Stars and Mist | Regulus Black

c h a p t e r. t w e l v e

Liora hated eating. She hated getting fat, the feeling of eating too much, the feeling of eating too little; it was all terrible. Why did food have to be so picky? Also, why did people have to make bad food like fish? Pink fish especially. Pink fish was gross.

The girl sat with her friend at the Slytherin table as they waited for the house cup to be announced. It was quite obvious by now that the houses were as divided as ever, and students shot glares at the Slytherin table as they ate. Liora, like the other students, pretended not to notice and waited quietly. Some students chose not to show up to the feast, though it was quite rare. Liora planned to leave once the announcements were over.

Dumbledore stood up and cleared his throat loudly, bringing the students to look at him. QUite loudly, one Slytherin boy whispered "He's clearly got favoritism to Gryffindor anyways. Even if we win, I'd bet a galleon that he'd find some stupid excuse to give some random Gryffindors excessive amounts of points."

That half of the Slytherin table laughed discreetly, still looking at the Headmaster in expectancy. "In the last place is Gryffindor, with 413 points."

Polite clapping sounded, but no one was overjoyed. The Gryffindors sunk down into their seat in dismay; what warranted this result? The amount even came as a shock to many of the other houses. 413 points? That was a lot for fourth place.

"In third place is Slytherin, with 421 points."

Liora sighed in dismay. They'd beat Gryffindor and Hufflepuff last year, but this year they were third. Third. At least Gryffindor was keeping its streak of last place.

"In second place is Ravenclaw, with 450 points."

For the past few years, the blue-and-bronze house had won. Liora was just thankful they didn't have a streak anymore, but felt a tinge of anger when she found they'd lost to Hufflepuff. There was nothing wrong with the house, but she thought it was pretty clear that there was nothing special of the house either.

"Seriously?" She hissed in Mirabel's ear.

"Maybe because they don't get the best of each talent, they're more well-rounded. That's probably how they won," Mirabel replied. The two turned back to Dumbledore, who waved his arms. The hall was decorated with Hufflepuff banners, and loud cheering came from the house when the results were out.

Quickly, there was a large commotion between the tables as people started chatting again, but Liora saw no point of staying there any longer.

"I'm going back to the dorms," She told Mirabel, who nodded. Liora went down quietly, opening the dungeon doors to find a soft voice talking. Thinking nothing of it, she went up to her dorm. Most of her things were already packed, but there were a few minor things that needed to. A wave of her wand and it was done. She started going downwards but froze when she heard voices.

"What does this mean, Rosier?"

"We're going to get it." These words were spoken hushed. "But are you sure? You kinda have to check with Anabel. She's your fiance. I don't understand why you'd agree to that, by the way."

Movement; Liora recognized the two voices. Regulus and Evan. Straining to listen, she caught a few words.

"Reg, you'd have to keep a low profile with that. Head lowered, no more joking. The Dark Lord wants things from you as part of the initiation, Reg, and that might be more than you're willing to pay. Your friends are a danger to you. It's not an option anymore; you'll have to change."

The sound of footsteps rang around the room, then silence.

***

The train carriage was quiet for the last day. Mirabel clenched her fists at a letter that had just arrived for her on the train, and Liora was trying to not intrude in her friend's privacy. After a few moments, Mirabel looked up, expressionless.

"The note your mom sent me said that I'll be coming with you for the summer," Mirabel said emotionlessly. "It also said that she was mailed a box of my things. This letter is my official disowned papers." She laughed mirthlessly.

"Liora, I'm disowned. Next year, Anabel's not gonna know who I am."

"Not if I have any say on it," The Ollivander boy said quietly. "Anabel's sleeping. I cast protective spells over her, and she knows about the obliviation. It's up to her if she wants to be obliviated or not."

Liora and Mirabel looked up at the Ollivander, smiling weakly as he closed the cabin door again.

"You and he are dating." Liora phrased that as a sentence, bot a question. Mirabel held her breath before nodding, staring the former in the eye.

"You probably hate me for it, don't you?"

"...no. It would've been worse if he wasn't one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, I guess, because we all know what muggles can and have done to us. You can't tell anyone, though. You're already a blood-traitor, what would people think?"

Mirabel nodded defeatedly. "Yeah, you're right. But why would your mom invite me over? I still don't get that part. I've seen her, and she's really cold. And kinda scary."

Liora shrugged in agreement. "I really don't know why she did that, and that's not in any way supposed to offend you, but it doesn't seem like her to do so."

Meanwhile, in another compartment, two boys were talking.

"It shouldn't be that big of a deal. He's my idol, so why am I so nervous?"

The other boy shrugged.

"Don't forget I'm coming with you. I-" he was cut off by the opening of their compartment door.

"Regulus, we need to talk."

"What is there to talk about? You left, offered for me to come with you, and became a blood traitor, and when I refused you abandoned me. Cut off all ties just like that."

The two brothers glared at each other, leaving Evan Rosier to sit there awkwardly as he watched. Luckily for him, Sirius Black left the compartment rather quickly and the two fell into silence.

For the people inside both compartments, that summer was going to be a very interesting one.