She Traitor

The argument between James and his younger sister Sarah was not something that could be easily ignored. The Gryffindor Marauder and the Quidditch captain were opposite the Gryffindor Princess. Anyone in the room or near the portrait of the Fat Lady could hear the sharp remarks and occasional shouts that echoed throughout the floor. Some of the Gryffindor students even stopped to listen to what was going on. It was as if a family storm was brewing, and no one wanted to miss it, as it wasn't the first time they had argued since the Quidditch match.

Their first argument had been in the locker room, and another had been at dinner that day, but it had only escalated now, after two days of silence.

"What the hell do you think, Sarah?!" James roared angrily, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and disappointment after what he had seen at dinner tonight.  She had done it again, preferring to sit at the Ravenclaw table rather than be at one with him. “Sitting at the table with Lestrange, again? Rabastan Lestrange? Do you even realize what you look like?”

Sarah stood facing him, arms crossed over her chest, eyes blazing. It was clear she wasn’t going to back down an inch. She was still holding on, tending to push her way towards the Slytherin just to annoy him more. “Why do you even care, James? It’s my life. I can sit where I want, with whomever I want. Rabastan is none of your business.”

“Not my business?” James almost stumbled as he took a step forward. “You’ve got to be kidding me! After everything they’ve done? After the way the Lestranges behave? Their family—”

“Don’t start with families,” Sarah interrupted sharply, her eyes full of the sparks of defiance that had been building up over the past few months.  “You should be the last person to judge someone by their family, especially when you’re best friends with Black.”

James’s face flushed, and Sirius, who was leaning against the wall, raised his eyebrows as if he should speak up, but he preferred to remain silent. The situation was too tense to add fuel to the fire.

“That’s not the same, and you know it!” James snapped. “Sirius has distanced himself from his family. And Rabastan? He’s part of everything our family hates!”

“Rabastan is just a kid who plays Quidditch and studies like the rest of us,” Sarah countered. “And you know what, James? I’m not you. I’m not your little sister you can control. If you have a problem, that’s your problem.”

“It’s not about me!” James shouted, his voice almost cracking in the air. “It’s about people seeing what you’re doing! Lily saw you! Marlene saw you!  The whole field saw you laughing with Lestrange and Rosier after they won the match!”

“What’s the point?” Sarah shrugged as if it were the least important thing in the world. Of course, she realized that their loss was still eating at him. “It was just a game. And those two… maybe they’re not as bad as you think, but of course you’ll never know, since you don’t know anyone outside of Gryffindor, you don’t have any friends in any other house.”

James froze, his eyes narrowed. Sarah knew she had hit a nerve. She knew that James really didn’t have any friends outside of his house. That amazing James Potter didn’t have any friends outside of Gryffindor, and now Sarah said it out loud. “You’re crazy,” he said quietly, but every word sounded like a gunshot. “You’re crazy, Sarah.”

“Maybe I’m just tired of being judged all the time,” Sarah replied harshly.  "You, your friends, Marlene... you all think you have the right to control me because I'm younger, because I'm your sister. But I'll live my life as I see fit. And if it bothers you, then just don't talk to me"

There was a moment of complete silence. Sirius shifted nervously, as if he didn't know whether to intervene or not. Lily and Marlene stood a little to the side, neither of them daring to speak. The atmosphere was almost palpable, as if an explosion was about to happen. Only Frank seemed very comfortable on the sofa.

Finally, James exhaled and wiped his face as if trying to calm himself down. “You know what, Sarah? Do whatever you want. But if it ends badly, don’t expect me to help you.”

“I didn’t mean to ask you for help,” Sarah replied coldly. Then she turned on her heel and left without looking back.

Sirius looked at James, who looked half angry and half devastated. “You really let your own sister set you up, mate.”

“Shut up, Sirius,” James growled, heading in the opposite direction to his room. Sarah had been so into his neck since Christmas.

