Only the Brave

Chapter 5: Rainbows

Regulus, Evan, Barty and Dorcas walk into the Great Hall for breakfast just like any other morning. Few people pay them attention, save for a few girls who can't seem to decide who to ogle. Evan and Barty have always caught people's eyes, but Regulus getting this kind of scrutiny is new. He doesn't like, and not just because he isn't interested in girls.

He needs to remain as inconsequential as possible. It's important to the success of his plan. Of course, he's factored in that there's an element of attention he gets simply by being who he is—Regulus Black, the only heir of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black—but other than that, he tries to go unnoticed. Girls fawning over him is inconvenient.

They find seats towards the end of the table, and its pure chance that it's near Dorcas' dorm mates. Everything seems to be fine, which strikes Regulus as odd. He expected something to have happened already. Unless... hmm.

He leans towards Dorcas, who's trying to check someone at another table out. Regulus doesn't try to figure out who. That information belongs to Dorcas and Dorcas alone. If she wants to tell him, she will. 

He tilts his head close to hers and whispers. "How early did you wake up today?"

Dorcas looks at him funny, but replies anyway. "Before dawn. I wanted to be out before they woke up."

Regulus' hands curl into fists under the table. "You barely slept, then."

It's not a question, but Dorcas answers like it is. "I did. A few hours. I'm fine, Reg."

Barty and Evan lean closer, wanting to get involved in the conversation. "What's got him so irritated so early?" Evan asks, gesturing towards Regulus with his head.

His friends know Regulus isn't a morning person, which means he doesn't engage in anything until at least their third period. The fact that he's this pissed off at this hour is testament to how much he cares about what the girls are doing to Dorcas. He won't allow it.

"Oh, nothing," Dorcas says. "I'm having a bit of a disagreement with my roommates."

Barty immediately shoots the girls a few seats up on the opposite side of the table a dirty look and mumbles under his breath that Dorcas needs only say the word and he'll create a distraction. One of them, whose name Regulus doesn't remember, happens to be looking their way when he does. She immediately turns to whisper furiously to their friends.

"We'll hide the body," Evan comments, also glaring in their direction.

"What body?"

"The one Reg will leave in his wake, of course," Barty says like it's the most normal thing.

Regulus almost smiles. "Don't threaten me with a good time."

"We could do it together," Barty muses. "Could be fun. Right Reg?"

The smiles he gives him is a little odd, and Regulus can't tell if it's Barty's brand of insanity or something else. Either way, he has no time to waste on it because Dorcas is trying (and failing) to act like she's not touched by this display of loyalty.

"Nobody is killing anyone. It's fine," she says. "They're just a bit bitchy, that's all. No need to get worked up about it."

Regulus watches the girls. Their cruel smirks as they look at Dorcas, who's unconsciously moved a bit closer to Barty. Blair, the girl Dorcas had a crush on, slides out of her seat and walks down. The others follow her in a pathetic display of sheep-like behaviour.

"Hello Barty," Blair says, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Are you going to the party tonight?"

Barty, who has no idea why there's drama with Dorcas but will never not be loyal to his friends, looks at her like she's an insect. "Don't talk to me. Not interested."