Just Following The Law

Regulus Black grinned to himself, clutching the broom closer to his chest. It'd been a month since the quidditch trials. He'd gotten in, he'd actually gotten on the team. He was the youngest seeker in a very, very long time. Regulus had grinned, he'd been so overjoyed with himself that he'd ran from the quidditch pitch and straight the library. There, Turais had been tutoring the two girls I. His year, the smith girl and a muggle-born. Regulus had ignored them and all but flung himself at Turais, the older boy only just managing to catch him In a hug. He'd happily informed his older brother that sweet Salazar, he'd gotten on the team. And Turais had grinned, excusing himself from the two girls to take him down to the kitchen. There he'd asked a house-elf for some part food and the two of them had celebrated.

Ever since Regulus was seven and had gotten his first broom, Turais had been teaching him all about flying. The older boy was, as he was with most things, excellent at it. He'd taught Regulus all he knew, from taking off smoothly, to the most dangerous manoeuvres in existence.

And while Turais didn't play quidditch himself, he'd been more than happy to help train Regulus up for his chosen role of seeker.

And he'd gotten in. In his first year!

And now it was his first match. The only people to know outside of the quidditch team was Turais, Slughorn and Orion. His father had been pretty proud, happily sending up his broom with a note hoping his grades would be as outstanding as his sudden entrance to the quidditch team was. Not even Sirius knew he'd joined the team.

"And no for the Slytherin team."

Regulus took a deep breath, summoning his courage. Turais said he was good, really good. He would have to be good to get on the team in his first team . now he'd get a chance to show what he was made of> Mounting his broom, Regulus watched as the chasers shot out, followed by the beaters and then the keeper. And then, it was his turn.

"And seeker- wait? Am I reading this right? Yes I am, Slytherin's new seeker is none other then Regulus Black. Hell, the kid must be talented to get on the team in first year."

Regulus hovered in the position the team and drilled into him, hands gripping the broom just like Turais had shown him four years ago when he was first learning. The Gryffindor team were spluttering, Potter loudly call out that Sirius was a 'traitor to the cause' in a joking fashion.

Eyes scanning the stands, Regulus grinned when he spotted Turais at in the Slytherin stands, wrapped up in a silver and green scarf and smiling back at him.

Now it was time to show the rest of Hogwarts just how good a teacher Turais was, and that the youngest Black brother could rise to the occasion.

.

He'd held the snitch high in hand, had let out a low laugh, having felt something akin to hysterical. He'd done it. he'd caught the snitch just before Potter put through what would have become a tying goal. Slytherin had won one hundred and seventy to one hundred and sixty. He'd managed to catch the snitch in time. The Slytherin stands had roared their approval and Regulus had grinned so brilliantly, watched as his brother shot a spell into the air, a fox dancing about in the wispy air. what would become his Animagus form.

Oh, he knew what his form was, he had only just started his training to become one under Turais/ watchful eye. along with Sirius and his friends, the lot of them would gather in an unused classroom on Sundays to study, Turais who'd already accomplished the transformation guiding them through the required steps. But there was the problem of the Slug Club interrupting the week's lessons.

Turais had called it off, stating that he couldn't really let Professor Slughorn down, or rather, their parents would never let him live it down if they caught wind of his skipping out on the club. Regulus didn't care, because he'd been invited to this week's dinner, following his quidditch success.

Which meant he'd join Turais for the dinner, and the Evans girl who was friends with the Snape boy two years above him. They were both suppose to be good at potions, and the Evans girl was really good at charms, She'd helped him out with one when he couldn't find Turais. Mother might have gone on about how the muggle-borns were ruining society and that they didn't belong, but Regulus couldn't see it. Hell, if there was no muggle-borns then pure-blood would have to do all the nasty jobs, that should have been reason enough for his mother.

But Regulus quite like the Evans girl, she was smart and just as capable, if not more so, then many of the pure-blood females he knew.

