Out of the Spotlight [ OPEN ]

[Clarissa Kingsley]

Clarissa huffed to herself at the guards that her father had insisted she take with her on the trip to Diagon Alley this year. Both parents were busy with work issues, and Clarissa needed to get the supplies for her final year at Hogwarts. Not to mention she had been getting stir-crazy at home with only her owl for company most of the time. She didn't mind being left alone, quite the contrary, she would much rather be left to her own devices instead of having to do all the socializing with her parents. But at the same time, Clarissa was starting to miss being around others remotely her own age, and the week before the Express was due was much too long in her opinion. And so she had spent the majority of the family breakfast trying to convince her parents to let her go out to Diagon Alley on her own. They had finally caved, provided Clarissa compromised on a few areas as well. Not only would she have to have the guards accompany her, but she would have to go the old way into Diagon Alley, through the Leaky Cauldron. Clarissa had always hated that place because of the various patrons of the pub. She had always felt a little intimidated by most of the people in the pub who lurked in the shadows huddled over their glasses.

The entire drive over to the Leaky Cauldron, Clarissa had been trying to think of any way to get away from the guards so that she could socialize without looking like some freak, or worse, like one of the purebred snobs that most frequently made up the entirety of Slytherin at school. Of course, while she might be pureblood herself, she prided herself on not being a snob, even with her father's position. In fact, she rather disliked the blood snobs, and had several friends who were halfbloods or less. Of course, she had heard of the rumors circulating when her father had taken the office. Most were started by the snobs who (not knowing her father and his politics) had thought it to finally be a harsher magical government towards the differences within blood. But of course, her father had not bowed to any amount of 'suggestion' from the lobbyists.

Even getting into the Leaky Cauldron had been a scene, caused not by the fact that she was the daughter of the Minister of Magic, but by the fact that the guards were not only Auror trainees (as she had discovered in the ride over) but that they insisted on acting out all the checks for a government official while out in public. It was beyond frustrating, and just as embarrassing. It was a good thing that the pub was empty at the moment, or at least that the few patrons in the pub didn't bother looking up to see who was entering the building. So perhaps the patrons were all well accustomed to people walking through the pub during the weeks before time for Hogwarts to begin another term. Clarissa scurried through the pub as quickly as she could, given the guards with her.

Luckily Clarissa was able to get into Diagon Alley without too much of a fiasco. When she made it to the main strip of shops, Clarissa turned back to the two guards and put her hands on her hips with a stern look on her face. "Okay guys, I know you promised my father to watch over me, but come on. Would you have wanted to have two strange guys following you around while trying to get shopping done and hang out with friends when you were my age, a year or so ago? Honestly guys. I'm about to graduate from Hogwarts, I don't think there's much that I can't defend against. Not to mention being near the top of most of my classes, I have been completely certified in all the beginner safety classes for Auror training. I think I can handle myself." Clarissa dug around in her purse before pulling out some money and handing it to the guards. "Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not bribing you guys, I'm just giving you some convenience money. You can go get something to eat, or a sundae or whatever it is you want. Merlin, you can even go back to the Cauldron and get a butterbeer or firewhiskey. Just give me a few hours to myself?" Clarissa gave the two guards her most charming smile, trying to get them to leave her to her own devices for at least an hour or two. Just that much freedom wouldn't be enough for anything terrible to happen, right?

When the guards took the money begrudgingly and turned to walk towards one of the strips of shops, Clarissa almost laughed in triumph. Now she would try to get all her shopping accomplished first before looked around to see if there were any of her friends from school lurking around the shopping hub. It thankfully didn't take that long to order all of her school books, and Clarissa picked up a few other things that she would need for school, along with a new pack of treats for Roderigo. Then with all the shopping finished (everything being shipped to the Minister's house), Clarissa sighed and started towards the ice cream parlor to get herself a sundae and see if there were any of her friends from school likewise lounging about.

