portentous: 'momentous significance', or 'done pompously to impress'.
in both meanings of the word, hunter-rose's life fit the bill. the seemingly perfect hufflepuff clawed to live up to her title, but how long could she grasp onto that when a war...
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"Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today..."
Hunter bit her cheeks as she walked into the Great Hall, Regulus following her from behind. Leading her boyfriend, the Hufflepuff made her way to the Gryffindor table and sat opposite James, and Regulus took his place opposite Sirius. She kept her head held high and Regulus followed suit, ignoring the fact that people were watching their every moment.
Open newspapers of the Daily Prophet stood before the dropped jaws that some students sported. They'd just been told that Sirius and Regulus had a broken family, under the tyrannical reign of their dark family. Why on Earth would they be sat together? The boys famously didn't get along, unless... they did. Did they?
Was Regulus Black really who Skeeter said he was?
"...I want to be a part of it, New York, New York..."
As if reading it for the first time, Hunter received a copy of the Daily Prophet and ensured that her laughter would be heard throughout the hall. Students of all ages watched as The Hufflepuff Princess showed her boyfriend the news, and watched as he laughed.
Laughter.
Regulus Black does not laugh.
Every student in the hall, and admittedly most staff members, wanted to know what was going on. No, they needed to know. What was wrong with the paper?
"These vagabond shoes, They are longing to stray... Right through the very heart of it, New York, New York!"
Regulus showed the paper to Sirius who loudly mocked Skeeter's words. Watching, as Sirius and Regulus joked together. These two brothers, who were portrayed and assumed to be estranged, were sat together at breakfast and teasing the other brotherly.
But the Hogwarts population didn't see the strain in Sirius' expression, nor did they pick up on Regulus' constant looks at Hunter to receive a quick, reassuring glance.
After all, the Black brothers had only agreed to do this in order to protect Hunter and themselves. Sirius was rebellious, not a fool. He had been trained to be clean cut and convincing, after all.
And Regulus?
Well, he just wanted to protect the girl he was falling for. The girl he had betrayed.
"I want to wake up in a city, That never sleeps. And find I'm king of the hill! Top of the heap!"
Hunter-Rose glanced around her, watching as eyes slowly avoided hers as they realised that the fifth year girl was aware of their presence.
