Remus, in particular, always felt a quiet tug of wonder whenever his gaze drifted to you both. 

You, his younger sister, whose heart had always seemed so open, so achingly bright. 

And beside you, of all people, sat Regulus Black. Who so rarely let anyone breach the carefully built walls around him.

It still surprised Remus, no matter how many times he saw it, the way Regulus changed in your presence. 

The shift was subtle but unmistakable, a softening in his expression, a quiet attentiveness in the way he leaned towards you. 

His eyes, usually so cold and distant, seemed warmer when they lingered on your face. He spoke more easily with you than with anyone else, his clipped words touched with something that almost resembled tenderness.

And you, in turn, seemed utterly at ease beside him. Where others might have been intimidated by his silence, his sharp glances and sharper tongue, you only smiled, filling the spaces between his words with your own easy warmth. 

And though it had once seemed strange to Remus, this pairing, he could no longer imagine it otherwise.

Sirius, of course, noticed it all as well. He often watched the two of you with a wide grin, elbowing Remus with a conspiratorial glint in his eyes. "Look at them," he would murmur, voice low with amusement. 

"So bloody obvious and yet so impossibly dense."

And Remus could only shake his head, a fond exasperation curling in his chest. For there was no denying it anymore. You and Regulus were in love.

Anyone with eyes could see it, could feel the invisible thread that bound you together, taut and shimmering with all that was left unsaid.

Yet somehow, you both remained oblivious to the truth of it. Friends, you called yourselves, though the word seemed a poor fit for what passed between you. 

Friends did not linger in each other’s gaze quite so long. 

Friends did not find excuses to brush fingers, to sit a little too close beneath the wide sky. 

Friends did not look at each other the way you did, as though the world had narrowed to a single point and everything else had faded away.

It was almost maddening to watch. And yet, neither Sirius nor Remus could bring themselves to look away. 

They had been here themselves, after all. They knew too well how love could creep in slowly, unnoticed, until it filled every corner of the heart. 

They knew how blind one could be to one’s own feelings, how fear and uncertainty could bind the tongue and still the heart.

It ran in the family, perhaps. This stubborn obliviousness. This tendency to circle around love instead of stepping boldly into it.

So they watched. From beneath the archway, from across the courtyard, from the windows of the library. And with every glance they exchanged, with every sigh and shake of the head, a quiet resolve began to take root between them.

Because someone had to do something. Someone had to help you both see what was already written so clearly in every glance, every smile, every lingering touch.

And really, who better to take matters into their own hands than two Marauders, hopelessly in love themselves, determined to see their siblings find the same happiness?

Remus and Sirius shared a look. Then their eyes shifted to Barty, lounging nearby with that infuriatingly charming grin.

They didn’t say anything. 

The idea came instantly. The execution would be easy. And with Barty involved, jealousy was practically guaranteed.

-

It had almost become a habit now, the way your afternoons led you here. The quiet comfort of the library’s farthest corner, a sun-drenched alcove of old wood and older books, always somehow waiting for the two of you. 

No one really disturbed this place, and fewer still disturbed the pair of you when you were here, heads bent close over parchment and ink.

You sat with your chin propped in one palm, quill twirling idly between your fingers, the open pages of an Arithmancy text long abandoned in favor of quieter conversation.

Regulus sat across from you, sharp-boned and poised as ever, though the usual hard set of his mouth was softened now. 

His hand moved absently, the tip of his quill tracing light, meaningless shapes in the margin of his notes. His gaze, though, was not on his work.

It was on you.

"Your hair is falling into your eyes again," he murmured, voice low and even, with a quiet patience that few others ever heard from him.

You blinked up at him, a little smile tugging at the corner of your mouth. 

"Is it? Oh." You pushed the strands back clumsily with your fingers, only for them to tumble forward once more a moment later.

And then, without another word, Regulus reached across the table, slow and careful, brushing the stray locks gently behind your ear. 

His fingers lingered for the briefest moment against your temple, the lightest of touches, and when he drew his hand back, something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

You smiled again, bright and unbothered, your voice a soft lilt that always seemed to wind beneath his defenses. "Thank you, Reggie!"

He only gave a faint incline of his head, as though it were nothing, though you noticed the way he lowered his gaze to his notes with a sudden, almost studious focus.

"You know," you said after a moment, voice bright with amusement, "you would probably get more studying done if you stopped doodling in the margins."

He gave a soft huff of breath, almost a laugh. "And you would probably get more studying done if you stopped daydreaming so much."

You gasped in mock outrage. "Rude."

"Entirely true," he replied smoothly, though there was a faint, fond curve to his mouth now.

Before you could retort, the distant thud of boots echoed through the stacks, followed by the low murmur of familiar voices.

"Oi, there you are," came Sirius’s voice, louder now as he rounded the shelves, Remus close behind him.

Regulus straightened in an instant, the soft warmth you had coaxed from him retreating as though a door had been quietly closed. 

Remus and Sirius were an easy, familiar sight together. Remus with his gentle, thoughtful gaze, always steady, and Sirius with all his wild charm, half a grin playing at his mouth as he strode toward your table.

Remus’s eyes softened when they met yours. "We were looking for you," he said with quiet fondness, reaching to ruffle your hair with one large, calloused hand. 

"You were supposed to meet us after quidditch."

You laughed, swatting at him playfully. "I forgot."

"She forgets everything," Sirius said cheerfully, flopping into the empty seat beside you, far too comfortable. 

"Probably forgot we even existed. Here she is, holed up with my charming little brother, plotting who knows what."

Regulus gave him a look of cool indifference. "If we were plotting, you would not know about it."

"See what I mean," Sirius grinned, nudging you with his elbow. "Utter delight, that one."

You giggled softly, glancing between them. "Honestly, I am just trying to get through potions."

Remus settled beside Sirius, leaning comfortably into his side, fingers twining absently with his. 

Sirius nudged you again. "And you dragged poor Reg into it with you? Cruel."

"I did not drag him," you said with mock primness, smiling at Regulus, who only inclined his head slightly, gaze unreadable once more. "He came willingly."

"I can hardly believe that," Sirius teased, though there was no real bite to his words. If anything, a note of genuine curiosity threaded through them. 

Even now, after all these years, he still marveled quietly at the strange friendship that had grown between you and his brother.

Regulus remained silent, though something faint touched his eyes when he glanced your way.

Remus watched it all with a thoughtful expression, his gaze lingering on Regulus a moment longer than usual. 

There was a quiet understanding in his eyes, an old awareness that never quite left him. He had always seen it, the way Regulus shifted when he was near you, the way your presence seemed to gentle him.

But as always, you seemed blissfully unaware of it.

And Sirius, ever impatient, could hardly help himself. 

"You know," he began, voice bright with mischief, "we were just saying how you two spend more time together than anyone else these days. Should we be worried? Or are we finally going to admit that this is something more than just... studying?"

You laughed, shaking your head. "It is friendship, Sirius. Nothing more."

Regulus, for his part, said nothing at all, though a faint tension had crept into his shoulders.

Remus only smiled softly, squeezing Sirius’s hand in silent warning. Not too much, not yet. They would need more careful coaxing than that.

But as the four of you sat there in that sunlit corner of the library, conversation weaving around old books and quiet glances, the truth hung between you like the dust in the air. Obvious to anyone who cared to look.

And though you and Regulus remained blind to it still, there was a quiet certainty in Remus’s heart as he glanced at his sister, then at the boy who watched her when she was not looking.

It was only a matter of time.

“You know,” Sirius was saying, tone far too casual to be innocent, “if you keep sitting here in the dark with Regulus all day, you are going to forget how to have any fun.”

You looked up from your book, a small smile tugging at your mouth. “This is fun,” you replied lightly, voice warm with amusement. “Some of us do enjoy quiet, you know. And Regulus is the most fun person ever!”

“Fun?” Sirius repeated, making a face like he’d just bitten into something sour. “Right. Loads of laughs.”

Love really was blind. Because if Sirius had to name the most boring person in the entire castle, it would be his own brother—without hesitation. 

Regulus was practically allergic to fun. The human embodiment of a sigh.

“You used to be so bright and cheerful, too. What have you done to her, Reggie?”

Regulus, who had been steadily ignoring the entire exchange in favor of a well-worn copy of Advanced Potions, turned a single cool glance toward his brother. 

“If anything, she has done something to me,” he said smoothly. 

“And she is perfectly capable of deciding what she enjoys.”

The words were calm, but there was something softer beneath them, something that made Remus glance sidelong at Sirius with the faintest of knowing smiles.

Regulus’s fingers tapped lightly against the spine of his book, eyes lowered again. You could see it — the way his guard was pulling back up around him, piece by piece.

You bit the inside of your cheek, a soft breath caught behind your ribs.

Enough of this.

“Well,” you said brightly, pushing your chair back with a soft scrape against the floor, “that is quite enough for one afternoon.”

Before either of them could reply, you reached out and caught Regulus gently by the sleeve of his robe, fingers curling lightly around the fabric.

“Come on, Reggie,” you said, voice soft but sure. “We will go somewhere quieter.”

Regulus looked up at you, something unspoken flickering in his gaze — and then he nodded, closing his book with a quiet snap and rising smoothly to his feet beside you.

Sirius blinked, half a grin still lingering on his mouth. “Oh? Running off with her now, are you?”

You stifled a laugh, giving a small shake of your head. “I will see you both later,” you said lightly, offering a smile first to Sirius, then to Remus, who only returned it with a soft, knowing warmth that lingered long after you had turned away.

And with that, your hand still brushing lightly against Regulus’s sleeve, you led him from the sun-dappled corner, the faint sound of Sirius’s teasing voice echoing behind you, growing fainter with each step.

Your steps are light, weaving easily through the scattered leaves and roots as you lead Regulus away from the library. 

He follows you with that quiet steadiness of his, hands in his pockets, eyes flicking to you now and again. He never needs to ask where you are going. You both already know.

And soon, there it is—your favorite tree. Ancient and wide, its branches reaching high into the pale blue sky, its roots curling like lazy serpents across the earth. 

Without a word, Regulus leans his back to the trunk and exhales softly, lids fluttering closed for a moment as if to savor the calm. 

You smile at him, bright and easy, and with no hesitation at all, you fold your legs beneath you and settle onto the grass beside him. 

Then, slower, gentler, you ease your head into his lap, the crown of it resting against the fine wool of his robes. You feel him still beneath you, feel the way his breath catches and then softens. 

And when you tilt your gaze up, you catch the barest curve of his lips, an almost-smile, the kind he seems to keep only for you.

For a little while, neither of you speak. The rustle of the leaves above is enough, the warmth of the afternoon sun, the quiet sound of students far off in the distance. 

And the steady presence of him. You let it fill you, content, before you finally break the silence in that soft, lilting tone of yours.

“What do you think we will do once this year is over?” you ask lightly, tracing idle shapes into the fabric of his robes. 

Regulus shifts a little beneath you, gaze dropping to watch your fingers move. He hums low in his throat. “You will go to the Potters’, most likely.”

“And you?” You tilt your head, eyes bright.

There is a pause. Then, quietly, he says, “I will return to Grimmauld.”

You frown, a small crease between your brows. “No, you will not.”

Regulus arches a brow at you, the faintest amusement in his voice. “And why is that?”

“Because I won’t let you.” You smile up at him now, soft and sure. 

