Chapter 3
James had brought his group into the woods and told them to break off like normal. He ordered Regulus to stay by him, and follow his lead. Regulus agreed, not wanting to cause a fight. He stayed close, making sure he was always near Potter. The group was quiet, the only sounds were from their footsteps and the occasional crack of a twig or a branch.
They came up to the edge of the forest and James motioned for Regulus to come forward. "Okay, we're gonna move fast. Stay quiet, and try to blend in. They can't see us coming." Regulus nodded and followed James out into the clearing. They were moving fast and staying low, Regulus watched his surroundings, making sure there were no traps or anything that could harm him. The death eaters recently had taken to ground traps to catch as many people in the woods that they could. He was a few feet behind James, keeping a steady pace.
Regulus's mind began to wander as they moved, he thought about his life, his brother, his parents, and the war. He could hear his heartbeat thumping in his ears, his lungs burning, his breath coming out in ragged gasps.
"Get down," James whispered.
Regulus dropped and covered his mouth with his hand. He could feel the cold night air blowing against his face, making his cheeks sting and his nose tingle. He could feel the cold ground beneath his body, his eyes scanning the area.
He saw a group of Death eaters patrolling the area, their heads were bowed, their movements slow. They seemed relaxed, almost carefree. No wonder they had lost so many of them. They forgot their training to never let their guard down.
Which is why Regulus wasn't a low ranking officer.
He had worked hard and risen through the ranks quickly. He was one of the best. He followed the others and made his way across the clearing, trying to keep his breathing calm and his movements fluid.
James signaled to the others and then came closer to regulus whispering in his ear, knowing the smallest sound would alert them they were here. "we attack on 3." Regulus nodded. "1,2,3."
On 3 Regulus launched an attack. The others did the same. He had seen a few of them fighting and knew the basics of their techniques.
Frank was using the element of surprise, using the shadows of the trees and the darkness of the night. Mary and Alice were attacking from the flanks. And Regulus and James were taking the direct approach.
Regulus could see the shock and fear in the Death Eaters' faces, the look in their eyes as they realized they were about to die. It was a fear he had seen many times before. He could feel his wand getting hot, the spell coming off the tip, hitting its mark. He could hear the screams of the death eaters as they fell to the ground. His own voice joined them.
The sound of the fight was loud, the clash of spells and weapons. The screams and the cries. Regulus could hear it all. It was overwhelming, but he stayed focused. He knew if he got distracted, he would lose.
"Stay focused," James yelled over the noise.
Regulus nodded and continued to fight. He could see a death eater coming up behind James. he didn't hesitate to send a curse towards the guard. He watched as the man fell to the ground, his body limp. Regulus could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins, his heart pounding. He could taste the blood in his mouth, his hands were covered in it.
James grabbed his shoulder, shaking him, "Hey, snap out of it. Focus." Regulus blinked and nodded, his eyes going to James, "let's go." James led him away from the fighting and towards the edge of the woods. Regulus followed, keeping his gaze forward.
The night air was cold, the stars above them shining bright. The wind blew softly through the trees, rustling the leaves. The sound of the fighting was far off in the distance now, they had reached the tree line. The others were already there waiting for them. "That was close." James breathed.
"You should be more careful. You would've been dead. " Regulus said.
"We would've." James corrected. Regulus bit back a scoff.
"Why don't we all head back, and get cleaned up. It's been a long night." Frank suggested.
The others nodded and started walking. Regulus was fuming, that idiot was saying that they both would have died. as if Regulus would've let himself go out like that. James was in no way fit to lead. it was almost laughable they had someone who could be taken out by sneaking up behind him. The marauders were bound to fall.
Regulus followed them, his anger and frustration clear. James could feel it, the others were used to it, and it didn't phase them anymore. They knew Regulus was a private person, and wouldn't tell them what was going on. But he could see that something was bothering him. He needed to know what.
The group made their way back to the base, the lights were dimmed, the moon shining brightly overhead. The streets were empty, most everyone asleep. "Good job out there." James told the group, his gaze falling on Regulus.
"Get some rest, Well talk about our next moves in the morning" James told them.
"What do you mean in the morning the battle just happened? We need to discuss what went wrong, how to fix it and next moves while it's all still fresh in your head" Regulus snapped.
"You're all tired. Rest. where not machines here Regulus. like we said earlier" James said.
