black and white

chapter 3: introductions

The hall was silent as Regulus, and everyone else, stared at the newcomers expectantly. Even the marauders were uncharacteristically quiet. Dumbledore was silent. He made no movement but to wink at the ginger boy when he turned to stare at the headmaster.

Surprisingly, it was knock-off Lucius who spoke first.
"My name is Draco Lucius Malfoy" he announced, sneering in disgust when he got to his surname yet ultimately his gaze never straying from Regulus.

Regulus kept his face blank, but asked "son of Cissy?"
The boy nodded.

Cissy, Narcissa, had said her first boy would be called Draco. Or Dragon – as Regulus had taken to calling him. And, since Reggie had always been Cissa's favourite, she had asked him to be Dragons godfather.

Thanks to Barty's nudge and Evans intense stare, Regulus soon realised that the rest of the school was staring. Harry potter looked appalled.

Clearing his throat and shuffling closer to barty (who grumbled something about being being uncomfortably close to snape causing Evan to let out a short laugh) and offered Draco a seat. He happily took it.

The slytherins collectively then turned their attention to the remaining 6 students, five lions one eagle, in the centre of the hall.

"Ginny weasley" spoke up next. Molly prewitt and her boyfriend, A something Weasley (whose name Regulus had only ever heard in lessons on who to avoid), both blushed.
"14, and the only daughter of Molly and Arthur," Arthur! That was it!
"Weasley."

She turned to obviously her brother Ginger Boy. "Ron?"

"Oh, right. Yeah" he spoke, the tips of his ears going bright red as the attention shifted to him. "Um, I'm Ron. One of six boys. Oh! And I'm 15."

Ron was clearly not used to being singled out, Regulus saw. He's uncomfortable with the copius amounts of attention. Doesn't know how to react.

As the two went and sat on the gryffindor table with their parents, Harry Potter found himself welcomed onto the marauders area of the table.

The haughty brown-haired girl looked unsure of herself now. Left in the limelight, without her friends.

The marauders, now having claimed another potter, had lost interest in the rest of the group, starting a louder rowdier conversation. One that no one else could be bothered to understand. Lily Evans could not look more intrigued.

It was people like Evans that made Regulus confused with all he had ever been taught. They simply didn't fit – didn't make sense.

"I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood" a dreamy voice spoke. Xeno-dude!
"I'm 14 and this room is infested with nargles. I think they come from draco and his new friend."

With that interesting statement, she skipped over to Dora and gracefully sat down.

Dragon had a small smile on his face, Regulus squeezed Barty's hand. Barty himself was looking elated at her 'insane'ness while Evan grinned over at Dora who was too busy hugging her daughter (merlins beard, her goddamn daughter!) to notice. The hall was momentarily filled with short bouts of laughter.

Two gryffindors left.

"N... Neville Longbottom" the boy said and, leaving it at that, ran over to sit with the niece of florean fortescue. Fortescue always gave Reg free ice cream, and in return, Regulus made polite conversation with the man. It pays to be on good terms with a black.

One left.

"Hermione Granger" She mumbled.

Granger, Granger. Like dagworth-granger? The potioneer.

The girl must have seen the puzzled faces because she added "muggle-born. And, er, fifteen."

Lily Evans offered the girl a seat next to her.

Regulus, uncaring, turned instead to Dragon on his right. Dragon was still staring.

"How do I die?" Reg decided to ask. Around him, people reacted badly. Heads shot in their direction, the hall was still quite quiet after all. The marauders fell silent and Sirius was lost for something to say or do or anything.

"You, you don't." Barty said. "You don't. Okay? Don't say that. Your not" he trailed off.

However, Regulus and Evan kept their attention on Draco. It took him a moment but then;
"no one knows. You just... disappeared. Apparently we only knew you were dead at all because a date appeared on the tapestry. You died 3 years before I was born."

Barty let go of Regulus' hand, in favour of clutching his arm instead.

"Okay..." Regulus muttered, deep in thought. "Okay. Okay."