To Make Them Proud

"Hey Reggie, ready to be a Hufflepuff?"

Sirius, Regulus thought without turning around. Bloody brother. Still have to tease me even in the middle of King's Cross.

"I'm not going to be a Hufflepuff, Sirius," Regulus replied. "And don't call me Reggie."

Sirius cackled. "You don't know that, Reggie. After all, you are loyal enough to Mother dearest, and you work hard to kiss up to her. I think Hufflepuff would be the perfect place for you!"

Regulus frowned. "Honestly Sirius, just because I respect Mother doesn't mean I'm going to be a Hufflepuff. And anyway, why are you still bothering me? Where're those friends of yours?"

Sirius stretched, then reached out and mussed Regulus's hair, grinning. "Not here yet, baby brother, which means I get to take care of you. After all, we can't let the ickle first year miss the train, can we?"

Regulus pushed Sirius's hand away. "I'm not going to miss the train, either. I'll be fine, you don't need to take care of me," he said, rolling his eyes. Bother him, more likely. Or just be an annoying git. He's good at that. "How about you just leave me alone?"

Sirius grinned. "Why, Reggie," there's that stupid nickname again, "I wouldn't do that to you! Leave my own little brother alone in the big station? Perish the thought!"

"He'll be with me," a new voice entered the conversation, and Regulus turned to face his cousin Bellatrix walking towards them. Bellatrix was entering her fifth year, just as Sirius was entering his second and Regulus was entering his first. She stopped just next to Regulus, and smiled sweetly at Sirius. "I think he said that he wanted you to leave him alone, Siri."

"Don't call me that," Sirius growled, but with one last glare at her, he stalked off, not looking at Regulus at all.

Regulus looked at Bella. "Thanks," he said, wondering why she'd done that. She didn't usually stick up for him against his brother. She usually just laughed and watched. But he didn't ask--questioning her motives usually annoyed his older cousin.

"No problem, little cousin," she replied, pinching his cheek and grinning when he made a face. "But now that I've got you away from your git brother, I'm leaving. Find a compartment yourself." And with that, she stalked off, joining her friends near the train.

Regulus stood alone in the station, not quite sure what to do. He checked his watched, but it was only 10:40. Is that too early to get on the train? he wondered. Finally he just shrugged and decided to get on anyway.

He dragged his trunk onto the train and found an empty compartment. For a while, he just sat there, looking out at the window at the families saying good-bye and the friends reuniting, a bit jealous. His own parents had just dropped Sirius and him off, then left, barely even staying to say good-bye. No hugs or kisses, no laughter or tears; just an admonition to "make them proud".

Then the compartment door slid open again, and a boy with brown hair and brown eyes peeked in. "Hello, d'you mind if I sit in here too? All the compartments are starting to fill up," the boy said.

Regulus nodded. "Sure," he said. "I'm Regulus Black."

"Rabastan Lestrange," the boy replied, and stuck out his hand. Regulus, recognising the last name as belonging to some of his parents' friends, returned the handshake and smiled at Rabastan.

"So what House are you hoping for?" Rabastan asked, taking a seat opposite Regulus.

Regulus shrugged. "Slytherin, of course. I'm not looking for a Howler like the one my git of a brother got when he was Sorted into Gryffindor." Just then, the train started moving.

Rabastan looked interested. "I'd heard about that," he commented. "My brother Rodolphus, who's a sixth-year Slytherin prefect, told me about that. He said it was a disgrace, how a Black was Sorted into Gryffindor."

Regulus nodded. "I remember when Mother told me that Sirius was a Gryffindor. I thought she was joking at first."

Rabastan chuckled. "I probably would have too, if it had been my brother. Though I can't imagine Rodolphus as a Gryffindor--he's Slytherin to the core. What'd your father do?"

Regulus rolled his eyes. "He just frowned at the letter Sirius sent us, telling us. It was Mother who blew a fuse and sent the Howler, but she has a shorter temper than Father does."

"I bet," Rabastan said. "I have to be in Slytherin too, or else Mum'll kill me. After Rodolphus does, of course."

Regulus smiled. "Don't worry, I'm sure you will be," he said, and Rabastan smiled too. They passed the rest of the train ride talking about Hogwarts and what they would do when they got there.

~*~

Regulus stood at nearly the head of the line, wishing he could be standing near Rabastan instead, but his only friend was at least ten people behind him. He hadn't known what to think when that Professor McGonagall'd brought out a tattered old hat, or when it started to sing, but now he was starting to get nervous. What if he really was Sorted into Hufflepuff?

The two people in front of him were Sorted all too quickly, and then it was his turn. "Black, Regulus!" Professor McGonagall called, and Regulus walked up to the hat with trepidation.

'Ah, another Black,' he heard in his mind as the hat slipped over his head.

'Hello...' he thought back, wondering if it could hear him.

'I can hear you just fine, young Black,' the hat chuckled. 'Now where should I put you, do you think?'

'You're asking me?' Regulus asked, amazed. 'Don't you just...look into my head and see what House I'd be best in?'

'I've already done that,' the hat whispered into his ear, 'but it's not much good if you don't agree. What about your brother, young Black? Would you like to be with him?'

Unconsciously, Regulus thought of Sirius--brash, loud, disrespectful Sirius, always causing their mother to fly into rages, always being mean to the house-elves, always teasing him. 'Ah. No, I think not,' the hat said. 'No, you're not really like your brother at all. You don't have the same goals as he does. What is it that you want out of life, Regulus?'

'...Respect,' Regulus thought hesitantly. 'I want to be respected. I don't want Sirius to tease me, or Mother to yell at me. I want people to like me.'

'Yes,' the hat said. 'Just as I thought. Then the House for you is--'

"SLYTHERIN!"