Stormy Nights {{Open}}

[regblack]

Lightining streaked the sky, rain poured with seemingly no end. People ran everywhere they could in Hogsmeade, trying to get away from the fierce rain. A tall, lanky figure made his way towards the supposed, 'haunted' shack. The fourth year wore all black; including his sweater, with the hood raised. He paid no attention to his surroundings, seemingly in a trance. His hands in his pockets, the right holding onto his wand as if it meant death if he let it go.

Regulus Black was in a mood to just 'think', and who would be in the Shrieking Shack on a night like this. It was the perfect place to go and think. After all, Regulus didn't buy into all the ghost nonsense and even if he did, he wasn't afraid of ghosts. Finally, Regulus extracted his wand from his pocket."Lumos." The soft hiss that escaped his mouth, carried, even on this night.

Bloody water. Regulus thought, as the door to the shack, creaked open. Walking into the shack, Regulus didn't lower his wand, or his hood. The beam from his wand illuminated most of the ground floor of the shack. It cast eerie shadows on the walls, but lately, Regulus had been in even more creepy places. He threw himself onto a dusty, ripped-up couch. "Nox." Regulus said, extinguishing the light. He made himself comfortable on the couch, closed his eyes, and listened to the comforting sounds of the thunderstorm brewing outside.

[carson hale]

The storm that terrorized the night was truly beautiful. Lightning stuck across the sky lighting up the area like it was a sunny day. The rain came down in buckets soaking her knee length black dress until it dripped with the regularity of a running water faucet. Her golden curls were soaked and her arms and legs were freezing. The thin finger width straps her dress did nothing to warm her shoulders and suddenly she wished she had brought her sweat shirt along with her. The raging storm looked to be getting worse and Cari knew that she wouldn't be able to make it back to Hogwarts before it did. Her eyes searched for the nearest building which happened to be the Shrieking Shack. Suppressing a shudder, she ran for cover in the decrepit building. Maybe she could get dry and wait out the storm.

Taking off in a run, Cari reached the house and hoped that the door was unlocked because she wasn't stopping. Her hand found the doorknob and twisted. To her relief it was unlocked. She ducked inside before the storm could drench her even more. Leaning against the door to catch her breath, Cari began to take in her surroundings. It was dark, her eyes were so used to the lighting in the sky that she could barely see.

Considering all the legends that circulated around the country about the shack, Cari was certain that no one else would be in here. "Wimps." She muttered, her hands moving to her feet. With nimble, shaking fingers she undid the buckles on her three inch black stiletto heels. The sigh that escaped her lips when her feet were freed from the death traps could barely be heard over the roaring thunder. She threw the heels into a dusty arm chair, her eyes set on the somewhat lumpy looking couch.

Maybe I could get a little shut eye during my stay. Cari thought as she made her way across the floor. "I am probably the only person alive who has ever considered the Shrieking Shack as a Bed and Breakfast." She mumbled to herself.

Just then a bolt of lighting lit the sky shining a bit of light onto the couch she had been heading for. Instead of a lumpy cushion she saw a body. "Oh Merlin! Please tell me I did not stumble upon a murder scene! I do not need another investigation!" Her calm demeanor shattered leaving her near the point of hyperventilating. "It's ok Cari! Just poke it. See if it's alive." Cari mumbled to herself. Taking out her wand she prepared to prod the still figure on the couch.

[regblack]

Regulus could still hear the rumble of the thunder. He had fallen in a state of being half-awake and half-asleep. Regulus couldn't tell whether it was in his thoughts, in his dreams, or in actual reality, but he had heard the distinct creak of the door opening and closing. Noiselessly, Regulus awoke from his sleep, but kept his eyes slightly open. If he saw a familair raise of a wand, Regulus would start cursing everything in sight.

