Chapter 14 - Up in Smoke
As soon as Regulus closed out his last NEWT he was off to meet Ivan and Claudette by the third floor staircase.
It wasn't long before they were all together.
An in and out mission, really.
What could go wrong?
They entered into the Room of Requirements, taking in the room unaltered.
Piles upon piles of junk laid spread out around the massive room. The stacks almost touched the ceiling.
Regulus questioned how sturdy it all was.
"How do you suppose we find the thing-" Ivan sentence fell short as everyone's eyes met at the same time.
It happened to be their luck that the death eater gang was in there.
Regulus didn't know who he was least pleased to see- Barty, Evan, or Avery.
"Well, well. What brings you here, Black?" Avery quizzed.
"I could ask you the same." Regulus retorted.
By this time, they'd all had their wands up and pointed at each other.
The tensions were thick.
It all came down to who was the first to strike.
"Easy." Evan warned.
"Expelliarmus." Claudette spat.
"Avada Kedavra!" Avery hissed back at her.
"Stupefy!" Claudette cried, sending the spell into a mirror and shattering it.
Ivan chased after the boys, as they fled.
"That's my girlfriend, you numpties!" He growled.
Regulus spotted a glimmer from the corner of his eye.
The diadem.
Claudette and Regulus climbed the mountain of items to reach the diadem.
Regulus tossed through chairs and furniture, climbing over couches.
He reached his arm up to where the diadem was wedged in, standing on his tip-toes.
"Got it." He huffed, pulling back to show Claudette beside him.
The two of the breathed a sigh of relief as they helped each other down to the ground.
Ivan's voice could be heard in the distance, causing the pair to turn towards the sound.
"Run!" He spat, his voice growing louder as he grew closer, "They’re setting the place on fire!"
Regulus watched as a snake of fire appeared around the corner before he took off.
The fire chased them as they traveled through the maze that was the Room of Requirements.
It took out everything in its path, eating all the chairs and books and trophies.
At some point the fire had separated Regulus from Claudette and Ivan.
He had no time to stop.
He couldn't look back- he had to keep going.
Regulus stumbled upon an opening where Claudette and Ivan had landed.
The fire approached them at all angles.
Regulus quickly threw up a shield to protect them.
He couldn't keep it up for long and there was no telling how long of time they'd had left.
Ivan spotted brooms behind them, before passing them to the pair.
Soon the trio was in the air, the fire nibbling at their feet.
"We can't leave them." Regulus spat.
"He's joking, right?" Ivan exclaimed to Claudette.
Regulus spun around in pursuit of the two.
"If we die for them, Regulus, I'm gonna kill you." Ivan hissed before he and Claudette followed him.
Regulus stretched his hand out to Evan as he approached, barely missing the boy.
He looped around, this time successfully grabbing Evan onto his broom.
Regulus spotted Ivan grabbing Barty before they raced to get out.
Claudette led them through collapsing columns, tall flames, and flying objects.
She casted a spell causing the fire wall to disperse, allowing them to pass through.
A wave a fire, sent Regulus and Evan sprawling across the hallway floor.
"Regulus!" Claudette called, tossing him the tooth with the venom.
He sunk it into the diadem on the floor before him.
A black smoke released as well as a dreaded shriek.
Ivan kicked the diadem into the fire as the doors of the Room of Requirements shut before them.
Regulus heaved as he collapsed onto the cool stone floor.
He was sweating half his body weight in liquids.
"We did it." Regulus huffed.
~
When the battle actually happened, Regulus wasn't allowed to go.
James practically threatened to chain him to the bed.
Then again he couldn't have gone even if he wanted to, since he was practically attached to the toilet from dusk to dawn.
When he got news that Voldemort was dead, that's when he could breathe.
James did come home a bit battered and bruised, but otherwise he was fine and that's all that mattered.
Finally the couple did some catching up.
Regulus had so much to tell James, with the two of them having been so busy.
That would change.
Regulus was done. He'd taken his final NEWT and was practically already out of the godforsaken castle.
And with the war done, James had 100% more time for Regulus.
They'd spent so much of their life fighting the war that once it was finally over they weren't sure what to do with themselves.
Now they actually had a future.
And it was terrifying.
James could play quidditch if he wanted or he could go all the way with becoming an Auror.
Regulus contemplated for the first time what he wanted.
The thought was one he had never put much effort into.
After school he'd always planned to join James in fighting the war, and now- now they had the rest of their lives to figure out.
Regulus felt he was a bit unprepared.
He knew the war would eventually end, but he never allowed himself to think that far ahead.
Now he was finishing his last weeks of school and then he'd be tossed out into the real world.
Time.
They had so much time- time to figure things out.
That gave Regulus hope.
Maybe Regulus would play quidditch for a few years and then become a Potioneer.
Maybe they'd travel the world and then decided what's next.
Regulus wasn't too worried.
When it came to James, Regulus was perfectly content with living in the present.
Sometimes he thought about how different everything would be if that time traveler hadn't scrambled the timeline.
He let himself be grateful- even though the man tried to kill him.
Eleven year old Regulus would never imagine being where he was now.
He had a lovingly boyfriend, amazing friends, and his brother back.
The war was over, but Regulus wondered if it was only just the beginning.