January 15th 1980
It had been three months, two hours, and five minutes since Regulus had survived destroying the Horcrux and he wishes he hadn't. He wishes that his survival instincts hadn't kicked in, he wishes he doesn't know what the hands of inferi felt like, he wishes he didn't survive to tell the tale, he wishes he didn't survive to make this group of people join him in war when they have a much higher chance with Voldemort and Dumbledore. He sometimes wonders why they have.
It's now early January and Regulus finally found a safe house for them to go to. He has already put all the wards and protective spells on it so it's safe to go to, all he needs to do is tell everyone else. The only problem is that he can't bring himself to get up and talk to anyone except Pandora. It's been like this ever since Pandora agreed to join him in war; Regulus told Pandora how he doesn't want to talk to anyone except them sometimes and so they make sure he doesn't have to; he told her how he can't bring himself to get up some days so they lay down on the floor with him and read while Regulus lays his head in their lap and tries to remember why he is still doing this. It's the same today but Regulus needs to tell everyone so he decides to ask Pandora.
He's laying his head in Pandora's lap and feeling the cloth of their pants in between his fingers, he often fidgets with Pandora's clothing or jewelry when they wear jewelry, but he only does when no one else is around. "Hey Pans" He says quietly. They hummed in response and closed their book, setting it down on the ground. "I was wondering if you could help me get everyone for a meeting"
"Reg, what is it you want to tell them? I know you don't want to talk today so let me" Pandora says running their hand through Regulus's hair.
"No, it's fine Panda, I can do it, I need to do it" Regulus says standing up.
"If you say so" Pandora stands up and walks down the hall to Sirius and Remus's room where everyone currently is.
Regulus turned around when he heard Narcissa clear her throat. "Hi baby star, what's wrong?" She was leaning over the back of the couch looking at Regulus with a concerned look on his face and to say Regulus couldn't lie he met he couldn't lie. Narcissa has this ability to look through people, Regulus knows this because he got it from her.
"I just need to talk to everyone, that's all. I found us a safe house a couple weeks ago and I already have the wards and protective spells on it and everything, I just need to tell everyone" Regulus said with an even colder edge to his tone than usual. He often does that when talking to Narcissa because he's scared she will see through him, he already knows she has but he prefers to pretend like she hasn't.
"Excuse me? You found a safe house weeks ago and are telling us now?" Lily said from the hall and Regulus quickly turned to look and everyone was standing in the hall.
"Did you want to stay in a safe house with no protective spells? Because if you did, I would've told you right away" Regulus replied in a cold tone. He doesn't have the patience to deal with Lily right now. He sometimes wishes he didn't hate her because they could get along well, but Regulus feels jealous of her; Jealous of her red hair, jealous of her green hair that James gets lost in, jealous how she is friends is his brother, and jealous that she can be comfortable in the body she is in when Regulus isn't comfortable with the body he is in.
"If you had told us that you had a safe house the protective spells would've been up in a day" Lily says in a very irritated voice, it's obvious she's upset about this but Regulus doesn't care.
"They were up in a day, I just chose not to tell you guys yet" It was true, Regulus had gotten the spells up in a day because he isn't an amateur, the others being there just would've slowed things down.
Lily took a step forward, but Mary grabbed her arm and looked at Regulus, it was obvious she was more forgiving of most things. "Thank you for telling us Regulus, I'm sure you had a reason for not telling us sooner and that's fine. When will we be leaving?"
Those words were so small, yet they hit Regulus like a brick. 'You had a reason for not telling us and that's fine' if it were Regulus's parents they would've pushed and pushed until Regulus told them and if the answer wasn't good enough, they would push and push until Regulus was a weeping mess covered in his own blood. "As soon as everyone has their things ready" Regulus said without a crack in his voice, though it was hard.
Mary nodded and pulled Lily away to go get their things. They had all gotten another pair of clothing from Sirius and Remus and some had jewelry or accessories. Everyone left to go get their things and so did Regulus.
It was only about half an hour and then they all left with their things. Remus and Sirius had the most things and had to use a minimizing spell on some of their stuff. When they got to the safe house there was already some furniture. There was a dining room, a kitchen, a living room, a bathroom and enough bedrooms for everyone to have their own rooms. This house was big, yes, but with the wards it looks smaller on the outside.
Everyone first went to the living room and gathered for another meeting. "You guys can pick whatever rooms you want, you can share a room or don't, I don't care. There is seven bedrooms upstairs and six downstairs, there is bathrooms downstairs, on this floor and upstairs so three bathrooms in total. If people do end up sharing rooms, then the extra room or rooms will be used as training rooms. We all went to Hogwarts, yes, but we can always get better. Go find your rooms and in an hour we will all meet back up here and talk about our game plan" Regulus said in what sounded a mix of cold and bored. He was bored, yes, but there were still things to do.
Everyone left to go find rooms. Regulus went downstairs along with Narcissa, Alice, Pandora, Dorcas, and surprisingly James. All rooms had the same layout and were the same size so there wasn't any fighting on who got what room. Narcissa got the room closest to the stairs, Alice got the room closest to Narcissa, Regulus got the next room closest to Narcissa, Pandora got the room closest to Regulus and James got the room closest to Pandoras.
