Chapter 6
Mary couldn’t remember falling asleep. It was too dangerous to go back to her flat, they’d all agreed, and the boys had set up a camp somewhere east of the Malfoy Manor, though they were long gone and far away enough not to be spotted.
Magic still never failed to amaze her, they’d conjured a huge tent with just some sticks and leaves, and she was lying comfortably on a set of pillows that had literally appeared out of nowhere. It looked and felt like a real bed, like she were on vacation instead of on a mission to kill a man who wanted people like her dead.
She could hear the two of them speaking outside of the tent, presumably still talking about what happened at the manor, and what their plans were going to be for Gringotts. The thought of venturing to such a Death Eater hotspot like Diagon Alley made Mary’s face twist as she shifted onto her side, arm sliding under her face.
Her mind was still whirling, the feel of the Lestrange’s grip on her, how her throat still felt hoarse every time she swallowed, the pure look of terror on Evan’s face when he saw she was in danger, the way Regulus flung everyone backward like it was nothing to get to her.
So it really was a mystery how she fell asleep, and sometime throughout the night, the voices outside fell quiet, and she vaguely remembered a blanket being draped over her.
Mary was beyond exhausted, other than the obvious, they’d done about nine hours of walking, and her feet were still aching. The sleep should have been fulfilling, and uninterrupted, until she heard a loud swore, and another that she recognised to be Regulus.
Slowly, she propped herself up on her elbows, vision still slightly blurred. The boys were expertly good at wards, and she knew they couldn’t have gotten discovered—it was nearly impossible. Mary rubbed at her eyes, watching Regulus grimace and grab at his arm. Immediately, she jolted upright, climbing to her feet and nearly tripling over the blanket.
“What the fuck is happening?”
“Nothing, Mary, go back to-”
“Don’t lie,” she interrupted. “It’s your mark, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Regulus hissed. “And he’s pissed as hell. He knows. He’s calling a meeting. It’s about to get bad. He’ll start to panic, and the attacks will worsen.”
“He’ll scramble to make more horcruxes,” Mary said. “We need to go to Gringotts, now.”
“It’s two in the-”
“It doesn’t matter!”
“She’s right, Evan. We need to destroy the last horcrux before he has the chance to make more or before any more muggles are hurt. Send a Patronus to Dumbledore,” Regulus instructed, glancing to Mary. “And let him know we intend to finish this in the next couple of hours. He needs to know that Voldemort will be mortal by morning.”
Mary nodded, quickly stepping out of the tent to do as he asked. By the time she was finished, the boys had started to conjure the tent so that it flickered before her eyes, until it disappeared.
“Is Gringotts even open?”
“You don’t know anything, do you?”
Regulus reached to smack him, but Mary just shrugged. “No. I use normal muggle money. I’ve never needed to go to Gringotts before.”
“Hilarious. Normal.” Evan scoffed, prompting her to roll her eyes. “Anyway, yes it’s open. The goblins can’t leave it unattended.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“We hope the news of my deflection hasn’t spread to Diagon Alley yet, and they believe the lie when I tell them I need to get into Bellatrix’s vault. There’s no reason for them to say no, especially since I have the key.”
“What? You have the key? Since when?”
“Since he took it from her at the Malfoy Manor before he threw her across the room and was gone like a fart in the wind.”
“Great analogy,” Mary commented. “How far is Gringotts from here, anyway?”
“We should be able to apparate once we’re on the road. You’ve been to Diagon Alley before, haven't you?”
“Only a few times,” she answered. “Before the beginning of term to get supplies.”
“Right. Well, just like Hogsmeade it’s changed. It’s more dangerous now, so be on the lookout. Death Eaters are posted everywhere, and I’m sure they’ll be there too.”
“Wonderful.”
Regulus caught her eye, but Mary shook her head. It was fine—she’d handled more than just a few Death Eaters trying to attack her, this wasn’t new. It was especially normal during her early days in the Order. At this point, it was actually weird for her not to have experienced an attack from them. Excluding the Manor incident.
He’d been right though, she realised once they reached the road and apparated to the alley. Nothing looked the same, even the clouds were darkened with the war. It was early morning by then, but the dreariness still put a damper on Mary’s mood as they navigated through the street. Like Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley used to be bustling with people, but now it was nearly deserted. Only a few stragglers passed by them, and Mary lost count on how many cloaked Death Eaters she spotted lingering in between shops.
Gringotts was still the same—large white columns and a large roaring dragon statue overlooking the entire building. Both Mary and Evan came to a stop just outside as Regulus entered the building, sparing one last glance over his shoulder before stepping inside.
“You think it’ll work?”
“I will not be jinxing anything,” Mary said. “So I am not saying my opinion. If he’s right and this is the last Horcrux, defeating Voldemort will be easy. But… what if he’s not? What if there’s more?”
