Friday 31st October, 1976

It was Halloween, October 31st, and Hogwarts was ready to party. There was a school event being held at the Great Hall, but I'd already heard about Sirius and James's plans to sneak fire whiskey into the punch. Usually these events only had one teacher overlooking it, so it wouldn't be too hard.

I begrudgingly got into my costume, glaring at the bright orange uniform belonging to the seeker of the Chudley Cannon's team, Jenny Flocks, in the mirror. I looked like an idiot and vowed to never wear quidditch robes ever again. How come everyone else looked good in them except me?

I sighed, exiting my dorm and meeting up with the marauders, Lily, Marlene, and Mary in the Common Room, all of them wearing the same uniform with Remus being the exception. There were only seven players on one quidditch team, and Remus had jumped at the chance of not dressing up. Lucky bastard.

James grinned when he saw me, lightly nudging my shoulder with his. I nudged him back, harder than necessary, but he just laughed. Together, we walked to the Great Hall, finding most of the school there, all of them dressed up in ridiculous costumes.

I looked around, noting the various pumpkins around the room and candles that seemed to glow eerily in the shadows around it. My gaze somehow landed on Regulus Black and I stopped dead when I noticed what he was wearing. He was dressed as the Kenmare Kestrels seeker, Leo Poisonwood, his friends all dressed up as other players from the team.

I would have laughed if I wasn't so horrified. The Kenmare Kestrels and Chudley Cannons were rival teams and had the most popular rivalry in all of quidditch. It just so happened that Jenny Flocks and Leo Poisonwood fell in love with each other and were one of the most known wizarding couples worldwide. They had even gotton engaged just a few months ago, and out of all the quidditch players in the world, Regulus had to choose the one currently engaged with mine.

Regulus's eyes found mine and widened when he noticed who I was, the realisation that we were dressed as a couple dawning on both of us. Just ignore him, the reasonable part of my mind said. Unfortunately I was never good at listening to that part of my brain.

I was already halfway across the room before I realised I was walking and had already arrived in front of Regulus when the thought that maybe I shouldn't be doing this had crossed my mind. It was too late now.

"Black," I said.

"Potter," Regulus answered, eyeing my costume with distaste.

I did the same, looking at him up and down in an attempt to find the flaws in his costume. The robes were emerald green with two yellow K's back-to-back on the chest, as the Kenmare Kestrels uniform usually was. The clothes fit him perfectly, subtly showing the outline of his muscles without giving too much away, and I wondered if this was what he looked like in his Slytherin quidditch robes.

Green definitely suited him.

"Enjoying the view?" Regulus asked, causing my eyes to snap back to his face where a smug smirk was resting.

I scoffed. "Not particularly. I mean, Leo Poisonwood, really?"

Regulus rolled his eyes. "Like Jenny Flocks is any better."

I didn't watch much quidditch, having no interest in the game, but I'd seen and heard enough to know that Jenny Flocks was a legend. Leo Poisonwood on the other hand, not so much.

"Please, she's way better than the Kestrel's seeker," I retorted.

Regulus snorted, shaking his head at my statement.

"No, she's definitely not. Poisonwood actually has skill. Flocks just slept her way to a position."

"Excuse me-"

I was interrupted when a Ravenclaw fourth year with blonde hair came up to us, smiling shyly.

"Hi, sorry, I just wanted to say your couple costume idea is really good," she said.

I stared at her, unable to process her words. Did she just say couple costume? As in Regulus and my costumes? As in we were the couple? As in we were together? I recoiled at the thought, as did Regulus when he pieced together what the girl had said.

"Oh, no, we're not together," I said hurriedly. "This was a complete accident."

"Oh...okay," the girl said hesitantly. "Well, its um- its still a good idea."

She was quick to retreat after that, leaving Regulus and I to stare at each other in horror. She had thought we were a couple. Is that what other people saw us as? A couple? Because we certainly weren't.

I moved away from Regulus who in turn moved from me, both of us walking to our own friend groups. I found James and Sirius near the punch bowl, high fiving one another as Remus vanished an empty fire whiskey bottle, looking rankled.