"Ready to go Reggie?" Turais had poked his head into his dorm room and Regulus nodded, snatching up his wand and fitting it on to the holster upon his forearm. A 'you're finally starting school' gift from Turais. He'd gotten Sirius one as well.

"Come on then, let's get going."

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________"Isn't he lovely."

"I wonder when he's going to start dating."

"I swear I saw Ella Hopkins giving him the eye yesterday."

Severus Snape grimaced, looking over at the two fourth years he had been unfortunately lumped next to, sat up to Slughorn's table. Professor Slughorn always had the seats set up in such a way that the most talked about student of the month would be sat closest to him. Of course, the seat to Slughorn's right had not seen ad different person for the pas four years.

That was Turais Black's seat.

Honestly, there was little the golden boy could do wrong in Slughorn's eyes. Hell, it would probably require him releasing the Basilisk upon the school for Slughorn to even begin considering that the boy may be anything less then perfect.

Though that wouldn't happen, because the boy has already tamed the huge snake, which even happily handed over a few of Basilisk venom.

Vials which the eldest Black brother was currently fiddling about with.

Two measly little vials, neither bigger than the boy's fore finger. But it would be worth thousands. And Black had total access to the source. The amount of money in that chamber, in the Basilisk alone, it was beyond comprehension. The potions that could be created alone with those two little vials. Slughorn was lavishing praise upon the youngest Black brother, but seemed to realise that Turais Black was almost absent minded, distracted. Usually he was paying attention to his brothers.

Severus wasn't a liar, well, not to himself at least. Turais Black was the perfect sibling. He did everything for his brothers, he let them grow, but he was always, always there to help them the second they needed it. He went far beyond what an other person had ever done, would probably die a thousand deaths for Sirius and Regulus Black.

He doubted the two Black brothers knew just how lucky they were. He knew that little trip to the chamber had been to sort out the differences between himself and Potter, or at least, as much as they could. But he'd seen the compassion on Black's face for younger brother, how his eyes were always assessing Sirius' reaction. And while Severus was happy to have ben included in looing around such a historic place, he was bitterly jealous. Why couldn't he had have a brother to look after him? was he undeserving?

Why should the Black brother have what he did not?

"What have you got there my dear boy?" Slughorn had turned hos attention to Turais Black now, Regulus peeking around the professor's arm, sat upon the coveted left hand seat as he was, to look at his older brother.

" I confess Professor Slughorn, perhaps I've been a bit of a bad student, but I'm sure you at the very least shall forgive me. I just got absorbed and.." Turais Black trailed off and Severus grimaced. The boy could act, that much was evident. Not that it would be hard for the bot to play upon the Professor's obvious reverence for him.

"Excuse me Professor, I have been astoundingly unclear there. You see, in my second year, I found the fabled Chamber of Secrets."

Talk at the table stopped.

Slughorn was all but gawking at the boy now. Gingerly, Turais Black extended his hand, offering up the two small vials.

"there was a dead Basilisk down there, and I only just finished cleaning it up. I was hoping that you'd be kind enough to help me break the news to the rest of the world."

That was clever, with all Slughorn's contacts, there was no way the boy could slip up. And Slughorn would never let this opportunity slip by.

"of course my bot, I'd be honoured to help. Why, the fabled Chamber of Secrets!"

"There's not a lot down there, " Turais murmured, running one hand over his brow, as if somewhat nervous and upset by the notion.

But Severus doubted it. For one, the Basilisk was alive, just hidden in ta big statue. And Turais had stated he'd hidden most of the things he'd found. Now he just needed to figure out a way to get the boy to take him down there again and let him study everything.

"There's a few books but there're all in Parseltongue and not allowed to leave the room they were in. But there's a few tapestries, many by Salazar's daughter and one or two by Rowena as well."

"This is truly excellent news my boy. I'll contact some people and we shall get to it right away, shall we?"

