Warnings - feisty Reg, self doubt, loneliness, nosiness, argument about blood status, insults, throwing a book at someone, mean Peter, family rivalry
"I can't believe you know who I am," I said in shock.
"I make it a priority to know all the good players at Hogwarts. I study them," he said casually.
"Y-you study them?" I asked, a small thrill going through me at the idea that he'd studied me.
"Your best move is the Plumpton Pass, you're quite good at it," he said, still not even meeting my gaze. I was all goosebumps. How had I not met him before, he was one of my only friends' brother.
"You and Sirius aren't close, are you?" I asked. Sirius did not like to talk about his family. I guessed Remus was the only one who knew everything that went down. I did know his parents adored Regulus, and that Sirius had moved in with James a little over a year ago.
"I'm sorry," he finally looked up, slamming his book shut. "I didn't think we were blood bound friends, who could casually talk about family ties in a train compartment on the way to school."
"I'm sorry," I said honestly, and the glass shards in his eyes softened a bit. "I should've known, Sirius doesn't like talking about it either."
"Yes well, Mr. Carefree doesn't have to does he? He escaped," he muttered. I was about to inquire to his meaning, when the compartment door slammed open. In came a gorgeous dark haired girl, with two people I knew well behind her. Lucius Malfoy, and his girlfriend who hung off him like a koala, Narcissa Black. She was gorgeous, but she always looked like she was smelling something rotten.
"Reggie, you slipped off so fast I couldn't find ya," the dark haired girl beamed, and ruffled his hair.
"That was purposeful," he muttered, but I saw the corner of his mouth lift ever so slightly. I was shocked, this boy made of stone had someone who ruffled his hair and called him Reggie? For some reason I felt a pang of jealousy in my heart. Was it the regular jealousy brought on by loneliness? Or was it specific to him. It did feel a bit different from the regular loneliness.
"Ohhha, Reg! Did you finally get a girlfriend?" She asked in shock, staring at me as if I were an exhibit in a zoo. Regulus's cheeks were striped pink.
"She's pretty too," she said, congratulating him.
"This is y/n, she's a Ravenclaw. She just asked to sit in the compartment. We've only just official met," he explained.
"Oh boo," she fell back against her seat with a huff.
"Y/n, this is my obnoxious cousin Andromeda," he introduced me.
"Call me Dromeda, everyone does." She waved it off.
"A Ravenclaw?" Drawled Lucius. "Blood status?"
"That's not polite Lucius," Regulus tutted.
"Just because you don't care, doesn't mean the rest of the world doesn't," Lucius snapped.
"Hey," I felt a hand on my robed knee, a spark flew when I realized it was Regulus.
"Don't answer him," he told me. I was conflicted, what would Lucius do if I didn't answer him?
Lucius made a lightning fast move, and lobbed a book at Regulus. I whipped my wand out, making the book fly back at Lucius. It barely missed his head.
"Woah, that was some super fast magic," Dromeda said. Regulus was looking at me in awe.
"If she's half or a mud blood she can't sit in here," Lucius growled, shoving his now tousled, sheets of white-blonde hair, out of his face.
"Say that word again and I'll hex you," Regulus snapped. "She was here before you and her blood status doesn't matter."
"I've seen her around," said Narcissa, as if just having tuned into the conversation. "She's a Pettigrew, she's pure."
Lucius finally relaxed. Both Dromeda and Regulus looked annoyed. We sat in silence for a bit until the train finally began to move.
"I see you're reading advanced potion making," I said shyly to Regulus, I was used to putting myself out there to find a connection. It just hardly ever worked with the Marauders. "Does that mean you're in the class?"
"Oh Reggie is alllllways studying. He's very smart, though I wish he were a bit more of flirty like his brother," Andromeda answered.
"Would you let me answer her myself," he said. "And why are you always so interested in my love life?"
"For the drama," she said doing jazz hands. "I've already found my forever, I have to live vicariously through others," she said.
"Ted Tonks?" I asked, remembering I'd seen them around.
"Yeah," she said dreamily. "He's sitting with his Hufflepuff friends since we've been together all summer."
"Yes, I am in advanced potions," Regulus answered me. "Are you?"
"Yeah, I am," I smiled, and to my surprise he smiled back. My heart flipped.
"Yes, yes, as Andromeda says, Regulus always has his nose stuck in a book," Lucius said meanly.
"Probably why he has top marks," I snapped defensively, only realizing what I'd done a second later. I didn't want to make an enemy of Lucius Malfoy.
The rest of the trip was fun. Lucius and Narcissa didn't talk much. Regulus didn't talk much either, but I enjoyed being with him anyway. Andromeda was hilarious and kind. I loved talking to her. When we got off the train we separated.
"Y/n," I heard a familiar voice call. I turned to see Remus running toward me.
"Hey Remus," I smiled.
"I felt so bad you didn't get to sit with us on the train. I saved you a seat in the carriage, Sirius is holding it."
"Oh thanks Moony," I said happily, and followed after him. I was next to James, who was cleaning his glasses. The carriage took off.
"Guess who I ended up sitting with Sirius," I said eagerly, happy to have a reason to talk to them.
"Who?" He asked as he played with Remus's hair.
"Your brother."
Sirius looked interested now.
"You sat with that git?" He asked, and another wave of defensiveness came over me.
"He was actually really nice," I shrugged.
"Tell me everything that happened," he said eagerly. I told the whole story while Peter pouted that I was the center of attention.
"He was showing off for Andromeda," Sirius said at the end. "He is just as concerned with blood status as Lucius."
That didn't track with what I'd experienced, but Sirius knew him better than me.
"Glad you met my cousin though, she's the only good one in the family."
"I nearly forgot, I got you all presents," I said eagerly. I pulled out my bag and I heard Peter grumble.
"Peter yours isn't physical, but I'll help you study for your exams."
"Thanks," he said begrudgingly.
"Here Remus," I handed him the gift I'd carefully wrapped. He opened it slowly to find a wolf cookie jar, and he smiled.
"Open it," I urged. He did and found the chocolate I'd filled it with.
"This is amazing," he beamed. "Thank you so much," he said.
"Now Sirius," I said, and gave him a bag. He pulled out the leather jacket I'd spelled to have bottomless pockets.
"This is sick," Sirius said in awe. I told him about the pockets and he grinned.
"Finally, James," I handed him the gift. He ripped through the wrapping eagerly.
"It's a box that takes a passcode, like the common room doors at school. You can use it to hide your invisibility cloak," I explained.
"This is so awesome, thank you," he said, giving me a side hug that made me warm inside.
"That thing looks like you made it yourself," Peter scoffed.
"I-I did. I couldn't find one so I enchanted it myself," I stuttered.
"So it's basically trash?" Peter laughed, he snatched the box from James, and tossed it out the carriage window.
"Peter!" The boys snapped. James casted accio and the box came flying back in. It was soggy now, messing up the lion id painstakingly painted.
"It was just a joke," Peter shrugged.
As we landed at Hogwarts I felt tears prick my eyes.