Fate || Regulus Black

Chapter 31: Sweet Sixteen

19th April 1977
It was Rosalind's birthday today. She woke up by her room mates' awful singing of happy birthday. It was cheesy but Rosalind had started to enjoy the small things in life.

She had gotten a ton of presents from them, she could tell that at least half of them were because of her parents recent death, they didn't want her to feel unloved. She had been gifted make up, clothes, books and food(mostly candy).

They were thoughtful friends and she really appreciated them. "So what are we going to do today?" Sophia asked and smiled happily.

"No idea." Rosalind answered while she admired the emerald bracelet they had bought. It had a silver chain with small emerald stones hanging from it. That bracelet was one of her favourite presents and she immediately put it on.

She had gotten some hair potion, that would help her morning hair. Plus some interesting books she couldn't wait to read, especially one about different human transfigurations.

They went down for breakfast twenty minutes later, Rosalind was lucky it was a Saturday so she didn't have any classes to attend. She had the whole day to celebrate her birthday with close friends and her brother.

Regulus and his friends sat in the great hall when Rosalind walked in. When she saw them, she remembered how Regulus had started to be nice to her. Not really nice, more civil. Perhaps not even civil, but it felt like his energy towards her had changed over the last few days.

•*•

"So when are you going to do it?" Evan asked Regulus with a smirk. Evan was eating cereal out of a bowl, his hair was untamed, like it always was every morning and he had a glass full of pumpkin juice.

"It has to be the perfect moment. But not too late, I want to ruin her birthday in some way." Regulus answered with a shrug as he was studying Rosalind and her every move.

"Maybe in the common room before lunch?" Barty asked.

"Yeah let's make sure she's there and we will talk loud enough for her to hear." Regulus said and clapped his hands before him. This was a really bad idea, how Regulus could even think it was a good one really shocked Evan and Barty.

But they avoided telling him that because the consequences of this action would be hilarious to watch, they couldn't be that bad. Could they?

The trio continued on with their breakfast. Regulus poured himself a cup of hot chocolate while buttering his toast. Barty drank water and ate his very unhealthy sandwich.  He had all the types of jam and marmalade on it plus some sugar sprinkled over(that actually was for the coffee and tea).

•*•

After breakfast was Rosalind sat in the common room, reading a book. Not a school book, a book she received from her friends and she really enjoyed it so far.

"Yes, anytime now." Regulus said, he was sitting across the room. Staring creepily at Rosalind. "We just need to make sure she hears us." he added and looked over at his friends. At that moment, Frederick came up from the boys dormitories with a little box in his hand.

He sat down in front of Rosalind, on one of the green, comfortable armchairs. Rosalind noticed his presence and looked up from her book. Before she got the chance to say anything, Frederick said, "So our parents and I talked about giving you this for your birthday." and handed her the black, little, rectangular box.

Rosalind eyed her brother carefully. "Happy birthday, sister!" Frederick said with a smile and motioned for her to take the box from him.

She slowly took it from his hand and opened it while looking at him. When she looked down at the opened box, she saw that it was a necklace. At first she was confused as to why they had been so keen about giving her a necklace.

But when she took up the silver chain in her hand, she saw that it had the family crest on it. She had seen her mother wearing it a thousand times.

Now it was hers, Rosalind studied the chain in her hands for a couple of seconds before she stood up abruptly and left. Right as she left the common room, Regulus saw her leave and sighed as he had missed his chance.

Nobody had seen the tears forming in her eyes. Rosalind had left her book behind and gone to the girls lavatories.  She was lucky it was empty and slid down against a wall. Rosalind was sitting on the cold floor and she wanted to bawl her eyes out. This few months had been too emotional for her.

She did not know why, was it the pressure, Regulus, her parents sudden death or something entirely else? But she still felt so overwhelmed and teared up at practically anything, she had been lucky to be able to hide it for the most of the time.

The weight on her shoulders were mostly her parents death, and the only thing she had left from them was a stupid necklace. A stupidly meaningful and beautiful necklace.

She heard the door open and in walked a little girl. She was probably in her first or perhaps second year. "Are you okay?" she asked, quietly. The girl had her hair in two braids laying over her shoulders.

Rosalind only looked away from her and down at her feet. "Should I go get somebody?" the little girl continued.

This girl was so kind and sweet and for what?
Rosalind had no time to appreciate it though because she just wanted to be alone. "Anyone but Regulus Black." she muttered, she would be surprised if the girl even heard her.

But she probably did, because she left. Rosalind guessed to go and find somebody. She
groaned and hit the floor with her feet. Why was she never left alone when she wanted to.

If only the little girl didn't bring a teacher, Rosalind would feel so pathetic. She heard the door creek open yet again a few minutes later and looked to see who the girl had brought.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, rudely.

"I heard from a little child that you needed me here." the person continued, looking intently at Rosalind.

"I don't so leave." she sneered back at Regulus. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the wall. "What happened?" he asked her.

"Nothing." Rosalind answered without looking at Regulus. "Go." She stood up and went to the sinks. Regulus stared at her back before he rolled his eyes. "You are the most stubborn person I've ever met." he said.

"You probably haven't looked in a mirror then." Rosalind said, glaring at Regulus through the mirror. Regulus looked back at her with a raised eyebrow. He took a step closer. "Why are you crying?" he asked when he saw the tears on her cheeks through the mirror.

"Like I said, nothing." Rosalind repeated and looked away from the eye contact.

"It is clearly something-." Regulus added and took another step closer.

"Just reality." Rosalind interrupted him and turned around. She gave him a fake smile. "You should just go. I want to be alone." she added. That stupid little girl brought the person she wanted to see the least in the entire world, Rosalind was irritated because she heard her wrong.

Regulus had hesitated before leaving her, but he did. Although he couldn't stop thinking about her all day.

Rosalind let out the breath she had been holding in while Regulus was in the bathroom. She didn't know what to do, how to feel and not even live her own life.

The next upcoming chapter will be very chaotic and contain a lot of things at once. So be prepared:)