Regulus had already put beds in each room, they were all canopy beds but knowing all of these people they would probably transfigure the beds into the type they wanted. Regulus set down his bag; it had the clothes Sirius had given him when Regulus came over three months ago asking for help and took a shower, and the clothes he wore to the death eater meeting. Regulus doesn’t know why Sirius had a green sweater but he was glad Sirius had something Regulus liked enough to wear. There were dressers, nightstands, and closets in each room so everyone had plenty of room and if they needed more they could transfigure something, Regulus really does not care.
He begins to put his small amount of clothing away and then falls down onto his bed. These beds were really comfortable, but he couldn’t sleep. Why does Regulus have to be the one to have all these responsibilities? It’s unfair, though he did put this on himself. The hour passed quickly since Regulus was fighting sleep so he was able to close his eyes but not fall asleep. He went out of his room and up to the living room where everyone already was, great.
Regulus stood in front of them all. Remus was sitting on the arm chair with Sirius draped across him, James, Narcissa, Frank and Alice were sitting on the floor leaning their backs against the couch, Lily, Mary, Marlene and Dorcas were all sitting on the couch, Evan was sitting on the loveseat with Barty on his lap and Pandora sitting next to them.
Regulus clasped his hands behind his back. “Hello Frank and Alice welcome officially to the team, I know it’s been three months and you guys have been staying with us and it’s only now that you guys are officially in the team but I don’t care” He turned his attention off of Frank and Alice and addressed the rest of the group. “We need to start having gameplans because it’s 1980 and I know Voldemort was putting some of his plans in action this year. To the people who are pretending to be on Dumbledore’s side, have you guys figured out anything?”
Sirius gasps and almost falls out of Remus’s lap but Remus catches them with his knee. “Thank you moons” Sirius said then looked at Regulus. “Dumbledore is sending out Aurors for death eaters meaning you guys pretending to be death eaters are going to be in trouble”
“Which Aurors?” Regulus does not like the idea of his friends being in danger. He’d never admit it to them because sometimes he doesn’t realize it himself, but his friends are his real family. Sirius had run away, Barty and Evan are now his brothers, Andromeda got disowned, Pandora is now his cousin, his parents are abusive blood purists, Dorcas is now his mother. It’s a group effort really.
“Me, Frank and Alastor Moody are the ones I was informed about” Alice said.
Narcissa looked at Alice. “He was planning on making you kill death eaters and you didn’t tell me?” Alice shook her head, and Narcissa looked like she could kill.
“Both of you stop, you can figure out your drama later, right now we are making sure we don’t die so shut the fuck up. Fortescue, what do you know about Moody?” Regulus hated being rude to Narcissa but he had to.
“He doesn’t kill the people he’s fighting unless they are good, and almost kill him. He’s good at defensive spells, offensive spells, sneaking around, lying, flying, apparition, teaching, herbology, defense against the dark arts, and wandless and nonverbal magic. That's all I’ve seen him do but I know he can do much more” Alice informed, her voice was concerned.
“So he’s strong?” Alice nodded and Regulus crossed his arms, deep in thought. “What is he not good at?” Alice shrugged. “Thanks, that helps so much Fortescue” Regulus said with annoyance heavy in his voice. “Okay, here's the plan. Rosiers, yes both of you. Evan, you are good at defensive spells but I know you can get better, Pandora, you are good at making spells and potions you’ve made so many I couldn’t tell you them if you had just told me all of them. But you can get better, it’s dangerous so you need to be the best you can be. Fortescue, you need to make sure you are better than Moody, make sure you are the one who patrols most, that way if you see Evan, Barty, or me you can keep us safe. Cissa, you are good at nonverbal and wandless magic and I don’t doubt you can be better than Moody, but you have to get better. Potter, and Sirius, we will all be working on our flying, I know I’m good-”
“I’m good too” James says in a tone that’s almost as if he took offense to that.
“I don’t care, you can get better. Potter, Sirius and I will be working on flying. Barty, you are possibly the best at manipulating which means you are also good at lying, stay low under the radar with anyone and everyone who isn’t on this side of war. Lupin, you are good at Defense Against The Dark Arts, I’d know because Dorcas wouldn’t shut up about how you beat her in being top marks every year. But, you can still get better. Mckinnon, I’ve heard you’re trying to become a medi-witch, continue working on it because we are going to need someone to heal us if hurt. Evans, you and Pandora will be working on potions, I know you two are the best at potions which is why I’m asking you two to do it. Macdonald, you have many other strengths I know but I want you to work on manipulation and lying with Barty. Dorcas, you’re going to be working with Evan on defensive spells. Longbottom, I want you to work with Fortescue on being a better Auror than Moody”
“Okay, little Black listen to me,” Lily said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. “I’m not going to be taking orders from you because you haven’t done any plans that have actually gotten anywhere”
“The only plans I have done so far, Evans, is getting this safe house and getting Fortescue and Longbottom on our side. We are in the safehouse and look at the two sitting on the floor by the couch” Regulus gestured over to Alice and Frank. “You will be working on potions” He said firmly, he is not going to let Lily be the reason his plans fail. “Meeting is dismissed as long as there are no questions,” Regulus said and went downstairs, he heard everyone talking and then he heard two people running after him so he turned around.
Pandora grabbed his hand and Evan followed. “We have to talk” they said at the same time and pulled Regulus into his room.