I Walk Alone,
Chapter 21, A New Ally
Severus turned to look for the Gits over at the Gryffindor table as Sirius's little brother adjusted the sorting hat on his head. Likely Sirius was expecting the little git to be in Gryffindor as well. To Severus's surprise, the git didn't look particularly happy, though. He was leaning to mutter something to James, glaring darkly at Regulus as he did.
"SLYTHERIN," the hat shouted, and a look of relief mixed with pride flickered over Regulus's face before he coolly rose, replacing the hat on the stool. Smiling widely, he walked to the Slytherin table with his head high.
"Do we try to talk to him," Heather whispered, glancing from Raislen to Severus. "Sirius-Prat was certainly glaring daggers!"
So immersed in his own personal issues was he over the situation, that Severus had nearly forgotten that his friends were there with him. As such, Heather's hushed voice almost caused him to start.
"It could be interesting for informational purposes," Raislen replied thoughtfully. "What do you think, Kid?"
"Better hurry and decide," Heather murmured insistently. "He's about to sit down."
"Fine," Severus decided in a rush. "I am curious. But if he's like his brother, we make him pay."
"Done," Raislen agreed happily. Lifting a hand, he waved the younger Black brother over. "Why don't you sit with us," he invited. "There are no first years for you to sit with yet, after all, and we can answer any questions you have about the school if you like." Raislen spoke with his customary easy friendliness, giving Regulus a warm smile.
"Unless your older brother has already prepared you for everything, of course," Heather added smoothly. She kept her voice just above a whisper, because the sorting was still going on. Severus, not so much a people person, admired their easy talent when it came to making polite conversation.
Regulus sat down near Severus, smiling gratefully. "Thank you," he murmured, also keeping his tones hushed. "That's very kind. And no...My older brother hasn't told me much at all about Hogwarts. Any information I have about this place comes from my parents and older cousins, who of course also attended."
"I'm Raislen Westcraven, this is Severus Snape, and our brand new Prefect Heather Toy Knight!"
"It's Heather Knight," Heather said, reaching to punch Raislen in the stomach as usual. As he sat right beside her, her her fist had no trouble reaching its target. Regulus's expression of polite, friendly interest turned to one of alarm at the casual assault.
"Don't worry," Severus drawled, finally addressing the younger Black brother."She won't hit you if you don't call her Heather Toy."
Heather nodded. "Right. It's that simple."
Regulus's brows shot up. "In that case, why do you call her that," he asked Raislen.
Severus sighed. "It's one of life's great mysteries."
"It's just me showing affection," Raislen insisted, laughing.
"SHUSH," Heather said, glancing worriedly toward the staff table. "You're laughing too loudly."
Regulus's blue gaze narrowed thoughtfully. "So she is showing affection when she hits you?"
Raislen laughed again. "Perhaps. Is that it, Heather Toy?" Heather's fist swung, and Raislen caught it in mid air with a chuckle. "She's so fast, like a spin top toy," he insisted to Regulus. "I've never seen anyone move as fast as Heather Toy does when she's angry."
"Yes, Raislen," Heather said. Severus could clearly detect the sarcasm in her sugary sweet tone. "I am very affectionate." Leaning forward, she hit him in the stomach with her other fist. Raislen made a pained grunting sound as all the air rushed from his lungs. It was Heather's turn to laugh. Severus couldn't help but cringe. It must have been a hard one. At least Raislen was quiet now, though. Raislen released her wrist as he doubled over.
"Better stop, or you'll cost us house points," he managed.
"Which probably wouldn't look so great from a Prefect," Severus added tactfully.
"Fine, but Raislen had better stop too, else I'll use my prefect status to do something to him," Heather told Severus, clearly ignoring Raislen.
"That will only hurt the entirety of Slytherin, though," Severus pointed out.
Heather sighed. "True," she admitted. Regulus gave them a bemused glance.
"He's wondering if we're all nutters," Raislen grumbled, and Regulus grinned.
"He's good," he commented to the ceiling.
"So, are you disappointed not to have been sorted into Gryffindor with your brother," Heather asked, at last getting to the heart of what they all wanted to know.
"Not in the least," Regulus said coldly. He shot a dark glare toward the Gryffindor table. "Unlike Sirius, I have no desire to shame my family. He behaves as if he is far too good for the Noble and Most Ancient House Of Black, but he is nothing but a shame and a blatant embarrassment to us all."
