#regulus choosing violence again

[lulublack90]

Prompt 16 - Godric's Hollow

@wolfstarmicrofic September 16, word count 455

Previous part First Wolfstar part

“What are you doing?” Remus asked him when they were getting ready to leave. The pack needed them, and they hadn’t exactly told anyone where they’d gone. James hadn’t tried to use the mirror, so obviously they weren’t worried. Sirius put the finishing touches to his prank and stood up. 

“A parting gift for Flitsy.” He told Remus as the bathtub began to fill with multicoloured bubbles. The tub soon overflowed and Sirius turned to Remus to flash him his best smile. “Better get out of here, those things are going to fill this room in a minute,” 

“Flitsy is going to kill you when she finds this,” Remus shook his head but followed Sirius out.

“Nah, she’s bored here all alone, this gives her something to do,” He’d get a whack from her spoon the next time he dared to show his face, but she wouldn't hit him that hard, after all, he and the little elf had a good relationship, and she had a wicked sense of humour. 

It hadn’t taken much to convince her to interrupt James and his brother at every turn. He chuckled under his breath when he remembered the look on Regulus’s face when Flitsy had left the bunny slippers in the library for him. It made him think of the time they’d gone to the house in Godric’s Hollow for the Christmas market and Monty had charmed the nifffler slippers he’d presented to the pair just before they were meant to leave and convinced them to try them on. They’d had to follow Effie around the stalls and stand in the crowd while they waited for the hundreds of candles to be lit in the humongous tree, unable to remove the slippers from their feet. Monty hadn’t removed the charm until three days later, when the smell had got too bad and Effie had banished them to the garden. 

They arrived back at the camp and went in search of the others. 

“Have a nice nap did you?” Marcus asked, snickering when they approached. “Ouch!” He yelped. Sirius looked around, trying to figure out the source of Marcus’s sudden outburst. 

“I do not want to hear about why my brother and his boyfriend have been getting up to since we parted,” Regulus drawled as he put his wand away. Marcus grumped as he rubbed the sore spot on his arm. Sirius walked past him and looked in the cauldron.  

“So what’s for dinner? I’m starving, Remus has taken it out of me. You wouldn't believe how much stamina he has,” Sirius barked out a laugh as he dodged his brother’s flurry of hexes. They could plan later. For the rest of today, they’d have a bit of fun.

Next part

[littleliterarylesbian]

MORE APOCALYPSE AU RAMBLES !!! Please 🥺 I am literally so in love with this au idea, I just know it’s going to be lovely

I AM LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING THE FIRST CHAPTER ALREADY LOL

I shall mention some things that are going to be written in the first chapter as well as some new rambles (along with some of what i have alrdy written down under the cut :3)

First off, Regulus doesn't even remember his own name. He's super chill for the first like 1k words despite being surrounded by dead bodies and blood and waking up in a surgery room.

This is def going to be rated E. not even for violence i also plan to add some little steamy bits later teehee

Harry's last name? Fuck! Who knows! Not Regulus that's for sure!

Also Regulus is convinced that Harry isn't his kid due to how much Harry looks like James. (theres some reg in there too, Regulus just doesn't know what he looks like beyond having pale skin)

Harry is going to be causing problems right from the bat. He's a screamer. Loud baby he is.

Also sorry to disappoint but jegulus and the Black Brothers don't meet (or well... find each other) for a WHILE. I have people to kill off before hand.

But! Sirius and James (Peter is there too guys dw) are together being as codependent as ever (its actually so much worse)!

Regulus on the other hand starts out with nothing but a baby yall, he's kind of fucked.

anyway snippet!!!:

He stands, feet squishing against the tile as he walks up to the screaming infant. As soon as his face comes into view for the baby, it settles down. He watches it, tilting his head as it reaches up to him with wet eyes. Their skin is dark, darker than his own for sure, already has a head of hair with small curls already growing in. Grey eyes stare back at him, they're slightly too big for the baby's face he notes. There's a scar too, a staggering line branching out into other, smaller, lines. It's still slightly puffy, new. He pulls his eyes away from the baby's face when it raises their arms, still pouting and reaching out for him.

He takes a step back, ignoring the whine it brings out from the infant. It doesn't look like his baby. He looks down at his hands, staring at the pale skin that stretches across the bone and presses his lips together. It doesn't seem like his baby at all, why should he choose to care for it? He begins to take several steps back, going to continue looking around the room when the baby starts to wail again now that it can't see him. He looks to the crib and his eyes catch on the name on the side of the crib. It's slightly blood splattered, just like the metal of the crib itself, but it's there in big black ink. Harry J. Po- the blood covers everything else but something in the back of his mind twinges. Like a forgotten memory trying to push to the surface. It aches slightly, and the feeling i for nothing in the end as no memory comes to mind. He frowns, but pushes the thought away for later.

He steps back up to the baby and the wailing quiets down to sniffles. His frown deepens but he finally steps up to take the infant into his arms. A small grunt escapes from the back of his throat unbidden as he raises the baby, Harry, up. They're heavier then he first thought, though a big baby is a healthy one he supposes.

He takes a step back unconsciously, bare foot sliding for a second before he rights himself. He doesn't remember how he knows that. He can't remember if it's a saying or a general fact and that thought starts to eat at him. He rests Harry against his shoulder and the baby doesn't hesitate before burrowing his face in the crook of his neck.

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

CW: Mentions of physical violence and weapons.

"I am thinking I want a tattoo"

Remus felt happy and warm even if was winter, almost Christmas. Remus was feeling the festive mood for the first time. Besides the cold, besides the fact he had been robbed, that he didn't have a phone or the little money he kept, besides the fact that he had been hurt and that he missed his best friend already. Remus was relatively happy. There was one person to blame. And he was sitting next to him, very close to him.

"A tattoo?" Remus asked as he smiled.

"Yeah" Sirius nodded. He was drawing a friendly dog in the foggy window of the London Tube "I was thinking what Fen said yesterday. Do I really look like a delicate prince?"

Remus laughed despite the fact that it hurt to think about Fen and the boys. How they once were Remus's family. And just yesterday they tried to hurt Sirius and him. They hurt Grant. But luckily Grant would be safe and sound in Brighton by now.

Sirius’s dog had a speech bubble next to it. It read: "Hello Moony". Remus smiled.

"I want to look more badass if I am going to live in London" Sirius added.

"You're going to live in a posh neighborhood anyway, so it's fine"

Sirius poked out his tongue.

Sirius had been absolutely adorable during their trip to London. It was the first time Sirius visited the city for real. And though their mission had been to rescue Grant, which they managed successfully despite everything, Remus could tell Sirius had enjoyed it. He wanted more than ever to move into his Uncle's apartment.

"I am sorry for bringing the subject, Moony"

Seeing Sirius’s eyes of concern, Remus realized he had a sad expression. And he hated feeling that way for those people. But nobody understood what they had meant for him. Maybe only Grant.

"It's okay, I am fine"

"No, you are not" Sirius prompted "And it's okay. I get it"

Fen had been drunk and probably on drugs when he took out his knife. And when he hit and kicked Remus on the ribs. He still had the bruises. More than the ones he used to have. But what he said had been circulating Remus's brain all day: "Ye'r a traitor! Yeh abandoned us to play to be a posh boy in a posh school. We've used ter be Yer family and yeh left us"

Remus didn't regret going to Hogwarts. It had been the best decision of his life. Not only because he was able to see Sirius again. But in Hogwarts he had met the best people he could find. Now comparing with what he used to have with Fen and the others, Remus realized he didn't know what real friendship looked like, what real love looked like.

"I tried distracting you with Andromeda and Ted"

"And Nymphadora"

"Just call her Dora" Sirius shivered "That name is horrid"

Remus laughed.

Sirius’s smile showed how much he liked his little family. He only had Andromeda and Regulus now. He had been so happy to spend the day with them. Right before The Holidays. Probably it hadn't been like with The Potters. But they were his family.

"I had a really good time with them"

And it had made Remus love Sirius more. He didn't think it was possible to love someone so much. Even if they were just friends.

Sirius, now bored with the drawings on the window, found another distraction in playing with Remus's wrist bands. Every time Sirius touched his skin, Remus felt shivers down his spine.

"I didn't want to let Regulus go" Sirius added with a sad tone.

The Black Brothers were a total Rollercoaster. Remus had seen them fight like cats and dogs one moment. And then act like best friends at the other. While at The Tonks' they had been at peace. Teasing each other occasionally, but fine. Until Regulus said he was coming back to Grimmauld Place for the rest of the Holidays.

"I can believe he keeps choosing them over me"

"He is going to be fine, Pads"

At this point, they were gently touching each other's fingers and palms. Innocent play. But with a lot of meaning in between.

"He is too vulnerable" Sirius added with disdain "Reg is going to let them manipulate him. Something they wanted to do with me"

Remus couldn't help but rub his shoulders. Something a friend would do to comfort him.

"Regulus is very clever. He won't do anything he doesn't want to"

Sirius took a deep breath "Let's not talk about it. It's almost Christmas. I want to take advantage of our moments together before going back to Hogwarts"

"What do you want to do?" Remus asked in amusement "It's almost midnight and we don't have any money left"

"Only what Andy gave to me" Sirius smirked

"For our train tickets for tomorrow" Remus reminded him.

"We still have something left to buy some wine"

"She said that was for tickets and food"

"I am not hungry. Ate plenty at The Tonks. You?"

Remus wanted to smile. Remus wanted to say yes to everything. Remus wanted to follow Sirius anywhere. And do whatever he said. Because Remus loved him.

"I am always hungry. You know that" Remus teased.

"We'll buy some snacks with the wine"

Remus smiled now "You are impossible" he said. Sirius smiled innocently. Remus wanted to kiss him. "Add some fags to the list. Fen left me clean"

That made Sirius laugh "Deal"

The whole ride back to Alphard's flat was full of gentle touches and closeness. Remus let Sirius place his legs on his lap. They were wrapped around each other like some puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together. They held hands. Sirius was scooping closer and closer. Placing his head on Remus's shoulder. Remus was getting addicted to Sirius’s smell and warmth.

Somehow it was a mixture of perfection and the slow craving of more. Remus didn't want to think how friends weren't supposed to do this. He didn't want to measure how romantic or how platonic this was. It was just happening.

They had always been close. Even before they started kissing and doing other stuff. Especially now that they had shared secrets and everything was at the open. It was clear they loved each other. And if Remus didn't think much about how or what they were, he could enjoy what he was having with Sirius.

"We should probably call Prongs to tell him we are alive"

Once in the flat, Remus was at ease. He didn't want to think about the fact that he would spend the night alone with Sirius. The night before, Grant had been something to focus. But now, it was only the two of them.

"Call him. I'll light the fireplace. It is freezing in here"

In front of the chimney and after several glasses of wine and some cigarettes, Remus was relaxed and warm.

"Alphard had taste for many things, not for decorating I am afraid" Sirius commented as he looked around.

Remus had been too worried about Grant last night to appreciate this place. Now more at ease, his eyes wandered around. Everything looked expensive and luxurious. Only the best that money could buy. Though Sirius was right. The decorations made the place look a bit ancient.

"Did you know my Uncle used to make hell of parties in this very place?"

Remus smiled "Yeah?"

"Brought many lovers in here as well" Sirius added, then chuckled "Imagine all the sex these walls had witnessed"

Remus was mid sip of his wine when he choked by the comment.

"If walls could talk" Sirius raised his eyebrows teasingly.

"I'm not sure you'd want to listen to those stories" Remus commented.

"My Uncle was a true slag" Sirius took a sip of his drink "At least he had fun"

Remus couldn't believe he was blushing. He was a bit drunk. And fuck it, he was getting hornier. He had promised himself he could be just Sirius’s friend. But it was impossible not to want him if he was so bloody pretty.

"How about you?" Remus asked with stupid drunk confidence "Are you bringing lovers when you move in?"

"I am having parties as well" Sirius answered looking only to the fire.

"What about the lovers?"

Sirius’s eyes fixed on Remus. The boy was out of breath for a second. Sirius scooped closer. Time felt like it had been stopped. Sirius hesitated before touching Remus's curls. Remus let him. Sirius’s hand moved towards his ear. Remus froze. Sirius caressed his neck delicately. Remus closed his eyes because the gesture was giving tiny shots of pleasure.

"I brought you, didn't I?" Sirius whispered before leaning in for a kiss.

It took all the strength in the world to look away and not kiss Sirius back.

"Sirius," Remus began with a trembling voice "You know we can't do this"

Sirius wasn't expecting that answer clearly. He looked hurt. And a bit confused.