I turned around, trying to find the teacher that was supposedly supervising us, when I spotted Dumbledore, asleep in his chair in a corner, snoring softly. I gaped at him, wondering if someone put something in his drink or if he had genuinely just fallen asleep. Either option was possible when it came to Dumbledore.

"Care for a drink, Y/n?" James asked me with a grin.

I returned it, nodding my head. "Hell yes."

After that, the party was a blur of music, colour, drinks, and people. I danced quite a bit, with people and without. I drank quite a bit as well, more than I should have. It didn't worry me much though as I left the dance floor to get another drink. Why worry when you could have fun instead?

I turned my head left and right, trying to figure out the way to the drinks table, when I saw Regulus leaning against a wall, observing the party in silence. He was alone, so I figured it was the perfect time to go up to him.

"Hey Regulus- wait, no, hey handsome," I said slyly, sidling up to him.

"What do you mean hey- "Regulus's eyes went wide as he realised what I just said. "Wait, did you just hit on me?"

I stared at him suspiciously, noting how immaculate his hair looked this late into the party. Had he even danced yet? He needed to dance; it was a party. You dance at parties.

"Whose asking?" I asked.

Regulus stared at me, dumfounded, as he answered. "I am."

"Oh," I said. There was a beat of silence before I spoke again. "What was the question?"

"Are you drunk?"

I frowned, scrunching my nose up at the question. That definitely wasn't the question he had asked; I was sure of it.

"I don't remember you asking that, but yes," I replied.

Regulus sighed, shaking his head.

"Where's your brother and his band of idiots?" he muttered to himself, looking through the crowd. I followed his gaze, both of us finding James first. He was very drunk, probably drunker than me, and was flirting with an equally drunk Lily who seemed to be flirting back.

"He's not going to be leaving anytime soon," Regulus muttered, moving his gaze to the next marauder he found, or marauders I should say. Sirius and Remus were in a corner, hands all over each other as they're lips moved against one another. I saw Regulus blink, and blink again, throat bobbing as he watched his brother kiss a boy. I wondered if Sirius ever told Regulus he liked boys.

"They're a little preoccupied," he managed to say, and turned to look at the last remaining marauder, Peter, who was passed out face first on the floor. Regulus didn't even deign to comment on it, instead sighing and turning to face me.

I liked it when he looked at me. It made it easier for me to look into his eyes, which were so similar to Sirius's, but as I stared at them seemed so different. I was sure that Sirius's eyes were darker, almost verging black like his mother, or so I'm told, while Regulus's were lighter. They were still grey, but as I continued to stare at them, I decided they were definitely lighter than Sirius's. Prettier too.

"Do you want to leave?" Regulus asked me.

"No! There's so much more to drink!" I exclaimed.

"I think you should leave," Regulus decided.

I frowned. Who was he to tell me what to do? I was a strong, independent woman and could make decisions on my own, thank you very much.

"Jokes on you, I don't know how," I replied.

Regulus looked at me, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I can't remember how to get to my Common Room," I said smugly.

Regulus stared at me, deadpan, before sighing. He seemed to be having an internal battle with himself, posture rigid as emotions flashed in his eyes, gone too quickly for me to decipher what they were. Not that I would have even if I could; my mind was solely fixed on Regulus's quidditch outfit.

Eventually Regulus let out a frustrated groan, sending me a glare.

"Stupid Potter," he muttered.

I nodded sagely. "Yes, my brother is very stupid. Thanks for noticing."

Regulus rolled his eyes, but the tips of his lips twitched, as if he was fighting back a smile. I found myself wanting to see him smile. I'd seen him smile before, with his friends, but never at me. I wanted him to smile at me.

My thoughts were forgotten as I felt Regulus's hand curl around my wrist, pulling me towards him. I did so with a stumble, goosebumps rising on my skin. Regulus walked out of the Great Hall with purpose, dragging me along after him as I tried and failed to get my bearings.