“Then there’s more,” Evan shrugged. “And we’ll get them, too.”
Mary sighed, nodding in the direction of Gringotts. “Do you think we’ve waited long enough?”
“I think so. Come on, dear.”
Mary gagged, but that was apart of the plan as Evan wrapped an arm around her and they stepped inside. Regulus was at a far back counter, speaking to a goblin while the two of them approached a closer one.
“Hello,” Evan greeted politely. “My wife and I would like to start a joint account and open a vault today.”
“Name?”
“Evan… Roseblossom.”
Mary shot him a look. “Really? Roseblossom?”
“I’m not good under pressure!”
“That was not the surname we picked out, you git-!”
“Is there a problem here?” The goblin asked.
“No, no problem,” Evan tried to smooth over.
“Yes, there is,” Mary argued, watching as the goblin helping Regulus led him into the back. “My husband is an idiot.”
“I told you not to call me such things in public, I get arous-”
“You pig!” Mary scolded, and this time it wasn’t apart of the act while she swatted at him. “I’m sorry.” She faced the goblin again. Regulus was out of sight, and most of the goblins were watching the two of them argue had successfully distracted all of them from asking any sort of questions. “Okay. We’ll take that account now.”
“Yes…”
The goblin shifted and handed them some paperwork. Mary and Evan signed fake names and checked random boxes, until Regulus finally returned with the goblin, something with a glimmer underneath his coat.
“Never mind,” Mary said, suddenly. “I want a divorce.”
“What? You lunatic! That’s totally off script!” Evan chased her out of the building, scowling at her and making her giggle while Regulus left the building after them.
“What’s funny?”
“Oh, just me.”
“Yeah, right,” Mary scoffed. “It’s done already?”
Regulus nodded, handing her the sword back. “Yeah. Helga Hufflepuff’s cup.”
“Why is it always so simple for you two? What the hell.”
“So that’s it, then?” Evan wondered. “Do we patronus Dumbledore now, or-”
Right on cue, a wisp of smoke parted the three of them, and Mary recognised it immediately as Dumbledore’s patronus. “There is a fifth,” the voice said. “Room of Requirement, back in Hogwarts. Rowena Ravenclaw’s lost diadem. Destroy it, and Voldemort will be mortal once more.”
“We have to go back to Hogwarts?” Evan groaned once the message was complete. “Absurd. I spent years waiting to graduate only to return twice the same week after completing my sentence there.”
“You make it sound like prison,” Mary snorted.
“It was.”
“Yeah, right. Hogwarts is…” Her thoughts raced back to her friends, meeting Lily and Marlene, growing close with Remus, bonding with Sirius over their love for fashion, James becoming an older brother figure to her. Hogwarts had been everything to her. She met Regulus’ eyes, and swallowed involuntarily. She’d also, unfortunately, fallen in love there. “Amazing.”
“You guys gross me out,” Evan stated while glancing between them. “Can you not eye-fuck when I’m right-”
“Shut up, Evan,” Regulus interrupted quickly. “We need to get a move on. I’m sure by now Bellatrix has told the Dark Lord everything. It’s only a matter of time until they come searching for us.”
That was something they could all agree on, so nobody bothered to argue. There was an apparition area right at the edge of Diagon Alley, and Mary closed her eyes to focus, blinking her eyes open and staring right at the entrance of Hogwarts.
“Do you guys feel that?”
Mary did feel it, but she couldn’t quite place it. Like there was some sort of tear in the air—kind of the same feeling she endured when the boys had broken through the wards of her flat.
“Oh, no,” she murmured. “They’re here. They beat us to it.”
“Better move fast. C’mon.”
Mary vaguely remembered where the entrance to the Room of Requirement was, though she never had actually seen it before, the rumours were that it was by the level before the astronomy tower. It was still early in the day—most students of Hogwarts weren’t awake yet, and that was the only reason the three of them were able to move so quickly through the halls.
Peeves was ecstatic to see them, especially Evan as he floated around, loud and obnoxious and prompting Evan to stop walking.
“I’ll catch up!” He said, narrowly trying to dodge out of the ghost’s way. “PEEVE’S! You mother-”
Mary and Regulus’ pace grew more brisk, climbing steps and turning down halls until finally, they came standing in front of a blank walk. She stared at it, taking a cautious step forward, and initiating the wall to grind and shape into a door.
“Wow,” Regulus mused. “Can’t believe I never explored this before.”
“No time like the present,” she said in return, stepping forward to push the door open. “Come on.”
Regulus held the door open over her head as he ducked inside after her. She looked around in awe, there were stacks and stacks of random junk, clutter surrounding them completely. Random knick knacks, pieces of parchment, even bird cages.
“How the hell are we meant to find a diadem in this?”
“No clue,” Regulus sighed. “Let’s hope the Death Eaters haven’t gotten to it before us.”
