It's finals week and what am I doing? Studying? No, I'm giving you a new chapter for this story! I will be working on Light After Darkness next, so don't expect another chapter for this for another few weeks.
I hope you enjoy this update! We're getting into it now, I really cannot wait to advance this story and see what you all thing, I am really excited about this story. Please read, review, and most of all, enjoy.
-oOo-
Hermione opened her eyes to the morning light of her first morning in Diagon Alley's Leaky Cauldron. Her parents had ignored her as per usual, however as agreed upon with Professor McGonagall and Auror Moody, they had ensured food was on the table for her every meal. She couldn't wait for the day that she never had to return to their hateful stares and mutterings of disgust. Going into her OWL year meant she was one step closer, with her OWLs she could never lose her wand no matter what happened. If she somehow was expelled or failed, her wand was hers forever, not that she would ever allow either of those events to happen. She still had to prove she belonged.
Sitting up from her bed, Hermione looked around at her room. Tom always made sure this room was ready for her, every summer. He expected her now, he even expressed sadness when she left each summer as they had grown close over late-night dinners. He wasn't quite a father figure, maybe a close uncle, if Hermione could compare him to a relation. Her trunk sat at the end of the bed, filled with her school books and tomes that Barty and Regulus had gotten her throughout the years, either as gifts or borrowed from their libraries. In the corner was a rickety wooden desk that she would use to complete her homework that she had started last night. At the foot of her bed, snuggled up in the blankets, was her familiar. He was very similar to her, small, bushy, and slow to open up to people; Crookshanks, her half-cat, half-Kneazle kitten had found her in her third year. The owner of the Menagerie had said that they received him the previous autumn, following the students return to school, and had attacked anyone that tried to come close to him, that was until Hermione walked in. They had been inseparable ever since.
Deciding to get ready for the day, Hermione got out of bed and prepared herself for a shower. She collected her belongings from her trunk and entered the bathroom her room included. It was considered Tom's best suite, which Hermione took some time feeling comfortable using. She always hated feeling like a burden or using something that could otherwise be given to someone else. Tom had laughed her off, ensuring her that the room was being paid for and she wasn't putting him out in any way, he enjoyed her company. Crookshanks had even become the summer bar familiar, many of the regulars loved him and allowed him to curl up in their laps, and he made himself clear if he didn't like you, giving his favourite regulars quite the laugh.
"Sorry, Crooksie," she apologized as she moved the orange fluff ball off her feet. He looked up at her with his yellow eyes, expressing his displeasure at being disturbed.
While in the shower, Hermione considered her plan for the day. She would visit the shops to collect her school supplies, buy some more books to practice with, she would now be surpassing NEWTS magic. Throughout her years at Hogwarts, she had continued to study the curriculums ahead of them. Regulus and Barty had become expectant of her knowing how to do a spell before class and insisted she help them learn before attending class themselves. She still held back, ensuring that she completed a spell in the second or third try, or look like she was straining, when it always came so naturally with that consistent feeling of familiarity. She had now associated that feeling of familiarity with magic, purring from happiness around her at being released.
Once she was washed, dry, and changed, Hermione threw her wet hair up in a ponytail and made her way to the Diagon Alley entrance. She waved good morning to Tom and some of the regular morning patrons before ducking through the door.
Spending her morning ensuring that she had all of her school supplies, including new robes for her developing body, she made her way to Flourish and Botts to browse their book selections. Before she made it to the bookshop though, a store caught her eye. It must have been new, she didn't recognize it, or her femininity was increasing as puberty continued to ravage her body. It was a beauty store, a beauty store specifically advertising hair serum for untameable hair. Her curiosity peaked, Hermione walked across the street and into the shop.
The bell above the door rang as she opened the door and made her way in. Hermione glanced around quickly to make sure no girls from Hogwarts were around, they would have far too much fun seeing her in this shop of all places. Not only was she ridiculed for her smarts and blood, but she was insulted constantly for her bushy hair and her plain looks. She knew she wasn't beautiful, but it stung having it thrown in her face every chance they had. Hermione wasn't vain, she didn't cover herself in makeup, but she did care about her appearance to some capacity. Not that she believed she could attract a man or future husband, her mother loved to remind her that men were not attracted to strong, opinionated women as wives. Hearing the whispers at school about her just confirmed her mothers' words, yet she refused to dumb herself down for a boy.