"No where soldiers were supposed to win. not be stuck on the defensive"
"We'll win. Were marauders." James told him.
The group headed back to the barracks, going to their own rooms.
"No. You come with me Regulus, we need to have a conversation" James said.
"Fine"
James led him to his office, opening the door and gesturing for Regulus to go inside. "Sit." Regulus did as he was told, taking a seat in front of the desk. It felt very different than it did two weeks ago, when he first met James. The office had changed. Instead of maps, and books, and the small bookshelf it had become more organized. The bookshelf was now filled with files, papers, and letters.
"Do you have something to tell me?" James asked.
"What?"
"I've seen the way you look at us. How you watch us. You're not comfortable around us. Why?"
"You're all very open with your emotions. It's unsettling." Regulus told him.
James sighed, "you remind me a lot of my brother, too stubborn for your own good." He said, leaning forward and placing his elbows on the desk.
"Is that a bad thing?' Regulus asked.
"Not at all. It's honestly a very good thing. that's why i want to get to know you Regulus"
"Why are you so interested in my personal life?" Regulus asked, his temper starting to flare up again.
"I'm not, I'm just curious." James told him. "But I understand, I can tell you've been through a lot, had to grow up too quickly.
Most of us here have had to as well, but i dont want you to kill yourself over it. So, I'm ordering you to rest, eat, and take care of yourself."
Regulus sighed, he couldn't argue with that, the man had a point. and he had gotten some much needed intel. but he wanted to ask James something else, He'd been compared to Potter's brother multiple times since he had gotten here. and he wanted to know why. "Why do you keep saying I'm just like your brother?" he asked.
"because, you are. the same determination, bravery, stubbornness. both named after the stars" James answered.
"what does that mean?" Regulus asked.
James shook his head, "It's nothing, you should go and get some sleep."
Regulus stood, and headed to the door. "Goodnight sir."
"Night."
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It had been a few days since Regulus's conversation with James. He was still on edge, not trusting the marauders, but he was trying. They hadn't gone out on another attack but James said that the next week they would. That there were some new developments, and that they were going to try a new tactic. Regulus was worried about what it was. And if it would work.
Regulus was sitting at a table in the mess hall, eating lunch. The room was full of chatter, and the sound of people eating. He could hear his name being called, but he didn't bother looking up.
"Regulus, over here" Mary said, waving her hand.
Regulus looked up and saw that the rest of his squad were sitting at a table a few feet away. He gave them a look wondering what they wanted. "What?" he asked.
"Are you gonna sit with us or not? we've been trying to get your attention for the last ten minutes." Frank said, gesturing to the empty seat. Regulus rolled his eyes but got up to go sit with the others anyways he sat down in the empty chair between Christopher and Frank, setting his tray down in front of him.
"so, how was training this morning?" Mary asked.
"Boring, we spent all day learning spells and counter curses." Regulus answered, shrugging. "Simple things really, grade school work" Chirstopher laughed, glad to know we have such an advanced spell caster on our hands, we'll be counting on you Reg." he said. Regulus rolled his eyes and changed the subject, "you all are always prying into my life so why don't you tell me more about you guys"
"Well, I'm from a small town. My family lives there, and I joined the military when I was eighteen. I had a few years before I was conscripted, and I wanted to get some experience before then" Frank told him.
"My mother is from France, she moved here when she was a little girl, and I grew up here. I've never left the country." Alice added. Regulus took note of this mentally then turned his attention to Chistopher.
"I was raised by my uncle, he wasn't a great parent, and he was an alcoholic and I ran away. and ended up here. and I'm happy." Chirstopher told him.
"What about you Mary, where are you from?" Regulus asked.
"My family comes from a long line of pure blood wizards, and we lived in the country until the war started. and then we had to move to the city. I was sent here to protect my family, and so they could survive" she said to him.
Regulus nodded, "and you?" he asked James.
"My family is from London, but I grew up in the city." James answered, he didn't say anything else and no one asked him to elaborate.
The group finished eating, and the conversation moved on to other things, and the war. They talked about their pasts and their future. "So, what are you gonna do when the war ends?" Mary asked. "I'll go back home, and get a normal life. I was thinking of marrying, starting a family, maybe buying a house." Chistopher told her.
"Me too. I'll go home to Mary Frank and have a lot of kids. And live happily ever after." Alice said, smiling. Frank laughed and pulled the girl into a kiss.
