c.1973
"Remember students, next week we will have our exam. You will be required to prepare the Wiggenweld Potion like we discussed last class. Do not forget to go over it!" Professor Slughorn warned his class of second-year potions students.
Everyone made their way to the door of the musty classroom. A lonely Regulus was already stressing for the practical exam next week and lagged behind his classmates. He was so worried about his grade in the class he did not notice Joanna Potter walk towards him. Her wavy brown hair was already full of frizz after a particularly hectic morning brewing Hair-Raising potion.
She was the first to break the silence, "Hey Regulus, how's it going?"
"Perfect, why should you care?" he quickly responded.
Without any particular reason, she answered, "Because I'm your... classmate?"
Refusing to believe that from (troublesome) James Potter's relative he refuted, "Don't come over here just to show off, Potter."
'This was not going to be easy,' she thought.
She tried to regain her composure, "I noticed you were struggling today in class, and well also in the class before that and--"
"And you came here to relish my failures? I've already got my parents for that, you can leave," he shoved her out of the way and left the room.
She followed him out of the dungeons, "If you would let me finish I was going to offer to help you so you wouldn't fail Slughorn's exam next week."
She paused before almost whispering, "But I guess I would be rubbing it in too much so I'll go."
She walked ahead of him until she heard, "Potter. Wait."
She turned to face him again.
He continued, "You actually mean it? You'll help me?"
"Well only if you let me, Regulus. I don't know how far we can go if you keep up with that self-pity," she said with a smirk.
He chuckled, "Why? I mean, isn't your brother friends with mine, and aren't you too?"
"I don't see how that affects my helping you," she replied unconcerned.
He explained, "Because my brother and I are not getting along as of late."
"And? Do I look like Sirius?" she touched her face as if to check her identity.
He took a moment to consider the proposition. He was getting desperate.
He pointed his finger at her, "Alright, alright, but I'm only doing this because I need a good grade or else my parents will..."
She proposed a time and place, "we can go to the library after dinner at half-past 5?"
"Ok. And, erm, thank you, Joanna," he sheepishly admitted.
c. 1979: Present
Pages upon pages filled with scribbles and notes lay sprawled all over Regulus's room. His face drooped on the desk with a dusty textbook below. He immediately shook off the sleep that was taking over him. He had only slept six hours the last five days but his research lured him deeper and deeper with no regard for the passing of time. His copy of Secrets of the Darkest Art was heavily annotated all over on a very specific section of the tome. He remembered Slughorn once, very reluctantly, name-dropped the subject in one of his Slug Club meetings but he recalled the way in which the Slytherin Head of House had grown pale and uneasy only using it to tell a cautionary tale of the dangers of dark magic.
The top of the yellowing sheet read, "Horcruxes are sacredly wicked objects used to conceal part of a person's soul." The following pages discussed in great detail the steps on how to create the dark invention, but only half a page was dedicated to how to destroy them.
Regulus knew Lord Voldemort had used Horcruxes to get closer to immortality, but he was unsure of how many and what exactly they were.
After assisting his cousin with obtaining the Sword of Gryffindor, he had climbed up the ranks much to his parents' esteem. He was sure that he would be handed another mission soon, hopefully, one that had to do with a Horcrux since that seemed to be the only way to defeat the dark wizard. But his determination did not come without any paranoia of getting caught - that he had plenty of. He was so paranoid, he wrote his notes and annotations in code with the only other 'person' able to decipher it being Kreacher the Black family House-Elf. He always locked his bedroom door even though he knew his mother was capable of unlocking it, but in any case, it would give him extra time to hide anything that might seem suspicious to Walburga Black. Immune to the spells placed on the door, Kreacher came in with food for his 'master' to eat.
Kreacher's raspy voice arose, "Master Regulus should rest. He is working too hard."
Regulus agreed, "I think I'll actually listen to you this time, Kreacher. I don't think I can get more done if I'm constantly nodding off."
More maternal than the actual mother, Kreacher advised, "Master Regulus is wise. Master Regulus should finish his lunch and then go to sleep."
A genuine smile spread across Reg's face, "Thank you, Kreacher."
* * * *
At the same time Regulus decided to finally succumb to sleep, Joanna was already halfway to school on the Hogwarts Express after her not-so-eventful winter break. Kate kept glancing at her as if she was going to suddenly morph into a werewolf.
Mildly annoyed Joanna groaned, "Kate."
"Yes?" Kate pretended to be deeply immersed in her muggle book. To Kill A Mockingbird was emblazoned on the front cover.
"Please stop," Jo replied.
Kate continued with her ruse, "I don't know what you're talking about."
There was no use in persisting so Joanna changed the subject, "Forget it. How's the book so far?"
Her best friend answered, "Good. Makes me realize how alike wizards and muggles are."
Joanna's voice was curious, "In what way?"
Almost nonchalantly Kate spoke, "Muggles have racist blokes and wizards have pureblood fanatics."
"I guess we are. Did you ever go through that - racism - when spending time with your dad's side of the family?" Joanna sympathetically asked.
Kate's voice remained unwavering, "Dad never liked living in the States so I've never been, you know how my grandparents are the ones that come visit. And mum's a half-blood so it's not too bad for her either."
"Hmm, I see," was all Joanna could say.
Kate confessed, "I do get stares sometimes, it's really subtle the way people do it, but after so many times it becomes second-nature spotting them - and second-nature to ignore them."
"I can't believe there are people out there who believe those crazy things," Joanna mentioned.
She quickly corrected herself, "I couldn't believe it."
Kate took on a matter-of-fact tone, "You are a Potter, a pureblood, your father is well-respected, not to mention your mother is also a Greengrass. I don't blame you for not noticing sooner."
Joanna blurted out what had been consuming most of her thoughts lately, "Are you scared, Katie?"
Kate stared at her best friend, "Honestly, I'm bloody terrified."
A pause ensued before Kate went on, "But, you know, Hogwarts is the safest place we can be in right now. We'll be okay there, Jo."
Joanna stared outside her window wondering how much things would change soon, "Yeah."
YOU ARE READING
The Other One | Sirius Black
Fanfiction"I'm sorry, I just... remembered something," she muttered as her fingers traced the scars on her throat. He placed his hands on her shoulders before whispering, "It's just me." "It's just you," she sighed. ...
