𝓟𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓸𝓹𝓱𝓸𝓫𝓲𝓪 || Regulus Black

4.4 - The Howler

The delinquents of Hogwarts were very familiar with Howlers. They received letters from their parents that let them know they would be hell to pay when they got home.

Needless to say, Ophelia Potter had never received one before. She was a good girl, and kept it hidden when she wasn't.

She had never received a Howler until now, that is. When Barty and Regulus had their fight and they both got detention, Ophelia wrote on the walls in mud, in order to get in trouble as well. It worked, as she received the punishment of cleaning up after herself, and then she managed to get Regulus out of detention as well. 

The day after the three of them got in trouble, everyone was eating breakfast when letters for the students started to come in. A parade of owls flew into the Great Hall and started to drop packages and envelopes off with the students they were addressed to. 

Regulus was dreading the Howler he thought was inevitably coming to him. The Blacks have always been quite reactive, especially when it comes to punishment, and it had only gotten worse since they banished Sirius from the family. Regulus knew that when they found out he was in a fight at school, there was definitely no way they would react in a calm manner.

Ophelia knew it too, that's one of the reasons she always tries to keep Regulus out of trouble. That's why she felt a wave of dread when she saw the letters coming in.

The two of them swallowed their fear, seeing a Howler being dropped off to their table. Barty shouted that someone at the Slytherin table was receiving a Howler from home, and the entire room went silent with anticipation. Everyone found it fun to watch students open their Howlers, as all children find it fun to watch other people be embarassed. 

To Regulus' surprise, the Howler landed in front of Ophelia, as it was addressed to her. 

Ophelia had been planning for this moment all night; She knew exactly what was coming. Ophelia took a deep breath and untied the ribbon around the envelope. As soon as it became loose, the Howler rose into the air and started floating above the platters of breakfast food. 

In Euphemia Potter's voice, it started shouting at Ophelia. 

"Ophelia Potter, you are in big trouble! Why on Earth would you think it was a good idea to pull a vandalism stunt at school? Even James has never done that! I can assure you that your father and I will have a discussion with you about this coming winter break, but for now, just know how upset we are about this and think about what you've done!"

The letter shut itself immediately after the scolding was over, and laughs and snickers could be heard throughout the room. Ophelia's face became bubblegum pink, her brown, doe eyes widened in shock, and she dropped her head in embatrassment so that her long, dark hair covered her face.

"Little Miss Perfect got her first Howler?" Barty taunted from across the table. "On a scale from one to ten, how embarrassed are you right now?"

"Bug off, you half-wit." Ophelia grumbled. 

"Oh, I'm so insulted." Barty said sarcastically. "I could report you to a professor and ensure that you get another Howler by tomorrow morning."

"She told you to bug off, Bartemius." Regulus intervened. "Because I can tell you right now I have much more dirt on you than you'll ever find on Ophelia and I could have you receiving a thousand letters tomorrow morning if I wanted to."

Barty rolled his eyes and went back to his breakfast, and Regulus turned to Ophelia. 

"The Howler was yours?" Regulus asked her. 

"Well don't act so surprised." Ophelia said. "I'm always taking the blame for your mischief. Why do you think your detention was cut short?"

"But I promised that I would always be the one to take the blame for you." He said, recounting what he had told Ophelia when they were in the first year at Hogwarts. 

"You remember that?" 

"I mean, yeah. Of course."

"Well, you haven't been keeping up with it." Ophelia joked. 

It took Regulus a second, but he started to laugh once he realised that Ophelia was joking and wasn't mad at him. 

"It may have slipped my mind in times of stress." He said. "But, I'll remember from now on."

"It's a bit too late for that. I'm gaining a reputation for being the other mischievous Potter sibling now."

"Well, if you're on your way, why not go for the title of main mischievous sibling?"

The two of them laughed, and though she thought it would be impossible, Ophelia already started to forget all about the Howler.