Sarah felt like she might explode. She was completely exhausted and upset after that whole crazy argument with James in Gryffindor Tower.  She didn't want to stay there, she didn't want to listen to more reproaches, she didn't want to stay in a room where everyone made her feel like she had done something wrong. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to take it anymore. The moment she turned into the hallway to the Fat lady, no one stopped her. She walked past her brother, past Sirius, who were exchanging dubious glances. She knew it was wrong, that their relationship with their family had never been without problems, but now it was even worse. She was tired and everything weighed on her.

She left Gryffindor Tower with no particular goal in mind, just to get as far away as possible. The castle corridors were quiet at night, but all the more terrifying. As she walked past the empty corridors, she could feel her footsteps muffled. She didn't care where she was going, she just needed to be away from the arguments, from the disappointments.  She passed several staircases and turns, she had no doubt that it must have been just before dinner.

Not that it mattered, considering she always sneaked. Sarah reached the third floor, where there was nothing left. Abandoned classrooms, empty and quiet, as if this place had never been part of that noisy, constantly moving castle. But she knew that this was the way to the kitchen.

If James usually annoyed her, this time he had outdone himself. She hated the fact that he was trying to control her life.

Sarah stopped, a heaviness pressing in her stomach that was no longer just physical. She turned in place, as if she were losing herself in herself. And then... when it all began to consume her, when a wave of rage and helplessness came over her, she grabbed her wand and pointed it at the nearest suit of armor.

Pieces of metal shattered on the floor with a crash, flying in all directions. Sarah stood in silence for a moment, staring at the havoc she had just caused. It was the only spell that felt right at that moment. The only one that expressed everything she had been going through—the frustration that still suffocated her, the feeling of uselessness and loneliness.

She slowly sank to the ground and rested her elbows on her knees. Her head dropped and she remained there, in the dark corridor where nothing was happening. Just silence and her. She didn't know how long she had been sitting like this, maybe a few minutes, maybe an hour. But she was sure that even that peace was beginning to seep into her. Whatever it was, it was a unique feeling of relief. There was a chance that she would get up again and continue on the path she wanted to go.

Suddenly she heard footsteps, step by step, calm, almost silent, coming towards her from a distance. She raised her head and saw a figure approaching. It was a figure she hadn't expected, a figure who shouldn't have come here at all.

Regulus Black.

He stood over her, wand in hand, his face calm, but at the same time there was something in his eyes that Sarah couldn't quite understand.

“What are you doing here?” she finally asked, though it wasn’t so much a question as a statement. She didn’t need an answer, but he gave it anyway.

“Honestly? I was heading for the courtyard,” he said quietly, his voice unconcerned but somehow curious. He stepped closer, his gaze fixed on her with a secret he wasn’t about to reveal.

Sarah sighed deeply and stood up from the ground. She knew there was no room for any more tantrums or disappointment. It was more than surprising that he had responded so quickly. She turned to Regulus and said without asking him anything, "You shouldn't be here, Black."

But there was no escape. She felt everything around her constrict, the pressure on her chest growing.  She knew this was no time for words, but Regulus Black stood there, silent, and she felt she no longer had the strength to run away from him.

"You either, and I highly doubt you ended up in this hallway for no reason." Regulus said, his steel-gray eyes scanning the entire room. He tried to figure out where she was headed.

Sarah snorted and folded her arms across her chest. "Maybe I have a reason, maybe I don't. What does it matter?" she said more sharply than she had originally intended. The anger she was trying to control was still bubbling inside her. Regulus, however, did not let himself be distracted. Instead of answering, he just tilted his head slightly and looked at the fragments of armor scattered on the floor.

"So. Did that armor offend you in some way, or did you just need to vent your anger on something?" he asked calmly, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice. Sarah had not heard that yet.

Sarah sneered at him. "If I had a list of all the people who annoy me, we wouldn't even get halfway through before I would be dragged to Azkaban.”

Regulus laughed, briefly, quietly, almost faintly, but it was there. It was a melodious sound. “Whatever it was, you’ve obviously had a rough evening.”

