UNFINISHED VERSION

2.3

The night had gone just as it had for the past few years when Violet made her way back to her own compartment. 

The train arrived at the school, the young witches and wizards got off the train and made their way up to the castle. All students second year and older made their way to the great hall and sat at their respective tables. All first years followed Hagrid and Professor McGonagall, getting ready for the sorting. Then there was the speech, the warnings, reading of any new rules, and then finally- it would be time to summon in the food. 

Regulus was sat at the corner of the Slytherin table, the spot that he and his friends used every meal prior. The chatter of his friends surrounded him as he silently ate his food. It wasn't that the boy didn't want to join the conversation, he just rarely felt he had anything of real value to say. Plus, it was bad manners to speak with food in your mouth anyway. 

Violet was at the center of the Gryffindor table, arms flailing as she recounted a story from over the summer. Marlene was at her side, face red from cackling at the depiction of James trying - and failing -  to come up with a plan to win the heart of his one true love. Lily, was blushing for a completely different reason. She tried to mask the growing pink of her cheeks as annoyance, but  perhaps James was right... maybe this would be the year he finally gets the girl. Poor Mary was just confused. Forehead wrinkling and eyes straining in concentration, doing her best to make out what Violet was even saying as the brunette spoke around the bread rolls she kept shoving in her mouth.

It was the same routine every year, without fail. Once the food was taken up, the prefects left to show around the first years, giving them a short tour concluding with their house. Every other student, would either report to their houses or spend the last few minutes before curfew around the castle. 

The Potter girl, would retire to her dorm with the girls, sharing gossip along the way. The girls would usually then spend the first night at Hogwarts laughing and catching up on what they'd missed. Violet and Marlene, usually heading the conversation in boisterous outbursts and Mary tried her best to keep them from yelling too loud and disturbing others. All whilst Lily Evans, ever the most organized 'mom friend' of the four, unpacked all of their suitcases. Marlene didn't see the need to unpack the first night, and Violet would be completely fine living straight out of the leather case-- but the redhead wouldn't be able to sleep until everything was back in its place, transforming the empty dorm room into home.

Meanwhile, the stormy eyed boy's night looked quite different. The minute the meal finished and the plates vanished, he went straight to his dorm and unpacked. He would get himself ready for bed, and then wait. It would take an hour or so after he finished until all of his housemates were either asleep or in their dorms. When he was positive he wouldn't run into anyone in the common room, he would sneak out and make his way to the library. Yes, it was way after curfew by then, but until he was able to sit in the little nook he'd discovered back in first year it didn't quite feel like home.

He followed a delicately crafted routine, it never seemed to falter and always managed to put a slight smile on Regulus' face. Perhaps it was dull and boring to some, but to him it was a comfort. One of the very few things in his life he was able to control.

At least, the routine hadn't faltered until now.

Regulus suddenly felt a weight plop down into the empty space on the bench to his right. The excitement of the individual had him assuming it was some new Slytherin first year, wanting to join the group of elites. They had at least half of the sacred 28 in the group after all.

He quickly began to think otherwise when all conversation around him suddenly stopped. The only conversation, came from the other tables on either side of them. Regulus had caught Evan and Barty tense up from the corner of his eye, the air between them seemed to thicken.