𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 - regulus black

chapter twenty five

Classes were starting again, and it was already annoying the brunette. Her sister hadn't talked to her nor looked at her at breakfast, already making her in a gloomy mood. When she arrived in Potions class, she left her Ravenclaw companions to sit next to Regulus. She laid her forehead down on the table, her mass of brown locks covering her from sight.

"Good morning, Winsten," just said casually Regulus, and she turned her head towards him, her curls gliding down her face as she did, revealing her sad eyes to him. She didn't try to hide it, he was like a genius when it came to read people, and she knew it. She didn't care if he was the one witnessing this sad look, he had seen worse of her.

"You are not okay." She hummed at his words. "Stop worrying about her, she'll eventually stop being mad."

"She can be more stubborn than me," sighed the girl sadly, and the boy tried not to smile.

"Do you find this funny," she hissed and turned around, acting upset by his reaction.

"You can be childish sometimes," muttered the boy, not sure if she would be taking his words to heart as he was only teasing her. But she scoffed and he heard one of her 'as if', making him actually smile this time.

Professor Slughorn entered the classroom then. Adena straightened up in a more appropriate position, while trying to brush her mess of brown curls with her fingers before starting to take out her stuff from her bag. But she stopped suddenly.

"I forgot my glasses... and something to tie my hair..." she groaned, feeling already exasperated by how the day was starting.

"You'll have to be extra careful if you don't want to end bald by the end of the class then," said Regulus in seriousness. But his tone of voice added to his words just made her want to laugh.

The teacher gave out the explanations for some minutes, seeming just as joyful as always, in opposition to the group of students in front of him that looked like zombies.

Both Adena and Regulus quickly put themselves to work, just as reactive as ever, preparing cauldrons and the necessary ingredients. Today's work wasn't in pair, but that wouldn't stop them from interacting with each other. But being the serious and model students they were, they stayed quiet for the beginning, focusing on the potion Slughorn had described as one of the hardest of the fifth-year curriculum. Some time after the exercise had started, Regulus side-glanced at Adena next to him. She was bent over her book to read the steps better, her hair dangerously close to the boiling cauldron. Unconsciously, his hand reached out to grab one of her silky brown curl, replacing it behind her shoulder. After doing so, the girl's hazel irises turned to look at him. He wasn't sure if touching her hair without asking was a good thing, so he quickly blurted out, "Just making sure you don't end bald."

The brunette grinned at him, "My hair thanks you for keeping it alive then." She then returned to work as he chuckled lightly. But barely some moments later, Adena was turned around, her back against the table as she read the book, and the Slytherin male noticed it just reached the perfect length of her cauldron. Without thinking, he placed a hand in the middle of her back, pushing her slightly off the table, and making her distance herself from it.

"Be more careful or you'll really end up bald," sighed the boy.

"Oh, sorry, I was distracted."

"Just ask me to read out the instructions if you can't read and if it keeps you from being distracted."

"Hm, okay. Which step are you at then?" muttered the girl.

"Add the powdered dragon claw."

"I'm at put seven drops of salamander blood."

"It's just before, now add this," he said handing her the powder, "I hope you didn't read wrong some of the flasks."

"I think I'm doing good for now. I was looking at you many times as well, just to be sure."

"You should have asked for help."

"Maybe... whatever. " She shrugged, going back to work.

After finishing, Slughorn complimented both of their potions with a proud smile.

He then dismissed the class, making the students direct themselves towards McGonagall's classroom. Adena was walking by Regulus' side when Eugenia joined her other side.

"McGonagall's gonna give us back our essays, I hope I did well."

"Eugenia, we did it together, I'm pretty sure you'll get a good mark. We basically put the same things."

"Oh, Adena, how can you be so confident..."

The girl just shrugged at her redhead comrade. "I just know when I did good, and when I did not."

"Argh, I want your confidence and your good brains," mumbled the girl as they entered the classroom.

"She wants your good brains. Are you too smart for her or something..." whispered Regulus.

"I'm not smarter than her or anything, she just needs to be confident in her capacities," she answered right away.

Professor McGonagall indeed gave them back the essays one by one, commenting the results as she did.

"Hawlins. Very good," said the teacher, keeping her straight face. Eugenia turned towards Adena, showcasing a bright smile, Millie complimenting her from her side, and Jade doing the same from behind, where she was sitting next to Jacob.

The brunette received the same comments when the teacher gave her back the piece of parchment. She didn't get any from others. Not that she needed any, everyone was used to her excellent marks, and her own satisfactory was enough. But what she didn't expect, was hearing something from the boy sitting at her side.

"Good job," he said, while looking at his own sheet of work, having an excellent mark as well.

Thinking he would like to hear something similar, she whispered next, "Good job, as well, Black." And it did sound pleasing to him.

The class actually began after that. Regulus had got closer to Adena and had put his textbook between them so she could be reading his words, that he had tried to write bigger, more visible as well, without her even asking for anything. She was touched by the kind gesture. And the class continued that way.

The next day went by the same way, waking up feeling gloomy because Adena still had no news from her sister, and on top of that, her first class of the day was Herbology. She just wished her day would end already. She wanted to sleep for the following days and wake up only on the day Candace would speak to her again. The girls tried to cheer her up, but it was hard. Jacob's comments didn't make her laugh as often neither.

"When I fight with my older brother, I'm not as gloomy. You know it will come back to normal in one week. Focus on my new haircut instead," had said Jacob at breakfast, running a hair through his shorter bright blonde hair, being his usual arrogant self. She didn't reply and just rolled her eyes at him.

That day was just annoying, and she didn't even bother showing up at lunch, instead deciding to go out for some fresh air, this time being all wrapped up in warm clothes. The outside air has always been so calming for her. That was why she was staying more and more outside these days, just enjoying her own presence, and admiring what such a beautiful scenery nature was.

And at dinner, Adena made sure to eat well, enjoying her meal as much as possible. When she was eating some treacle tart, she glanced up towards the Slytherin table, looking for a certain boy. He was talking with one of his older housemates, that she recognized as Evan Rosier. Sensing her gaze quickly, Regulus looked up to meet the sight of her enjoying her dessert with a smile, which made him smile as well before returning to his conversation.