Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 8

It wasn't easy for Regulus. 

Because Sirius was already famous at Hogwarts. For the most notorious reasons, mind you.

His brother tarnished all the Black family expectations in less than a year. 

Blacks always go in Slytherin, except Sirius, that is. 

Regulus' cousin Andromeda was prefect and headgirl at her time, excellent in Charms. Her sister Bellatrix was almost revered by her fellow Slytherins, absolutely brilliant in duelling. Narcissa, she was in her seventh year, was the Headgirl and yes, highly respected among her peers.

All of them maintained their family name. 

Except for Sirius. 

First day at school and a Black got sorted into Gryffindor. Of all the houses, the house of the nitwits!

And a year later, when Regulus finally came to Hogwarts, he was being judged already. Because his sibling was a Gryffindor.

Sirius had become the disappointment of the family, a title he wore quite proudly.

And so Regulus had to uphold it all. He had to be the better son. He had to be the better Slytherin, with the proper values. 

He simply had to be the best. 

And from nowhere, this mudblood comes along and dares to challenge him? 

Well, we'll see about that. Her confidence won't last too long. Regulus would make sure of that.

........................................................

It was the strangest feeling. Now she understood why people liked answering in class and why they volunteered for it.

It was an odd sort of thrill and every time she got it right, a swelling of satisfaction and pride washed over her. 

She had gone from the quiet kid in the back to the best student in the year in no time. And this time, she actually liked it.

She liked being the first one to get any spell right for Flitwick, or do a transfiguration precisely on the first try, or being the first one to answer any question for Herbology.

But she best enjoyed Potions, where she had to battle it out with Black. 

Black did seem to have a thorough understanding of potions and it was always fun to read more and more books to keep up with him. 

However Black didn't seem to like their little battle of wits in the class. All he ever did was scowl at her. 

Isabella was never the one for confrontation. But in a coincidental situation where she ran into Black and his friend at the library, Black had treated her very badly. She didn't understand why he was so worked up.

He had called her a 'mudblood', which she later learnt was an offensive term to call anyone of non-magical lineage.

Rather stupid, really.

Isabella had just raised her eyebrows, shrugged and then walked away when Black snarled at her. 

But what turned her respect for the boy into distaste was when she found out that he disliked her for the mere reason that she was muggleborn.

It was simply atrocious. She couldn't believe discrimination and prejudice of this level happened in the wizarding world.

Apparently, no amount of magic could fix a dysfunctional society with no brains.