Slowly browsing the shelves, Hermione look at each of the products. There were creams, lotions, serums, oils, charm-able bottles, refilling bottles, mood changing perfumes, and products she couldn't even guess what they were or could do. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed and regretting her decision to step into the shop when a woman stepped out from the back and noticed her.
"Hello my dear, my name is Yvette. How can I help you?" she greeted.
"Hi, I'm sorry, your sign outside was advertising a hair product?" Hermione replied quietly. Yvette smiled, glanced at Hermione's hair and her smile grew.
"Oh, my dear, this is just the product for you! Let me go and get you a bottle, it was just released last week and I am convinced that it will be in every household for decades to come," Yvette explained as she walked away and picked up a glass bottle from the front.
She returned and handed the bottle to Hermione. It was a beautiful decorated, brown glass bottle, with a label written with cursive writing labelling it as 'Sleekeazy's Hair Potion'.
"Two drops in your damp hair, let it dry naturally, and you will be left with beautiful, large, loose curls. Not a single drying charm, my girl, understood?" Yvette asked Hermione, who nodded in agreement, still staring at the bottle in wonderment. Yvette's eyes softened as she watched the young girl, she could see a lack of confidence that a girl this pretty didn't deserve. "Can I get you anything else?"
"Um, no I don't think so?" Hermione looked up uncertainly. Yvette looked at her critically for a few moments, leaving Hermione feeling exposed. A bright smile appeared on Yvette's face and a cry of delight before she spun around and ran towards another aisle.
"This, use this every morning when you wake up," explained Yvette as she handed Hermione a small tub of something pink. Upon Hermione's look of curiosity, Yvette explained what she handed the young witch, "this is a moisturizer that leaves your skin looking fresh. No make up, no charms, simply includes some potion ingredients that enhance the nutrients that your skin craves. With your skin and hair glowing, your confidence will build and before you know it you will be a young adult witch comfortable in her own body."
Hermione blushed at the comment, of course the witch understood, she had gone through puberty after all. However, her mother always taught her never to speak of her feminine problems and then she was best friends with two boys, who definitely didn't want to hear of her feminine problems.
"Um, thank you, Yvette. You have been very kind and helpful," Hermione spoke as she followed Yvette to the front to pay. After exchanging coins Hermione bid the witch farewell, thanking her once again and slipped out the store. Following her detour she returned to her original destination and spent her afternoon in the stacks.
Hours went by, the sun moving across the sky signifying the passage of time, but nothing stopped Hermione from reading to her hearts content. That is until a familiar voice interrupted her reading.
"Isn't this a familiar site?" the voice said with a tone of humour. Hermione looked up and into the stormy green eyes of her best friend, Barty Crouch Jr.
"Barty!" she squealed, jumping up from her spot and running to her friend. She literally jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. Barty stumbled from the force of her hug, but thanks to his own growing body he was able to catch himself on the bookshelf and prevent them from falling over.
"Woah, Mione, you only saw me last week," he laughed, wrapping his arms around her back and returning the hug.
"I know, it was just a bad week," Hermione said quietly, loosening her grip and allowing her feet to fall back down to the ground.
"Were the muggles awful again?" he asked in concern, looking down at her. His lifted his hand and pushed a stray curl behind her ear before cupping her cheek and forcing her to look up at him. He saw the pain and rejection in her eyes, a feeling he knew all to well, a look he knew he also had in his eye. Hermione was like his sister, together they had parents that wanted nothing to do with them. Parents that used to want them, used to love them with everything, but then something they did disappointed them. Hermione disappointed hers by being a witch, Barty disappointed his mother by growing up and his father for not being the same man as him. Regulus, while he hated his family, they loved him. Well, at least the boy they thought he was. If they knew he was more similar to Sirius than he let on, they would hate him just as much as their parents hated them.
"Just, the closer we get to freedom, the harder it is to endure their treatment. It's only two more summers after this, Barty! I finish my OWLs; I return to them just two more times! And at least the last time I return I can do magic; I'll be a legal witch when I return after sixth year," Hermione explained to Barty. He nodded in understanding and pulled her in for another hug. They comforted one another, they could feel Regulus' resentment at times at how close they were, but he also understood that they were both only children and he at least had a brother. Barty sometimes saw the longing look that he would give them before glancing at the Gryffindor and the look in his eyes increasing ten-fold; he missed his brother. Barty wished he could help, but at the same time he disliked the Marauders as much as many of the other students. He wondered if Sirius would not be being forced to adhere to the pureblooded ways now that he had completed his OWLs, as per the Black parent's stipulations.