[Regulus Black]

Regulus had managed to get away from his parents' house even after already having a long absence from them. He had had Kreacher distract them by dropping pots and pans in the kitchen while he snuck out the front door and headed toward Diagon Alley. Seeing as he lived so far out from Diagon Alley, there was only one way to get there without his parents being about to catch up with him. He took one final step and DisApparated, Apparating directly in front of the Leak Cauldron. A few Muggles saw him, but thought that he had merely been hiding. Those who were too curious got a quick memory charm to the head before he was into the pub.

He walked through the group of tough looking Wizards, got a room key, and headed straight to the wall that led to the Alley. He tapped the right brick and walked through the breezeway. He went an picked up his books and other necessary supplies, never worrying about how expensive items were. He didn't need to, of course. He finished and dropped his books back in his room before heading back into Diagon Alley.

He began to head toward the street that led into Knockturn Alley, knowing that he was bound to meet a few Slytherin friends there, but spotted Clarissa Kingsley at the ice cream parlor. Smiling slightly to himself, he walked quickly up behind her. He leaned over and whispered softly into her ear. "Care to have ice cream with a friend of yours? Or are we still not speaking in public?" They had a secret friendship, due to his brother's crush on Clarissa, but they were still friends. Regulus didn't think about this hurting Sirius, though Clarissa did. He wasn't going after his brother's girl, no matter how much he disliked his brother, he was merely making a friend. "I'll buy."

He moved so that he was beside her, pretending to look at the selections of ice cream that they had posted. He glance over at her and sighed. "No one's around who knows us, Rissa. Just for one afternoon, let's remain in public as friends and have a nice ice cream. If some of your other friends show up, I'll leave without saying a word." It was the kindest he could get without putting a little flirt into it, but he didn't really 'flirt' with Clarissa. He was just her friend ... for now.

[Clarissa Kingsley]

Clarissa sat at the ice cream parlor, randomly waiting for the waitress to bring the sundae out to her. She hadn't seen any of her friends here yet, and was beginning to think that they had already finished all of their shopping for the new school year. That would surely be disappointing to have managed to escape from the guards that her father had insisted on her taking only to sit by herself at the ice cream parlor until the guys decided that they had better return to their charge before something happens to the young only child of the Minister of Magic.

Clarissa was about to give up and go ahead home and just wait until the Express to see and/or talk to any of her friends, when someone came up behind her. Thankfully she had passed most of the beginner level Auror safety training classes, so she didn't jump when startled. Instead she merely whirled around and ended up very close to Regulus Black's face. When he asked if she would like to have ice cream with him, Clarissa was almost tempted to tell him to get lost, merely for having sneaked up on her.

Of course, Regulus was one of her friends, most of the time hidden because of the difference in houses (which she found to be a bad reason for hiding - but she agreed to it because it seemed to make Regulus more at ease with being friends). But at the moment, she was still a little upset with him for being as silly about their friendship as he had been lately, even refusing to let her know where or what he was up to the entire break from school. So she was a little tempted to merely ignore Regulus Black, as most of the people from school (with the exception of the Slytherins) did.

"Is that what we're being today, Regulus?" Sure it was a bit snarky to treat him like this, but she had overheard something from a group of the younger Slytherins talking about an apparent love triangle centering around her with both the Black brothers. She had laughed the idea off, until things had started to get a little more strained with her friendship with Regulus the last part of the past term. And then she had began to think perhaps the younger students might not have been completely gossipmongering. But then again, she had yet to see any true change with Sirius. Of course, they weren't back at Hogwarts yet.

Although when Regulus sighed and commented that there wasn't anyone around who knew them, and that if there were he would merely get up and leave without another word, Clarissa knew that she couldn't just ignore her friend, even if things had been a little awkward over the last break. She rolled her eyes while absently shaking her head. "Oh all right. But if you get out of hand, I'll still beat you over the head with a magical club. Either that or hex you so badly that nobody will be able to undo the damage that I'll do to you." Clarissa grinned brightly, even as she threatened Regulus, knowing that things likely wouldn't turn anywhere near that direction. But if they did, he couldn't say that she hadn't warned him of what she was capable of.

[Regulus Black]

Regulus sighed as Clarissa made a little comment that was very snarky. He felt a little better when she was back to threatening him, smiling pleasantly at her, though he didn't joke around with her. He merely went to a table as far from the street as possible and still be able to see it. He gestured for her to join him and waited for her to sit down before he relaxed enough to tell her what he had to tell her. He was going to wait until they were back in Hogwarts, but there was no guarantee that they would have a moment alone there.

