Silent Riot | Regulus Black

THIRTY

'Tell nobody,' he said quietly. 'Especially not her.'

'My lips are sealed,' Isolde promised, still staring at the empty space in awe.

.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.

As Isolde and Regulus entered the common room, they expected everyone to have been asleep. What they had not expected was for there to be full blown party going.

Jules seemed to be on music, which was blaring out of a large magical record player. Avery was handing out butterbeers to everyone and firewhiskey to everyone who looked like a fifth year or above. There was a small group of students in the corner trying to study, Luke among them, but it was probably impossible with all the noise, and they sent constant scowls at everyone else. They were pretty much ignored. To complete it all, sixth years Jace Snyde and Gage Greengrass were standing on tables and dancing, being cheered on by a bunch of giggly girls and jeering boys.

Regulus' eyes searched for Gemma, and he saw her in the corner drinking firewhiskey and laughing- or flirting- with Mulciber. He made his way over, and Iz followed him.

'Regulus!' Mulciber said, slightly drunkenly, 'Where've you been man?'

'...Studying,' he lied. 'Isolde was tutoring me.'

'How did it go?' Gemma asked interestedly.

'Nothing new,' he replied, ignoring Isolde's watching eyes.

'Isolde?' Mulciber said, seeming confused. 'That girl is dumber than rocks.'

'I am not,' she snapped. 'I am extremely smart, and about to be extremely rich.'

'Iz!' Ted scream-whispered from somewhere nearby. They saw that he was surrounded by a group of girls who were stroking his hair. 'Help me!'

'Its so soft,' one of them cooed.

'Er- yeah,' he said uncomfortably. 'Um I have to go-'

'Just tell us more about what you use!' Another girl insisted.

'This is my cue,' Isolde announced, sweeping over to save Ted- or, brag about her new products. Regulus thought it was probably the latter.

'Here,' Mulciber said, handing him a firewhiskey.

'Thanks,' he said. When Mulciber turned away to talk to Snape- who had just arrived- he placed it on the desk behind him. Gemma saw, and smirked.

'You know how I am with drinking,' he explained. Then he mentally kicked himself. Why would he say that? Why would he make conversation with her?

'I do,' she replied. She took a sip from her own, as if to remind him of his pathetic tolerance for alcohol. I see how it is.

'We can stop with the patronus lessons,' he said, quickly making up an excuse. Lying had become second nature to him, after all. 'It isn't going anywhere, and I don't think there's much use trying anymore.'

Please argue, he thought. He hated the patheticness of it, but he couldn't help but hope she would argue with him, say it hadn't been a waste of time.

'Okay,' she replied simply, shrugging her shoulders and turning to listen to Mulciber and Snape. But of course she did. She cared about him only because it was her nature; on a human level, she despised him. Just like he had wanted.

'You look very out of it,' Luke commented. He had apparently given up all hope of studying, and was sipping a butterbeer.

'Your talking to me?' He said dryly. 'I thought you disliked me now. I thought you all did.'