PREY | r.a.b.

iberis | 02

A HOOT OF AN OWL threw him back into Hogwarts. Castor blinked. His mind slowly taking in the blatantly expensive looking shoes and tailored uniform. Pink lips parted as if to speak but the Hufflepuff wasn't sure if he would hear it. Midway through the raven haired boy's sentence, his hearing bettered. Regulus furrowed his dark brows at his inattentive peer. "Maupassant. Have you finally lost what little sense you had in you? I asked why you were up here instead of the Great Hall." Castor was mildly understanding what the other was saying, paying more attention to the pronunciation of his surname. 'Do all aristocrats learn French?' he thought absentmindedly based off of Black's perfect accent.

The wizard finally locked with bemused gray eyes. "Simply not hungry," he murmured. "May I inquire your lacking attendance at dinner before I place you as a hypocritical rat?" He tipped his head to the side.

"I can't imagine why that would concern you." Regulus responded monotonously, keeping a blank look. "Speaking of which—" The Slytherin pointed his piercing stare at the owl behind Castor, "that is mine. Excuse me." The former moved towards the bird and plucked a note with the Black family crest holding it closed. Castor watched silently as Regulus scanned the piece of parchment, his expression never moving.

Suddenly, the shorter of the two's glare snapped back to the Hufflepuff's. "I'll see you at detention." Castor trailed the back of his head as the boy walked away, the pristine envelope almost completely crushed under long fingers.

-

Regulus felt empty. The only feeling were sharp edges of crumpled parchment in his calloused hands. His hard stare fogged and blurred, a scowl forming. With a downward glance at the letter, he descended to the Slytherin chamber.

The common room was empty, no one hung about while it was dinner. Dark emerald green decorated the large space. The chill air attacked any exposed skin. Regulus slumped down on one of the couches, opening the paper again. His mother had written. Her usually beautiful penmanship appeared messily scribbled as she announced to him his father's passing. A pale hand ran through perfectly styled hair, dark strands falling into sight. No one knew and no one was going to know that the most prestigious pureblood family was crumbling. Walburga's mental health was declining. She took eight different potions to try to help her. Sirius betrayed them. Instead moving in with the Potter family. Orion had fallen ill last fall and the healers predicted he'd have only a couple months.

With Orion dead, Walburga's state of mind deteriorating, and Sirius disowned, it left Regulus to pull the Black's from the pit they were derailing into. He didn't know how long he thought until a voice called him back.

"Black!" Dark eyes sobered up, focusing on the straw blond Slytherin boy. Bartemius Crouch Junior's slim figure did little to soothe the unease everyone felt around him. A sinister grin always played at his thin lips and a look in his eyes that made Regulus constantly paranoid. Though his appearance was disturbing, he wasn't a bad person. Peculiar, but still good. "Are you daft? I've been calling for you for hours. What's that?" Barty's bony finger gestured to the letter on his lap.

Regulus, a rather brilliant liar, merely shrugged. "A letter from my parents about a trip we're going to in the summer." Instead of nosing into business unconcerning him like most people did, the Crouch boy shrugged and didn't press any further than intended.

"I'll be off then. I'm gonna take a nap." Barty nodded a farewell and received one back before walking away.

"Better head to detention." The remaining Slytherin muttered to himself as his friend stalked off. He stood to stretch, swiftly tossing the note in the fire. A layer of stone set into his face as he headed to Slughorn's office.

— • —
hey cool kids, thought i'd change up the perspectives.