Chapter Text
August 27th 2015
Regulus Black would never admit it, but he was straight up terrified to begin college.
Part of him was tempted to just skip this stage of education altogether but that wouldn’t get him anywhere. He was far too much of a swot to do anything but the best with his life which is why he found himself in the courtyard of this massive establishment, craning his neck to get a full view of the building before him.
“Ghastly looking, eh?” Regulus whipped his head around to see a boy with shockingly blond hair and a shameless grin on his face. He looked about Regulus’ age and had a strange, halfway-American accent.
Regulus was tempted to keep his mouth shut but that would get him off on the wrong foot. “I don’t think so. It’s more...” He searched for a word. He didn’t think the building looked ‘ghastly’, but it definitely wasn’t pretty.
“Old?” The boy suggested with a shrug.
“Sure, that works.” Regulus despised his sentences being finished for him, but he wouldn’t say that, of course. When no reply came, he turned to look at the other boy again, only to find that he was nowhere in sight.
Shaking his head in exasperation, Regulus continued toward the main building where new students were due for an assembly in twenty minutes.
Although he tried not to think negatively already, he wondered if that boy had left because of something Regulus had done. He had hoped this could be a fresh start, Sirius had promised this would be better. He was already getting that all-too-familiar sick feeling in his stomach that coincided with his anxiety.
It shouldn’t have been such a big deal, but Regulus still sucked in a breath before entering through the old-fashioned stone doorway. He followed a variation of brightly coloured signs into a large auditorium.
As he entered, Regulus’ phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw a text from Sirius: Good luck Reg. He typed a quick thanks and slid the phone back into his hoodie.
Focusing back on the space before him, he noted that over half of the hall was already full. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Regulus squeezed into the very back row that was still relatively unoccupied. He let out a sigh of relief and pulled the black headphones from around his neck and slipped them onto his ears.
Regulus slipped his hands behind his head and leaned back in the plastic chair, closing his eyes. That was more like it.
No more than five minutes later, Regulus felt a tap on his shoulder.
He flinched away from the movement but as his eyes flew open, he saw the blond boy from earlier standing in the isle beside his chair. “Oh-um” Regulus stammered, embarrassed at his poor reaction. “I thought you were someone else.” He pulled his headphones back around his neck.
He saw understanding flash in the boy’s eyes, but he didn’t say anything about it. “Can we sit there?” The boy gestured to two empty seats next to Regulus.
Regulus just shrugged. That was when he noticed the boy’s companion. She looked astonishing similar to the boy, with crazy blond hair and piercing blue eyes. The two sat down and the boy said, “I realise we weren’t properly introduced earlier.” He stuck out his hand in an overly formal gesture. “I’m Evan. Evan Rosier.”
Regulus took the boy-Evan's hand. “Regulus Black.” Again, Regulus saw the recognition in Evan’s eyes and was glad he didn’t bring up his family. The Black family were esteemed members of society, but Regulus didn’t want to people to think of him by his family name.
The girl waved at him as Evan said, “And that’s Pandora, my sister.” Well, that explained the uncanny resemblance then- they were twins.
“What’re you studying?” Pandora asked him. Her voice was light, giving the impression of someone with their head in the clouds.
“Sociology.” Every bone and instinct in Regulus’ body was telling him to run, to shut up. But he knew that he needed to stay in people’s good books if he wanted to survive the coming years. “How about you?”
“I’m doing Zoology!” She smiled broadly. Every muscle in his face was working against him as the corner of his mouth tilted up. Her enthusiasm was infectious even though he couldn’t stand most animals.
"Marine Biology...” Evan mumbled. “Dora’s idea. She thought it’d be fun if she was studying land animals and I studied the ocean. No getting out of it now.” He shook his head in fond exasperation.
Just then, a woman who looked in her early 40s stepped onto the raised stage at the front of the auditorium, gesturing for quiet. Hush immediately fell over the hall and Regulus got the sense that most were intimidated by her. The woman stood up to the microphone and began to speak,
“Good morning, all!” Her voice boomed through the space. “You may call me Professor McGonagall, and I am to be your year head throughout your studies here Lions college. The faculty and I are delighted to welcome you to your first semester at this establishment.” The Professor carried on with her speech, listing standard speech-like things such as rules, dorm locations and more.
When the group was finally released, Regulus was more than ready to find his dorm and call it a day. Anything else could wait until the following day.
Just as he was about to slip away, he felt another tap on his shoulder.
This time it was the girl, Pandora. “Hey...um Regulus.” She looked about as nervous as her brother, who was lingering just behind her. “D’you wanna join us tonight? We’re gonna go to the start of year party. We just thought you might to go with us since you’re by yourself.” Pandora might have meant well, she probably did mean well but Regulus took everything the wrong way.
