- PENSIEVE - regulus black

II. THE NIGHT WE MET

"Guys, this is my little sister, Ellie. Ellie, this is Sirius, Remus, and Peter," James announced, pointing to each of them as he said their names.

"It's actually Eloise," the girl corrected, giving her older brother the stink eye. "He just insists on calling me Ellie."

Remus chucked, shaking his head as if it was something he knew all too well, "Of course he does."

"Hey, you love it."

"Yeah, sure," she rolled her eyes playfully. "So, now that I've met your friends, can I go?"

"Go?" James asked. "Why?"

"Because I would like to make my own friends, thank you very much. Now good-bye!"

Not waiting for a response, Eloise left her brother and his friends, continuing through the train. Her heart raced slightly as her eyes scanned through each of the passing compartments. They were either full, or held older students.

Eloise began to frown slightly. What if everyone had already found their friends on the train? Surely she couldn't be too late already . . .

Her heart gave a leap.

It was the boy from earlier, sitting in the same compartment. Alone.

Smiling, Eloise slid the compartment door open, "Hello, do you mind if I sit with you?"

The boy looked up from the book he had been reading, looking somewhat irritated, "Blood status?"

Eloise's eyebrows raised, "Y'know, usually the first thing someone asks for is your name, not your blood status. Just for future reference."

Not caring how the boy would respond, she sat herself down across from him.

Regulus blinked, dumbfounded. Nobody ever spoke to him like that. Well, Sirius did, but that was something else. Sirius was the only one foolish enough to make remarks like that. Or, he thought his brother was the only one, until this odd smiling girl plopped herself in front of him.

She was a blood-traitor, possibly a half-blood. Regulus doubted that she was a mudblood, as she did not appear to be thrown off by his question. There was no doubt that she was a blood-traitor, though.

This odd girl showed up, willingly sat with him, and wanted to talk to him. Regulus knew that he shouldn't, but something in him didn't want to turn her away. He wanted a friend like his brother had.

"Er—What's your name?" he asked hesitantly.

The girl smiled brightly, "See, that wasn't too hard, was it? Anyways, I'm Eloise Potter. How about you?"

Regulus froze. He knew his mother and father would disapprove of him befriending a Potter greatly, but on the other hand, she seemed like she could really be a friend. Not one of those pure-blood allies he had to make.

"Regulus Black," he replied.

"Regulus?"

"Yes, that's what I said."

He didn't understand why she was questioning his name.

She suddenly smiled again, "I actually quite like your name, it's different. I've never heard anyone called Regulus before."

And for the first time since he got on the train, Regulus smiled.

"Thank you, Lou."

Eloise tilted her head to the side, "Lou?"

"Yes, Lou. It's a nickname."

"Well yeah, I figured that out. It's just, nobody's ever called me Lou. It's usually just Eloise or Ellie."

Regulus faltered, "Oh, is Lou not okay?"

"Of course it's okay!" she said quickly. "But now I need to give you a nickname . . . how about Reg?"

He frowned, "My brother calls me that."

"Oh. Well, this is harder than I thought," she huffed. "What about . . . egg?"

"Wh— EGG?!" he sputtered in disbelief. "I'm sorry, did you just call me egg?"

"Yeah," Eloise tried to keep her laughter in. "Like it?"

"NO!" said Regulus loudly. "How did you even come up with something as horrid as that?"

"Easy," she replied calmly. "I just took the 'R' off 'Reg'."

"Oh my Merlin," Regulus groaned. "Forget it, just call me Reg. No more coming up with nicknames. I don't think my ears can take it."

The girl gasped, "I don't appreciate your criticism, Reg."

The pair stared at each other, before bursting into laughter.

And as Regulus laughed, he stole a look at the bright girl in front of him. There was definitely something different about her, he thought, smiling.

If this freeing feeling is what he would get, he didn't think he would mind her as a friend at all.