Shaking the eldest Black brother from his mind, he turned it back to the younger Black, their best friend.
"Any word from Reggie?" Barty asked Hermione as she stepped back from the hug.
"No, nothing. I wasn't worried though, he always comes to see me the day after I arrive. I'm actually surprised you are here first, normally he's here at noon," Hermione said looking at the time and seeing it was almost five o'clock.
"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, I'll send him an owl tonight and let you know if he says anything. However, I believe we have some ice cream to go and enjoy. Now get your ridiculous number of books together and let's go!" Barty exclaimed excitedly. Hermione laughed at her friend's antics; he was always like the small eleven-year-old child she met all those years ago when it came to ice cream. Piling her books up and taking them to the front, she paid the bookkeeper and paid extra for the feather-light bag. Together Barty and Hermione made their way to Fortescue's and ordered their treats before sitting down and talking about their summer so far.
Barty told Hermione all about his mothers attempts to plan activities for them, all of which were things he did when he was a toddler. His father had ignored him, bar dinner time when he asked his usual questions about Regulus and his dealings with his family. Thankfully over the years Barty had lost his stutter entirely, even when dealing with his father. He was now able to reply to his father in full sentences, however these sentences were not ones that Barty Sr wanted to hear. His father wanted to hear of illicit dealings, and secretive owl messages, and black tattoos, but his son never had the answers he wanted. Apparently, this summer Barty went a step further with his father and started answering back with sarcasm and it was sending his father into a new level of rage.
"You are learning far too much from Reggie," laughed Hermione after hearing about the Crouch dinner last night.
"Well how would you reply to that? Asking me what Reggie kept in his robe pockets? Of course, I suggested to father that I cup a feel to find out!" laughed Barty, "Poor mother was horrified, her little boy suggesting such things."
After they finished their ice cream, they noticed the time and determined it was time to head home for the evening. Hermione expressed her concern about Reggie not reaching out to them, but Barty told her not to worry, he would likely be by tomorrow. After a hug goodbye and plans to meet tomorrow morning at the Leaky, Barty and Hermione went their separate ways for the evening. Hermione spent her evening finishing her homework, enjoyed some dinner with Tom, and picked up one of her new books for the night.
Barty made his way home and sent a letter to Regulus asking if he was okay and why he missed Hermione's first day back into her rightful place in the wizarding world. Yet no reply came.
-oOo-
Days went by, Regulus never came to visit them in Diagon Alley, and Barty never received a reply to the countless owls he sent. Days turned to weeks and the two friends were getting restless, but there was nothing they could do. They couldn't go to his home and ask, Barty couldn't go to his father, and Hermione couldn't exactly ask any of his Slytherin friends or family.
It was half way through the summer that Hermione and Barty were sitting at the tables outside Fortescue's when she saw Sirius Black running through the alley laughing with his Marauder friends. She was staring at him, frowning. If Sirius Black could visit Diagon Alley with his friends when he was explicitly told he would be giving them up after OWLs, then why was Regulus not with his friends? As if her thoughts and stare was felt by the older Black brother, he looked up and caught her eyes. A small flash of recognition was seen in his eyes, how he didn't recognize her immediately as his brother's best friend astounded her, then again Sirius made sure to avoid his brother in Hogwarts at all cost. She had made a grave mistake by not looking away from him when the signature Sirius Black smirk plastered itself on his face when he saw she was staring at him. He looked up and down the Alley before crossing and making his way towards them with a determined stride.
Hermione groaned and dropped her head in her hands.
"What's wrong with you?" Barty asked as he licked strawberry ice cream off his spoon.
"First off I want to apologize for what is about to happen, I made a mistake by looking anywhere but at my ice cream," Hermione whispered frantically.
"What is about to happen?" he asked looking around, "Oh, I see."
"Yup," Hermione replied, popping the 'p'.
She was still looking down when the dragonhide boots stepped up to their table.
'Dragonhide boots and leather trousers, of course, because what else would Sirius Black wear?' Hermione thought with a groan. She hated how overzealous these boys were, they were so well liked for being stupid, while she was hated for being smart.