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Albus Dumbledore was not happy. He hadn't been truly happy for a long while, but for the past years, his mood had been spiraling in a downwards fashion. There was a bleak outlook on the terrorist attacks which had just recently began to board upon a civil war, led by Lord Voldemort. But the school had always been stable, unchanged. Until four years ago, when a young boy had walked into the hall and been sorted into Slytherin. Albus had been exceedingly nervous about the new parselmouth, how he acted so much like the perfect student Tom Riddle had been.

It'd taken Albus two years before he accepted it wasn't an act, and that was only with the sorting of Sirius Black. The younger boy adored his brother. Looked up to him. And that kind of love could not be faked. Turais Black was almost distant, polite and pleasant to be around, but held little significant emotional attachments.

all but his brothers, and those the brothers associated with.

Turais Black loved fiercely, ferocious in protection of his brothers. He's heard from the grape-vine that he had beat his oldest cousin and her husband in a duel at the age of thirteen. That the Black family head, Arcturus, had denounced Bellatrix not two weeks ago for 'going against family obligations' was another point of interest. Turais Black had been changing the school, but Albus was not sure if it was better or not. But he knew one thing for certain. he was not happy with this.

"Surely we can do this in the morning, I'm sure that Mr Black would be wiling to wait until I have inspected the Chamber-"

"Don't be silly Albus," Slughorn clapped a hand down on the shoulder of the Black boy, who almost buckled at the unexpected move. Two representatives from the ministry stood before him, along with the new journalist for the Daily Prophet, Rita Skeeter.

"The lad has been looking around the place since his second year, I'm sure it's quite safe. And Turais here is quite the capable wizard. With you along, even of we do run into a problem, which I highly doubt, then it will be dealt with. Let's get going."

"Hold on Professor," Rita all but purred, her claw like fingers comin down upon Turais Black's shoulder and curling around the limb. The boy turned his grey gaze back in the woman, face expressionless he looked between the offending hand and the women who owned it. The reporter didn't let go.

"I just want to have a few words with our little discoverer here. You don't mind do you Mr Black?"

And then the boy grinned, that of a predator that had Rita's eyes widen for a moment.

"Of course not."

.

When Rita returned, she had the most curios look upon her face, like a student who'd gone to sit an OWL for charms. but found the test to be a alchemy Newt instead. As if she was completely unprepared for what she'd just faced and come out unsure of how she was going to present the bad grade to her parents.

Turais Black had seemed no differnt, and led them to the second floor bathroom, where tragedy has stuck just over thirty year ago. The Black heir had greeted poo Myrtle, the ex-Ravenclaw offering a sly smile and all but blowing the boy a kiss. Turais Black had evidently not stopped charming students and staff. A hiss of Parseltongue and the sinks had parted. To think, the murder had happened right at the entrance to the chamber.

"And you saif you found a dead Basilisk in the Chamber?"

One for the ministry officials stated and Albus grimaced, Wait, dead?

"Yes, I have the remains in a vault at the goblin bank and i won't be pushed into letting anyone else near it. If you have a problem, Take it up with the goblins."

"Now wait just one minute Mr Black! That Basilisk-"

"I believe the law states that if the location discovered is over three hundred years old, then anything and everything within belongs to the discover. Your laws Mr Wardson. I'm just following them."

The ministry official grunted, folding his arms across his chest and staring down the Black heir. They couldn't correct him either. As heir to an Ancient and Noble House, the boy no doubt had read the rulebook back to front before showing them his discovery, Albus was more than willing to bet that was why the boy had waited so long.

"I'm willing to show the tapestry room and the main chamber. The library will do you no goo because it's all in Parseltongue. Well, aside from the one book documenting Hogwarts expenses. I guess you can take that one. I'm still sorting the books and haven't figured ou the passwords for several other rooms yet."

Albus sighed. When Turais Black had been sorted into Slytherin and declared a parselmouth, he knew he'd be a headache. He'd just not realized how big a one the boy would become.

But as a parselmouth he could be invaluable against Voldemort, he needed the boy on side against the Dark Lord, so he'd play the boy's game, subtly pushing him toward the right side.

They might still have a chance in the war after all.