Silent Riot | Regulus Black

FIFTY TWO

Here, have an early update. 

There is slightly mature content ahead (aka smut), because I finally wrote some that isn't an abomination to mankind. 

Also, someone kills a bird. Sorry about that. 

Gemma sat in the compartment, on the large red steam train that would carry her back to Hogwarts. Back home. Where the heartache began, the grief and the pain and the reckless decisions that haunted her dreams and her wake. Home was not sweet; it was malicious and daunting, and every passing second made her regret coming back.

'And that is why Albus Dumbledore is a homosexual,' Ted said proudly, leaning back in his seat, while Gemma fixed him with a bewildered stare. It was an odd sentence to tune into.

'Were you dropped on your head as a child?' Luke demanded with disbelief. Ted blinked.

'I think my mother dropped me in a well once, actually, but I don't see why that-' He was interrupted by a knock at the door of their compartment. A girl with black hair and blood red lipstick waltzed in. She had an air of confidence and mystery about her.

'Hello,' she said, voice dripping with false sweetness. 'You wouldn't mind if I sat here, would you?'

Gemma and Ted stared at her openly, not saying yes, until Luke jumped in.

'Of course,' he said graciously. 'Take a seat.' She smiled at him, and sat down beside Ted- slightly too close for Gemma's liking. Iz would have said no, and gotten them out of this situation.

'I am Natsya,' she said, shaking Luke's hand. 'Natsya Sovetskaya.' Gemma shook her hand too, and then Ted- who she made sure to linger on for longer. The blonde girl noticed the slight redness which crept onto his cheeks.

'Um... I'm Ted,' he said, still shaking her hand. Gemma feared it would fall off. 'Ted Nott.'

'A very respectable family, the Notts,' Natsya said, leaning backwards comfortably. Gemma didn't like that. 'And you... you sound Irish?'

'Oh, I am Irish,' Luke said proudly.

'I live in Ireland for a few years, actually,' Natsya said proudly. 'And then in Germany, and France... I've been around the world, actually.' What a bloody show-off, Gemma thought to herself. But Luke and Ted were more intrigued.

Soon, her friends were swept into conversation with the newcomer. There was something about her that Gemma didn't like, but she couldn't understand why...

'Excuse me,' Gemma said suddenly, and she left the compartment quickly. She needed some air.

She barely got any, before it was whisked from her lungs once again. The sight of Stygian, now over-grown curls atop a familiar, haunted face, whose shadows did nothing to conceal the alluring quality of the features they tried to smother. Regulus Black.

'Regulus!' She called out. He turned, and looked at her for a moment. Then, he hesitated, and gave her a brief nod.

She marched up to him, and slapped him on the side of his head. 'A nod?' She demanded with fury. 'You give me a fucking nod?'

'What else do want?' He asked, irritation lacing his words as he scowled. 'A welcome party?'

'A- well a hello would be nice,' she stuttered angrily. 'Or a "how ya doing?" Don't you purebloods take etiquette lessons?'

'Yes. Clearly you could do with one.' He brushed a speck of invisible dust off his robes, then took a deep breath. He gestured to a compartment. 'Sit with me? I imagine we have a lot to talk about.' Gemma nodded, and followed him inside.