"Well, hello there, Princess," purred the deep voice of Sirius Black. Hermione cringed and looked up at the wizard, refusing to blink or stand down for the cocky git.
"Black," answered Hermione cooly, "Don't you have some poor wizards to terrorize with your immature pranks?"
"Now, now, McCallister, wouldn't want people to think you're as uptight as dear Reggie, would you?" answered Sirius, crossing his arms over his chest. If he was anyone else, Hermione might think he was attractive with his aristocratic features and bad-boy attitude, but he wasn't anyone else. He was Sirius-bloody-Black. She rolled her eyes at the insult towards Reggie.
"Speaking of Reggie, where is your brother?" Hermione asked him. If she wasn't looking at him so intensely, she may have missed the flash of pain in Sirius' eyes, but she was and she did.
"I have no brother, and I would advise you avoid the bigoted bastard as well. See you later, Princess," Sirius answered back in an even tone. He glanced at Barty before turning around and storming off to his waiting friends. The Marauders glanced back at Hermione with a frown before following their friend away from where she and Barty were sitting.
"That was strange," Barty spoke up.
"What did he mean he has no brother? And why would we stay away from our best friend?" Hermione wondered aloud.
"Mione, why was he calling you princess?" Barty asked with a frown.
"How should I know, Barty, that is the most I've spoken to him in years. Probably since first year when he warned me against Reggie the first time," Hermione explained. Barty nodded his head absently as he considered the conversation Hermione just had with Sirius Black. Something he had said had drawn his attention and he had an idea; he would need to check something at home before he knew definitively though. Shaking his head of the ideas swirling in his brain, he and Hermione enjoyed the last of their ice cream before deciding to go and get his school supplies finally.
Following their day in Diagon Alley, Barty returned home and went to his father study. He knew his father wouldn't be home for a few hours so he would have time to find what he was looking for. Not even fifteen minutes after entering his father's office, Barty found what he was looking for. His father's book on the pureblood families of the wizarding world, a comprehensive book that he had paid extra to update as the families adapted and grew.
Barty sat down on the leather wingback chair before the fire, and flicked through the pages until he reached the page he was searching for. It was titled 'The Noble and Ancient House of Black', and there at the bottom was Reggie's name, beside the scorched mark of an old Black family member.
"They blasted him off the tree," Barty breathed out in shock. He knew families could do such a thing, he knew it was a threat many held over their children, especially first-born sons, but he never imagined anyone would be cruel enough to commit such an act against their own blood. Yet, here was proof that Walburga and Orion Black disowned their eldest child and evicted him from the family. What disturbed Barty even more was the numerous other black scorch marks under the Black family tree, near Reggie's own name was another name removed, the eldest of the Black sisters. He had seen them in Hogwarts, Bellatrix was always bothering Reggie about his friendship with Hermione and himself, and Narcissa was always attached to Lucius Malfoy's side, but he couldn't recall much about the oldest sister, Andromeda, he believes her name was. Somehow, she had also been blasted from the family, another eldest child.
Sirius being blasted from the tree meant that Reggie was now the heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Black. What that meant for Reggie and their friendship with him, Barty had no idea, but now he had answers for Hermione. Now he could explain to her why they might not be hearing from their friend until school.
-oOo—
Hermione wasn't as shocked about pureblood families blasting children from their trees, her family had basically disowned her after all. However, she didn't understand how that changed their friendship with Reggie. Barty had given up trying to explain that Regulus would now be expected to hold the mantle of the family, held to higher standards, and more responsibilities. He didn't have the heart to tell her that he wouldn't be their friend because she was muggleborn, Reggie would likely have to act like his Slytherin housemates towards them. Something he knew would break Hermione, she had built trust and friendship with Reggie and he was most likely going to destroy that with her.
It wasn't until the last week of summer that they saw him. Barty tried to stop her, tried to prevent her reaching Reggie who was out shopping with his mother. He was walking with his head high, his posture screaming noble pureblood, but Hermione only saw her friend, not the persona he was projecting.
"Reggie!" she called out when they were close enough. Barty saw Reggie's shoulders flinch and sag when he saw that his mother had also heard the greeting. Walburga turned around to face Hermione, but Reggie remained facing away so he would not have to look her when he acted the way he did. "There you are Reggie, you haven't come to visit at all!" she spoke happily. Regulus' heart pounded at the thought of causing that happy voice to disappear.
