The Darkest Hearts || REGULUS BLACK

Chapter Four

  A week after her conversation with Regulus Black in the library, the day of their next tutoring session arrived, to be had at eight o'clock that Friday evening. The morning of, Diana sat in the Great Hall with her friends, eating breakfast when the morning post arrived.

Dozens of owls streamed into the Hall, depositing letters and newspapers across the House tables. A handsome brown owl landed at Henrietta's elbow and hooted importantly. She took the copy of that morning's Daily Prophet and placed a Knut into the leather pouch tied to the owl's leg. The bird hooted again, dipped its beak into her tea, and took off again.

"Argh!" Henrietta exclaimed, shoving away her teacup. "Little buggers! I hate it when they do that!"

Diana didn't answer, her attention drawn by a familiar screech owl that flapped down in front of her, narrowly missing putting its feet in her porridge.

"Hullo, Pluto," she greeted, feeding the owl a strip of bacon in exchange for the letter it carried. Pluto was her family's owl, and sure enough, the letter addressed to Diana was posted by her sister. "Thank you. You can go on now and rest."

Pluto clicked his beak before soaring out the windows with the rest of the owls. Diana opened her letter and read.

Diana,

I hope this letter finds you well and adjusting comfortably to N.E.W.T. year. I remember my own sixth year and how challenging it was. Sometimes it feels like a lifetime away, but it was only two years ago—how quickly the time goes!

I'm writing to share some exciting news with you... Sullivan and I are expecting our first baby! You're going to be an aunt! Can you believe it?

I told Mum and Dad in person just a few days ago. Mum cried, of course, and Dad looked ready to fall out of his chair! They're beside themselves. Mum's already entered planning mode, as I'm sure you could guess. I swear, that woman's more excited to be a grandmother than anything. Absolutely mental.

I've told Mum already that I want to plan the baby shower around your Easter holiday, so you can be here with us to celebrate. I miss you, Diana, and I wish you weren't in school right now, but you don't have much longer to go! Are you still thinking about a job at the Ministry? Sullivan has offered to get you in touch with various people from multiple departments. Isn't that so considerate of him?

Write me back ASAP! Try not to let N.E.W.T.s kill you!

All my love,

Carina

When she finished reading, Diana was beaming at the parchment, her eyes prickling with tears. She was going to be an aunt!

"D?" Gemma asked, looking at her in concern. "Everything all right?"

Diana thrust the letter at her friends with a breathy laugh. "Everything's fine! Look—just read!"

Her three friends crowded around the letter while Diana went back to her porridge, her spirits buoyed so high she felt like she might slip off the bench and float to the enchanted ceiling above. After several moments, her friends finished reading the letter and squealed.

"A baby!" Henrietta cooed. "How exciting!"

"That's awesome, D," Gemma said with a wide grin. "Still, it's weird imagining Carina pregnant..."

Jackie laughed. "She and Sullivan are both of age and living together. It's not that weird."

"Yeah, but I still remember her getting drunk with us in the girls' dormitories our entire fourth year," Gemma said. "That woman was an animal!"