It was England, Summer of 1977. Deep in the Ministry's quarters, the sound of music of violins and loud talking echoed from the ballroom. Women in glamorous dresses, ones that echoed the muggle Victorian Era attire, stood around gossiping about the war, people receiving awards, and more of that nature while the men, who wore uptight glamorous dress robes, talked about their rising status in the political world, their trophy wives, and their accomplishments.

"Did you hear? It looks like he is going to receive the award." A woman said to another girl. The other girl looked at her, forcing herself to look curious. Her light green eyes tried to shine in curiosity, but it was obvious she was bored as she pushed a light black strand of hair behind her ear, though the way her hair had been done that night, she knew it would fall back over her shoulder.

"Really? That's quite an honor." She said. The other girl sighed in annoyance.

"Honestly Cordelia, why don't you allow yourself to be involved in gossip?"

"Gossip is just hearsay. 'He said this' or 'She said that' or 'I heard', You can never really trust it." Cordelia replied. The brunette sighed again, annoyed with Cordelia's response, before tuning into what the others around them were saying.

"Speaking of which, haven't you also heard about The Dark Lord? Seems like a few others in your class have joined his army." One said looking at Cordelia, who looked merely unamused. It didn't really matter; she had no desire of joining these so called 'Deatheaters'. However the entire group she was surrounded by seemed distraught.

"There is so much of that going around as of late." One woman said fanning herself as the man that had escorted her there nodded his head, agreeing.

"More and more of the ancestral and noble pureblood houses are being roped in to the cause. While it is a noble reason, the Dark Lord's ways of making that a reality is quite deplorable." He commented and the girls all nodded, save Cordelia who merely waved her fan lightly to cool her face. It was so stuffy in here, crowded with Wizards smoking cigars, women covered in heaps of perfume, laughing and laughing as though there was nothing wrong in this world. Suddenly the talking that was in the group she was sitting in grew silent, and they were all staring at the entrance of the ballroom.

Cordelia turned to look over and saw a young man wearing darkened dress robes, perfectly normal. He seemed to be following an older couple, presumably the man's parents. It took her a few moments to recognize him.

"It's him isn't it?" one of the women said. "Regulus Black? I heard he became a Deatheater last year."

"No!"

"So young." The man commented. "Not even out of school yet."

"I wonder why he's coming here. He obviously doesn't have a date here, and is only here with his parents."

"Why would the Blacks come here at all? This gala doesn't seem to be their thing." One commented dryly. "Don't you agree Cordelia?" she asked.

"I don't necessarily agree with that." Cordelia said slowly, smoothing out the edges of the dress. The group now stared at her.

"Are you mad Cordelia? The 'noble house of Black'? Coming here for actual fun? They're dangerous." One of them hissed out. Cordelia laughed, staring at the group as though they were mad.

"Oh come off it. I doubt they are of complete danger." She said with an easy going smile, watching as Regulus separated from his parents with an easy smile, allowing his parents to mingle without him with high-ranking Ministry officials. The group that she was sitting with stared at her as though she was a loon before attempting to change the conversation.

However Cordelia continued to watch Regulus Black attempt to mingle with other women. Every time he got close to being allowed to have a dance with a young woman, someone would whisper to the said girl and she would politely decline. She continued watching the man till she was snapped out of thoughts.

"Cordelia?"

"Yes?" she asked, returning her gaze back to the group.

"Did you hear what I was saying?" the man asked. She smiled apologetically.

"No. I'm sorry." She said and he rolled her eyes, apparently used to this.

"I was saying that-"

"Excuse me. I need to go get some air." She said suddenly and without being excused, walked away. The group stared, one man looked amused.

"Typical of Miss Matlock." He said and the girls' rolled their eyes.

"So unaware of gossip. Her parents always kept her so cooped up and coddled out of society, raised in an uninhibited manner. She is unworthy to be a lady of Slytherin." The woman commented, and allowed another one of the girls at the gala to take Cordelia's spot.