Sarah rolled her eyes and tried to hide how his presence was beginning to affect her. “That’s an understatement.”

Regulus studied her silently for a moment, his gaze searching, analytical, as if trying to solve the riddle she posed. Then he sighed, as if his thoughts were bothering him, and leaned his shoulder against the stone wall. “Potter?”

Sarah frowned and looked away. She didn't have time to stop her words and the answer basically fell out of her mouth. “James. Who else. He’s lecturing me about who I should spend time with, who I should talk to, what I should think. As if I were a child.”

Regulus nodded briefly. “That makes sense. Your brother was always convinced that his opinion was the only right one.”

Sarah blinked in surprise before answering. “Strange, hearing it from you.  Most Slytherins just insult him. You describe him quite accurately.”

Regulus shrugged. “Because I know him. Or rather… I know his type. The one who thinks he knows what’s best for others, and doesn’t hesitate to impose it on everyone.”

Sarah looked at him, this time differently. He was right. James was exactly like that—protective of her, concerned for her, but also stifling her with his decisions and expectations. She had a feeling Regulus felt the same way about Sirius.

“And you?” she asked after a moment. “Why are you here? You still haven’t told me why you decided to wander down this particular corridor. I know you can't go to the courtyard this way.”

Regulus looked at her, and there was something in his eyes that she couldn't decipher. In fact, this whole conversation was a miracle, so there was no point in even thinking she could guess it. "Maybe I was just following you," he said finally, his voice calm but mysterious.

Sarah frowned. "You were following me?"

Regulus smiled faintly. "Let's just say I noticed you at dinner. I was on the seventh floor, when you left the tower like a volcano about to erupt, I thought it would be interesting to see where you were headed."

Sarah blinked in surprise. She wasn't sure what surprised her more—that he had noticed her at all, or that he had decided to follow her.

"So you've decided to find me and... what? Offer advice? Comfort me?" she asked, her tone slightly cynical. She knew he wouldn't do anything like that.

Regulus smiled faintly, but his eyes still held that unreadable look.  “Never mind. I was just wondering if you were just as stubborn asBarty says. And I have to say… you are.”

Sarah frowned, but then couldn’t help but smile. It was strange that Barty was talking about her, he had many friends across all the halls. “That sounds like a compliment.”

“Maybe,” Regulus said calmly, looking at the wreckage of the armor. “And maybe I’m just saying a fact.”

There was silence. But it wasn’t awkward.

Regulus broke the silence as he turned and walked down the hall.  "Maybe we should take a trip to the kitchens, we don't want that bitch of cat to come across us." He said, and Sarah just watched him leave before getting up and running after him.

When Sarah entered the kitchen, she was prepared for anything—except the sight of Regulus Black, calmly chatting with house elf.

She hadn't expected this. She had expected them to just grab something to eat, maybe steal a few pumpkin pies and be done with it. But Regulus leaned over to the elf, who was wearing a batter-stained apron, and spoke to him in a way she would never have expected a pure-blood Slytherin to do.

"Thank you for making this for me, Vally," he said quietly, his voice carrying a special tone that Sarah had never heard from him before. "I really appreciate it."

The goblin he had addressed looked up at him with utter devotion in his eyes.  “Mr. Regulus, young Vally is happy to serve you!”

Sarah sat down at the table and looked at Regulus suspiciously. “Do you speak to your elf… normally?”

Regulus turned to her, his eyebrows slightly raised. “And how should I speak to him? Shout at him? Curse him?”

Sarah shrugged. “It’s just… most people in Slytherin ignore elves. Or treat them like dirt on the floor.”

Regulus sat down opposite her and took the cup of tea the elf handed him. “Most people are idiots.”

Sarah laughed. “I can’t disagree with that.” Then she studied him for a moment. “Sirius said you had an elf in your family?”

Regulus nodded and ran a finger along the rim of his cup. “Yes. A Kreacher. He've been serving the Blacks for generations.  But he was always mine. Ever since I was born.”