Mary stepped over random piles of rubble, finding her footing in the rare open spaces on the floor while Regulus followed closely behind her. It was impossible to search for anything, there was so much to look at, and Mary already felt herself deflating. They’d never find it in here, especially if Voldemort’s goons were there already, looking too.
Something shifted to their left, and Mary’s head jerked at the sound. There was some more rustling, and she felt Regulus lightly holding at her elbow, close to her side while they paused. A voice said something lowly, and Mary turned to catch his gaze. Slowly, Regulus nodded, and Mary pulled out her wand. It was hard to be completely quiet and not step on anything that could make noise, but they’d somehow managed, turning a large corner of stocked up chairs, and pausing upon seeing Yaxley and Mulciber.
And they were holding the diadem.
“—Luck getting him now.”
Mary was ready to preform accio and sprint out of the Room of Requirement with Regulus, but something slipped under her foot, and they both snapped their heads up to look at them.
“Ah. We were wondering when the two of you would show up.”
“Give us the diadem, Yaxley,” Regulus demanded.
“You’re real smart, aren’t you? Acting with your mudblood girlfriend to get past the gate. Well good news, it won’t happen again.”
“Right now… Lord Voldemort is facing off with your precious headmaster, who thinks you two will get here quick enough to destroy the final horcrux. He thinks your side will win. But guess what? We got here first, and Dumbledore will die. And when Voldemort wins… you and your slut are who he’s coming after next.”
This should have terrified Mary—really. But they had no idea about Evan. And for some reason, that eased tension in her shoulders. They thought it was just Mary and Regulus. Evan’s presence was completely unknown, he’d snuck around the manor, and despite Bellatrix’s announcement, it appeared nobody else had been informed that there was a third party. No one else had seen him: which meant they still had an advantage.
“Don’t get too cocky,” Mary said. “You haven’t escaped with the diadem just yet, Mulciber.”
The man’s lips twitched, and it took everything in her not to back into the comfort of Regulus’ grip. He was truly terrifying, but she didn’t break her stare.
“You were always so argumentative, weren’t you?”
Mary’s gaze narrowed, and she flicked her wand at Yaxley—not Mulciber, disarming him and sending his own wand flying into Regulus’ hand.
“Stupefy!” Mulciber yelled in reply, but Mary dove out of the way as a pile of junk came spiraling down. Regulus landed back on his feet easily, and when Mary looked up, the two of them were bolting.
“Go, Regulus! Get them!”
Regulus hesitated only a moment but did as she commanded, and she roughly pushed herself upright, following right after them. She could hear more spells being shouted, and as she rounded a corner; she found Regulus towering over Yaxley.
“Mulciber went straight,” he told her instantly. “I’ve got Yaxley.”
Mary nodded, and bolted in the direction Regulus told her. The room only became more clustered, the walkways becoming smaller and just barely managing to fit her through. She stumbled upon an opening, there were four different ways for Mulciber to have gone.
Stumped, she glanced around and listened for any retreating footsteps, ready to finally pick a tunnel, until something grasped her from behind, and she felt a wand pressing into the front of her neck.
“I’m getting flashbacks,” Mulciber muttered into her ear, and Mary glared at the wall. This was not happening again. “Remember what happened last time? You were much weaker then- nice to see that hasn’t—”
She promptly reached up and elbowed him in the jaw, staggering out of his grasp and reaching for her wand. He was already pointing his at her, the spell etched on his lips, before she watched him fly back into a pile of books, head dropping onto his shoulders, shocking her.
She shouldn’t have been shocked to see Evan approaching with his wand outstretched, but his gaze raked her appearance, and he nodded at her. “Alright?”
“Just fine,” she said, gesturing for him to keep his wand out as she approached the unconscious Mulciber. The diadem was still in his grasp when she reached to pull it from his weak fingers.
The sword was light in her grasp when she dropped the tiara to the floor, and proceeded to stab it right into the purple jewel. A mist of black smoke appeared in the air before them, before it flickered and faded into nothing.
Evan heaved a relieved sigh from behind her. “So that’s it then?”
Mary faced him, slowly, and adjusted the sword back into her belt. “Horcrux wise. Now we just have to kill Voldemort.”
“If what this prick said is true,” Regulus’ voice came from nowhere, and he appeared around the corner with Yaxley limping in front of him. “Then Dumbledore should already be taking care of that for us.”
“Rosier,” Yaxley blinked. “You… you’re in on this too?”
“Nothing gets by you,” Evan said dryly. “Oh, except me. Literally.”
Mary tried not to smirk, and Yaxley struggled to blink the surprise from his gaze. “How could you-”
“I’ll escort him, Reg,” Evan said, a little too cheerfully. “I want to have a nice long chat about the wonderful weather we’re having.”