"Yeah sorry" Sirius pursed his lips in disappointment "Just best friends, I get it"

"You were the one who said you needed time to figure things out" Remus snapped angrily.

Sirius wasn't supposed to be the hurt one. Not after everything he had made Remus go through.

"Yeah I know" Sirius shrugged, trying to sound uninterested "I just wanted to kiss you" he looked down to his empty cup "It's probably the wine"

But Remus's temper had changed. Everything was so fine with Sirius, so glorious, so brilliant, until he ruined it all.

"Fuck it, Sirius, you know very well how I feel about you" Remus said as he raised to his feet to pour himself more wine. He needed to be drunker.

"It was just a silly kiss, Remus, relax"

Remus turned in surprising speed, almost spilling the bottle on the carpet.

"I do want to kiss you!" And maybe he raised his voice a little "I love you!" he added, taking Sirius by surprise. Although he had said it many times already "But all you do is play with me when you want. You might be used to everyone being at your feet and maybe I used to be at your feet myself. But I can't do this anymore"

Sirius’s expression turned to fury. Eyes glistening by tears. He rose to his feet as well.

"You think I do this to mess up with you? Of course not, Moony! I want you for real"

Their yells echoed through the empty walls reminding both that no one had lived in that place for months. The ghost of the lonely man that used to own the flat was long gone. Perhaps the place hadn't known love. Maybe sex, fun and parties but not love.

"I know you do" Remus answered "But I don't want to be wanted by you. I want to be loved by you, Padfoot!"

Sirius opened his mouth to say something he didn't dare. Instead he replied with:

"Fuck me, Remus! You love to play this game as well. Who was touchy touchy with me in tube just hours ago? You've been all over me all day!"

Remus snorted in disbelief.

"You are the one who taunts me all the time with your touchy shows of affection and your flirtatious words!" Sirius replied with rage "I said I needed time!"

"What do you want me to do? Bloody ignore you?? We were supposed to be fucking friends, weren't we?"

"I don't think we can be friends" Sirius tutted "Everything is ruined now. Are we going to be awkward forever?"

"You are the one who made it awkward"

"Fuck you! You were practically begging me to kiss you!"

"Fuck you! You're the slag that threw himself at me!"

"And now you're acting like a prude, ha?"

Just like that the little spark turned into a fire, burning everything around them. How easily they exploded with words that hurt each other like daggers when minutes before it was good between them. Remus was sick and tired of how much Sirius made him hate him. Just like he was tired of how much Sirius made him love him. All at the same time.

"GO FUCK YOURSELF, SIRIUS!"

Sirius’s force was unstoppable as he approached.

"FUCK ME YOURSELF, YOU COWARD!"

Before Remus could react, Sirius pulled him by his neck into the most passionate snog, the hottest kiss he had ever experienced.

And God knows Remus tried to fight against it, but seconds later he gave into it faster than falling from a cliff. He opened his mouth for Sirius’s tongue. Remus tasted heaven for a second before Sirius broke apart. Remus would have protested but Sirius only needed seconds to whisper the next words:

"I am crazy in love with you, Moony. You drive me insane"

Sirius’s words were rushed and Remus didn't have time to process them. Sirius was attacking his mouth again. Remus was distracted with pinches of pleasure on his mouth as he felt Sirius’s tongue again. And pinches of pleasure when Sirius’s fingers ran through his hair.

When the message was processed by his brain, all Remus could do was smile between kisses. And he carried on. He carried on. Nobody could stop him now.

Remus didn't know how they got to one of the rooms, probably Alphard's, Remus didn't care. They were suddenly fully snogging on the softest bed Remus had touched. Sirius on top of him.

Remus's body raised in temperature. He realized he was only a human and needed air to survive only when Sirius detached his lips from Remus's mouth to his neck. Remus had only microseconds of air until it became difficult to breathe again for the delicious thing Sirius was doing to his neck.

Remus's instinct was to press him closer to him. And the sound that came out of their mouths was almost animalistic. It made Remus laugh.

"God, I love you"

Sirius let out a little snort on his collarbone.

"Moony, Moony, Moony.... I love you more"

Remus felt like fireworks on his chest. Those three words were better than any kiss or touch that Sirius could give him. That euphoric feeling made him smile to the dark.

Sirius giggled "Of course I love you. And I am scared of how much"

Remus caressed Sirius’s back in response. Then he stroked his soft hair.

"Sorry," Sirius added, looking down at Remus. They smiled at each other "I swear I didn't bring you here for this. And I certainly wasn't planning to confess my feelings like that. But, oh Moons, you made it difficult"

Remus chuckled "Well, you shouldn't have tried to kiss me in the first place"

"You looked adorable and irresistible" Sirius pouted. "What was I supposed to do?"

Remus let out a little laugh.

Sirius began playing with Remus's hair as if that gesture didn't drive him crazy.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want" Sirius said. Remus noticed the nervousness in his voice. He adored this vulnerable Sirius.

"You mean..."

Sirius bit his lip "What I said about my Uncle is true. But it was stupid to bring it up. You make me say stupid things, Moons"

"Yeah, blame me" Remus teased, making Sirius hit his arm playfully.

"I want you" Sirius added, and the way he said it sent shivers down Remus's spine "But it's okay if you want to wait"

"Are you proposing me to have sex with you in the same place your Uncle probably had sex with several men?"

"Way to bring the mood down, Moony"

Remus giggled. He was an idiot. He had only said that to hide the fact he was really really nervous. He admired Sirius for talking about this upfront. That's how Sirius got what he wanted most of the time.

Remus had wanted this for a long time. He had imagined it in his head. They were alone. Something that would be difficult back at Hogwarts. And he was completely in love with this boy. So why not? The only problem was that Remus was utterly scared. Mainly of what Sirius would say about his body. What if he didn't like it? What if he found it disgusting?

Stupid bloody fear.

Sirius must've read his mind because he took it as a red light. So he rolled to the side, panting to the ceiling.

"We should probably finish the wine and go to sleep, Moons. Prongs made me promise we would be at the Castle in the morning. It's Christmas Eve tomorrow, remember?"

Remus didn't want to go to sleep. He didn't want to lose the opportunity to be with Sirius. He was dying to touch him and show him how much he loved him. Hell, he was a teenage boy in love. He couldn't wait to have his top surgery to have sex, right? He wanted Sirius more than he had wanted anything.

So he rolled to his side, took Sirius’s shirt and pulled him into a wet desperate kiss. Sirius responded willingly.

In no time, they were all over each other again.

Remus pulled Sirius’s shirt off. And Sirius did the same with his. Sirius kissed the bruises and scars Fen had left the day before.

"I want you to be the first, Sirius" Remus whispered to the other boy in the dark. "I want to be yours forever"

Remus felt how Sirius's heart speed up with his words and Remus could've sworn seeing him blushing even in the poor light. Sirius was absolutely gorgeous and God how much Remus loved him.

"But I am not taking this off" Remus added, pointing to his binder "Is that okay?"

Sirius nodded at once. His eyes were shining as he said: "You're so beautiful, Remus".

The fact that he used his name made everything more real. Remus believed him.

"I love you" Sirius added shyly.

Remus smiled.

"I think I've loved you since the first day I saw you. I just didn't know it. I was a fool ten year old boy"

Remus touched his cheek. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't believe Sirius felt the same. Remus had loved this boy since he was a kid. This love had seemed impossible, unreachable and one-sided for so long that Remus couldn't believe it had been the same for Sirius. They had been terrible idiots.

"If you're saying things to get me horny, let me tell you I already am"

That comment made them laugh but also break the ice. And cut the little tension they were having for their potential first time.

"And here I was trying to declare my sweet love to you, Moons" Sirius tutted "You have to make everything sexual..."

"Shut up and kiss me" Remus interrupted with a sweet delicate kiss.

A kiss that started everything. Nothing stopped them after that. There was no time for words. But they told each other everything with touches and sighs of pleasure. The walls of that flat witnessed something extraordinary. Not only hot and messy sex once again. But the most honest demonstration of love. Remus liked to believe they had been the first ones to make magic while making love.

Remus would remember it as the happiest night of his life.

[superfallingstars]

6 and 7? lol

thank you for the ask!!!!

choose violence ask game here!

6. which ship fans are the most annoying?

gotta be wolfstar purely because of saturation and overtagging. i tend not to like the characterizations of sirius and remus when they’re put in a relationship – imo they're often ooc and also there’s some weird gender things going on (more on that later). but i suppose jegulus also has to be up there purely because i just don’t get it and again it seems like it’s SO popular. not only is there not a lot of canon to work with for either of their personalities but also what do james and regulus have in common other than sirius. like just make james kiss sirius. silly

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

i’m not sure if i really hate any character tbh… of course i have my favs, but honestly any character can become interesting the longer i think about them. i think i most recently had this realization with regulus who for the longest time i did not care about (literally i rewatched the movies last summer and they started talking about him and i was like. who the fuck is regulus i don’t remember any regulus. i legit completely forgot about him). now after spending one (1) very caffeinated morning pacing around my room talking to myself about him i think he’s quite a compelling character. but i wouldn’t know that from the way fandom treats him (just some guy who james is gonna smooch i suppose! much to the chagrin of SIRIUS oh sirius just hates this whole thing cuz it’s his BEST FRIEND and his LITTLE BROTHER and they’re gonna KISS oooo isn’t that so crazy)

i also hate basically all forms of fanon remus (twee bookish softboi who only wears sweaters and is just sooo sweet and kind and would never hurt a fly uwu vs. tough troublemaker casanova of gryffindor tower… and idk man i feel like the latter characterization of remus has also led to people making sirius more feminine in the context of wolfstar which is just like. hmmm why does this version of remus necessitate fem sirius 🧐 look within). but that said, nothing could truly make me hate remus, he’s my pathetic little failchild and i will always woobify him and his anxious avoidant deadbeat dad swag

[sofoulandfairaday]

1 for the ask game

from: choose violence ask game

1. the character everyone gets wrong

Err... all of them? I'm not even kidding. More on this here.

Bellatrix: fortunately there's been progress in the fandom, but for years everyone loved to describe her as an overly sexualized, crazy, shrieking mindless slave, when she's actually quite the opposite. She is sadistic, but not insane, she's passionate but not irrational (she is the only one who knew Snape was a traitor; to me, it's because of a peculiar mix of rationality and intuition that shows her to be actually quite intelligent). Nothing suggests her being promiscuous in the text and I would actually argue the opposite of her (why would she ever lower herself to sleep with someone who she deems her inferior - so basically everyone -, even just to satisfy mere physical desires? This post, to me, is Bella at her core).

Narcissa: this is canon Narcissa, all of you are perfectly entitled to your soft babygirl headcanons, of course, but then again you are perfectly entitled to be wrong <3 [also, shameless self-promo: x]

The blorboification continues for every single member of the Black family and I hate it so much you have no idea:

Andromeda: somehow described as a soft little girl who loved her mean, mean sisters so much and had to run away? Bitch stood up to seven centuries of tradition, and abandoned her sisters and parents, to marry a boy she had fallen in love with maybe two years prior (we know this based on Tonks' age). Good for her, but as I have said previously, both Narcissa and Andromeda (and Sirius, really) strike me as a bit selfish. The one with the romantic attachment to the idea of her family, the child most like Walburga, is Bellatrix.

But this is nothing, NOTHING, compared to what this fandom does to Regulus and Sirius.

Regulus: canonically a Voldemort fanboy, with newspaper clippings of him everywhere, and a blood supremacist. Sirius says it better than anyone: Reggie is soft. But not in the way the fandom believes, nope. He's just a coward who, much like Draco years later, was super excited to be like Bellatrix (Lucius) until he realized what killing really meant, what fighting a war really was, and most importantly because Voldemort touched him personally (Kreacher, whom he loved). Voldemort was probably a little more deranged than he had been at the beginning of the First War, and someone that had inherited the Black pride/haughtiness probably didn't like being branded like cattle and treated like a slave, on top of everything else.

Sirius: fanon Sirius is basically another character. Canon!Sirius is: tall, canonically incredibly handsome, quite masculine (in an explicit and toxic way, especially as a teenager in the fucking 1970s - the skirt-wearing, feminist one-liners spouting version of Sirius is something I just cannot get behind), a dick, a bit classist ((don't come @ me with your "oh, but what about Moony?!" because a) we don't know Remus' wealth when Lyall and Hope were still alive, we only know he can't get a job as an adult because of his condition and b) Remus is Sirius' exception, in the same way Lily is Snape's when he calls her a Mudblood - everyone else is in his eyes)), brave to the point of recklessness, quite cruel, funny, witty, magically talented, loyal to a fault, extremely charismatic and everything else outlined here. For the same reasons, I'll say Remus too.