“I will not leave you there. You will come with me. With Sirius, Remus, James, and Lily. We will all go to the Potters’ for the summer, and you will be there too. I will not allow you to go back to that house.”

There is a long moment where he says nothing. You watch him, patient. 

You know him well enough not to push too quickly. And after a moment, his gaze drops again to meet yours. 

“It is not so simple, amour” he murmurs.

“It is.” You reach up now, fingertips brushing the edge of his jaw with a tenderness that makes something in him go still. 

“Because you are my favorite person, Regulus. And I refuse to be parted from my favorite person. Especially not for a whole summer.”

That nearly undoes him. He breathes in, careful and slow. 

His fingers twitch faintly where they rest beside you on the grass, as if he is fighting the urge to reach for you, to tangle his hands in your hair. 

“I… cannot promise,” he says at last, voice low.

“Then I will promise for you,” you say, your smile soft and your eyes bright. 

“You will come, I will make sure of it, Sirius will too, and Remus. You are welcome, none of us want you to be alone.”

He lets out a breath. His gaze softens more than he means it to. And though he does not say yes, you can feel the edges of his resistance slipping.

“You are impossible,” he murmurs.

The silence deepens, heavy and fragile, until a familiar voice finally breaks through.

“Well, well,” Barty drawled, voice low and smooth as he dropped onto the grass beside you without invitation. 

“Didn’t think I’d find such excellent company out here!”

You looked up, raising a brow. “You always say that. Makes it hard to believe you’re ever surprised.”

Barty’s mouth curved into something softer than a smirk. “Maybe I’m just easily impressed.” He plucked a stray leaf from your shoulder, his fingers brushing just a little longer than necessary. 

“Though I think we both know that isn’t true.”

You gave a quiet laugh, brushing your hair behind your ear. “You’re impossible.”

“Possibly,” he said, eyes gleaming. “But I’m told I’m charming enough to get away with it.”

Regulus didn’t move at first. Then slowly, he shifted, sitting straighter, though his gaze remained firmly ahead. His face had gone carefully blank—expression composed, impassive. 

But his lips were pressed tight and his brows faintly drawn, like he was holding something steady just beneath the surface.

Barty turned back to you. “You always this lovely in the morning, or is this just luck?”

“You’re laying it on thick today, Junior,” you said lightly, flipping the page in your book.

“Only for you.”

Regulus’s fingers flexed once at his side, then stilled. His posture was perfect. His expression hadn’t changed. He looked almost bored, if not for the edge behind his eyes.

Barty leaned back on his elbows, turning his face toward the sky. “You’d think being this pretty would come with a warning.”

You smiled, amused, but didn’t reply.

For the first time, Regulus turned his head.

His voice, when it came, was quiet and clipped. “Some of us were enjoying the quiet.”

Barty glanced over at him, then back to you. “Wasn’t trying to interrupt. Just couldn’t resist the view.”

Regulus’s jaw shifted, subtle and sharp, and though he didn’t respond, his eyes didn’t leave Barty for a long moment.

Barty just grinned. “Anyway,” he said, standing and brushing his trousers off. 

“Don’t let me keep you. I’ll see you around, sweetheart.”

He winked before turning, and Regulus tracked his retreat with a gaze cold enough to freeze wind.

You, still thumbing through your book, didn’t seem to notice.

Regulus looked back at you, his features schooled again into that same unreadable calm. But his fingers, curled in the grass, didn’t unclench.

You give him a playful swat to the arm. “Go on then, let us have our peace.”

For a long moment, neither of you speaks. The quiet settles again, but it feels different now—less peaceful, more strained. 

You shift slightly, resting your head back on Regulus’s lap, eyes turning upward as if the sky might offer some explanation.

He’s unusually still beneath you.

You glance up, catching the sharp line of his jaw, the way his lips are pressed together, the faint crease between his brows. That unreadable look he gets when he’s thinking too much, or trying too hard not to feel something.

Something’s off.

You tilt your head, voice soft. “You alright?”

He doesn’t answer immediately. When he does, it’s clipped. “Fine.”

You blink. “You don’t sound fine.”

Regulus exhales, low and barely audible. His eyes stay on some far-off point, cold and focused like they’ve locked onto a problem only he can see. 

“I don’t get it,” you say, quieter now, more to yourself than to him.

“One minute you’re fine, and then Barty shows up, and you shut down like someone flipped a switch.” You sit up a little, resting your weight on your elbows, still watching him.

“What did he even say that got under your skin?” you ask, genuinely puzzled. “He was just being Barty.”

Regulus’s gaze flicks down to you then, briefly. His expression is unreadable. You can’t tell if he’s annoyed or tired or just done with the conversation. 

“I said I’m fine,” he mutters.

You hesitate, then nod, letting the silence settle again even though it gnaws at your thoughts. You lie back against him, but it doesn’t feel the same now.

The rest of the day blurs by in a way that days sometimes do when your mind is a little elsewhere, when the air feels lighter and you are quietly waiting for something. 

The hours of lessons seem to bleed into one another.

You and Regulus had not shared classes today. Not until later. And already, you were counting down until you could meet him again, like you always do. 

The two of you had made quiet plans for dinner, you would meet by the entrance hall, as always.

But now, with the last lesson fading to a close, you are already making your way down one of the quieter corridors. 

You turn the final corner, steps light and familiar as your eyes scan the corridor ahead. 

You’re expecting to see Regulus leaning against the archway like he usually does, arms crossed, half-annoyed at being early. But the space is empty.

You slow slightly, glancing around.

“Looking for someone?” a voice purrs beside you.

You blink, startled, and turn to find Barty, again, falling into step beside you, hands in his pockets and a faint smirk tugging at his mouth.

“Oh,” you say, letting out a small laugh. “Just Regulus.”

“Of course,” he says lightly. “You two are practically stitched together.”

You smile without thinking. “He’s usually here by now.”

Barty tilts his head, studying you. “I could keep you company until he shows.”

You nod, kind. “That’s sweet of you.”

“So,” he says, casually sliding a bit closer, “what are you doing tomorrow afternoon?”

You blink. “Tomorrow?”

“Mm,” he hums. “Thought maybe you and I could go into Hogsmeade. Get something warm and take a walk. Unless you’ve sworn some blood oath to Regulus to never leave his side.”

You laugh again, still not entirely catching on. “Oh—I mean, I’ve got a few things to do. Some studying and a bit of tutoring.”

Barty leans in slightly, voice warm and teasing. “Surely someone like you can make time for something fun.”

You hesitate, blinking at him. “I—well, I suppose maybe. But—”

“There you are.”

The words cut clean and cold through the air.

You turn.

Regulus is standing just behind you, jaw tight, eyes unreadable. 

He looks directly at Barty, not even pretending to smile.

Barty only grins wider. “Perfect timing, Regulus. Just asking your girl here to spend a little time with me tomorrow! We’re thinking Hogsmeade.”

Regulus doesn’t answer or even smile. He just takes a slow step toward you.

Barty claps his hands once, mock-pleasant. “Well, now I don’t have to worry about walking her back. I’ll pick you up at the dorm tomorrow, yeah?”

You look between them, confused, but Barty doesn’t give you time to answer. He gives a wink and strolls off down the corridor, whistling low under his breath.

You turn back to Regulus. “What was that about?”

He starts walking, not waiting for you to follow.

You hurry after him. “Regulus!”

He doesn’t look at you. “You seemed busy.”

You frown. “What does that mean?”

“It means I didn’t want to interrupt,” he mutters, voice clipped.

You fall silent for a few steps, trying to puzzle through the tone, cold and sharp, nothing like the warmth he usually carries around you.

“I didn’t agree to anything,” you say quietly. “I didn’t even understand what he was doing.”

Regulus exhales slowly, still not looking at you.

“I’m not stupid,” he says. “I know exactly what he was doing.”

You watch the rigid line of his back as he walks ahead, and for the first time, you’re not sure how to reach him.

You catch up to him just outside the common room, your steps quick and light across the stone floor. 

He doesn’t slow when he hears you or even glance back. That alone is strange.

“Regulus,” you call gently. He keeps walking.

You try again, louder. “Regulus!”

He stops.

But he still doesn’t look at you. His shoulders are stiff, the line of his spine pulled taut, as if even standing still is a strain.

You frown, stepping up beside him. “What’s wrong with you?” you ask lightly, hoping the softness in your voice will coax whatever it is from him. “You’ve been off since—”

“I’m fine.”

You blink. “You don’t sound fine.”

He finally turns to you. “I’m just tired,” he mutters.

You cross your arms. “Tired doesn’t usually come with the silent treatment.”

Regulus scoffs under his breath and starts walking again.

You follow. “Did I do something?”

He doesn’t answer.

You press again, voice rising. “Regulus!”

That’s when he turns, too fast, too sudden. “Why does it always have to be about you?”

You freeze.

“What?” you whisper.

He exhales through his nose, jaw clenched, like he’s said too much already. “Forget it.”

“No, say it,” you snap, stepping forward. “You’re being a prat right now, and I deserve to know why.”

His eyes flicker to yours, cold and unreadable. “You seemed to be enjoying yourself just fine earlier. Maybe you should go ask Barty to walk you back.”

You blink again, more confused than anything. “What does Barty have to do with this?”

Regulus laughs once — a hollow, bitter sound. “Of course! You don’t even see it.”

“See what?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter,” you say firmly, voice rising. “If you’re going to treat me like this, you don’t get to act like I’m the problem. Tell me what I did.”

“You didn’t do anything,” he says, almost too fast. “That’s the point!”

Your mouth opens, then shuts again. You stare at him for a long moment, stunned and not even sure what it is you’re supposed to be defending yourself from.

“I don’t understand,” you whisper.

He looks at you, really looks, and for a moment something flickers behind his eyes — not quite anger, but then it’s gone.

“Neither do I,” he says tightly, and turns again, disappearing into the shadows of the corridor.

You stand there for a long moment, the stone walls pressing in around you, heart hammering too loud in the sudden quiet.

You didn’t cry.

You told yourself that when you slammed the door shut behind you, chest heaving and eyes dry with stubborn heat. 

You wouldn’t cry over Regulus Black and his moods and his walls and his unreadable coldness. You paced the length of your room for what felt like hours, silent and bristling, your thoughts circling like a storm.

And when sleep finally came, it was out of exhaustion, not peace.

The morning dawned too early, too bright. You woke with your jaw clenched, the memory of his voice sharp in your bones, the ache of confusion still lodged under your ribs. 

You got dressed slower than usual. There was hope beneath your frustration — that maybe, just maybe, it had been a bad night.

That maybe he’d speak.

You made your way through the corridors, the castle quiet in that golden, waking kind of way. And there he was.

Up ahead, his stride is even and precise, as always. The clean line of his shoulders, the dark sweep of his hair, too familiar not to draw you in. 

“Regulus,” you called gently, a little breathless.

He didn’t stop.

He didn’t even glance at you.

He passed by as if he hadn’t heard. As if you weren’t even there.

You stopped walking. Your eyes stung, but you blinked it away, standing alone in the middle of the corridor, heat rising to your cheeks, sharp and furious. 

Fine. If he wanted to be cold, you’d let him freeze alone.

“Morning.”

The voice curled around you with an easy drawl, smooth as ever. 

You turned to find Barty leaning casually against the wall just ahead, his eyes already waiting for yours, lazy amusement tugging at his mouth.

You hesitated for only a moment. Then you walked toward him.

