𝓟𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓸𝓹𝓱𝓸𝓫𝓲𝓪 || Regulus Black

1.4 - Unhappy Christmas

Ophelia and Pandora were starting to eat their breakfast in the Great Hall, admiring all of the extravagant winter decorations around the room, when Regulus and Barty walked in. 

"Happy Christmas Eve, boys!" Pandora said cheerfully.

"Happy Christmas Eve." Regulus said, still groggy from waking up and then almost immediately going to have breakfast. 

"Are you two going home for Christmas too?" Ophelia asked.

"Yeah, you? I assume Mrs. Potter is just dying to see her babies again." Regulus responded.

"I'm going home, yes." Said Ophelia, letting out a tiny smile. "Pandora is staying, though."

"You don't have anywhere to go home to?" Barty asked. 

Ophelia was about to shoot Barty a death stare, but then she saw him and realised he looked genuinely curious instead of snarky and rude the way she took it. She also saw that Pandora didn't seem offended or upset, so Ophelia just looked the other way.

"I think it'll be fun to stay here over the break, look at all the pretty decorations." Pandora said with a smile. "Plus, I won't be the only one here."

"And we'll be back in two weeks, anyways." Ophelia said as she bit into a McIntosh apple.

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"Goodbye! Don't miss me too much!" Ophelia shouted from the window of the Hogwarts Express as the train took off, taking students back to their families for the holidays. 

"Bye!" Pandora shouted back. 

Once the platform was out of sight from the train, Ophelia tucked her head back inside the train car and closed the window. She returned back to her seat with just her cat, Dusty, and Regulus sitting there, because Barty had gone off to sit by himself. 

She looked over at Regulus, who had just turned away from her, stifling a laugh.

"What?" Ophelia asked playfully. 

"It's nothing." He answered, the smile still on his face. 

----------

"Mummy!" Ophelia squealed when she saw her parents at the platform to pick her up. 

"Darling! We missed you two so much!" The Potters greeted Ophelia as she ran over to hug them. "Happy Christmas Eve."

James walked over to his parents, greeting the both of them with a hug after Ophelia let go of them.

"How was school, my dears?" Euphemia asked. 

"So great!" Ophelia said, excited to tell her family all about Hogwarts and her new friends. "It's amazing there!"

"Wonderful, dear." Fleamont said, taking the cart stacked to the top with Ophelia's bags. "We can't wait to hear all about it."

Euphemia gently tousled James' hair and started to walk. "You can tell us everything when we get home. We have our Christmas Eve feast, freshly made and out on the table, all ready for you two."

The family arrived at the Potter household. As soon as they stepped in the front door, their noses were filled with the scents of food, from creamy mashed potatoes to warm roast. Immediately for James and Ophelia, the feeling set in that they were home.  

What Ophelia didn't know is that Regulus didn't have the same warm family welcome from his parents. 

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Euphemia asked, softly nudging her children over to the dining room. "I've been cooking non-stop to make all this. Let's eat."

Ophelia let go of Dusty on the ground of the foyer and then ran to the dining table, James and Dusty following close behind.

Euphemia and Fleamont sat down after the kids, both taking the time to sit nicely and gently drape their serviettes over their laps. 

"For the first time in a few years, I didn't have your help, Ophelia, so tell me what you think of the food when it's just me making it all." Euphemia said.

"Well, I  helped, dear." Fleamont spoke up.

"Yes, darling." Euphemia looked at her husband. "The two carrots you cut for me were so much help, thank you."

Ophelia and James both laughed as their father made a dramatically fake frowny face and pretended to be offended. Then, the children began serving themselves from the selection of dishes laid out across the table. 

Euphemia poured herself a glass of wine, then started to inquire to her kids about school. "So, Ophelia, tell us about the people at school? Do you like your teachers? Have you made any new friends?"

"All my teachers are pretty nice." Ophelia said after she swallowed a spoonful of buttered peas. "And I have a few friends. On the first day, I met a girl named Pandora. She's a Ravenclaw. She's very kind and we're good friends already."

"What about that boy Regulus?" Fleamont asked curiously. 

"Yeah, Ophelia." James spoke up as he placed a slice of roast on his plate. "What about Regulus?"

"We're good friends too. Since I'm in Slytherin too, we spend a lot of time together. We actually sat together on the train here. And we always eat together in the Great Hall, every single meal."

"Tell the whole story about Regulus." James said, his tone becoming forceful.

Ophelia looked at her brother with eyes like daggers. She hated that he was in her business and was trying to interfere with her friendships. "Do you want me to tell you about every single moment we spend together? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Regulus seems to be taking after his parents, acting like a typical Black." James said, looking at Euphemia and Fleamont with a face that just shouted that he was fed up. "The other day, him and one of his little Slytherin friends threw a dung bomb at a poor half-blood in the bathroom."

Fleamont and Euphemia turned their heads in unison to look at their daughter. 

"Is this true, sweetheart?" Fleamont asked. 

"James and his friends throw dung bombs at Severus, a half-blood, all the time! They do much more than that, too!" Ophelia responded aggressively, pointing her finger at her brother.

"Put your hand down, Ophelia. No need to get upset like this." Fleamont said. "Now, is it true that Regulus enjoys throwing dung bombs at people who aren't pureblood?"

Fleamont and Euphemia were beginning to catch on to what was going on, based on what they knew about the Black family from experience and James' stories. If what James was telling them was true, then Regulus may be just like the rest of his family.

"Yes, but it's not like that." Ophelia answered. "Regulus isn't a bad person."

"I understand that's how you feel, darling, but your father and I may need to have a conversation later about if Regulus is a suitable friend for you." Euphemia said, reaching over to take her daughter's hand. 

"No!" Ophelia pleaded, starting to yell. "Regulus is my best friend! I promise he's good! Please, I promise."

She felt tears welling up in her eyes. First it was James outside the Detention Chamber, and now her parents telling her they don't think Regulus is a suitable friend for her, even though no one knows him like she does. The thought of losing Regulus because of her family made Ophelia tremble. 

"Ophelia, calm down." James told her.

"Shut up, James!" Ophelia shouted, getting up from her seat. "Just shut up!"

Ophelia ran up the stairs to her bedroom, only followed by Dusty. She spent the rest of her Christmas Eve alone and crying in her bed, mourning the loss of a friend she hasn't even lost yet.