When she had sat down, he folded his hands on the table and looked carefully at her. "I know that you are probably still mad that I didn't tell you where I was going over break, but I didn't want my parents to know. That and what I was doing was dangerous. I was helping hunt down some dangerous dragons that had been found there. Instead, I ended up chasing a bunch of dangerous creatures of unknown origin around. I wasn't without injury." He pulled his shirt sleeve up to show a nasty mark on his arm that had yet to heal. "It'll heal probably in time, but I just got back a few days ago."

He sighed and leaned back, pulling his shirt sleeve down over his arm. He shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair quickly. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, Rissa. I was dangerous for you to know. You've heard the rumors about the Black family, even if Sirius and I don't fulfill them." He didn't add 'at this point in our lives', but he knew that it was always implied when talking about the Black Family. Everything evil was implied.

He sighed and shook his head. "And you can beat me all you want, but I've done decided a few things. One, that we shouldn't be completely secret friends. We can talk briefly at Hogwarts, if you want. I no longer care if others know that we're friends, though I do think that it would piss Sirius off for no reason." He knew that his brother had dibs on Clarissa, and, though she was very attractive, he didn't want to get into even more shit with Sirius. He just didn't think his brother would believe that they were just friends. Not the flirtatious, never serious Regulus. Even now, when Regulus was at his most honest, he still had to fight his nature to flirt with her a little.

[Clarissa Kingsley]

Clarissa raised her eyebrow when Regulus moved to another table and motioned for her to join him at the other table. Of course she realized that he was trying to get as far from the main street and group of people who would be passing by the ice cream shop, but at the same time, she hated to think that she had to hide a friendship from anyone. But of course, as she had already come to terms with the idea of hiding her friendship with Regulus, it didn't bother her as much as it might have in the beginning.

When Regulus mentioned her being upset with him for not telling her where he was going over break, Clarissa shook her head slightly, although it wasn't completely a lie. She had been upset when Regulus hadn't mentioned where he was going. She had been outright with telling her friends about her lack of a family vacation this year, given that it seemed to be England's turn to host the annual convention and summit that her father always pulled the entire family to. And because England was to be the host for the summit, that meant no vacation, not to mention Clarissa playing tour guide to all the visiting diplomats and such.

Of course when Regulus mentioned what he had been doing, Clarissa couldn't restrain the gasp. Chasing and restraining unknown dangerous creatures? That couldn't be legal. After all, Regulus was too young to be doing something that dangerous. At the sight of the scars, Clarissa's left hand went to her mouth while her right absently laid on Regulus' arm covering the scars. "Oh Merlin, Regulus. Are you okay? And whatever would give you the insane idea to go and do such a thing?"

Clarissa shrugged off Regulus' apology for having not told her where he was going. After all, if it was to be dangerous for her to know such a thing, then it would probably be best for everyone if she hadn't known. At the mention of the rumors surrounding the Black family, she shuddered. She was just unable to keep from shuddering. Of course she wasn't scared of Sirius and/or Regulus, but some of the other members of the Black family terrified her. They just seemed evil, and if keeping the details about where he had been over the break would keep everyone safe, then she wasn't worried about it. "There's nothing to worry about, Regulus."

At Regulus' mention of not being completely secret friends, Clarissa raised an eyebrow in slight confusion. After all, he had been the one to suggest that they keep their friendship to mere owl notes and/or small snippets of conversations in passing at various points in the castle. Although Regulus' comment about Sirius made her even more confused. "What are you meaning by that Regulus? And why would your brother be pissed because we're friends?" Clarissa crossed her arms over her chest with an angry look on her face, threatening Regulus if she didn't get her answers, and get them quick.

[Regulus Black]

Regulus shook her hand gently away from Clarissa and sighed at her question about Sirius. Could she actually not know? She was a little naive on certain things, maybe this was one of the things that she didn't know about. He was just trying to determine a good way to tell her. So he would start with the obvious, and most painful in his opinion, his relationship with Sirius.