"'Come with us Regulus. Make appearances Regulus'. Why didn't I just stay at home?" Regulus thought blandly as he stood in the back towards the wall. It seemed like he was in a bubble, and everyone stayed away from him. Did they really fear his status? He knew that to everyone it was just a rumor…only his immediate family knew of his status as a Deatheater. But rumors were really the running power of this world weren't they? He sighed, resting against the wall. He didn't notice a young woman who had come back from retrieving a drink, only for her to see that her spot had been taken. She looked around and spotted a sofa seat next to him that was currently vacant. With a delighted smile she strode forward, apparently ignoring that the man who many of the women who she had been forced to listen to gossip, stood next to that seat. He only glanced down when she sat next to him.

He studied her. Her hair was a lighter black than his, the majority of her hair was held up by an extravagant rose embellished pin, the rest of what he presumed was her long hair fell down to her shoulders in loose curls. She wore a green Victorian styled dress, which unlike many of the other girls showed her collarbone and shoulders; a rather risqué look for a young woman. She glanced up, connecting her light green eyes to his grey and he automatically looked back out towards the crowd.

"Hello." She said simply, taking a sip of her drink. He looked at her in confusion, unable to speak. This girl was completely not afraid of him. She merely smiled at him, continuing to sip her drink. "Are you enjoying yourself? You seem rather bored."

"I'm not particular for the glamor of parties…" he said, not sure if she was one of the ones that had planned this.

"Aw the pain of having to make appearances." She joked, looking at him with enjoyment, scratching the theory she had come here for fun. "But even so Regulus Black, is there anything you don't enjoy other than studying?" she said and he balked for a second, before looking at her suspiciously.

"How do you…?"

"I do happen to go to Hogwarts. And considering that your brother no longer resides nor is he in the graces of your parents I do not honestly see him coming here willingly. Also you and your brother look different." She commented. He looked at her in confusion. Different? Every time he looked at a bloody mirror he could spot similarities that were shared by both him and his brother. But at the moment he didn't see it to be in the right place to ask her what she was talking about. He didn't even know her name.

"…may I have this dance?" he asked suddenly. She blinked and for the first time he had started talking to her, looked surprised and embarrassed. He frowned. Maybe she didn't want to dance with someone whose family was known as the most ancient and noble family. "Forget I asked."

"Oh no, I don't mind." She said quickly but then offered an apologetic smile. "I'm just an awful dancer." She said sheepishly. "Would that be alright?" she asked. He stared at her in surprise for several seconds before offering a soft smile.

"Of course." He said offering his arm to which she gently placed her hand on it standing. They walked to the dance floor that many couples were currently in. As they entered the throng of people, they politely bowed and curtsied.

"I believe this is the first time we've formally met." She said as she took his outstretched hand, moving gracefully.

"I believe it is. Are you in a different House at Hogwarts?" he asked as she twirled.

"Oh no. I'm in Slytherin just as you are." She said and he blinked, now trying to look at her closely. To recognize her. She offered a smile.

"Don't fret. I'm not a noticeable person." She said.

"Still…" he began to say, but was cut off when she tripped on his leg, nearly face-planting onto the ground. Thankfully he caught her before she did that. Her face was now a complete red.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized. "I did tell you I was awful." She added as he regained his hold on her hand properly. They began dancing again as the song continued.

"You weren't being modest?" he asked, moving her in front of him. She sighed, rather lamely.

"I did not speak untruthfully." She stated, her face once again red. He looked at her.

"Well…what is your forte?" he asked and she smiled, staring out in the crowd as they moved to the rhythm of the dance.

"I have none." She replied evenly. He gave her an amused look.

"There must be something…" he said, pausing for a second as though in thought. "Musical instruments?"

"I can't keep rhythm."

"Singing?"

"Tone deaf."

"Needlework?" he asked and she laughed.

"No. I can't sew a straight line to save my life." She replied as she twirled in a circle. He was silent at a loss with what to say. She stared at their feet.

"Oh. I know. Animals and plants." She said and he looked at her.

"You draw them?"

"No I raise them." She replied simply. He looked at her in surprise. She smiled brightly. "The other day some rabbits were born. They look so adorable, even if they are essentially bald and pink." She added. He looked at her, amusement flashing across his face.

"Rabbits are something you won't eat?" he asked. It would make sense. Who would eat something that they raised? However she shook her head.

"No, I will eat them…that and this are completely different." She said and he couldn't help it, chuckling softly.

