She Traitor

The steam rolled lazily along the Hogwarts Express, and platform 9¾ was full of noise. Laughter, the last arguments between classmates, the cries of parents looking for their children. Sarah and Regulus were the last to get off.

The Rosier twins had already disappeared into the crowd, Barty lingered for a moment, but it was clear that he was in a hurry. Dorcas sat among her sixth-year friends, seemingly absorbed in conversation with Marlene McKinnon.

More like a flirtation, perhaps.

Regulus, always calm and composed, automatically offered Sarah his hand as she descended the steps. She didn't even think about it, she just took it. Still, she noticed that his touch was firm and sure, without looking at her. She was fascinated by the confident coordination of his body. He knew exactly how to make every move. The control was frustrating.

Perhaps she was also frustrated by how ridiculously perfect and mathematically symmetrical Regulus Black was.  Sarah knew that if she had had this idea a year ago, she would have had a heart attack.

"Honestly, this assignment is absolutely stupid," she began immediately, barely touching solid ground and continuing her previous conversation. "As if it wasn't enough that we had to buff up theory for months, and now we have to watch Muggles?"

Regulus smiled in the slight way he used when he was interested in something but didn't want to admit it. "Maybe they want you to understand their behavior?"

Sarah snorted. "Sure, because watching them choose fruit at a market is a really fascinating study."

"Maybe you could focus on their reactions," he suggested. "How do they choose what's best for them? How do they communicate? They're people too, it won't be that different from us."

Sarah frowned at him. "That sounds suspiciously like a professor's defense."

“I’m just offering a different perspective.”

Sarah sighed. “Maybe I’ll just ignore the task.”

“That wouldn’t be surprising,” he said dryly.

Before she could answer, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Barty, who looked pleased.

“So there you are,” he said, glancing briefly at Regulus before focusing back on Sarah. “I have to go. I didn’t want to just disappear without saying goodbye.”

Sarah raised an eyebrow. “Who are you in such a hurry to see?”

Barty smiled slyly. “Amelia Bones is waiting.”

Sarah blinked, then chuckled. “Wait, really? You and Amelia?”

Regulus raised his eyebrows slightly beside her, but didn’t comment.

Barty shrugged. “What can I say? Older girls have taste.”

Sarah rolled her eyes.  “I just hope you don’t get wiped out. Amelia’s not the type to play nice with you. From what I know of her, she can be quite the bitch.”

“That’s why I enjoy it,” Barty grinned, then leaned in slightly. “Take care of yourself, Sarah.”

“You too, Barty,” she replied quietly. As he turned and left, Sarah stood there for a moment, watching his disappearing silhouette.

Unfortunately, at the spot where he had disappeared was a family that had once again caught her attention.

Standing nearby, Sirius and James, with his parents—Euphemia and Fleamont Potter. James was saying something to Euphemia, who was smiling at him, while Fleamont was laughing at some remark Sirius had made.

They looked like the picture of a perfect family.

And she wasn't part of them. Not anymore.

James turned, his gaze meeting hers.

Sarah felt as if he had frozen her in place. There was something strange about him—not anger, but something painful. As if the question of why she was standing here with Regulus Black was still smoldering inside him.

Then James lowered his gaze and turned back to his family without a word.

Sarah quickly looked away, trying to push away the uncomfortable feeling that gripped her stomach.

Regulus watched the entire scene silently. He said nothing, just moved slightly to stand closer to her. Maybe it was a random gesture. Maybe not.

As she was about to say goodbye, his voice stopped her.

"Sarah."

She turned to him.

Regulus looked at her with that calm certainty she knew so well. There was no hesitation in him, no expectation. Just something strangely unspoken.

He slowly reached into the pocket of his robes and pulled out a small black box.

Sarah frowned.

The box was elegant, simple, but the black crest was clearly visible on the lid.

Regulus held it in his hand before quietly handing it to Sarah.

"I didn't know when to give it to you," he said calmly. "But I think now is the right time."

Sarah just stared at her for a moment. Then she took it slowly, her fingers touching his for a moment.

"What is this?" she whispered.

Regulus smiled slightly, but didn't answer right away.

"I'll see you in September, Sarah," he finally said.

His words were simple. And yet they carried a weight she didn't fully realize at the time.

Then he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Sarah stood still for a moment longer, watching Regulus disappear into the crowd. The box in her hand was light, but she felt like it carried a lot more weight than she would ever admit. She honestly hadn't expected such a gesture from someone like Regulus Arcturus Black.