"Oh Reggie, is this one of your friends?" Walburga asked in a sickly-sweet voice. Regulus scowled at the words, he didn't want to let his mother know this was his muggleborn friend, she wouldn't hold back.
"Oh hello, Mrs Black. My name is Hermione," the young witch spoke cautiously. While Hermione knew Regulus had defended their friendship to his parents, she had never actually encountered them before.
"Oh. The mudblood," Walburga said tightly, her back straightening as she looked down her nose at Hermione, who flinched back at the word. While she was called mudblood a lot at school, she had never been called one by an adult before, "Regulus, deal with this filth. I must go and scourgify my hands for being in the same vicinity as this, creature."
Regulus didn't look up after his mother left, he couldn't bear to look into Hermione's eyes.
"What is going on, Reggie?" Hermione asked quietly. She sounded so much like the young eleven-year-old girl that he met so many years ago. He hated himself for bringing that girl back, but for her safety it had to be done. He finally looked up but not into her eyes, he deliberately looked over her head, back towards Barty, who nodded his head in understanding. Regulus let out a breath at that, Barty understood, he would look out for her.
"My name is Regulus. I am the heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Black, I have a great honour in my future that my so-called brother could not fulfill. My time is worth more than to be wasted on a mudblood and a useless, stuttering Ravenclaw," spat Regulus, hating every word he spoke. He never broke eye contact with Barty, who closed his eyes at the words, but when he opened them again, they were full of understanding. The words hurt Barty but he understood that they were an act.
Hermione gasped and stumbled back from her best friend. He had never called her that before, he always told her she belonged!
"No, you don't get to say that to me! Tell me the truth!" demanded Hermione, stepping forward and looking up at Regulus with stony eyes of determination.
"I don't need to tell you anything, Mudblood. Just stay away from me," Regulus spoke cooly, his heart breaking at every word he spoke. This was his best friend and he was calling her this word. He stepped back and forced himself to turn around and walk away, however the nail in the coffin came when he locked eyes with Sirius. They were full of disappointment and pain, hearing his brother spout the rhetoric of their parents and portray the pureblood bigot. It hurt Regulus too but he had a part to play for now, he had to protect his friends and brother and if that meant sacrificing himself and his morals to accomplish that then he would.
-oOo—
Hermione woke up on the morning of September 1st but her usual excitement was missing. While Barty had explained to her that Reggie was now playing a part, she couldn't truly believe that until Reggie confirmed it himself. She had trusted so few people in her life and to think she might lose her first best friend caused her physical pain. Barty had tried to cheer her up by saying maybe Reggie would reach out while in Hogwarts, but it did nothing for her.
After showering and applying her hair potion and moisturizer she was ready for the day. It had taken a few weeks to finally start using the products from the beauty shop, however, Hermione would never go a day without now. Her hair fell perfectly over her shoulders, was no longer frizzy, and she could run her hands through it without them getting tangled. Her skin was also glowing, her complexion clear and skin soft, Hermione felt prettier and more confident each day she used it.
She finished packing her trunk, picked up Crookshanks in his carrier, and left her room at the Leaky once more. Leaving the wizarding pub, she made her way to Kings Cross station to enter platform 9 ¾ for another journey to where she considered home. Once on the platform she found a compartment on the train and situated herself waiting for Barty to join her. She let Crookshanks out of his carrier so he could curl up on the bench beside her, while she picked up her book and chose the spells she would practice this time. She selected one that she found that interesting, it was a dictation spell, to charm her quill to write notes that she spoke to it. She had seen quills charmed with it for sale and hoped she could charm her own. She read over the incantation once more, practiced the movements a few times before making an attempt at the spell.
When she spoke the incantation and performed the movement, she never felt that familiar feeling of magic enveloping her. Her wand lit up and shot some sparks at her quill but it didn't successfully cast the charm. Hermione's eyebrows came together in a frown, she had never experienced this before, she always performed her spells on the first try with that humming feeling around her. Neither happened this time. Shaking her head, Hermione tried again.
The second time she succeeded in casting the spell, however the humming still did not return. Her brow still puckered; Hermione tried with another spell she learned from the book. Once again, she did not cast correctly the first try, but on the second, and her magic didn't hum. Letting out a frustrated huff, she picked up her book from this year's OWL curriculum, flicked to a page and attempted the vanishing spell. This time she succeeded first try and the familiar feeling was back.