"You know that Sirius and I have never gotten along, right? He went against our parents, and I just agree with them to prevent arguments. Well we still don't get along that well because of the same reason. That and we were sent in two different houses. I don't hate Sirius, but I don't understand his utter dislike for me. Either way, that's the basis of why he would be pissed."

He took a deep breath and leaned into her, glancing behind her to make sure that his brother wasn't going to pop out of the woodwork. He lowered his voice a little so that no one else could hear him, merely because what he was saying was partially a rumor and partially true. He thought of the best way to tell her, and finally, he just decided that she would tell him without sugar coating it, so he might as well do that for her too.

"Ok, the first part if merely rumor, but everyone I have talked to says that Sirius has his eye set on dating you. That he is secretly in love with you and doesn't want anyone else to go after you. You ever wonder why you have so few guys friends? It's because of Sirius. They're all scared of him." He sighed and leaned back. "The rest of why he would be pissed is that he doesn't believe a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw, especially not HIS Ravenclaw, should be friends. I believe he thinks that Slytherins should only be friends with their own."

He had told her what he knew and what he suspected. It was all he could for her right now. What she did with the knowledge was up to her, but he was tired of hiding his friendship with her from others. He didn't want Sirius even more pissed at him, but at the same time, he knew that Clarissa had never wanted to hide their friendship. Now he was just giving his friend what she had wanted to begin with.

[Clarissa Kingsley]

Clarissa shook her head as Regulus ignored her concern about what he had been doing over the break. Of course he would brush it off as merely nothing, he was a guy, after all and that was their standard response. But then he went to her real question (at least the most pressing question for the moment) about his brother's predicted reaction to their friendship. Of course she knew that Sirius and Regulus didn't exactly get along with each other, mostly (from what she had gathered) because of issues with their parents.

When Regulus leaned over closer to her, Clarissa raised an eyebrow. This wasn't exactly what she had expected from Regulus in public. But then again, most of the time they didn't speak in public, much less lean closer to whisper. At Regulus' mention of Sirius wanting to date her, Clarissa pulled back shaking her head, a blush already starting to form on her cheeks. "Regulus, you've got to be mistaken." Although of course, some of what he was saying did sort of make sense. After all, it was true that she didn't have too many friends who weren't girls. Just mostly Sirius and his other friends, Regulus, and a few sparse Ravenclaws.

At Regulus' mention of Sirius believing that Slytherins should associate only with their own, Clarissa's face blushed brighter at both the 'HIS Ravenclaw' comment and the crass assumption about Slytherins. She huffed slightly in indignance. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not Sirius' Ravenclaw. I don't belong to anyone. And as for who I should be friends with, I am the one who will determine that one."

Clarissa sat back in the chair and angrily crossed her arms over her chest. Although the curiosity was almost overwhelming, and she had never been able to handle that particular little fault well. Her frown deepened as she thought about what Regulus had said about Sirius. Surely Sirius couldn't . . . could he?

[Regulus Black]

Regulus smiled slightly at Clarissa's blushings. He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, fanning it out. He knew what he had heard about Sirius and his little crush on Clarissa. He knew that there were hundreds of rumors about the two of them all around Hogwarts, all of them different in a tiny detail. He just didn't want to upset anyone. Right now, all he could do was what he had wanted to do when he had first seen her.

"Fine, Rissa. Since you can be friends with anyone you want, then I guess there's no point in us hiding any more. Forgive me I don't jump up and yell 'YAY'" he waves his hands in front of her for emphasis, "in a completely gay voice." He smiled and paused. "Oh wait, I just did that, didn't I?"

He winked at her and then laughed slightly. "I have a odd feeling that this is going to be an interesting last year for you, Rissa. Now that it's going to come to light that you are friends with the infamous Regulus Black, favorite son of the Black family. No one knows anything about how nice I am to you, so we still have to keep that a secret." He winked, letting her know that he was teasing her a little.

He leaned back and gestured around Diagon Alley, finally deciding to change the subject. "Were is everyone? Shouldn't they all be here? We've still got a week before school starts. I didn't think anyone shopped that early for supplies." He had changed the subject mostly because he could tell that he had made her uncomfortable with the Sirius conversation. That, and he was truly curious as to where everyone was. Besides, he wanted to be seen in public with her now that it was ok.

