HERBOLOGY 101 ( REGULUS BLACK ) ✓

CHAPTER THREE

Noah was standing in front of the greenhouses, giving himself a mental pep talk before he met up with Regulus.

"Come on, Noah," he muttered to himself. "You can do this." He nodded and took in a deep breath before opening the door with a shaky hand. He shyly entered the room and blushed when he saw Regulus. He slowly approached the boy and avoided his gaze as Regulus smirked at him.

"You're late," Regulus muttered. He bit his lip before adding hesitantly, "Maybe you should spend less time with that Mudblood and blood traitor."

Noah's eyes widened and he paled while he started to play with his fingers. "W-Well at l-least I have f-friends," Noah mumbled quietly, hoping that Regulus wouldn't hear him. But just his luck, he did.

Regulus' face flushed in irritation. "If you ever speak to me in that way again..." Regulus stopped to smirk at Noah. "Well, I assume you can imagine, with me becoming a Death Eater and all." Regulus saw the blood drain from Noah's face and he felt bad for making him so upset, but he quickly shook himself out of it. He couldn't afford to be nice if he wanted to prove himself as a true Black.

Noah's heart started beating frantically out of fright and he bit down on his lip harshly. "O-Okay, s-sorry," he whispered so quietly Regulus almost didn't hear him.

Regulus softened slightly as he saw how terrified Noah was but he tried to cover it up with a scowl. He had to remind himself that he was a Black and Noah was Hufflepuff and a half-blood. "Let's just get this over with." He muttered, realizing that the less he insulted Noah, the faster they could get through their lesson and the quicker Regulus could leave.

Noah blushed but he nodded his head. He dropped his bag on the ground before approaching a table that had all the plants they needed to revise on it. Noah assumed that Professor Sprout had set it up considering all partners had
to tell her what days and times they would be working.

He stood a few feet away from the Fanged Geranium, being cautious as to not get bitten. He got out his textbook and placed it a few feet away from the plant. He started flicking through the pages nervously with shaking hands as he willed himself not to look and see if Regulus would join him.

Regulus took in a breath before walking over to Noah. He gave himself a small, mental pep talk, telling himself to bite his tongue if he had any insults and to just get through this lesson. He looked at the fanged plant in disgust before turning to look at Noah. He noticed the boy had pink cheeks – like he normally did from all the blushing – and he seemed to be fiddling with his textbook nervously. Regulus gulped at the fact that he had probably made the Hufflepuff afraid of him. He didn't like being the reason for people's terror.

"What's that?" Regulus asked as he glanced back at the plant, sneering when it tried to bite him.

Noah blushed lightly when Regulus talked to him as he hoped he wouldn't have to interact with the Black much other than to teach him. Although he supposed this would be considered as teaching since he would be telling Regulus something that he didn't know.

Noah didn't understand how Regulus couldn't know what the plant was, considering they had studied it not even two months prior. He was sure that if their roles were reversed, Regulus would've sighed in irritation before snapping that he should've already known what it was. However, Noah was not Regulus and he instead swallowed and quickly glanced at the much taller boy before answering him, keeping his eyes on his textbook the whole time.

"It-It's c-called a F-Fanged Geranium a-and i-it's wh-what we're g-going t-to b-be studying t-today." He said quietly, immediately biting the inside of his lip and blushing in embarrassment from how much he stuttered. He was always embarrassed when he stuttered in front of people, even his friends (because he was comfortable enough to not stutter in front of his parents), but with Regulus, he was more easily embarrassed for some odd reason. He assumed it was because Regulus was a Black and the Blacks were one of the most noble Wizarding families, almost like royalty, and to stutter or do anything wrong in front of one, would be like signing your death wish.