Chapter 7- The Parting of the Founders *Harry*

I watch Regulus as we leave the office; truthfully I'd forgotten all about him, he was so quiet! I wonder why that could be, he was fine before we got there… Possibly he is comfortable with me and Hermione as we haven't formed any opinions of him yet, whereas Dumbledore must know he's a Death Eater. Now I'm thinking, I begin to doubt that he is; there was certainly no love lost between him and the others who serve Voldemort.

He starts walking faster, trying to put some distance between us. Hermione calls out to him and I speed up, grabbing a fistful of his robes and steering him into a disused classroom. His eyes dart all over the place, searching for a way out and finding none. Resigned, he asks what we are going to do to him.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione is confused, having apparently not yet reached the conclusion I have. House rivalry only seems to be worse in the past. "We only want to know what's going on. You helped us back there, we owe you! And Harry, let go of him." Oops, forgot I was still holding his sleeve. I let go and back off a little.

Regulus looks a bit embarrassed. "Well, you're Gryffindors. I know you're new here but basically, our houses don't get along. I can't be seen with you, and it wouldn't do you any good turning up unexpected with a Slytherin, then trying to get in with your own house. How are you even planning on getting there anyway?"

"We'll find a way, it's you we should be worrying about. Those people that found us were, well, not happy about your little interruption; what if they find out who it was? We can't exactly leave you on your own." I try to explain, without telling him that I know just how not happy those particular Slytherins would be.

He's scared, I can see that much. "Those guys," he lowers his tone a little, "they're in my house." He goes on to explain all about the parting of Slytherin from the other 3 founders and how it affected inter-house relationships. "I have nowhere else to go, I live with them. I'm used to being around them and well… they don't usually pay me any attention." Poor kid, I never thought of that.

Hermione gets a cheeky grin on her face. "Nowhere else to go? We'll see about that. Come on!" We follow her out of the room, the young Slytherin looking thoroughly confused, and head up the stairs. Up and up and up. Once we get to the 7th floor, Regulus pulls back.

"I can't go up there! The Gryffindor Tower is somewhere on that floor, I'll be ripped to shreds!" He protests. She shakes her head, smiling, and instead drags him along a separate corridor. She pushes him towards a wall, and I almost laugh out loud at the shock on his face when he just keeps falling.

"I swear there wasn't a door there before…" He mumbles, unaware of my sides splitting in order to contain the mirth. Hermione just nods towards a 4 poster bed, decked out in red and gold. Regulus, having watched this pop into existence, frowns. I really do laugh now, and gesture to Hermione to explain the Room of Requirement.

After listening, Regulus breathes out a sigh of relief; he finally has somewhere to hide from his fellow Slytherins. Or he's just happy to know he's not crazy, one of the two. I tell him to get some rest, and night clothes appear on the bed. He raises his eyebrows at the colour of the room, and turns to get undressed; our cue to leave. We bid him goodnight, and exit. As we walk down the corridor, I begin to wonder if anything will surprise me. That is, until a few very familiar figures step around the corner…