• Regulus Black •

„Aren't we all sinners?"

The weather had become damn rough within a few days. The summery deep blue sky had turned into a grey impenetrable wall of clouds and the first leaves on the trees had already been hit. Withered and brown, they sailed onto the muddy ground, officially sealing the end of summer.

It seemed to be some kind of tradition already that the first training of the Slytherin team should take place on such a gloomy and rainy day. Regulus merely sighed and shouldered his broom, knowing it wasn't Emma's fault, but at that moment he couldn't help but step bitterly out of the protective locker room.

The wind was already whipping through his dark hair, yet he had not even lifted off the ground. His crew greeted him with narrowed eyes to see through the cold drizzle, but no one seemed nearly as enthusiastic as their captain.

"It's good to see you all here again!" announced Emma, looking expectantly at her crew. "Since we don't have any casualties this year, we can skip those pesky selection games and start training right away today."

"Pretty great," Evan muttered rather less enthusiastically, trying to wipe the handle of his broom dry with his sleeve. To no avail.

"I want you to do your best this year!" she continued energetically, fixing the dark-haired boy with a piercing gaze. Apparently his rather unmotivated words had not passed her by, or else she was still angry because of what he had almost said days before. Possibly both. Vigorously, she blew on her whistle. "We're starting auditions today, so take your positions and show what you've been learning for the last few years!"

After Regulus had caught the snitch at least ten times and Evan had muttered about two dozen insults in Emma's direction, the players were finally allowed to get rid of their wet uniforms. Young Black was freezing miserably and was sure to be hypothermic to the bone.

He wrapped the lined cloak tightly around his body as he stepped into the downpour for a second time and wanted nothing more than to finally return to the castle, when he noticed a blonde shivering girl at the entrance to the stands.

Camille's teeth inevitably chattered together and she had pulled her dark hood deep into her pretty face. Regulus delayed his plan to warm up within the castle walls by stepping towards the blonde. "Don't worry, I'm sure Emma will be ready in a minute."

The turquoise eyes looked up at him. "Actually, I had wanted to talk to you."

Surprised, he stared back, not knowing what to say in bewilderment, so she spoke up again. "Why don't we take a walk?"

"Shouldn't we go inside instead?" asked Regulus, still a little puzzled, and could feel his heart begin to jump around excitedly in his chest. He eyed her reddened nose apprehensively and put his freezing hands inside his warm pockets himself.

Hesitantly, yet also a little relieved, Camille agreed. "Fine, but we can't go into the common room. I don't want anyone to hear."

An uneasy feeling now began to spread inside him, for this request could not bode well at all. A little later, the two wandered aimlessly through the cool corridors. Even though Regulus would have preferred to sit down by the warm fire in the common room, he did not want to deny Camille her wish or forego her presence.

"Can we sit down?" she asked quietly, gesturing with her head to one of the stone benches against the cold castle walls. The dark-haired boy nodded and shivered for a brief moment as he leaned his back against the stone freezing wall.

"How do you manage to look past all that Sirius has done and accept it?" she whispered suddenly in a shaky voice, throwing Regulus completely off track. He truly hadn't expected this topic of conversation, which was why he didn't have a proper answer ready at first. "I-I... I'm not," he tried to talk his way out of it.

"I can see it in the look on your face," Camille sniffed. "He still means something to you."

"Why do you ask me that?"

"L-lorraine..." she stammered, burying her head in her hands so that only her fair hair was visible. When she looked up again, tears were swimming in her turquoise eyes. "I'm so worried about her. I'm afraid she'll turn on her family too.... she hinted at something.... something similar to what Sirius used to say back then."

Awkwardly, Regulus put an arm around the crying girl and looked at her worriedly. He swallowed and already knew that he would regret his next words. Gathering himself, he closed his eyes for a few seconds and swallowed. "Then that is entirely her choice. Some are not made for this life."

Wide-eyed, she looked up at him. The flow of tears had dried up, but her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance and she broke free of his half embrace. "Are you serious?"

"I'm not saying that I wasn't hurt by what Sirius did and that I forgive him," he sighed, brushing a few of his damp strands of hair out of his face before the corners of his mouth began to twitch. A bleak weak smile appeared on his lips. "But I can't deny that he is happy now. I guess this life isn't for everyone."

Camille averted her gaze thoughtfully, pinning it instead silently on a spot on the opposite wall. "Do you think Alaric will feel the same way?" she finally asked with a mirthless undertone in her voice, looking directly at him again.

He swallowed, for he had not thought of Alaric at all. But unfortunately he had to agree with the blonde, it would tear his best friend apart inside if Lorraine turned her back on him and the rest of her family. Just as it had once torn him apart and still did. "Maybe it won't come to that," Regulus whispered, daring to put his hand reassuringly on her shoulder once more. "Sometimes words don't mean anything. We all say something rash now and then."

Stubbornly, she shook her head and lowered her gaze. "She'll get foolish ideas if she continues to stay with Garreth," she murmured softly and looked up again, straight into his grey eyes. Her fine plucked eyebrows drew together absentmindedly. "But tell me, Regulus, how can you still be so nice to me after the last few years? Sirius was right, I did drop you..."

"Sirius?" the addressed Slytherin asked in confusion, shaking his head uncomprehendingly. "Why shouldn't I be nice to you? You're... I mean I could never not be nice to you."

A faint smile grew on Camille's lips and with her turquoise eyes she looked at him in a way that made Regulus' heart speed up at least twice. "Would you accompany me on the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend as thanks? I think we have some catching up to do, Reg."