A Warlock's Hairy Heart {Regulus A. Black}

Chapter 22

It was the day of the Gryffindor-Slytherin quidditch match final when Con finally received a brief letter telling her that Miss Nutcombe would go back to the manor in about a week. After that she would be under the care of the Remys, who apparently plan to move back to the manor for the time being.

Moreover she also received a letter from Ronnie asking her about school and friends and if she liked Qudditch. Apparently he was planning something only she didn't know what.

"Black seriously is ruthless," Rice exclaimed as Regulus, eventhough being the seeker, tricked one of the Gryffindor players into hitting one of their own with a bludger.

And eventhough Con knew it to be just a remark on skillful sportsmanship from Maurice, it still got her worried what her friends might notice if they observed her closely. She practically had to force herself to look at anything, but Regulus.

She glanced at Pan and Vince sitting alongside Julie, but all kept their eyes on the game while sharing their opinions every now and then. Meanwhile Constance still couldn't understand what had happened the day before.

The Regulus she had come to know, would never act in such a way. He seemed like a completely different person. He would have never helped her or escorted her to the castle. Let alone talk to her. Therefore she came to a conclusion, she needed to corner him. She needed to go to the room of Requirement and get as much information out of him as she could.

A week ago she might have put this task on the side and concentrated on Jane Foster and Dumbledore, however she felt like she hit a smaller wall on that road. And so she focused her brains on school through the week, yet at the weekend she let herself breathe for an hour or more and tried to figure out Regulus.

"Weren't you supposed to be rooting for Gryffindor?" Constance glanced at Rice, who was sitting on her left, keeping his eyes glued to the game.

The boy opened his mouth to answer, but before Rice could even utter a sound Julie cheered," Go Angie!!! Crush those little worms!"

Which left Con and Rice gapping while Pan shook her head at her antics and Vince simply rolled his eyes, like brothers do when they feel annoyance at their younger siblings.

"Julie you know Angelica Alixan?" Con asked with caution and curiosity. Afterall she had just spoken about Angelica Alixan the day before with Maurice.

"Who doesn't?" the blonde replyed wrapped up in the game. "She's the bomb."

The Hufflepuff herself smiled, before simply shrugging towards Rice.

***

Almost half a day later bathing in the last few sunrays was Regulus walking through an empty and dusty corridor of piles. Piles that seemed as lost and out of place as Regulus did in that moment.

He had never felt alone until Nicholas had put this thought into his head. The thought that he has no actual friends ate at Regulus. It was killing him one piece at a time.

Eversince Nicholas had had that talk with him questions kept occupying his mind. He felt more alone than ever. Why should such a stupid statement bother him?

He was Regulus Black. He had power and as of late a powerful alience under the wing of the Dark Lord. His family had money. People feared and respected him.

"Maybe that is your problem," he suddenly heard a female voice emerge from the other side of the pile.

Had he really been thinking out loud? And if so... How much did the girl hear?

"How long have you been here?" Regulus asked trying to figure out if she heard his name.

"Long enough to hear you talk about money, respect and fear," the girl answered nonchalantly while Regulus exhaled in relief. "I must say you need to work on your people skills. Fear and respect only get you this far before people draw a line."

Regulus smirked. "I am guessing you have advice Miss knowitall?"

"I actually am quite good when it comes to people. Well at least better than you probably." Constance spoke with a smug expression. Not that anybody saw.

"Awch that hurt," Regulus replied with a small smile.

"I only speak truth."

"If you are so good at people interaction and reading people than tell me this..." he paused before continuing, "I've met this girl."

"Yes," said Constance urging him on eventhough this got her heart pumping.

"I don't know why, but she seems really familiar to me..." Regulus walked around while speaking, keeping his eyes focused at nothing in particular as his hearing played the important part now." And the oddest thing is she is not afraid of me."

"And that is bad?" Constance asked walking around too.

"You heard me before." the Slytherin stopped for a second. Picking up a now lost and meaningless relic. "Everyone is afraid of me."

Constance furrowed her eyebrows while staying in place next to the window. "Why is fear so important to you?"

Regulus took one last look at the old and beaten relic wondering who could have lost it and how important it probably was to someone, before simply dropping it back into the pile
"Whitout fear there is no control. Without control there is no power. Power is a necessity in my family."

Suddenly something occured to Constance. "Were you ever afraid of your parents?"

But insted of answering Regulus replied with a question,"Were you never?"

"I never knew my parents," Con simply shrugged.

"Really?" Regulus seemed surprised trying to recall what or how she spoke of her family before.

"My biological parents abandoned me as a child.  But I was lucky enough to find a good family. Where I only felt afraid when I almost blew up half of the library." Constance smiled fondly at the memory. "Unintendidly of course."

Regulus chuckled, before suddenly getting curious. "Are you afraid of me?

The Huffleluff exhaled, "No I can't say I am. You bark but don't bite."

"Usually no." Regulus mumbled not sure if the fact that she was not afraid of him was a good or a bad thing.

"Is that a joke?" Constance smiled.

"Maybe."

"Wow I never thought the big bad," she paused as she almost called Regulus by his name. "prejudice snob  would start making jokes."

The boy just rolled his eyes before he realised something. Hadn't Constance called him the big bad Regulus Black? This girl used the exact same words.
Don't tell me the big bad Regulus Black is afraid of a little snow?, she had said.
"Could we please meet in person?"

He had no clue whether it was the right thing to do, but it certaily was a way to start.

"In person?"

"I know it would break this unspoken rule between us. But..."
He started justifying his decision. What was he thinking? She would never go along with it.

"Meet me tomorrow at 5 p. m. in the owlery." The girl said before simply disappearing leaving Regulus gapping just before a weird feeling settling into his chest.

Finally, he thought before estatically leaving the room.