Quatre
The Great Hall
Regulus and his friends walked into the Great Hall, Barty and Evan still yawning, Dorcas walking while tying her hair into a ponytail, and Pandora sleepily hanging off of Regulus, who is holding a book and reading while walking. They all sat down, and Regulus poured himself a cup of tea, putting another cup of tea under Pandora's nose to wake her up. Who was woken up from the sweet smell of tea and sugar, and grasped the steaming hot cup of tea and slowly took a sip.
Regulus unconsciously looked over at the Gryffindor table, at the empty spot on the table where his brother and his friends used to sit. He could hear the ghosts of laughter that used to rung throughout the Great Hall, and the stupid pranks that would play out afterwards.
Now, he doesn't blame Sirius for leaving, he was going to die if he stayed even one more minute in that house. No, he was angry at him for not asking him to leave with him, even though he wouldn't leave with him, he could've at least tried. It could mean that he still loved him, that he was ignoring Reg because he loved Reg, but Regulus knew those were just false hope. False hopes that were made and believed by a young child who saw his older brother as his everything, and now those believes are just false hopes made to bring him comfort, a comfort without any meaning or truth.
Regulus paid Barty no mind as he talked about the recent activities that his father wanted him to participate in, continuously taking bites of his toast as he reads, as if he was on autopilot, taking sips of tea in between. In reality, he was in his own thoughts, thinking about how to proceed with the next step of his plan.
Regulus wanted to recruit members of his own family, not only for financial support, but also to gather information from different corners. But he needed to start with someone who would help him, someone who has authority over many-many things, someone who has access to every corner of the Black Family. His mind wanders through the copy of the family tree tapestry inside his head, going through names of both close and distant family members and their status and relations. If he knew one thing about his aunts, is that they all love gossip and information.
Then it clicks.
Who else. He knew someone who has authority, someone who despises the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters like they were lost puppies, someone who has access to every corner of the Black Family, he is the Lord of the Black Family after all.
Lord Arcturus Orion Black, his gradfather.
Regulus unknowingly let out a "Huh", and he clearly didn't realize this as he didn't acknowledge his friends looking at him in interest. Not until Pandora patted him on the cheek that he blinked himself out of his thoughts and looked at his friends, he saw their eyes on him and cleared his throat, trying to make up for his lack of attention.
"What's up Reg? Care to share with the rest of the class?" Barty asked giddily, resting his cheek into his palm. Regulus rolled his eyes, closing his book and finishing the last of his tea. "I believe it's none of your business.", Evan raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Pandora showed a little more interest than her brother, and tilted her head in confusion, but eventually just shrugged her shoulders and took another bite of her pancakes that is drenched in syrup that she grabbed earlier.
"Anyway, how's your arm?" Dorcas asked while glancing at his bandaged arms, red patches of blood starting to seep through. He needs to figure out how to fix that, perhaps a potion or spell that could slow down bleeding. If there isn't any, he'll just have to make his own.
Not the first time he had created something, he had made quite a few different spells back at Grimmauld Place, mostly because he was bored. He pulled on the cuffs of his uniform, making sure that the red patches could not be seen. His wounds can wait, some things are more important.
Regulus waited for his friends to finish their meals, and they all went to their own respective classes. Regulus passed through classes the rest of the day, handing in his assignments that were given over the holiday, and occasionally sneaking off to the bathroom between classes to clean up his wounds and change the bandages. At dinner time, murmurs and whispers of the most recent Death Eater attack can be heard from a few students in the Great Hall. Not all of them, just the ones who cared enough that are related to the subject, such as Muggleborns.
Regulus was able to easily tune those conversations out, even though that meant focusing on Barty's ridiculous bantering about muggle technologies. After dinner and a few words from Dumbledore, which Regulus proceeds to pay no mind to, everyone went back to their dorms. Pandora kisses him and the others on the cheeks, before returning to her dorm at the Ravenclaw tower.
Regulus sat on his bed, legs crossed and a book opened to a random page on his lap, a fountain pen given by Dorcas loosely twirling in between his fingers. Barty and Evan are trading treats that they manage to sneak from home, occasionally offering Regulus some, and Regulus occasionally accepting a few chocolate frogs. All of them are ready for bed, but none of them feeling tired yet.
Regulus glanced at the paper resting on top of the open book, his pen hovering over the paper before being pulled back after a few seconds.
Regulus ransacked his brain to think of a way to word his sentences correctly, so that his grandfather would agree to meet him as soon as possible and not have to make him wait until the next school break.
The tip of his pen hovered over the paper, his bandaged hand shaking a bit as he touched the tip of the pen to the paper.
Dear grandfather,
It has been some time since I talked to you or grandmother, but I am in dire need of assistance.
As you know, my morals are just as neutral as yours. Magic is magic, power is power, where it comes from, I care not.
As you may have guessed by now, I am currently writing this behind the safe walls of Hogwarts.
I am writing this to ask a favor of you, I have recently come to a discovery that may have changed the outcome of this war that is currently raging upon us. My discovery will have a severe and massive impact on this war, either that is positive or negative, depending on the views of the war
The Light may see it as an opportunity, an opening to end this barbaric war. But because of that, they may do anything in their wake to retrieve this discovery for themselves. Spilling more blood than necessary, more than that is already spilled, to get their way. They say they fight for a good cause, but how many people must die to reach their goal?
The Dark may see it as a threat. A threat to their reign of power, therefore leaving them with the same mindset as the light. Doing everything in their power to retrieve back my discovery, in the hopes of keeping their reign going. The way to keep their Dark Lord at his peak, the way to keep their power of over society.