Regulus seemed to have no problem handing Yaxley off to Evan, and the two of them disappearing into the darkness of the room. Mary stared at the floor, where the horcrux-less diadem remained, and gnawed at her lip.
Sensing his attention, Mary looked up to find Regulus staring at her, eyes softened, and she knew what he was about to do. “Don’t.”
“Mary-”
“Not now, Regulus.” She couldn’t bear to think that this could be the last time they saw each other. The hunt was over, Voldemort would be dead very shortly, and she really did not want to think about what that meant for them. He’d only returned back into her life because he’d been so injured and ill that he’d had nowhere else to go. And she couldn’t handle the heartache again, it would break her. He needed to keep it to himself, because if he said what she predicted, he’d unravel her completely, and every single wall and guard she’d put up for herself would come crashing down.
“I need you to hear it, love.”
“I can't do this right now,” she shook her head, gazing at him as he stepped closer. “You don’t know what it did to me last time because if you say you-”
“I am still in love with you,” he said, surely. “And I’m so sorry. For leaving. For breaking your heart. I should have known that not picking you was the wrong choice. You’re everything to me, Mary. And these last months have showed me that I’m nothing without you.”
Her mouth parted in genuine surprise—that wasn’t at all what she’d prepared herself for him to say. Momentarily speechless, all she managed was a small: “Oh.”
Regulus’ lips quirked. “Oh?”
“Well I just- I- you-” She hated being flustered, and instead of struggling to find the right words to say, she closed the gap between them, and pulled him down to her by fisting her hands into his shirt, bringing them into a slow kiss that had her heart pounding. Then, she pulled away from him and swatted at his chest. “You better not leave this time.”
“I wasn’t planning on it, sweetheart. I’d stay forever if you let me.”
He always had a knack for that, she supposed, making her speechless. With anyone else, she could flirt her way through anything, but Regulus always just left her standing here and ogling at him like an idiot. He grinned at her expression, and Mary’s only sort of response was reaching up to kiss him again.
***
THREE YEARS LATER
“You know Potter is outside trying to balance a rice cake on his nose.”
Mary looked up from the notebook in front of her, turning away from Regulus and looking at Evan with a raised brow. This was the new normal, evenings spent at her flat. Lily and James with their toddler Harry, Sirius and Remus sharing the arm chair, Evan’s not-so-secret love for muggle things like televisions and music. They’d lost a lot in the war, Marlene and Dorcas’ death had taken a load out of all of them, but it had all been worth it in the end. Their sacrifices were the reason they got to live. “Thanks for the update.”
“I’m just saying, I wanted you to know that the mess in your living room this time isn’t from me.”
“Greatly appreciated,” she muttered, dryly. “Go back to flirting with the drunk guests.”
“Ugh, no,” Evan groaned, sliding into the open chair between Regulus and Mary. “Though I will have another drink.”
Regulus rolled his eyes, shaking his head, and refocusing onto her. “It’s je le. Not je la.”
“Oh,” Mary sighed. “I’m never going to get this.”
“Yes you will.”
“Get what?” Evan wondered curiously, sipping on his firewiskey. “As sexy as me? That’s truthful.”
“No. French is too difficult.”
“You’re learning French?”
“Where the hell have you been?” Regulus asked. “I’ve been teaching her for weeks.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I must be the only person not completely obsessed with the contents of your relationship.”
Mary leaned across the table to smack him in the arm. “Twat.”
“Just saying. Anyway, why are you learning French?”
Regulus stared at him, bewildered. “You have a talent. I think I’ve told you approximately ninety-three times that we’re going to France for our honeymoon.”
“Oh, right. It’s the firewhiskey.”
“Not your brain?”
“Funny Macdonald.”
“Not my name anymore.”
“I am not calling you Black-”
“Anyway,” Regulus heaved a sigh, interrupting them. “Just remember it’s le.”
“Right, got it.”
Evan smirked. “Pouvez-vous me comprendre?”
“Excuse me?”
“She’s learning, Evan,” Regulus kicked him under the table. “Obviously she doesn’t understand you.”
“What did he say?”
“Don’t tell her.”
“She’s learning.”
“Exactly! Everyone needs a push.”
”How about I push you into a lake?”
”Look, everyone learns better under the influence anyway. Have the rest of my drink.”
“I don’t know who this everyone you speak of is, because I definitely am worse at concentrating with alcohol in my system.”
“Is that a no? Since when do you turn down the opportunity to drink?”
“Since now.”
Evan shrugged her off, but Mary caught Reg’s gaze from where he sat in front of her, and they both shared a secret smile. She loved nights like these, the laughter from her living room, the excitement about how her and Regulus’ lives together was only just beginning, and she even loved the constant annoyance from Evan Rosier.
She would have spent every evening like this if she could—and she had every intention of doing so.