Reunite
Evan comes in and sees Barty in a frenzy clothes thrown everywhere.
“What on earth are you doing?” He asks. Barty looks up eyes wide and hysterical and Evan does not like that look. He looks manic.
“We’re leaving.”
“What?” Evan stares at him dumbfounded.
“I said we are leaving.” Barty says with less patience now.
“And tell me dear Barty, where would we go?”
“Call Potter. Tell him we are switching sides.”
And if Barry’s previous statement had left him dumbfounded then his recent one had left him shellshocked. More confused than ever. Has he truly lost it?
Evan looks at him with wide skeptical eyes.
“You do know what that means? We can’t come back. We will be hunted down” Evan starts listing the consequences of these actions, “we will be tortured if found, we will be-“
“Shut up I know!” Barry’s takes a breath to calm him self and Evan truly has never seen him look so distressed.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to shout at you.” He apologizes taking another breath, anger leaving and now he just looks exhausted. When was the last time he slept?
“It was him.”
“Who?” And Evan really needs Barty to start making sense and stop talking in his stupid code. It was who? And what did he do?
Barty looks at him now like he’s the stupid one. He throws a few diaries into a bag, ones that houses some of his research on spells.
“The Dark Lord.” Okay solves the question of who now the question of what has he done.
“And what did he do pray tell?”
“He killed Regulus.” That stops Evan, shocks him out of the playfulness he had previously. His blood turns cold and he feels murderous.
“Are you sure?” Evan asks voice low.
“Almost entirely positive.” Barty is now starting at him intently, they hold eye contact. Evan breaths out slowly. Thinks about it. But really there is no question on what he would do.
“Okay I’ll contact James.”
-
It takes a few days for Barty and Evan to arrive at the hideout James had said to get to. Said hide out was an old warehouse they had converted to a sort of base in case of emergencies. James was obviously skeptical when Evan had reached out to him after two years of no contact. But his love for Evan that had once been a burning furnace now a smoldering coal convinced him that this was a good idea. It probably wasn’t, but rational thinking wasn’t exactly his strong suit.
James was waiting along with other members of the phoenix he could trust to come and face Evan and Barty. There was Dorcas pacing in the corner obvious full of nerves at whether this was a trap or not, but also worry about her old friends and what would make them seek James out, of all people. Marlene was sitting on a box looking absent minded into space almost as if she couldn’t care less about being here. Remus and Peter were talking behind James. And James was standing with Sirius and a very worried looking Regulus. He doesn’t know what had happened between him and Barty or Evan. Regulus refuses to talk about it. He just showed up about a month ago drenched, fear evident in his eyes, seeking Sirius. Apparently they had a charm that would lead them to each other if they ever needed. Something that was made in their childhood and surprisingly Regulus kept.
As soon as Regulus arrived and saw Sirius his brave facade faded and he collapsed at Sirius feet sobbing. Sirius had ushered him off murmuring softly to him as he went. James didn’t ask, he knew it wasn’t his position or business.
But now he stood with an anxious and somewhat guilty Regulus. He can guess that something happened between the three. Evan, Regulus and Barty. The unholy trio. James and Sirius would call them that at Hogwarts, snickering at the name.
There’s a loud whooshing noise and Evan and Barty appear all of a sudden, their bags arriving a second later. They are soaked to the bone, Barty looks worse for wear, under eyes dark, blood on his face. Evan facing similar conditions regarding the weather, soaked, but not scratched and looking much more rested, although there was still a tiredness, a weariness to his eyes. Oh James thought, he’s still so beautiful. Blue blue eyes and white white hair. Like an angel, his angel. Or once was. James heart clenches.
Regardless of their exhaustion they still look menacing dressed in all black with robes and masks that hid their face, capes they pull back that covered their hair and eyes.
There is a silence as they all stand there for a second staring at each other. Marlene has gotten up now and is finally in the real world again, Dorcas has stopped pacing and has a pained expression on her face.
Regulus steps in front of the group placing himself as a barrier between the two and the rest, James assumes to protect the group if Barty and Evan are here to harm them because he is a hundred percent sure they would never hurt Regulus.
-
Barty sees Regulus. Regulus his precious boy who he thought was dead. Regulus his love, his life. His heart nearly stops at the relief he feels there. His eyes fill with tears quickly. Barty thought he was dead but he’s alive. Why is he alive? And if he’s alive why didn’t he tell Barty? Bartys heart stings but he pushes that feeling away, he knows Regulus must have a good reason. He trust him with his life, with his soul, with his death.
He can think about reasons later for now all he feels is immense relief. He wants to start sobbing, to crawl to Regulus and pull him into his arms. To make sure he’s real, to make sure he’s alive. Oh and isn’t that a thought. He’s alive. And he starts saying it over and over to himself, chanting it like a prayer. He’s alive, he’s alive he’s alive.
But he needs to make sure for himself, he needs to touch him. Please can he touch him. He’s about to go towards Regulus who’s so so close to him, about to go and pull him in his arms and whisper about how much he’s missed him and how he thought he was dead and how relieved he isn’t dead and how much he loves him. He barely starts moving before he sees Regulus move.