Don't even get me started on Severus Snape. Other people have spoken on this better than I could ever. At least here on Tumblr, though, it seems to me that things are getting a little better after years of absolutely bizarre takes. Or maybe I've blocked all of the idiots idk.

Dumbledore. More on this here and maybe I'll outline my ideas better in a future post.

Also: I do not accept any characterization of Evan Rosier, Barty Crouch jr, Reggie, and Rabastan Lestrange as anything less than violent blood supremacists. Yes, they can be nuanced and gay (and only for each other might I add), but these people are the KKK (metaphorically, of course, because I hate comparing real-world tragedies to completely fictional ones, but still).

Lucius: a complete dick, but definitely not abusive. The man couldn't raise a hand to Draco if the Dark Lord threatened to kill him over it.

Speaking of which: my darling Lord Voldemort. Not much to say about him really because I know that some people do write him in a very interesting way (and I am open to interpretations of his character even if they are different from how I see him - and I have a very fucking specific vision of him). The problem is that perhaps three (3) of these people write him with Bellatrix and that saddens me.

Now, I mostly read First Wizarding War stuff or Death Eater stuff so I can't really speak to many other characters, especially in Harry's generation, but anything other than cowardly Draco is not a good Draco characterization to me. Ron is hands-down the best one in the Golden Trio and Ron Weasley bashing is pathetic. Hermione has faults but is ultimately a strong, take-no-bullshit girl and I'll take that over basically any and all female YA protagonists. And Harry is sassiness personified, but with a heart of gold, and oh-so-caring. Which is also why I can't read dark!Harry for the life of me. It just makes me giggle.

[wastelandmoony]

Déjà Vécu: Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five : Mind Over Matter

Summary: Sirius has lingering trauma. Padfoot saves the day.

Characters: Remus Lupin/Reader, Sirius Black/Reader (no use of y/n), James Potter, Petter Pettigrew, Regulus Black, Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, Lily Evans

Warnings: 18+ Only, Minors DNI; language, violence, PTSD & trauma.

Déjà Vécu Masterlist

Companion Playlist

Read on AO3

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

January 2nd, 1976

The rest of the winter break had been weird. There was no more mention of what had happened, but Dumbledore stopped by the house a few more times to question Sirius alone (much to her and the other boys’ disdain). Sirius had come out of those meetings moody and irritable, and refused to open up to anyone, including her. The bright side was that he was now living with the Potter’s indefinitely, and she wouldn’t have to worry about his safety anymore when they weren’t at school. James was over the moon about it, proclaiming rather loudly (and often) that Sirius was his new brother “by right”.  

At night, she would sneak into Sirius bedroom across the hall and sleep there until dawn. Nightmare had plagued him since he arrived at the Potters’, ones that left him crying and scrambling for breath as she tried to calm him down in the dark. Some nights he didn’t even recognize her immediately, panicking the second his eyes opened. She knew what Sirius saw in those brief moments between consciousness: He was back in that house.

She would hold him until the shaking stopped, eventually falling back asleep. When she heard his breathing even out, she would cry silently, careful not to wake him again.

There was an unspoken agreement that the start of school after the break would be a new beginning, and any talk of what happened at the Potter’s would be shut away. Just because they didn’t discuss it though, doesn’t mean it didn’t consume her every waking thought. 

As they entered the Great Hall for the start of term feast, she quickly grabbed Remus and made a beeline for the side of the table against the wall, forcing the others to sit opposite. Once they settled, Remus looked past Sirius’ and James’ heads and saw that his line of sight directly led to Regulus. He understood instantly. They couldn’t have Sirius see his brother. Not yet. 

Whether Sirius was aware of the intentional switch, she wasn’t sure, but he didn’t seem to show it as he jovially began to rattle off quidditch stats with Marlene across the table. For a brief interval, everything seemed normal. James was tossing potatoes into Sirius’ open mouth, Peter egging them on. Remus tried to conceal his laughter behind bites, and she couldn’t help but smile as she looked down the table and saw Lily grin at the antics as well. Everyone was alright.

So why couldn’t she breathe.

———

January 15th, 1976

Remus was exhausted, she could tell by the way he was sitting. His normal alert posture was now hunched over their shared desk in Defense, and every so often he’d stop scribbling notes abruptly, having nodded off and dripping ink all over the place. 

“Moony—“ she nudged him gently.

Another ink drop fell onto the parchment.

“Remus!” Another jab, harder this time.

He sat up with a jolt, panic fading to relief as he realized the surrounding classroom setting.

“Fuck…” he scrubbed a scarred hand over his face.

“What’s wrong with you? You’re never like this unless it’s after…you know,” she whispered, turning back to continue jotting down notes on counter jinxes. 

Remus groaned, choosing to write around the large ink splotches coating his parchment instead of wasting it. 

“Sirius—“

She scratched a letter a little too aggressively, “Is he alright?”

Sensing her alarm, Remus calmed his tone, “He’s fine. He just—can’t sleep, and it’s starting to affect the rest of us.”

She closed her eyes in frustration and sighed, “He told me he wasn’t having nightmares anymore…”

Remus scoffed, “Yeah, he lied. He has them every night.”

Her stomach sank, squashing the mild annoyance of Sirius keeping this from her.

The nightmares were terrifying, not that she knew what he was dreaming about specifically (though she could definitely guess), he always refused to talk about it, but she had been there night after night at the Potters’ when he would wake up screaming, tears running down his face. Even after she’d calmed him down, and sleep had taken him once more, he would whimper quietly. There was no reprieve, only reduction.

It had been one of her main worries since arriving back at Hogwarts, now that she wasn’t just right across the hall from him. Did the other’s try and comfort their friend? Did Sirius even let them?

Her voice dropped, barely audible to anyone outside of the boy sitting beside her, “…Is he still screaming?”

Remus gave a shallow nod.

“Fuck…” she rubbed at her eyes.

Remus sighed, “I usually sit with him, wait until he falls back asleep.”

God, she wanted to hug him right there in the middle of the classroom.

“I did that too, when we were at James’ for Christmas,” she whispered.

“You snuck into his room?” Remus balked, “I’m surprised Effie didn’t catch you, that woman’s got her finger on the pulse of everything going on in that house.”

She smirked, “Every night.”

Remus raised his eyebrows in admiration. 

They went back to their notes, scrawling quietly while their respective brains churned. There had to be a way to alleviate the trauma plaguing their friend. She tried to think of a solution, silently bouncing thoughts between dream interpretation, potions and magical herb remedies, charms, and even muggle medication. 

Nothing was clicking. 

“Do the others know?” She didn’t take her eyes of the parchment.

Remus hummed in acknowledgement, “Prongs does, we swap ‘Padfoot Watch’ as we’ve been calling it. Pete sleeps like the dead, so he hasn’t woken up for any of it so far.”

Something began to form, a murky, barely-there idea in the back of her head. She froze.

“Say that again, Remus…”

“Say what? Padfoot Wa—“

There it was. A fully-fledged, entirely theoretical, idea. 

And it was shaped like a big black dog.

———

A little before midnight, she received a note in the sketchbook, the one she’d stayed up waiting for.

Come up. He’s awake now.

She raced to Gryffindor Tower, having to hide behind a suit of armor and duck into an empty alcove in order to avoid being seen by either a ghost or the new caretaker Mr. Filch. 

Remus had left the dormitory door unlocked in preparation, and she slipped inside as quietly as possible to not wake James or Peter. Sirius’ bed curtains were closed, but she could hear quiet murmuring coming from inside. Parting the fabric, the dim light coming from her wand illuminated the faces of Remus and Sirius, sitting cross-legged on the bed.

Sirius’ face shifted from alarm, to relief, to confusion in a matter of milliseconds. 

“Hey,” she gave a small smile, Remus moving over so she could join them.

“What’re you doing here?” Sirius’ voice bordered on disbelief, his eyes wide and glossy even in the dark. 

She fidgeted on the quilt, “I uh…I’ve had an idea.”

He gave her an expectant look.

“An idea to help you sleep…to maybe help with the nightmares.”

She watched as his shoulders fell in defeat. 

“You can’t,” he whispered, “there’s nothing you can do. There’s nothing anyone can do.”

“We can at least try to help—“

“It’s not your problem to deal with! It’s no one else’s problem but mine!”

Remus let out a low, sarcastic chuckle, “I beg to differ, mate. I haven’t slept in days.”

Sirius shot him a petulant glare, “I’ll throw up silencing charms then.”

She groaned, “Please, stop being so difficult and let us help. We’re friends, that’s what friends do.”

They stared at each other in the dark, waging a silent battle of will within the confines of the velvet bed curtains. 

Finally, Sirius bent, and she relaxed her spine just a fraction. 

“Fine,” he ground out.

“Brilliant,” she grinned, crawling up the bed to prop against the headboard beside him. 

“So what’s this genius plan?” Sirius drawled, arms crossed defiantly.

“Turn into Padfoot,” she smiled, “My theory is that if you’re in your animagus form, your normal memories and nightmares won’t manifest in the way that they do when you’re human.”

Sirius shook his head, “I’m still me though, when I’m a dog. I can still remember things, and people.”

“I understand, but I also think Padfoot has a way of filtering your human memories and emotions, almost making them more condensed and simpler.”

Remus laid down across the end of the bed and stretched, “Like the first time in the shack, how you told me you stopped feeling afraid after changing forms, that all you wanted to do was run and play.” 

“Precisely,” she nodded at him, looking back at Sirius’ contemplative expression.

He groaned reluctantly, “Fine, here goes nothing I guess.” 

With one last annoyed look in her direction, Sirius shifted, a large black dog left sitting on the bed. She scratched him lightly behind the ear, and he spun around atop the quilt.

Once.

Twice.

Then he curled up against her body, letting out a little huff. 

“You’re so sweet and quiet like this, Padfoot, maybe you should be in this form more often,” She smirked down at Remus, who gave her a smug grin. 

Sirius nipped her arm lightly, causing her to laugh softly and resume petting his head. 

The next morning when she woke, it was to the feeling of a tail wagging against her body. Cracking open an eye, Sirius was still fast asleep beside her in dog form, his paws twitching as if dreaming about running. 

[ourloveisforthelovely]

Bad Ideas (Part 14)

Regulus Black au

Summary:  It started as nothing now it’s something. Voldemort has been defeated but that doesn’t mean the wizarding world is still a good place to be.

Pairings: Regulus Black x Reader

Rating : M

Link to Part 13

_____

The following hours were some of the longest of your life. While Regulus slept you let your mind wander to the upcoming dark days that the two of you would face. You dreaded telling Regulus that he would soon become a werewolf. Seeing the shock and sheer devastation in his eyes was enough to make you want to cry. Typically you weren’t a crier. You were more of a “hell hath no fury like Y/n Black” type. Today, however, that wasn’t the case.

“Has he woken up at all?”

You looked up from your place at Regulus’ side as Sirius stepped into the room.

“No, not yet.”

Sirius took a breath before sitting down in the chair on Regulus’ other side. He hated seeing his younger brother so banged up as much as hated that expression on your face. Seeing you look completely devastated made Sirius want to walk right up to Greyback and punch the bastard square in the face.

“Have you thought how we are going to break this to him?”

You shook your head. Every time that you tried to think of a plan for what you would say it never seemed good enough.

“No…not a clue. I don’t know how to tell Regulus everything he knows about himself is changing.”

Sirius didn’t respond for a moment.

“Yeah, how do you say it in a way that isn’t going to devastate him? Nothing about this conversation is going to be easy. Maybe with the medicine he’s on it will make the initial shock just a little easier.”

You stroked your finger over Regulus’ wedding band.

“He will either be a little loopy or choose violence. Time will have to tell on that one.”

Sirius winced as he turned to look at you again. He wanted to give you some kind of wisdom. Sirius wanted nothing more than to tell you that the two of you would find a way to deal with this. After all, he had been through this with Remus. He went through Remus’ personal hell every month but for some reason, he couldn’t get the words out.

“ How are you holding up? “

You looked back up to your godfather before shrugging.

“I don’t know. I keep telling myself that logically we can deal with this. I can the potion for Regulus as I do with Remus. Regulus will simply have to find his new normal…then my heart kicks in and says other things. Look at him… he’s never going to accept this. You know your brother as well as I do. “

Sirius looked thoughtful for a moment.

“Yes, I do but I also know you. I know you are going to be that one constant in his life that he never had before. When the two of you became a couple I was a little hesitant about it…”

“You chased us through the train station . .. “

Sirius held a hand up with a frown.