"What the…" Hermione let out a confused sigh. How could some magic feel so natural and others feel so different? She had never had this problem before, and she couldn't exactly ask anyone about it. Reggie and Barty always told her that it was strange she just knew magic, and none of the professors or other students knew how naturally she took to magic since she hid it quite well.
It was five minutes before the train was due to leave when Hermione looked up and out the window. There was Reggie, his mother and father standing stoically before him as they said good-bye to who they considered their only son. She glanced around the platform and saw Sirius standing with a couple, one who looked exactly like James Potter.
'That must have been who took him in,' Hermione thought to herself. Suddenly the compartment door slid open, causing her to jump slightly.
"Sorry, Mione, didn't mean to scare you," grinned Barty as he dropped himself on the bench. Hermione looked up at her friend, he really had grown into himself. If he wasn't her friend and so reserved, she was sure girls would be chasing him around as much as they chased Sirius Black and James Potter. Barty was an attractive wizard, his sandy brown hair falling down over his green eyes, high cheekbones, a chin dimple, and a jaw line she could see growing sharper as he aged.
"It's alright Barty, I was just lost in thought," Hermione replied. His eyes shone with understanding and his big smile softened into a tender one.
"Thinking about Reg?" he asked knowingly. She nodded and looked out towards their friend, he had escaped his parents and was now walking towards the train with his Slytherin housemates.
"Yeah, I just miss him," she answered honestly. She pulled her legs up to sit her knees under her chin and wrapped her arms around her knees.
"I'm telling you Mione, he isn't gone forever. He will be honest with us when he can. The pureblood politics are no joke, especially now with that nutter out there. Give it time," Barty explained kindly. He trusted Reggie, he was their friend and he would never abandon them.
Hermione nodded her head and told Barty about her issues with magic. He had no idea what it could be, maybe there were some spells she just had a harder time with. Together they practiced over the journey, and it appeared she continued to have a natural talent to DADA magic, extending past Hogwarts curriculum, while she struggled with Transfiguration and Charms spells past the curriculum. Near the end of the train ride, they decided to give up and just accept that magic was mysterious like that, especially considering Hermione shouldn't have been that natural in the first place. Now she was experiencing how everyone else interacted with magic and she could understand the work people had to put in to succeed in class. While this frustrated her to no end, it gave her a new challenge, and it humbled her to the struggles her classmates went through each day.
They both changed into their school robes and Hermione hoped she would run into Reggie while she changed but it was not meant to be. She did, however, run into Sirius Black again and he had tried to get her attention but she had just scoffed at him and walked away.
Once they arrived at Hogsmeade, the two friends took the carriages up to the school and situated themselves at the end of Ravenclaw table. Hermione noticed a few of the girls from Hufflepuff glancing over at her friend and smiled, perhaps this year Barty would have some female interest to fight off or entertain. The thought saddened her a little, with Reggie gone, and Barty attracting female attention, Hermione might find herself a little lonelier this year.
'Barty would never leave you alone,'she argued with herself. She shook her head and smiled, she was right, Barty wouldn't abandon her for anyone. She glanced over to the Slytherin table and saw Reggie sitting with Snape and Mulciber, both Slytherin's a year older than him. 'He must be moving up in the house ranks now that he is an heir,' she thought wryly.
The Sorting Feast continued as usual, all the first years sorted and food appearing magically in front of them. Barty and Hermione discussed the year ahead of them, planned their studying sessions, and whether they would just stay in the Tower now that Reggie wouldn't be joining them.
Throughout dinner neither noticed the glances that Regulus directed towards them. He was suffocating in his new role, he had no outlet, no one to talk to, no one to trust. He had lost his best friends, he had lost his brother, and they all hated him. His only friends were housemates that weren't really friends, they would turn on him if it benefited them. He had to somehow talk to his friends without being noticed. There had to be a way. If there wasn't, he wasn't sure how long he could continue to play his part, the cracks would show and his life would be threatened.
