MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
by The Goblet

Chapter 5

Regulus Black and Rabastan LeStrange sat in the Muggle-studies classroom smoking cigars. The air was thick and murky with smoke.

Rabastan watched his friend with increasing scrutiny. "It's Mid-Summer's Day. Why are you so gloomy?"

"Gloomy? It is my character to be sombre and depressed."

"But it's Mid-Summer!"

"So?"

Rabastan snorted. "Well, even if you aren't happy, that's no reason to look as though your best friend just died."

Regulus shot his friend a death glare. "I am what I am. Why should I pretend that I'm something that I'm not? I will eat when I am hungry, I will sleep when I am tired, I will laugh when I am cheerful, and I will be sad when I am miserable."

"Yes, but why persist in showing your unhappiness? Sirius has only very recently started to be friendly with you again. Very recently. If you want to remain on good terms with him, you ought to at least appear cheerful."

Regulus bristled; he was sick and tired of trying to keep on his brother's good side. No matter that their parents treasured him over his brother, the rest of the world loved Sirius and looked down its nose at him: a Slytherin. He was always minding his tongue and watching his behaviour. The general public did not care about the truth: only about hearsay.

"Why should I conform to his expectations? Is it not bad enough that I have been branded a Dark Wizard, while my Gryffindor brother is celebrated as a hero? If I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking: in the meantime, let me be me and don't try to change me."

"If only you could put all that malice to good use," Rabastan grinned.

"Oh, I'll make use of it, don't you worry about that," Regulus replied, his face lighting up with a wicked smile.

As the two continued smoking, they heard footsteps approaching from down the hall. They stopped before the door, and the two graduands saw a pointed nose peeking in from behind the doorjamb.

"Come in, Pettigrew!" called Rabastan.

Regulus sniggered as the chubby, mousy-haired Gryffindor entered the room. His brother, Sirius, didn't know that he and Pettigrew kept the same company. Pettigrew looked excited. Something was up. "What's new Peter?" Regulus asked.

Wormtail looked from Regulus to Rabastan, waving the smoke away from his eyes, before drawing up a chair. He leant forward and began whispering. "I was in the staffroom last night picking up some leftovers, when Remus came in looking ghastly. I didn't want to disturb him, so I changed into my animagus self, with every intention of leaving the room. But I was distracted by this hunk of Brie which had been left on the table and I was just eating-"

"Pettigrew, I am not in the mood to learn about the palates of rats," Regulus warned.

"Ah yes, of course you're not. Silly me," he paused, collecting his thoughts. "I can give you news of an intended marriage."

A marriage? Regulus sat thoughtfully, puffing once more on his cigar. Yes, that would do splendidly, a perfect event in which to cause mischief. "And who is getting married?"

"That would be your brother's best friend."

"The most humble Remus?"

Peter chortled. "It certainly isn't James."

Regulus scowled at the animagus; talking to Pettigrew was comparable to watching Flobberworms mate. "Who is he marrying?"

"Severus Snape"

Rabastan choked. "Severus?" he asked, disbelievingly.

"How do you know?" asked Regulus, impatient for details.

"Well, as I was saying, I was happily eating some cheese in the staffroom, where Remus was moping, when I realised that he wasn't alone. I don't usually spy on my friends, you know, but then I couldn't exactly just step into the conversation, nor could I escape, they were blocking the door -"

"Pettigrew," Black growled.

"I'm getting off track again. Long story short, your brother plans to use Polyjuice to disguise himself as Remus and then try to woo Snape for himself. When he is successful, they intend to swap. Snivellus wouldn't suspect a thing."

"When do they plan to do that?" asked Rabastan, intrigued.

"Tonight, at the ball. I just thought that you would find it amusing to watch, but you didn't hear anything from me, alright?" Peter implored. "I really must go; we're all having lunch in the Great Hall."

The two Slytherins sat quietly as they watched the spotty Gryffindor scurry from the room.

Eventually Regulus turned to his friend. "I hate Lupin. He's too good and clean and pure. My brother favours him over me. I should be loved and respected, not some half-blooded Gryffindor," he snarled.

Rabastan's face lit up, the potential for mischief was not inconsiderable. "This is the perfect opportunity Regulus."

"I know, Rabastan, I know. Will you help me?"

Rabastan smirked. "To the Death."


tbc...

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