“Interrupting me when I’m trying to be inspirational is rude. Like I was saying, I had my hesitations but now I don’t. The two of you bring out the best in each other. You make my brother tolerable. Granted, he is still a little shit when you are gone but he is tolerable. I like seeing you happy too. Seeing a Y/n happy face is always a nice thing to see.”

Sirius was relieved when you smiled for a moment before frowning.

“I wish James would see it that way.”

Sirius sighed before making a mental note to give James a good talking-to later.

“He’ll come around. You know all of this has to be a lot for him and Lily. The last thing they remembered was they had one-year-old twins. Now both Harry and yourself are grown-ups with lives of your own. I’m going to ask you to cut them a little slack. That, however, doesn’t mean that your feelings aren’t valid.”

A knock on the door stopped the conversation. When Harry stepped into the room, he gave you a nervous smile.

“Y/n, can you come here for just a moment?”

Sirius gave you a gentle smile.

“Go ahead. I’ll stay here with Regulus.”

You got up to follow your brother into the hallway. When you stepped into the hallway, you smiled seeing Ron and Hermione in the waiting room. Both quickly walked over and wrapped their arms around you.

“We came as soon we heard.”

Ron commented as he moved aside to let Hermione hug you more. You wrapped your arms around Hermione enjoying every moment of that hug.

“Is he alright?”

Hermione asked in a gentle tone. You shook your head.

“He’s going to be a werewolf. There is no skipping around that.”

Ron ran a hand through his hair before muttering “bloody hell�� under his breath.

“Was it Greyback?”

He questioned. You nodded.

“Yeah, apparently he got away after all. I know that we were hoping that he was dead but it doesn't look like that happened.”

Hermione gently tucked a strand of your hair behind your ears.

“I’m so sorry, Y/n but you have us. We’ll help you however we can.”

Ron nodded.

“We certainly will. Regulus will be back to insulting us and throwing stuff at our feet before we know it.”

Ron was relieved when you smiled for a brief moment.

“I need to be selfish for a moment…I have to tell him though. He’s been asleep since it happened. Bloody hell, I have to tell my husband that his life…everything that he knows has changed. I have to watch him go through the hell that Remus goes through every month. I have to sit back while he suffers and I can’t do a damned thing about it.”

Harry gently squeezed your hand as Hermione placed a hand on either side of your face.

“No, you can’t do anything about it medically but you can be there for him in every other sense. He is going to need you more than ever, Y/n. You are strong. I know that you can do this. Like, Ron said, you have us. The four of us have been through so much over the years. We can handle a furry little problem too.”

If there was one thing that Hermione could do best that was calming you down. She always knew what to say to bring you some peace.

“I need the three of you more than ever.”

You said, hoping to hold the tears back.

“We aren’t going anywhere.”

Harry said as Regulus yelling made the three of you jump

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?!”

You groaned before putting a hand on your face.

“He chose violence.”

You commented before quickly walking back into the hospital room.

When you stepped into the room, Regulus was sitting straight up in the bed with a horrified expression on his face. Sirius was standing up holding his hands up trying to quiet his younger brother in vain.

Regulus’ attention turned to you. Your heart instantly broke seeing the petrified look. His normally dreamy gray eyes were filled with sheer horror.

“Y/n, tell me that he is joking.”

When you didn’t reply, Regulus’ mouth dropped further.

“Y/n!”

You moved to sit down beside Regulus. Silently, you hoped that your presence would calm him down. Now it was time to destroy the life of the man that you loved more than anyone else in the world.

“Y/n, say something to me.”

Regulus ordered. You took a deep breath.

“Regulus…you were bitten by Fenrir Greyback. I’m sorry, darling, but there’s…”

“Don’t say nothing that you can do. I can’t turn into…one of those monsters.”

You breathed in, trying to calm yourself.

“I’m sorry but you are. Regulus, everything will be alright. I know that it doesn’t seem that way now but there are…”

Regulus shook his head. This was worse than being drowned by inferi and drinking that damned torture potion combined. Now he was forever weakened.

“Reg, Remus goes through this every month. He can help…”

Sirius started but stopped when Regulus gave him the biggest got to hell look.

“Yeah, but I’m not Remus Lupin! I don’t have the level of grace that man does.”

Regulus grumbled. You stood and began to gently run your fingers through his hair. Normally this would turn Regulus into putty. He was surprised that he was feeling somewhat better.

“Are you going to leave me now?”

He asked, turning his attention back to you. You nearly fell back in your chair as your mouth dropped.

“Regulus Black, that is the dumbest question that I have ever heard come out of your mouth! I would never leave you over something like this. When I put that ring on your finger I meant the vows that I said.”

Regulus nodded but didn’t respond. He had partially lost the will to say anything else. He sat trying to process the news that his life, as he knew it, was over. He glanced over at you sadly. The fact that you hadn’t left him spoke volumes of your loyalty to him.

He couldn’t help but wonder if, in time, you would change your mind and leave. If the truth of his condition came out, Regulus knew that your reputation would be ruined. You had worked so hard to become a healer. It would be a scandal if it got out that you were married to a werewolf.

“This is Y/n. She won’t care what anyone has to say…hopefully. I can’t be without her.”

Regulus thought miserably. Since he had gotten with you so much of his outlook on things had changed. No longer was he this independent being that didn’t need another individual in his life. You had shown him how wonderful it was to be truly loved and accepted. Regulus DID NOT want to go back to the lonely life that he lived before you.

“Sweetheart, can you get me some water?”

Regulus asked. You nodded before leaning down and kissing his cheek.

Regulus waited until you were out of the room to speak to his brother.

“How long do I have, Sirius?”

Sirius looked down at his feet before finally meeting his younger brother’s gaze.

“The next full moon. Regulus, I know this is nothing that you asked for and nothing that you want but you have support. I’m not going anywhere nor is Y/n or Remus. You have people in your corner.”

Regulus sighed. As much he enjoyed giving his brother hell, Regulus was thankful to have Sirius in his corner again. It was nice having a relationship with his brother that he thought was gone forever.

“I’m sorry for screaming at you.”

Sirius chuckled.

“That was very Regulus Black of you.”

Regulus hoped that you would take some time getting that water.

“Should I divorce her?”

Sirius’ mouth dropped at the question that left his brother’s mouth.

“What? Why would you ask something like that?”

Regulus leaned back into the pillow. His whole body ached like never before. It felt as if all of his muscles were on fire while being twisted. Regulus knew that it was the venom changing every cell in his being.

“Because, Sirius, it's unfair to her! Y/n has worked too hard to get where she is to have her reputation tarnished by having a werewolf for a husband. You know how people look down on werewolves? Do you think it's fair to put a young woman through that? I may look the same age as Y/n but right now I feel our actual age difference.”

Sirius sat down on the bed before looking over his shoulder to make sure that you weren’t nearby.

“Regulus, I want you to listen to me. Do not and I mean do not even say anything like that to Y/n. She loves you! I have never seen her care for someone like she does you. If you leave her, she will be devastated. Please, Y/n has been through too damn much to have something like this happen to her. I’m begging you to not even consider the D-word.”

Regulus looked up as you walked back into the room.

“Here, love.”

You said before handing Regulus the cup of water. Sitting back down, you started stroking Regulus’ hair again. You didn’t notice the panicked expression on Sirius’ face as he stood up.

“I’m going to go call Remus. He’s probably wondering where I’m at.”

“See you soon.”

You replied, focusing all of your attention on Regulus. Sirius walked to the door but turned back to meet his brother’s gaze before mouthing,

“Please don’t.”

_____ @geeksareunique @jessyballet @knreidy1 @justfinishthis @fific7 @siriuslyceleste @mimisparkle12 @teletubiswszpilkach @dumbbunnys-safes @spideyxalmighty @lucasfilms77 @rubyroscoe1 @readtomeregulus @i-love-scott-mccall @s-we-e-t-t-ea @taylor-will-be-the-death-of-me @iluvthe-marauders @woohoney @abaker74 @regulus-black-223048 @saramaple @missgorldafirst @millies0bsimp @dumybitch @stelleduarte @gugggu6gvai @jag9000 @bennyberry @f4iryluvy @panpride @haroldpotterson @mentally-unstable-hoe @goldensunshineshit @rogue-nyx88 @padf00ts-l0ver @marichromatic @ravenhood2792 @playmore-zeppelin @coffeeaddictednymph @ell0ra-br3kk3r @knight-of-gleefulness @shaylybaby2032 @wontlookaway @livshifts @emiwrites3reads

[allamericanb-tch]

crimson rivers thoughts (17)

@tastetherainbow290 this is so long sorry 😭😭 please forgive me for breaking into song several times the choir kid in me can’t help it

chapter 41

MARLENE NO

no way mcgonagall knew and just let this happen

THIS WAS DUMBLEDORES IDEA and just when i thought he couldn’t get worse 

voldy wanted to kill james regulus AND sirius? oh my

i know regulus and sirius both make it but. oh my.

god i hate dumbledore

ariana dumbledore reference??

black family reunion at the HUNGER GAMES ?!

yaxley and lestrange too?! 

alice 💔

EMMELINE NO

district 10 is gonna be like that one couple in catching fire the nerdy ones i can’t remember their names

i can’t remember if marlene has had a pov or not but i really hope she doesn’t die

genuinely i can’t remember how catching fire ends and i can’t ever watch the hunger games without thinking of crimson rivers again

“i hate him” take it back james you don’t mean that

dorcas making regulus look dangerous 

dorcas making sirius look plain

remus pov switch

🎶i know you get deja vu🎶

oh. he doesn’t know.

“it’s not fair” i am in shambles 

 chapter 42

aberforth pov jump scare

😧

why did dumbledore murder his lover ☹️

i am appreciating the sibling dynamic of albus and aberforth

emmeline

i feel so bad for dorcas rn

oh ok dorlene is dorlening again

hanky panky

oh marlene is kicking dorcas out now 

what is the ring for

lily!!!!!

oh a mission what is this about 

effie and monty?!

ok i love kingsley

i really want remus and lily to reunite

im scared for this mission

aberforth pov again

i like that their code words are their patronus

aberforth is in on it!! 

oh no what’s gonna happen to district 6

“she never killed anyone, until now” 😯

OH

MARY ?! 

😧

oh no effie

“Our boy's boy's boy.” this should not be as funny to me as it is but i’m glad to be laughing in the midst of all this

barty 

andromeda too

omg

aberforth what are you doing

oh! 

ted 💔

this was a hard chapter

i’m taking a break to rewatch the jegulus short film for the millionth time

chapter 43

please let this be lighter

“the hallows already know them, or they believe they do” this is giving me such. a feeling. idk the word 😭 but like yk how people idolize celebrities and think they know everything about them? like that

platonic moonwater <3

sirius and james are talking

remus leaping to go find sirius

they’re kissing ahhhh

"I love you more than the tides love the moon. I'm as temperamental as the ocean, and just the same, I'm at your mercy. Give me a ship, and I will wreck it at your command." 

hanky panky? hanky panky. 

spine realignment 😭😭

james stop you’re being mean

“He shuts the door gently, locks it, and goes to start a bath. At least there, when he cries, he can lie to himself about why.” 💔

why did i forget slughorn is in the phoenix

dorcas making a plan

lily!!!

effie is okay hooray

“I'm quite in love with Marlene McKinnon." DORLENE!!!!!! ❤️

SO THIS IS WHY SHE WANTS TO STEAL THE TRIBUTES ah love. how i love love. 

chapter 44

this chapter is literally called bad decisions. oh my. 

“brief depiction of violence (you'll probably like it, bc it's james being sexy)” 😭😭

“sirius and the other one” JAMES stop being so stubborn

yk im not even mad about james beating lucius with his cane

frank just “you can’t do that james”

then it just cuts to remus and sirius Hanky Panky 😭

pandora: james assaulted lucius 😧 sirius: haha nice

bellatrix is so bellatrix

regulus you traitor

🎶you betrayed me and i know that you’ll never feel sorry🎶

everyone just mocking sirius 😭

“Choose me. Pick me. Protect me." so pick me. choose me. love me.

“Reflexively, James smiles at him, lopsided and warm, because, for just a moment, he's living in a world where seeing Regulus fills him with joy, with delight, with love.” 

regulus here to fight?!

