Cream of the Crop

Sitting down in a compartment on the Hogwarts express. Regulus Black let out a low breath. Finally, finally he was going to Hogwarts. Away from their mother and her loud grumbled about the attitude of her eldest son. Their father had been pretty insistent that maybe Turais was right. And he'd refused to hear anything on the death eaters In the house now. He'd done his own research, and he agreed with Turais. There was no evidence this lord Voldemort wasn't a mud-blood or half-blood lording over pure-bloods as revenge for how he'd been treated. In fact, there was a great deal of evidence turning up that it was in fact a 'Tom riddle' using the name Voldemort. Turais had made a good point in that topic.

Looking up as his trunk was stacked overhead, Regulus smile at his older brother, who'd grinned back at him. Sirius was also sat in the cabin, having insisted that three of them start this journey together, even if Turais would be pulled away ten minutes into the ride to begin his prefect duties.

Both parents had been exceedingly proud of their eldest in that Ragnar. He'd beaten the younger Lestrange brother, when really there wasn't much of a contest, to the shiny little badge, along with several other pure-bloods heirs. Sirius claimed that there was no way Turais wasn't going to get that badge. Professor slughorn, the head of slytherin house, was all but in love with Turais, he was the perfect student.

Apparently he'd laminate poetically whenever Sirius had potions, all about how his older brother was the perfect little potions master, and that he was pleased that Sirius held some of the same talent,

Of course,Sirius didn't mention the fact Turais had been tutoring him in all of his subjects, more than happy to see his younger brother flourish. He'd spent a good deal of time teaching Regulus too over the summer, making sure he understood everything they cover in first year, even offering up his old textbooks instead of the nice new ones that mother had brought him.

Obviously, Regulus had dropped the new books like potatoes in exchange for Turais' old ones. He'd. He was seven, Turais and their father had faced off against one another, considering the oldest Black siblings had gratified an ancient book in the black library. They'd fought, until Orion had realised that Turais had corrected a flaw In the written work, which had incorrectly described how to do a spell, one which most Blacks had just assumed they weren't meant to use if they couldn't work it from the instructions.

Regulus knew for certain his older brother would have not only gone through the text books and corrected everything, but had no doubt added his own helpful hints, improvements, and if he were lucky, spells he'd created whilst bored in Class. Sirius had rejected Turais' old books at first, into the summer she. Bed flicked through them with Regulus, just one of interest, only to find several spells by the older black scribbled hastily into the margin. He'd accepted Turais' third year books, and had been dying to try out a spell which when used to charm a tube of toothpaste, would lead to teeth falling out.

Regulus himself had found one in the first year books that would lead to developing elephant ears, and there were a few hastily scribbled notes in the back of the potions text that was playing around with the idea of a potion that would lead to gender switch for twelve hours, perhaps Turais had finished it in his second year?

"Feeling okay Reggie?"

Turais was grinning down at him now, having stood up and adjusted the prefect badge upon his robes. Nodding, Regulus pulled out his sketchbook, ready to try and capture the snoozing Sirius, who'd fallen asleep against the window in his seat.

"I'm off to go do prefect duties, I think Sirius' mad friends will be by soon enough, so don't panic when those little marauders show up." Turais offered him another grin before sweeping out the carbon, the door sliding to a close almost silently after him.

____________________________________________

Sitting back in his chair up to the head table within the Great hall, Horace Slughorn, drummed his fingers lightly across the wooden worktop. The students were all filing in the for the start of the new year, and the professor found himself significantly more excited this year than he had been the last.

New students were always a pleasure, but it was to be the last of the Black brother this year, he'd been ever so upset two years prior, when young Sirius had been sorted inky gryffindor house. Truly, it had been a surprise, to see a Black, whine were traditionally sorted into his own house, get decked out within red and gold. He'd been disappointed, something he'd never had expected four years ago.

