of Snape that she was staying in Slytherin company.
YOU ARE READING
the brightest stars ☆ || marauders era fic
Fantasía"Which star is that?" A young, 7-year-old Regulus asked, pointing at the sky. They were lying in the grass late just outside their house, staring at the sky. "That is Sirius- Look, I'm a star. The brightest star in the entire night sky." Regulu...
