Chapter 7: A new Prefect.
Remus went to the prefect's compartment at the front of the train. Making his way among those already present, he quickly finds Lily who smiled at him when he sat down next to her. She informed him that some of the Prefects were still missing. The Hufflepuff Head Boy, Amos Diggory, the one for Ravenclaw, Bertram Aubrey, and the new fifth-year prefects weren't arrived yet.
-He is fine. Remus said to her, feeling Lily's insistent gaze on him, turning to her to smile softly. -Mr and Mrs Potter have taken care of everything.
-I heard it hadn't been easy. She told him. -If you had seen him when I found... She stopped, all the other prefects had stopped talking to listen to their conversations, all wishing to know what had happened with the Black heir during the summer. Lily gave them a furious look, and they soon returned to their own conversations.
Remus laughed as the missing students finally arrived, the meeting of the prefects could begin. Remus barely listened to them, lost in his thought. Anyway, what was the point of listening the next year recommendations? His friends were the worst trouble-makers of all Hogwarts. Did Dumbledore really think that by appointing him prefect, he would have a minimum of control over them? Peter maybe, but James and Sirius? He shook his head as his thoughts drifted to Sirius.
He sighed for himself, wondering if he would, one day, overcome what had happened to him. He had known Sirius by heart since what feels like forever and he had rarely seen him as nervous, anxious and stressed out as he was now. No one dared to point it out to him, but he had lost a lot of weight and it was still visible, whatever he might said. Even though Mrs. Potter had done everything she could to restore his health, the stigma of what he had suffered were still visible, without mentioning the one he was desperately trying to hide from them. He knew he'd probably shown himself to James, but it had always been easier to tell James than anyone else.
Remus had become an expert in hiding his body over time, but Sirius had always been a bit exhibitionist. He couldn't count all the times he had gone down in the Gryffindor common room, in underwear, as if nothing had happened, simply for the pleasure of doing so. He had always been someone who needed to palpate others, touch them, he was always in the personal space of others, you could find yourself lucky not to have his fingers in your face when he spoke to you.
How many times Remus had repeated to him and asked him to respect his personal space, and how often Sirius had just laughed, and continued to talk to him so close that their noses were touching. But not anymore. Not since he had fled Grimmauld Place. He was avoiding as much as possible being touched and touching others. He stood at an abnormal distance from them, while normally he would have been the first to reach and grab you.
He was still wrapping his arms around his shoulders; he still sat beside him, more closely than normal people would have, but something was wrong. It was subtle, but he was not gifted enough in the art of hiding to fool Remus. The werewolf would always be one step ahead of him on that.
-... finally, Emma Vanity and Regulus Black are our two new Slytherin prefects. Said the Slytherin Head Boy, slamming Remus back at him, looking up at Regulus, whom he had not saw coming in. All heads were turned to Regulus who did not blink an eye, a cold smile hanging on his lips as he fixed his gaze on Remus who did not flinch and let his golden eyes plunge into Regulus's grey ones.
The tension was visible as Remus and Regulus stared at each other in the death silence that had just settled in the compartment. Neither of them would give satisfaction to the other of being the one to look away. Regulus smirked, which made him look like Sirius for a moment. Remus just remained impassive until Lily came to lay his hand on his arm.
- Come Remus. She said as the Head Boys and Head Girls asked them to begin their rounds, cutting short the coldness that was reigning, all the prefects quickly executing the orders, getting out of the compartment.
Remus looked at him one last time before finally turning his head away, it was not worth it he thought. But as he walked out into the corridor, he felt a hand gripping his shoulder strongly and he turned back so quickly that his bag fell to the floor, as he grabbed the hand of the one who touched him.
His senses were sharper at the full moon edge, and it was better to keep some distances between you. Regulus seemed surprised by Remus's reflexes and he slowly shook his head, the locks of his hair falling over his face in the same way as Sirius's. -I have a message for my brother. He said without moving, still fixing Remus, trying to keep his confident smile, which he failed miserably.
Whatever he could say, he knew that his brother was surrounded by similar personalities as his own, and it was better not to try to annoy one of the marauders. There were, not only more than able to defend themselves alone, in spite of some appearances, but if anything happened to one of their own, the three others immediately made it a personal affair and you were doomed.
-Go and tell him, whatever you want to tell him, all by yourself Black. Remus replied coldly, finally pushing back his hand, leaning over to pick up his bag on the floor.
Regulus raised his hand, stamping slowly from one foot to the other, not knowing what to say, unable to explain himself. Remus continued to stare at him, frowning, patiently waiting for him to add something. Regulus just sighed, thinking it might be better to leave Remus alone after all.
The situation with his brother was already at a breaking point, there was no question that he would stir up his anger if he attacked Remus. Regulus knew how much his brother could be protective over his friends, especially with Remus, since he was often ill and he had seen students learned the hard way to not mess up with the Gryffindor.
