The end of year 1
March 15,1973
Hogwarts
It had been a month since the incident and Grace hadn’t let Regulus out of her sight unless they were sleeping, even then she woke up with nightmares of Regulus’s body being slammed against the wall. She would crawl over to Ari who was usually awake for the same reasons and they’d sleep together comforted by the sound of their alive, heavy breathing. Sol had been punished, no one knew how, but to be fair no one knew much about the situation aside from the fact that they had all been poisoned, no one really cared what had happened to Regulus.
Regulus would leave the dorm room early and get in late so that he could avoid all contact with Sol, he hadn’t been able to talk to Snape for just letting Sol knock him out, Tiberius was just confused that all his friends had stopped talking to one another.
Grace walked into the great hall noticing Remus wasn’t there again, he wouldn’t be there once a month and she had only recently noticed it, either he had a migraine, or the stomach flu, but Sirius had always seemed on edge when he was gone.
“Reg, eat”she sighed, pushing a bowl of oatmeal towards him.
“Mm not hungry”he groaned, resting his head in his arms.
“Did you sleep last night?”she asked,adding cinnamon to his oatmeal
“Sol got in late, so I got in later”he yawned his black hair splaying on the table.
“A little bit ok?”she insisted
“Ok, can you pass me the cinnamon”he said grabbing a spoon
“Already put it in”she said grabbing a bowl for herself
“Oh, thanks”he smiled, realizing she noticed how he took his breakfast
“Have you seen Remus?”she said, his smile faded and he took a bite of his oatmeal.
“I dunno, ask Sirius”he said shoving down another spoonful
“I haven’t thanked him yet, for what he did on Valentines”she added
“What’d he do?”
“Protected me i guess, while I was trying to get to you”
“Oh”
“Oh?”
“Nothing, I didn't know Remus was there.”
“He made sure your mom didn’t find out.”
“He did?”
“Yeah”
“Oh”
April 8,1973
“I'm still mad at you” Grace dropped her bag onto the desk and took out her potion book.
“I know” Severus handed her a cauldron and returned to his own across the room.
“I'm only here because I missed this lesson waiting for Reg to wake up”she sneered at him, flipping the pages of her book aggressively.
“What do you want me to say Grace, I'm sorry?”he asked
“Whatever, what do I need first.”
“There’s two vials already on your desk, add them slowly using a 1 to 1 ratio.”
They both worked in silence, Grace was still furious, her nightmares had subsided but every now and then she remembered how Severus had just watched as Regulus’s small body slammed into the wall.
“I didnt know what to do”
“Whatever Severus”
“Do you think Lily hates me?” Her jaw dropped at the question, after what he did he was still so caught up on what Lily thought.
“Look Severus, Lily does not like you like that, she doesn’t know about what happened but if she did im sure she’d stop talking to you entirely, she wouldn't respect someone who abandons their friends”, he stared at her in silence and she watched tears well up in his eyes as he stormed out of the room.
“What did you say to Snape?” Remus walked into the room rubbing his shoulder
“The truth”she sighed adding more things to her cauldron
“Mind if we talk?” He asked taking the seat next to her
“Yea what's up” she smiled
“Look, you’re an amazing friend Grace and-“
“Oh god, are you turning me down?”she interrupted
“Um”
“It’s ok Remus”
“No wait, yes. But let me talk first”he sighed palming his hand to his face
“Ok ok”she giggled
“You’re an amazing friend and you’re really pretty and all but, i can’t see you that way, i wish i could but i can’t” There was an unbearable silence following what he had said, she had stared at him in confusion for several minutes before gathering the courage to ask what had been on her mind.
“Why are you really sick every month?”her eyes narrowed and she watched as he immediately became uncomfortable
“Um, i get sick, this, this has nothing to go with that Grace”he nervously replied trying to keep a straight face.
“You get sick every month?”she pushed again
“Grace, what are you implying”he groaned hanging his head
“I don’t know yet, but i will, and by the way Remus, we’re still friends, always will be ok?”she smiled and packed up her potion and left the room.
“Bloody slytherin”he sighed, allowing his heart to return to its natural pace.