Far behind you, unnoticed by most, two Marauders sat in a tucked-away alcove near the end of the corridor. 

kOne leaned forward just enough to catch the moment Regulus passed you without looking. The other raised a brow.

Remus smirked behind the rim of his cup. Sirius didn’t bother hiding his grin.

You, of course, didn’t see it.

You only saw Barty, already stepping forward to fall into pace beside you. “Rough morning?” he asked, like he didn’t already know.

You exhaled slowly, lips twitching into something tired but sharp. “You could say that.”

He gave a soft chuckle, brushing his hand through his hair. “Well, lucky for you, I happen to be excellent company. You need a seat partner?”

You nodded before thinking, letting him guide you into the Great Hall without another glance back. 

You followed him down the aisle, right past the usual table where Regulus always sat — not even sparing a glance.

Barty pulled out the bench for you with a flourish, flashing a half-smile. “Allow me.”

You sat, jaw tight but grateful, and he slid in beside you with practiced ease.

“So,” he said, reaching for a slice of toast. “What’s the plan today, trouble? Should we skip Potions?”

You laughed, quietly. “Tempting.”

His eyes flicked over you, warm and just a little too knowing. “You’re sad.”

You blinked, surprised. “What?”

Barty grinned. “You’ve got that edge today. Out of all the gryffindors, you’re usually the happiest. So what’s got little Lupin sad?”

You shook your head, pretending not to be flustered. “It’s really nothing.”

“Whatever you say,” he said smoothly.

Far off, behind his own untouched plate, Regulus did not look away from the spot you used to sit. 

“You really ought to let yourself have fun more often, you know?” Barty said, tilting his head as he studied you.

You gave him a look, but your lips curled into a smile. “I do have fun. You’re not the only source of entertainment at Hogwarts, Junior.”

“Maybe not,” he murmured, voice dipping lower now. “But I am the best one.”

You laughed despite yourself. He leaned a little closer, his knee brushing yours as if by accident. You didn’t pull away. His presence was warm, light, easy.

Still, your eyes flicked away for a moment. 

You thought of how Regulus always knew what you needed before you said it, how his silences somehow spoke more truth than others’ words. 

You thought of the way he looked at you—like you were the only thing left in the world worth trusting after all the heartache his family brought upon him.

And just like that, the breath you took felt thinner.

Barty didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe he did, and he didn’t care.

He shifted again, closer still. His hand hovered near yours, his eyes unreadable now.

“You’ve got this look,” he said softly. “Like you’re trying to decide something.”

You blinked. “Am I?”

“I don’t know,” he said, his gaze fixed on your mouth. “But if I’m lucky, maybe you’ll decide in my favor.”

And then he leaned in. Slowly, deliberately, like gravity itself had shifted to pull him closer.

His face tilted toward yours, the space between you thinning until his lips hovered just shy of yours, brushing the shape of your breath.

Your breath hitched. A quiet, startled catch in your chest. And before you could think better of it, before you could remind yourself that something about this felt not quite right, you found yourself beginning to lean in, too.

“I need my copy of Advanced Defensive Charms back.” a voice cut through the moment like a blade, sharp and quick.

You jolted slightly, startled. Regulus stood a few paces away, arms crossed, his tone just loud enough to make a few heads turn. 

His eyes never once flicked to you. They were locked on Barty, steady and searing, the kind of stare that didn’t waver or soften, only dared him to lean closer.

“Now?” you asked, breath catching.

“Yes, now.” He didn’t wait for a response. He simply turned, expecting you to follow.

You hesitated, glancing back at Barty. He only hummed under his breath, half a grin tugging at his lips.

“Well,” Barty said with a slow smile, rising to his feet. His eyes flicked to Regulus, all amusement. “Good luck with that.”

He brushed past you lightly, then turned back just enough to add, “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

As he passed Regulus, his shoulder brushed deliberately against his. He leaned in, voice barely audible, words meant for one person only.

“Took you long enough, Black.”

You didn’t hear it. You were already catching up, confusion stirring beneath your ribs. You moved after Regulus without looking back.

Barty, however, didn’t glance away. He smiled to himself and wandered off, whistling low under his breath.

And not too far off, beneath the arch of a crumbling corridor, Sirius watched with a grin curled into the corner of his mouth. 

Remus leaned against the wall beside him, expression unreadable, but his eyes flicked briefly to Regulus’s back.

“Well,” Sirius said under his breath. “That’s one way for him to realise.”

Right after Barty left, before you could fully process what had just happened, a hand closed around yours. Firm, warm, and unmistakably his.

You froze mid-step, surprise catching in your throat. “Regulus?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he tugged sharply, a sudden, insistent pull that sent your feet moving before your mind could even catch up. 

He was dragging you out of the hall, his jaw clenched tight, eyes fixed straight ahead with an intensity that brooked no argument.

You stumbled, breath hitching in your chest. “What the hell are you doing?”

Still no response.

“Regulus!” You yanked at your arm, trying desperately to plant your heels into the cold stone floor. “What’s gotten into you?”

His grip didn’t waver. Knuckles whitening around your wrist, holding on like losing you was something he simply could not afford.

“You can’t just—drag me around like this,” you snapped, voice rising now.

“You ignored me yesterday, acted like I didn't exist, and now you think you can just show up, grab me, and what? Command me like a dog?”

He kept walking.

“Regulus, seriously, stop! What is this? What do you want from me?”

You were furious now. Not just annoyed—furious. Because you didn’t understand, and he wasn’t saying anything, and his silence felt like a match held too long over your skin.

“Is this a joke to you?” you hissed. “Because if this is some twisted mood swing of yours, I’m not playing along!”

He didn’t even look at you.

He was dragging you through the empty corridors, his grip unwavering, steps quick and purposeful as the castle's echoes followed behind.

When he finally stopped, it was outside a narrow door tucked between unused classrooms—an old closet room long forgotten. Without hesitation, he opened it and pulled you inside, the darkness swallowing you both.

You were breathless, panting more from anger than exertion.

Without warning, he spun you around, his hand gripping your waist with a force that both startled and grounded you.

His touch was firm, commanding, pulling you close as he pressed you back against the cold stone wall. 

His breaths came ragged and uneven, a low exhale escaping him as if the air itself was thick with tension.

His pupils were dilated, dark and wide, flickering with a restless fire that made your skin prickle.

The smooth weight of his body loomed over you, tall and unyielding, casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the space between you. 

Your shoulders met the wall with a deliberate, lingering pressure—not harsh, but enough to stop your breath and still your racing thoughts in an instant.

Your hands flew up to his chest instinctively. “Are you insane?!” you snapped.

He stared at you like he couldn’t hear you. Or like he’d heard every word but couldn’t stop himself anyway.

He stepped closer. You could feel the tension pulsing off him now, raw, sharp, and electric.

And then, finally, he spoke. “He wants you.”

You blinked. “What?”

“Barty,” he said, voice low and bitter. “He wants you.”

You shot him a fierce glare, voice trembling with barely contained anger. “Junior? Is that what this is? Him sitting with me?”

He closed the gap, breath hot against your face, hand gripping your waist tight.

“He wasn’t just sitting with you. He was about to kiss you and you were going to kiss him back!.”

You shot back, voice sharp, nearly a shout. “And why do you care?”

He opened his mouth then closed it again. “You have no idea what you’re doing.”

That made you scoff. “Oh, really? Enlighten me, Black.”

His eyes searched you, as if trying to decide whether to say it at all.

You laughed, too harsh. “You know what, Regulus? You’re unbelievable!”

“You’re acting like I’ve committed some crime. He sat beside me. He talked. What did you want me to do, tell him to leave?”

“You were going to kiss him,” Regulus said, he didn’t flinch. Instead, his hand shot out, fingers curling around your jaw with an unexpected firmness that both claimed and grounded you. 

You stared at him, the heat in your chest twisting. “And what if I did?”

His thumb brushed lightly against your lips, slow and deliberate, before his eyes dropped from your face to linger on your mouth. 

His voice dropped low, edged with a quiet intensity that made your pulse hammer in your ears.

[I highly suggest playing Friends by Chase Atlantic here!!!]

“I’m not here to argue,” he said, husky but steady. “I’m here to tell you that I won’t let you forget what almost happened. You were about to kiss some other bastard.” 

His gaze held yours, unyielding and raw. “And I’m the only one you should ever want.”

Before you could even register what was happening, his lips were on yours, urgent and demanding.

You kissed him back instantly, your hands in his shirt, pulling, anchoring, trying to close the impossible space that had always lived between you.

The kiss deepened, lips parting, breaths catching, hands everywhere at once—his in your hair, yours fisted in the front of his shirt like you needed something to hold onto or else you’d fall straight through the floor. 

His body pressed against yours, firm and unrelenting, pinning you to the stone wall behind like you were something worth holding onto, something he couldn’t let go of even if he tried.

Your legs parted instinctively, one of his thighs sliding between yours as your hips tilted forward without thinking, chasing the pressure, chasing him. 

The way he moved against you—slow, firm, purposeful—sent heat coiling low in your stomach, your breath stuttering as your hands slid down the hard lines of his back and held him there.

You could barely think past it. Barely speak.

But then your mouth opened and—

“Regulus,” you breathed, the sound escaping like a prayer. “God—Please.”

He stilled instantly.

The world narrowed to the way his chest heaved against yours, the shallow rise and fall of his breath. His lips brushed yours again, barely, as he pulled back just enough to look at you, eyes dark and blown wide with something more dangerous than want.

“Say that again,” he murmured, voice ragged and low like it had been torn straight from somewhere deep.

You swallowed, heat flickering through you. “Regulus.”

His name on your tongue again made something in him snap.

He surged forward before the last syllable left your lips, kissing you harder, like he was trying to consume it, claim it, swallow the sound down and make it his.

He groaned into your mouth, hips pressing against yours again in a movement that had you gasping, clinging tighter.

You didn’t hesitate. You pulled him closer, fingers sliding under the hem of his shirt, touch desperate and searching. 

His mouth found the curve of your neck, hot and open, and a gasp escaped your lips before you could stop it.

“I need you, please.” you panted, breath catching as your head fell back,

Your legs shifted instinctively, knees parting, trying to draw him closer still as his teeth scraped lightly over your skin, his hands tightening at your waist like he couldn’t get close enough.

“Keep those legs spread for me, amour.” He groaned.

The command was so firm and unquestionable that it nearly took you by surprise. He had never spoken to you like that before. Moments between you were usually filled with playfulness and light teasing.

You reached for him, fingers curling into the front of his trousers, a silent plea for him to touch you where you need him most. 

But before you could move further, his hand wrapped around your wrist. 

“Behave,” he murmured, voice low and rough, with an edge that hadn’t been there before. 

You barely manage to catch your breath before his hands slide lower, gripping your waist as he presses you harder against the wall.  

Regulus leans in, his mouth finding your neck, biting and sucking with a hunger that sends your pulse skittering. Each mark he leaves burns, a promise, a claim—evidence you already know you’ll need to hide later.

“Someone could walk in,” you gasp, voice trembling as your back presses harder into the wall, but Regulus just exhales, his breath hot against your collarbone.

“Then be quiet,” he murmurs, voice rough and low. His hands slide beneath your shirt, palms gliding over your skin with agonizing slowness. You shiver beneath his touch, already arching into him before you realize you're doing it.

“You wanted this, didn’t you?”

Your answer is a broken whimper as your fingers tangle in his hair, tugging hard enough to draw a groan from his throat.

