Chapter 14
Lily woke to someone shaking her,
“Gods Regulus, what time is it?”
Regulus continued to shake her until Lily shoved him away and closed her eyes again.
“Lily get the fuck up, were leaving in 30 minutes to the castle.”
Lily sat up fast, causing her head to start pounding. She glanced at her clock. It was 4:30.
“Bloody hell, why are we up before the goddamn birds.” She groaned, pulling herself out of bed and pulling on a pair of jeans. Lily looked at her bedside table, where her reindeer antlers were still flashing. She assumed she had taken them off before passing out in her bed. They really had dranken a lot last night.
“Oh, no. We are dressing in our good robes.”
Lily scoffed, “mine were exploded, remember?”
The memory of that night caused her to wince, but she masked it well from Regulus. She had begun to build walls ever since yesterday, when she let all her feelings out causing her to be vulnerable. Everyone could see what she was feeling, and she hated it.
“Thats why I found you some. I guessed your size, and Kreacher went out and got them.”
Lilys lips turnes up, not quite smiling but not frowning either, and spotted the robes thrown over a chair. She grabbed them and shooed Regulus out of the room, putting them on.
They fit her surprisingly well, and they looked magnificent. For the first time in possibly her entire life, Lily felt like a grownup. Like an adult. Like she could do anything she wanted.
Lily walked downstairs to find Regulus in the kitchen, coffee in his hands and the Daily Prophet in the other.
“Shit, finally.” Regulus gurgled, drinking the rest of his coffee.
“Hey, youre the one who decided we had to get up at this god forsaken hour.”
There was a tumble, and a crash and suddenly a blood-curdling scream.
Regulus went white and ran into the hallway, closley followed by Lily.
Barty and Evan sat tangled at the bottom of the staircase, Evan rubbing his head and Barty yawning,
“sorry mate, didnt notice Evan walking down and we sorta collided. Think I woke yer Mum up.”
Regulus was fuming as he stomped up the stairs to a portrait of Walpurga Black, whoes eyes widened at the sight of her youngest son.
“YOU!” She shouted, “YOU, MY SON, DARE TO BRING A MUDBLOOD BACK TO THIS HOUSE! YOU DARE DEFY WHAT ME AND YOUR FATHER WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD YOU! YOU JUST LIKE YOUR WASTE OF A BROTHER. YOU ARE A DISAPPOINTED AND A DISCRACE REGULUS BLACK!”
Regulus pulled the curtains over the picture, and his hands were shaking.
“Sorry about that, Mamam doesnt nessisarily enjoy my presence anymore.”
He tucked his black curl behind his ear and pulled on his fingers before shaking them and let them hang stifly at his side. Regulus remebered his walls and built them up higher. It was a trick Sirius had taught him when they were young.
“Er, your mum?”
Regulus nodded and made his way downstairs and into the kitchen, where Evan was drinking coffee and Barty had fallen asleep.
Regulus walked in and knocked over a chair, startling Barty and he woke up and pulled his wand out.
“Easy, down boy!” Evan sniggered, shoving Barty to the side and mussing up his hair.
Barty swatted him off and took a sip of his coffee,
“Fucking hell, Reg why are we up so early? My head hurts like a bitch too.”
Regulus had sat down and grabbed the paper again, leaning back and reading it.
“Me and Lily are going to be breaking into Hogwarts today and since you two tossers decided to get yourselves stuck at Malfoy Mannor, you are going to help us.”
Lily dropped the toast Kreacher had handed her and stared at him. Barty laughed and Evan just looked at the bottom of his coffee cup.
“Reckon well need some fancy posh robes like you tao have on?” Barty cackled, wiping his eyes.
“I already had Kreacher put them in the room you guys were in.”
Lily looked up at this. Room? Singular?
“Merlins tits how did you know we would even say yes?” Evan asked jokingly.
“If you said no I had other ways to… persuade you.”
Barty threw his head back and laughed, his laugh was infectious, causing Lily to chuckle and Evan to laugh a booming laugh.
Regulus managed a small smile before he put his hands down on the table, his rings making small chinking noises.
“Okay, so were going to apparate to Hogsmead and walk from there. Slughorn has agreed to a meeting with Lily, because she was such a star student so we have the in. Evan and Barty, you two will be talking to Dumbledore about a possible teaching position.”
Barty groaned at this, “I would rather drop dead than be a teacher at Hogwarts. I dont care the circumstances. You will NEVER catch me as a professor.”
Regulus rolled his eyes, “thats why youre not ACTUALLY going to be teaching, just covering so Dumbledore doesn’t notice anything is off.”
Barty shook his head and he rolled his eyes and motioned for Regulus to continue.
“As I was saying, while you two are in Dumbledores office, and Lily is in Slughorns, I will take Kreacher down to the girls bathroom and he will help me get to the chamber. Once were in, Lily, you will come down too, because I will need help killing the basalisc.”
