HERBOLOGY 101 ( REGULUS BLACK ) ✓

CHAPTER TWO

Noah was sitting at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall with his friends; Ankita Holdsworth and Jessica Adams. They were a mix of houses, with Noah being a Hufflepuff, Ankita a Slytherin and Jessica a Gryffindor, so each day they would switch between what house table they would sit at. Today was Hufflepuff, of course, and the three friends sat close together as they chatted about nothing in particular. That was, until, Noah accidentally let it slip that he had been paired with Regulus for a project in Herbology.

The hot pink haired Jessica gasped at the news, whereas Ankita only shrugged carelessly, yet still looked at Noah, curious for more information. Noah explained the project to them, how he would have to meet up with Regulus a few times a week to tutor him in Herbology.

"You are going to tutor the Regulus Black?" Jessica asked, shocked. She was a year younger than Noah and two years younger than Ankita, standing at fourteen, but she still knew about Regulus. Most people did, seeing as the Black family was one of the most prestigious pure-blood families in the Wizarding World.

"That's what he said," Ankita snapped irritably. Being the oldest at sixteen, she was often annoyed with the petty drama that was mostly created by Jessica.

Noah flinched slightly at Ankita's rude tone as he gave his friend a look. She knew that he didn't like when they were rude, especially to each other, so she sighed before mumbling an apology to Jessica. Noah smiled happily and nodded at Ankita in thanks. His smile dropped when he remembered what they were talking about. He turned to look at Jessica with a grime face.

"Yes," he said sadly, "unfortunately, I do."

Jessica frowned and patted Noah's hand sympathetically. Ankita rolled her eyes, annoyed. She loved her friends but she hated when they got so dramatic over such a tiny thing. She opened her mouth, about to chastise them for being so melodramatic. She was stopped, however, by a soft mutter from someone at the Ravenclaw table behind them. They couldn't hear exactly everything they said, but it was something along the lines of, "Bloody Blacks!"

Noah looked up at the boy curiously, whom he immediately recognised as one of his classmates; Ash Okami. Jessica and Ankita turn around in their seats and the latter gave the platinum blonde an irritated look. "And who are you?" Ankita snapped. She didn't appreciate people eavesdropping on her conversations.

Ash turned around and Jessica gasped at his face. He had many cuts and scrapes scattered on the left side of his face and if you looked down, you would've found identical ones on his hands. Noah wasn't surprised. He had been in the same classes as the Ravenclaw boy for five years and through rumours and his own observations, he learned that Ash was quite clumsy and fell a lot. So it wasn't uncommon to see the scrapes on his skin.

Ankita simply glanced over his scrapes before raising a brow, waiting for him to answer her question.

"Ash," he said quietly, being quite shy and not good at talking to people.

Ankita huffed at the simple answer but smiled at him in a sickly sweet way. "Well, Ash, I would appreciate it if you didn't eavesdrop on my friends and me."

Noah and Jessica gave Ankita disapproving looks before looking at Ash apologetically. "Sorry about her," Jessica apologised. "She's had this 'stick' up her butt since third year and no one can seem to get it out." She joked before offering the boy one of her charming smiles. She stuck out her hand for him to shake while introducing herself. "I'm Jessica Adams, but feel free to call me Jess, or Jessica, either is fine."

Ash nodded while hesitantly placing his hand in Jessica's, shaking it quickly before taking it back. The pink haired girl smiled, unfazed, used to shy people as Noah was, even after years of friendship, still a tad bit shy and quiet with others, or in their presence. Ankita huffed again and turned back around, pointedly avoiding introducing herself. So Jessica introduced the stubborn girl for her. "And that stick in the mud - is Ankita."