.♛

“Golpalott’s Third Law, otherwise known as the most confusing thing to thus far grace my sixth year studies,” she said, shaking her head slightly. “I’ll get there eventually, I learned the hard way that unfortunately with Slughorn being a Slytherin himself it becomes that much harder to weasel my way out of assignments. Looks like I’ll actually be doing this one. I’m telling you, even McGonagall is easier to get around sometimes.” Emma said with a chuckle.

“Ah yes, there’s nothing quite like the impending doom of O.W.L.s,” Emma teased. It felt as if she’d only just gotten over the stress of those exams, and her entire year was already thinking about N.E.W.T.s, despite the year and a half they had left to go before those became a reality. “Smart idea to get some sleep though, can’t have my seeker not on his A-game when we next play,” she smiled, though it quickly fell from her face.

“Technically speaking, not my seeker any more I suppose, now that Lucinda’s taken over for the year,” Emma trailed off, pausing briefly before shrugging and returning to her usual pleasant smile she generally had when around her friends. “Oh I agree. I’ve been itching to get out for days.”

A glint shone from his eyes as he heard about the cause of her troubles - her assignment truly was complicated, but it was one Regulus had secretly been excited for ever since he heard of it. Admittedly, he had only heard about it a year or so ago, but it was one of the things he looked forward the most about his next year at Hogwarts. It was complex enough to genuinely challenge him, which he loved about Potions in general. Still, instead of pestering her about it like a small part of him wanted, he simply let out a small laugh. “It really is diffcult, but I hope you get through it without too much trouble.” He chuckled. “Yes, that’s true - sometimes manipulating Slughorn seems so simple, but I have a theory it’s because he just allows you to do it in some cases.”

Regulus snorted softly, though it had a sarcastic tone to it. “Mhm, it truly does have a certain charm to it - the sleepless nights and almost every single one of your yearmates having an unfortunately loud breakdown next to you.” Regulus himself was not prone to showing his stress to people around him and while he understood the pressure the exams had on his peers, he still found it annoying. “Don’t worry, you know I’m always on my A-game,” he said with a grin.

His gaze caught her smile falling, but he stayed quiet for a moment before sending Emma a smile. He still hadn’t decided what to think about the recent change on the team - on the one hand, Lucinda was a good player and she had the potential to be a good captain, as their recent win against Hufflepuff had shown. On the other hand, Regulus had never been a big fan of changes, and he honestly didn’t really see a need for replacing Emma, anyway. “Come on now, I’ll always be your seeker,” he said, smile widening slightly. “Besides, I’m sure you’ll be terrorising us again next year.”

mermaid: how far would you go to keep the ones you love?

As far as needed. If it required giving up my freedom or my life, then so be it.

succubus: what’s one thing you can’t life without?

vampire: someone offers you a chance at immortality. do you take it, and why or why not?

Leave.

Vampire: Someone offers you a chance at immortality. Do you take it, and why or why not?

Werewolf: If you had to spend your life with just one person, who would it be?

Witch: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

Ghost: Do you have any regrets?

Frankenstein: Is someone telling you how to live your life, or are you an independent person?

Mummy: If you were to fall into an eternal sleep, do you think anyone would miss you?

Zombie: Do you miss anyone right now?

Faerie: If you could get away with anything, what would you do?

Nymph: What are you like when you’re by yourself?

Mermaid: How far would you go to keep the one you love?

Shapeshifter: What would you change about yourself?

Banshee: If you knew one of your loved ones/best friends had only one day left to live, how would you spend that last day with them?

Siren: If you could make anyone do anything, what would you make them do?

Genie: If you had one wish that would come true and couldn’t be reversed, what would you ask for?

Fury: What is a word/phrase that you dread to hear?

Incubus: What would someone have to do to get in your pants?

“Lucky for some,” Emma said with a sigh. “Slughorn has given us this awful assignment that I need to spend every waking moment doing. I was counting on having training tomorrow morning as an excuse to get out of it for a few hours.” She rolled her eyes, shifting the books in her arms slightly. 

“Now that I think about it, of course it’s the Hufflepuffs. It’s like they know that potions is where I need some work,” Emma chuckled. Ideally she would be working on the assignment instead of standing around outside the Great Hall, but given her agenda of avoiding it she was more than happy to have found one of her teammates. “I take you have nothing major on at the moment, or at least nothing that couldn’t be sacrificed for some extra sleep?” she teased, grinning at Regulus. 

