I’m a wizard?
june 16th, 1980
he couldn’t tell Allias about anything he was doing, Regulus hated it. it felt as if he was the only one that would care to listen right now, but he didn’t want to put the poor boy in danger.
and Allias did listen, even to Regulus’s fake story about ‘graduation stress’, he was a good liar (how could it be any different, growing up in the Black family) but he took Allias for the kind to see right trough lies. yet even if he did, he didn’t say anything about it.
Sirius had called a couple of times, he sounded happy. which felt unlike him, seeing as where he was stationed at the moment. Remus loved it out there, he enjoyed the peace.
and then there was the horcrux hunt.
the search was long, and tiring. But Regulus knew it needed to happen, no one else would start it. no one else was even in the position to start, they all had something to lose, if something were to go wrong.
at this point, Regulus was a hundred percent sure it had to be something with Slytherin. either something in the chamber, or the locket.
searching for the locket was the save way to go, he was consistently wearing the copy around his neck — serving as a physical reminder that this was his thing. no one was allowed to take this from him.
this might even be his only chance to be the hero.
though the feeling of despair would not fade away thinking about the day he had to actually find it. he had wanted to reach out to McGonnagal a couple of times, in order to get a conversation with the headmaster — but Dumbledore would most certainly not allow him to do it on his own.
the only person he would trust to converse with about this, was Remus. he would not try and take his shine. Regulus did not wait a minute longer, and stepped into the fire.
the livingroom was cozy. small, but cozy. it reminded him of the Potter’s livingroom. which was, thinking about it, probably the inspiration.
“holy mother of God, Regulus, what in Godric’s name are you doing here?” Sirius screeched from behind him, making him turn. Sirius smiled at, took some steps towards him and wrapped him in a, slightly unexpected, hug.
his hair was longer, and he appeared to have grown some facial hair. Sirius looked older than he did the last time Regulus had seen him, maybe it was because of all the worrying about the war. Sirius never wanted to speak about it.
“i need to see Remus.” Regulus said with a serious expression, letting the happy glance fade away. Sirius seemed to understand though, as he stepped aside and showed him the way. walking behind him as he led him to the kitchen.
the kitchen was like the livingroom; small and cozy. Remus was sitting on the countertop, taking notes on a notepad as a book was flying over his head.
“Rem,” Sirius coughed. “visitor.”
Remus turned his head up, his lips turning into a faint smile as he jumped off the counter. Remus looked the same as he always had, but he had the same glow as Sirius had over him; both of them looked as if they had aged years in a couple of months.
“Regulus! what brings you here?” he sounded happy yet a sense of worry shone through his words. it wasn’t strange, seeing as both he and Sirius realized that Regulus wasn’t the kind to just ‘come over’ without announcing it.
“it’s serious, i’m sorry to just barge inhere but —”
“no need to explain,” Sirius said, “Remus do me a favor and give our guest something to drink.” walking out of the small kitchen and closing the door behind him.
“he has turned into Euphemia, i’m telling you.” Regulus chuckled at that, uncomfortably sitting himself down on one of the kitchen chairs; he never liked inviting himself.
“what did you want to talk to me about?” Remus asked without looking at him, turning on the kettle, “tea?”
Regulus nodded. “i didn't know who else to come to, and you have to promise not to tell anyone.”
“you know i can’t promise such thing.”
“you’re gonna have to. i’m going to do this, with or without your help.” Regulus stated. “doing it with your help might just increase my chances of surviving, though.”
Remus sighed, shaking his head and setting down two yellow cups in front of them. “fine.”
“not even Sirius.”; Regulus knew he had to mention that, just incase.
“fine.”
Remus took one of the cups, setting it to his lips. “Regulus, you’re scaring me with your whole ‘survival’ thing. what in God’s name are you planning to do?”
“you know how, in one of my first meetings of the order, i think, someone said this thing—”
“what thing?”
“this thing about Horcrux—”
Regulus didn’t even get to finish his sentence before Remus jumped up, dropping his cup on the floor.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” he yelled, protesting with his hands like a french man behind a steering wheel. “WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU COULD DO THAT? THAT WE COULD DO THAT?”
“Remus, please.” Regulus sighed. “i’m sure we could do it! i did some research already, and it shouldn’t be that hard!”
Remus stared at him with his mouth open, as if he was about to cry. Regulus didn’t know why, it was not as if he was the one in danger.
“no one else is going to do anything about it.” Regulus muttered. “what do you plan on doing in this war? just sit and wait until its over?” he shrugged. “if no one’s doing anything, its never going to be over.”
“how dare you…” Remus said, shrugging as well. “people are fighting! WE are fighting! I AM FIGHTING!”
“i don’t see anyone doing things to get to the root of the problem!” Regulus started raising his voice.
he’d always hated that. it made him sound like his mother.
“no one’s doing ANYTHING about Voldemort!”