[Clarissa Kingsley]

Clarissa turned to look away when Regulus seemed to merely shake off her comments about how he had to be mistaken about his brother's feelings towards her. It could only be friendship, right? And that was probably only because she was almost always seen with Lily, who James had been following around for years now. And given that James and Sirius were best friends, of course he would have been around her. But to have a crush on her? That was almost crazy. Not that she wasn't self-assured or anything, she knew that she was a pretty good catch (not to mention her father often teased her about it all the time). But for Sirius to have a crush on her? That was almost insanity.

When Regulus seemed excited about them not needing to hide their friendship, Clarissa couldn't help but to laugh at his 'yay'. She shook her head, trying to keep from laughing too loudly. While she wasn't hiding her friendship with Regulus, she was still worried about what some of the other Slytherins might say and/or do to Regulus for befriending the only child of the Minister of Magic, who was generally an enemy towards the Slytherins. "Oh shut up, Regulus."

When Regulus said that he thought it would be an interesting last year for her, Clarissa shrugged. "It's just going to be another year at Hogwarts. Nothing interesting about it at all. There's going to be essays, loads of homework, and all the normal Hogwarts drama. Slytherins will try to kill everyone else, while Gryffindors try to act like the hero all the time. Most of the Ravenclaws won't be seen outside of the library, while the Hufflepuffs will try to be friends with everyone. Nothing interesting or out of the ordinary. And as for being friends with 'the favorite son of the Black family', you forgot to mention that I'm also friends with the disowned Black son. So that doesn't mean anything."

When Regulus asked where everyone else was, Clarissa glanced around. She had noticed that there didn't seem to be any of the other Hogwarts students around. Or at least not many. There were some kids who looked like they were probably first years with their parents, but as far as kids their own age, it seemed to be dismally empty. "Yeah, I don't know where everyone is. Then again, I haven't really heard much from anyone this summer. Between helping Dad and all the visiting dignitaries and such, I haven't had much time for anything."

[Regulus Black]

Regulus nodded, looking at the little first years that were with their parents. In years to come he knew that they would be more than likely alone in their endeavors in Diagon Alley, but for now, they were still children. He sighed and shook his head.

"I've only had contact with Narcissa and Bella in the last few weeks. That's not really getting news. They're more about how this Muggle was killed and how they deserved it and all that nonsense. I leave so that I won't have to hear about stuff like that."

He rolled his eyes and leaned back, calling someone over to bring him something to drink. He got the drink and took a long draught from it. He shrugged.

"I was hoping that you might have some news from me. I did send you an owl once or twice when it wasn't all that tough in the wild. You probably didn't get them because of moving around helping your father so much. They were mostly to see how you were doing this summer. You are my friend, so I am allowed to worry, right?"

He smiled at her and ran his fingers through his hair, resting it on the back of his neck for a moment. He put both hands on the table and spread his fingers wide.

"Narcissa was actually supposed to meet me here today, but either she's running late or just decided to cancel on me. She often does that. I love the girl because she is my cousin and closest blood, but sometimes I just don't get her."

[Narcissa Black]

As usual, Narcissa was running fashionably late.

The sky was a misty gray outside her window, but Narcissa ignored the gloomy forecast as she listlessly picked through her collage of robes. A navy lock-lace bodice pressed her breasts upwards in the latest fashion, trimmed with silver lining, yet the skirt she wore with it was as simple and elegant as she could manage. After all, Regulus had never been one to overdress, and she didn't want to look out of place standing next to him.

Regulus was easily her favorite cousin, although she had never deigned to tell him so. During their childhood he was the one that she had sat next to at dinner events, and she had always found comfort in confiding in him. After all, who better to understand the isolation that came with being the golden child of the family than he? Narcissa had always been the ideal daughter, mommy's favorite and most protected, but while she choked on all the "love" and affection forced upon her by her demanding parents, Bellatrix and Andromeda had starved.