“i hate you so fucking much” and then they start kissing 😭 honestly so real

giggling my feet rn

A PARTING GIFT JAMES YOU DIDNT i wish you could’ve seen my face when i read this oh my god

sirius evaluation time

oh my regulus what

sirius what are you doing

oh? eat i guess 😭

why is regulus visiting lucius 

🎶i don’t smoke except for when im missing you🎶

they’re having dinner. hmm.

evan 💔

he got the lowest score 😭 shocking im shocked who would have guessed this

well.

chapter 45

cream cheese bagels!! (i’m tagging you in my mind runar)

of course james hates bagels now why is he so petty

🎶you know how scared i am of elevators never trusted them🎶

augusta always suspicious of frank and alice 😭

oh james and regulus are alone again

and they’re kissing

Hanky Panky in the elevator 😭

really just out here ruining all dorcas’ hard work

sirius knows exactly what they were doing

james “i don’t want to talk about it” potter

narcissa pulling the baby card?! ok peeta

quillkiller is quillkillering

“He's going to die never hearing Regulus say he loves him” ☹️ prove him wrong reggie

augusta you icon

sirius you menace

“my moon” ❤️‍🩹

regulus interview time

jegulus ☹️

yes regulus

REGULUS “IF IT WASNT FOR THE WEDDING” BLACK is everyone peeta in this chapter

me when i lie

i’m giving you an all tomato. which means you give me the whole tomato, or else. (please get the ref)

alphard ?!

omg were they lovers i’m so here for this

oh no marlene

GUNSHOTS?!

ew voldy booooo 🍅🍅🍅

SNIVELLUS WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE 

"There will be one winner. I do not care what it takes, but you will not allow it to be Sirius or Regulus Black, am I understood?" 😧

DONT KILL THE MCKINNONS?!

no no no please let james say goodbye to sirius and regulus 

chapter 46

remu ❤️‍🩹

“Whether it's me or him or both of us, James, you won't."  don’t hurt me in this way

god i’m gonna cry

SPINE REALIGNMENT sirius please 😭

regulus volunteering for james to spite sirius 😭

remus and regulus friendship ❤️‍🩹

the stapler 😭 lily 

"I'm not waiting around for you to be too late this time." ahhhh marlene

“No one or nothing can have it, because it belongs only to James” 🤭

parting gift mention 😧

why is this so sad omg i can’t handle any more angst

they’re kissing!

"I would have married you”

SIRIUS BIT REMUS 😭😭

so much hanky panky in this chapter 

wolfstar ❤️‍🩹

if this was anyone but remus and sirius it would give me the ick

they’re so cute i love them why do they have to say goodbye

🎶why do you have to say goodbye🎶if i say goodbye the nation learns to move on it outlives me when im gone🎶 

they’re not Just Friends anymore!!!

“always too late” ☹️

dorlene is so sad in this omg. but i guess everything is so sad in this 😭

dorcas cutting marlene’s hair

jegulus ☹️

“I do everything I do because I love you!" “So do I!" 😯

“It's the first time James speaks his name since telling him that he hated him.”

baby

this physically pains my heart to read. i just want them to be happy. 

"Would you marry me?" jegulus getting engaged?! 

i don’t think im gonna read another chapter today… since they’re going in the arena…

[dhr-ao3]

Puppet Strings

Puppet Strings https://ift.tt/GQaBwmp by carpexdiemm Ms. Y/n Potter Dormitory Number 5 Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Mount Greylock, Massachusetts United States of America Dear Y/n, There is no doubt you may find this opportunity a bit off-putting, considering how unanticipated it must have been. Nonetheless, I hope you will read this letter with an open mind. Ilvermorny is a highly respected school and I have no doubt that you would receive a stellar education from the professors there should you choose to remain, but I strongly advise that you consider coming to Hogwarts. In fact, I personally request it. I believe it would be beneficial for Harry to have the presence of his sister near him during his years at school—I’m sure you can see why, given that he’s already written you about the events taking place during this year and last. If you so choose to come to Hogwarts—and again, I urgently advise you to do so—there is no need to reply to me personally. Simply respond to the official letter from Minerva, and she will provide additional details regarding the logistics of your enrollment. Have a wonderful rest of second year. Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore Headmaster Words: 24218, Chapters: 8/?, Language: English Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Categories: F/M Characters: Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Fleur Delacour, Bill Weasley, Arthur Weasley, Molly Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Percy Weasley, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, James Potter, Lily Evans Potter, Draco Malfoy, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, Regulus Black, Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Minerva McGonagall, Original Characters Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley, Arthur Weasley/Molly Weasley, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Draco Malfoy/Reader, George Weasley/Reader, Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), George Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy Additional Tags: Reader-Insert, reader - Freeform, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, BAMF Harry Potter, BAMF Reader, Slytherin Reader, Harry Potter is Bad at Feelings, based on the books not the movies, because I said so, no beta we die like Hedwig, Reader is a Member of the Potter Family (Harry Potter), The Ministry of Magic is Corrupt (Harry Potter), Harry Potter is still the main character, But like the reader is cool too, Subplots are pretty neat, Reader is included in the prophecy, Reader Is Adopted, Female Reader, Ginny Weasley Has A Personality via AO3 works tagged 'Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy' https://ift.tt/lmUoq7J September 24, 2024 at 06:51AM

[rollercoasterwords]

10&16

choosing violence

FUN i love violence <3

10. If you could banish a single trope to live at the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again by any human eyes (or at least your own), which trope would that be?

hmmm idk if i hate any trope THAT much...like generally speaking i'm open to most tropes as long as they're written well. that said i'm not a fan of most fluffy tropes lol so perhaps fluff w no angst...kid fics where it's just characters raising a family...pregnancy fics w the same vibe...alternatively maybe soulmate aus i just really dislike the concept of soulmates. that being said i think it could be cool if it was written like a horror story lol

16. Is there a commonly held misconception about one of your stories that you’d like to correct for the masses?

i think sometimes people treat atydsp as if it's meant to be like...Canon or The Sirius POV of atyd and like. it's just my interpretation of the story! the same way the original fic is just mkb's interpretation of canon! like idc if people write their own sirius povs or whatever and i'm not expecting anyone to like. take that fic as Law u know what i mean...never intended for it 2 blow up in the first place. so. the only time this really bothers me is when people complain/'critique' either directly to me or in places where i can see it about something i decided to do w that fic and go 'that's NOT what atyd sirius would do/be like/not how i interpreted atyd' etc bc it's like. ok just write ur own version then lol mine is just one interpretation! nothing is stopping u!

other than that no huge misconceptions immediately come to mind....i suppose there have been various misconceptions abt what's going on w james/lily/regulus in wfrau lol but i feel like i've been as clear as i can be that no one's ship is happening when i've been asked directly so other than that i've just ignored comments of people being like "when is jegulus/jily/jegulily going to happen??" if it was going to happen i probably would have tagged it! lol

fanfic writer ask game

[itsjaywalkers]

2, 19 and 23 for the fic writers asks <33333

hi fra my most beloved <3

2. How many fics did you work on this year? (They don't have to be finished or published!)

well, if we're only counting actually writing them, then 8 !! or even 9 bc there's one not marauders related i'm writing for a dear friend. if we also count . planning and outlines and playlists and pinterest boards then . around 10 or 11!!

19. Share your favourite opening line

it's either the one in the first part of the nothing happens au:

The first time James Potter meets Regulus Black, the boy is hiding behind his big brother, round grey eyes and unruly dark curls barely visible, and lips pressed in a tight line with clear distaste.

or the one in the fucked up road trip fic:

It doesn't matter where you choose to start; this story has always been about Lily Evans.

it could also be the one in saints' bartylily fic, but that's one still subject to changes soooo

23. Share the final version of a sentence or paragraph you struggled with. What about it was challenging? Are you happy with how it turned out?

hmmm this one from all the violence sequel:

And so, Pandora will break, and Lily will fight. They’ll both pull and push and tear and resist until there’s nothing left of them apart from flesh and bone, blood and guts. And when they rise again, it’ll be hand in hand, claws sharpened like knives and teeth made for cutting.

writing for all the violence is challenging in general, bc it's not my usual style, and its narration is quite demanding!! i need to be very focused and careful with it. also, i started it after finishing the first part of the nothing happens au, and the shift was so extreme that i struggled a lot with this one for a few days before words finally started to flow more easily

and yes, i'm mostly happy with how it turned out, but also, i've read it so many times i keep thinking there's something wrong with it SIGH

[heartofspells]

For the choose violence ask game, 1, 7, 8, 9, and 10 please?

Hiya, sweet!

1 - the character everyone gets wrong

Jamessssssssss (betcha thought i was going to say Sirius, didn't you? haha psych) And look, I get it. We don't really get much of James through the books. It's mostly all favorable stuff said after his death, which is a common thing with everyone once they're gone. No one really wants to address the bad points, do they? And I'm not going to say that everyone gets him wrong, because they don't. I just don't think enough people look deeply enough into his character and who he most likely was.

James was an only child (have you ever met one of those? ugh) born to wealthy, older parents who most likely spoiled him beyond belief and inflated his ego to massive proportions. We see a small piece of him during SWM, and while maybe it's the worst point in time to see him, I don't think that's true. James was portrayed as clever, highly intelligent, having to try little to keep up and excel over everyone else. Traits like that come with worse traits attached. James was arrogant, probably a little conceited, and he was a bully, at least to an extent. People mostly ignore that. They paint him as sunshine and rainbows, always the bright spot in the darkness, never flagging or giving into doubts or falling prey to troubles. That's just not sustainable for anyone, no matter who you are.

Do I think James had a brighter outlook on life than his other friends? Yes. Do I think that was his entire personality? No, of course not. Personally, I think James was blunt and ran away at his mouth more often than he didn't. I think there was little he wouldn't say without thought. I think he was fiercely loyal to those he cared about but a bit of an idiot sometimes, too, especially when he was younger and very immature. There's just a lot of nuance to James' character that I've constructed in my head that's hard to find in most writing.

7 - what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

I wouldn't say hate, but I've become very cautious in what I read and whenever I see his name, and that character is Regulus. He seems to have become the Marauders fandom's version of a catchall character. The fandom seems to enjoy piling all their life grief on his shoulders, which is fine, do what you want, but again, I sometimes feel like his character is being stripped apart to accomplish this. And Regulus is another one of those characters we know nothing about from canon, so it makes sense to build him up into whatever you want, but Regulus was a Black. He took on something terrifying at an impossibly young age when he took the Mark. There's no way he would have survived any of that as long as he did or had the bravery to go after a Horcrux if he was so fragile that anyone could have snapped him like a flimsy twig.

8 - common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

I'm gonna do it. Hate me if you want, but I'm doing it. I'm bringing back the height discourse hahahahaha (i'm laughing because it's terrible). The whole thing is so stupid, I'm sorry, it just is. I honestly don't care either way. Big and tall strapping Remus or tiny Remus; Sirius as tall as a tower or pocket-sized Sirius. It literally makes no difference to me, and in my own writing, if their heights do matter for some reason (see: At the Healing Edge of Broken where Remus is taller than Sirius, but it's for a purpose and barely referenced at all in the grand scheme of things) I'll adjust them accordingly. But, in canon, inside the text of the books, Sirius is tall. It says so. Harry doesn't point out much about height throughout the series, but he does make a reference to this about Sirius, which has always led me to see him as tall, at least in some scope of the word.

And honestly, I blame the entire height discourse on the movies. Gary Oldman is so much shorter than David Thewlis, and it's become soooo clear to me that so many people draw their visuals for all these characters from the movies instead of how they're described in the books (possibly because they've never read the books; but even people that have read the books do this, i've noticed). Sirius has curly hair in the movies so he has curly hair, even though it's never mentioned in the books. Remus has a mustache in the movies so obviously Remus in writing must have a mustache and scars on his face and all sorts of other things for all these characters that are never even mentioned in the books. And that's a lot of opinions all rolled into one that I'm not going to go into detail about, but it bugs me so much.

9 & 10 were answered here ;)

Choose some violence with me ;)

[xslytherclawx-writes]

1, 3, 6, 10, 18, 21

I choose violence

1) the character everyone gets wrong a month ago, I would have said Draco (true) or Hermione (also true) or Neville (holy FUCK how do y'all murder my boy so consistently) but lately I've just seen some astronomically bad takes on James Potter. you can be a good friend and an incredibly insufferable bully and spoiled brat who can't take no for an answer. these things can and do coexist in james potter, and fans and haters alike seem to forget that.

3) screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr I don't fandom so much on tumblr, but I do remember a bad take circa.... 2012? that it was racist to dislike roy/riza from FMA because roy was "POC coded" and then someone turned around and said that by that logic it was racist to dislike roy/ed and god that entire fandom was a clusterfuck this is why i don't write FMA fic anymore

6) which ship fans are the most annoying? hahahahahaha i mean a lot of them in different ways, but overall it's the fucking puriteens who seem to be disproportionately invested in james/regulus????? i don't get why a puriteen would like that ship but apparently they do??? but it's not the shipping, it's the moral purity bullshit. oh wait no i lied it's royai. it's royai shippers from fma. the only shippers to not only turn me off of a ship i actively shipped but to poison the entire fucking fandom for me and try to dox me for saying "this other ship is not my cup of tea either but y'all please stop trying to dox people over it". it's royai. (they were also antis before "antis" were a thing and i did write a couple glorious fucked up fics to spite them lmfao)

10) worst part of fanon "I haven't read the books in 10-20 years and my takes on the characters are correct. i do not need to ever read the books again. no my takes are not seriously divorced from canon [spoiler: they are]" if you mean like, bad fanon takes, the taking sirius saying "regulus was soft" to mean "canon-compliant regulus wasn't actually a racial / pureblood supremacist" because uhhhhh that giant collage of voldemort clippings, anyone? people can change and unlearn racism but like, it is a Process, and canonical regulus very much was a pureblood supremacist who signed up to kill muggles. you don't grow up in a house like that and surround yourself with the people he did and like, magically come out not racist lol --- like I'm aware I have a WIP where Regulus does unlearn the racism but it's like.... he has a support network? he does not surround himself with other racists? he is in fact surrounded by people who stand against wizard racism (and tbh all racism). and he is WILDLY different from my canon-compliant or at least canon-divergent-as-of-1979-only takes on Regulus because... that's a different life entirely.

18) it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on... I decline to say anything because the monkey's paw WILL curl inward and i have already inflicted that upon myself too much.

21) part of canon you think is overhyped I mean I don't know if a part of canon is overhyped per se, though being in different groups and seeing the different things that get highlighted is interesting. but my god. the desire to take everything interesting out of canon and slap in an Any Two Guys muggle AU where their defining characteristics are stripped away entirely is like.... please put some thought into your muggle AUs and if it could be two random guys just post it as original work.

[swordduels]

Circe watched him as he was scrubbed clean from her lipstick. Annoyingly enough he had used his ability to wipe away her red mark as well as the pain that followed. A cowardly attempt to hide his violence.

How predictable of him.

He already viewed them as married despite the lack of ceremony or consent. There wasn't even a proposal in motion unless she counted his constant nagging that had kept going for many years. "Is that's so? I wasn't aware I gave you permission though." She had never known exactly how he stole hearts or what was needed to make it happen so this could potentially be a clue as to how it worked. If he was honest with her and not spitting lies again. It was what he usually did.

So far Circe had managed to slip out of his grip but things had changed. Regulus held on to her heart and was very eager to wed her. She had to stall again. Find a way to keep the chase going for some time. Destract him and make it a little bit complicated. Make him excited to prolong this little game.

A distraction...

Regulus loved games. To chase things as long as there was a possibility to win. A fair game with clear rules. She was still trying to work out every detail while selling her suggestion. Her gaze focused solely on him as he looked at her. Lips partly opened up for a smile when he asked her about the game. "Before I explain I have one demand, no violence. If you or anyone in your kingdom hurt me there'll be no game." She better make sure he won't rip a hole in her chest for what she was going to say.

"It'll be a game to win my heart. What you have now is my physical heart but I don't love you. I never fancied men and don't find you attractive at all. I'm not one of your virgin wives either so I'm less likely to swoon easily. You already know all of this so please hold back any complaints."

She swallowed while preparing for the next part.

"The thought is that we'll learn to know each other through activities, romantic gestures and conversations for some time. Maybe a month from now? We take turn in planning an activity that might be fun for two people. After each activity we grade it with a number from one to ten where one is the lowest and ten is the highest score. If you can make me fall in love you'll have a happier bride that goes willingly to the altar and I get you as my husband. You'll have three wishes granted as well."

Circe tilted her head to the side while waiting for her words to sink in.

"But if you fail there'll be no marriage and I'll have three wishes granted." She wasn't sure if he would be willing to drop the marriage but there has to be something that makes the game interesting and fair for both of them. They could probably come to another conclusion if he wasn't fully satisfied. But he should be pleased to know her heart would still be in his grip. Circe had a feeling he would never give it back no matter the situation.

"Additional rules are, no magic tricks, no ability usage and no violence, by anyone, towards me or you during the game."

"Regarding my wishes if I win, no violence will be done towards me by you or anyone in your kingdom. My second request is to move freely inside or outside your kingdom without being prosecuted. For my final wish I never want to be asked for your hand in marriage again." It should cover most bases without giving him wiggle room to destroy her life. It was tempting to add another request of being free to choose lovers but she had a feeling it would end up with her being killed on the spot.

"All bets are off if the rules are broken."

@fallesto

Could she not see that this was his world and all she was doing was living within it and nothing more than that, he held all the power within his hands, all of it. There was nothing that he cannot do and when it all comes down to it within the end, the simple truth was as follows, he will always gain what he wants, always, there was nothing that anyone can say or do against him to stop him, to even try such a thing was a complete and utter waste of time on every single possible level, to the point that it was almost said to watch anyone struggle.

“For now, you speak as if you are so sure of yourself?”

He hummed out with such evil delight, what was she going to do then, what more could she do, the tricks she had, they all failed, everything she has done, has merely backfired on her as well, can she not see it for herself, he had all the power, and she had not a single droplet, he could find her, always for her heart was his and his alone, meaning that there was nowhere she could go within this kingdom and within the world, no magic she could use, no blessing, not a single thing would work.

His power was above all others.

He had the authority,  the complete and utter authority that stands taller and stronger than all the others that would be combined together, and if they did that, it would not even reach his knee, he was endless, he was timeless, he was the most devoted, the most loyal, the most deserving, he was perfect in each and in every single possible way that there was, everything he did was right and no one else had the right to ever speak back against him, such a thing was wrong to do such a thing to someone so perfect.

“When I first saw you, how my heart fluttered, how I felt almost light headed, how I knew within this dark and horrid world, you where someone unique, someone special, a light that was almost blown out and removed from me, but no more, because now that I have found you, each beat of your heart, it sings to me, it powers me, it is part of me and there is nothing you can do, my authority is above all others, you may try if you wish, go ahead if it will give you something to do with your time, but before long you will see that everything you do is hopeless.”

As he stood there for the moment as she would kiss him, and his hand was brought up to slap her right across the face, with such power to knock her right onto the ground, as one of his wives would rush towards him, cloth within her hand, cleaning his lips for him and his face, how dare she touch him, how dare she come near him, how dare she believe she had the right to violate the space between them both and place her lips on him, that now everything he wished for to be truly perfect, she had almost ruined it as he breathed out.

“Say whatever you wish, but know this, you live now only to serve me, you van fight me, shout at me, do as you wish, but I kill my enemies when they annoy me, but for my wives, I keep them alive, you will live here within my kingdom, happy or in pain you will never be able to stop, it is up to you in how you wish for your life to be, but touch me again and speak down to me again, I will remind you, that all you are, is my wife and a wife serves there husband, in every single thing, in silence and in respect, you will obey me.”

[padfootastic]

Wolfstar stans always say that Remus was OOC IN Canon!!! I mean wtf?? delusional lol. Fanon Remus is a mary sue who suffers and pines after cruel hottie Sirius and then Sirius comes to his senses and runs after his moony, begging for scraps of his attention and ofc James is completely ignored by sirius or they fight over poor hurting remus lmao their Fanon is what is so OOC. I think they self insert into Remus so they can catch the popular Hot bad boy who they can "cure of his bad ways"

hello anon 💜 i see we have awoken to choose violence today (nice) so i’m putting this under a cut so remus fans can skip this one.

yeah i’ve seen that too and i always have to scroll past while making faces because,,,im not here to start shit lol but oh god it’s such an annoying position. like ok, i’ve called canonical behaviours ooc too (cough harry in CC cough) and it’s entirely possible i was wrong, but the remus thing is just. wilfully ignoring everything we know about him? (again: caveat here is if you don’t care about canon, then go for it w/o trying to do critical canon analyses. no harm, no foul)

but here’s the thing, right? remus as we know him in canon is a serial manipulator, liar, gaslighter, and coward. like, this has been shown multiple times. i’m not making it up. in my mind, his actions in dh were absolutely not ooc. they just followed the pattern that had already been established so far. and i feel like so much of his characterisation comes from not wanting to engage with that kind of darkness (because even acknowledging it means your dynamic is changed). i’ve read a few excellent fandom analysis posts on here, actually, about how characterisation of wolfstar has changed over the years (decades?) as the average readership/writer ship has gone from middle aged to younger. apparently, it used to be much more dysfunctional and grittier earlier, dealing with the darkness on both sides. it was interesting. but anyway, yeah, i see it happen with regulus/jegulus too sometimes (even if i can’t comment on it since i’ve barely interacted with that content) where you deliberately turn a blind eye to things because if remus is a coward or bad at relationships, then u can’t actually write that fluffy AU u want. which…isn’t fun. because fanfic is about writing all the fluffy AUs in the world ykno?

but what that’s ended up doing is completely transforming his character into someone barely recognisable to those who aren’t in that particular niche (although,,,it’s not exactly niche is it?) and just. idk. i’m rambling now lol but it just really frustrates me because i cannot escape it. and it always treats sirius so badly. remus is just the most sympathetically written character, even when he’s being an absolute asshole, and sirius can’t breathe without being whacked over the head with it. i hate how much he’s scapegoated, honestly. like, i think i’d be fine with the mary sue-fication of remus if sirius wasn’t so defanged in the process but alas, it isn’t to be.

also that’s such an interesting point because i’ve often thought the same about remus being a self insert tbh. i was talking to someone and they said something along the lines of ‘james & sirius as the hot, rich, privileged characters aren’t relatable as much as remus, who’s poor & tortured & misunderstood, so u have people flocking to the latter’ and that combined with the ‘i can fix him’ energy just,,,really shines through sometimes lol. not so much on tumblr (where i barely interact) but i’ve seen it so much in the mwpp fandom on twitter, and a bit on tiktok. it’s very projection-heavy imo (which like, not a judgement. i’m clearly a projection heavy writer too)

[willowbleedsonpaper]

Winter In The Shade XXIX

Part XXIX

Sirius Black x Female Ravenclaw Reader

W.C. : 6215

Requested by @pogueslandia : It is Sirius’ fifth year at Hogwarts, the same year he ran away from home and to the Potter’s. Soon, he discovers the unfamiliar sight of his brother Regulus smiling and looking truly happy, next to him a Ravenclaw girl who immediately captures his interest. What will happen when the Black family gets involved in their sons lives and the ones they hold close to their hearts?

Warnings: Eating and mentions of food, cursing, blood status themes, mild violence,.

A/N: Please let me know what you think! Your comments and reblogs make me young and motivated ;)

Want to know when I post the next part? Add yourself to my taglist!

Playlist for WITS

Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Regulus Black was brought back to the front of the building that led to the entrance of his house on Grimmauld Place. He stood, unbothered to do anything else. All he wanted was to keep his place there, to stare at the stone facade as it changed, while moss grew in the tiny spaces in between the rocks and the crystal on the windows turned white with time.

“Well done, Regulus.” It was whispered in his ear, the voice fading as it backed away, the amusement of it lingering on his shoulder. Long fingers made their way all along his back, the feeling waking nothing in him as he just lowered his gaze to the mess of curls that appeared to his side. A grin shone behind the dark hair, gleaming eyes that disappeared in a cloud of black and a fading chuckle.

He didn’t go inside his parents home. No, he walked to the park where he met you the previous day, sitting on the bench where he heard your voice for the first time in months, directed at him with no venom dripping from your words.

Kids went and left with smiles, the blooming glee in their faces unknown to him. Couples walked in front of him holding hands, arms thrown over the other, sharing whispers and soft chuckles. Larger groups sat on the grass, laughing and playing, bonding, living. When did his life become this?

When did he choose this?

He lowered his gaze, he accidentally had stared for too long at one person in the distance, black hair and kind dark eyes, a smile dripping with confidence as he neared him. Regulus had held his gaze as soon as he saw him stand, lifting his chin to meet his eyes on his tall frame as he shushed his friends with the wave of his hand and now stood before Regulus.

“Hey man,” he greeted softly, turning to take one look at his friends as he smiled at Regulus “You look kinda lonely here, want to join us?” he asked, pointing over his shoulder.

Regulus took one curious glance, seeing the rest of the group waving at him. Standing, he saw the person before him eye to eye. “I was just leaving.” he murmured.

They stood there with a shy smile, watching as Regulus walked “That’s alright.” they said, standing taller as they waved “Cool tattoo, by the way!”

“What?” Regulus asked, turning to him with a frown.

“The tattoo on your arm,” he pointed, his eyes looking directly into his forearm “looks cool.”

Regulus rushed to lower his eyes, unfolding the sleeves of his shirt quickly as he fled from there. He wanted normalcy, not a reminder.

