Between Coffee And Cigarettes

-13-

"Who the fuck could possibly know this?", Lenny cried out loud. The librarian instantly shushed her. Lenny and Regulus were, once again, in the library, studying and catching up. "It's Fluxweed", Reg whispered. She looked at him confused, but he didn't meet her gaze, but remained his on his parchment, "When you pick Fluxweed at a full moon, exactly sixteen scruples, you can make Polyjuice potion", he explained further. "How do you even know this?", she was bewildered, "you are two years younger than me". He just shrugged his shoulders saying: "I just read a lot. You're welcome, by the way".

They studied in silence for a while, sitting across from another, before Lenny remembered that he had to go home for the upcoming christmas break. "Reggie", she began carefully, not wanting him to shut down, "what are your plans for Christmas?" He sighed, finally looking up with an annoyed expression o his face. "First of all, I hate it when you call me 'Reggie' and you know it. It makes me feel like a four-year old. And second of all, what do you think I am going to do? I am going home, attending a party at the Malfoy's and spending a cold-hearted feast with our parents", and then, looking at his parchment again, he added: "and meeting the Dark Lord".

It was almost inaudible and she wouldn't have heard it, if the library wasn't so quiet, but now she understood him clearly and Lenny snapped her head back up, exclaiming: "What?! You cannot be serious?" Now, he looked tormented, shuffling in his chair, being clearly uncomfortable. "I don't really have a choice. Either I will meet him and offer him my services or I will ... die" The words didn't roll off easily off his tongue, but they were filled with a strength that left Lenny speechless. Her little brother was being forced to serve someone he didn't want to serve. Forced by his own parents, by their society. It wasn't fair, he was just a little boy.

She watched him as he had his nose stuck in a book and she noticed how old he looked. He was fifteen but he looked at least eighteen. His cheekbones stuck out, now more than ever, and she assumed that he wasn't eating a lot lately. And the shadows around his eyes and the deep wrinkles on his forehead almost made him look middle aged.

"Don't go home. Come with us", Lenny said, as soon as she got her voice back, "Come with Sirius, James and me. Mum and Dad always want to hear more when I tell them about you and I assure you there is more than enough space for you. You wouldn't be a burden and even if every room was occupied, you could still sleep in my room." She spoke hastily, trying to wipe out any of his concerns, before he could even express them. But Reg just shook his head. "I can't. They will find me and then they will not only kill me, but you and your family too". The last part he said with a tired smile, the edges of his mouth pulled back. He knew his sister was thankful that he was so understanding of the situation, but it also made him sad, knowing that he wasn't a part of their family and even if he was still their brother, it wasn't the same. "And when I attend the meeting I can find out what he is planning and maybe I will be able to tell you-", His sentence was interrupted by someone, none of the both of them expect him to be here.

"What you doin', Black? Hanging around with a blood traitor". Barty Crouch Jr. stood in front of them. The dark brown hair of the boy was parted down the middle and brushed to each side neatly. His face had sharp featured, like high cheekbones, a sharp jawline and a pointed nose. Nobody could say that he was ugly, but his behavior and character were enough to do so. At least that was what Lenny thought. Behind Barty there stood Lucius Malfoy and Evan Rosier. As far as Lenny knew, Lucius was in the same year as she was and Barty and Evan a year over Reg.

"Shut it, Crouch", Lenny didn't like how he was talking about her like she wasn't here, "I really don't have the nerves right now to talk to you and as you can see, Reg is also busy, so piss off." It amazed her how Malfoy just stood behind him like a true follower, even though he is the older one. She looked the boy up and down, acknowledging his platinblonde hair, which reached to his chin, his curled lips and piercing grey eyes, which were bored into her. "How do you dare talking to me like that!", Barty snapped, his hands pressed into the table and his body leaning on them, towering over her, "you betrayed your family, your heritage, your blood, just because you couldn't handle punishment". Lenny eyes widened. "Yeah, I know about the methods of Walburga and Orion. And although their beliefs are in the right places, the only one with a little bit of common sense in the house Black, is Regulus". Crouch was now so close to her, his lips in a frown, looking as if he was disgusted by just speaking to her.