Again, Sarah had to admit that the jewel was a traditional pureblood gift from a man to a woman. Sarah was very moved by the unusualness, although her brother and friends had never been traditional. Her mother, on the other hand, had a slight tendency towards that.

Sarah opened the box for a moment. As she expected, it was a piece of jewelry. A beautiful silver chain with a star, the star was set with tiny diamonds. It was an incredibly expensive piece of jewelry and Sarah's cheeks flushed before she closed the box and put it in her pocket. James wasn't supposed to see it.

Then she took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and walked over to where the Potters were standing.

As she approached, she immediately noticed the tension in the air.

James barely looked at her. He stood next to Euphemia, his suitcase in his hand, as if he were focused on nothing but her presence. But Sirius was watching her. And his gaze was heavy.

Sarah knew he had seen her with Regulus.

Euphemia tried to smile, but it was shaky. “Sarah, dear, are you okay?”

Sarah nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“Did you have a good trip?” Euphemia continued, as if trying to keep the conversation light.

“Yes, quite so,” Sarah replied, but she wasn’t sure how true that was.

Sirius snorted.

Sarah shot him a look but said nothing.

Fleamont, who had looked quite composed the whole time, looked her over, then folded his arms across his chest. “You know, Sarah, it was quite insulting that you didn’t come to see us at all for Christmas.”

Sarah clenched her jaw. She had expected it, but it stung her all the same.

“I had to stay at Hogwarts,” she said simply.

“Did xou have to?” Fleamont repeated, raising his eyebrows. “Or did you want to?”

Sarah didn’t answer.

Euphemie sighed and put a hand on her arm as if to ease the tension. “The important thing is that you’re here now.”

Sirius sneered. “Yeah. Here.”

Sarah gave him a sharp look. “Do you have a problem, Black?” A corner of Sirius’s face twitched. It was strange how they sometimes reverted to their old names.

“I don’t,” he said calmly. “But you seem to have had enough.”

“Sirius,” Euphemie admonished him gently.

James still didn’t say a word.

Sarah glanced at him for a moment, but he didn't even look at her.

"We should go," Fleamont finally said, ending the tense moment.

Sarah nodded.

Without a word, she picked up her suitcase and walked out of the station with the Potter family. The tension between her, Sirius, and James followed them like an invisible shadow.

•••

As soon as they arrived at Potter Manor, Sarah didn't hesitate for a second. Her feet had only touched the living room floor before she turned toward the stairs.

"Sarah," Euphemie said hesitantly, as if she wanted to say something but didn't know how.

Sarah paused for a moment. She looked at her mother, but said nothing.

"Dinner's in an hour," Euphemie added quietly.

Sarah nodded—just a small, barely perceptible movement of her head—and disappeared down the marble stairs without a word.

She walked down a long, ornate hallway with red curtains on each wall and headed for her room. She opened the massive oak door with her name carved into the wood, stepped inside, and closed it behind her.

And then she finally took a breath.

The room was the same as when she had left it. The walls were light brown, the ridiculously high ceiling held a massive crystal chandelier, the bed was covered with a purple duvet - the Gryffindor colors had never made it into her room. A bookcase filled with the volumes she had once loved. A desk beneath a large window overlooking the gardens. Everything was in its place, as if this room had been waiting for her.

She took off her robes and threw them over the back of her chair. Then she went to the desk, sat down, and pulled out a piece of parchment.

She had to write to Frank.

She dipped her quill in ink and stared at the blank page for a moment. Then she began to write.

---

Frank,

I have arrived. This is getting on my nerves already. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but I plan to disappear as soon as possible. I need something, anything, to get me out of here. If you have time, I hope you can help me. If you can't, I'll figure something out.

Sarah

---

She folded the letter and turned to the perch by the window, where her owl was staring at her intently.

It was an elegant black owl with piercing amber eyes. Unlike many other owls, it didn’t seem wild or restless—its movements were always precise, deliberate. When Sarah got it, it had been a chick, but now it had become the consummate messenger.

Sarah handed her the letter. “Find Frank Longbottom as soon as possible.”

The owl, Morana, studied her for a moment, as if assessing her mood, before taking the letter in its beak. Then it spread its wings, took a powerful leap, and soared into the sky.

Sarah watched it as it disappeared into the darkness.

Then she sighed and put her head in her hands.

This summer would be endless. And she wasn't going to wait for this house to swallow her up.