The door with the number 12 hanged on it appeared as he arrived on the street, his foot tapping on the floor impatiently as he watched the building move. He didn’t stay outside to see it all happen like he would have done before, bursting through the door and going directly to the stairs.

“Regulus!” Walburga Black called, surging from the living room with her hands fisted on the skirt of her dress. He didn’t stop at the call of his mother, quickening his pace as he took two steps at a time up the stairs. “Regulus Black!” she called again louder, angrier. He could hear the sharp edge on her voice.

Her voice only grew in volume, itching a part of his brain that he had no patience for. It had begun to annoy him since he realised his mother used her voice to control them. He had heard her direct herself to her sister, Druella, with relaxed words and unbothered features. He had heard her talk to her nieces, at least to Bellatrix and Narcissa, with a caring tone he only could dream of. It was only with him that she commanded, she moulded her voice to fit the person she spoke to, and he had grown tired of being the object of her control. He was supposed to be her son. How could she talk to him the same way she talks to their servant?

He stared at the door of his room as heeled boots clicked furiously against the floor, pursing his lips as he swung his head to the side, turning to her when she was just by her side “What do you want?” he snapped.

Walburga didn’t hesitate to slap the side of Regulus' face “What have you done?” she asked, infuriated.

Regulus refused to rub his face, the red skin on his cheek growing quickly as he licked the inside of his cheek, turning his head slowly to her. “Care to be more specific?” he asked slowly, opening his door as he walked inside.

“You’ve ruined everything.” she said, following him inside as she pushed the door open on her path “Outing Sirius as a blood traitor, letting them escape, protecting that mudblood!”

“Careful with your words, mother.” he warned, turning on his spot with a glare, successfully silencing her. He stood taller, looking at her with fire in his eyes “Do you really believe Sirius would have bowed to your will to work for the Dark Lord like you intended?” he asked, the roles inverting themselves as Regulus became the superior being. Walburga, as dangerous as might be, looked rather small before him. Regulus shook his head “As ambitious as that might’ve been it was nothing but wishful thinking.”

“I had the girl-”

“And that was your first mistake.” he cut in, his voice turning dangerously low “Bring Y/N here, might as well keep it from me or don’t lure Sirius to a trap. But you forced me to bring her here and then Sirius. Your first mistake, mother, was to bring the only thing, the only person, that could bring Sirius and myself together. It was your trusted puppet and the rogue child against you. You stood no chance.”

Walburga dropped to the bed behind her with wide eyes, her anger long buried by the shock “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked with hardened eyes.

“What you’ve always taught me to do.” he said, never lifting his eyes from the leather satchel opened on his desk “Do what has to be done.” Fitting one single book inside, a jumper too big to fit him and two silver chains. He hung it on his shoulder and across his body, turning his body to the side as he walked past his mother.

“Regulus.” she called. Of course she was close on his heels, her steps an echo of his own. “Regulus, stop this very moment. Where do you think you're going?” she asked. He ignored her. “Regulus!”

“Would you stop!” he yelled, turning to her in frustration “You should be proud. I’m doing exactly what you’ve always dreamed of, the Dark Lord's will.” he said sardonically. His arm was pulled forcibly back, making him turn to face her as her hand was in the air again. He stopped it this time, catching her wrist just beside her head.

Her head snapped to his hold on her wrist, bursting with fury as she tried to get free of it “You’re not doing such a thing.” she said disgusted, “You have protected that girl all along, not once being true to our cause. Where is your loyalty to our blood? Where is your loyalty to our family?”

He dropped her wrist with force, taking a step back with a bitter smile “Where is their loyalty to me?” he asked.

“What?” she whispered, stunned.

“Sirius has always been a lost cause.” Regulus stated, “Still you always overlooked me, underrated me. It’s you, you and father alone have ensured that the lineage of the most ancient and noble house of Black ends with me.” he shook his head, a triumphant smirk growing on his face “I could have given you everything you wanted, but you focused too much on where you failed. Now I have found everything I wanted elsewhere.”

“You think he’ll take you in?” she asked, following him “The Dark Lord will not have you if you care for that mudblood! If I found her he will too, and he will not be as merciful as I have.”

“Then I should thank you for the training.” he said, just answering to keep her busy “No one will find her. Not because of me.”

“You have no chance. I’ll tell him myself.”

He was at hand reach from the door, her words waking something in him he wished to see long gone. He turned to face her, body inches from her as he faced her, “And who shall the Dark Lord believe, mother?” he pulled on his sleeve, breaking the button of the cuff as he messily folded the sleeve, pushing his forearm on her face “The woman comfortably offering her blood to do the dirty work for her or the son who bears his mark?” The dark mark sat painfully on his skin, a rich black staining his arm as it moved with a will of its own. “I’d be careful. You don’t matter much now that he has the fresh blood that you could offer.”

“You’re no better than your traitor brother.” she spat, pushing the door closed as Regulus reached to open it.

Regulus lowered his gaze, biting the inside of his cheeks. “I wasn’t trying to be,” he said slowly, meeting her mother’s eyes “But we’ll see about that.” He pulled the door open with all his force, marching outside as her mother kept calling his name. He ignored her. He had places to be.

*******

One week. Looking at the calendar beside your bed you counted the seven days that now lingered in the past as you marked the square below the day you and Sirius escaped his house. It still felt fresh.

No matter how many times you showered, the feeling of your sweaty skin wouldn’t go away for long, the feeling of intrusion remained. Every thought that felt slightly foreign to you made a shiver run down your spine, looking for the way to escape back to the real world. You had read somewhere that counting your fingers helped to ground you, that in dreams our hands didn’t look as they should. You counted ten fingers each time and each time the foggy feeling felt more familiar. The smell of cranberry tea plagued your mind, the sound of clicking heels against wood woke you in the middle of the night with choked screams. You despised being left alone with your own thoughts.

“Honey?” A knock sounded on your door, the soft voice of your mother behind it as you picture her placing her ear over the wood, “Can I come in?” she asked.

You had stood from your bed the moment she knocked, opening the door for her with a small smile. You moved to the side to let her in but she only leaned against the doorframe, looking at you as you went straight back to the corner of your bed.

“I’m leaving for the bakery. Do you wanna come with me?” she asked with a hopeful smile. She must have sensed your hesitance, her smile growing “I could use your help with the cookies.”

All doubt melted at the look on her face. After all, it had been some time since you had been at the bakery. “Let me change into something more decent.” you said, walking to your closet and throwing some clothes to your bed.

“What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?” she asked, pointing at your body with your hand.

You took one glance at yourself, letting out a giggle as you turned to her “Mum, I’m wearing blue pyjamas with small cloud drawings that I painted over them.”

“You look cute.” she chuckled.

“I look like I just woke up.” you said, walking past her to your bathroom “I’ll be ready in 10 minutes.”

“Okay,” she murmured, running her hand over your cheek “We’re just starting with breakfast, so don’t rush yourself.”

“Got it!” you said behind the closed door. You took a look at yourself in the mirror, shivering as you dropped your clothes on the side and rushed to wash your face, rubbing the cold water over your cheeks.

After a couple of minutes you were changed, fresh and ready to go. Walking out of your room, you were halfway down the stairs when you felt too light, rushing back to your room.

“There she is.” your father said with a chuckle as soon as he saw you walk to the table, putting his paper down along with his reading glasses “What chased you back to your room?” he asked.

You snapped your head up, “What?” you blurted out, looking at him and then at your mother.

“I’m sure the neighbour heard your change of pace. You know it reminds me of Christmas.” he said, a brutal change of subject that had you chuckling “You know, when you were little and you woke up and ran all over the house barefoot looking for us to open your presents. You could never be bothered with socks, let alone shoes, no matter how cold the floor was.”

You smiled softly, helping your mother get the table ready as your father stood to serve the plates. “I heard it would rain today, went to get my jacket.” you explained, shrugging your shoulders to show it.

Carrying mugs filled with coffee to the table, you missed the confused look on your father. He followed behind you, hands busy with the plates as he sat next to you. “Isn’t it a little big on you? I don’t remember you getting it.” he said, diving on his breakfast as he frowned at you.

“It’s not mine.” you said, taking one sip of your coffee “Well, it is mine. It was given to me but not bought for me.”

Your father would not stop eating, no matter how confused he was. Your mother, however, turned to you with a funny look “Honey, not even you understood what you just said.” she said.

You blew air out, slumping on your seat “It’s Sirius’. He gave it to me.”

Your father coughed loudly, hitting his chest softly with his fist as his eyes widened in your direction. You and your mother stared, waiting for him to calm down. He swallowed hard, easing it down with his coffee as he sighed while placing his mug down “I’m not ready for that.” he murmured.

You smiled tightly at him as your mother burst out laughing. “Oh dear, are they stealing your little girl, Y/F/N?” she teased.

He just murmured some more, poking his food “I’m just concerned about this boy. Won’t he be cold now that you have his jacket? Maybe you should give it back to him, darling”

You chuckled, shaking your head “It’s an old one, dad. James gifted him a new one and he gave me this one.”

He hummed, gaze lowered as he kept on pushing his food on his plate “I do believe it is time for me to meet this Sirius. You’ve spent too much time with him, I want to know you’re safe while being with him.” he established with a firm nod.

You nodded, standing from the table as you took your plate. “Just him or would you like to meet the others too?” you asked, looking down at him as he had the audacity to pretend to think about it.

“Just him, darling.” he said.

“You’re done with breakfast?” your mother asked, taking a look at your plate, “You’ve barely touched your food.”

You looked down at your plate, putting on a smile as you turned to her “I’m saving some space for when we get to the bakery.”

“Clever.” your father said, tapping the side of his head with a nod.

Your mother just looked at you, her burrowed furrowed “Then we better get going, otherwise you might lose your appetite.”

You walked back to the table, leaning over your father's shoulder to place a kiss on his cheek, saying your goodbyes for the day as he too was about to leave for work. Like a mirror, your mother did the same, both standing at the door as you grabbed your things.

“Y/N!” your father called, making you stop as you were about to close the door.

“Yeah!?” you answered back.

“Get that boy here for dinner this weekend!” he said loudly.

You rolled your eyes with a laugh “Yes, dad!” you said back, closing the door.

*******

“It’s only Tuesday, honey.” your mother said, twirling her hand in the air as she grabbed the piping bag filled with green frosting, doubling herself over the table to get a close look over the cooled cupcakes. “You have a couple of days to write to Sirius.” she said, suddenly serious as all her focus was directed to the cupcakes.

You wanted to say something, but your mother had always said that frosting cupcakes meant putting a Do not talk to me sign on her forehead and back. So you went back to work, placing small balls of bright red dough on the trays. You could go visit Sirius and tell him that your father wanted to meet him. Or you could write, but that meant not knowing his reaction, therefore not knowing the answer and possibly getting a negative answer. You had seen how he froze when he dropped you off in their home. He would surely panic.

I already met your mother- you thought, smiling -It can’t go any worse. Maybe it was too soon to make jokes.

“What are you so smiley about?” your mother asked with her own. She lifted her head over the trays, a triumphant look on her face “You know, we should make seasons for the cookies Nana only taught you how to make. Y/N season.” she said, raising her arms in the air and forming an arch over her head.

You shook your head with a shy smile “You’re not naming anything after me.” you said, looking over your lashes at her when she rested her head on her palm innocently. “Mum.” you warned, putting the ice cream spoon you used to form the cookies down.

“I’m just saying.” she said, raising her hand in surrender “There are clients, people who come here regularly that notice the change in the baking hand. Others always come and ask for Nana’s famous cookies, I don’t know what to tell them anymore, so we make them seasonal.”

You finished the last remnants of dough, placing the trays on the oven as the heat escaped it and warmed your face. “It’s your bakery, do what is best.” you said, closing the door.

“It won’t be forever.” she said, closing her eyes as the bell at the front door rang all the way back to the back, “Hold that thought.” she held her finger up, backing away as she pushed the door open with her back and turned to the counter with a smile, the door slowly closing.

“Yes, it will!” you yell, the door finally closing as you drop to the floor, running your hands over your apron.

Having a bakery didn’t sound so bad. Running this bakery didn’t sound bad in the slightest. Being a witch while living in the muggle world sounded like a dream to you, it sounded like pulling a trick on the universe and cheating in life for it to be easier. You could picture it in the future. Spending your days baking, the sweet smell of orange and cinnamon always in the air, kind chats with clients and quiet evenings reading when the days were slow. Sirius dropping by after he was done with his day to walk you both home. Lily and James coming in with one mini James running around and a mini Lily in arms, chuckling at the sight of you as she stretched her little arms at you. Remus walking in from the back to steal chocolate and tell you about the latest thing he’s been up to, bringing you old books and weird teas from all the places he’s travelled to. Baking birthday cakes for Peter, some days he even drops by to help you back in the kitchens, he even invents some weird flavours that become really popular. Maybe Regulus could be there too.

