Slytherin Pride -- Christmas 1972

I was so pleased that my son had been Sorted into Slytherin.  However, Bellatrix had told me about the wait the hat had when it was placed on Regulus's head.  I saw that he was getting some of his things organized before he came down for supper that evening.  I knocked on his bedroom door as I strode inside.  It was just to be polite, he knew that he could not keep me out of his room unless he was changing.

"Regulus, I wanted to tell you how proud your father and I are of you," I said, glancing around his room.  He did not have any decorations up the way that Sirius had done with his... Gryffindor trash that he decided to hang.

I looked over at my mother when she entered the room.  I smiled slightly.  "Thank you," I said to her, knowing that it meant even more to them that I was in Slytherin because Sirius was in Gryffindor.  I had not told them about the delay the Sorting Hat had... but I was sure that Bella did.  "I just finished giving Kreacher some of my things to clean so i have them neat before going back to school."

"Very good," I said to my son, moving and sitting on his bed.  "I see that you have not yet decorated your bedroom like Sirius did."  I figured that I should at least attempt to say his name even though he was a disgrace to the family.  Regulus still loved his brother -- though I hoped that would change.  We did not need Sirius's kind in our family -- not with the rise of the Dark Lord.

I did not want to admit that it almost felt like I did not belong in Slytherin and that was why I had not decorated yet.  "Oh, I wanted to keep myself busy for over the summer.  And I was unsure if I would receive anything for the holiday, so I wanted to wait," I said quickly, finding an excuse rather easily.  I had a feeling that there would be more to this conversation with Mum, but I would try to keep that at bay.

I smiled at him. "Of course you would be thinking so far in advance," I said to him quietly. "I am sure that you will be rather spoiled this year." I knew what orion and I decided to do for him and I also figured that there would be plenty from the rest of the family. "Is there anything you want to talk to me about when it comes to school?" I questioned.