His grip tightens on your hips, and you feel him against you—hard, aching, insistent through the fabric of his trousers, grinding into your thigh.

“Need you,” you breathe, the words barely making it past your lips, “please, Regulus.”

Regulus leans back just enough to look at you, his eyes dark and seething. “You think it's funny,” he says, voice low and cold, “going around flirting with Junior?”

Before you can answer, his hands move—urgent, possessive—tugging your skirt up with rough precision, exposing skin to the cool air and his hotter gaze. His fingers press into your thighs, thumbs brushing dangerously close, and the sharp edge of the tension coils tighter in your stomach.

“You were smiling at him,” he mutters, like the thought alone sets him off. “Laughing.”

Your breath hitches. He presses closer, chest against yours, thigh slipping between your legs until you can barely stand straight.

“Say it,” he demands, voice at your ear. “Say who you want.”

You whimper softly, eyes barely meeting his as the words slip out, “Want you.”

He raises an eyebrow, a slow smirk curling at his lips. “Uh uh, that’s not my name, amour.” he says, voice low and amused.

You straighten immediately, biting back a smile. “Want you, Regulus,” you correct.

“Good, baby,” Regulus murmured, but before you could respond, he pulled you flush against him, capturing your lips again. His kisses were harsher now, urgent and hungry for more.

His hands slid beneath your skirt, fingertips tracing along your bare skin, sending a shiver through you. His glare was intense, but softened by the way his lips parted slightly, breath uneven.

You leaned in closer, brushing your lips along his jaw and teased, ​​“Is that all you’ve got, Reggie? Barty seems to be doing a much better job.”

A low sound rumbles in his chest, and before you know it, he’s doesn’t give you a chance to react before he’s stepping between your legs, hands spreading your thighs wider.

“You’re getting cocky,” he mutters, unbuttoning your shirt off in one quick motion. His hands are everywhere, skimming your sides, gripping your waist, fingers digging into your thighs. 

He finally rests one on your waist, and one just under your breast. “Think you can go around acting like that? Such a brat.”

You bite your lip, trying to hold back a moan when his mouth latches onto your collarbone, sucking a mark into your skin.

“You didn’t exactly stop me,” you manage to say, your voice breathy.

Regulus just scoffs, his hands moving to pull your skirt up “You’re right. Guess I need to teach you a lesson.”

His hands slide over your panties, and his lips brush against your ear. “You’re gonna keep quiet, understand?”

You nod, breathless, and he smirks, clearly not convinced. His fingers dip lower, teasing you through your underwear, and you have to bite down on your lip to muffle the noise that slips out. 

Regulus just hums, almost pleased with your reaction. His thumb grazes against your clothed clit, just barely giving you what you want. He applies slight pressure, and you bite your lip harder, eager for more.

“Better keep your voice low. You wouldn’t want anyone finding out how desperate you are for me, would you?” He taunts, his thumb pressing more firmly. 

He pushes your panties to the side, and strokes long stripes up and down your folds, collecting the arousal that has accumulated. 

He groans softly as he stares down at your cunt, and he slides his middle finger inside of you, earning a soft gasp from you. You can’t help the way your hips buck forward, chasing his touch. You're too needy to be embarrassed at this point.

“Please, Reggie,” you whisper, your hands clutching at his shoulders, nails digging into the fabric.

He gives you that intense, the one that makes your stomach twist with anticipation.

“You’re lucky I need you this bad,” he mutters before he slips his ring finger inside, curling just right, making you mewl.

His other hand cups the back of your neck, keeping you close as his mouth moves against yours, swallowing your moans.

His fingers move faster, and it’s impossible to stay quiet, but he doesn’t seem to care anymore. All that matters is the way you’re unraveling in his hands, and he’s watching every bit of it with a smug, satisfied look.

The way his fingers curl so precisely inside of you almost makes you see stars—and his thumb increases the speed against your clit. You grind your hips harder into his hand, desperate for your release.

“You’re gonna remember this next time you think about kissing Junior,” he murmurs, his thumb rubbing circles over your clit, making your thighs tremble around him. 

"Say it."

"I'll remember it, just—please, need all of you." You whimper as his fingers fuck you faster.

Regulus doesn’t waste any time, pulling out his fingers and spinning you against the wall. 

You gasp loudly at how quickly he pulled his fingers out of you, and also being slammed against the wall rather quickly.

His hand snakes around your waist, pulling your hips back to meet his, and you can feel how hard he is through his pants.

“You’re gonna be good for me now, right?” He mutters against your ear, his voice rough and dripping with dominance. 

You nod, too breathless to respond properly, and he chuckles lowly. “Use your words, amour.”

“Y-Yes,” you stammer, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. “I’ll be good, Regulus. I promise.”

“Good girl, that’s what I thought,” he murmurs, one hand slipping under your shirt, brushing over your stomach, while the other tugs your hips back against him.

His lips trace the curve of your neck, sucking a mark just below your ear.

You can’t help the way you push and wiggle back against him, desperate for more contact.

Regulus clicks his tongue disapprovingly, his grip tightening on your waist to keep you in place.

“Patience,” he says, almost like he’s scolding you, but there’s a hint of a smirk in his voice. 

His lips follow, kissing along your shoulder as he pushes his own pants down just enough to free himself.

His cock stands proudly, and he gives himself a couple pumps in preparation. He runs his hand over the tip, collecting the precum that had accumulated. 

He brings himself closer to you, and presses his cock head against your wet folds, causing the man to sigh shakily.

You feel him press against you, hot and heavy, and your breath hitches in anticipation. Regulus leans over you, his chest pressing against your back, one hand still gripping your waist.

“Please, I need you,” you whisper, pushing your hips back to encourage him.

He finally gives in, guiding himself to your entrance and pushing in slowly, stretching you inch by inch.

The way he fills you has your knees almost giving out, but Regulus’s grip on your waist holds you steady. His girth stretches your walls out further and further—the sting and burn never feeling better.

“Fuck,” he groans, stilling once he’s fully inside you, balls deep. “So tight... and you just take it so well.”

You whimper at the stretch, your body adjusting to the intrusion, and Regulus’s lips press against the back of your neck, grounding you. 

Once he’s sure you’re ready, he starts to move, his thrusts slow and deep, every movement deliberate and measured. His grip on you tightens, and he lets out a soft sigh of pleasure.

“God!” you gasp, as he picks up the pace, the sound of skin against skin filling the room. His balls clap against your ass as he fucks into you harsher.

“Keep quiet,” he warns, his teeth grazing your shoulder. “You don’t want anyone to hear how desperate you sound, do you?”

You bite your lip, doing your best to muffle your moans, but Regulus’s relentless pace makes it impossible.

His hand slides up to cover your mouth, muffling your whimpers as he pounds into you harder, his hips snapping against yours with an urgency that drives you wild.

"You're doing a good job at listening," he praises as his cock slams in and out of your tight walls, "I'm s-shocked." You bite your lip harder, eager to please him. 

Knowing Regulus, he'll stop if you disobey. You nod your head in response, and thrust your hips back into his to match his pace.

You can feel yourself getting closer, your walls clenching tightly around him, and he whimpers at the sensation, his hand sliding from your mouth to your chest, pulling you back against him as he thrusts deeper.

“Gonna cum for me?” He whispers against your ear, his breath hot and ragged.

You nod frantically. "Good," he growls, and he bites down on your shoulder, his pace becoming rougher, more erratic.

The wet sloshing sounds filling the room along with bated breaths and desperate moans. “Fuck, amour, squeezing me so good. pretty little pussy was made just f’me”

Cock drunk moans being the only response coming from yourlips. Fingers of one of his hands digging into the flesh of your hip, no doubt leaving bruising prints you’d be seeing for days. 

The other creeping around your throat, squeezing briefly before arching you back to look into those eyes you loved so much. “Reg, hah, p-please, I can’t!”.

A harsh smack against the skin of your ass making you gasp. “Now, what did I tell you about being quiet?”

Your eyes roll back, walls of your cunt starting to spam as you feel that beautiful high creeping upon you. “Can’t hold, fuck."

His slender fingers toy with your clit bringing you closer, jaw slack with a desperate cry of his name. 

 “Merlin, you squeeze my cock so good, shit, gonna stuff you full of my cum so you’ll belong to no one other than me!” 

Whines leave your throat at the rough thrusts, tip of his cock practically kissing your cervix.  “I’ll fuck this cunt as many times as it takes, as many times I need to to make sure you’re no one else’s”.

You’re filled with the burning feeling of the thick ropes of his cum emptying deep within you, flooding your womb with the intention of his seed doing its job, leaving you whining for more.

“You feel so good.”

Emptiness taking over as he pulls out, still twitching at the sight of his cum slowly trailing down your thighs. 

Regulus’s hands found your waist with a firm, almost desperate grip. He spun you around to face him fully, his touch careful but commanding. 

He pulled your panties upwards and smoothed the hem of your skirt, adjusting it with an almost ridiculous kind of precision for someone who had just fucked you like that. 

Then, more gently, he cupped your face, his thumb brushing along your cheek as if to ground himself. “Look at me,” he murmured, voice low but steady.

You did, your eyes wide and breath shallow.

He held your gaze for a long beat before the tension cracked just slightly. “Are you alright? Was I too harsh?”

You nodded, pupils still blown wide, lips parted as you tried to steady your breath.

Your neck was littered in the proof of him—faint, blooming marks he hadn’t quite meant to leave but hadn’t resisted either.

Regulus’s hands didn’t leave you. One of them tightened at your jaw, the other resting low on your waist as he leaned in, gaze dark and unwavering.

“Use your words, baby,” he said softly, but it wasn’t a suggestion.

Your voice came quiet, a little shaky. “I’m good. Just… not sure I can walk.”

That pulled a laugh from him. Real and unguarded. It burst from his chest before he could stop it, low and warm, his head tipping slightly as he smiled at you.

And you just stared.

Because it wasn’t often that Regulus Black laughed. 

And you couldn’t look away.

Your chest ached in the sweetest way.

You loved him. You had, maybe, for far longer than you’d ever dared to admit. But now, standing here, with his hands still on your skin and his laughter blooming like a promise between you, it was impossible to ignore.

He looked back at you, eyes soft, still shining with something that made your heart stutter.

And you knew. There was no one else you would ever want like this.

His eyes searched yours like he still didn’t quite believe this was real, like he might wake up if he blinked too long.

“I’ve wanted to do that,” he said, voice low and rough, “for as long as I can remember.”

You blinked, a startled laugh slipping from your lips. You tilted your head slightly, amusement flickering in your eyes.

“You know,” you said, breath still shaky, “Remus might actually kill you for this.”

Regulus shrugged, a faint smile pulling at his lips, equal parts challenge and surrender. “Merlin, don’t even mention it.”

Your grin widened, eyes gleaming now. “Well,” you murmured, as if tasting the words before you committed to them, “our brothers are dating.”

His brows twitched, and for a moment, something almost vulnerable crossed his face. His voice was quieter this time, uncertain around the edges.

“Should we?”

The question hung in the space between your mouths, half-ridiculous, half-serious.

His voice was a whisper, raw with meaning and years of silent longing. “Je t’aime.”

“Je t’aime, Y/n, since I was eleven.”

A soft, joyful laugh escaped your lips, the weight of his words settling deep in your heart.

“I love you, Regulus, since I was eleven too.” you breathed, your voice trembling with the truth of it.

