Chapter Two

x...x

He hadn't showed up for their first class, fell asleep during their second, and while no teenager in their right mind ever finds class work particularly amusing, Scott openly demonstrated his care by doodling on a piece of parchment during the duration of their third period.

It wasn't that Regina particularly cared, whatever Scott did during class was very much his own business, but the way he arrogantly raised an eyebrow when the Professor would ask him to pay attention and replied with absolutely no disguise in his sarcasm caused a sort of curiosity in her. And if the way the other classmates turned to look at him, as if expecting him to start somersaulting any second, was any indication, they too were stirred by his quiet but noticeable behavior.

"You may not know this," said Regina stopping on her way out of class to watch him turn the piece of parchment he had been doodling on to ash, "but you're suppose to at least pretend to pay attention during class."

"I don't believe in lying," said Scott. His tone was accusatory, so much so that if he had called her a liar right out, Regina couldn't have felt more indignant.

"That wouldn't count as a lie."

"Oh yes it would."

"No, it would not. There's a difference in being polite and being a liar."

"Pretenders are both. Where's that kid?" He asked looking over her shoulder just as Regina opened her mouth to argue. "Larrie, you said his name was."

"He doesn't have this class."

"Shame. He always seems to have all the answers."

"What do you want to know?" asked Regina a bit thrown off.

"Whether pretending is lying or not," he said as if talking to a three year old.

Regina shook her head. "Never mind. Just drop it."

"I can't. Not until you tell me I'm right." He grinned at her, clearing enjoying messing with her sanity.

"You can be such a pain," she pouted.

"Then I won't drop the subject. I will, however, change it. But only because I finally found one and I have to tell you before I forget."

"One what?"

"Misfitting Name." It took Regina several seconds before she finally understood what he was talking about. "Violet."

"Sorry?"

"Your cousin. Long hair, fiery temper, quite a few freckles, about this tall," he held his index finger in front of his eyes.

"I know who she is," said Regina, pushing the finger back down. "I'm not that stupid. I just don't see what's wrong with her name."

"What color is her hair?"

"Red."

"And her eyes?"

"Brownish?"

"And her skin tone?"

Regina crossed her arms across her chest impatiently. "You have five seconds before I leave to find Larrie so just-"

"None of it is violet! So why is her name Violet?"

"Lots of people are named Violet," said Regina. "It's just a pretty name."

"So is orange but you don't name a kid orange unless he is, indeed, orange."

"You think too much."

"What can I say, Gina? I don't lie and pretend to pay attention in class. I have time to think."

"That's not lying-" started Regina then stopped, her eyes round as she shook her head. "No, no, no. Not Gina, Scott. It's Regina. It's always been Regina. I don't like nicknames. They make me sound like some sort of pet."

"How about Reggie?"

She wrinkled her nose in dislike. "Like the music?"

"Gin?"

"Not tacky enough. Try rum."

"Ginny?"

She stood quietly for a few seconds, watching as a few first years walked excitedly one next to the other, their chatter caught in between giggles. "No," she said at last with what she hoped was unemotional simplicity. "That was my mother's name."

He nodded understandingly. "Okay."

She smiled, knowing there would be no further questions and felt thankful for that. "I have to go," she said, catching sight of Larrie at the other end of the hall and waving at him. "Bye."

He waited till she was halfway between him and Larrie and then called out, that smile back on his face, "Bye, Gina."

x..x

Ashley eyes glanced at the door at almost the exact moment that Regina walked in with two books in hand and no one besides her. Instead of following his friends to the Ravenclaw table where they were headed, he instantly decided that he would be having breakfast in the Gryffindor table this morning.

"Hey, Regina." He said lightly just as the raven-head was about to be ducked in a book. "Don't tell me you're an early bird too?"

She looked up, finally noticing him and nodded. "Pretty much. I usually wait till Larrie or someone else wakes up but I woke up exceptionally early today."

"Glad you did," he said, reaching over for a biscuit. "I never get to talk to you."

His smile was warm and open but, not knowing exactly what to make of his comment, she changed the subject: "How does it feel to be Head boy?"

"Thrilling." Regina laughed as Ashley wrinkled his nose. "No, seriously, it's not that awful. Go over the regulations with Quidditch captains, cover all the rules with first years, and patrol uneventful halls. Boring but not awful. Just don't tell Violet I told you that, she has absolutely warned me against -what was it? oh yes- corrupting her little cousin."

"Promise not to," said Regina, still chuckling slightly. "I don't think being Head boy or girl is all that horrible. You are going to be really busy though, huh? Larrie said you were suppose to be quidditch captain this year as well."

He nodded. "But my dad thought being Head boy was more important than quidditch. I'll still be in the team but just as a player. My number one priority will be Head boy duties. You know, I can't very well go to the ministry next year and say 'Well, I did this as quidditch captain... and that's why you should I hire me," can I?"

"You're going into the ministry next year?"

He seemed surprised by her question. "Well, yeah... My dad works there and so did my grandfather and great-grandfather. Larrie and I are really quite lucky to have it all set up for us."

"But Larrie-" she started but her words lost sound when she realized how just about every girl, from the ones sitting down having breakfast to the ones who barely walking through the door, kept looking at Ashley now and then.

Ashley titled his head, obviously not aware, or else used to, of all the attention he drew. "Sorry?"

She shook her head, having forgotten what she was going to say and was thankful when Vanessa Crow, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, joined them and broke the awkward silence. "Regina. Ashley." She greeted each with a smile. "Good morning."