“Y/N?” you hear your mother “Where did you run to?” she asks.

“Down here.” you call, raising your hands over your head to signal her. She rounds the table covered in flour, looking down at you.

“What are you doing there?” she asks but joins you anyway as she seats across from you. “Where were we?” she asks, as if she would have ever forgotten “Yes, the bakery.”

“Mum, you're still young.” you said, hugging your knees to your chest as you hid there. “This talk shouldn’t be happening in at least another ten years.”

“Thank you, honey. But my age is not up for discussion. The bakery is,” her smile turned soft, her head tilting to peek at you from between your arms. “I've been running this bakery since before I met your father. You’ve grown here, you said your first word here and somehow got your letter for Hogwarts delivered here. I would like to think one day this place will be yours.”

“But not soon?” you asked, lifting your head.

“Not soon.” she assured you, reaching her hand to take yours “Promise me you’ll consider working here when you're older, a place with no magic.”

You put on a smile “Mum,” you stuttered, twisting her wedding ring on her finger “You know I love it here, but I’ve always dreamed of more. What if I can do something else? Like dad! What if I can make a difference in the wizarding world?”

Your mother suddenly looked sad, her eyes down on your hold as her smile lifted her face for one brief second “I’m sure dad would love to see you follow his steps.” she squeezed your hand, moving herself closer to you “Honey, things are not safe right now. You’re too young, maybe you don’t even notice it yet but if nothing changes we might not have a choice.” she said, eyes dancing all over your face “You might not have a choice but to live in a world where you have to deny a part of yourself to be safe. Just-promise me, promise me you’ll think about it.”

You looked at her, securing your grip on her hand as you nodded, not trusting your voice as you wished she never learned just how much you understood.

*******

Your father sat comfortably on the armchair of his study, the curtains on the floor to ceiling window open, letting the last rays of sunlight of the Thursday evening wash the room with flickers through the glass. He had a quill on his hand, his glasses on the bridge of his nose and a picture of the latest seeings of Voldemort’s followers on his opposite hand.

The masked figures haunted his mind every time he dared close his eyes. The moving skull with a snake coming out of its mouth a picture he would soon start to hallucinate on the white tiles of the kitchen if they didn’t find a solution soon.

How had Voldemort rose to power so quickly? How had they let it happen?

He remembered when the rumours started. Wizards and witches started to act strange, their words didn’t seem their own but they believed them with every ounce of power they held. Then a name surged, Tom Riddle. They found nothing, a Slytherin student with great potential, a star in the eyes of many professors, lost to the world. He had no family or friends that could point his team in the right direction. Another name, a made up one as they had no record of him, Lord Voldemort. Then the killings started, magic families that led a simple life murdered by his followers. They surged from the ground like they had been sleeping all this time and now it was time to wake up, all at once, all hungry and thirsty for blood.

He couldn’t face it for a long period of time before a void took over him and he had to take a walk for fresh air.

Luckily for him, the knock at the door offered enough distraction. He dropped the picture on his desk, taking off his glasses as he walked out of his study and to the door. His wife sang happily in the kitchen, getting a glimpse of her as she leaned on the counter over a magazine, probably not hearing the door over her own thoughts.

“Hello.” he said as he swung the door open, getting a glimpse of the young man at his door. Then, the features of the person standing before him started to settle in, dark hair that waved at the ends, tall enough to look him in the eye with no effort and so skinny he almost felt the need to ask him if he had been fed properly lately. But what settled it for him was the piercing grey eyes that forced him to straighten his suit jacket and clear his throat. “How may I help you?” he asked in a clearer voice.

“Good evening, Mr. Y/L/N.” the young man gretted “I am looking for Y/N.” he asked, never looking other places but to your father’s eyes.

Your father eyed him up and down “Yes, I suppose you are.” he said, narrow eyes as he moved to the side to let him in “I’ll call her, come on in.”

Not one step in, your father was calling your name loudly, closing the door as he followed him close behind, never letting him out of his sight.

“Yeah!?” you called in the same volume.

“Visitors!” he announced.

You burst out of your room, the music playing from your radio reaching the ears of everyone downstairs. “What!” you yelled, not really a question but one your father answered.

“You have a visitor!” he said again.

Groaning loudly, your door slammed closed. Your father sat at the end of the table, motioning for him to take a seat as well. “As you can see, we didn’t expect you until this weekend, young man.”

He stared, confused as the words got only to the tip of his tongue “You were expecting me?” he asked.

Your father laughed, his palm hitting the wood of the table “Well, of course. I have been meaning to meet you for a while now, Sirius.” he said, looking at him.

“Darling, that’s not Sirius.” your mother said, standing on the doorframe of the kitchen with her arms crossed and her head tilted to the side. She took slow steps to the table, eyeing him with doubt. “Would you like something to drink, Regulus?” she asked.

“Regulus?” you and your father asked at the same time.

You stood at the entrance to the dining room of your house, watching as Regulus turned on his spot, watching you.

“That’s Regulus?” your father asked, confused, leaning on your mother’s ear “I thought they weren’t friends anymore.” he murmured.

You didn’t look at him, watching at your mother and then back at Regulus “We’re not.” you said “He won’t be staying long.”

You closed the door to your house, Regulus out before you. “What are you doing here?” you asked hurriedly, turning to him.

He only tilted his head “Can we sit?” he motioned to the small step that led to the driveway. Seeing as you didn’t move, he sighed. “I need to talk to you.”

“That’s a problem with your name in it.” you said “Coming to my house and demanding to talk will not get you anywhere.”

“That’s why I’m asking.” he said, taking your wrist in his hand as you turned.

You quickly shook out of his hold, holding your hand close to your chest. “You’ve lost your privilege to ask anything of me.” He looked defeated, and even then he put on a confident face and walked to your home to see you. You couldn’t take it anymore. “I don’t understand you.” you sighed, partially disappointed. “We were supposed to be friends. Closer than any other. Trusting, caring, supportive. We loved each other like family but I guess that means nothing to you, I can’t say like blood because you clearly would think less of me, so what am I left with? You said you would do anything you could to protect me and yet you’re always there when I’m hurt. I’ve been wounded over and over again and in the end it’s always linked to you somehow. I can’t do it, not like this. I won’t.”

“One last time.” he asked “Let me explain it all one last time. No lies, no spells and no curses. Just me.”

You shook your head, pain reflected in your eyes “What difference does it make?” you whispered.

He just stared at you, looking to the side as he thought. “Everything is different now. This past week has changed it all and I’m hoping you will hear me, you have to say nothing, do nothing but listen.”

You laughed bitterly, finally giving in an sitting on the low step “Right, I suppose your mother torturing me has changed things.”

He looked down to his hands, taking the satchel from across his body as he placed it over his feet. His eyes didn’t meet yours, “I didn’t- don’t know what she did to you. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop her.” he admitted in a low voice, almost ashamed. He didn’t look that sorry in your eyes.

“I’m sorry too.” you said. He didn’t have the chance to ask what you meant. “Well you better start talking, mum won’t forgive me if I’m not there when dinner is ready.”

He nodded shortly. He took one glance, certain that the door was closed. He fumbled with his coat, the multiple layers he wore making you hesitate of what he intended. The weather wasn’t that extreme for him to be buried in clothing. In the end he shrugged off his coat, rolling up his jumper’s sleeve and the one of his shirt. He hesitated, holding his arm close to his chest as at last he stretched it before him.

The gasp that left your mouth could have been mistaken by your reaction at someone stabbing you in the back. Your palm covered your mouth, before your body surged forward, rushing to bury the dark ink in the multiple layers he carried himself with. “Are you out of your mind?” you shouted under your breath, the hissing sound never stopping you from rolling down his sleeves, not once stopping until it could no longer be visible, “What were you thinking? Coming to the house of an auror while flashing that.” you scolded him, wide eyes finally looking at his tilted head.

“Is that what concerns you?” he asked, genuinely curious.

“He could have you thrown in a cell in Azkaban and come back with time to spare for dinner.” you said, breathing in deeply “What?” you asked.

“I’m a death eater. I have his mark on my arm and you don’t want your father to find out.” he established, surprised as he took a moment to take it in “Forgive me if I’m having a hard time understanding you.”

Your eyes fell, kicking at his boot thoughtlessly “It was a matter of time, I knew it and made my peace with it a while ago. I just thought by then you wouldn’t be in my life anymore, somehow you always end up at my door.”

“It doesn’t mean what you think it does. Not to me.” he said, “It was the only way, a means to an end.”

You frowned, turning to him “What do you mean it was the only way?”

“Mother would always do anything to keep her name present in the Dark Lord’s good side. Offering help, being present in society with a respectable name that could be associated with him, keeping guests in our house, hosting parties as a curtain. People close to him that work and have his trust would be there.” he paused, glancing in your direction for a brief second, “They talk and I would listen, it reached a point where it wasn’t enough.”

“So you wanted more?” you asked humorlessly, “Who am I kidding? Of course you wanted more.” you blurted out, holding your head in your palms.

“For what I’m to do, I needed more.” he said, placing a hand over his clothed arm “Don’t you see? This is the key, I have his trust, access to his followers and his plans. With this I can be inside his head and he won’t see me as a threat. How could he? They believe I sold my own brother for him.”

“But that’s exactly what you did.” you mumbled, the words harsh on your tongue “You needed him there.”

He held your gaze, never faltering. “I had to work with what I was given.”

You held your head on your fist, closing your eyes “So you used the people who went there to help you. Worked with them, you said? With me? Tell me this, Regulus, did you actually tried to stop your mother from torturing me or was it part of your big plan too?”

“I am truly sorry for what happened.”

“Are you? Or are you sorry it happened to me?” you asked. His face never changed, your answer set there. “You say you’re sorry, fine. Do you regret it? Would you be sorry if it had been Sirius?” you asked, all the doubts running wild and fast through your mind, soon finding you didn’t want to know. You pushed yourself to your feet, Regulus following as he did the same, “Just leave. I don’t-” you placed a hand up, going to your heart as you turned to the door.

“I figured him out” he blurted out, not getting anything from you “The Dark Lord, I figured him out.”

“You must be proud,” you said, turning with your arms crossed, leaning on the door frame. “Do you want a medal? A portrait of you hanging on the tallest wall? What?!”

He rummaged through his bag, moving the red fabric from the top as he pulled a silver chain from the bottom, a heavy locket hanging from it “I’m sure you're familiar with it?”

You blinked slowly, curious eyes moving to the silver hanging from his hand as you straightened your head with a frown, lifting your own hand to hold the locket on your palm. “Salazar Slytherin’s locket. Why on earth do you have it?” you asked, incredulously.

He twisted the chain on his hand “It’s a fake. The real one is currently hidden, keeping his soul safe from death itself.”

You raised your eyebrows, looking at the locket intently “A horcrux?” you asked in disbelief.

“We destroy it, we destroy him.” he assured, confidence radiating from him.

“You keep saying we-” Then you straightened, cold washing over you “This was your plan all along. To win his trust, learn his secrets.”

He lowered his head with the ghost of a smile, breathing in in relief “We can end this. Get the head of the snake and go down from there.”

“You son of a bitch.” you said, turning to the side as you tapped the wall with your forehead a couple of times. “You’re not here because of your breakthrough, are you?” you asked with closed eyes.

“You’re the only one I trust,” he admitted, a firm nod as his face turned serious. “I can’t do it alone.”

You breathed in shakily. You knew Regulus was smart, calculating even. This went beyond everything you thought him capable of doing, everything he had done recently was out of character of the Regulus you knew. It made you question if you could really trust him, if he was telling the truth. “This changes nothing.” you said, finally turning to him.

He shook his head, an eyebrow arched “This changes all-

“Between you and me, Regulus.” you clarified, crossing your arms “Nothing that you did will be magically erased from my mind. What you did, all that you said, I won’t forgive because you’re trying to take down Voldemort.”

“Not even because I’m trying to stop a war?” he asked.

You blew air out of your mouth, dropping your arms to your sides. “What do you want me to say?”

He lowered his eyes, blinking slowly and nodding “Nothing. I didn’t come here to ask for your forgiveness.”

You gave him an incredulous look, “That’s nice.” you mumbled, rolling your eyes.

“I’ll earn it.” he stated, confidently “Starting with this. Will you help me?”

You eyed him up and down, narrowing your eyes. You could assume it was a start, ridding the world from one dark wizard seemed like a good deed to consider forgiving him.

“Fine.” you said at last, lifting your chin. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”