In fact four years ago he'd been anxious, for the oldest Black brother had been starting Hogwarts. He'd never particularly liked the family, dark with a dangerous reputation to them. Bellatrix Black, or Lestrange as she was know now, summed up what most of the world thought of the family quite well. That was, until a young boy had walked into the great hall four years ago.

The wavy black hair had been pulled up in a topknot atop his head, exposing a curious lighting bolt shaped scar and the characteristic grey eyes of the black family. Turais Black. The heir to the ancient and noble house of black. And he been, as expected, sorted into slytherin.

Slughorn would admit his interest had been peaked when the boy's older cousin had cried out he was a parselmouth. Albums had asked him to keep an eye on the boy, to make sure everything was okay with him and that he wasn't following too enthusiastically in his family foot-steps. So Slughorn had done so, feeling a bit of apprehension as he watched the confident bit sit at the Slytherin table the next morning for breakfast.

It only took Slughorn a month to come to his own conclusion about the boy.

And what a relief it was. Turais Black was a surprise breath of fresh air. The boy was so pleasant, the best student he'd ever had. Even better than that poor orphan boy thirty years ago, who'd also won everyone over.

But he tried not to dwell on the past, he didn't like to think of that boy and his mask. No, Turais Black was too free for it all to be faked, he stood up for his beliefs and anyone else who may not be able to themselves. He was a talented student, he'd heard of the portraits whisper that perhaps he was even more talented then that of Dumbledore himself had been at that age. He was brilliant at potions, excelled at charms, astounding at defence, he was an Animagus by thirteen! A brilliant boy indeed, Slughorn felt no need to worry about the eldest Black child. He was the best slytherin had to offer the world, he was the a perfect charming young man and he was ever so proud to have him in his house.

The choice of male prefects this year had never been easier, Turais would never abuse the power. He'd been acting as a prefect ever since he came to Hogwarts, now he just had the badge to prove it. A fifth year at last.

That was what Slughorn was looking forwards to this year, OWL's. Not for all the stress that would come to the students, and subsequently, himself.

No, what he was looking forwards to was Turais Blacks reaction to the tests.

He had no doubt the boy was going to blast apart the previous beats for many tests, but he wanted to see how the boys presence would after the grade of those around him. Turais was in good terms with the Miss smith in Gryffindor and her muggle-born friend, and he'd often caught the two girls In The potions using techniques that Turais had been showing since his first year. No doubt he'd been tutoring them. He was looking forwards to seeing if the boy would continue to tutor the girls and anyone else whom approached him.

He'd met with the first years every year, and for the last few years, each one had said how helpful the eldest Black had been, leading the new batch to bed from lessons, on the first few days, and yet somehow managing to getting his own classes on time. It wasn't until the boys third year that Slughorn had realised he was using secret short-cuts that would only open to a parselmouth. Hell, the boy probably knew the castle better than Albus.

Yes, Slughorn was most certainly looking forwards to Turais Blacks OWL scores.

"Black, Regulus!"

Ah yes, that was the other reason he was pleased, the youngest Black brother had finally arrived at Hogwarts. Slughorn had already contemplated the youngest brother, had overheard Sirius talking about the boy.

Apparently Turais often took Regulus out for Quidditch practice, and the boy was quite the skilled seeker. A Sirius often praised his older brother, and Slughorn didn't find himself surprised to hear the Black heir was an impressive Quidditch player too. But Turais had refused to try out for the team, insisting that his youngest brother was quite the seeker, and he would not want to to a place on the team when it was possible Regulus would be sorted into Slytherin.

Slughorn was rather hoping the boy would join his house, for since that potter boy had joined the Gryffindor team Slytherin house had lost the cup ever since.

"Slytherin!" Ah, excellent.

The middle Black child was clapping loudly for his brother from the Gryffindor table, but never mind.

He had two out of the three, and while he would have liked the set, he still had the cream of the crop in the form of Turais Black.