Chapter 23
Chp 23
Regulus’s arm hurt.
It was a trivial thing to be worried about, given everything that had happened recently, but it was bothersome enough to be at the forefront of his mind, rising above the other injuries his mother had inflicted in retribution after the ceremony. It had been made abundantly clear what had been supposed to happen; and he didn’t like any of it. He couldn’t help that his family was in far too deep with this Dark Lord Voldemort character, but at least Rory had gotten out unscathed.
Unmarked.
He couldn’t say the same for himself.
The mark ached and burned hot, it itched too. Probably worst of all, it moved. The ink of the snake actually slithered around sometimes. Looking at it made his skin crawl.
And yes, it hurt. He supposed he didn’t have a very high pain tolerance. He had never needed to; Sirius had taken the brunt of the beatings for him.
But true to form, Sirius had left. Again. A this time he had taken Rory with him.
Regulus was alone.
He tried his best to be grateful, really he did. He would rather Sirius be with Aurora; and it was a good thing they had made it out. He was grateful that Rory had been spared, he hoped she never realized how close she had been to getting her own dark mark, he hoped she would be spared that knowledge too.
Now that they were married, Aurora had her fortune, and she and James had each other. It was the best case scenario, all things considered.
They were all just children, caught up in a war, it was never going to end in a simple happily ever after, but if Aurora was happy with James, and they had all their friends, who cares what happened to him?
It didn’t matter that he was all alone, and it didn’t matter what his Family had done because it was never going to work out for him anyway.
So he tried his best to be grateful that he had been lucky enough to love two people so fiercely. He was grateful that those two had made it out alive, and that they had each other, and that he was alone.
It was better this way, to be removed from the equation so cleanly, as if plucked out by the hand of God. It was righteous, in a way. So he was lucky, really, to be so completely alone.
He focused on being grateful and dutifully ignored the mark on his arm, twisting the ring on his left hand until he falls asleep.
Alone.
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“Quick! While there’s still time, we have to go get Regulus.” Aurora whispers, panicked.
Sirius jerks her back by the arm as she tries to turn around.
“Sir-“ Sirius puts a firm hand to her mouth, holding her under the cloak.
“Shut. Up.” Sirius grits, keeping his grip of steel on her as she tries to squirm away.
As the approaching death eaters come ever closer, Aurora grows desperate, they trip over one anothers feet, tangle in the cloak, and fall onto the forest floor.
Sirius holds her there, long after she gives up the fight. He holds her on the ground, covering her mouth, the both of them frozen in fear, save for the hot tears running down Auroras face and Sirius’s hand.
Rory squeezes her eyes shut and clenches her fists as the voices pass. Sirius buries his face into her back, squeezing her close.
Eventually, Sirius releases her, but It’s a long time after the woods fall silent that Sirius dares to speak.
“We have to keep moving. Won’t be long until we are far enough away to apparate.”
He takes a step forward, then adjusts his stride as she follows slowly.
“We really aren’t going back for him are we?” Aurora asks him softly, sounding very small and very tired and immeasurably sad.
Sirius shakes his head “No, I don’t think we can.”
The rest of the journey is completed in solemn silence, broken by the crack of their apparition.
At once, Aurora is brought to her knees. A wave of dizziness crashes into her, her ears pop, and she is promptly sick on the floor in front of her that just so happens to be the Potter family living room.
There is a whole lot of shuffling, and arms maneuvering her waxy body. Euphemia’s voice calling for help and casting spells.
“You’re sure you’re alright? We’ve contacted Dumbledore, but don’t worry about that now. Oh dear…” she fusses over all of them in turn, before ordering baths drawn for Sirius and Rory. Indeed, they were covered in dirt, smudges of it all over their faces, it caked the hem of her wedding dress, not to mention her shoes.
Sirius takes off his own shoes and jacket, James stares at Rory, who pretends not to notice, choosing to unlace her boots instead. When he is still looking at her, barefoot and in her bridal underthings, she relents.
“What were you even doing there Jamie? And in Pandoras clothes?”
“All I had was polyjuice and Dora’s hairbrush, and I had to follow Padfoot before he got you all killed. Are you alright? Merlin I was so worried.”
“James please we can’t leave Regulus there.” She begs. James looks as if he might burst into tears.