“What is the assignment about?” he asked, tilting his head. Regulus was aware from her reaction that she wasn’t too thrilled about it, but his curiousity got the best of him - Potions was one of the subjects that interested him the most, so he genuinely wanted to know. Perhaps he would even volunteer to help her, seeing as Emma was one of the very few people Regulus actually liked at the school, but, not only was he busy with his own studies, he also wasn’t certain she would be willing to accept help from an underclassman. Plus, he was never too quick to offer his help for free, anyway.

A lazy smile tugged at his lips. “I’m not sure Hufflepuffs are capable of being that calculating. I’m sure you will find one way or another to get out of the assignment soon, though, it’s sort of the skill our house is supposed to have.” Regulus let out a soft snort, raising an eyebrow. “It’s my O.W.L. year, everything is a major thing - that’s actually the reason why I am willing to sacrifice things for some sleep.” He paused for a moment, eyes drifting back to the parchment on the wall for a moment before he returned his gaze to Emma. “I do hope we will get the pitch soon, though.”

Barty scoffed loudly, as if annoyed by Regulus’ catching his mistake by making comments about “mud”. He rolled his eyes, almost looking embarrassed by not saying the full word. He could feel Regulus’ eyes on him, was he reading him? Did he know what Barty was thinking? As much as he enjoyed Regulus’ company, he was irritated at the moment by the boy’s cool demeanor. Barty kept his gaze away from him, inhaling his cigarette deeply. The smoke filling his nosetrils, breathing in the harsh toxics that hugged his lungs, he slowly exhaled, finally meeting Regulus’ strong eye eyes.

“I know,” he said sharply. His stare was hard, his brows slightly furrow, he inhaled another drag, this time blowing out the smoke quickly. He stepped towards Regulus’, his hard features on his face soften suddenly as he smiled, his usual fake Barty-Crouch-Jr-of-Ravenclaw sort of smile. Barty forced out a fake laugh. “Yes, I know,” he said, his tone slightly gentle. “Just a slip of the tongue, I was just saying how his muggle-born friends like to touch our things. They have an odd smell don’t you think? I just don’t like it lingering in the house, perhaps it’s not them at all.” He shrugged his shoulders, finishing his cigarette.

Barty nodded his head, tossing his cigarette butt into some potted plant near the Greenhouse. He watched as a growing venomous tentacula dig through it’s own soil for the butt. The plant then started to chew it up before spitting it back out. Barty leaned forward, tapping the plant’s pott. The venomous tentacula snapping at his laces before Barty knocked it over on it’s side. The plant growling as it struggled on it’s side. “Agreed,” he said digging his hands into his pockets, pulling out his own brand of cigarettes. He pulled another stick out, pushing it to his lips for the second time.

“I will be staying,” he informed him with a slight nod. “I didn’t want to bother going home, I got my studies to worry about,” he lied. Barty was actually relief to hear that Regulus was staying at the castle for the Holiday. He hid back a geniune grin by lighting his cigarette quickly. He waved the smoke around his head, meeting Regulus’ eye once more, “Perhaps we shall go wandering around together sometime.”

Regulus almost laughed as the boy next to him scoffed, but he stopped himself in time. Had it been someone other than Barty standing there, he probably wouldn’t have restrained himself, but he had a feeling Barty wouldn’t appreciate it, like Regulus’ previous amusement was approaching a line he shouldn’t cross if he wanted them to stay here in peace which - as Regulus was surprised to realise - actually was what he would prefer.

He stayed unfazed at the sharp tone and made no sign of intending to say or do anything - he simply observed the transition from the cold hard stare to the charming smile. It was as unnerving as it was familiar. He has seen enough artificial smiles in his life, has performed more than enough of them himself, but this time was different. Because there was something about Barty’s stare that made Regulus’ mind say danger and something about his smile that said perfect little pureblood boy. This time was different, yes. Because Regulus is pretty sure this is the first time he has seen the contrast somewhere other than in his family. 

Forcing himself to focus on Barty’s words, he shrugged his shoulders. “Truth to be told, Barty, I prefer to spare my nose by keeping it away from the reek of garbage, so I wouldn’t really know,” he drawled, “though I do understand why it would trouble you.” He let his gaze rest on the struggling plant - the venom could be deadly and the tentacula in front of them did not seem too pleased at the moment. His hands rested under his robes, where he could feel his wand against his fingers. “But you don’t have to worry, I don’t believe your problem will last much longer,” he commented idly before taking out his wand, fixing it on the venemous tentacula. “Diffindo,” he said quietly and a light green light travelled quickly to sever its arms. Pity, he thought. He actually liked plants, but it had only been a matter of time before this particular one would have pounced on one of them.

