Noah was sitting at the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall with his friends; Ankita Holdsworth and Jessica Adams. They were a mix of houses, with Noah being a Hufflepuff, Ankita a Slytherin and Jessica a Gryffindor, so each day they would switch between what house table they would sit at. Today was Hufflepuff, of course, and the three friends sat close together as they chatted about nothing in particular. That was, until, Noah accidentally let it slip that he had been paired with Regulus for a project in Herbology.

The hot pink haired Jessica gasped at the news, whereas Ankita only shrugged carelessly, yet still looked at Noah, curious for more information. Noah explained the project to them, how he would have to meet up with Regulus a few times a week to tutor him in Herbology.

"You are going to tutor the Regulus Black?" Jessica asked, shocked. She was a year younger than Noah and two years younger than Ankita, standing at fourteen, but she still knew about Regulus. Most people did, seeing as the Black family was one of the most prestigious pure-blood families in the Wizarding World.

"That's what he said," Ankita snapped irritably. Being the oldest at sixteen, she was often annoyed with the petty drama that was mostly created by Jessica.

Noah flinched slightly at Ankita's rude tone as he gave his friend a look. She knew that he didn't like when they were rude, especially to each other, so she sighed before mumbling an apology to Jessica. Noah smiled happily and nodded at Ankita in thanks. His smile dropped when he remembered what they were talking about. He turned to look at Jessica with a grime face.

"Yes," he said sadly, "unfortunately, I do."

Jessica frowned and patted Noah's hand sympathetically. Ankita rolled her eyes, annoyed. She loved her friends but she hated when they got so dramatic over such a tiny thing. She opened her mouth, about to chastise them for being so melodramatic. She was stopped, however, by a soft mutter from someone at the Ravenclaw table behind them. They couldn't hear exactly everything they said, but it was something along the lines of, "Bloody Blacks!"

Noah looked up at the boy curiously, whom he immediately recognised as one of his classmates; Ash Okami. Jessica and Ankita turn around in their seats and the latter gave the platinum blonde an irritated look. "And who are you?" Ankita snapped. She didn't appreciate people eavesdropping on her conversations.

Ash turned around and Jessica gasped at his face. He had many cuts and scrapes scattered on the left side of his face and if you looked down, you would've found identical ones on his hands. Noah wasn't surprised. He had been in the same classes as the Ravenclaw boy for five years and through rumours and his own observations, he learned that Ash was quite clumsy and fell a lot. So it wasn't uncommon to see the scrapes on his skin.

Ankita simply glanced over his scrapes before raising a brow, waiting for him to answer her question.

"Ash," he said quietly, being quite shy and not good at talking to people.

Ankita huffed at the simple answer but smiled at him in a sickly sweet way. "Well, Ash, I would appreciate it if you didn't eavesdrop on my friends and me."

Noah and Jessica gave Ankita disapproving looks before looking at Ash apologetically. "Sorry about her," Jessica apologised. "She's had this 'stick' up her butt since third year and no one can seem to get it out." She joked before offering the boy one of her charming smiles. She stuck out her hand for him to shake while introducing herself. "I'm Jessica Adams, but feel free to call me Jess, or Jessica, either is fine."

Ash nodded while hesitantly placing his hand in Jessica's, shaking it quickly before taking it back. The pink haired girl smiled, unfazed, used to shy people as Noah was, even after years of friendship, still a tad bit shy and quiet with others, or in their presence. Ankita huffed again and turned back around, pointedly avoiding introducing herself. So Jessica introduced the stubborn girl for her. "And that stick in the mud - is Ankita."

Ash looked at Noah, him being the only one he had recognized in the group of three. He nodded at him and smiled shyly. Noah blushed slightly but nodded back and motioned for Ash to sit with them. The boy was hesitant and it was clear he didn't want to intrude, but he had no choice with Noah, and Jessica when she realized what was going on, insisting that he sit with them. Ash reluctantly got up and sat next to Noah, him being the only one he was almost quite comfortable with.

Jessica leant forward in her seat, placing her chin in her hand as she looked at Ash with a bright smile. "So, what do you know about Regulus Black?"

Ankita groaned quietly, looking as if she would rather be anywhere but there at the very moment. Noah looked at Jessica wide-eyed and wanted to apologise to Ash, but he was too timid to do so.

"W-What?" Ash asked quietly, a little confused.

Ankita sighed in annoyance that they would have to deal with another Noah. Just to her luck. Jessica furrowed her brows and tilted her head, confused. "We were talking about Regulus Black and then you said 'bloody Blacks!'."

Noah looked at Ash expectantly, confused himself, while the blond simply blushed in embarrassment. "O-Oh, yes. I really wasn't listening to your conversation, I swear," he added quickly once he caught Ankita's glare of disbelief. "I just heard something about Regulus Black and I made that comment because..."