In the end I decided to just go with it, unable to figure out where we were going or why. It didn't matter really with Regulus beside me. Nothing mattered but Regulus when he was beside me, I'd decided. It was just so nice to be so close to him. I wondered why I didn't spend more time with him.

I didn't enjoy the string of muttered insults and curses as he trudged along the corridors though, my wrist still firmly in his grip as I trailed beside him.

"You're such an idiot," he muttered under his breath again for the seventh time. "I mean, why would you get drunk when there wasn't anyone to look out for you? Why? What was going through brain? Do you even have a brain?"

I wrinkled my nose. I did, in fact, have a brain, but I let the insults slide, because then he wouldn't stop holding my wrist. I liked him holding me.

Regulus came to a sudden halt and I found myself tripping to a stop behind him. I looked around and spotted the portrait hole to the Gryffindor Common Room in front of us. I frowned as Regulus let go of my wrist and turned around to face me.

"What's the password?" he asked.

"I'm not telling you, you're a Slytherin," I answered, eyeing him distrustfully.

Regulus scoffed. "I'm trying to help you here."

"Sure you are," I retorted suspiciously.

Regulus let out an angry huff and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. When he opened his eyes, he seemed calmer, like he'd decided something. He didn't seem particularly happy about it though. He grabbed my wrist again, dragging me after him as he started to walk somewhere else, and I followed happily.

"God, I hate you so much," Regulus cursed.

I sighed, getting tired of his muttering.

"Well, I hate you too you know," I said. "I hate your perfect hair and beautiful smile."

Regulus's pace slowed, his eyes boring into my face as he stared at me, confused. I continued.

"I hate your pretty eyes and soft lips. I hate your stupid smirk and how good you are at pranking me. I hate that sometimes I wonder if you're right, and if I need my brother to do everything for me. I hate how alike we are."

"What do you mean, 'alike'?" Regulus asked quietly.

"You feel shadowed by your brother," I said softly. "I find myself feeling the same at times."

A silence descended upon us as Regulus processed my words. I watched his face eagerly, hoping to get some sort of reaction from him. Unfortunately for me, he had a good mask and kept his features blank as he continued to lead me somewhere.

We stopped walking again, but only briefly as Regulus murmured a word and the brick wall in front of us melted into the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room. Feeling proud of myself for knowing where we were, I followed Regulus as he manoeuvred his way through the Common Room and into a familiar hallway.

We stopped walking when he'd herded me into his dorm room. I stood there as he closed the door, suddenly aware of how tired I felt. My limbs felt long and heavy, my eyelids solid weights already drooping closed.

"You can take my bed," Regulus said, his eyes averted from me. "I'll take one of my friend's beds. They're all crashing at some girl's dorms."

If I was less drunk and tired as I was now, I might have argued, but the exhaustion of tonight was hanging over my head, so I just nodded, shuffling to his bed and crawling under the covers. I closed my eyes, feeling myself already drifting off to sleep, when I spoke.

"Goodnight Reggie," I said, my voice groggy.

There was silence, and as my consciousness started slipping away and I'd decided he wasn't going to say anything, he answered.

"Goodnight Y/n," he said, voice soft.

I fell asleep to the sound of his voice bidding me goodnight.

A/N:

two updates in one day? i really do love you all.

tbh i really just wanted to post this chapter while the halloween mood was still going, even if i am a few days late, so here you all are.

IMPORTANT NOTE!!!

when regulus saw sirius and remus kissing, he had a reaction to it. this is not because regulus is homophobic. i repeat, regulus. is. not. homophobic. i wanted to get into more detail, but y/n was drunk so she wouldn't have been able to think much about it, and y/n isn't going to think back on it in future chapters so i wanted to explain it now.

regulus reacted to seeing sirius and remus kissing because he didn't know sirius liked boys. sirius had never told him, given they aren't exactly on speaking terms, and regulus was hurt by that because it was just further proof that their relationship was over, that sirius didn't love regulus anymore. (he does, dw, regulus just thinks that he doesn't.)

anywho, that's all. happy halloween!