Without a pause, he drew you close again, his kiss slow and reverent, as if trying to memorize every part of you.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he murmured against your lips, the depth of his love echoing in every word.

Unbeknownst to you and Regulus, not far away Sirius and Remus were sharing a quiet moment, their voices low but filled with laughter.

Sirius was clapping Barty on the shoulder, his eyes bright with mischief and satisfaction.

“Thanks for stepping in, Junior,” Sirius said with a grin. “I don’t think we could’ve gotten through to them without a little… persuasion.”

Remus chuckled, shaking his head. “It was about time someone shook things up. Watching them circle each other like that was honestly painful.”

Remus sighed, then added proudly, “I’m sure he pulled her aside to talk things out. Maturely! Like the reasonable Black he is.”

Sirius snorted. “Right. I’m very sure he’s handling this like a Black.”

Remus froze. His eyes widened slowly as something unpleasant dawned on him. “You don’t think they would—”

“Oh, that’s exactly how we talked our feelings out, remember?” Sirius grinned, smug and absolutely no help at all.

Remus looked positively horrified and about to pass out. “Merlin. No. No, no—she’s my sister—”

Barty was already wheezing with laughter, doubled over on the bench. “Come on, Lupin. He’s a Black. What did you expect?”

Remus suddenly stood, eyes wide with dawning horror. “Oh no. No. I need to find them.”

He was already striding down the corridor, muttering about protective charms and locking spells, while Sirius and Barty doubled over behind him—laughing, breathless, as their plan succeeded just a little too well for Remus’ peace of mind.

The morning sickness had been relentless, the missed period a silent alarm that something was amiss. Yet, the reality of it all hit you like a ton of bricks as you stood there, clutching the bathroom door frame for support. You and Regulus hadn’t even come close to discussing the topic of children. The both of you had basically just graduated from Hogwarts and the engagement ring that sat on your finger was the symbol of a promise of a life together.

Regulus glanced up from his book, concern etched into his features as he took in your distressed state. "Are you alright, love?" His voice was laced with worry, eyebrows furrowing as he approached you. "You don't look well."

Your throat felt dry, parched even. Your fingers were trembling as you felt tears prick your eyes. Merlin, what if he didn’t want the baby? Regulus was so young and so were you, having a child was something you hadn't even begun to fathom. 

“Y/n, darling?” There was a moment as his eyes caught sight of the object in your trembling hands, his expression shifted from confusion to realization. “Is that…?” 

His voice trailed off, eyes widening in astonishment when you nodded in approval. A wave of happiness washed over him and he felt warmth spread throughout his chest. His joy, however, was quickly tempered by concern as tears continued to streak down your face.

“Love, what’s wrong? Isn’t this meant to be a happy occasion? You’re pregnant!” He asked softly, bringing you to sit on the edge of the bed, his arm around you. “Do you not want the baby?”

“No! Of course I want the baby!” You shouted, voice cracking. “It’s just…we’re so young Reggie and we’re getting married soon, I don’t want to walk down the aisle looking like a fucking whale.” You wailed like a banshee and your fiancé broke out in laughter. 

“You are not going to look like a fucking whale darling, and we can postpone the wedding if it makes you feel any better, I’ll wait forever for you.” He cooed as he gave you a kiss. The tears didn’t stop but you felt happier. “I’ve always wanted a family and the journey we’re going to have together will be amazing. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“What if you love the baby more than me?”

“Not possible, I could never love anyone more than I love you.” He cupped your cheeks, adoring the way you acted like a petulant child at times. 

You sniffled, hands rubbing your belly. “I can’t believe it…”

Regulus's smile widened, his eyes alight with a newfound brightness. "Believe it or not, love, but fate has a funny way of bringing us together." He teased, his playful demeanor bringing a smile to your lips.

“Fuck that shit, I don’t believe in fate.”

“Love, we’re literally a witch and a wizard.” 

“Still don’t believe in it, you know me Reg.”

Regulus rolled his eyes, pushing you down onto the bed gently, peppering your face with sweet kisses. You could see the ways his eyes sparkled with something new. His smile was brighter than ever and his cheeks were rosy. You felt a new batch of tears brimming at your eyes and you soon started to cry again.

“Y/n?” He asked, wiping your tears away with his hand. “Are these tears happy or sad?”

“I just l-love you so much.” You sobbed. “I fucking love you Regulus Black.”

He bit his lip to hide the joyous laughter that was bubbling up inside of him but a chuckle escaped from his lips. You smacked his arm as a scowl took over your features.

“You prick, I’m here confessing my love to you and you’re laughing!”

Regulus bursted into laughter before summoning a mirror for you to look at your reflection. Your eyes were swollen and quite evident that you had been crying. Your hair was frazzled and all over the place.

“Even though you look like a mess, I still love you.”

"Good." You replied, a grin spreading across your face despite the lingering tears. "You're getting married to me."

//

Amidst the cheers and celebration, you and your newly-wed husband stood hand in hand, surrounded by friends and family. Little Leo, just five months old, nestled in your arms, his wide eyes already reflecting the familiar stormy grey of Regulus'.

“How’s little Leo doing?” Your husband cooed at your son and he giggled, tiny hands latching onto Regulus’ finger. “Me and Mama just got married. She’s officially Mrs Black now.”

Your heart melted at the words he said. The long dinner table was seated with chattering guests and you thought now was the perfect time to finally say the speech you had been preparing. Regulus still hadn’t a clue about what you were going to say so this was all going to be a surprise. 

Passing Leo into Regulus' loving arms, you pressed a kiss to your son's forehead before rising to your feet. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to you, curiosity and anticipation flickering in their gazes, including Regulus' and Leo's.

“Hi everyone.” You gave the faces you knew for decades a wave. “I've been waiting for this moment to share something I've wanted to say for a long time.”

You saw the way your husband’s face was knitted with confusion and you couldn’t suppress the grin that took over your face.

"Regulus Black, you have always been, and always will be, the light of my life. From the moment we met at eleven to this day at twenty-one, time has flown by, but my love for you has only grown stronger. You've given me the greatest joys in life, and I will never stop cherishing you. We've faced hardships together, but with you by my side, I know we can overcome anything. I cannot wait to continue this journey with you, raising our son together."

You could see the emotion welling in Regulus' eyes as you spoke, his expression mirroring the depth of your love.

“I used to say I didn’t believe in fate, that was a lie. I believed in fate the moment I met you Reg, you made me believe in it. We are destined for each other and I hope that I spend every second of my life with you. Fate brought us together and it will keep us together. Our family of three.”

You finished your speech and you saw Regulus’ eyes fill with tears as he got up and kissed you deeply without hesitation. The room erupted in cheers and congratulations, the love and happiness palpable in the air.

“We have fate to thank for this I guess.” He smiled as he rested his forehead against yours.

Tears were now running down your face as you gave your husband another kiss. Your gaze shifted to your son, cradled in Regulus' arms, and then back to your husband, a wave of love washing over you. 

“We sure do.”

Some people who’ve also witnessed your interactions with Regulus Black couldn’t understand why you were so persistent when he barely said a word back and scarcely showed any interest in return to your friendly advances. They thought you were crazy but you were so bubbly and sweet with everyone, they assumed that it’s just a part of your nature to approach even those who were deemed unapproachable. 

And Regulus Black is unapproachable. To everyone — except you.

Regulus never understood you. 

Usually, whenever someone brave enough to approach him started conversation, they would get so turned off by his aloofness that they would cut the interaction short and move on. Those that continued to persist, received a glare and offensive remark, which finally shook them off and out of his personal space. 

But you. 

You love his personal space. He couldn’t so-easily push you away like the others. Your tenacity rivalled the stubbornness of a bull — it was quite admirable. You weren’t deterred by his aloofness nor his ice-cold glare and snide remark. Secretly he was grateful. He’s grown to love your company (though he’d never say it out loud) ever since you shot down his attempt at forcing distance between the two of you. 

“Why would you say that? That’s so mean,” your pout was adorable, “and stop trying to look scary,” you poke your finger between his brows and ease the creases in his skin from his glare, “it doesn’t work when you have such a pretty face,”

Pretty…

You love calling him that, although he’d argue that the flattering term suited you much more than him. Growing up, he was told to despise Gryffindors; his brother was the only exception until you came along with your pretty smile, pretty eyes, pretty nose, pretty hair, pretty voice, pretty lips — pretty everything! 

…he’d never admit it out loud, however. 

He’d never admit a lot of things out loud when it came to you. Maybe that’s why he hardly said anything when you were around him. At least he doesn’t scowl as much anymore, he just holds a blank stare whilst trying to stop a smile from taking over his face.

He likes listening to you a lot more than he does anyone else and appreciates your company very much, even if it’s just to listen to you talk about your day and all the things you’ve done; how you loved the omelette they served for breakfast, how you really wanted to learn how to ride a broom but were terrified of heights, how your favourite subject was astrology and eagerly waited for each lesson, how you love his company and being close to him. 

He loves it too, being close to you. You’re warm and soft and he loves your fragrance. Surprisingly, it’s not as sickly sweet as he’d once imagined (and dreaded). Rather, you smelled perfectly floral with a hint of piquant spice that was unique to you. It wasn’t intoxicating, instead, it was calming and Regulus was addicted to the peace you were able to bring into his chaotic life, a life that remained jumbled with no help from his Gryffindor brother, his only brother, someone he still deeply but silently adored.  

Regulus appreciated you for being able to give him regular updates on his estranged brother since you were pretty good friends with the Marauders. You were especially close to Remus, which you admitted was due to his level-headedness and calmness. You explained to him that being around such stolid characters were comforting to you because their presence was reassuring. Regulus didn’t understand your reasoning. Although it could be because a creeping jealousy had coloured his eyes green for the tall brunette he had never had the pleasure of officially meeting. Nevertheless, it answered his question on why you so often gravitated towards Remus, especially when distressed. 

So… why were you desperately clinging to him when Remus was just across the courtyard?

James was in a frenzy. He had been worried ever since this morning. Ever since meeting you, he had grown to see you as his younger sister and with that, came a an urge to protect you from all things physical and intangible. Therefore, it was only natural for his senses to flood with worry as soon as you mentioned ‘boggart’ over your a plate of your favourite omelette at breakfast. You were going to have your boggart lesson for DADA today. 

Consumed by worry, James had rushed to the courtyard as soon as morning classes were over and desperately searched the crowd for you. Remus tried to assure him, confident in your courage as a fellow Gryffindor but that wasn’t enough to quell his anxiety for your condition. 

His apprehension was for good reason, it seemed, because for the first time ever! There were tears in your eyes. You were crying. You were sad. Sad enough to sob in someone’s arms. In Regulus Black’s arms!

“WhAt ARe yOU DoING?!” James shouts, his voice cracking and fluctuating from his panicked state as his hands grip and pull at his untamed locks. 

For the first time ever, Regulus stutters, “I-I—…uhh!” 

James’ eyes widen at Regulus’ shaking hands, hanging suspended in the air, his fingers twitching slightly from his hesitation and inexperience with comforting someone, “YOU IDIOT!” only James Potter would have the nerve to call Regulus Black an ‘idiot’.

In his eyes, James was watching his precious baby sister, who he loves to pieces, sob into the arms of someone she wanted comfort from but had no clue how to comfort her, “HOLD HER!” James demands, “HURRY!” 

