New Year, Same Reminders
September 1972
Paisley sat there listening to the conversations around her in the Great Hall after all the first years had been sorted. Dumbledore had allowed them to begin eating their dinner.
Paisley looked over at the first years giving Regulus a small smile before taking notice of who was with him. Another four boys and three girls an odd combination, but it was the way it was. She didn't say anything to the first years. She focused on Maxton and Alecto's conversation with the third years sitting beside them.
"So Philip was going on and on about how he knew how to ride the Hippogriffs and knew what he was doing," Alexandria spoke, continuing on with her story that Paisley only half heard. "But of course, my dim-witted brother had no idea what he was doing, and he insulted the beast, and he had his arm slashed."
"How did your parents react?" Alecto quickly questioned.
"Please," Alexandria waved her hand, being careful that no food flew off her fork. "My parents called him a dumbass for doing what he did. They took him to get healed at St Mungo's, and then they took his broom from him." Alexandria explained, letting out a laugh as the others laughed as well.
"Better than my younger sister running into the words thinking she saw a unicorn," Hendrix mused, and the girls looked at him. "It wasn't a unicorn. Calm down. Honestly, you girls are mental for being obsessed with unicorns."
"What are you talking about? They're stunning creatures," Anderson pointed out, and Evan narrowed his eyes, a smirk appearing on his face.
"Please, you're only taking Care of Magical Creatures so you can 'play' with a unicorn," Evan spoke, a sinister tone in his voice. All Anderson did in response was smile sweetly, leaning closer to the table.
"Says the guy taking Muggle Studies," she responded, a round of laughter coming from them all while Evan snuck back in her seat.
Paisley merely shook her head. She was curious if Evan ended up taking Muggle Studies, and now she knew the answer to it.
"So you took Muggle Studies?" Paisley questioned, and Evan nodded his head. "Interesting." She mused, but the topic wasn't continued as there were raised voices further up the Slytherin table.
"What is their problem?" Maxton questioned, them all looking at the fifth year students.
"Oh, that," Hendrix responded. "My cousin has been dating Bulstrode, but I'm told Yaxley's parents set up a contract between Yaxley and Bulstrode, so now my cousin isn't happy."
"At the table in the Great Hall, though?" Paisley questioned, raising an eyebrow as they looked down at where there were hushed words between the three of them.
"I find it rather odd. The friendship between Yaxley and Avery is rather odd. I've never seen two girls stab each other in the back like the two of them," Anderson explained, and Paisley nodded.
"Speaking of strange things," Lestrange cut in, attempting to change the conversation. "Now that you guys are all second years, Slughorn may start recruiting you for his Slug Club for whatever reason. Most of us get recruited because of our family connections. Still, I believe if you show promise in various aspects, he'll extend an invite as well."
"He's right, but be warned he also extends invites to the more uncivilised type," Evan explained, looking over at the Gryffindor table.
The second years all turned and looked at where Evan was looking. Alecto looked back at Evan, "what about mudbloods?"
"Those too," Evan responded, and a foul look appeared on Alecto's face.
"I'll pass then," Alecto commented, the foul look not leaving her face as she helped herself to some dessert.
"You wouldn't be the only one. A few of the older students have passed as well," Alexandria pointed out. "It's why we warn the younger students when they hit their second year, the third years did it for us and so on."
"But I am assuming there are some Slytherin students in the club. It would look bad on our part otherwise?" Paisley questioned, and Alexandria nodded. "So obviously that would be the only occasion our indiscretions would be forgiven."
"As long as you don't regularly go having conversations. Lucius Malfoy was actually a member of the Slug Club," Alexandria explained further, and they nodded. At the same time, Maxton attempted to hold in his laugh until Alexandria gave him a look.
"I'm sorry, but Slug Club, that's a little pompous of ol' Sluggy, isn't it?" Maxton questioned, but Alexandria shrugged.
"Regardless of whatever connections. It's bad enough sharing classes with the mudbloods. Why would I want to socialise with them outside of classes?" Alecto muttered, but everyone just ignored her comments.
"And that is why some of the more extremists in Slytherin don't get invited," Alexandria teased, and Alecto narrowed her eyes.
"Watch it, Parkinson," Alecto warned, but Alexandria just flashed the other girl a smile.
"It's merely a warning, Carrow, the elder Lestrange never got invited because of his views. There have been other students that haven't been invited as well. It didn't seem to matter who their parents are or what talent they have in their classes," Alexandria continued on, looking at Alecto before she stood up. "I have to go run something by the fourth years."
Paisley looked over at Alecto, noticing the still present foul look on her face but didn't say anything. She didn't know if it was the underhanded comments about the Slug Club or the fact that Alexandria still didn't let Alecto use her first name.
Conversations between the second and third years went back to stories from their summer break.
.
.
.
Paisley quickly glanced up and noticed someone had taken a seat beside her, surprised at seeing Regulus having taken a seat.
"Yes?" she questioned, surprised by his actions as she made it clear he had a month to adjust to being at Hogwarts and start making a name for himself.
"Do you have issues because of who your brother is?" Regulus questioned, and Paisley looked at him for a moment before she closed her book and shifted on the couch to face him properly.