Barty sees Regulus shield the others. Oh Regulus his sweet boy always thinking of others even now, he would never hurt them. Not in front of Regulus. Not when Regulus is alive and they helped him. He doesn’t know the story of why Regulus thought it best to leave and he doesn’t know how this group is involved but regardless he is thankful that they kept Regulus alive.
And then Barty sees how he’s shielding James a little more than the others, body slightly turned towards him, he sees James lightly touching the back of Regulus’ sweater. And it’s not in a friendly way. Regulus doesn’t allow touch and there’s only one reason he looks like he’s actually defending him, one reason he’s more concerned for James than the others and that is because Regulus knows Barty has a good reason to hurt James and right now there can only be one reason. The gears are grinding in his head incredibly fast and he knows they have been intimate at least once. Oh and that thought stings. He recognizes that familiar feeling that comes with betrayal. His heart starts beating loud enough that he can no longer hear what Evan is explaining, his vision turns red still focused on the slight contact between the two, eyes not having left once, he can feel his hands shaking in his pockets.
He looks at Regulus’ face now, and Regulus is staring right back at him. And Regulus knows he knows. There’s a pleading look in his eye. And Barry’s so mad he can’t think. One month. He thought Regulus was dead, he lost so much sleep, he has gone through more identity crisis in the past weeks than his whole life. One month ago his world broke down and flipped upside down, one month ago he heard his heart shatter.
And Regulus had slept with someone in that time, through all of Barry’s suffering. He feels his heart break again. It hurts, he didn’t know he could feel this much pain. And now he realizes it’s not just betrayal from James it’s betrayal from everything. From Regulus leaving without a word and making him believe he was dead. Going as far as to remove their joined link to keep up that pretense. It was heart breaking.
But more so angering, he has always been quick to anger and now is no different. He wants to hurt someone badly. He wants to punch Regulus but even now he can’t. Regulus has been beaten enough times in this life. But Potter oh Potter has not. And Barty is hardly finding the strength to hold reservation to this thought.
He moves quick now. Hexing Regulus out of the way and freezing his body movements and then he punches Potter. It’s silent now, everyone in shock staring at what happened. He hears a crunch under his first and Potter falls and Barty still wants to hurt someone. So he falls with him, sits on his chest and punches again. Everyone bursts into movement then. Evan rushes to pull Barty off and he goes with him, without fighting. Sirius crouches down next to Potter immediately and examines the extent of the damage. Others are shouting Barty can hear loud “what the hell?”s and “are you out of your fucking mind Crouch?” From Evan behind him.
Barty doesn’t care, it’s so ridiculous this situation. Oh but his heart hurts so much so bad. And he does what any normal person would do when they feel like they can’t breath and everything gets too much. He starts to laugh.
Everyone quiets down at that looking at him like he has truly lost his mind. Maybe he has. But they don’t know the pain he’s in. They don’t know this betrayal. He looks at Regulus then and removes the hex that he knows no one can undo, his point proven by Dorcas who is trying to get him to move. It’s a show of power as he lets the spell go, a reminder that he was the top in all classes, a reminder that he escaped Askaban, a reminder that he is the genius all his teachers whispered about. A reminder that he is better than them. Leaps and bounds ahead with all the dark magic he has mingled in never caring for repercussions, all the spells he has tested and learnt. They are not equal and they never will be.
He looks at Regulus and Barty can feel the pain that is clearly in his expression. He can feel his eyes start to swell. Regulus looks pained, but it’s pain at Bartys pain, he also looks guilty.
“One month.” Is all Barty says. They stare at each other then.
“One month was all the time it took.” He can hear the hurt in his voice. “Do you know how bad it was for me? Do you know the -“ his voice cracks a little he refuses to stop now “- the grief I went through. I thought you were dead!” He shouts. “I thought you were dead.” His voice now dropping to a whisper. “I was devastated I couldn’t eat for days, I couldn’t sleep,” his voice breaks again he hates this “I thought you were gone for ever. You cut our connection.” Oh and if that isn’t what hurt the most. Barty has tears in his eyes now and they are starting to fall. “I was in so much anguish I blamed the Dark Lord for this. I blamed him for your death and I attacked him. Did you know that? I attacked the Dark Lord because I thought you were dead and he had done that.” People gasp at that piece of knowledge. “I have declared war against him and I became a traitor because I thought you were dead. I dragged Evan along with me and came here to join the other side of the war because I thought you were dead. In one month I have felt more emotions than I have in years I have fought so many inner battles. I have felt grief that never leaves, a rough sea that drags you down every time you think you can finally swim. In one month I almost went mad from loss and anger. In one month you had severed our connection. In one month you left me behind. And in one month you slept with Potter.” He looks accusingly at them. He hears a gasp and sees Sirius eyes wide looking at James. And Barty starts laughing again now.
“Oh you didn’t know? Your best friend is fucking your brother, my husband, who I believed was dead. Isn’t that fun Black?”
He’s laughing and laughing and oh he truly has gone mad.