Silent Riot | Regulus Black

SEVENTEEN

She sat by the window, with Geraldine in her arms. Ted and Iz were talking, Luke was reading, everything seemed just as it had been when they'd left. Yet for her, everything had changed.

During the period following the funeral, she found she had good days. Days where she would open the curtains to let sunlight stream through the window. Days where she would try to read, or listen to music.

Today, however, was a bad day. The grief had begun to subside, but that just gave way to whole new type of problem.

The problem would start behind her ear. It was just a simple itch, an irritating one that wouldn't go away, and then it was between her shoulder blades, a spot she could never hope to reach, and then it changed, and she would feel a tightening sensation in her chest, as though she couldn't breathe- and that feeling wouldn't go away, not really even on the good days. It would just fade to a slight stiffness, waiting for her mood to take a negative turn.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice when the train stopped.

'Hey,' Luke said, tapping her shoulder gently. 'Are you okay? We're here.'

She stood dully, but her eyes lit up ever so slightly as she remembered who was there.

'Take care of this,' she said, shoving Geraldine's basket into Ted's arms. Before he could protest, she was running through the castle. She flew straight into a Gryffindor girl, apologised, and kept running. She didn't stop until she reached the Slytherin common room. There, a boy with curly black hair waited for her.

'Hi,' Regulus said brightly. 'How was Christmas?' She didn't answer, just wrapped her arms round him tightly.

'Shit,' she mumbled into his shoulder. 'It was absolute shit.'

'Oh,' he said quietly. 'Same here.' They stayed in the embrace. Normally when she hugged him, he would pull away quickly, but this time he sensed there was something wrong. And now for the first time since his death, Gemma cried for her father.

They sank down onto the sofa. She tried to leave, but he wouldn't let go. So she just cried until she felt almost sick, trying as hard as she could to forget her embarrassment.

They stayed like that for a while.

.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.

Regulus headed down to the Great Hall. His mind was buzzing. He'd never seen Gemma even remotely sad before. Angry, yes, frustrated, yes. But never truly sad. He didn't know what had happened, she hadn't told him. He'd also decided not to ask. If there was one thing he knew about her, it was that she hated people prying.

She hadn't come with him. Instead, she'd practically fled to her dorm, insisting that she leave without him.

He caught sight of Luke and Iz and Ted, but he decided to sit alone, in case Elladora wanted to sit with him.

That she did. She was also smiling, which temporarily replaced his doubts with happiness.

'You want to go to the kitchens later?' She asked, through a mouthful of bread.

'You got it,' he replied. Then a thought occurred to him. 'Hey, can I bring a friend?'

'Friend?' She said teasingly. 'I didn't think you had any. Are you sure she isn't imaginary?'

'Haha very fu- wait, how did you know she's a she?'

Elladora smiled a knowing smile.

'Oh Reg, haven't you learned yet? I know everything.'