Then the person who had come in spoke. From the mumbling, Regulus could tell the person was a girl. As she walked over to the couch, a bolt of lightning illuminated the sky and the room. Regulus knew she had seen him and he had seen her. She was around his own height. The girl was as wet as Regulus, her blonde curly hair drenched as well. I wonder if she noticed I was awake. Regulus thought. He got his answer, as she concluded that Regulus was dead.

Regulus came up with a quick plan. As slowly as possible, he closed the small fraction of his eyes that were open. Regulus had heard what she was about to do, and waited for the right moment. Seconds before he knew she would poke him with a wand, Regulus openned his eyes. "BOO!" Regulus yelled. He grinned after yelling it, and waited for the girl's reaction.

[carson hale]

She had been nearing the body, wand extended ready to prod at the lifeless looking figure. When it suddenly came to life and yelled at her, the reaction was instant. A blood curdling scream erupted from her lips, her hands flying back as she stumbled to get away from the person, who was in fact alive. The grip she had on her wand must not have been strong enough because it flew out of her hand hitting the wall somewhere behind her.

"Not good. Very not good." Her eyes darted from the body on the couch to the general direction her wand had gone. Should she go after her wand or prepare to fight should this person attack? Upon closer inspection, the person was a boy. A tall boy dressed all in black. No wonder she hadn't seen him in the dark.

Her hands clenched into fists at her side, if he would attack- she would be ready. But the thing was, he wasn't attacking. From the occasional flashes of lightning, he appeared to be... grinning? "You're going to laugh aren't you?" She asked, her defenses falling. Who was she kidding? Here she was wandless, not a very tough opposition should this guy choose to attack her. That is what made her curious, he didn't look like he was going to attack. In fact, he looked vaguely familiar. Maybe he was a fellow student who also got caught in the rain.

"I'm Cari." Her voice kind of squeaked when she made her introduction. Please don't let him want to kill me! She thought while watching him for his reaction.

[regblack]

Regulus saw the wand fly out of her hand, as she let out a scream that made Regulus flinch. He started to laugh a little, as he sat up on the couch. Taking his wand out, Regulus pointed his wand in the direction that the wand had flown. "Accio Wand." He said, concentrating hard on the wand.

The girl's wand, who was named Cari, flew into Regulus' outstretched, still wet, hand. "Name's Regulus. Regulus Black, fourth year Slytherin." He said, showing pride in being a Slytherin. Regulus handed back the wand, and continued to chuckle. It was a little hard for him to stop laughing right now.

"I'm sorry, but I just had to do it. It was one of those moments where you can't pass up the opportunity." Regulus added, shrugging his shoulders a little. Smiling, he nodded at her and said, "Bloody rain got you, too ay?" Regulus lowered his head, and ran a hand down his slightly wet hair. It wasn't as wet as his clothes, but he could still feel some wetness in it.

[carson hale]

It almost shocked Cari that Regulus saved her the trouble of having to find her wand in the dark shack, but then again he seemed to be really nice. "Thank you. I'm Cari Hale, well actually my name is Carson but everyone calls me Cari. Fifth year Ravenclaw pureblood." It was reluctantly that she added what house she was in to her introduction. She wasn't proud of being the academically dumb Ravenclaw, but at least she could take pride in her pureblooded ancestry. Well, that and her bloodline had gotten her out of some pretty tight situations in the past. And while she didn't claim to be a dark wizard, Cari definitely had an unexplored dark side.

"You know you're lucky, if I knew you better I would beat you up for laughing." She scowled before flopping into a nearby armchair. Sometimes her temper could get the best of her and she refused to let this be one of those times. She would not let her rain dampened attitude scare away a potential friend. "It was funny wasn't it?" Cari added, a small smirk on her face. Not able to hold back any longer she joined in his laughter. At the time it hadn't been funny but now that she looked back it was pretty darn hilarious. Not to mention she would have done the same thing were the positions reversed.