It wasn't Narcissa's fault. She hadn't asked to be born with blonde hair and blue eyes. She hadn't asked to be labeled "perfect". She hadn't asked to be the paradoxical black sheep in a family full of raven-haired psychotics. But she had. She had, and even though her sisters loved her, she suspected that they would never forgive her for stealing the spotlight.

Regulus understood that.

From what she'd heard, he and Sirius had never been very close from the start. General consensus labeled Sirius as the attractive one, yet Regulus had wound up carrying the heavy burden of being the best Black boy, the good little Slytherin that never dared to disappoint his pureblood parents. Narcissa knew what that was like. Fuck, it was her life. Her parents called her perfect, and so they expected perfection. Anything less than that was absolutely unacceptable, and there was no way out of the vicious cycle.

That is, no literal way out.

Narcissa had Regulus, and Regulus had Narcissa. That was their little secret that they kept from the rest of the family, their special relationship that nobody else cared to examine or understand. She needed him because Regulus knew, without asking, that Narcissa wasn't as willingly black as the rest of the world painted her. He knew what it was like to sacrifice yourself for the sake of your family. He knew because he did it every day, and that was why she loved him.

"Perfect."

Slipping into a light traveling cloak that she'd received as a gift from Bellatrix last Christmas, Narcissa tightened it about her neck and cast a triumphant look into the wall-length mirror next to her bed. She saw a tall young woman, hair pulled back into a low ponytail that curled prettily at the end, and she gave herself a rare smile of pure happiness. The genuine grin had a startling effect on the Slytherin: her eyes lost their frigid chill, anemic cheeks flushed rosily, and for a moment, Narcissa Black looked as white as her appearance.

Then she apparated into Florean's ice cream parlor and her features iced over instantly.

Regulus was leaning over a table, dark eyes staring steamily into the direction of some Ravenclaw, and Narcissa felt her cheeks burn. It was Clarissa Kingsley that he was watching so intently, Clarissa Kingsley whom he smirked towards with such careless abandon. Regulus had the patented Black looks, from his dark eyes to his manipulatively murderous mouth. Narcissa had admired the same macabre beauty in Bellatrix, but right now, she hated the lusty way that he looked at Clarissa. She hated the fact that without trying to, he was undoubtedly luring the Minister’s traitorous offspring into some sort of twisted little love triangle between him, her, and Sirius. Was he daft? Everybody knew that the oldest Black boy had the hots for Miss Priss, and Regulus had no business with the wench anyways. Clarissa had betrayed them all by taking sides with the mudbloods, and in a strange way, Regulus was now guilty by association.

“I wasn’t aware that ‘a meeting between the two of us’ meant a meeting between the three of us.”

Stepping besides Regulus so that he would have to stare directly up to see her, Narcissa looked down upon Clarissa and said icily, “Where’s your loyal band of body-guards, Kingsley? I’m sure daddy would hate to find out that his baby girl got hurt while she was busy hiding from her protectors.”

Giving Clarissa a cruel smirk that matched the mischievous mouth of her cousin Sirius exactly, Narcissa took a seat in the chair besides Regulus as though it were a throne and raised one haughty eyebrow. Her lips were set and pale against marble skin, and Narcissa affixed one of the most critical blue gazes upon the Ravenclaw across from her.

“Why don’t you run along and find your watchdogs before something horrible happens to you, Kingsley?”

Inside, Narcissa quelled her conflicting emotions with a firm shove. Her stomach muscles tightened as she forcibly kept her icy composure, and she didn’t dare break face in front of Clarissa. This betrayal by Regulus, however small, made Narcissa’s gut clench painfully, and she had to force herself not to panic. What if his parents found out? What if her parents found out? Narcissa might not be allowed to see him again, and she couldn’t bear that. She couldn’t bear losing him the way she had lost Sirius, the way she had lost so many others…the way she was losing Andromeda. She couldn’t bear cutting him out of her life, and so she sat as still as a statue, waiting for Clarissa to get the hell away from her cousin.