Lily nodded along, Barty had fallen asleep and Evan was staring into space.
“Merlin, you three really are hungover.” Regulus rolled his eyes and pulled out his wand, whispering something which caused Lily to feel much lighter, and Evan and Barty laughed.
“Thanks, mate!” Barty cheered, smiling at Regulus.
“Okay, so does everyone know the plan?”
Lily nodded, and so did Barty, but Evan raised his hand, getting an eye roll from Regulus and a chuckle from Barty.
“Well, are me and Barty ‘posed to just waltz into Dumblewhores office and demand a meeting?”
Regulus shook his head, “No, I already scedualed it. Your meeting with Slughorn also, Lily.”
The three nodded and Kreacher walked over to Regulus,
“Master Regulus, Kreacher is ready to go!” He chimed and showed Regulus a big toothy grin.
“Okay, thank you, Kreacher.” Regulus smiled and looked at the trio sitting across from him, “Lets go, then.”
There was a POP and the four adults landed in Hogsmead.
“Gods, I didnt expect everything to look the exact same.” Evan whispered, his white blonde hair falling in front of his tan face.
Barty snorted and looked at him, “we left like last year, of course it looks the same.”
Evan shoved the blonde boy and dodged a soft swing.
“Guys shut up and stop.” Regulus demanded coldly, both boys stopped and looked at him before standing stifly side-to-side.
“Sorry, mate.” Barty whispered, Evan nodding.
Lily was pale, looking at all the shops as they walked past them.
Madam Puttifuts, she went there as a joke with Sirius once, which turned into a monthly thing.
The Three Broomsticks, she had gotten on Madam Rosmertas good side, and had butterbeer snuck to her after every Hogsmead trip.
Junkos, she went there to help the Marauders pick out their next pranks.
The Hogshead, she had gone in there with Peter because he was scared after Remus and James dared him.
Hogsmead was full of happy memories, and she could feel her eyes tear up. She looked to the greenish winter sky and smiled, shaking her head and exhaling. She had almost let down her walls.
“…So go on ahead of Lily, Ill stay here.”
Regulus had instructed Barty and Evan to walk up to the castle, where Dumbledore was waiting in his office.
With James’ invisibility cloak, thought Lily with a scoff.
Regulus looked at her expectantly, “Sorry, what?” She croaked, messing with the hem of her cloak.
“I SAID, can you show me one of the passageways my brother and his idiot friends used to sneak here?”
Lily blinked at him before smiling softly, “How d’you know about thoes?”
Regulus scoffed and rolled his eyes, “you think I didnt notice everytime he and his mates appeared behind that stupid witch with a hump, arms full of candy and Junkos products?”
Lily laughed and pulled Regulus by his sleeve to Honeydukes.
“We’ll need to get into the celler.”
Regulus shook his head before walking forward to the locked door,
“Alohomora.” He whispered, pointing his wand at the lock. It opened with a click and the door slowly opened.
“Okay just go past the counter and downstairs where there is a false floor piece, that should take you down some stairs and to a passageway, follow that and you should appear on the fourth floor.”
Regulus nodded as he closed the door behind him, locking it.
Lily watched him through the window as he went down the stairs slowly and disappeared out of view.
Lily exhaled, not knowing she had been holding her breath, and turned on her heels toward the castle.
“Fucking hell, Barty walk faster would you?” Evan called to Barty, who had been walking several paces behind him for quite some time now.
“Aw, c’mon everyones asleep and Lily ‘n Reg shouldnt be in the castle yet, lets take it slow.” He called back, spinning on his heels arms outstretched.
Evan rolled his eyes and turned around to hide a smile. He had quite the crush on Barty ever since Hogwarts, and being back reminded him of all the small moments the two had shared.
‘Right there, Barty had held my hand when I learned my mum had died.’ Evan thought to himself, smirking.
“Oi! Pretty boy! Whoes walking slow now?” Barty yelled from up the staircase. Evan had fallen behind thinking of him.
“Mate! Be quiet or youll wake Filch!”
Barty cackled and turned away, Evans heart soared hearing his laugh.
He knew it was a stupid crush, but the feeling he got in his stomach felt more than that. The rush he got when Barty demanded the two share a room last night because both were two drunk to sleep alone, was more than a crush.
Barty whistled at Evan, taking him out of his daze and ran after the taller boy.
“Pity, it was fun seeing you behind me.” Barty winked, continuing his walk to the Headmasters office.
“‘m surprised The Dark Lord hasnt taken over ole Hoggywarts yet.” Barty whispered.
“Oh, he has. Why d’you think old Snapey boy is a teacher here?”
Barty snorted and Evan smiled. They walked in silence for a while, before Barty stopped and turned to Evan.
“I love your fucking horse laugh.” He smiled a toothy grin, Evan froze and his cheeks turned pink,
“My horse laugh?” He sniggered.
“Your bloody horse laugh.”