Now that she knew Regulus wasn't some murderous vagrant, she was able to look at him in the darkness (her eyes having adjusted slightly). Indeed, he too was soaked form head to toe. "Yep. Normally I love the rain but this is just ridiculous." Outside she could see the rain falling in torrents. But it sure would make a fun Quidditch game. The voice in her mind spoke up. To Cari, there was nothing funner than a Quidditch game in the rain.

"Not to pry, but what are you doing out so late? Got a hot date waiting in Hogsmeade?" Cari teased. This was usual behavior for her. Regulus, so far, was a pretty nice person and it was in her nature to playfully tease people. Especially people who could eventually become her friends.

[regblack]

Regulus smirked as she said she was a Ravenclaw Pureblood. He got along with most Ravenclaws', especially Purebloods. An new friend, perhaps? Regulus thought to himself. He adjusted himself on the couch, trying to make it a little more comfortable.

Stretching out a little, Regulus put his feet up on the couch. He wasn't to worried about getting it dirty. His eyes were, by now, adjusted to the poor lighting and could see out a window. The rain drops were splattering the grimy windows, creating a mixture of mud. Regulus turned away and looked at Cari.

"Well, it's not in my nature to let someone beat me up. Yeah, it was pretty funny" Regulus said, mimicking her smirk. He could already tell she was one of those people who teased their friends. Regulus was somewhat like that, but not to much. "I like it, too, but not when there's a high chance of getting struck by lightning," he added.

"Sure, I was. And you were probably out at a party in the Hog's Head, hitting on guys." Regulus, teased right back. All of a sudden he was in a better mood, than when he first had come in here. Not wanting to get sick, Regulus removed his sweater. That was probably the part of his clothing that was the wettest. "But, seriously. What were you doing out tonight." Regulus asked, throwing her a suspicious look, which added to the tease.

[carson hale]

Cari watched as Regulus adjusted himself on the couch taking a more relaxed position. Seeing him move made her think to the way she was sitting. The chair was an old recliner and raggedy looking, dust covered the entire thing hiding the fabric design from sight. Her arms were perched on the arm rest sand she sat up straight so dust wouldn't get on the back of her dress. I look like an evil ruler. She thought to herself. Deciding that the storm wasn't letting up anytime soon, she shifted until she was sitting on the chair sideways; her head cushioned on one arm of the chair while her legs rested over the other. Maybe she should have painted her toenails with that glow in the dark polish.

Outside the storm carried on. But Cari didn't' care, she was in good company and there wasn't a draft. That she could feel. "Yeah, getting struck by lightning would be bad." Her eyes left the window to look back at him. Little did he know, he had hit the nail right on the head. Her gaze fell to her black arm warmers which were not doing a very good job at all. With a sigh she rolled the material down her forearms and threw them in the general direction of her heels.

"Actually, I was at a party at the Hogs Head. But the guys were hitting on me, not the other way around." Normally, she didn't flaunt that little fact but for some reason she felt she had to prove herself. And it wasn't like she was drunk and falling all over the guys. She had just been shooting some pool. Well technically the term is hustling but who's really paying attention. Does using my looks to get guys to do what I want make me a tease or a whore? She wondered. It wasn't like she slept with any of them or gave them a peek, she just really poured on the charm. And wore a somewhat low cut shirt or dress. In tonight's case, a dress.

"I'm not intruding on your hot date am I?" Cari gave up her mental soul self evaluation and turned back to teasing Regulus. In a joking manner she looked at the door. "Some girl won't come busting in here demanding a duel because I'm cavorting with her man?" Cari fixed her blue eyes on Regulus to see how he would react.

[regblack]

Regulus watched her get comfortable, and wondered why he hadn't thought of that, again. He shifted into the position he had been before Cari had entered the Shack. He looked over at her while she told him what she had been doing, tonight. "Not to far from the answer, was I?" Regulus asked. The question was retoracle, so he didn't expect an answer.