"What about you James? what will you do when the war is over?" Regulus asked, curious about the man's life.
"I'm not sure. I think I'll travel, go and see the world. I'm not sure what I'll do. Maybe join the ministry and help run things. Or maybe even start my own family" James answered.
Regulus nodded, listening as the group continued talking, they talked about the war, and what would happen if they won. or when they won they said. but none of this would ever happen. cause they wouldn't win. HE was pulled out of his thoughts by James hand resting itself on his shoulder. "What about you Reg? can we count on you being our miserable little mutt even after this war?" he joked.
Regulus took a moment before answering and smiled, "after this war i'm sure we'll see each other again" he said.
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It had been a few weeks, and the war wasn't going well for the marauders. They had been pushed back a few times, and their numbers were getting smaller. Regulus was still there, trying to stay focused on the task at hand, and not let the others get to him.
"Hey, can we talk for a minute?" James asked, coming up beside Regulus, who was sitting in the mess hall alone.
"What is it?" Regulus asked, his voice tired. He had been staying up writing his reports for the dark lord as well as the increased duties from his job here. with less soldiers around regulus and the others had no choice but to pick up what had been left by the others.
"I've noticed you've been distant, and on edge, is everything okay?"
"Im fine"
"You're not, You look like shit, You have bags under your eyes, you're paler, you're losing weight, and your hair looks like it hasn't been washed in days. I'm worried about you." James told him.
Regulus sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. I'm just stressed. There's alot going on."
"If you ever want to talk, I'm here. We're all stressed but we still have to take care of ourselves. You have to let us know if it's too much for you. We can't have you collapsing during a fight" James said.
"I'm not going to collapse. I've got everything under control." Regulus snapped.
James shook his head, "I can tell you have a lot going on, and that there's a lot you're keeping to yourself. but I want you to know we're here for you. You don't have to deal with whatever is going on alone."
Regulus did not respond, and the two men sat in silence for a few minutes before Regulus spoke. "How do you juggle it all?" he asked, "you always seem so happy when everything around you points to death and hopelessness, there's no reason for you to be that way. Why do you care about people who could die tomorrow and never make a difference or live to see the end of this war win or lose. It's stupid. I don't get it. and the worst part is you dragged your friends down with you. made them care to, and for what? they're just as clueless as you. why don't you just tell them. What's the worst that could happen?" Regulus didn't mean for his tone to get so harsh, he could feel his heart pounding, and his breath quickening, his head spinning. He felt like he was about to pass out.
"You need to breathe, Reg. Calm down." James said, reaching out to put his hand on Regulus's shoulder.
"I'm calm." Regulus snapped, pushing his hand away. "I'm fine. I'm just frustrated. I don't understand any of this. I don't get how anyone could be so positive about this situation. It makes no sense. We're dying and all you can do is smile and joke about it. How are you not terrified?"
"I'm scared." James admitted.
"Then why aren't you trying to find a way out of this. If you're so afraid, why don't you quit, why don't you leave. why don't you go back home and be with your family. Why are you still here fighting a war you have no way of winning."
"Because this is my home, these people are my family, and they need me. and I care about them," he said.
Regulus couldn't understand why someone would care so much, and put themselves in harm's way. He didn't understand. "Why would you do that? Why would you risk your life for people who could die tomorrow and never even thank you for it. or make a difference or change anything. It's pointless."
"Because it's the right thing to do. It's the only thing I can do. And if I don't do it, no one will."
Regulus scoffed.
"It may sound stupid to you, but think about it this way, Regulus, " James said, stepping further into the room and closer to Regulus, who was sitting at his desk facing james. "Some of those people don't have any family left, some of them don't have good ones. Some of them have never had a person give a rat's ass about them. I have no right to tell them how to live, or what they should do, but I can make them feel like they are not alone. I can tell them it's gonna be okay, that we will win. because I believe it, and if they die. They'll at least have died having someone care about them. because not everyone had that luxury" James looked up, meeting regulus's eyes. "You shouldn't have to die. No one should. And that's why I keep fighting, and that's why I'm here, and why I won't give up. Because I care, and I believe in the people I'm fighting for."
"I don't believe in them." Regulus bit, he could see the anger bubble up in James, something he hadn't ever seen before.
"Then believe in me, and I'll fight for you, and all of us." James told him to keep himself calm.
Regulus nodded, he didn't know what to say, he really thought of James' words as the others told him to shower and get some rest.