May 2,1973
Hogwarts field
They all sat under the tree by the lake again, Sirius, Remus,Regulus,Lily, Ari ,James and Peter. Lily was the only one who hadn’t known what really happened but they had all agreed she didn't need to know. Regulus and Sirius were asleep on each other while Lily and Remus were desperately trying to help Ari, Peter and James with muggle history homework. She felt calmer than she had in months just sitting under the tree with her friends, Sol hadn’t talked to them and Regulus had finally allowed himself to enter his dorm when he pleased but still wasn’t sleeping well, the few times he would sleep would be here under the tree.Grace stayed vigilant with Remus, there was something about him that she needed to figure out,he got nervous when she pressured him about being sick, no he wasn’t nervous he was scared, part of her was a little upset that Remus had friend zoned her but if there was a reason other than him not liking her like that, she had to find it. Sirius started snoring which consequently woke Regulus up who slowly lifted his head from his brother's shoulder and moved over to Grace.
“You’re exhausted”she said looking at Regulus who was rubbing his eyes awake.
“Mhm”he mumbled, beginning to yawn.
“Oh come here”she scowled, gesturing to her shoulder, he looked at her shoulder and hesitated to move towards it but eventually his eyes were closing against his will and he decided to tuck his head into her shoulder.
“Night Gray” he mumbled again falling asleep
“Gray?” She asked
“I think it suits you better than Grace, it’s more badass”he smiled
“Ok then, goodnight Reggie” she giggled
“Reggie?”
“I think it suits you better than Regulus, it’s less badass”
June 28,1973
It was the last day at Hogwarts until September, Regulus and Grace had packed the day before so that they could spend their last day doing whatever they wanted. Sirius and Remus had also packed but stayed behind in the Gryffindor common room helping James and Peter pack. Lily had gone to sit in on a 5th year potions class with Severus and Ari was busy with Tomas, it had surprised her how long they had stayed together, but he truly seemed head over heels for her. So for that day it was just Regulus and Grace. They sat alone in the common room since everyone else was either busy packing their things, eating breakfast or still asleep.
“How was it?” Regulus asked Grace after an awkward silence had arisen between them
“What?”
“Your first year here”
“Good, I liked it, aside from, some things, but I met Ari and Remus, and James,Peter, Mary and Marlene, and I met you.”she smiled, she had quickly realized Regulus would be her best friend at Hogwarts,he understood her in a way Ari didn’t, and she liked to think she understood him.
“I’m glad I met you”he smiled back
“You’re sure you won’t be able to write?”she asked, remembering how the previous breaks had been like.
“I’ll find a way”
“You’ll tell me everything that happens right, every detail?”
“Everything”
They spent the day running through Hogwarts trying to gather up their friends before dinner hoping to find something to do.
“Oye guys, over here!” Sirius shouted slowly opening a broom closet
“Sirius quiet down we’ll get caught!” James whispered giving Sirius a solid smack in the neck
“Ow Potter”he groaned
“What are you guys up to?”Grace asked dragging Regulus into the closet
“Bloody hell it’s too dark in here”grimaced Remus “Lumos” a small light emitted from his wand showing where they were.
Sirius, James, Peter and Remus were all holding brooms and James and Sirius had on their quidditch jerseys. Quidditch brooms surrounded them along with extra Quaffles and bludgers
“Bloody hell” smiled Regulus grabbing a broom
“Go ahead take one” smiled Sirius at Grace
“I don’t know how to fly it”she said
“Then we’re teaching you tonight”he said sneaking out of the closet
“Come on everyone’s at dinner we got the quidditch pitch empty”
“Fine I’m coming” she grabbed a broom and followed the rest of the boys
They made their way to the quidditch pitch and started their own game. James,Regulus and Peter started up while Sirius had Grace get on his broom and fly her up.
“No no no this is horrible no get me down!” Grace screamed holding on to Sirius waist
“Calm down you’re safe” laughed Sirius, she could feel his chest rise as she clung on to him.
“Relax your shoulders and open your eyes, it’s nice, i promise” he said again
She slowly relaxed and opened her eyes, she saw Regulus smiling at her while he whipped past her followed by Peter while he threw a bludger at James, they had let go of rules and were just flying around and playing whatever they felt like. She continued holding on to Sirius as tightly as she could, he smiled at her while he zoomed up circling James.
“Wanna join the team with Reg next year?” Asked Sirius
“Reg is joining?” She asked
“Course look at him”he said gesturing to Regulus, he moved fast and elegantly like he always had but it was smoother on a broom.
“I don’t know how to fly”she said
“I’ll teach you this summer” yelled James “Lily too.” He said
“Fine, maybe” she smiled and enjoyed the rest of the night circling the field with the boys.