Regulus smiled. Raisng an eyebrow he looked over at the door. "Well, I wasn't with any girls, until you came along. I was hanging out with a few, um.. let's call them my friends." Regulus said. "You maybe should expect a few dark wizards breaking down the door, though. They'll probably duel you, too." He added, sending a wink towards Cari.

He started to think about what he had done tonight. What if I'm putting Cari in danger by having her here with me? Regulus asked himself. I have to stop thinking to myself. He thought, feeling some resent for himself. Thunder roared outside and lightning flashed even brighter. Regulus didn't care about that now, though. He was, actually, enjoying teasing, Cari.

[carson hale]

"Oh! Friends! Gotcha!" Cari shot him a quick wink. Half of her wondered whether or not he was joking, but the other half shrugged it off. If she was going to die, at least she had good company. Heck, maybe she could play the pureblood card. It was like Monopoly's get out of jail free card. Only for death.

Shrugging it off, her grin widened when he told her of the dark wizards that may or may not want to duel her. "Probably wouldn't do to scream and accidentally throw my wand, huh?" She asked referring to the scare he had given her earlier. It really was funny and once she thought about it she couldn't help but chuckle.

"Don't you worry about no dark wizards. I have a secret weapon the dark lord knows not." Leaning in she put her hand to the side of her mouth as if she were telling him a secret. "I am super annoying and it doesn't matter who I am with. I will talk and talk and talk. It's impossible to get me to shut up. So either the dark wizards will return me and run away to cower in fear or they will kill me quickly." Finished, she moved back to her reclined, relaxed position on the couch.

"And don't you worry. I'll tell them your with me so we'll get the same fate." Cari joked. Deep inside, something told her that Regulus hadn't been joking. It was no secret that his family was into the dark arts. Well except Sirius. But for some reason, Cari didn't care. Regulus was nice. Maybe dark was the way to go? She hadn't really thought about it before, but maybe this dark lord was something she should look into. It wasn't like she had anything to lose. Her family was either dead, out of the country, or so involved with his girlfriends that he had no time for his only daughter.

Shaking her head with a sigh, she looked back to Regulus. Did he even have a choice? She wondered.

[regblack]

Regulus roared with laughter at her comments. It took confidence in yourself to make fun of yourself, somewhat. Cari had just done that in commenting about how she had screamed and thrown her wand, Regulus admired that in people.

"Funny." Regulus said, trying to recover from the laughter. He cleared his throat, and added, "I'd tell them I hadn't even met you, until tonight if they were about to kill us. If they just left cowering, on the other-hand, I would know you." He taunted, sending back another wink.

Regulus, lay silently for a while, contemplating some confusing thoughts in his mind. "You know," Regulus finally said. "I wouldn't mind a struggle for my life, ending with you killing our opponents with annoyance." He smiled at her and ruffled his hair a little more.

She's really cool. I hope she doesn't turn out to be a Mudblood-loving freak. Regulus thought, disdainfully. Somehow, the thought didn't feel right. Was it that he was accusing her of something or that he had thought the word 'Mudblood'? He didn't know, so he shrugged the feeling off.

"I wonder when the bloody rain will let out. I wouldn't mind exploring this shack, though." Regulus said, slightly lifting his head up and looking down the hall. "I heard it's supposed to be haunted. You don't believe all that rubbish, do you?" He asked her, turning back to her with a raised eyebrow.

[carson hale]

Cari raised an eyebrow at Regulus's antics and tried to send him a scathing look which was hard to do with all the fun she was having. "You tell them you don't know me and I'll sling my arm around your shoulders and make up facts about you like I've known you all my life. But the mere fact that you would deny knowing me. You wound me Regulus!" One hand went to her head while the other went to her heart as she mock sobbed. Truthfully, she wouldn't mind going out in a blaze of glory. She had had some good times in her life and she made a new friend tonight. But this was fun, just playing around without a care and ignoring the fact that dark wizards could storm in at any moment.

