Chapter Text
Regulus didn’t want to be a half-blood. Sure, it’s cool to walk up to somebody and say “my dad is an immortal being” but usually being a half-blood gets you killed in strange and unusual ways. And nobody believes you about the parent thing either.
They were normal kids. Sure, they had fucked up parents, but apart from that they were normal. They were normal, right?
It was his 4th school in 5 years. He hated it there and missed Sirius desperately. All he wanted was to see his brother again. They’d been separated after one too many ‘disgraces to the family name’ (as his mother called them) and sent to different boarding schools. This one insisted on sending them all over London to wierd museums, to learn about stuff the Brits stole. Their trip this time was in the British miseum, to ‘learn about our history as a nation’. Pretty hard to do, when almost all of it was stolen. Their teacher, Dr Slughorn, was oddly excited about the Easter Island head. Said it “represented something bigger than they could ever imagine.” Why not just say he was a prat who happened to be christian and felt the need to preach to his students? They all knew what he was on about. It wouldn't be the first time he'd preached in class.
Why not bunk? London wasn’t that big, and he had money to get a cab. He’d go across the city, over to Sirius’ school, and get him to sneak out. He had enough practice. It was a frequent theme of the screaming matches that occurred at least thrice daily when they went 'home' for the summer. They just made him do it more. Anything to piss them off and damage their reputation. Regulus wishes he wouldn’t- they already had enough bruises and scars, didn’t they?
Regulus sighed. He knew however much he missed his brother, he would never face the wrath of his parents for a visit that would last maybe 5 minutes. Besides, Siri might be in class, or ignore him. It had been a few days since they’d spoken.
“what’s up reg?” Pandora asked him quietly
“Hmh? What did you say?” He hadn’t been paying attention, and now he was buggered, everyone was splitting into smaller groups, pairs and threes, to go do some meaningless task or another, something Slughorn would just bin the moment they got back.
“Reg, stop saydreaming while Slug’s talking! You already know he hates you, why make him hate you even more? You know what your parents’ll do if you fail science again this year!”
He knew too well
“Dora, you know it was just waffle. The mad git’s too excited about his stupid fucking head to pay attention to me.”
“Fine,” Dora shrugged “But don’t be upset when he fails you.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Now stop being a git and actually do your work. I don’t want a detention."
Regulus sighed, before stuffing one of his earbuds in his ear, and offering the other to pandora. They listened to her music and wandered round the museum until it was time for lunch. Regulus paused the music and moved to go outside, but he was blocked by Slughorn.
“Just a minute Miss Black”
“It’s Mr. I’m a boy, remember?”
“Yes, yes, so sorry Regina” Slughorn waved him off.
“For the last time, I’m not Regina, I’m Regulus. I’ve been Regulus for the last 2 years, it’s not that hard to remember my name.”
“I need to speak to you, alone. It’s very important.”
Regulus sighed. The git was probably going to give him detention for his uniform, something stupid, like his shoes were too scruffy or he wore too many rings. He knew the real reason why he picked on Reg in particular. He was a massive homaphobe, always deadnaming people, and changing his views on a person the moment he found out their sexuality. He followed his teacher into an unfinished ancient egypt exhibit. How much more stuff could they steal? They’d take the Pyramids if they could. He turned to face his teacher, arms crossed defensively across his chest.
“what is it, sir?”
“where is it?”
“where’s what?”
“the bolt. We know you have it.”
“what bolt? I don’t have a bolt.”
“Young gina-“
“It’s Regulus, now tell me what the fuck your on about!"
“Oh dear me, Miss Regina. We both know, so stop lying and tell me”
“For the last time old man, I don’t know what the fuck you-“ His words stuttered to a halt, because his teacher was bent almost in two, and appeared to be im complete agony.
“Sir? I-“
“For the last time, Regulus,” he mocked, his eyes glowing brighter, while the sound of ripping fabric could be heard from somewhere in the room “Tell me where you hid the bolt!”
Regulus staggered back, falling to the ground in his haste to get away from this thing. It was humonoid, with Slughorn’s face, torso and legs, but it wasn’t Slughorn. The thing suddenly became very thin, his huge belly sucking up inside of him. Large leathery wings burst from his back, larger than Regulus himself was. His fingernails had elongated into claws and his eyes were glowing a pure, bright white. It approached him at an alarming speed, while he frantically crawled backwards, trying to get away.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I never-“
"Stop lying young half-blood. We know you took it. All of Olympus does!"
"What the bloody fuck is a Half-Blood?"
"Don't act all innocent now, we know your weasel of a father set you up to do this"
"For fuck's sake, I-"
“Reg!,” Pandora burst into the room, holding a ballpoint pen in her hand “Catch!”
She threw the pen.
Time slowed. Somehow, even without being told, he knew this pen could save his life. It mattered if he caught it, and he was always lousy at PE. His teammates had long ago learnt not to pass to him if they wanted to keep the ball. His arm extended up, almost as if on instinct. The pen flew straight at his hand, and, and-
He caught it.
Regulus Black, who couldn't catch to save his life, caught it. There wasn't time for him to congratulate himself, because the thing was on him again, swiping with those huge claws.
"what the fuck am I supposed to do with a pen?!" he screamed over his shoulder, but Pandora had already dissappeared.
'great' he thought 'this is how i die.'
The thing lurched at him, and he jumped back to advoid the talons. On instinct, he clicked the pen, and a long silver dagger grew in his hands. His ex-proffesser lurched at him a final time, before he stabbed it in the eye. It dissolved into green dust, and Regulus was left standing in the middle of an unopened exhibit, with a pile of dust at his feet, a dagger in his hand, a bruise blossoming on his back, and a head filled with confused thoughts about what the actual fuck just happened.