The Story of Regulus Black - Years 1-4

V. The Sorting of Regulus Black

The students poured out of the express onto the platform at Hogsmeade station. It was already quite dark out, and students all around the platform were admiring the beauty of the small wizard village. Barty and Regulus stepped off of the express, their bags flung over their shoulders as they looked 'round the busy platform.

Regulus was staring at the lamp posts that were dotted throughout the platform, watching the small bugs that were circling in the small pockets of light. "Hey, do you know where we're supposed to go?" Barty asked, breaking Regulus's attention from the tiny bugs.

"Huh? Oh, no, not really," both boys glanced around, looking for any other students who may be able to direct them to where they were supposed to be going.

Suddenly, a boy bumped into Regulus, causing him to stumble a few inches ahead of where he had been standing originally. "Oh, sorry!" the boy said, reaching out an arm to help steady Regulus.

Regulus shook the boy's hand away and stood up straight, glaring at him. He was just a little bit taller than Regulus and had circular wire-frame glasses. Regulus looked at the messy mop of jet black hair that rested atop the boy's head, and then turned his attention to the Gryffindor tie 'round the boy's neck.

"Are you alright?" He asked, looking warily at Regulus.

"Fine." Regulus replied coldly, dusting off the front of his brand new robes.

"JAMES! HURRY UP MATE, WE HAVE TO GET A CARRIAGE! PETE HERE IS STARVING!" Another boy shouted, and Regulus turned his head to see none other than Sirius Black rushing over to them, tailed by two boys.

Regulus recognized the taller of the other two as Remus Lupin, but he stared at the other boy with a quizzical look. He was quite a bit shorter than the others, and had short blonde hair atop his round head. He was quite a pudgy boy, and was wringing his hands nervously in front of him.

"JAMES, WHAT'S TAKING SO LON-" Sirius reached the boy named James, and then saw the scene before him. "Oh, I see you met my ickle brother."

James raised both eyebrows and his eyes darted between the two Black brothers. His mouth split into an 'O' shape, and he nodded his head slowly. "So this is Regulus?" he turned his attention to Sirius and gestured towards Regulus.

"Yeah, the little blighter in the flesh." Sirius said, a smirk playing on his face as he looked between James and Regulus.

"Nice to meet you," James said, turning towards Regulus.

Regulus grunted in response and crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you know where we're supposed to go?" Regulus asked, turning to look at his brother.

"Hagrid," Sirius pointed to a man that was very easily seen through the crowd.

Regulus turned to look at where Sirius was pointing, and his jaw dropped. The man that Sirius was pointing at was easily ten feet tall, if not more, and at least three times as wide as the average man. He had a bushy brown beard that reached down to his midsection, and long shaggy hair that was around the same length.

Regulus broke his attention away from Hagrid and turned it to Barty, who was staring with wide eyes at the man. Without saying anything else to his brother, Regulus took a few steps towards the direction where Hagrid was standing.

"Reg, wait," Sirius took a few quick steps forward and gripped Regulus's wrist.

Regulus turned around to look at his brother, a sneer on his face. "I'll be right back," Sirius said to his friends, and he pulled Regulus off to the side.

"I have to go," Regulus said, wrenching his wrist out of his brother's hand and turning to walk back to where Barty was waiting.

"Reg, wait, please," Sirius reached out and grabbed his brother's arm once again, looking pleadingly at his younger brother. "I just wanted to know if you considered what I said to you."