Remus grabbed his own hair, walking towards the window and standing still in front of it. it was quiet.
“what do you even plan on doing?” he said eventually. “it’s going to be impossible to find, and even if you would — what would you do with it? keep it as a souvenir for your heroic deeds?”
those last words awakened something in him. Regulus grabbed the fake locket from under his shirt and threw it on the table.
“THAT.”
“that?” Remus said skeptically.
“WHY, WHY, WOULD THIS JUST LAY AROUND MY HOUSE IF IT DIDN’T MEAN ANYTHING?”
Remus stepped closer to look at it. “is that Slytherin’s locket?”
“what else would it be?!” Regulus felt as if he was losing his sanity. “it’s not the real one, clearly, but it’s got to be something!”
Remus looked at him, grabbing the locket and looking at it with doubt in his eyes. Regulus stood meaninglessly in the middle of the room, looking at the locket as well.
“what makes you think that?” Remus sounded calmer now, as if he were actually considering.
“well,” Regulus started. “we have to start at the beginning, right? we don’t know much about Voldemort, except for him being a proud Slytherin. right?”
Remus nodded. Regulus sat back down and took a sip of his tea, the heat of the porcelain burning into his hands.
“my… family…” Regulus hated calling them that. “you know what they are like.” Remus nodded again. “they are Voldemort’s most honest followers! it’s only logical for them to know things.”
the two looked at each other. now came the most important part.
“and i remember being a kid, and having the actual locket displayed. until one day it wasn’t!” Remus frowned. “I remember asking where it went, because well, it’s not something to just ‘give away’, you know?”
Remus just nodded, he didn’t even ask anything.
“I asked my mother, because she would at least answer me. and she said something along the lines off ‘there’s people who need it more than us’.” Regulus swallowed. “and uh, let’s just say my mother wasn’t just the kind of person to give people things.”
Remus stared at him in consideration.
he had promised not to tell anyone. Regulus was sure that he believed him, Remus usually kept his promises.
Remus had also spoken highly of Dumbledore. Regulus could also see why, but he did not believe the headmaster one bit. Remus believed that Dumbledore would be able to help him, Regulus did not agree.
he was back in the ‘comfort’ of his own home, having declined the dinner invitation he had gotten from the two. its not that he didn’t want to stay over, but he did not want to be anymore of a burden than he already had been.
now he was stuck eating some cardboard tasting soup in a kitchen that was colder than his own parents.
the clouds outside were grey, despite it being summertime. that reflected his mood, that was, strangely still as somber as it had been before. even if he had now officially gotten help!
he hadn’t talked to Allias in a while. nor had he heard anything from Barty, the last he had seen anything from him was two weeks after school ended. Evan still send him a letter sometimes, and even though Regulus didn’t always respond, he kept sending them. Regulus appreciated that.
instead of sitting in his room, feeling guilty about not being honest to one of the only people that might actually care about him, Regulus got up the courage to dial Allias’ phone number. the truth needed to get out once and for all.
after Regulus had told him that it was a serious cause, Allias invited him over so they could talk about it in peace.
so there he stood; in front of the door to Allias’ appartement. Regulus knocked swiftly, and the door was answered not soon after — revealing Allias, who’s face looked calm as ever.
“come in!” he said cheerily, stepping aside so Regulus could swoop in. “you want somethin’ to drink?”
Regulus shook his head. “no thank you.” he smiled softly.
they sat down on his sofa, Allias got up to put on some record in the back — Regulus could hear the soft tones on one of ‘the pointer sisters’ start to play. the other boy threw himself on the sofa again.
“i need you to know i’m not on like, drugs, or something.”
“hu?”
Regulus paused, and tried not to burst out in laughter — a combination of Allias’ confused face and what was about to come out of his mouth.
“i’m a wizard…?”
it came out stupid, doubtful. as if he wasn’t even sure he was. it sounded dumb too.
Allias fell quiet, frowning like someone had just told him they were a wizard. huh, that sounds familiar.
“what do you mean: ‘i’m a wizard’?” he paused. “Reggie, what the fuck have you taken?”
“i know it sounds crazy, okay?” Regulus tried not to laugh, seeing as this was actually a serious cause. “have you actually noticed what my name is? what muggle names their child ‘Regulus’?”
“muggle?” Allias stared at him with eyes like he was seeing a ghost, or something.
“you’ll learn that later,” Regulus stopped. “listen, i’m not joking! i’m being one hundred thousand percent for real.”
“cool.”
“cool?!” Regulus asked. “you’re not like ‘AAAAA GET AWAY FROM ME!’?” he started swinging his arms (like the previously mentioned French man behind the wheel), but Allias just laughed.
“i kinda dig it.” he grinned. Regulus didn’t.“what? you’re gonna hocus pocus simsalabim me?”
Regulus hit his shoulder and looked away to laugh, as did Allias, who let out a chuckle.
“no, but seriously; how?”