Chapter 14
Regulus was a ghost. He didn’t talk to Dorcas, Pandora, Barty, or Evan. He didn’t even answer questions in class. Slytherin lost fifty house points in the span of two weeks because of Regulus. The whole house was furious with him, but they were also terrified.
Only Pandora knew what had happened. She was the only one who knew about that last night he spent with James. Dorcas, Evan, and Barty only knew about the fight with Sirius, but they knew something else had happened.
At night, Regulus would cast a silencing charm around his bed, pull out the pictures of him and James, and talk to Imaginary James. Regulus had given his journal to Pandora. He knew that otherwise he would be tempted to write to James. So now he just talked to Imaginary James.
“I’ve been doing research on the Dark Lord, James,” Regulus whispered to Imaginary James. He told him about Tom Riddle and horcruxes. He also told Imaginary James that he had no idea what Tom was using as horcruxes or how to destroy them.
Teachers stopped calling on Regulus in class. The only person Regulus talked to was Imaginary James. He would write to Pandora occasionally, but that was it. Regulus couldn’t stop thinking about what he had said to Sirius and James.
Winter holiday came and went, but Regulus still only talked to Imaginary James. Though things had been different at Grimmauld because he had to be the perfect heir.
“Regulus. You need to talk to us,” Pandora announced one day while the five of them sat by the lake.
Regulus shook his head.
“Regulus Arcturus Black,” Pandora’s eyes welled up with tears and Evan immediately jumped to his feet, “It has been two whole months. I am tired of your behavior. I will not communicate with you until you cease your foolishness. I will go talk to him if I have to.”
Dorcas, Evan, and Barty didn’t know who Pandora referred to, but Regulus did. Pandora was talking about James Potter. His James. His brilliant, beautiful, kind James. He knew that James would help if Pandora asked.
“I’m sorry,” He whispered softly. Pandora hugged him tightly and all he wanted to do was cry, but he was the Black family heir and he would not be weak.
“Mate, what happened?” Evan asked quietly. Pandora shot him a dirty look.
Regulus shook his head, “I was in love and it ended.”
Barty and Evan looked at each other and Regulus knew that they were thinking about how they’d feel if they lost the other. Dorcas glanced at Gryffindor tower. She was thinking of Marlene, but Regulus’s heart also belonged to someone in Gryffindor. He and Pandora may have been a tragic pair, but the five of them were a tragic group.
Regulus rounded a corner in the library. He was looking for Pandora, but paused when he heard James’s voice.
“How is he? Please be honest with me, Pandora.”
Pandora sighed, “He finally started talking yesterday after I threatened to bring you into it. He’s wasting away. You should hear the things Mulciber and Avery say about him.”
“What do they say?”
“They’ve been saying that you-know-who has Regulus undergoing a vow of silence. It’s horrible, James. Not to mention, Reg is obsessed with his project, and before you ask, no. I won’t tell you what it is.”
Regulus was frozen. James was checking up on him.
“I wish he hadn’t cut off all contact with me. I’m so worried about him, but I’ve been occupied with Sirius.”
“How are you, James? Be honest.”
He heard James groan, “I’ve been better. What we had wasn’t perfect, but it was ours. I love him, Pandora.”
“I know. I’m going to bring him back to you. Just give me time. Be happy in the meantime, James. If Lily makes you happy while you wait for my idiot best friend, then be happy.”
“Reggie said that when Luna is born you want me to be her godfather?”
“Hopefully by then we can all be a happy family. The five of us.”
“I hope so too. Luna Black has a nice ring to it.”
Regulus took a step back, he couldn’t listen anymore. He couldn’t listen to James repeat his own words about Luna back to Pandora. James loved him. He loved James. He had to kill Voldemort. He couldn’t be with James until the war was over.