Finally…FINALLY Regulus hugs you back, one hand on the back of your head to softly pet your hair down as his other circles around your waist and pulls you close. He feels you sob into his shoulder as your shaking hands cling onto the back of his button up shirt. When he focuses on your trembling sobs and usually sorrowful form, an ache takes hold of his heart and he finds himself clinging onto you. 

You don’t deserve to cry. You’re far too precious and sweet to deserve experiencing such distress. Whoever did this to you, once he finds the culprit, will have hell to pay…

As soon as you feel the secure squeeze of Regulus’ arms around you, your shaking sobs slowly reduce to pitiful hiccups and faint sniffles. Beside your ear, Regulus whispers soft, kind assurances and you’ve never felt so safe. It escapes you that Regulus was actually speak to you instead of the other way around. 

“It’s okay, my flower…” your heart leaps in your chest, “you’re going to be okay; I’m here for you,” 

A/N : i had this idea and parts of it written ages ago and rediscovered it while i was on holiday — finally! i got to finish it haha! i hope you lovelies enjoy, this turned out better than i originally imagined it to go 

NAVI. | PART 0.5 | PART 2

“Yeah, m’just getting a little tired” you whisper, and you watch as he lays down on his front, chin propped up on his elbows. He looks down at you and there’s something in his expression that melts you completely.

He leans down to press a kiss or two against your jaw and then another to the corner of your mouth, smiling into the small peck. Regulus never fails to make you go all giddy, the small touches and his love-filled eyes, that have you hiding your face behind your hands.

You can hear him 'tut' slightly as his fingers wrap around your wrist, the warmth of his hand against yours as he guides them away from your face.

“There we go,” he says with a smile, the sight has your chest blooming with warmth. He leans into you once again before whispering, “Tu es tres jolie” his lips peppering kisses against your face, and you swear your heart is skipping beats.

The words leave his mouth so beautifully and even if you haven’t the slightest idea of what they mean they still seem so heavenly. In all honesty, he could be insulting you, the thought makes you chuckle.

You watch as he frowns slightly, tilting his head with slight confusion. “You could be insulting me, I would never know,” you tell him, Regulus shakes his head, his curls that frame his face bouncing as he does so.

“I would never” he gasps with fake offence, a hand over his heart, “Je t'aime tellement” he whispers, his hand resting on your hips as he lets his head fall against your shoulder.

“I still don’t understand” Your fingers thread through his wind-tussled hair and you can feel him chuckle against you.

“Do you want me to tell you?” He asks, sitting up slightly as he kisses your cheek, you nod with a small ‘Mhm’

He smiles, excitement flashing through his eyes as he pulls you up, both sitting crossed-legged on top of the soft blanket he whispers a quiet ‘Okay’ before he speaks again, “Tu es tres jolie” he says slowly, breaking down the words for you.

And for what you lack in knowledge of the language you make up for with passion, and he stifles his laughter behind his hand, “Hey! Don’t laugh, I’m trying” you tell him with a slight twinge of embarrassment.

“I’m not laughing at you,” he says taking your hands in his, fingers entwined as he rests them on his lap, “Now listen carefully” he tells you as he repeats the words even more slowly.

“Tu es tres jolie” You give him a weary smile and he nods.

“Perfect” he praises you, his thumb smoothing over the bumps of your knuckles, “It means, you are very pretty” he leans forward pressing his lips against yours, your noses bumping slightly with the action, and his gentle words leave you feeling all floaty.

He doesn’t have time to pull away before your arms wrap around his shoulders pulling him back into you as you kiss him, although it doesn’t last too long as you both end up smiling, which makes you both break out in a fit of giggles.

“Teach me more?” You ask, forehead resting against his.

“Of course beautiful,” he says, and he spends a good hour teaching you, enjoying how interested you seem to be. The sun will eventually set, and both you and Regulus pack away your small picnic into a basket before walking back to your quaint little village house, arms linked.

the old couple were nice enough to let regulus and y/n stay at their house until the two got back on their feet. they were known to be kind and compassionate, so when the two came to them in need, they couldn't stand turning away people that were desperate and seeking refuge.

in a way, the couple saw themselves in regulus and y/n. to them, regulus and y/n just looked like two young lovers running away and wanting their own life, just like they had done once before.

"yours looks adorable Reggie," y/n cooed as she leaned over to regulus who was finishing up his pumpkin carving.

regulus made a pumpkin house with two tiny plastic pumpkins living inside. they had cute expressions on their faces and little flowers on top of their heads.

"thank you," regulus smiled softly. "lemme see your pumpkin."

y/n turned hers around and Reggie saw that the girl made her pumpkin a building as well but she made hers a prison cell with a smaller pumpkin grabbing the bars and screaming for help.

"that's a... choice," regulus gave a little chuckle at the girl's pumpkin.

"I thought it was funny," y/n smiled. "come on, let's set them up on the porch!"

the two wizards opened the front door and set their pumpkins along with the other ones they'd made on the elderly couple's porch.

"y/n look! it's another one," the black-haired boy announced as he crouched down in front of one of the pumpkins that had a small slip of paper in its mouth. "within the dark, beneath the serpent's gaze, a secret dwells. in the shadow of the serpent's fang, where the fangs protect the last breath of a dark soul."

for the last couple of years the two have been staying at the house, they've been receiving anonymous letters from an unknown person who keeps sending them cryptic notes. they were suspicious at first since the dark lord had been getting stronger as days went by but they soon realized it must have something to do with horcruxes.

they've been receiving news of what was happening in the Wizarding world because of regulus' uncle, alphard. he, along with sirius and regulus, didn't believe in his family's pureblood ideology and was disowned by them just like sirius. he swore to himself that he'd help his two nephews out as much as he could to defeat voldemort.

regulus ruled out his uncle on who would be sending them these anonymous messages because 1. he would've told them it was him if it was and 2. he didn't know what horcruxes were when regulus asked him about it.

y/n suspected it could be dumbledor that was sending them these anonymous letters because she knew him to be a wise but discreet old man.

"let's go, we shouldn't stay out here for long," y/n grabbed the male's arm as she dragged him back in the house. "this doesn't connect to the last one we got. it must be a different horcrux."

the woman took the paper out of regulus' hand and opened her notebook from under their bed, where similar notes were found.

"in the pages of the past, where ink and secrets intertwine, the diary of a young prodigy holds a piece of a soul," the girl read out loud. "the two speak of different things, it must be a different horcrux. how many bloody horcruxes does he have?"

"it's hard to tell, we've been getting these notes for years," regulus pointed out as he sat beside the girl and spread out all the pieces of paper. "the dark lord won't rest until he's reassured about his immortality. after we destroy one, it's hard to tell if he's made any more during that time."

regulus and y/n tried relentlessly to crack the code in these notes. switching some notes around that seemed connected as well as going back to their notebook for additional information they've got from research.

A knock suddenly interrupted theor brain storm as the both of them scrambled to get the papers together and hid it in the notebook.

"hello, dears! is it okay if I come in?" the elderly woman's voice said.

"yep! come in!" regulus called out as y/n stuffed the notebook back under their bed.

"I'm so sorry to bother but could you dears please head to the grocery store and get some more batteries for our Halloween decorations? I would ask Harold but he's feeling under the weather lately."

"don't worry, Mabel! you'll never be a bother. it's the least regulus and I can do."

"supper is almost done so it'll be ready by the time you two'll be back," the elder thanked the two one more time before leaving.

the two dressed in muggle clothing as y/n pulled the hood of her sweater on top of her head.

they've changed these past two years. regulus looked significantly different with his longer and curlier hair and older features. many things changed about y/n as well but she tugged her hood closer just to be sure.

regulus and y/n made it to the grocery store and collected the things they needed, sharing hushed whispers.

"Reggie, I don't know if this is possible. we almost died trying to get one horcrux. who knows how many more that bastard has."

"if we don't, who will y/n? not even most death eaters I know know about horcruxes. we have to do this together... because I'm not sure I can do this by myself."

"and if we die?"

"then we'll do that together too..." regulus whispered staring longingly into her eyes. "plus, we don't have to do it alone."

y/n looked at him confused, "what do you mean?"

regulus nodded his head to his left where y/n found a scruffy-looking man with dishevelled hair and a beard. she couldn't believe her eyes- it was sirius black, the boy she used to be in love with before he ran away years ago.

"what is he doing here?" y/n asked with shock evidently in her voice.

"I'm not sure but it's certainly not for the cereal box he's staring so intensely at," regulus responded as he slowly and hesitantly made his way toward his brother. "sirius," regulus said quietly, causing sirius to jump with surprise and quickly turned around, his wand tucked sharply on regulus' side.

his eyes widened as he recognized his younger brother and his first love. "regulus? and y/n? is that really you?" he looked thoroughly astounded and guilty, remembering his broken betrothal and all the pain he caused for these two.

y/n, not really knowing how to react, just nodded her head in response as she observed the two with a mixture of old feelings and new uncertainty. it was a moment filled with tension, regret, and the unspoken history that once bound them together.

"how do I know it's really you?" sirius gripped his wand tighter. "the war is near, it's hard to trust anybody lately."

"spring break of 1976, I gave you a red and black bracelet with a dog paw charm because it reminded me of you."

"and when we were young, before hogwarts, y/n found a muggle book called 'The Outsiders' along your bookshelves," regulus chimed in as he felt sirius slowly put his wand back in his coat pocket.

"where have you two been? you lot have been missing for years! everyone has been worried," sirius scolded in hushed whispers, directing the last statement mainly at the woman.

"we'll explain it all later, we can't stay here much longer," regulus said scanning his eyes. "it's dangerous."

"what are you doing in a grocery store? hard to believe you're here for cereal," y/n asked as the three walked in the bustling streets filled with children and teens in outlandish outfits.

"James and lily are in hiding from the dark lord," sirius explained. "ever since voldemort learned about the prophecy, the potters and longbottoms have been one of his top targets. i was just getting them supplies and gathering information."

"I've heard of a prophecy. is it about james and lily?"

"not them particularly... their child."

"they have a child?" y/n gasped.

"you've missed a lot."

"you don't think that's from trick-or-treaters do you?" regulus asked shakingly as he stopped in his tracks.

in front of them was the house of the elderly couple that they stayed with, the house dark and pumpkins on the porch smashed.

sensing something more than rowdy kids, y/n was quick to make her way towards the dark house.

there she found the elderly lady faced down with the bowl of candy scattered around the living room.

she turned the body to lay on her back and there was no blood or physical injury that y/n could see. that can only mean one thing.

"regulus!" the woman shouted as the man ran up the stairs.

"voldemort," sirius stated, eyes wide and body stiff. "it isn't safe here anymore, we need to leave NOW!"

regulus came back down with a dejected look and shook his head at the two of them.

"Harold shared the same fate but died peacefully while he was asleep, Mabel sadly knew what was coming to her," regulus explained and grabbed both y/n's hand and sirius' arm. "that's not the only thing."

regulus pulled out a tattered book as the trio were out of the house. "they destroyed nearly everything and burned our notes," he showed the burnt pages of their notebook. "the dark lord must know by now, we're not safe here anymore."

"know what?" sirius asked, seriously confused by the two's ramblings.

"we'll explain later, we need to hide now," regulus stated as they ran through the neighbourhood, sometimes knocking some poor kids over.

"we're not the only ones in trouble," the woman said and looked at the two worriedly. "you said james and lily are targets for the dark lord. we need to warn them!"

"y/n, dear- you don't need to worry about them. their place is unknown to anyone but a select few, Peter is their secret keeper. we have nothing to worry about."