"A little, but it's more who the whole family is. My family is so spilt in where they get sorted. We don't have a legacy house. My family has been traditionally Grey aside from where their typical alliance is lined," Paisley explained, and Regulus nodded. "Who has been giving you trouble?"
"Snape, Wilkes and Perry."
Paisley reached up, scratching her eyebrow before looking over where the three previously mentioned were bent over a book in the corner.
"Are they the only ones?" Paisley questioned, and Regulus nodded. "Either ignore them or react back. None of them is a part of the Families even though the Wilkes family should be according to some of the Heads."
"How?" Regulus questioned.
Paisley raised an eyebrow. "That I cannot help with but do it publicly within the common room, and you'll find some alliances. I will definitely extend my support." Paisley collected her things before she stood up, looking down at him. "Maybe look at who all his friends are." Screw it, Paisley thought. Everyone knew that Snape was friends with a Muggleborn, and it was partly why he wasn't genuinely accepted within the house. It wasn't because he was a Halfblood because if that was the case, Gibbons wouldn't have been given the Prefects badge.
She didn't say anything else as she left, heading to her dorm to have a shower before dinner. She found it was easier to sometimes shower at odd times to wash her hair. While having a quick shower in the morning allowed her to get ready before getting stuck and waiting for the Nott twins to finish.
Over the next week, Paisley spent more time in the common room, waiting to see if Regulus would do anything regarding Snape's comments in his direction. She had even heard some of them herself. She honestly thought Snape thought relatively highly of himself to speak about Regulus that way. It didn't matter if Sirius was in Gryffindor. According to his family, he was still the heir to the family.
Paisley was standing in the corner, looking over at where Regulus was sitting with some of the other first years. She was unsure how friendly they all were. She had seen how some years all got along while others like her own had their own little groups.
"How is he doing?" Paisley turned her head and found Narcissa standing there.
"Snape is apparently making comments at him regarding Sirius' house sorting," Paisley confessed, and Narcissa nodded. "He asked for help, but I told him I couldn't. He had to do it himself. I may have pushed him in the direction of the Muggleborn that Snape is so fond of."
"Normally, I would say that is a bit unfair, but this is Snape. Sirius is still technically family for now." A smirk appeared on Narcissa's face.
"So is my brother. I reminded him of that when he first tempted to say comments about my brother," Paisley responded softly. Straightening her back as she watched Snape walk over to where Regulus was sitting with the other first years.
Both her and Narcissa stood there with rapt attention, watching as Regulus straightened his back at the sight of Snape standing before him.
"You still trying to remove the shame your brother has placed across your family Black?" Snape sneered, and Regulus looked up at him, his eyes narrowing.
"If it was such a shame to be in Gryffindor of all places, why are you so fond of their resident Muggleborn?" Regulus questioned harshly as he stood up from the couch where he was sitting to face Snape properly. "You say my family name but obviously have no idea what the weight behind it means. Let me give you a little lesson in what it means to belong to one of the Families. We have the power, not you. For now, my brother, despite his placement in Gryffindor, is still family until grandfather states otherwise. I would be careful about the comments and threats you make against one of the Families. You wouldn't want anything to happen to those you hold dear."
"Wow, I didn't realise he was capable of threats," Narcissa spoke, and Paisley nodded. "Go over there."
Paisley looked at Narcissa before she made her way over to where Snape and Regulus were standing. Regulus seemed as calm as ever, having been raised that way while Snape looked downright furious.
"Is there a problem here?" Paisley questioned as she stepped in beside Regulus.
"Didn't realise you became a Prefect Burke," Snape spat out.
Paisley merely put a smile on her face. She wasn't at all surprised that Snape made a comment like that after Regulus had made a threat against Lily Evans. She would be defensive as well if someone made a threat against Lucas.
"No, I'm not. Except when I get urged to come over here, reminding you of your place because it's beneath the job description of our Prefects. It's rather pointless on my end when I reminded you several times last year, and I heard you were just again. The Families have the power, regardless of their sorting, until the Heads see fit. We cannot control what the buffoons in Gryffindor do. Honestly, if you stopped reacting, they would probably get bored," Paisley spoke, sounding a little bored as she spoke, and Snape narrowed his eyes.
"Careful…" Snape started before he was cut off.
"Or what Snape," Narcissa cut in, having heard enough. "You've been reminded of your place until we all see otherwise. We all have to prove ourselves in this house in several different ways to different people. You should stop starting arguments with everyone, or you will very quickly find yourself in a compromising position."
"Exactly, mudbloods don't help," Alecto called out across the common room, eliciting laughter from them while Snape's eyes narrowed even further.
"That's enough from you, Carrow," Narcissa ordered, and Alecto sat back down on the couch.
Snape said nothing else as he turned and stormed out from the room while Paisley turned to face Regulus.
"Paisley," she spoke softly, a smile on her face as she held out a hand for him to shake.
"Regulus," he responded equally.
"Come along, Regulus, we should have a discussion," Narcissa spoke softly, holding an arm out for him and Paisley nodded as Regulus looked at her for guidance.
