The Marauders: Year Four

Shoddy News

Shoddy News

Regulus Black could tell that there was something very, very wrong when Horace Slughorn came into the Great Hall, his face gaunt as he looked around from the doorway toward the Slytherin house table. Several other Slytherins noticed, too. "Somebody's getting shoddy news," muttered Evan Rosier as Slughorn started their way.

"Bloody hope it's my dad been murdered," muttered Barty Crouch under his breath.

Regulus looked to Severus, hoping that Severus Snape might have overheard Slughorn's thoughts and possibly be giving away who it was by looking at the poor bloke... and he was giving it away who it was for Snape's face had gone even paler than it's usual ghostly shade, and his eyes locked with Slughorn's from afar.

Severus stood up as the potions master approached. "My mother's dead, isn't she?" he said simply as Slughorn arrived to the table.

Regulus's eyes widened.

Professor Slughorn looked momentarily surprised by Severus's knowledge, and quickly had to rearrange his features to one of apology, "Could we talk in private, my boy?" he asked gently.

Evan Rosier looked from Slughorn to Severus as Snape abandoned his meal, turning to walk 'round the table. As he passed Regulus at the end, Regulus grabbed hold on his hand, "You alright mate?" he asked, worried.

Severus's eyes flashed - first with some strong emotion that threatened to push tears to the aqueducts... and then went stone cold hard, "Why shouldn't I be? I'm used to losing things." And he wrenched his hand away, and followed Slughorn from the room.

Regulus looked at Barty. "Bloody hell," he murmured. "I can't imagine..."

The others along the table were already turning back to their meals, already brushing off the whole incident - it wasn't their parents, after all. He wondered if he was the only person that gave a damn about what had just happened - if he was the only one there that felt a pit growing in the depths of their stomach? He wondered if it was his fault - for giving Sirius the note about Peter Pettigrew being at Lestrange Manor, wondered if there were any others who were dead or injured, if it'd been at the hands of the Dark Lord or another...

"I'd trade him my dad for his mum anyday," muttered Barty. "Besides, she can't have been a very good mother, can she? The way he dresses... She doesn't ever buy him new robes or anything."

But Regulus knew full well that Severus Snape adored his mother. He might not ever have said so in word - or maybe he had, Regulus didn't know, but it had never been said to him, at least. But the way Severus would offer her his hand to help her up from seats told Regulus that he loved her dearly - for a boy who does not love his mother did not treat her as gently as Severusalways treated Eileen Prince. Severus always put his hand on the small of her back to guide her along through doorways, and he would rest his palms over her shoulders when he stood behind her. He did anything she asked of him - he had even, as Regulus had found out through their occlumency lessons at night in the Slytherin common room, become a Death Eater in training - just because she'd asked him to.

"I don't think she was so bad," Regulus murmured. "Just... I think they're poor."

"Well poor people aren't good parents," said Barty, "Nobody's got any business having kids if they can't take care of 'em properly."

Regulus thought that was a pretty stupid thing to say, but he didn't want to start an argument so he turned to focus on his dinner. Barty changed the topic, started talking about the next Quidditch match, about the House Cup and the fact that Slytherin was very much in the lead, thanks to Regulus and the excellent Seeker skills he'd been displaying all term long on the pitch... But Regulus was only just barely listening, his mind circling about on thoughts of Severus Snape and the way he'd looked as he'd left the great hall.