"You are very straight-forward." He concluded and she offered a bright smile, as she turned to face him. However as she did this, he heard the openings of fans of the women who did not have a dance partner, who had locked onto him and were most likely whispering about the girl he was currently dancing with. He saw a quick flash of a camera—most likely coming from a reporter of the Prophet. Slowly he withdrew his hand from hers and stepped away.

She looked at him confused, her hand frozen from where it had originally been. "The song hasn't stopped yet…" she said and he gave her a bitter smile. He was used to the stares…but not willing to let a young woman he barely even knew to suffer because of him.

"We should stop…I'd rather not ruin your reputation." He said but she just laughed, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, before placing a gloved finger over mouth to stop her laughter.

"Oh my! You needn't worry about my reputation." She stated a sly smile on her face. "It wasn't that good to begin with, and I have no need to care about what others say about me." She said and he stared at her for a few seconds with an amused, surprised grin. However at that moment he heard his mother calling him. He glanced back at her before giving a slight bow.

"Well it seems my mother is calling me…" he said.

"So it seems." She replied with a soft smile.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Miss…" he trailed off and she chuckled.

"My name is Cordelia Matlock, Mr. Regulus Black." She said, a tone of teasing in her voice. "And the pleasure is all mine. I do hope we can meet again someday." She said.

"As do I." he said kissing her hand before leaving her on the dance floor. Her face was a slight hue of red as she watched the man with haunted grey eyes walk away, leaving her in the crowd of people, but yet she felt now lonely.

Later that night Regulus returned to his room. Kreacher entered, accepting his master's coat from him to be ironed later on, along with the rest of his master's and mistress's clothes of that evening.

"How was your evening Master Regulus?" the aged house-elf asked. Regulus sighed as he pulled off his tie.

"The same as usual." Regulus replied, sitting on his bed emitting a tired groan. "Absolutely dreadful."

"Kreacher gives Master Regulus his apologies." Kreacher replied. Regulus was silent for a few seconds as the image of Cordelia.

"No wait…" he said after a minute. "There was one thing…I didn't mind too much."

Sirius yawned as he exited the bedroom to his flat going to the kitchen and brewing up a cup of coffee—the only thing he could actually make that wouldn't cause a near fire hazard—flipping open the latest edition of the Prophet. He read the title page which stated 'MINISTRY HOLDS EASTER GALA' and withheld a chuckle. It must have been a slow day at the newspaper…or maybe they were just trying to hide the details of the war. One could never know nowadays. He glanced at the moving photo and had to do a double-take. Right smack dab in the middle, among the dancing women and men, stood his younger brother. Parallel of Regulus stood an unnamed girl, who seemed to have a quiet, amused smile on her face.

"Well what do you know…Reg got himself a girlfriend." He murmured, taking a sip of his coffee as he sat at the dining room table, his back turned from bedroom. He continued reading the article before being slightly startled by a pair of slender arms wrapping around his neck and someone kissing his cheek gently. He glanced up and smiled as his eyes latched onto a pair of light brown ones.

"Morning." Moria said, her voice heavy with sleep.

"Morning…what are you doing up? You normally sleep a bit later." Sirius said, kissing her neck. She purred sleepily.

"Because my human pillow and blanket suddenly vanished." She joked and he chuckled.

"Sorry 'bout that." He said. "I'll have to make it up to you." He added and she smiled.

"I can hardly wait…so…anything good?" she asked, glancing at the paper. He shook his head.

"Must have been a slow day." He said.

"Is that your brother?" she asked glancing at the photo. "Looks pretty happy in comparison to other photos of him and himself at school." She stated. He looked at her.

"How is it you can tell us apart? For all you know that could be me." He joked. She glanced at him teasingly.

"If you haven't noticed, your haircut is a big giveaway to the fact that that isn't you. Besides…I can see differences that most people can't."

"Really? How so?"

"Considering you're my boyfriend, and I have shagged you, I believe I know one or two things more than the average person." She joked. He laughed and kissed her gently.

"Merlin, you make me crazy." He said and she smiled.

"All part of my elaborate plan." She said and he laughed, his coffee forgotten as he stood and wrapped his arms around her, hoisting her up and walking back towards the bedroom, closing the door with a kick.