Sarah pressed her lips together, then exhaled. “Is that how you treat him too?”

Regulus looked at her, seriously this time. "Kreacher is the only one in the Black house who has never lied to me. He has never betrayed me. He has never judged me. And even though he is bound by our family, the only person he has ever cared about was me. So why shouldn't I show him respect?"

That confession was very unexpected. Sarah didn't know what to say for a moment. She didn't know Regulus that well, but she would never have thought he had so much loyalty and respect for someone who was just a servant to his family. "That's quite kind, Black," she said finally, taking a sip of pumpkin juice and leaning her elbows on the table. "I wouldn't expect it from someone of your standing."

Regulus smiled slightly. "And I wouldn't expect Potter to end up at the same table with Lestrange and Rosier twins, here you are. It seems we both have a knack for surprises."

Sarah grinned.  "Maybe." She and Regulus had never had a casual conversation before, and to her own surprise, it was... pleasant.

•••

Regulus leaned back comfortably on the bench and watched Sarah wipe the crumbs from her fingers. It was strange how naturally the conversation flowed between them. He hadn't expected it. He hadn't expected her to understand him - let alone want to listen to him anymore.

"So," she began, folding her arms over her chest, "what do you actually do besides being the perfect Slytherin prince? Any secret interests? Besides playing the mysterious and dark heir to the Blacks, of course?"

Regulus smiled slightly. The words were meant to sound like teasing, but there was something else in her tone. Something amused, curious... maybe even slightly provocative. A big difference from the girl he had to carry to the Gryffindor tower, it was clear that Sarah wanted to avoid this topic.

"The perfect Slytherin prince, huh?" he shook his head slightly. "I'm glad, Potter. You seem to think quite highly of me."

Sarah chuckled. "Highly? I wouldn't say so.  I'm more interested in what you do when you're not trying to be mysterious."

Regulus studied her for a moment. Odd. Most people at Hogwarts had a clear idea of him by now. Cold. Unapproachable. Deadly serious. But Sarah Potter wasn't most people. She didn't seem to want to settle for a superficial image. Maybe Sirius told her something and she wanted to find out something else. He couldn't know.

He leaned his elbows on the table and his gaze lingered on her for a moment, perhaps longer than necessary. He didn't miss the way she held her breath for a moment.

"Well... apart from Quidditch?" he began, watching her straighten up slightly. "I quite enjoy magic runes. And alchemy. But I guess that sounds like the least exciting thing in the world to a Gryffindor."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Hey, don't judge all Gryffindors by my brother. Maybe I’ll surprise you.”

Regulus continued to study her thoughtfully, but his eyes sparkled with amusement. Was she trying to prove to him that she was different? She couldn't have known that she had long since captivated him, and surprised him at every step she made. She was unpredictable, which Regulus admired.

“Really?” he drawled. “So tell me… what’s the most interesting rune you know?”

He expected her to hesitate. Maybe she’d slap the first rune that came to mind, or try to divert the conversation. Instead, Sarah propped herself up on her elbows, a strange, thoughtful glint in her eyes.

“Ansuz,” she finally answered, her voice calm, sure. “A symbol of wisdom, associated with the Father of Spells. And also used in ancient oracle spells.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow. She surprised him. She really did. Again.

There was a moment of silence between them.  Not the awkward silence where you don't know what to say, but more of that strange kind of tension where you feel like you've just stumbled upon something unexpected.

Regulus smiled and nodded slightly. "Impressive."

Sarah grinned at him. "That almost sounded like a compliment again, Black. Do you have a fever?"

Regulus chuckled softly. "Maybe I'm just trying to be nice."

He saw her flinch slightly. The tone. The words. He wasn't sure she was aware of it, but for a split second, uncertainty crept into her expression.

Did she know? Was she aware of it?

Was he flirting with her? Maybe. Subtly, almost imperceptibly... but still, there was something there. And Regulus was pretty sure she could feel it too.