Evan snorted and continued walking, his heart fluttering in his chest, and he turned, where he was face to face with Barty.
“Im fucking mental about you.” He whispered.
Barty started at him before crashing his lips onto the shorter boys, curling his fingers in his long white hair. Evan sighed into the kiss and set his hands on Bartys waist.
They finally broke apart, breathing heavily and flustered, but borh grinning wildly.
“Im fucking in love with you.” Barty whispered, “I have been since I saw you on the train coming to Hogwarts. Before then, you were just my annoying mate. But then I saw you alone, with your hair long and all your new piercings. Fuck, I fell in love just looking at you.”
Evan blushed and took Bartys face in his hands, kissing his softly on the forehead, then cheek, then nose, then, finally, his lips. Barty moaned and started pulling him into the nearby brook closet.
“Mm, no.” Evan groaned, pulling away slowly, “we have got to go to Dumblewhores office now, later.”
Barty groaned and rested his forehead on Evans, the two boys walked hand in hand to the Headmasters office.
Regulus Black was known to be a patient man. He was known to be calm and collected. But after walking for what felt like forever down a long passage, He could feel his patience slipping away.
“Fucking hell Im going to murder Evans.” He grumbled to himself, running his hands through his long curls.
Regulus Black was known to be a man who gets what he wants, when he wants it.
Regulus Black, though this was not known by many, also had severe anxiety.
“Merlins tits im going to scream.” Regulus whispered, figeting with his rings again. When he was alone he was allowed to have his shaky hands and mess with his rings, but when he was surrounded by people, he had to keeps his walls up high.
There was a POP and Kreacher appeared behind Regulus, nearly tripping over a rock in his hurry to catch up.
“Master Regulus, Kreacher cannot thank you enough!” He piped up, skipping behind Regulus.
“Of course, Kreacher. Now, were almost to the end so Im going to need you to stay quiet.”
They had walked to the end of a staircase, and Regulus’ order was followed by silence, so he knew Kreacher had followed it.
They walked up the staircase for probably five minutes before coming up on a trapdoor, Regulus lifted it slowly and crawled out, followed by Kreacher.
“So, this is the fourth floor, we need to find the staircase to the third.”
Regulus walked down the hallway, nearly walking into Miss Norris a few times, but they managed to get to the staircase and to the girls lavoratory.
He swung the door open and was met by the wailing scream of Moaning Myrtle.
“Hello, Myrtle.” Regulus called softly, causing the ghost of a girl and swoop down excitedly, “Oh! Regulus Black!” She cheered, tears still coming down her face.
“Yes hello!” He waved and watched her sit on the high windowsill.
“You haven’t been true to your promise, Regulus Black. You never came to visit after that night in the Prefects bathroom.” She wailed, covering her face with her hands and sobbing.
“Er, yea sorry about that. Got a tad busy and everything.”
Myrtle cried and dove into one of the toilets, Regulus could hear her sobbing in the pipes.
“Okay, Kreacher, open the door.”
Kreacher steeped forward to the sink and hissed, which opened it and it pushed backwards, revealing a deep pit. Regulus sat down and slid down, unknowingly.
Kreacher followed, and the sink fixed itself and the two were left falling.
Lily Evans Potter was muggleborn. Everyone knew this about her, and she never would have expected Regulus Black to want to help her. But he did.
Lily walked down the hallway she knew so well, and knocked on the closed door of the potions master.
The door swung open and Lily was greeted by a rather round man, with rosy cheeks and a smile.
“Why, Miss Evans! How lovely to see you! I never would have expected you to want a meeting this early, but here we are!”
Lily smiled, “ah, yes Professer, sorry about that! This was the only time I was free and had missed you!”
Slughorn opened his door and motioned the witch to come in. When Lily entered the classroom, it looked exactly the same as it had when she had left Hogwarts. The only difference was a small bowl with a fish inside.
“You kept it?” Lily asked.
“Huh? Oh, yes My dear, it was very exquisite magic!”
Lily smiled at the compliment and sat down in the empty chair across from Slughorn at his desk.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
Lily looked at her watch, she had 10 minutes.
“Well, I just wanted to ask where one could get the potion ingredients from your class?”
Slughorn raised his eyebrow and looked at the young redhead.
“Er, thats it?”
Lily nodded, “sorry Ive just been getting really into potions ever since.. um.. ever since that night..”
Slughorns eyes filled with pity and he nodded his head, “or course, m’dear of course!”
Slughorn oulled out a piece of parchment and wrote a few words down, handing it to Lily, who stood up.
“Well, thank you, professor.” She smiled, holding out her hand. Slughorn took it and shook it.
“Of course, its always a pleasure to get to talk to my star student!”
Lily blushed and turned away, closing the classroom door behind her. With shaky hands, Lily folded the paper and put it in her back pocket. She made her way to the bathroom, breathing in and out.
In and out
In and out
In and out.