Noah would've been fine to let it go but Jessica, ever her eager self, insisted that he continued. "Come on then," Ankita snapped, "spit it out."

"B-Because I was more referring to Sirius, a-about how Blacks are so annoying," Ash mumbled in embarrassment and started picking at the scabs on his hands. Noah tsked quietly and gently placed his hand over Ash's, stopping him from making his wounds worse. He flinched slightly at the small amount of blood but ignored it for Ash's sake.

Ankita rolled her eyes in annoyance again, why did everyone always have to be so bloody dramatic? Of course, Jessica widened her eyes and tried to lean forward, getting closer to the boy, a wide grin on her face. She looked frightening like that, Noah thought as he recoiled slightly, away from her maniacal grin and crazed eyes. "What does Sirius Black have to do with anything? Do you know him?" Jessica was almost bouncing in her seat in anticipation as she awaited Ash's answers.

Noah scowled and rubbed his thumb softly over the back of Ash's hand, silently reassuring him, letting him know that even though he was too shy to get Jessica to stop being so nosy, he wished he could and he would help Ash as much as he could.

Before Ash could reply, much to his relief, a small girl came bouncing by, a mischievous smile on her face.

"What's this I hear about Sirius Black?" She asked as she sat down on the other side of Noah and looking at the group in excitement.

Ankita threw her head back and groaned loudly. Another annoying addition to their group was just what she needed. Jessica and Ash, however, were a little sceptical of the girl, knowing exactly who she was and what she had done.

"B-Betty!" Noah exclaimed, instantly recognising the nosy girl as one of his better friends, besides Ankita and Jessica. Everyone turned to look at Noah at his exclamation, not used to hearing that volume for the usually quiet boy. Noah immediately blushed and tilted his head down slightly from the attention.

Betty turned and smiled at the embarrassed boy. "Hey, Noah, and his friends." She added almost as an afterthought.

Ash smiled at her politely, whereas Jessica's smile was a little forced. Ankita just didn't care for the situation at all - as per usual.

Noah, wanting to get rid of the awkward tension surrounding them, decided to answer Betty's first question. "A-And we w-weren't t-talking about S-Sirius B-Black - well, not r-really."

Betty and everyone else's, attention shifted to Noah at his comment. Betty clasped her hands and rose a brow at Noah, looking extremely serious. "Oh, really?" She asked sceptically while glancing around at the group.

"We were talking about his brother; Regulus Black." Jessica sprouted out in excitement, having looked as if she were about to burst ever since the topic was brought up. However, this definitely caught Betty's attention.

"And why, may I ask, were you talking about him?" She asked in a very professional tone, her fingers itching to get out her quill and parchment to write down everything they said, word for word.

Ankita huffed and rolled her eyes before grabbing her things and standing up. "I'm leaving before any of you can say another bad word about the Blacks." She said while looking pointedly at Betty and Jessica. She then turned to Noah and offered him a slight smile, which could also have been interpreted as a smirk. "And I'll see you later."

Jessica let out a slightly offended noise but truthfully, she was glad that Ankita was leaving as she watched the Slytherin girl strut out of the Great Hall. The pink haired girl smiled and turned back to look at her friends, more specifically Betty, with excitement.

"Now, back to Regulus Black..."

Noah sighed as he tuned out of Betty and Jessica's gossip about Regulus and turned slightly to look up at Ash. The boy who so very similar to Noah offered him a small smile. He looked just about to say something before Betty lightly tapped Noah's shoulder. Noah turned back around and looked at Betty curiously, blushing lightly from her intense gaze.

"I just wanted to warn you, Noah." Betty said seriously, but also in a different tone than her 'down to business' seriousness. It made Noah swallow and glance at Jessica nervously, the girl giving him the same stern expression, something that was very unusual for the usually bubbly girl.

Noah turned his attention back to Betty as she continued talking. "Regulus Black is a very mysterious and dark boy. No one doubts that he'll do some very dangerous things in his future and I just don't want you to caught up in that. So please Noah, be careful."

Noah's eyes widened and he trembled slightly in his seat, looking down at his lap to hide his face. He always knew that Regulus Black was dangerous - that was a given - but he never really realised just how much Regulus could ruin his life if Noah let him. Noah let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes. Oh, what did he get himself into?

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SO YOU'VE NOW BEEN INTRODUCED TO NOAHS FRIENDS AND BEEN GIVEN A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT INTO HIS LIFE!

WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK OF IT? WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE OF NOAHS FRIENDS SO FAR? WITH NOAH'S (SORTA) NEW FEAR FOR REGULUS, HOW DO YOU THINK HE'LL BE THE NEXT TIME THEY INTERACT? I WANNA KNOW YOUR GUYS' THOUGHTS!

SPECIAL THANKS TO heIenoftroy FOR EDITING THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE WITHOUT HER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER THIS WOULD'VE STAYED IN MY DRAFTS