"You know," Regulus finally said. "I wouldn't mind a struggle for my life, ending with you killing our opponents with annoyance."

"So you do want to be my friend!" Cari shouted jubilantly. "Wait until you get a Super Happy Hug of Huggy Happiness!" She shot him a quick wink. She had yet to meet a person who actually liked to receive hugs as much as she liked to give them. It wasn't like she was trying to annoy anyone, she was just a very physical person and enjoyed showing her affection for others through hugs. Probably the reason why she couldn't keep a boyfriend. Poor Regulus... Doesn't even know what he's getting into by being my friend. Cari thought. Her hands went to her hair. It was still damp but not as wet as it had been. At this rate she would be dry oh... Sometime next year.

"You want to explore? I will if you will." Cari followed his gaze down the hall then looked back at him. "Yeah, I've heard the rumors, but I don't believe them." It wasn't like a ghost was uncommon around these parts. Hogwarts itself was full of them. Personally, she had no idea why the Shrieking Shack was given its name but she had overheard a very convincing argument from a seventh year. She had learned more about the human anatomy that day then she ever hoped to hear again. Ever again.

[regblack]

Regulus laughed a little as she talked about how he had wounded her. She had even done some hand motions for added effect. I really am going to like her. Regulus concluded. He made to get up, but stretched his arms up in the air. "Ugh, I feel to lazy to move." Regulus said.

"I'll go, though, if you want to." Regulus said, smiling and getting up off the couch. He stretched a bit more and took his wand out of his front pocket. "Alright, lets go see if there are any Dark Wizards in here." He said, winking at her.

He walked a little towards her and held his empty hand out to her to help her up. As he waited, Regulus said, "Lumos." For the second time that night, his wand tip illuminated to show the dusty, old, now slightly wet, furniture of the shack.

[carson hale]

Cari subtly rolled her eyes and had to stifle a laugh but she did have to admit, these old chairs, though worn with age, did make her lazy. It was just another one of those times when she felt getting up took to much energy. She would have remarked so had Regulus not stood up and offered her his hand. It was then that Cari realized that even though Slytherins had that reputation of being dark, they were actually very well mannered and kind. At least, Regulus was.

"Dark wizards, here we come!" She half yelled when she took his hand to get up. Her blue eyes fell to where she had thrown her shoes. I'll get them later. It's not like we're going to be kidnapped. Maybe. She thought with a wry half smile. Danger had always been exciting for her, it gave a good adrenaline rush that was a million times better than any drug. Not that she had ever tried any, she just assumed it was better.

"You do know, if we do run into anyone I'm going to sacrifice you and save myself." Cari winked as she dropped his hand in order to find her own wand. She really wouldn't abandon him. It went against her code to leave a friend behind. "Lumos." The tip of her wand ignited with the familiar light of the spell. With the added visibility, there was little around them that was left in shadow.

"Ladies first." Cari motioned for Regulus to go ahead of her, a small smirk playing at the corneres of her mouth.

[regblack]

Regulus felt it to be easy, as he lifted Cari. He had thought her to be light, but not to light. Regulus couldn't help, but smile, when she yelled to the dark wizards. "They probably knew we were here anyway. With your loud scream from when you came in. That is still funny, by-the-way." Regulus said, snickering a bit.

Regulus' smile become a full grin. "If you runaway, I'll destroy the Dark Wizards and hunt you down myself. It would probably be easier than scaring you while sleeping on a couch." Regulus responded, as she let go of his hand. Regulus made to move forward, towards the hall and the upstairs, but something Cari had added made him stop.

Bowwing and pointing a hand toward the hall, Regulus added, "Funny, I always thought it was gentlemen first." He resumed his usual stance, sending her a small wink. There's no denying it, we're going to be good friends. Unless there are Dark Wizards up there and they kill one ofus if not both. Regulus thought. He shrugged off the idea, thinking if there were, he could handle it easy.