-oOo-
The first few weeks of their fifth year flew by, Hermione buried herself in school work to avoid the pain of losing Reggie. She had spent nearly every night in Ravenclaw Tower, she would eat in the kitchens, and if she did eat in the Great Hall, she made sure to face away from Slytherin table. She couldn't bear to look at Reggie sitting with his Slytherin friends, acting like the bigoted pureblood he always told her was an act, but now she wondered if their friendship was the act. He hadn't reached out once, hadn't looked at her once, nothing. The downside to facing away from the Slytherin table was that it meant she faced the Gryffindor table.
In the past this would not have been a problem, however, ever since he had spoken to her in Diagon Alley, Sirius Black watched her. He noticed that his brother wasn't sitting with his friends anymore. He would look at her in a thoughtful manner, as if trying to figure her out, and then his eyes would flicker to Barty and then behind her, she assumed to Reggie. His head would cock to the side like a confused dog, and he would frown as if nothing made sense. Hermione would ignore him, but that wasn't possible after Halloween.
Halloween had brought a fight between Slytherin and Gryffindor, spurred on by the upcoming Quidditch match. In the center was the Marauders, Lily Evans, Snape, Mulciber, and Reggie. Hermione had pushed through in order to make her way to the library, but she was dragged into the argument.
"You used to be friends with a muggleborn! McCallister, what happened to that?" demanded Sirius, glaring at his brother.
"Like Snape, I acknowledged the truth. Who needs Mudbloods around? Nothing but filthy scum in my opinion," Regulus spat angrily at Sirius, "Right, Snape?"
Regulus moved his eyes from his brother towards Snape, however when he saw Hermione he flinched. He didn't want her to hear him speak like that, it hurt enough the first time. The disappointment and pain reflected in her caramel eyes shattered his heart. He needed to talk to her, he couldn't continue without telling her everything.
"Right," drawled Snape, glaring at the Marauders, Lily Evans flinching at the agreement from Snape. Hermione knew they used to be friends too, what was going on with the Slytherins?
"Don't you dare call her that!" screamed James Potter, jumping into action. Sirius stepped up with James and together pointed their wands at the Slytherins. Hermione had to leave before it got worse, she couldn't listen to the vitriol coming out of her friend's mouth. She ran for the library, she would hide in her corner and pretend none of it happened, this was all a nightmare.
She sat in the back corner of the library for hours, never looking up from her book, allowing it to envelop her thoughts and let nothing else in. Hours went by before a throat clearing drew her out of her entrancement.
Standing before her was Regulus Black, looking as broken as she felt.
"Mione," he croaked.
"Regulus?" she asked quietly.
"Please, no, don't call me that," he pleaded, his eyes wet with unshed tears. He dropped to his knees in front of her and looked at her with desperation, "Please, please believe me. I didn't mean it!"
"What is going on, Reggie?" she asked. He visibly dropped his shoulders in relief at her calling him Reggie, he slumped over and his shoulders started shaking. Silent sobs were wracking his body, Hermione had never seen her friend so broken before, "Reggie, please, tell me what is going on."
"Not here, not where someone can hear," Reggie replied, his voice cracking from his cries.
"I learned some privacy spells, is that enough?" she asked. She had found a book on wards and privacy charms that ensure they cannot be seen or heard and if anyone came towards them, they would simply remember somewhere else they had to be and turn around.
"Of course, you did," he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He indicated with his hands to proceed with the privacy spells, once she was finished, she sat down beside him on the floor. He had pulled himself up so he was leaning against the stacks, his knees pulled up to his chest.
"Reggie, please talk to me," begged Hermione, "I can't help you if you don't talk to me."
"There's no way for you to help me Mione, I'm in an impossible position," admitted Reggie, "I'm not sure if you heard, but my brother was blasted from the tapestry this summer."
"Yeah, Barty explained it to me," replied Hermione, at Reggie's confused look she explained further, "his father has a book on pureblood families, that he paid extra to update with each change in a family. Sirius is simply a black mark, as is one of the Black sisters."
"Andromeda, she ran off and married a muggleborn. They have a little girl now, about four years old now, I believe," Reggie explained with a wistful smile, "But yes, Sirius is only a black mark now. He is no longer considered my brother, and I am now the rightful heir to our family"
"What does that mean though?" asked Hermione, frustrated. She would think this just meant he was learning family accounting and vaults and investments, but Barty and Reggie alluded to it meaning so much more.
