LXXXVIII. The Dog in the Tower

                                    

                                          
The carriage ride to Hogwarts was lonely. 
                          
Regulus didn't bother looking for Barty or Rabastan - he simply headed straight for the carriages that he knew to be drawn by thestrals, and he climbed into an empty one. He was joined by a seventh year Hufflepuff, a fifth year Ravenclaw, and a second year Slytherin that he vaguely recognized from the sorting the year before. 
                          
The small Slytherin boy tried to make small talk with Regulus, but he really was not interested. He pushed himself as far into the corner of the carriage as possible, leaned his head against the wall behind him, and waited impatiently for the ride to be over. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had started a casual conversation, and Regulus did everything he could to tune it out. 
                          
Regulus just wanted to get to the castle, get through the stupid start of term feast, and go to bed. Whether he would really be able to fall asleep when his head hit the pillow was the question, and he had a very strong inkling that he knew the answer. 
                          
When they finally reached the castle, Regulus was the first one out. He joined the large group of students, and he waited for the front doors of the castle to be opened so that they could filter inside. 
                          
"Reg!" Barty called, and Regulus turned his head to the left. Barty was coming towards him, a curious look on his face. "Are you alright?" 
                          
"You've asked me that a lot, and I've answered you every single ruddy time. I'm fine, alright, just stop bloody asking," Regulus snapped. 
                          
Barty did not take Regulus's snapping at him to heart. He could see that there was very obviously something bothering him, and he didn't want to hold any negative behavior against him. After all, Barty didn't see himself as being very good at expressing his emotions, either. So, instead, he stood next to Regulus, and the two of them waited to go into the Great Hall in silence. 
                          
Barty glanced at Regulus every few seconds, watching the irritation slowly receding. As the frustration left, he could see the mannerisms that came with Regulus's being upset begin to come out. He started shifting his weight from one foot to the other, fiddling with his hands, and eventually, biting his nails absently. 
                          
"That's a bad habit," Barty warned Regulus again, for what felt like the hundredth time. 
                          
Regulus bristled, and he sent Barty a sidelong glare. "Ok, well, I don't really care, do I?" 
                          
Barty threw his hands up in front of himself. "Just trying to look out for you," he muttered. 
                          
Regulus looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "That's very interesting, especially coming from you." 
                          
Barty furrowed his brow. "What's that supposed to mean?" 
                          
"It means, Barty, that I was trying to look out for you when I told you that Rabastan Lestrange isn't someone that you want to be involved with!" 
                          
Barty rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "That's what this is about? It's about me sitting with Rabastan? You could've come!" 
                          
"I didn't want to come, Barty, that's the whole ruddy point! Rabastan-" 
                          
"'Isn't someone I want to be involved with'. Yeah, Reg, you've said it enough." Barty snapped. "It's not my ruddy fault that you're jealous." 
                          
Regulus looked at Barty, and he let out a short, condescending laugh. "Jealous? Of what?"
                          
"That I'm making other friends, and you aren't!" 
                          
"I don't give a damn if you're making other friends, Barty!" 
                          
"Really? Because that's not what it looks like to me!" 
                          
"Fine! Go become best mates with Rabastan Lestrange and let your relations with him ruin your life! Not like I could care any less!"