"Good morning."

"We're having try outs for seeker and keeper positions next Saturday," she told Regina. "If you want to give it a go, you're more than welcome." Regina was about to refuse the offer, but Vanessa cut in with a, "Just think about it. And spread the word. Tell that new kid. He might be good. Scott, isn't?" Regina nodded. "Let him know. And Larrie too... That is, if Ashley doesn't mind getting his butt kicked by his little brother." Vanessa teased.

"I think I'm pretty used to getting my butt kicked by Gryffindor players, anyways," he laughed.

Regina smiled at him, pleased with the humility he showed. Ashley was one of the best players in school.

"I'll do that," she assured Vanessa. "I'll tell Larrie. And Scott too. I'll go and do that right now, actually."

"And you'll think about it too?" Vanessa persisted.

She grabbed both of her books."I'm not very much into-"

"We only have two girls," she said almost pleadingly. "We need more of those. Besides, it's try outs, not marriage."

"I'll think about it," Regina promised. "Bye, Ashley."

He got up at the same time she did. "See you later?" It wasn't just a question, it was more of an invitation, the kind that required a reply.

"Um." Vanessa was looking from Ashley to Regina, as if figuring something out, and at the end of so much head moving, her mouth fell open just slightly. "Sure."

x..x

"Hey," said Regina when she finally found Larrie sitting at the last table in the library. "Nice to place to be at this early in the morning. Aren't you planning on having breakfast?"

"I had some homework to finish," said Larrie, eyeing the pile of books. "It's never ending. Saddest part is: I'm not even exaggerating."

"Maybe you should cut back on some classes," she suggested, absently picking up on his books and skimming through it. "We've barely started school and you're already suffering from homework overload."

"I don't think my dad would be very happy with that," he sighed. "Ashley had one more class than me last year and was able to maintain his top scores. And he had Quidditch to add on to the stack."

If there was one thing that she had learned from having so many cousins, it was that unlike the color of your hair, your abilities had little to do with genetics. But she only shrugged, knowing that it would do no good to point this out.

"It reminds me," she said, putting the book back down and picking up The Daily Prophet, "there are going to be try outs for Quidditch sometime soon. Listen to this," said Regina, her eyes falling on an article in the third page. "A body was discovered in King's Cross the day we boarded The Hogwart's Express."

"I read that. Awful, isn't?" He started packing up his books into his bags. "I don't like Quidditch. You know that."

"I do but Vanessa said I should ask you so I did..." She skimmed through the last few pages to see if there was anything more to the story and wrinkle her nose in disgust."This is awful! The body was burnt and disfigured so that no has been able to recognize it. They reckon it was done through magic but can't figure out whether the victim was a muggle or not."

Larrie paid little attention to her last few words and after almost stumbling with a chair, dumbly asked, "Vanessa thought I should try out? The Gryffindor Vanessa?"

"Who else?" She shut the newspaper with a shudder and moved the chair out of Larrie's way with a raised eyebrow.

"I think I'll try out..."

"Really?" said Regina surprised and when Larrie nodded, she went on, "And she also asked me to tell Scott. Seen him?"

"Last time I saw him, he was just waking up."

"Think he'll show up to class today?"

"Maybe it's because he hasn't shown up for first period since school started," said Larrie, "or maybe it's because he wasn't putting on his uniform but, somehow, I strongly doubt that, Regina."

x..x

"Why aren't we allowed to leave?" Scott demanded, slipping into the space between Regina and Larrie in the couch where they were sitting. "Why? I just don't understand. This is a school, you know. Not a prison."

"Where have you been all day?" asked Regina, noting the frustration in his eyes first and then the fact that he was dressed in normal clothes as opposed to their school uniform. "And what is it that you want to leave?"

"This place." His eyes widen. "This school. I'm only asking for a break... A short trip to Hogsmeade, even."

"A break?" Regina echoed. "I doubt you've gone through a day without missing a single class. It's going to get in trouble too, you know. The way you miss classes is really putting you behind on school work. They haven't told you anything because usually a student is free to take the day off if he's feeling sick but it won't be long until they start ignoring your excuses."

"I am ill. I'm dying, in fact. Sick of being locked up here."

"I didn't know how over dramatic you where." Regina rolled her eyes. "Go to class and wait for the Hogsmeade weekend. It's not that complicated."

He seemed taken back for a second and then he smiled. "I didn't know just how bossy you where, either."

"It's not that, Scott..." She trailed off not knowing how to prove her point. Defeated, she turned to Larrie for help. " Larrie, tell him hell get in trouble."

"You'll get in trouble..." repeated Larrie lazily as he got up with a yawn. "Good night, Regina. Scott..."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," said Scott with a smirk as he watched him leave and then, turning back to Regina, "Lets go to Hogsmeade. I know, I know," he said tiredly. "Only seventh years can go during whatever weekend they please and the rest of us have assigned weekends. But I bet I can find a way to sneak out this school..."

"Good night, Scott." She said realizing the common room was empty except for them two and that bringing sense to him was completely hopeless.

"I think I'll go to class tomorrow," he offered.

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

He chuckled, realizing it was so. "Well, can't say I didn't try, can you?"

"No," she couldn't help but smile back, "you can't."

Eh, there's a plot. Really. I promise. It's just builidng up a little slowly. I needed to get this two chapters (and prologue) in before moving on, though, and now that I have you can except it to get better. Tell me what you think and be bluntly honest, please! Thank you much. :smile: