greatest story never told (REMUS)

[mitzeh]

The bond of blood is an extremely powerful ancient magic which is formed when a person sacrifices himself or herself… The sacrifice creates a lingering protection in the blood… the bond of blood is mysterious and very strong… not completely understood by most wizards. The sentences were slowly beginning to merge together, forming one long line of ink and letters that occasionally turned into words that didn’t make much sense. Regulus yawned, tearing his gaze away from the book. Even from his table, as secluded and far from other students as he could find without having to sit on the floor, he could see one of the windows facing the grounds. The view wasn’t appealing, which was perhaps the reason why the library seemed more inhabited than usual - some of the students who had been forced to stay indoors by seemingly never ending rain had apparently decided that it was about time to get their homework done at last. The young Slytherin found it mildly irritating. He didn’t usually mind having people around - he paid little to no attention to them whatsoever, but library was usually his safe haven of sorts. Now it was full of teenagers who, with few exceptions, seemed more invested in exchanging gossip than studying, and even though they all tried to keep their voices down, constant whispering of so many people was like an unpleasant buzzing somewhere in the back of his head. No wonder he couldn’t focus on what he was reading.

Once again the younger Black cursed both the weather and his sleeping habits, which were also to be blamed for his current state of intellectual disarray. He would probably be in a far better shape if he hadn’t stayed up until three am last night, only to be woken up four hours later by his obnoxious dorm mates - studying the same bloody scroll that lay on the desk in front of him this very moment! It was frustrating, to say the least, knowing that there was something more to what he was reading and not being able to decipher the meaning of words. He liked to think that it was the very book’s fault, as it only provided general information and little specifics on the subject he was currently investigating, but he couldn’t stop himself from feeling frustrated nonetheless. Granted, blood magic was not exactly something they taught at school - not here at Hogwarts at least, as it tended to gravitate dangerously towards the Dark Arts… Regulus made a rather wry face at the thought. He could and probably would not ever understand the concept of Black and White magic. Magic was magic, after all, no spell was malicious or noble in its nature - so why differentiate and make it hard for curious students to inspect certain practices? Frankly, it made his head hurt, just like it broke his heart a little that even here at Hogwarts’ library, so full of books and volumes literally vibrating with ancient knowledge, students like him had access only to some of them. He made a mental note to talk to Slughorn about that - he was one of the man’s pupils, after all, he might as well get something out of it. Regulus was far too cynical to believe that the old professor gathered the most promising students for their pure benefit, and for their benefit only, so why not use him as well? In the meantime however he had already sent an owl to his Mother, asking whether she could send him a book or two from their own library - he was fairly certain she would approve of his interests, and keeping a book that wasn’t exactly legal in the first place secret wouldn’t be much of a problem; the biggest sacrifice on his part would be giving up reading outside of the Slytherin quarters, which wasn’t going to be much of a trouble during winter.

Once again he tried to focus on his current reading, but his thoughts had already wandered elsewhere. First his deep loathing for keeping knowledge from students like him, then his home and books he had access to there - Merlin, the Blacks had one of the biggest private libraries in the whole Kingdom! Being cut off from its resources was, for someone like Regulus, a true torture. He kept turning the quill in his fingers, deep in thought. As fascinating as blood magic was, he wasn’t getting much further with this book and although Regulus could be very patient when it was necessary, he liked obtaining progress too, especially when he had other things to ponder as well - like learning how to cast another spell without using his wand. He had discovered that he had natural talent for this, and training this one of his skills had been consuming his much time lately. Why was he wasting time in the library if he could be practicing anyway? Regulus sighed, resting his forehead on the book, inhaling the rich scent of old paper. Resting for a while wouldn’t hurt, as long as nobody chose to sit at his table.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

The library was the one place Remus found refuge in. It was the only place in school he could be sure he wouldn't run into his friends. The only time they seemed to go was when he invited them- or rather forced them to. Still, it was his own private sanctuary when he didn't wish to be bothered, as any self respecting student wouldn't dare to bother another one who was busy in the library. It seemed that these days he was spending more time in this room than with his friends.

In truth, Remus was much more saddened by this than he was letting on. It cut him deeply to realize that his friendship was currently strained by some unpleasant occurrences. Sirius didn't seem to pay it a bit of mind, but Remus couldn't expect him to. Sirius was known for being completely and utterly oblivious. Remus didn't truly know if it was intention or accidental. Sirius could be very skilled at pretending problems did not exist.

But he knew that James was fully, painfully aware of the rift in their group. He wondered how the other boy was handling it, but he doubted it would be well. And Peter... what of him? He felt sorry for the boy having to be kept out of the loop. He highly doubted Sirius or James would reveal the nature of their argumentative states, and Remus didn't interact with the boy all that much to reveal anything to him himself. Peter was always chasing after James and Sirius, never Remus.

Which he didn't mind. Remus didn't consider himself a person to be admired or liked, and he certainly didn't need someone following him around especially when he was in such a state. It was rare to see Remus Lupin in a foul mood, but here he was, glaring holes in the library book he was reading, figuratively speaking of course. Someone bumped into him and he snarled at them- really, he was no better than the petty Slytherins right now, but in his mind he had every excuse to be. Sirius had taken his mind games too far this time and all because of some girl.

He couldn't blame the girl for the problems plaguing the groups though. In truth, she'd done nothing wrong save for falling for Sirius Black's charm, and who couldn't? Even Remus found himself captivated by his smile, his laugh, and his general fearlessness. He thought even James succumbed to it sometimes (though, James had his own charm about him as well.)

But the thought of his best friends just continued to make him more upset. He had a good mind to hex Sirius, but he knew that would accomplish nothing except creating a further divide. In the end, it would cause more heartache than the current situation was presenting, and he didn't think he could handle that.

As he began to feel weak (he hadn't been eating all that much), he decided it was time to take a seat. He didn't notice who he was speaking to as he asked the question. "May I take a seat here..?" he trailed off when he finally looked at the face of the person- it was none other than Regulus Black. Normally, Remus might have decided to turn his back and walk away, but he decided against it. Regulus was a person, just like them, and he couldn't help but wonder how the younger boy dealt with having a brother so troublesome like Sirius.

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TAG - Regulus
WORDS - 726
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - YAY POST IS DONE FOR YOU!
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[mitzeh]

The boy groaned inwardly as his hopes were shattered with one single question coming somewhere from above. For a second or two he didn’t raise his head, trying to prolong the peaceful moments, but he knew he would have to look up soon. He couldn’t have anyone thinking that Regulus Black had fallen asleep in the library, not to mention that he was simply above ignoring someone - even when the interaction was unwanted - with no particular reason. He had been taught better than that; good manners were something a person of his status just had to have and quite frankly Regulus felt like he had to double his efforts now that Sirius had made it his life goal to become as obnoxious as humanely possible, probably to severe his bonds with his family even more. Not that it was possible, the younger Black thought bitterly. These days Sirius could as well be a stranger, for all they cared about each other - or so Regulus liked to believe.

Great Salazar, he knew he should have pretended not to hear the question, good manners and his curiosity be damned. Even though he couldn’t put a face to it, Regulus had known that the voice was vaguely familiar; he rarely forgot anything about people he encountered, even if it was only once. As helpful as it could be, it was sometimes tiring, and sometimes caused unnecessary trouble - like now, for example. He had foolishly assumed that he had been approached by someone he knew, or at least had talked to in the past - and now he was looking at none other but Remus Lupin, a member of the infamous group of Gryffindors his own brother was a part of as well. He must have overheard them talking before one of his many arguments with Sirius, that’s how he knew the sound of the other boy’s voice.

Surprise showed clearly on his face and then got quickly replaced with suspicion before he regained control over his expression. A quick glance confirmed his theory - almost all of the seats were taken sans the ones at his table, and other that weren’t would place a reader in a group of friends talking to each other over their books. No wonder Lupin had chosen this one, regardless of whether he had realized who was already occupying the other seat. His pride prompted him to stand up and walk away, not without providing the Gryffindor with a snide comment or two - but he was tired, so tired, both physically and emotionally. There were dark circles under the boy’s eyes as if he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in a while and something in his eyes gave away the sour mood he couldn’t get rid of lately, even though he wouldn’t allow himself to show it around anyone, let alone one of Sirius’ closest friends. He only ever sulked in solitude, and even then he didn’t like to think that sulking was what he was doing. So instead of leaving the library Regulus nodded stiffly, and then, because he was polite and Lupin had never crossed him personally, said, “Of course.” His voice was quiet and his eyes never left the other boy, although for all they knew each other he should have returned to his book as soon as he had given his answer.

“I’m surprised you would want to, however.” Frankly, he had no idea why he was starting a conversation with this boy. They had never spoken to each other before and that, in Regulus’ eyes, made them neutral rather than enemies, despite Lupin’s loyalties, but these very loyalties were the exact reason why he shouldn’t have opened his mouth when the Gryffindor didn’t seem at all inclined to bother him on his own. Still, he kept talking, returning to turning his quill in his fingers. “I was under the impression that my… that your friends wouldn’t quite approve of you so willingly sharing a table with a Slytherin,” he added, raising an eyebrow, not quite able to stop himself from smiling dryly or to keep bitterness out of his voice. He also suspected that his voice might have cracked just a little as he’d refused to speak Sirius’ name; he blamed the tiredness, and even then he decided to pretend that it was out of shame his brother had brought upon their family rather than the pain his departure had caused. He never admitted these feelings to himself, he’d sooner bite off his own tongue than admit them to a Gryffindor, Sirius’ friend at that. He would probably regret his decision later, when he was less tired and able to think clearly, but right now there was something in Lupin that made Regulus, miserable as he was at this moment, seek his company. Maybe he had some masochistic streak he hadn’t been quite aware of. But Lupin had always strike him as the most reasonable of the four, and he was the closest to his brother Regulus could get these days without having to deal with a bitter taste in his mouth for the rest of the day afterwards. Perhaps he was being a bit desperate here.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

Remus wasn't expecting a warm welcome, and he didn't flinch when Regulus made his snide remarks. He took his seat as he had been given permission to do- he hadn't intended starting a conversation with the other boy, but it seemed it would not be able to be helped in the current situation. He wondered why Regulus was speaking to him. He didn't exactly seem to be taunting him, but he didn't seem to be trying to make pleasant conversation either.

The werewolf waited until he was certain that Regulus wasn't about to make another comment before he even contemplated the questions. "Hmm... no, I suppose they wouldn't," James hated Slytherins regardless of their other personality traits, which Remus found completely unfounded and unfair. There were many people in his own house and other houses he didn't like- being a Gryffindor didn't automatically mean that someone was a decent person just like being in Slytherin didn't mean that a person was inherently evil. Then there was Sirius who hated the house due to the people he had been surrounded by since birth. He supposed Sirius's hatred might have been a bit more founded, but he still found it ignorant of them both (he assumed Peter went along with the hatred just to fit in.)

"But they can't force me to join them in their spite of your house, now, can they?" It was true that he did care a lot about what his friends thought of him, but they hadn't fled thus far even after finding out about his changing into a rabid, man-eating wolf once a month. How could they assume that Slytherins were all bad and yet spare him their hatred just because he was a werewolf? Logic would follow that if they were that ignorant about the houses, they would be about magical creatures as well.

Then again, James and Sirius never made much sense as far as Remus was concerned. Bringing this ethical questions up to them would result in rolling of eyes and merciless teasing about him reading too much. Didn't they understand that reading made one wiser? If you opened your mind to many different view points, you could grow to understand and sympathize with others. And if you learned about your enemy, then you would be more equipped to fight them in the future.

He sighed and finally looked at Regulus rather than focusing on the text. "I do not base my decisions on a person on the basis of their house colors."

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TAG - Regulus
WORDS - 530
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - YAY POST IS DONE FOR YOU!
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[mitzeh]

Regulus eyed the other boy with a rather dubious expression. He could see that the Gryffindor didn’t feel at all comfortable with talking to him, and frankly he couldn’t blame him for that. He was surprised Lupin hadn’t outright ignored him, even if all he was getting were polite answers carefully void of any emotion. He shrugged. “If it is any consolation, many of my house mates would probably be surprised to see me talking to you.” That was true; even now he could feel the stares of two or three first year Slyterins on his back, but he paid them no mind. He didn’t have to worry about some kids, after all. He wasn’t anything like the older Lestrange or Malfoy or even Bella, who had younger students cowering in fear whenever they so much as looked at them, but they knew their place around him as well. He was a Black and, more importantly, he knew how to stand his ground; just because he didn’t bully people didn’t mean he didn’t how to be… creative with his spells, once someone annoyed him one time too much. He had a certain reputation and it wouldn’t be ruined by one casual conversation with a Gryffindor. “I am surprised that I’m talking to you,” he added, not entirely sure why he was saying that. Probably because he had nothing to lose, no matter how bad his rambling would turn. And because he was tired.