And then, there's us. The ones who are neutral between the opposing sides of this war, the ones with a splitting yet similar mindsets and opinions to others. The ones who don't belong to either side of this war, the ones who are not blinded by cause or reason bestowed upon us by the masses.
We may be the key to ending this war. And that is why I have request your assistance.
I am building an army, an army of people like me and you and grandmother. An army that fights for neither side, neither the Light or the Dark, an army that will not be easily swayed by cause.
But I hate to admit it, we are unprepared. Yes, we may be fluent in quite a few defensive and offensive spells, but that is it in terms of attacks and defense. There will always be a gaping hole of a moment of weakness, the moment when neither of us have our wands in our hands. If those circumstances occur, it may be our doom. Adding to that, the risk of being caught and getting our wands tested for the last spell it casts or the risk of getting traced, will reveal us all and get us all captured. Either by the Dark Lord or his followers, or by Dumbledore and his Order.
You taught me and Sirius how to wield a weapon when we visit, but even though I doubt Sirius was taking it seriously and taking more as a thrill, I certainly did. I still remember all of the ways you taught us how to properly wield a sword or a dagger, the proper way to swiftly plunge those blades into fatal points of the human body.
I am asking you to teach me and my first few close candidates for my army those same methods. It will be a big step up from our current situation, and a great asset on the battlefield.
Besides, I do quite miss those lessons from you.
I am awaiting your reply, and the decision that you come to.
Signed,
R.A.B
Regulus's hand shook quite a bit as he lifted up his pen away from the finished letter. Regulus took a moment to gather himself, taking in a few breaths as he tried to stop his hands from shaking. He capped his fountain pen and put it on his bedside table, he silently opened the bottom drawer and retrieved an envelope from the drawer, before closing it.
Regulus folded his letter neatly and tucks it into the envelope, sealing it with the melted wax of the candle sitting on the windowsill beside him, stamping it with the Black Family crest. He stepped over Barty's legs and towards the door of their dorm. Regulus opens the door, and as if on cue, his horned owl flew in through the doorway and proceeded to land on his bedpost, perched on the dark wood while looking at him expectantly. Barty let out a loud yelp as Noctua flew over his head, as he was sitting on the floor with his back against his bed. And Evan snorting at his reaction.
Noctua hooted from where she was, spotting the letter in his possession. Regulus smiled slightly at his owl, his only other companion at Grimmauld Place, as he walked back towards his bed and towards Noctua. He tied the letter on Noctua's foot with a dark green ribbon, making sure that it's not too tight around her feet, but also tight enough so that the letter doesn't fall.
"Please deliver this to Grandfather, beautiful Noctua." the owl nipped her beak at his fingers affectionately at the praise Regulus gave, and after a few scratches from him, Noctua flew out of the room to deliver the letter.
"What was that?" Barty asked after a moment, Regulus rolled his eyes and went back to his bed. "Nothing of your concern, but it is important." Regulus said as he picked up his discarded book and glazed over the words. "Yeah? Is it a part of the plan?" Evan said as he stood up to go to his own bed, leaving Barty on the floor to finish his cauldron cake.
"Perhaps, that is if the person on the other end agrees with me and accepts my request." Regulus responds as he flips the page of his book, Evan nodded before shrugging and going under his covers. After a few minutes, soft breaths were heard from Evan's bed, indicating he is now asleep.
Regulus decides to do the same and put his book away, Barty is also in his bed by now, and Regulus does the honor of turning off the lights. Regulus blows the candle, leaving the room in comfortable darkness, he slowly drifts off to sleep.
A few days pass. Regulus's mind was filled with thoughts of the letter, waiting for the much anticipated response letter. He spent those few days looking for a solution for his continuously bleeding wounds, he managed to slow down the bleeding by drinking potions, but he's still figuring out how to stop it completely.
But as he mentioned, the wounds aligning his arms are not his biggest concern at the moment, the only reason he decided to start taking potions is because changing the bandages between classes may raise suspicion and concern amongst the teachers. And the last thing he wanted to do is get sent to Madam Pomfrey and get caught.
Regulus quitely ate his breakfast while his friends sneaked him concerned glances, they noticed him constantly zoning out and deep in thought. While it is quite normal for Regulus, they also noticed him looking out of the window as if expecting something to come.
And their suspicion was confirmed as Noctua flew into the Great Hall, a box clenched in her talons. Regulus straightens up and extends his arm for Noctua to land on, untying the small black box from her feet and feeding her a piece of bacon before she flies off.
Regulus unties the ribbon around the box and opens it, the first thing he saw was a folded letter. He takes the letter and unfolds it, keeping it close to him so other students don't catch a glimpse of his letter. His grandfather is a man of a few words, but he is able to get his point across with those few words.
The pocket watch is a Portkey, meet me every weekend on times that you and your candidates are free. Click the button three times, and it shall activate.
Arcturus .O. Black
Regulus released a breath of relief before looking once more inside the box, where something silver caught his eye. A silver pocket watch rested in between velvet inside the box, the engravings adorns the cover of the watch as he pulled out the pocket watch from the velvet fabric. He clicks the watch open, and he admires the design within the glass of the watch.
A star design adorns the middle of the watch, surrounding the star was an intricate design that looks beautiful and pleasing to the eye, the end of the time needle shaped like a star just behind the sharp point. Soft clicks coming from the pocket watch can be heard, the star shaped needle moving with every second that passed.
Regulus closes the watch before clips the chain of the watch to his belt loop and shoves the watch into his pocket, along with the letter and box. A smile made its way to Regulus's lips, ignoring the confused glances from his friends.
Another step of his plan falls in line.
If you know where the watch is from, let's cry together.