Severus let out a small sigh of relief. "Well that's good to know," Raislen said. "Because if you were anything like your older brother, we'd have to hurt you."
Regulus laughed, then clapped a hand to his mouth. It was his turn to cast a worried glance toward the staff table. "Perhaps you lot aren't too insane after all, then. At least you know who is rotten."
Raislen grinned. "For sure. He started off on his first day giving The Kid here hell." As he spoke, Raislen nodded toward Severus, indicating that he was The Kid in question.
"Sirius and I are in the same year," Severus explained. "He and his friend James disliked the Dark Arts book I was reading, and so thus myself as well. They informed me of this by starting trouble that has never really ended to this day. Their little group of four love to gang up on me, but I can hold my own at worst and embarrass or hurt them at best."
Regulus's eyes showed momentary surprise when Severus mentioned Sirius ganging up on him with a group, but then his lip curled in open contempt. "He was a bully when it was only him. I just bet he loves having more like him to help spread the joy and love."
Severus burst into rare laughter at that, and Heather and Raislen smiled. "So he bullied you at home, then," Severus asked. Somehow that didn't truly surprise him. Perhaps it was because he couldn't imagine the closeness siblings could have, being an only as were his friends. Perhaps it was simply because Sirius and his lot were so dreadful that he could picture them bullying anyone, even a younger sibling.
"Oh he tried," Regulus said tightly. "He always disliked me and Kreacher too."
"Kreacher," Severus asked. The name was odd yet interesting.
"He's my best friend...And our family house elf," Regulus explained, adding the later bit nearly as an afterthought. Kreacher and I do our best to uphold the family values, and Sirius hates the family values and thus us.""
Severus nodded. That explained how they'd treated him over his book quite a lot. It explained it, it did not excuse it. "What have The Dark Arts ever done to him," he asked and Regulus shrugged.
"He just hates everything. As soon as he learned how dreadful Muggles are, he decided to learn all he could about them and take up some of their trends just to vex our parents." At Regulus's words about Muggles, Severus could practically feel Heather and Raislen exchanging a look. He felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach. Regulus had seemed so promising. He could've been a new friend, as well as an ally against The Gryffindor Gang Of Gits. He and Severus could've stood against them together like brothers in arms. Before he could decide what to say, or if he planned to comment at all, Regulus was going on. "And of course he hates everything The Dark Lord stands for. He went and got himself sorted into Gryffindor intentionally to shame our family."
"Be quiet, you lot," Professor Slughorn hissed. He'd come over from the staff table without any of them noticing. Severus dropped his gaze to the table, hoping the professor wouldn't choose to take points from Slytherin. When he only walked away, Severus relaxed. Slughorn didn't like his house to lose, so he let things slide when he could. The silence while the boring sorting continued, allowed Severus to think, and take stock of the situation. He could've had an ally in Regulus, but the boy may, in his way, be as bad as his older brother.
He admired Voldemort, the monster who'd killed Severus's own father. That wasn't the sort of person he wanted to call friend, and he knew Heather and Raislen felt the same. They'd always been clear and united on their anti-Voldemort stance. Through the years, though, Severus had never wavered on his deep inner desire to take Voldemort down for the killing of Tobias Snape. Were he to befriend an admirer of Voldemort's perhaps he could learn useful things about his enemy.
He knew he could be too quick to react at times, so this forced lull in conversation had been a blessing. It had given him time to process the situation, and thus to handle the situation in the most advantageous way. Regulus Black could be another bit of power for Severus if he played his friend card right. With Regulus as a friend, he would have an ally against Sirius, as well as a good source of information when it came to Voldemort. People like Regulus could likely teach Severus a lot about the monster in question if he kept his own feelings on the matter to himself.
A voice calling from the far end of the Slytherin table drew Severus from his thoughts. "Already trying to lose our house points on your first day, Black? Making friends and losing points, that's the way!" The sorting was over as was Dumbledore's speech. The food had just appeared and everyone, or most everyone was tucking in. Severus glanced toward the end of the table to see the seventh year Slytherin Prefect waving at Regulus, laughter in his dark eyes.
Regulus squirmed, looking embarrassed. "Sorry, Rabastan. We were just talking about..." He jerked his head expressively toward the Gryffindor table. "My new friends don't like him either."
Regulus called them friends, Severus registered. Good. That was good.