-You get the fuck away from him Reg'! He heard a cold voice told him, as Sirius walked up the aisle, accompanied by Marlene McKinnon. He reached Remus, putting himself protectively in front of him, leaning his head to catch Regulus' gaze. -What the hell are you doing here, annoying the prefects?
- I return the question, as I reckon, you are not a prefect, I am, on the other hand. His brother replied, showing him his prefect's badge.
-So what? Said Sirius as if nothing had happened, finally understanding why his parents were both present on the platform earlier on. They were far too proud to exhibit the new little prefect of the family.
-Calm down a bit, would you? Said Regulus, seeming a bit calmer and colder, looking at Sirius up and down, while he was still in front of Remus. -I didn't do anything to him, you can lower your guard you know. He shook his head as Sirius raised his hand to make a rude gesture. -Anyway, it's not like you were able to understand, you've always been more brawny than brainy. He said to him as the little Slytherin crowd that had gathered was bursting with laughter.
-Pad' no! Remus shouted as Sirius had grabbed his brother by the collar of his robes. -That's what he wants, let go of him, it's useless! He's not worth it. He pushed back Remus's hand and approached his brother, a little closer.
-I have a message from Mamma. Regulus hurriedly told him, getting rid of Sirius' grasp, backing to a safe distance, while his friends that had arrived, stand next to him like bodyguards. After all, maybe Sirius would not try and kill him in the middle of the Hogwarts Express if there were enough people present. But he doubted it, when Sirius was blind with rage, there was not much to do to stop him. -You got what you wanted.
-What I wanted? He replied with a frown.
-You've been whipped out of the family legacy. He said, everyone in the corridor suddenly felt silent. Regulus tried to restrain himself, tried to keep his face shut from any emotions, he could afford to let his feeling come out. His voice had cracked slightly when he had uttered these words to his brother, but no one had noticed. He did not had wanted to be his mother's messenger, he certainly had not wanted to be the one who would told his brother, that in the end, he was no longer the heir of the main Black family.
They often had shouts at each other about that. Sirius, screaming that he could have the title if he wanted it so badly, and he, replying to him that he should have been the elder and that it was not fair. But now that he was the heir, Regulus did not know how to react. He would never have thought that one day, Sirius would carry out his threats and leave the family, he would never have thought it was so painful for him to be at Grimmauld Place. He had never wanted his big brother to leave even if he had told him so, many times. Now that it was done, he could not help feeling a bit guilty about it.
Burned from the family tapestry, Sirius had no one left. No one within the Black family would want to recognize him. Aunt Druella was already calling him the traitor, and he had heard his cousins discuss what they would do to him if they ever saw him again. He would have liked to be able to do something, to be able to protect his only brother, despite their differences. He did not approve of Sirius's attitude towards his family, but he certainly did not deserve all of that.
He raised an eyebrow as Sirius burst out laughing, his laugh that looked so much like a dog barking echoing in the train's wall. How could he laugh at him like that? Had he had understood what he had just said to him, did he know what was the consequences for him, or did he simply do it on purpose to avoid being out his guard in front of others and made him looked like the pathetic little brother?
-Have you understood what I've told you? He shouted, frustrated that he continued to laugh like that at him.
-I understood very well what you told me, I'm not as stupid as you. Sirius replied, as James and Peter came behind him, younger students had alerted them that something was happening. -You can tell your mother that it's fine with me, I never wanted to be part of this stupid ass family anyway! He grabbed Remus by the arm, nodding to James that everything was fine, before disappearing to their compartment.
-What happened? James asked as he approached Lily who had said nothing, as the students slowly scattered, whispering, as Regulus turned his heels and brought his friends with him.
-Regulus is the new Slytherin Prefect for his year. She answered him. -He grabbed Remus when we came out of the prefects meeting. She could not help but roll her eyes when James nodded and messed up his hair. -How is he? Sirius, how is he? She then asked him. -Remus said he was fine but I can not believe it.
-He's fine. James replied simply, in a dry and cold voice before gesturing goodbye to her before turning his heels, dragging Peter with him, going after Sirius and Remus.
-What was that? Marlene asked, going next to Lily to look at her as she was frowning, wondering why Potter had been so cold with her.
-What was what? Lily sighed, shaking her head, as if nothing had happened.
-You know very well what I'm talking about, this attitude of; I really do not care about you, leave me alone Evans. She answered, continuing to look at her. -Was he like this when he came to recover.. well, after what happened this summer? Said Marlene.
Lily nodded in reply, continuing to fix the spot where James was standing a moment earlier. It was true that she had known him more cheerful, but after Sirius's saga, who looks like a never-ending story, she taught it was normal that he was stressed out. It definitely could not have any connection with her, after all, she had helped his best friend.
Potter could not be mad at her, and even if he was, she did not really care it. She thought, smiling at Marlene going back to their compartment. Perhaps he would finally let her alone this year, maybe he had finally realized that she did not want to have anything to do with him and that she would never go out with him.