As the smoke reached his nose, Regulus found himself craving to light one more cigarette, so he drew out one out of his robes, imitating Barty’s movements as he lit it up. A quick frown passed over his features before he looked at the Ravenclaw next to him, slight confusion evident in his eyes. “I am afraid you misunderstood me, I actually do have to go home for the holidays,” he said before taking a drag of his cigarette. “I almost envy you, actually, I would have preferred to just continue my studies in peace.” Regulus sent him a small smile, almost too quick to notice.

Regulus’s way of speaking sounded right, the young man wasn’t at all being rude yet his tone was cutting the air like a knife between them. He was a hard fellow for Reginald to read and for that reason, it made him nervous. It was an odd feeling being nervous around someone he didn’t know, he was more anxious about what the boy was thinking about him. Analyzing what kind of man he is. Reginald cleared his throat.

“Right, p-perhaps. But um…I normally like Quidditch fer da fun o'it,” he said rubbing the back of his neck. He inhaled a breath and smiled at the Slytherin, he shrugged his shoulders at the thought of gambling on a Quidditch team. “Dey all work well togetha as a team, I think dat’s why I like'em so much,” he nodded his head.

“Yeah,” he muttered under his breath as they let go of their handshake. It sounded like such a weird thing to say when you meet someone. Reginald couldn’t help but wonder what he meant by that. “That’s kinda odd thin’ ta say, yea’?” Reginald chuckled, shaking his head once more. “Never mind, forget it, perhaps I’m the one being rude,” he smiled again, worried about making the young Black child angry. He already knew about Bellatrix and was lucky enough to be ignored by her since their paths never crossed, he didn’t want to gain her attention by pissing off one of her family members as well.

“Were ya practicing fer Quidditch match soon or…?” Reginald asked as his voice trailed off, what else would he be doing with a broom? he thought to himself. He had just said anything at this point in hopes to change the subject.

“Hm, I suppose that is fair,” Regulus commented, though casual fun had always been somewhat of a luxury in his family. He usually did things because it was expected of him or because it would bring something good to the family name. Activities without an ulterior goal awaiting at the end seemed almost foolish.

Regulus nodded slowly at Reginald’s remark about the teams - he was right, after all. “They’re good teams,” he agreed again, this time perhaps a bit more genuinely. “Both rather violent, especially the Falcons, but good,” he added with a smile. He perhaps disliked mindless explosive anger usually attributed to people with zero self-contol, but there was something about violence that had the potential to draw him in. It sounded very liberating and encompassing at the same time, though he had not had a chance to truly use all the Dark Magic he knew on a person. Yet.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he replied. “I could have said it was a pleasure as well, but since I do not have enough information yet to call it such, it would have been a lie.” Not that he had a problem with telling lies, mind you, but well, sometimes his cold demeanor could confuse people a bit, and sometimes he enjoyed it. “Oh, no, not today, I just came out to fly,” he answered and yes, he probably should get on going with that, he was wasting his time here talking to someone he didn’t really know, but there was the fact that he had unfanthomably lost all will to actually fly as soon as he had arrived at the pitch and he truly did not want to think why seemingly everything he used to enjoy no longer excited him. It sounded like an exhausting path to go down in his mind.

Regulus eyed the boy in front of him, expression unreadable; there was sort of an edgy air around him, like he was put out by Regulus’ presence, or behaviour. “You look nervous,” he said matter-of-factly, expression unchanged.

Looks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Personality: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Attraction: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Would they date them: yes | no

Favorite thing about them: The fact he seems to be a perfect pureblood son with such ease - Regulus looks up to him in a way.

Looks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Personality: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Attraction: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Would they date them: yes | no

Favorite thing about them: She’s good at Quidditch (though he hates this at the same time because well, house rivalry.)

Looks: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Personality: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Attraction: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Would they date them: yes | no 

Favorite thing about them: He doesn’t really have a favourite thing about her - one has to admit she’s cute, if nothing else, though that is nothing something he neccessarily holds too high. However, he really doesn’t know her well at all so it’s hard to have a firm opinion.