Paisley walked over and joined Alecto and Maxton on the couch. "Hopefully, that shuts Snape up for a while. I'm sick of him making comments about the Families. He is too stupid to realise how he can't go anywhere in life without making nice with the Families," she muttered, and Maxton let out a laugh.
"Good for you. He deserves it. Do you know he was bragging in Potions the other day?" Alecto pointed out, and they both looked at her.
"What about?" Maxton questioned, voicing Paisley's thoughts as well.
"He was going on about how he's the best potion maker in the year, that he's brewed all these potions we could only dream of," Alecto explained, and Paisley merely shook her head.
Paisley wanted to comment about how Slughorn was praising Lily Evans the other day for her near-perfect potion. Still, she didn't particularly want to set Alecto off another rant about her hatred of Muggleborn students.
"And what am I? My parents forced my brothers and me to learn several complex potions as children because it's what the family business is," Maxton pointed out, and Alecto let out a scoff.
"Just because you can remember a potion doesn't mean you can successfully brew it," Alecto mused, a smirk on her face. "Or do you not remember hearing the stories of the fifth year Ravenclaw that blew up the bathroom on the sixth floor because she misread a line in the recipe."
"Wasn't it the fourth floor?" Paisley pointed out.
"Oh whatever, a bathroom is a bathroom," Alecto waved her off, looking at Maxton. "Admit it, you can't actually brew a potion properly. If it wasn't for Paisley helping you every week, then you would probably have blown up a potion or two by now."
Maxton narrowed his eyes before looking at Paisley, who merely shrugged. "It's true. The amount of times I've had to remind you not to throw ingredients in and carefully drop them in is insanely high."
Maxton crossed his arms over his chest, a slight pout on his face. "Great, just great, who needs enemies when I have you two."
"Well then, bugger off Flint," Alecto snapped, and when Maxton looked at her, there was a grin on her face.
"You two both suck," was all Maxton said on the topic, the girls laughing. The conversation quickly changed to what Alecto had read in her magazine about how some model and specific band members were caught having an affair.
.
.
.
Their first month back at Hogwarts was almost over, and things seemed to have calmed to what was considered normal within the Slytherin common room. Snape seemed to be leaving Regulus alone for now, and it looks as though his comments towards Snape had caused some of the older students to show an interest him in. Paisley was still the only one to have introduced herself formally to him. Still, she knew it wouldn't take long for Regulus to charm the rest of the students. Despite the two brothers not getting along all that well, they did both have personalities that could charm other people when they wished.
She had a smile on her face as she walked over and took a seat next to him, noticing he was alone and not with the other first years.
"Having problems with the other firsties?" Paisley questioned softly, and Regulus shrugged. "Regulus." She warned, and he let out a sigh before looking up at her.
"I get some also belong to the Families, but they're just sucking up to me and not giving me any reason to want to form an alliance with them yet. I spend time with them as needed and communicate with them, but I don't allow them to call me by my name," Regulus explained, and Paisley nodded.
"That's allowed. I've heard it has happened before. I couldn't get away with it, but you could by being a Black," Paisley explained, looking over at where it seemed like the Prefects were having a meeting. "I heard Lucius did it, preferring those that are our seventh years to his own housemates, but he was polite and courteous."
"I know that," Regulus responded instantly. "It's why I'm still polite to my classmates."
Nothing else was said between the two of them. Regulus went back to reading one of his textbooks while Paisley pulled a Daily Prophet out of her bag since she hadn't had a chance to read one yet today.
She had taken to reading the Daily Prophet every day. She needed to be informed of what was happening in the world that they were shielded from while at Hogwarts. She could tell that they were still careful with what they printed despite printing the article that claimed Voldemort had declared war on the Ministry.
They were careful in how they world things, keeping out the mention of the magical creatures themselves. Still, there are mentions of damage and destruction happening to the various communities with the magical folk live. Slight observations of an increase in werewolf attacks, causing more panic since there was already a high amount of stigma against werewolves as it is.
A frown was on Paisley's face as she read the containing about a set of rogue dementors had attacked a small muggle village in the northeast part of England.
"You shouldn't read if it continues to upset you," Regulus mused, having noticed the frown on Paisley's face.
"Lucas wants to be an Auror," Paisley responded softly, still reading the article. "I worry about what will happen to him if this is all still going on." She placed her thumb near the paragraph she was up to and looked up at Regulus, noticing the strange look on his face.
"Not all of it sounds so bad," Regulus shrugged, but Paisley didn't say anything else.
She had seen enough of the future that she worried as to how much power Voldemort had, how much pull he had. She knew at one point Regulus disappeared, and she still doesn't know why but she wouldn't push him away.
She didn't want those she suspected to sign up to fight alongside Voldemort to get in Regulus' ear about their thoughts and how great it would be in their world if Voldemort won. She was attempting to place herself as his voice of reason. She was trying to keep herself seen as Grey and seem like she was neutral within the house without pissing anyone off by dismissing their thoughts, values, and opinions. She hoped that she could keep Regulus close so that when the moment comes, and he gets scared, he would go to her and not just disappear