"In a regular family, this would never happen in the first place. Disowning family members is considered extreme, but the Blacks do it regularly, if we do something they do not approve of we are threatened of disownment. If we continue to disappoint and refuse to conform, then they follow through on the threat. Andromeda was being told to marry her betrothed, she was intended for Lucius Malfoy, however she knew her younger sister Narcissa was in love with Lucius, as he was with her, and she hated Malfoy. She fought her parents incessantly, they threatened to disown her, and when they discovered she was seeing a muggleborn they followed through.
"Ever since Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor, our parents have threatened him to give up his friends, his values and beliefs to follow the ones my parents have. He is too courageous, noble, and kind-hearted, yet also too immature and care-free to do any of what our parents asked. They gave him until OWLs to experience his rebelliousness, once he had completed his OWLs he was to become the heir they so desperately wanted him to be. We both returned home this summer, when he normally goes to the Potters, but they demanded he return home. They kept him locked in his bedroom, fed him scraps, and let him sit in there alone for days. A whole week he was locked in there, when they finally let him out it was to drag him into the study and beat him before the tapestry, threatening him with what would happen if he refused.
"It was one night, weeks after returning home, that it happened. We had a guest for dinner, a charming man that my parents waited on hands and feet, I didn't think anything of this man, just that he must be someone important. I listened to the conversations around the table, watched my brother scowl and his plate and refuse to eat or engage. A sense of dread sat over me, I knew something would happen that night, but nothing could have prepared me. They led us to the study, the man joining us and sitting on my father's arm chair, a place he has never allowed another to situate. The man twirled his wand around in his fingers and just watched my parents push Sirius to the front of the room.
"They demanded to know if Sirius would accept the responsibility of his role of heir to house Black, but he refused again. The man then chuckled darkly, and then demanded to speak to Sirius. Mione, I've never been so scared. They tortured Sirius, right in front of me, Crucio's, slicing hexes, burns. The sounds of his screams still haunt me," Regulus had been pushing through the story, Hermione's face changing into horror as the narrative continued. When Reggie spoke of the torture, his voice cracked and his shoulders shook as he tried to hold back the sobs. He had barely slept since that night, unable to silence his brothers screams.
Hermione wrapped her arms around her friend, providing him comfort and understanding to continue when he was ready.
"When the man and my parents finished torturing him, they demanded to know if he would accept his role and the Mark," Regulus trailed off, Hermione gasping as the man's identity was confirmed. That man was the dark wizard that was behind the muggle and muggleborn attacks. The dark wizard that was recruiting followers and marking them with a black tattoo, his 'Death Eaters'. "Sirius refused to take the Mark, even though he was basically half dead, he spat at the wizards feet and told him where to stick it. I thought they would kill him right there, but they hit him with another slicing hex and left him to die, my parents blasting him off the tapestry.
"They left him there to die!" Regulus cried out, his hands gripping his hair so hard she thought he was going to rip him hair out.
"Reggie, he's not dead, he's okay. He's at school now, alive," Hermione tried to comfort her friend.
"He hates me, he thinks I'm like them. He believes I could do something like that, and I have to pretend that it's true," sobbed Regulus, Hermione's heart broke looking at her friend struggling so much. This was so much worse than she could have imagined. She thought she lost her friend to his family's beliefs, but instead she may lose her friend to his guilt and pain.
"Regulus, you could never be like that, I know you couldn't," whispered Hermione soothingly.
"But you did, I saw the pain in your eyes when I said that despicable word to you. You believed I had turned on you," spoke Regulus brokenly.
"Deep down I didn't Reggie. It was hard hearing it, it hurt, you know I have trust issues after my parents. It's not an excuse, it was just difficult to understand, but deep down I knew you could never truly believe your own words. Please explain to me what is going on though Reg, why must you pretend now? Before you were fine defending out friendship."
"Before I was simply the scion Black, now I'm heir. Sirius was a buffer, they concentrated on what he did wrong because I was the spare. I'm not the spare anymore, Mione, they look to me to succeed where Sirius failed," explained Regulus, his eyes boring into her with such intensity, trying to convey a message she didn't understand.
"What-" she tried to ask, but he cut her off.
"It means I will be Marked, Mione. This Yule Break, I am expected to take the place of my brother and become the heir Black rank of the Death Eaters."
-oOo-
A/N: ohhhhhhh we're now getting somewhere. I hope you enjoyed this update, please let me know your thoughts!