[Clarissa Kingsley]

When Regulus mentioned that the only news he received was from his cousins (both of whom were, in Clarissa's opinion, horrid people), she scoffed, and from his description of the 'news' that he had been getting from them, her assumptions were proven. And when he mentioned having sent her an owl or two, she shrugged. There was sometimes so much air traffic at their house that most of the time owls could only come at night, when their neighbors were most likely not to see them. In fact, most of her friends from Hogwarts had started using the normal muggle mail system to contact her when on breaks (unless it was an emergency, of course, and then owls were faster and much more reliable). "You should have known better than sending me owls. Besides, I wasn't at home most of the time. Dad decided to take a vacation to Morocco right after the big summit meeting with the leaders of about fifteen different countries. So I was either swamped with hosting foreign dignitaries or out of the country."

When Regulus mentioned his cousin supposed to be meeting him, Clarissa almost stood to leave instantly. It wasn't that she didn't like the girl, it was just that if she were to stick around until Narcissa arrived, then things could quickly get very ugly. And sure enough before Clarissa could say anything else to Regulus, up walked Narcissa. It was all she could do to keep from grabbing her wand and hexing the smirking blonde bimbo right then. And when she made a comment about Clarissa's father, that almost made her lose it. "Actually Narcissa, my father trusts me to take care of myself. All important members of the government are required to have at least one bodyguard with them at all times. However, given that I'm already past the first level of Auror safety and combat training, I managed to have a little time on my own. And I'm not hiding from anyone."

Clarissa could tell that the Slytherin was trying to intimidate her, and quite frankly it wasn't working. However she did want to leave as quickly as she could. Because while she wasn't afraid of the Slytherin, she was afraid of what she might do to the other girl. And so ignoring Narcissa's snide comments telling her to leave, Clarissa merely stood gracefully before leaning over and lightly kissing Regulus on the cheek just for fun. "Actually Regulus, I have to go anyways. Dad is having another Minister of Magic over for dinner. Not sure what country this time. But I was asked to be back in plenty of time to help set everything up. Drop me an owl before the Express and I'll try to catch up with you then too." Clarissa smiled brightly as she picked up her purse before turning to leave. "Narcissa, see you at school. I hope you enjoy your ice cream with your cousin." She was tempted to say something snarky, but instead decided to be the better person and keep polite and smile, just as her father would have taught her.

EXIT CLARISSA[/i]

[Regulus Black]

Regulus noted the look on Clarissa's face just as Narcissa walked up. He gave her the only smile that was ever truly real, though it vanished quickly as he realized that his cousin was beyond angry. He almost killed himself in that moment when he realized that he had yet to tell her what he was doing with Clarissa Kingsley. He would have to explain it to her, but first he would have to do damage control.

"If it isn't my favorite cousin! I just ran into Clarissa here and thought that I would buy her an ice cream. Of course you know Clarissa, right? She's been a friend of mine for a few years now. Helped me pass Charms several times."

He was pleased that Narcissa had taken that moment to sit beside him. He threw his arm around her shoulders, using that small movement to calm her as best as he could. He was trying to tell her with the soft thrumming of his fingers that he would explain when Clarissa left, which happened to be faster than he had thought. He was a little shocked when she kissed him on the cheek, but figured she was doing it for Narcissa's benefit. He gave her a nod and said a goodbye as she walked out the door.

As soon as she was gone her turned to Narcissa, eyes blazing with anger, normally sexy lips pulled back in a grimace. "You could have rumor everything, Cissy. I've been working the Minister's daughter for six years now, and you could have just thrown it all away." He wiped his cheek where Clarissa had kissed him. "If I didn't love you so much, I would have hexed you as soon as you jumped to conclusions. She thinks I'm a good guy. I have her believing me. Even thinking we're good friends. You could have ... ugh!"

He slammed his fist on the table, letting the rage he so often suppressed course through him. Narcissa and a few select Slytherins were the only people who ever say him this way. Saw the real Regulus. He wasn't the flirtatious guy everyone knew, but something worse. Much worse. He took deep breaths and turned back to Narcissa. "Do you understand now?" He wasn't so much angry with himself as the stupid owl he had used to send her letters during the summer. All their letters were in code and he had explained everything to her. Apparently, when his owl was burned by the dragons in Romania, the letter was too. "Damn that owl. I sent you a message explaining this to you."