So, so tired. The younger boy yawned, not without covering his mouth with the back of his hand, resting his chin on his other palm. It was still a few hours until supper, and then he might as well go back to his dorm and fall asleep. “Salazar, I could kill for a cup of coffee right now,” he mumbled, forgetting for a moment that there even was someone else at the table. It would be so simple back home, he would just click his fingers and Kreacher or some other house elf would appear and then bring him a cup full of steamy black liquid, prepared just like he liked it, and he could go on with his studies until he was so exhausted that even caffeine wouldn’t help. Perhaps he was a bit too spoilt, as the perspective of going all the way down from the fourth floor to the dungeons just to visit the kitchens sent a shiver down his spine. No, he was most certainly not moving any time soon, besides, if he did go down after all he would probably end up in his bed instead of the kitchens anyway. That was not an option since he still had some studying to do. Also, homework, but that could be dealt with later. They didn’t teach anything in classes that he didn’t already know, or would find too difficult to learn, so he wasn’t too worried about that. It was blood magic that irritated him right now. Regulus glared half heartedly at the volume in front of him, before he caught a glimpse of Lupin again and suddenly remembered that he had company.

He had to blink a few times to focus on what the other boy was saying, too. Once he did process his words, though, he just raised an eyebrow before forming a response. “Why, I believe they could, should they really want to,” he said, a rather amused smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. It was true as well. Friends had that ridiculous effect on people, or so Regulus had heard, as he didn’t have any friends of his own. Family, yes, and associates and acquaintances outside of it, but actual friends? He wouldn’t call anyone that, not really. Even within his own House, or rather especially there, he had to be way too careful with who he trusted. He studied Lupin’s face more carefully as the other boy spoke again, this time smiling dryly and with no amusement whatsoever. “That is rare. Among Gryffindors and Slytherins alike, I’m afraid,” he mused. Regulus himself wasn’t usually concerned with what House other people were in, but it was important to him whether a person was a pureblood or not, which was probably equally wrong, but that thought had never occurred to the youngest Black. “Perhaps we are not so different then. It would be a pity, really. So many years of mutual hatred gone to waste.” Not that he cared much about house rivalry at Hogwarts or lack of it; at this point he was more thinking out loud than talking to Lupin. Then his eyes fell on the book that lay open in front of the Gryffindor, and Regulus couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in silent question. Dark Arts, huh. Most definitely not something he would have expected. “But I see you are not a typical Gryffindor, then,” he said. Lupin was also not someone he would usually associate with his brother; in Regulus’ mind all of Sirius’ friends were just about as loud and obnoxious as he was. It was a surprise to find out that one of them not only knew where school library was, but did some actual reading in there too. On a very interesting subject nonetheless. Well, well.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

In truth, Regulus's words did not surprise him, but they did amuse him. He smiled as the other boy talked, even if he was making snide, snobby remarks in his general direction. Whether it was for appearance sake or because he truly felt that way, Remus didn't know, but he could never truly understand why such hatred and prejudice existed, even if a good deal of it was put upon him. A werewolf, halfblood, poor wizard. Yes, that was a wonderful mixture. He was grateful he wasn't muggle-born. That would have been just a bit worse, though not by much.

His nose wrinkled in slight distaste at the mention of the bitter drink. He'd never been a fan of coffee- if he recalled, Sirius had a penchant for it, too. Perhaps that was something they shared in common. Remus much preferred hot cocoa- it provided caffeine but was much sweeter, not to mention it was chocolate which was Remus's remedy to most depressive states. There was something so uplifting about the naturally sweet treat.

At Regulus's rebuttle, he contemplated his words carefully before responding. "...No, I don't believe anyone care force you to do something unless you truly want to. Yes, there is the unforgivable imperius curse, but that is not your will but someone else's. And if you want to please your friends more than you want to please yourself, then it is still your choice, not theirs to make." He wondered if that was the excuse a lot of people used when it came to their actions. Children often blamed each other with phrases like 'he made me do it!' But did they really?

James and Sirius had often tried to get him to join in their bullying of Severus Snape, for example, but Remus never partook in it. He would standby and try to make sure they didn't get too out of hand, but it was his choice to let it happen. He didn't want to make his friends angry by spoiling their fun. Had Severus been an innocent victim, he might have felt differently, of course, but as it stood, he was often just as guilty as they when it came to egging the fight on. He had made it his decision to not actively join but also to not actively do anything to stop it just as he was making the decision to speak to Regulus now.

And then the subject was gone, onto the matter of houses and his reading material. "Well, I believe we need to understand what we are up against... and I hate to say, I believe that some curses are an effective last resort in true danger," he sighed as he flipped the page. That, and he had been obsessed with knowing all he could about them- hoping he would find something, anything, a hint of a cure for his lycanthropy. "I'm afraid not all Gryffindors are so... 'typical'," he thought back to the Winchester boy- he only knew of him because he was on the Quidditch team and he never missed a match for James. However, he also knew just how violent and "Slytherin-like" the boy could be. He never seemed to play the game for the fun of it. He always seemed as if he were out to murder someone.

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TAG - Regulus
WORDS - 672
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - YAY POST IS DONE FOR YOU!
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[mitzeh]

The dark haired boy let out a small laugh as he looked at the Gryffindor with genuine amusement clearly visible in his gray eyes. It was painful really how alike he and Sirius looked; sometimes, Regulus hated his own image in the mirror, just because it reminded him so much of his brother. “So naïve, Lupin. It’s good to know that you possess at least one typically Gryffindor trait,” he smirked. “Do you really think that Imperius is the only way to make someone do what you want? The quickest, definitely,” to some people, it could have been somewhat unnerving how undisturbed the younger Black seemed by the idea. But who could blame him? He was a Slytherin, after all, and he came from a family that had a long history of practicing Dark Arts. It would be much more surprising if he was strongly opposed to using the aforementioned curse. “but the only? No, not really. But that’s not the point here. Now friendship, I wouldn’t know much about that, but when all you want is to please your ‘friends’? I’m sorry, but I’m not sure this is what it’s about.” There was a reason why Regulus didn’t like talking to people all that much; some of them gave him weird looks when he said things like that. As if it was sad that he didn’t have friends. But Regulus didn’t believe in friends, not really. He could count on his family and that was enough – he didn’t need anyone outside of it to care for or to take care of him. Something told him, however, that Lupin wouldn’t find anything to pity him for in his words, spoken with a cold, collected manner Regulus never lost around strangers. Come to think of it, the only person who made him lose his calm every time he saw him was his brother.

He cocked his head to the side, just a bit, contemplating the other boy’s words. Something in his eyes could tell Remus that the younger wizard didn’t fully believe him. They were taught enough in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes not to have to look the curses up on their own – that is, if defending themselves against them was all they wanted from it. Only someone who was intrigued by the hexes themselves, not counter spells per se, wandered around investigating the subject. Regulus surely could appreciate that. “You really should come up with better excuses, Lupin. Knowing what you’re up against… To most people, knowing how to defend themselves is enough. They don’t need to understand the nature of the spell they’re protecting themselves against. This is a dangerous territory for a holy Gryffindor prefect, don’t you think?” Something flickered in his eyes as he heard Remus admitting that he wouldn’t mind using some of the curses. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you,” he mused, tapping his fingers on the table. “Are you sure you’re in the right House? Don’t you know the line might get blurry after too long?” the Slytherin raised his eyebrow, clearly amused by where this conversation was going.

It was possible that he enjoyed talking to Lupin perhaps a little bit too much. He was rarely so talkative, but to his own surprise Regulus had found the Gryffindor quite an intriguing person. He had always known Lupin was intelligent, of course, one didn’t become a prefect just because of their charm, but he had always assumed that, as a friend of Sirius’, he would be rather judgmental and as prejudiced against Slytherins as most of Hogwarts students. Yet here he was, reading a book on black magic – granted, by what he had managed to see so far it wasn’t anything Regulus himself hadn’t read, if anything, it was much less advanced than what Bella taught him – and not backing away from the conversation either. Open-mindedness wasn’t something Regulus had high regard for, but he always appreciated talking to someone who could come up with constructive arguments rather than illogical accusations. That was often the problem with Sirius: he didn’t listen, he just stuck to his convictions, no matter if they were right or wrong.

Still, discussing philosophy with one of his brother’s closest friends hadn’t crossed the younger Black’s mind before. “Yes, you are a living proof of that,” he answered. “But I guess you’re just an exception to the rule.” Regulus was far from being naïve enough to think that everyone was the same, but he had strong belief in students of each House sharing some particular – “typical” – traits. Why else would they get sorted into the Houses? One didn’t need to be a poster person for all the characteristics usually associated with certain House – hell, there were halfbloods and even mudbloods in Slytherin, albeit very few of them – to be considered a typical Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

Remus shook his head, wondering just what Regulus was talking about. "There are those who will die rather than give up their freedom of will," he knew two of them. James Potter and Sirius Black. He could imagine that if a dark wizard approached them and said he would spare them if they killed innocents, they would gladly die in another's place. He may not think his friends always made the best decisions... but that was one he admired them for. It was one that he hoped he possessed if the situation ever came down to that. But was Remus so strong? That, he didn't know.

He didn't give Regulus a pitying smile nor one of surprise or even sympathy. He just watched him, analyzing his expressions in an attempt to figure out exactly what the boy meant. It should have surprised him to hear one didn't have friends, but he hadn't had any before James, Sirius, and Peter. "There are a lot of things people will do to keep in favor of ones whose opinions they value. A lot of people value their friend's opinions... whether it's to hate another house unconditionally, to fall into playing pranks, or even completely changing who they are just to make them happy." He hoped he had explained it well, and it was they only way he really could.

The taunting words did not phase the prefect, and he even laughed softly as Regulus called him a "holy Gryffindor prefect", though his smile faded rather quickly, all things considered, and he looked at the books thoughtfully. "These curses are only the beginning. How are we supposed to learn how to defend ourselves when we do not know the true nature of our enemy. The spells they choose to attack us with shows a lot about their character. Will they be direct in their confrontation or are they best to be left alone and taken down underhandedly," along with the powerful curses and hexes came rituals that would require time, planning, and perfect execution. "To be honest, no, I'm not sure I'm in the right house," but Remus would not trade being in Gryffindor for anything. He had been gifted with two of the best friends he could have ever hoped for.

The conversation with Regulus was interesting to say the least, and he couldn't help but wonder what his friends' reactions would be. Likely, they would pull him away and try to get back at the Slytherin for "tempting" their friend, when in reality, it had been purely by coincidence they were even put in the situation to talk in the first place. So what could they say to that? No, he doubted they would listen. That was something he knew well about the Marauders: listening was not a skill they possessed. That, and talking about their feelings.

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TAG - Regulus
WORDS - 594
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - YAY POST IS DONE FOR YOU!
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[mitzeh]

The younger boy rose his eyebrows, his head tilting to a side in what was probably a sign that he was contemplating Remus’ words. He had an idea who the Gryffindor had in mind, and it wasn’t a pleasant realization; it just reminded him about all the conflicted feelings he had towards his older brother. “Sometimes you have to give up your freedom of will for higher purposes,” Regulus answered, his voice noticeably colder, even more so than he had intended. Sirius was such a sore spot to touch, even though his name hadn’t been spoken out loud, but then again Lupin hadn’t had to mention the older Black’s name to make Regulus feel defensive all of sudden. He knew better than anyone that Sirius’ love of freedom was stronger than anything – stronger than his loyalty to the family, stronger than the love for his brother, or didn’t he feel such thing at all anymore? The Slytherin felt bitter just thinking about it, and he closed his eyes briefly, taking in a calming breath, hoping that Lupin just wouldn’t notice. Sirius may have forgotten everything their parents had taught them, but he would not.

When he looked at Lupin again, he seemed just as amused as he had been before, as if his moment of weakness had never happened. “Ah, but now you’re just denying what you said before,” he said, leaning back in his chair with a teasing smile tugging at the corner of his lips. This conversation was turning out to be much, much more enjoyable than he had expected. Lupin was a good conversation partner, intelligent enough to come up with responses that were both satisfying and posed a challenge to Regulus’ own wits. He rarely had such conversations with anyone; whenever he entered a battle of wits with a fellow Slytherin, he felt more exhausted than amused, because people in his House always had ulterior motives for everything. Talking to Lupin, with no malice whatsoever, was a refreshing change. “Isn’t it exactly giving up your freedom of will, if you see your friends’ opinions as more important than your own? This is dangerously close to letting them choose for you. Allowing them to do it is the last decision you make yourself in such case, after that you’re no longer your own person.” It was surprising how much he really didn’t mean it as an offense, nor did he want to insinuate that Lupin himself was one of those pitiful opportunists who just followed their so-called friends around. He was just… dodging the other boy’s arguments, more interested in just continuing this debate than antagonizing the Gryffindor.

The small smile Regulus allowed himself to show as he heard Lupin laugh was much more genuine, almost honest. It had been too long since the last time he’d felt so carefree talking to someone he wasn’t related to. The thoughtful look on the Gryffindor’s face, one that suggested he was taking Regulus’ words seriously, was almost as pleasant to observe as his laughter. The fact was that the younger Black knew beauty when he saw it, and he wasn’t ashamed to admire it openly. Already he could tell that Lupin’s mind was beautiful, and he didn’t even know anything about the boy except a few details. “You are an exquisite creature, Remus Lupin,” he mused, eyeing the other boy with such mirth that it was almost frightening. The Gryffindor had managed to intrigue him, and from now on he would make sure to find out as much as he could about the quiet boy. Who would have thought that Sirius’ friends could be this entertaining. “So you’re saying that you wouldn’t be above taking someone down underhandedly? Interesting,” the word rolled off his tongue as if he was finding great pleasure in tasting it. The honesty with which Remus had answered his next question surprised him, but not so much. Oh, yes, Lupin was most certainly anything but typical.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

Regulus didn't seem to understand, and he doubted he was going to make him see his point of view. "Yes, but to make the decision to allow yourself to give up your freedom for the greater good is still your choice," so in the end, nothing was solved. You couldn't blame your mistakes on other people. It was something that Sirius Black tried to do that always infuriated him. Sometimes James also tried the excuse, but it was far more common in their friend.

"Yes... but it was still your decision to let them make the decisions," and that is what he meant. You could still not force a person to do something against their will. If they wanted you to make decisions for them- even decisions they did not like- then it was still their wish that it happened. If they were threatened, then they chose to give in to it. He knew that his friends would never give up their freedom of will. It was far too valuable to them, but Remus knew that he was not that strong, and that even if he was put in an unfavorable situation by them, he would still go along with it- even though it would be his will, it would not be his idea choice. There was a difference.

But Regulus had brought up a few good points that had led to him distinguishing between what he determined freedom of will and ideal choice. The debate was one very much needed for the Gryffindor boy. Not that Sirius and James were stupid and boring conversational partners, but they never did fancy the internal workings of the mind. They were more in the action- great duelists, but poor researchers. He almost felt prideful in the fact he thought himself to be both. Granted, he had to say James was a far better dueler than himself with his quick footing and sharp eyes.

His golden brown eyes widened as Regulus gave him the compliment. Never before had he heard such a thing leave a person's mouth about him, and not only had he never expected to hear it, but he certainly did not expect it to be from his friend's younger brother. His eyes blinked rapidly, his mouth slightly agape. How was he supposed to take that? He wanted to say thank you, but nothing was coming out. Luckily, Regulus seemed to carry on the conversation like normal, which Remus was grateful for. He already had enough on his mind with Sirius's kiss. He didn't need to be dwelling on something such as simple as this.

"Not all confrontation has to be handled head-on if it is not the wisest course of action," Remus tried to explain. He knew that the trait wasn't very common of a Gryffindor, but it was his belief that sometimes desperate situations called for desperate measures.

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TAG - Regulus
WORDS - 582
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - YAY POST IS DONE FOR YOU!
CREDIT made by flyy~

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[mitzeh]

The Slytherin just shook his head, deciding not to respond to that. The discussion was going nowhere at this point; he knew that neither of them could quite understand what the other’s point was. Abandoning the subject seemed like the wisest choice – also because he really, really didn’t want to risk being reminded of Sirius again. At this thought Regulus eyed the other boy curiously, wondering how much he knew about his and his brother’s… relationship, for the lack of better word, though it wasn’t like they even had much of a relationship these days. He wanted to ask – damn, he almost did – if Sirius even talked about him, if he ever mentioned Regulus to his friends, but he bit his tongue. That would be completely uncalled for, not to mention a sign of weakness that he wouldn’t forgive himself for showing for a long, long time. He didn’t need Lupin’s sympathy, after all, and he wasn’t naïve enough to believe that the older boy would even have any for him. Regulus was, by any means, but a mere stranger to the Gryffindor, while Sirius was one of his best friends – it was obvious whom he would defend in this case. So the younger Black kept his mouth shut – something he was very good at – and listened to whatever else Lupin had to say.

Which, he had to admit, wasn’t anything he would not have expected at this point. “You’re so stubborn,” he observed, even though they shared this particular trait. Regulus only ever gave up being headstrong when his parents were concerned, everyone else who knew him was bound to have experienced his stubbornness at least once. No matter what his brother seemed to think, the younger Black was a rather strong-willed person – his family was his only weakness in this compartment – otherwise he wouldn’t be so skilled at magic, so determined to learn it and study its nature hours after hours both during his days at Hogwarts and outside of the school. “I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree,” he mused, narrowing his eyes in clear and genuine amusement. What a surprise – a Slytherin, a Black nonetheless, was not as opposed to the idea of compromising as one might have suspected him to be.

He paused briefly, observing Lupin’s reaction with barely concealed curiosity. The Gryffindor had never stricken him as an overly confident person when it came to social interactions, during those rare times when he had noticed him as someone else than just Sirius’ shadow – still, as he classified Remus’ expression as nothing short of shocked, he couldn’t help but think the other boy was exaggerating the whole thing. He was just being honest, after all. Lupin apparently was an extraordinary being, and contrary to popular belief Regulus was not afraid to voice his opinions on such matters. He shrugged it off however, filing it under “possibly useful information” in his brain, before carrying on with their conversation. He would think about it some other time, if he would think about it at all. It wasn’t like they were ever going to talk to each other again – most likely they would both forget about this encounter by the end of the day. No use dwelling on things so petty right now.

Regulus sighed theatrically, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation. Once he abandoned his usual reserved manner, he was proving to be quite an animate person. “That, Lupin, is the least Gryffindor thing I have ever heard in my whole life,” he stated, but with no ill intent. In fact, he was positively amused, if the bright glint in his eyes was anything to go by. Now that his mask of seriousness and haughty dignity had dropped, he looked surprisingly young – almost soft, if it wasn’t for the vivid intelligence that showed clearly on his face, in his words, brilliance and shrewdness that usually had nothing to do with innocence. Regulus himself would probably be surprised at how much alike he and Sirius were at this moment. “In fact, I think I might even like you,” he whispered, leaning over the table towards the other boy. He even winked, for good measure, before straightening up in his chair with a small chuckle. “If you’re as good with your spells as you are with your wits, you should probably consider a career as an auror, you know? You’d be good at that. Probably better than most of the ones the Ministry has right now,” he added, grimacing disdainfully. Aurors had always taken great interest in the businesses of some of the older families, due to their not so secret fondness of Dark Arts, but so far they hadn’t been given a legitimate reason to raid the Blacks’ house; Regulus doubted they’d find anything even if they did. He had met some of the Ministry’s aurors briefly, and his opinion of their intelligence was low to say the least. They were good at fulfilling orders, true, but they really didn’t need to be clever to be able to do that.

[REMUS JOHN LUPIN]

Remus smiled as he was called stubborn. It wasn't such a bad thing, and he took it as a compliment. One shouldn't let themselves be swayed easily by another's opinion. That wasn't to say that they should dismiss everything all together, but one needed to reflect on the information that was presented to them and choose whether to accept or reject the belief. Those who allowed themselves to be easily swayed would never have any true opinions of their own. And those who rejected everything would never learn anything new. So yes, he would accept the fact he was stubborn, but he was not opposed to learning something new- even if he was learning it from a Slytherin.

But he was thankful the subject was being dropped. They would never get anywhere, and the subject was growing stale. They were just going around in circles, and soon they would both be tired, grumpy, and dizzy. It was best to stop their little discussion now before that happened. Remus was genuinely enjoying the younger Black's company, and he didn't want that to be ruined simply because they were both too set in their ways. However, they were both willing to let the subject drop, and therein lied the compromise. They would agree to disagree.

And he tried to hide his laugh at Regulus's statement. He didn't quite understand his own reaction to it, perhaps it was nerves. Being a werewolf, he had often wondered what would have happened had he been sorted in Slytherin house. Sometimes, he wondered if he belonged there. Sometimes, he wondered if he even deserved to be called a Gryffindor or marauder. He knew bringing up these points to his friends were useless. Peter would give him that clueless look. Sirius would start focusing the attention on picking on some Slytherins. Then there was James who would change the subject into something more light hearted and fun. Sometimes he regretted not having anyone he could talk to about his inner thoughts, but even if he did, would he dare spill his thoughts? The answer was probably not. Remus was a very private person.

He didn't know why Regulus was so hated by Sirius, but then again, not all of Sirius's actions were logical, and there was likely a lot Remus didn't understand about the inner working they had at home. But, Remus could see that Regulus wasn't like all of the Slytherins just as he himself wasn't like all of the Gryffindors. He wondered why James and Sirius couldn't see that. It was the person who was good or evil, not the House. He sighed and shook his head, not wanting to think on that, too. "Well, I'm sure that my friends would drop dead, but I enjoy your company, too," at least, he did thus far, and that was what he was basing his judgment on. If he was uncomfortable, he would have left.

"I would like to be an auror... it's what I am studying and training for," but the ministry's rules and regulations were not in his favor. He had been dwelling on the thought ever since he had been informed the previous year by Professor McGonagal that his wish to join the aurors may not be one within his reach. It was likely to remain a distant dream, no matter how good he was. He was a werewolf, and thus he couldn't be trusted. He resented the ministry for that, yes, but he pitied them more than anything, and even if he did hold resentment, he would not be like the rest of "his kind" and turn against them. He just wanted to prove that not all werewolves were bad.

"What about you? You will be deciding at the end of this year to choose your classes, won't you? Anything you think you would like to do?"

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TAG - Regulus
WORDS - 750
SONG - None
MUSE - Great!
NOTES - YAY POST IS DONE FOR YOU!
CREDIT made by flyy~

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