This chapter is dedicated to ArabPrincess786 for being an awesome reader. Love you!

Abstract. Abstract images were forming due to the dim wand light. Over his head, on the ceiling. How he wished he could see the moonlight out of the window. What window? There is no window. Standing up from his four poster bed, he roughly pushed open the curtains and went down to the common room.

    He sat on the couch in front of the fire. The fire matched everything else in the common room. Dark and gloomy. It couldn't keep the common room warm. Atleast it didn't feel warm to him, not anymore. A permanent gloom and fog always seem to settle in the dorm.

    His eyes burned in fire. It used to warm him up. He used to feel peace in front of this fire. But now, the feeling was like a distant dream. The feeling of comfort. This was the same common room. So why didn't he feel warm anymore? Everything was the same. The same common room. The same couch. The same person.

    Or was he?

    The flames danced in front of him, reflecting in his dark eyes. Was he the same person anymore?

    "Galleon for your thoughts." A cold voice brought him back to reality. He turned his head towards the intruder. The intruding figure positioned himself on the couch besides him, and ran his hand through his sleek blond hair.

    "Or are your thoughts worth a galleon? I am not sure if they are even worth a knut."

    "I don't remember inviting you to join my solitude, Lucius." He replied in an equally cold voice. Throughout his five years at Hogwarts, he had learnt to keep his response cold and passive, specially to his housemates.

    Lucius gave out a humourless, dry laugh. "I think you've forgotten what we Slytherins do, Regulus. We do what we want. Not what the others want." Regulus didn't laugh. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on Lucius.

    "What do you want, Lucius?"

    "Nothing in particular. What can you give me, anyway?" He sneered. "I came here to see whether you are ready for the branding. Not that it really matters to the Dark Lord anyway."

    "Why do you care?" Regulus asked, moving his eyes towards the fire.

    "I don't. I just think that the Black family needs a good example after that blood traitor brother of your's, running away to the blood traitor Potters. I think that is the main reason  Orion and Walburga wanted their younger son to be branded quickly." He sneered. Pulling up his sleeve, he exposed the dark mark on his forearm.

    "Enjoy your last days with a clear arm, Regulus." He said in a taunting voice. "They are going to end this Christmas." With this, Lucius left him with his own thoughts, which started to engulf him once more.

    "One more thing." The sneering voice interrupted his reverie again.

    "What?" He snapped at Lucius, who was standing at the staircase leading to the Boy's Dormitory.

    "Be polite, Black." He responded in a cold voice. "I wanted to say one last thing. Keep your distance from the half-blood Gryffindor. What was her name? Summers. The red head."

    Suddenly, Regulus felt that the common room temperature had gone down several degees.

    "Before you ask how I knew, Black," Lucius continued, "let me inform you I have my sources."

    Regulus felt his anger flare up.

    "It's none of your bussiness, Malfoy, to see whom I hang out with." He replied, ignoring to look at Lucius completely.

    "I am going to marry Narcissa, who I might remind you is a Black. I am a Malfoy. So my name is going to be associated with the Blacks. So it is my bussiness to take care of people who try to put a stain on that name. Not that your brother didn't already turn out to be a disgrace, and your cousin Andromeda. So if you're going to follow their footprints, I suggest you be careful." Lucius turned his back to him and strode off with the last words-

    "Stay away from that half-blood, Regulus, or you'll regret it. And so would she."

    The common room became silent again, and deserted. Except for a boy of fifteen, lost in his own thoughts, which brought him nothing but pain and dread.

MERRY CHRISTMAS GUYS!!!

Guys, my updates will be less frequent from now on. But I promise, I'll try to put up a new chapter when ever I get time. I just don't get enough time now. Bear with me. Keep reading, voting, commenting, because you make my day. And give me inspiration.
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