Hushed Ripples
Expectations

Exasperation.

On the very first day of the new school year, a student already managed to do something to vex the staff and make Professor McGonagall feel exasperated the moment she heard about the incident.

Mentally, she'd prepared herself for the first day of school to be trying in some manner, as she remembered quite well the antics of James Potter and Sirius Black, and James' son Harry was starting Hogwarts that year. A part of her wanted the boy to be more like his mother, yet there was no telling what kind of influence his father or godfather would have over him.

Then there was the younger Black.

Vexing might not be the right word, yet Regulus could, theoretically, be just as irritating as his older brother. There was a difference, in part because most of the time, when someone found themselves exasperated at something the younger Black did, there was seldom any intention to vex the other individual involved.

He vexed others simply because he was different and seen as eccentric. Those differences, looking back, were always there, always at the back of Minerva's mind, yet she'd never really thought about them and what they meant until she saw the young man finally come out of the shy, reserved shell that kept the rest of the world at bay, feeling free to be himself. Nor did she dislike the young man he'd managed to become, although he unintentionally exasperated her more than some of the students at times.

"That said, I certainly wouldn't want to be the one he's purposefully vexing, what with his wit and tongue being shaper than his older brothers ever were," Minvera thought to herself, having seen him surprise the students who'd mistaken him to be a pushover because of his obliviousness to certain things going on around him. "He's a good teacher who means well."

She never expected a first-year to show up in her class wide-eyed, letting her know something was wrong in Professor Black's class, which made her head snap up while the rest of her class fell silent, staring at the first-year who'd come and gotten her. She'd bustled over, highly concerned to find him frozen in place; his eyes widened in horror, which baffled her. "What's going on? Professor Black? Whatever is the matter?"

"Granger mentioned Infiri. And then this happened," one of the students from Slytherin said, making her want to learn the names sooner rather than later as she headed towards Regulus, highly concerned regarding how the young man froze up in front of his class.

She turned her head, her eyes lighting upon the young Muggleborn girl she'd taken to get school supplies. The girl grew up in a single-parent household, raised by her mother, yet was disappointed upon seeing Professor Black adopt a fluffy orange half-Kneazle cat before she could while also observing the way the younger Black obsessed over the orange ball of fluff as his older brother said, " You 're not setting a good impression for your future student, Regulus, " before apologizing to her personally for that.

And she remembered explaining to Hermione not to judge Professor Black for being a former Death Eater. However, she did understand why someone might form the wrong impression of Regulus from some of his odd behaviors, such as obsessing over that fluffy orange half-Kneazle. There was a look of guilt from the girl, yet as she looked at the young Muggleborn, thinking for a brief moment that bringing up, Infiri had been intentional.

She brushed the thought aside, reaching out for Regulus' arm, slightly concerned he might lash out at the unexpected touch, yet Infiri—for some reason, Infiri left him frozen, yet it felt strange.

"Infiri of all things. I don't know why that creature, of all of them you teach about, would put you this out of sorts." She turned to the class, giving the first years a look. "Well, while I take Professor Black to the infirmary, I suggest you first years make yourselves familiar with the school library," followed by, "And I'll have a perfect stop by and ask Pince, the school librarian, to take attendance, so no sneaking off."

Gently, she guided the young man to the infirmary, dropping him off and thinking that wouldn't be any other strange occurrences for the day, at least until she passed by one of the girl's bathrooms on the way to dinner in the Great Hall when she saw one of the Slytherin first years standing just outside of the door as if guarding the place, but what made things even stranger was the first year being one of the young men from the other house rather than one of the girls.

She stopped, looking down her nose at the young man. "Draco Malfoy?"

He startled, looking up at her, his gray eyes widening. "Professor?"

"Malfoy, what are you doing loitering outside of the girls' bathroom?"

"Nothing's going on inside!"

"That tells me something is indeed going on in there," she said, reaching out and opening the door, stiffening upon seeing what she did.

"I tried," Draco stammered out.

"Professor Black," Minerva cleared her throat, standing in the doorway, her tone tightening. "Did you ask Draco Malfoy to keep an eye out for you?"

"Um, no," the professor in question said, turning to reveal his fluffy half-Kneazle in his arms. "I didn't."

"It's not what you think," another voice piped up.

Minerva stared, having already noted the presence of the same Muggleborn first-year who'd made the mistake of bringing up Infiri, which in turn resulted in the trip to the infirmary for the professor, who was now in the bathroom with her. "Be that as it may…."

"Parkinson was bullying Granger."

She turned, realizing Draco was still there. "Excuse me?"

"Well," the first-year Slytherin said.

"If you're worried about house bias," Regulus piped up, making her turn to look at him. He was still holding onto his fluffy cat. "I've already docked points." He grimaced. "I've also got to write a letter to a parent and do detention. I hate doing detention."

"I'm far more concerned at finding a male teacher in the girls' bathroom, Professor Black," Minerva said.

"But nothing happened," Hermione piped up. "Nothing would have happened." She narrowed her eyes. "You're the one who told me not to judge Professor Black because he was a former Death Eater, right?"

Minerva felt her eyes widen, and then she sucked in her deep breath. "I don't appreciate you using my words against me." She then turned to Regulus. "And while your intentions are well-meaning," she shook her head. "Do you even understand the problem here? Of a boy entering the girls' bathroom?"

She watched his eyes widen, watched him fidget slightly, his voice lowering. "Wait. Please tell me I didn't do something Sirius would have done?"

Hearing that made her stand up straighter. "Well, if I realized a comparison to that scoundrel brother of yours…."

"But he didn't do anything wrong!" Hermione protested. "Please!"

Minerva stared. "Black, I think you and I should continue this conversation after dinner when it's just the two of us." She watched Hermione open her mouth. "If other students happen upon this conversation, I won't be able to let it slide." She waved her hand, "So off with the two of you."

She watched the other two scurry away, passing a few other students on the way as she and Professor Black stepped over to the entrance to the bathroom. "Oh."

"Let's discuss this further in my office, where students can't hear. And perhaps Professor Dumbledore should join us?"

"Yes, but," Regulus closed his eyes, unsure how to say what he wanted to without drawing unwanted attention from the students.

"It's not as if any of the other students happened in on the conversation, my dear," she said, observing, so no students were near when she said what she did. "Still, I haven't ruled out bringing this incident up with her mother, particularly if Dumbledore says we should."

"Oh," Regulus sighed. "Her mother."

"Yes. Her mother," Minerva said, shaking her head.

"Oh, boy." He glanced away. "About that…"

"Again, let's continue the conversation in my office, Professor Black."