"Pettigrew? I thought they would've picked you," regulus chimed in.

"they did, at first, but I thought it was too obvious so I told them to make Peter the secret keeper."

"sirius, PLEASE. just listen to me!" y/n pleaded. "I don't have a good feeling about this."

y/n didn't know what she was feeling. there was just a deep dark pit in her stomach that kept swirling and wanting to make her puke. was it grief for the elderly couple that took them in and treated her like the daughter they never had? or was it the fear of voldemlort and his followers figuring them out? or was it something else? something in her gut telling her something bad was going to happen tonight.

"you don't trust Peter? there's no way of voldemort finding them, y/n. trust me," sirius reassured. "all that matters right now is getting you and regulus safe."

"sirius..." y/n pleaded and gave sirius the eyes. the eyes sirius can never say no to. the eyes that got sirius heart racing.

sirius nodded as he led the two toward the potter's residence. regulus grabbed y/n hands gently and turned to her.

"are you sure you still want to do this?" regulus questioned. now with current circumstances, it's going to be more difficult and dangerous.

y/n nodded her head and turned to him for a brief moment, "yes, more than ever. there's no turning back now. voldemort is going to pay for all the innocent lives he took away."

As Regulus, Y/N, and Sirius continued their journey toward the Potters' residence, a sense of urgency hung heavy in the air. They reached the hidden home of James and Lily Potter, concealed under layers of powerful protective enchantments.

The interior of the Potter residence was a stark contrast to the dark and ominous night outside. It was warm, welcoming, and filled with an air of security. But there was also an underlying tension, a constant awareness that the world outside was fraught with danger.

James and Lily appeared from another room, their faces a mix of surprise and concern.

"we need to evacuate, NOW!" sirius said sternly as he began to pack necessities into a knapsack.

"y/n!" James eyes widen in surprise seeing the woman he once considered a sister. "you're alive! thank Merlin you're alive."

james hugged the girl tightly, having been worried sick and missing her for years.

"regulus black?" lily questioned, not believing the male standing before her. "what is going on?"

"the dark lord. him and his followers are near," regulus explained and the couple stared shocked at him with a hint of fear. "it's not safe around here anymore, we need to leave immediately."

james nodded his head and helped sirius pack the things they'll need while lily and y/n went up the stairs to take care of baby Harry. y/n didn't have time to gush over the baby boy because of the impending doom they might all succumb to.

during this time, regulus took it upon himself to keep a lookout and monitor the surroundings. he also whispered some protective charms and wards to buy them some time. regulus was never close with the marauders and the like, so he didn't mind.

"do we even know where we're going to go?" James asked as they all gathered in the living room, all ready to go.

"I do," regulus stated. "I know a safe house that no death eaters or other wizards know of."

"and how do you know what? this isn't some trap is it?" James said accusingly.

"James we're fighting for the same side, I trust regulus," y/n said pointedly.

"pandora. do you remember her?" regulus asked as the group nodded. "she and I were great friends during hogwarts, probably one of my only true friends. she shared where she and Xenophilius were living when I told her about my quest to destroy horcruxes with y/n. she offered her home with him as a safe house if things go south. it's concealed and well protected and would provide us with shelter and security."

"how do we get there?" lily asked as she cradled a sleeping harry in her arms. "the ministry and death eaters have been closely monitoring and controlling magical transportation. we can't get there by port keys or brooms, it'll be too risky."

"it's better to travel on foot. death eaters have been patrolling the sky and keeping track of any unauthorized magical travel. apparting is also restricted in many areas."

although regulus' idea was met with a unanimous agreement, the group set out on their journey to the lovegoods.

as the group quickly made their way outside the potter's residence, a flash of green lit up the sky as the group turned around to see a snake protruding out of a skull's mouth.

the group stared in horror at the dark mark symbol while regulus had a cold look on his face.

"there's no time to waste, we need to hurry!" regulus said urgently and pulled the group deeper into the dense woods.

after living at godrics hallow for around 2 years, regulus knew where hidden and less-travelled paths were.

"eldertree woods? no one goes around these parts anymore," James chimed as the group settled at a clearing in the woods.

the glasses-wearing boy and the older black brother worked on setting up the tent and adding enchantments to make it bigger while regulus, with his vast knowledge, casted protective charms to shield their presence from any potential prying eyes or eavesdropping spells.

"so... what have you two been up to these past years?" James asked slowly as he stared at the crackling campfire.

regulus shifted uncomfortably, not used to being in the presence of James potter and his older brother sirius and feeling out of place.

"we've been hiding..." y/n answered for the both of them. "there's so much that Reggie and I need to tell you guys."

"well... we have time," sirius stated as he sat down beside James and across from the other two.

"voldemort. he has these things called horcruxes that make him immortal. that's the key to defeating him," the woman explained as the two men gave her confused looks. "all we have to do is find them and destroy them and he will become mortal once more."

"what the bloody hell are horcruxes?" James scoffed.

"it's dark magic," regulus stated after having been silent for so long. "it's an object that contains a piece of a wizard or witch's soul to achieve immortality."

"how are these... 'horcruxes' made? I've never heard this type of magic before."

"because in order to make a horcrux you need to take the life of another. that's why you've never heard of it... it commits the darkest and most forbidden magic: splitting one's soul through murder to be immortal. it goes against the fundamental principles of magic and morality," the young black brother explained as the other two looked at him with a mix of shock and horror.

"well... shit..." james mumbled under his breath, stunned.

"what do these horcruxes look like? how do we find them?" sirius asked after a beat of silence.

"that's the problem," y/n sighed. "a horcrux can be any object. Reggie and I have been trying to figure out what other objects voldemort could've made for horcruxes but our clues went up in flames... we don't even know how many he even has."

James let his head fall, looking at the ground as he ran his fingers through his curly hair. he let out a stressed sigh as he suddenly stood up.

"all this talk about he who should not be named and horcruxes are making my head hurt," he walked towards the tent where his wife and child were peacefully sleeping the entire time. "we'll come up with a plan tomorrow but for now I'm heading to bed."

the last three remaining people sat in silence. unresolved history and tension hung through the air.

"I agree with James... I'm a bit tired as well," the girl stated standing up as 2 pairs of eyes followed her. she gently squeezed regulus' shoulder as she disappeared inside the tent.

nothing else was heard except for the soft crackle of the fire and owls hooting in the crisp October air.

"do you love her?" sirius asked suddenly while regulus shot up his head from the campfire to look at his older brother that was already staring at him.

"what?"

"y/n. do you love her?" sirius repeated again.

"yeah..." regulus replied as he looked down at the ground. "I do."

the young man felt his body going hot as the ends of his hair stuck up, anticipating what sirius was going to say.

he knew his brother loved y/n as well, hell they were supposed to get married before all these circumstances happened but regulus couldn't help but fall in love with her too.

it hurt for him to admit it to himself but he felt like y/n truly deserved someone that was like sirius. sirius was always charming and charismatic. he knew how to have fun and cared deeply. that was someone regulus thought y/n deserved even if he wanted to be selfish and want her to himself.

"take care of her alright?" sirius's sentence cut regulus out of his thoughts.

"what are you saying?"

"I said take care of her," sirius said more sternly.

"of course I will but... I thought you loved her?"

"I did... i still do... but I'm not the right man for her... even if it pains me to say that," sirius mumbled the last part to himself.

"look, regulus... I don't want to fight anymore. I never liked fighting with you," the older black brother stood up and faced away from the younger boy. "all my life I've been selfish when it comes to our family and I never got to realize how much my selfishness affected you or even y/n."

regulus stared longingly at his older brother.

"I love y/n and I know she loves me too but it's different... I noticed she stares at you differently than how she stared at me when we were together and I see it in the way you stare at her too," he explained and turned to look at regulus this time. "maybe i made a mistake or maybe she was never mine to begin with... I know my time with her has long passed but weirdly I'm okay that she chose you... because I see you genuinely love her too."

regulus never expected his older brother to say this to him. he was so sure that sirius was going to tell him to back off or some sort of fight would happen but as he took a closer look at him, sirius genuinely looked tired.

"wow sirius... I don't know what to say-"

"you don't have to say anything," he quickly cut off his brother. "I just wanted to get it off my chest if I never get an opportunity like this again."

regulus didn't say anything at first before he stood up as well and walked towards sirius. he brought his older brother in a tight hug, the latter wrapping his arms around his younger brother as well, and said, "I never hated you sirius... but I wish you brought me with you that night you ran away... I just wish... things were different."

"I know reg... I regret that day every waking moment I'm alive on this earth. in another life... I won't abandon you... I promise."

"do you think we'd be brothers in another life?"

"... I hope so," sirius replied earnestly.

the two brothers pulled away from their embrace as sirius slapped regulus' shoulder gently. "now head to bed, it's getting late and we have a long trek to do tomorrow. don't worry I'll clean up here."

regulus nodded his head as he walked towards the tent. he turned his head to look back at his older brother to see him extinguishing the campfire and gathering things that were left around.

regulus went inside the tent to see the potters sleeping soundly in one section while y/n was snoozing on the other side. he stepped as quietly as he could towards the side y/n was at and layed down beside her with a small gap in between them.

he gently took the blanket and wrapped it on top of himself which resulted in y/n stirring in her sleep and shifting closer towards him. regulus body gave the heat like a personal heater that the girl needed in the chilly night and the boy was content having the girl that he loved for years in his arms.

"sirius have you been out here this entire time?" a voice exclaimed as the said man groggily woke up from his slumber.

his eyes began to focus as he saw the face of y/n and the blanket she tried to wrap around him. "why didn't you go inside the tent?"

"I must've fallen asleep," sirius said rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "after cleaning up I decided to stay and keep watch for a while but I guess that didn't last long."

"it's freezing! you could've gotten a cold," y/n scolded and shook her head at him.

honestly, it put sirius' mind in shock seeing her acting like this to him. it's like whatever happened in their last year in hogwarts didn't happen. it's like she was back to being the y/n he knew all those years ago before he ran away. sirius needed to remind himself that she wasn't his anymore.

"we should get going," regulus announced as the others were loitering around their campsite. "we can't stay in one place too long or the death eaters will catch up to us."

the group started to gather all their things and continue on their journey to the lovegoods.

"so how was last night?" y/n asked referring to how she left the two black brothers to hopefully talk.

"it went better than I expected. I got the closure I needed," regulus replied as the girl smiled up at him.

"that's good! I'm glad you and sirius are now on better terms?"

"yeah.." regulus smiled softly as he went to hold her hand. the woman didn't say anything but smiled at him again and looked away, the two walking blissfully in silence.

after a moment of the group walking for some minutes, regulus turned to y/n and gestured behind them.

"you should talk to them you know... they're your friends."

"yeah you're right..." y/n squeezed regulus' hand gently. "will you be okay here?"

regulus gave a little chuckle and replied, "y/n I'm a grown man now... I'll be okay. if anything ill just be bored."

y/n nodded her head and slowed her walking a bit to fall in step with the potters and sirius.

"hey..." the girl said awkwardly.

"y/n! James filled me in about what you guys talked about last night and we were so worried these past years!" Lily exclaimed as she looked at the girl with baby Harry in her arms.

"yeah, I know... I'm sorry you guys..."

"no, y/n, there's no need to apologize," James tried to reason but she dismissed him immediately.