“Are you implying that you’re taking pity on me since I’m by myself?” Regulus was scowling now. “ ‘Cause if that’s what you mean then you can-”
Evan interrupted by pushing past his sister and dragging Regulus to the side. Regulus fought not to flinch and continued glaring at Evan. “Look mate, Pandora always means well. Always. She insisted that she be the one to ask you, she thought you looked like you needed a friend. She sometimes phrases things in ways that seem rude but that’s not the intention.” Evan gave him a pointed look and Regulus allowed his scowl to soften into a neutral expression.
Regulus simply raised an eyebrow at Evan, as a way of telling him to continue. Evan sighed. “What we meant was, d’you want to hang out with us tonight? We don’t know anyone, and it doesn’t look like you do either, so it’d benefit all three of us.”
Regulus pulled his eyebrows together in a look of contemplation despite already having made his decision. “Yeah, I guess.” He nodded. Pandora’s face lit up from the half embarrassed, half disappointed expression it had been before.
“Awesome!” Evan went to give him a playful shove on the shoulder but thought better of it, several expressions flashing across his face too fast to be read. “Trade numbers?” He asked, already pulling his phone out of his pocket.
Wordlessly, Regulus took the phone and tapped his number into Evan’s contact list then handed his to Pandora. The sad fact was Regulus had an extremely short list of people on his phone. The list consisted of Sirius, his parents and a couple of old classmates who he had to do projects with. Those classmates never texted him again. Maybe I could have friends. He carefully sorted that thought to the back of his mind. If needed, he could take it back out but for now, all it would bring was disappointment.
Once Pandora handed his phone back, he turned on heel and walked out, not saying another word.
~~*~~
James Potter had the good side of life. He had everything at his beck and call.
And yet...
Although he was happy, something was always missing.
This fact, he hated it. It was ungrateful and selfish, neither of which were qualities he was taught. So, he carried that nagging feeling with him with him through his teenage years, right to where he was now, with a fully paid college tuition to study medicine, well connected parents and any job he desired.
James’ first year of college had been a good one, as far as college could go. Now, the second began.
“James!” An excited call came from the direction James was walking. A grin covered his features at the sight of his three best waving to him from just outside campus gates. Sirius, wild black hair the same as it had been two and a half months prior was waving more frantically than the other two boys.
James lugged his suitcase over, pulled Sirius into a one-armed hug as a greeting and turned to the other two boys.
“Remus.” James knew by now that Remus was not fond of physical touch, so he just settled for a nod. He quietly noted the dark circles under Remus’ eyes and resolved to ask him later if he’d been sleeping.
“And Peter, my man.” James fist bumped Peter. He’d known Peter since childhood and if he was completely honest, he was getting sick of the boy. He’d never, ever say that though.
“Who’s got the keys, then?” James felt a cheeky grin creep over his features as Remus held a chain with four silver keys aloft. The previous year, the boys were living in the college dorms. Now, they’d all banded together to rent a small apartment not far from campus.
“Shall we go then?” Sirius had already started walking. “I want to claim my bed. Can’t have you tossers taking it on me.”
Peter snickered quietly. “How could you know which is yours, you haven’t even been there. Remus was the one to settle with the landlord.”
“I can feel it calling me!” Sirius yelled, hauling his large duffle bag higher and talking off running.
Peter was quick to go after him and James was about to do the same, until he noticed Remus’ coy smile and steady pace. “What’d you do?” James raised an eyebrow.
“I didn’t do anything; he just forgot a key. They can’t get in until I get there.” Remus stifled a laugh and soon both boys were laughing hysterically.
“As much as I love Sirius, he really can be quite daft sometimes.” James wiped a tear of laughter from his eye.
James fell into step beside Remus as they strolled down the street at a leisurely pace. Out of the corner of his eye, he also noticed Remus’ limp. He disguised it well, but James would always notice. The limp had always been there, but it was more pronounced now and it was obvious Remus was struggling to hide it. Maybe someday he’d tell them what it was from.
After about fifteen minutes, they got to the apartment they’d be renting. Sirius and Peter were sitting on the steps, both looking sour.
“Missing something?” Remus threw the keys into Sirius’ lap.
^-^
“So, Sirius.” James said, throwing himself down beside Sirius on the bed that he’d claimed the moment they entered the space. “We’re going to that party tonight, yeah?” He’d lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper to let Sirius know that he wanted to do something stupid.
Sirius looked up at James, a grin spreading. “Oh yes. What do you have in mind?”
“Well. We could always spike every single drink with something more...potent.” Sirius didn’t look convinced, so James continued. “Just think about how many newbies will be there, most of which will never have experienced a party of this scale. If the drinks are spiked, the result will be absolute and total chaos.”
Sirius contemplated after a minute, nodding slowly. “This will not end well. I’m so in. Peter will be in too but how’re you gonna get Remus involved? He’ll probably tell you to piss off.”
“Eh, I’ll just bribe him or something.”