[Narcissa Black]

With Reg's arm around her and Clarissa preparing to leave, Narcissa finally began to feel more secure in her position...that was, until Kingsley leaned across the table and pecked Regulus on the cheek. At once the color drained out of Narcissa's face, a truly furious palor of anemic white lending her a ghastly appearance, and as soon as Clarissa was gone, Narcissa exploded.

"What the bloody fuck, Regulus?"

They pitted against each other, two raging Blacks with eyes that stormed like hurricanes, and Regulus let loose.

"You could have ruined everything, Cissy. I've been working the Minister's daughter for six years now, and you could have just thrown it all away."

"What do you mean, you've been 'working' the Minister's daughter? Six years? God, I thought I knew you."

"If I didn't love you so much, I would have hexed you as soon as you jumped to conclusions. She thinks I'm a good guy. I have her believing me. Even thinking we're good friends. You could have ... ugh!"

Narcissa froze, and for the first time in a long time, she saw the bestial boom of fury take over Regulus' features. She was as Black as the rest of her brood, accustomed to this horrific unleashing of rage, but it still didn't make the situation any less frightening. Regulus looked murderous, and Narcissa shrank back from him warily, preparing for the worst. Bellatrix got that look in her eyes too, and Narcissa knew that violence always followed.

"Do you understand now?"

Narcissa didn't, but she saw that his anger was beginning to cool. Throwing caution to the wind, she leaned in and touched the spot on his cheek where Clarissa had kissed him, rubbing sinfully soft fingers against his roughly-shaven face.

"Don't be anry with me, Regulus. You know I'm only thinking of you."

That wasn't entirely true. She was thinking of herself too, of her jealous mean streak that demanded the immediate extermination of Clarissa Kingsly.

"Damn that owl. I sent you a message explaining this to you."

He said these words distractedly, and Narcissa pulled him into an embrace, burying her face into his shoulder. She inhaled the smell of his spicy cologne, reveling in the safe familiarity of it, and she felt her own anger melting away.

"I didn't get any owl, Regulus. All I saw was you with that...that blood traitor, and I snapped. I hate her, Regulus. I really do, she's an awful girl and I can't stand the thought of you together. And she kissed you...what was I supposed to think?"

Her voice rose a little at that, higher than usual, and she blushed with embarrassment and renewed anger.

"What if somebody saw you? What if your parents found out and they kicked you out of the house? Then I'd never see you again, Reg. They'd take you away from me."

[Regulus Black]

Regulus couldn't contain the anger. Only one other Black could rival him with the explosive rage inside them and that as Bellatrix. When Narcissa touched his cheek though, he calmed a little. He had scared her. Shit. He didn't want to scare the one person who truly understood him. And, from the look on her face, she didn't understand what he was trying to tell her at all.

"Cissy, she just kissed me to get at you. As for why I'm with her, the owl explained the whole thing but he got smoked. I'm working her in that I'm gaining access into her good graces to better understand what the Ministry is trying to do with the recent Muggle murders and the mudblood problem."

He had been working so hard and gained a great deal of valuable information through little conversations with Clarissa to gain that her father wasn't doing anything about the Muggles and mudbloods. He was trying to find the killer or killers, but that was about it. Regulus wished that he could be out there fighting against people like the Minister of Magic.

He wrapped his arms around Narcissa when she buried her head in his shoulder. He ran his fingers lightly through her blond hair, getting funny looks from others. He knew that they didn't look anything alike so people often thought their little affectionate hugs as cousins as something more that needed a room. He sighed and kissed her temple quickly, pulling back so that she could see his face.

"Mum knows that I've been working different angles to get into areas of the Ministry that aren't accessible to people not connected to the Minister. She doesn't know that I'm doing that through the Minister's daughter, but she knows what I've been up to. Yes, I haven't done it full time. Most of the time I'm out doing dangerous stuff to get sympathy points from that blood traitor. She falls for them every time."

He sighed and put his arm back around Narcissa. "Don't worry, Cissy. No one will ever take me away from you. You're like my sister. In this world, it's always just been me and you. And sometimes Bella. When she wants to be part of the group. But it will always, always be me and you."