“Dumbledore will know what to do.” Is all he manages.
“Did you see it Rory? Did he have the mark?” Sirius asks. She nods.
“That idiot! That fucking stupid little-“ Sirius grits his teeth, struggling to contain his emotion. Aurora is sobbing wetly by now; unable to keep herself from falling apart with the budding realization at the true nature of their fates. James reaches out to soothe her, which only makes her cry harder because Regulus was all alone and all she wanted right now was to be with him. It was their wedding night. She thinks back on their last rushed brushing of lips. There was no way that was to be their last kiss, so surely this wasn’t the end and she would see him again.
“Oh dear.” Euphemia tuts in the doorway, staring at Aurora with a worried wrinkle of her brow.
“Would you three please help Fleamont prepare for Dumbledore? Aurora, come with me to your bath dear.”
Mindlessly, Rory follows Effie as they silently move upstairs, through the hallway, to the bathroom.
“I can help you with that.” Effie says softly, gesturing for Rory to turn around and allow her to undo the laces of her bodice. Aurora obeys, trying her best not to feel anything at all as the older woman gently tugs her loose.
“I can’t imagine what you are feeling right now. Darling-“
Rory flinches at the pet name, the words ringing false when not falling from Regulus’s mouth.
“- that should never have happened. The amount of danger you were all in…” Euphemia chokes on her words in an apparent rush of emotion.
“I am ever so glad you all made it out in one piece.”
“Not everyone.” Aurora bites, unable to help herself.
“Quite right.” Euphemia frowns. “We will speak to Dumbledore and see what can be done.”
Aurora simply nods, unable to conjure up a reply, growing more exhausted by the minute.
The hot bath was a short lived relief. It was no time at all before she stood once again in front of everyone, this time Dumbledore included.
They all answered the questions asked of them and dutifully consented to their memories being collected and reviewed through the pensive. She had looked away each time her friends memory was collected and cringed away from the wand pointed at her temple when it was her turn, thoughts moving all too easily to the curses that had been cast around her not much earlier. As the headmaster pulled the memory from her ear, she fought the odd and unpleasant urge to sneeze.
In the ensuing moment of peace following the reviewing of their memories, Aurora spoke loudly and firmly.
“What about Regulus?” It was more of a demand than a question; a call to action.
“It is my understanding that Regulus Black has taken the dark mark, correct?” Dumbledore inquires coolly.
Aurora frowns, but nods.
“Miss Lovegood, you are aware that the Dark Arts are forbidden by law?”
“Yes.” She replies tightly, not liking where this was going.
“Then I’m afraid Regulus will be tried to the full extent of the law, were he discovered.”
“Albus, please, he’s just a child.” Euphemia begs.
“My parents made him do it.” Sirius implores.
Dumbledore raises his eyebrows. “Do you have proof of this, Mr Black?”
“I-“ Sirius opens and closes his mouth like a fish. “No I don’t.” He finished lamely, miserable.
“Professor, please.” James is using his most compelling Bambi eyes, his most pleading tone.
“I’m sorry, children but I don’t see what I can do, especially seeing as Mister Blacks own parents and legal guardians have full control. I would say, short of a ministry sanctioned action, hands are tied as it were.”
“He’s 16 years old.” Pandora rings like a solemn bell. A death knell.
Sirius erupts from his seat, the legs screeching loudly on the kitchen floor as he launches to his feet, storming out.
In a more silent kind of fury, Aurora follows him, James trailing not far behind, and flinging apologies over his shoulder.
“This is unbelievable, even Dumbledore won’t face my parents! It’s like they slither their way through anything!” Sirius huffs loudly, face hot with holding back tears of rage. Lip quivering, he meets Auroras gaze, and something snaps. Suddenly, she is undone.
Rory’s knees wobble as tears sting her eyes. She stops fighting it.
Sirius pulls her into a tight hug as she crashes into him, wilting, as they both cry.
“You’re ok. You’re alright.” Sirius hushes, rubbing her back.
James is there in a flash, comforting them both in tandem.
“What are we gonna do?” Aurora sniffles hopelessly.
“I don’t know.” James admits sorrowfully.
The world tilts on its axis as the impossible happens and James Potter, the softest boy on earth, fails to comfort her.
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