Stars and Mist | Regulus Black

c h a p t e r. n i n e

Mirabel Greengrass was on her way to be disowned.

It wasn't that she wanted to be, but the options she was given weren't very much. Either give up your friends and those you know or be disowned. Mirabel had thought it over and over again, but there wasn't anyone to fall back onto. Liora... Mirabel knew Liora wasn't as heavily prejudiced as the other Slytherins, but she wasn't sure how the girl would react. Furthermore, Mirabel didn't want to bother Liora. Her friend had other things to worry about.

The idea of talking to Sirius Black hadn't even occurred to the girl until Regulus Black came into the picture, and Mirabel jumped at the idea. She'd been able to find him, but getting him to talk was an entirely different matter. Luckily, she'd been able to get Sirius to talk, and the two were able to communicate civilly.

Now, one thing Sirius had mentioned a lot was Andromeda Tonks. He'd said that she'd recently reached out to him and it was so much easier with her, but Mirabel couldn't think of any member of the Greengrass family who'd been disowned, and she wasn't sure on how to get into contact with them.

Unfortunately, Mirabel had forgotten her cousin Emmeline Greengrass, and the girl had been disowned just last year.

***

"Hey, Liora!" Mirabel ran up to her best friend. Liora turned to her, eyes narrowed.

"Why were you talking to Sirius Black?"

Mirabel's eyes widened. "What?"

"You were talking to-" Liora's voice trailed off as she started to piece things together. "You're getting disowned. Why didn't you ask Emmeline? Why-" she wrinkled her nose at the word-"Him?"

Mirabel only stared at Liora in confusion. "Who?"

"Emmeline Greengrass. Your cousin."

"I never had a cousin, Liora. What are you talking about?"

Liora stared at her friend incredulously. Emmeline and Mirabel had been quite close, so it didn't make sense that Emmeline's existence would just be gone with a snap of a finger. Shaking her head, Liora walked away from Mirabel in confusion. How-?

Unless... the cogs in Liora's head started turning, piecing the puzzle together. She ran down the stairs, not bothering to greet anyone. She needed to find Anabel Greengrass.

The younger girl had been sat at a table in the library and did not appreciate it when Liora showed up.

"What do you want?" she hissed. Liora glared at her.

"Just a question. Who is Emmeline Greengrass?"

Anabel stared at Liora in confusion and annoyance before rolling her eyes and turning away. "I don't know who you're talking about. Now leave, I need to study."

Liora complied, walking out of the library and leaning against the wall in confusion and despair. Emmeline couldn't have been part of her imagination, right?

"She's not," a voice agreed beside her. Liora turned to face him, a look of surprise briefly crossing her face before one of understanding.

"Emmeline had the marriage with your brother, right?" she asked, laughing softly when Regulus nodded.

"They're really just a couple fated to be disowned," she noted. It drew out a soft laugh from the boy. Liora dug her hands into her hair in confusion and frustration.

"Do your parents wipe the disowned from your mind? Why am I even asking this, you don't, you guys know who Andromeda Tonks is." Liora shook her head again, nearly pulling out her hair as she tried to make sense of everything.

"No, I'm focusing on the wrong thing," She muttered then, talking more towards herself than to Regulus. "Slytherin... Hufflepuff... Ravenclaw..."

She turned to Regulus in excitement, not noticing that he wasn't catching on to any of it.

"Come on! I think I know-" Liora dropped her sentence, walking rather quickly towards the stairs and ran up towards the seventh floor- dragging Regulus with her.

She stopped at the painting of Barnabas the Barmy, pacing three times and muttering about something. A door appeared and Liora disappeared into it, leaving Regulus to consider his options. Deciding to follow her, he opened the door and disappeared in it.

The room was filled with mounds and mounds of hidden items. Regulus wandered the area, bumping into a stack of items that clattered onto the ground. Cursing softly, he tried his best to pile up the things. He spotted Liora in the distance searching through piles when a bright yellow glint caught his eye. Picking the fragment up and pocketing it, he headed towards Liora again.

"Um, hey, if you're doing something, it would be nice if you could spare a minute. I have something of yours," he said. Receiving no response, he muttered a curse under his breath and decided to leave her alone. Moving towards the Owlery, he went and checked if there was any new mail. There was, from his mother.

Regulus was about to open the letter when movement at the steps of the area caught his eye, and once he saw who it was he froze. Stormy grey eyes stared into blue before the latter looked away. Regulus opened the letter and read it, stiffening at its contents.

Dear Regulus,

We are so proud of you! Over this term, your father and I have been communicating with your cousin Bellatrix, and she's offered to put a good word in for you. We're so happy you've chosen to take this path unlike your filthy blood-traitor of a brother.

Why did they have to mention Sirius? Wasn't the letter supposed to be directed to him? Either way, the boy was happy that he'd have an internship of sorts with his idol, the Dark Lord himself. The rest of the letter was just details of the activity, but Regulus was excited; very excited. The end of the school year was inching closer and closer, and that meant sixth year.

He folded up the letter and placed it back into its envelope, closing his eyes and sighing. The month was nearly up, meaning that he'd failed the task of gaining new friends. At least he'd have Evan. His eyes widened as he realized that Sirius was staring at him, really looking, instead of glaring.

Regulus caught his brother's eyes, the latter quickly looking away as Regulus stood up and left the Owlery. The letter was still in his hands, folding under his tight grip. He turned to the Slytherin common room, wanting to re-read the letter to see if it was real, completely forgetting on Evan's dare to 'find new friends'. Because the month was nearly over, and Regulus didn't need new friends after that.