"no, I do need to apologize to you guys," y/n had tears brim her eyes as she stared at the eyes she considered friends and true family. "when I was at my lowest I pushed and lashed out on all you guys when all you wanted to do was help. I felt like a massive asshole... and I still do."

"we might not understand the full extent you went through but we could understand enough. we would never blame you, y/n."

"I'm still branded with his mark though... I don't know if it'll ever go away... I'll always be reminded of it."

"even so it doesn't determine who you are," sirius spoke up. "you may have his mark but we all know that isn't who you are. even before when all this was going down we knew that wasn't you. you would never be one of them."

y/n let out a little grin, looking at her friends.

"I'm glad you guys never gave up hope in me. I was scared having this mark would have you guys turn on me... shun me away... but I guess it was really me turning you guys away..."

"you went through a lot, y/n... more than we could ever imagine. just promise us you won't turn away from us again... let us help you," the red-headed girl said sincerely.

"yeah of course..." y/n nodded slowly and shifted her gaze to the baby wrapped in a blanket. "so tell me about this tiny guy."

"well this is mine and lily flowers little ball of sunshine," James explained while he had smile on his face. "his name is Harry james potter and he's going to be the greatest quidditch player that ever hit hgowarts."

"high expectations already, James?" y/n lifted an eyebrow but still laughed nonetheless.

"of course. he'll have my awesome quidditch skin and lily's brain and he'd be unstoppable!" James boasted as Lily rolled her eyes at her husband's antics.

"I still can't believe you guys are married with a kid... it seems like only yesterday we were kids tearing apart hogwarts."

"ahhh the Golden years..." sirius reminisced.

"what have you guys been doing while Reggie and I were out searching for horcruxes?"

"we're part of the order of the Phoenix. it's a secret group made by Dumbledore to go against voldemort and his followers," Lily explained as y/n bobbed her head along what she was saying.

"somehow I'm not surprised. I would never expect you 3 to have a mundane job."

"never, I would be too bored!" sirius said.

"so... where's remus and Peter? what do they do?"

"same as us works for the order of the Phoenix."

"I haven't seen them in so long... I miss them."

"trust us, y/n. they miss you a lot during the time you were gone."

y/n didn't say anything as she looked down. she reached into her pocket to pull out a green locket.

"this is one of the horcruxes... if somehow we can get to dumbledor and get some guidance on where the other horcruxes could be, this will be our chance to defeat voldemlort."

"hey woah woah woah! you had that thing in your pocket the whole time?"

"yeah... Reggie and I don't know how to destroy it. we tried everything like incedio, bombarda, anything! but it wouldn't break."

"a large S with a serpent design on it? must be some historical slytherin artifact," Lily theorized.

"do you think all his horcruxes would be slytherin related? or you know... hogwarts artifacts?"

"hard to say... if I made horcruxes it would be random things to draw less suspicion."

"well, whatever it is we have no idea what or how many there are. we need to contact dumbledor somehow."

"with being the Headmaster at hogwarts and taking care of being the leader of the order of the Phoenix, it's going to be hard to contact him."

"yeah, you're right... we might have to do this mission ourselves."

"but we'll have each other."

the charming cottage of the lovegood could be seen amidst the rolling hills and lush greenery.

regulus stepped up and knocked on the lovegoods door as it creaked open, Xenophilius lovegoods eyes widened at the unexpected guests.

"well, well, what have we here?" he mused, his gaze fluttering between regulus and y/n, then james and lily potter, their baby Harry nestled deep in lily's arms, and sirius black and stood not so far from them.

pandora lovegood, who was fixing trinkets here and there, glanced toward the commotion.

"xeno? who's at the door?" she asked, walking towards her husband.

Xenophilius opened the door wider with a curious smile displaying his features. "greetings, wanderers! what brings you to our humble abode?"

regulus quickly shared a look with y/n before turning his gaze back at the eccentric blonde. "we're on a mission," regulus answered, a serious glint in his eyes. "a mission to destroy voldemorts horcruxes."

at the mention of voldemort and a familiar voice, pandoras eyes widened in understanding as she rushed the group inside her house. "come in quickly!" she urged. " we mustn't dally at the doorway."

once the group entered the house, Xenophilius welcomed them to the cozy living room where they can rest and converse privately.

james and lily exchanged grateful words as they settled on the long couch while sirius prowled the perimeter, eyes ever so watchful.

"how fascinating!" the male lovegood murmured as he settled on a loveseat across the young black brother and his companion. "I have read extensively on the subject of horcruxes. perhaps I can be of assistance!"

as the three discussed the subject at hand, pandora was in the kitchen making tea for their guest. "you must all be famished by your journey," pandora fussed as she then glanced at the couple with a baby. "little Harry must require a warm bottle. I'll go fetch some!"

"thank you, pandora. it means so much," Lily said sincerely as the blonde settled the objects on the small coffee table.

"of course! as a new mother I would understand."

"you have a little one as well?" James questioned.

"yes! her name is luna, she's only around 8 months old. she's asleep right now."

Xenophilius set up the fireplace before returning to his seat, flickering shadows danced across the room as the man looked amused. "horcruxes..." his voice was low and conspiratorial. "a very dark and intricate form of magic."

regulus black and y/n l/n's hearts weigh heavy with the burden on their shoulders. "we have salazar slytherins locket," y/n began and pulled out the object, her voice tight with determination. "destroying it seems easier said than done. regulus and I tried everything we could."

"destroying a horcrux is no small feat," he agreed as his mind swirled with thoughts. "but not impossible."

sirius black stepped forward, his presence commanding attention as his eyes were ablaze with determination. "tell us, Xenophilius," his voice rang with authority. "how does one go about destroying a horcrux?"

the wizard's eyes were distant as he delved into stores of knowledge. "horcruxes are incredibly resilient because they're embedded with dark magic," his voice was grave as he spoke. "but they do have their vulnerabilities."

Xenophilius paused for a moment, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in. "to destroy a horcrux one must render it beyond magical repair. this can be achieved with fiendfyre or the venom of a basilisk."

the two pairs exchanged glances, their mind racing with possibilities. "fiendfyre..." the word was heavy on regulus' tongue. "that could work."

"yeah..." y/n agreed. "it's one of the few things that's capable of destroying powerful artifacts."

"but..." sirius interrupted. "it's dangerous and unpredictable... it can cost you your life."

the group's conversation fell silent as they contemplated their next move.

"remember," Xenophilius said. "the quest of destroying horcruxes brings danger and uncertainty... but I believe with courage, determination, and the support of others, I have high hopes you'll succeed."

y/n nodded in gratitude, her heart filled with a newfound resolve. "thank you, Xenophilius," she gave him a warm smile. "your guidance has been invaluable to us."

sirius then clapped his hands on regulus' shoulders (who jumped), with a rare smile gracing his lips. "we'll get through this together."

as the conversation of horcruxes came to a natural conclusion, regulus felt a tug in his heart as he glanced at the girl beside him. despite the weight of their previous discussion, he couldn't help but steal a glance at her, his admiration for her strength and resilience grew with each passing second.

the young black brother then let his gaze wander around the room before settling on pandora who happened to finish her talk with the potters.

with a warm smile, regulus approached her as his heart brightened at the sight of an old friend. "pandora," he greeted her warmly. "it's been too long."

the blonde returned the smile, the corner of her eyes wrinkling with genuine warmth. " it's wonderful to see you again."

as the two exchanged pleasantries and updates about their lives, pandora couldn't help but notice the way regulus' eyes kept drifting back to the (hair colour) woman, his gaze held a mix of adoration and longing. with a knowing smile, pandora nudged his arm.

"have you told her?" she asked and scanned his face to see his face for any hint of hesitation. "you know, about how you feel about her?"

regulus' heart skipped a beat with that question, the feelings inside him swirling like a storm. his mouth opened to reply but the words got stuck in his throat, his fear of rejection was holding him back.

even with the conversation with his older brother, he couldn't help but still feel insecure.

"regulus," pandora said softly, her voice filled with support as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "life is far too short to keep your feelings hidden away. if you care for her, you owe it to yourself- and to her- to be honest."

regulus' resolve hardened at her words, a newfound determination steeling in his spine.

at that exact time when regulus walked over to pandora, sirius watched him with a combination of conflicted emotions rampaging inside him. his gaze then shifted to y/n, whose eyes followed regulus with blatant warmth and fondness that sirius regrettably envied.

with his heart heavy with remorse and longing, he heaved a great sigh as he approached his first love. "may I please speak with you? privately," sirius requested.

y/n agreed, her expression was guarded but curious. together, they moved outside the quaint cottage under the shimmering moon and stars where no prying eyes or ears were present.

"listen... I..." sirius began as he struggled to find the right way to express himself. "I know I hurt you with everything that happened between us and I'm truly sorry for all the pain I caused for you."

her eyes widened but soon softened at his words, her heart aching with lingering hurt and unspoken forgiveness. "it's in the past, sirius," her voice was quiet but tinged with sadness. "we all make mistakes."

his throat was tight with emotions as sirius nodded. "I never stopped caring about you, you know," he confessed and smiled a little but that was quick to disappear. "even when I left, even when everything fell apart, you were still in my thoughts."

with unshed tears, her eyes met his. "I cared about you too sirius," her voice caught in her throat. "but you know things are different now."

Sirius swallowed hard, his heart heavy with the weight of their shared history. "yeah, I know," he said lowly." I see the way you look at regulus... and how he looks at you."

a smile grazed her features as she glanced through the window where regulus was still in conversation with pandora. "regulus..." she whispered, longing rooted in her tone.

"give him a chance," sirius said sincerely as he reached his hand to grab her shoulder. " he cares about you, more than you know, and you deserve to be with someone that makes you happy."

her heart swelled with affection as she glanced back at sirius. "I'll consider it," she promised. "thank you sirius... for everything."

before sirius could respond, the front door opened suddenly. "y/n I've been meaning to tell you some- oh... sirius... hi," regulus stopped at the sight of his brother and his love outside the cozy home.

with a heavy heart and a bittersweet smile, sirius responded with, "I'll leave you two alone."

as sirius reentered the cottage, y/n eyes were fixated on regulus with her heart pounding in her chest. "what is it, regulus?"

regulus took a deep breath as his gaze never broke from hers. "I care about you more than I can put into words," he confessed. "I know I've never said it before but... I love you."

"regulus..." y/n whispered, tears welled up in her eyes as her heart was swimming with emotions. "I love you too."

as they embraced with newfound love and a promise of a future together under the moonlight.

as his footsteps echoed softly on the lovegoods wooden floorboards, he leaned against a wall with his chest tightening with a mix of emotions.

sirius closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself from an aching heart. even though his own feelings would forever linger, he knew this was regulus' moment- a moment to spend with the one he loves.

as sirius continued to comfort himself he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. looking up, sirius saw the sympathetic gaze james gave him.

"hey mate," James said as his voice filled with empathy. "you alright?"

sirius managed to give a weak smile. "I'll be fine... just a lot to process..."

james squeezed his shoulder in solidarity and nodded his head. "I know," his voice was gentle. "you're not alone in this, remember. we're all here for you."

sirius felt a lump in his throat.

"thanks... I appreciate it..."

giving him an encouraging pat on the back and a supportive smile, James returned to tending to his wife and child.

as he stood there, surrounded by the comfort of warmth and laughter of his friends, sirius felt a flicker ignite inside him. though his heart may carry the scars of past mistakes, he knew love would heal even the deepest of wounds.