The Darkest Hearts || REGULUS BLACK

Chapter Six

September breezed into October in a swirl of autumn leaves and harsh, cold wind brought down from the mountains. The days grew shorter, the nights longer, and Diana settled into her new routine with ease, even if the sixth-year workload was anything but.

In the days since the incident with Regulus Black, the Slytherin boy had seemed to take every precaution to avoid her. It wasn't difficult, as Diana was not the type to seek him out anyway, but in any shared lessons between the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs, he always chose the farthest seat from her, and left the classroom long before she had even packed her things. One week after the disastrous potion, on the day of their next scheduled meeting, she had even received a message from Professor Slughorn that Black was feeling ill and would not be attending their tutoring session.

His behavior baffled Diana. She thought they had been getting on quite well recently, but the change in his demeanor when she'd reached for his arm had alarmed her. Maybe even frightened her a little. It could be because he was usually so reserved and collected most of the time, but the knowledge that he was a Black, a Slytherin, still sat in the back of her mind, refusing to go away despite her protestations that she wasn't a judgmental hag. And after what his brother had told her in the greenhouses, she wasn't sure what to think anymore. All she knew was that Regulus Black was a mystery.

One that she didn't know if she wanted to solve.

She left the library late one Thursday evening at the beginning of October, rubbing at her tired eyes after working on a Transfiguration essay for the better part of three hours after dinner. The librarian had finally shooed her and a few other lingering students out once curfew drew near, and she had been forced to vacate for her common room instead.

She pushed open one of the double doors of the library and held it open for the person behind her, only to realize that it was Regulus Black.

They locked eyes and the same surprise that she felt flared in his dark grey stare before quickly retreating.

"Hey," she greeted neutrally. She half-expected him to brush past her, but he stopped on the threshold, meeting her gaze. "Long time, no see."

"Indeed." He nodded. "Excuse my absence last week. I was feeling a bit under the weather. I didn't want to risk potentially getting you sick."

Her eyes trailed to his left arm, hidden beneath the black sleeve of his school robes. "How's your arm?"

It twitched under her stare. "Perfectly healed. I appreciate your concern."

"Right." She teetered, wanting to say more, but had no idea what. Realizing that she was blocking his exit, though, she cleared her throat and stepped aside. "Sorry."

He gave her a nod as he passed her, heading into the corridor beyond. He then paused and turned back to her, his haughty features as blank as ever. "I'll walk you to the entrance hall again."

She let go of the door with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

"We're going the same way, aren't we?" he asked, a note of impatience tingeing his voice.

"I s'pose that's true," she said. She gripped her bag strap and stood beside him. Though not nearly as tall as his brother, Diana still had to tilt her head back a bit to meet his gaze. "Thanks for the offer."

He grunted. "Don't mention it. It's only proper."

He'd said the same thing the first time he'd escorted her to the entrance hall after one of their sessions, and she wondered what kind of manners classes he'd been put through growing up. Surely, pure-bloods maintained a respectable air, but he seemed to treat etiquette like law. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, in Diana's eyes, but it was certainly unexpected, especially compared to his other teenaged boy counterparts.