𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐔𝐑 ━━ regulus black.

. . . un!

IT WAS ANOTHER one of those sleepless nights: another night terror that caused his brain to pain, making him feel he might die from it.

Biting his lip in concentration, Regulus crept down the icy stairs, trying his best to fight the noise and provide quietness. He didn't want to get caught again; last time didn't end up well. A slight shiver went down his back at the memory. As he reached the common room, he padded to the nearest dark green button-tufted leather sofa and slouched down on it. He hugged his knees to his chest as he stared at the crackling fireplace.

"Guess I'm not alone tonight."

Regulus twitched. Panic dusted his features as his eyes darted around, looking for the owner of the voice. A boy stepped out of the shadows as if he a villain and Regulus a hero he captured. The yellow and orange light of the fireplace illuminated his beauteous face: he looked just as old as Regulus.

Regulus narrowed his grey eyes at the boy he had never seen before. "What are you doing here?" It was the first time that he encountered someone else in the common room at midnight. It's not like Regulus minded; he was just surprised. And a bit skeptical.

"I could ask you the same, you know." The brunet plunked down next to him on the sofa with a loud thud, causing Regulus to close his eyes in annoyance for a second.

"Do you want us to get caught or what?" He hissed at the boy. Regulus glanced at the stairs that lead to the boys' dormitory, hoping that no one heard them and would come down. The brunet merely shrugged and smirked, not intending to hide how amusing he found the situation to be.

"We've been in the same house for six years and you still don't know my name. What a shame that is," The boy said with a hint of mock sadness. "My name is Vante."

Regulus only arched an eyebrow at him. Why did the boy know that he didn't know his name? Why did he have to mention it? Why did it matter in the first place? As millions of thoughts raced through his mind, he didn't notice Vante conjuring a teapot with two cups until the brunet waved with his hand in front of his face.

"Tea?" Vante didn't wait for an answer and already shoved a cup of tea into the raven-haired boy's hands.

"Thanks, I guess." Vante only gave him a short nod: he needn't had to thank him. Silence entered the dark common room: the slurping the only thing to be heard. Vante let out a breath audibly from relief as Regulus put down his cup on the small table in front of them.

"How come I've never seen you?" Regulus voice cut through the silence. He didn't mean to ask that; it just slipped out. Vante furrowed his eyebrows.

"I'm a ghost. I only show myself to people that seem lonely." Vante joked. Regulus wasn't the first person to ask him that: a lot of people didn't know he even existed.

"Why are you still awake?" Regulus asked, striking up a conversation and not engaging with the joke. It's not that he actually cared; why would he? Regulus simply didn't have anything else to do for he had already finished reading the books he brought from home. He made a mental note to himself to owl Kreacher to send him more books.

Vante let out a breath before he began. "Well, I'm an insomniac. You see, I'm a complete bookworm. I might not seem like one, but believe me, I am." He chuckled. "It started with me staying up late because I challenged myself to finish a book until the clock hits, like, seven am, I think. After I succeeded, I did it again. And again. And again. And look where it got me."

A fellow bookworm, Regulus thought and fought back a smirk. He wanted to ask the brunet what kind of books he read and what his favourites were, but he didn't want to come off as noisy. Besides, he had an image to keep up with: the cold, quiet, sassy, confident, dark Regulus Black.

"Why are you still awake?"

"Doesn't matter," Regulus replied, an icy tone coating his voice. Vante stared at him, his golden eyes making Regulus quite uneasy, though he didn't show it, of course.

Then, the brunet just nodded. "Alright, you don't have to say it anyway."

"Exactly" Regulus wanted to say, but that would be quite rude and uncalled for, in his opinion. As he raised up his cup to take another sip, he sensed a tingling almost imperceptible sensation, causing him to turn his head; making direct eye contact with the brunet.

"Is something the matter?" Regulus asked, a mystified expression on his face. He furrowed an eyebrow as Vante chuckled.

"It's just," Vante paused, choosing his words carefully. "You're not much of a talker, are you?"

"What gave it away?" His voice laced with heavy sarcasm.

Vante shook his head, chuckling. "You're something else, Regulus Black."

This time, Regulus fought back a smile. "So I've heard."

Silence filled the room once again, but this one was pleasant. Not quite as awkward as the previous one. Both enjoyed each other's presence in silence as they witnessed the green light in the room getting brighter: indicating that the sun has risen.

It might have been another sleepless night. But this time it wasn't spent alone, and to be honest, Regulus was glad.