Prologue
"We have to leave England," Regulus Black said flatly. "It's not safe for us here anymore."
"But were will we go?" Selene Debreuil asked desperately. "Your family would disown you if they knew about what you've done, and my parents are dead."
"You have family in France, don't you? An aunt?" Regulus took Selene's hand and held it in his, hoping to convince and reassure her. "We can go to her, at least until we can get our own place. I have money, we can buy a little house… but we can't stay here. The Dark Lord will find me, and he'll kill me. We have to leave."
"I haven't seen my father's sister in years," Selene argued halfheartedly. "For all we know, she'll kick us straight out. Her and my father weren't on the best of terms."
"I know, and I'm sorry that it has to come to this. But you don't understand. The Dark Lord cannot allow his Death Eaters to quit. Leaving is a death sentence, unless we can go someplace far enough away that he'll never find us."
"Then maybe we should go to Australia," Selene suggested. "France is only across the channel, after all. Or America."
"No. He'll expect that. We can find a small village, buy a house, and I'll cast a Fidelius Charm. He'll never be able to find us, then." Regulus squeezed Selene's hand. "Don't worry, love. We'll get out of this."
"Alright. I trust you. But before we leave, I want you to promise me one thing."
"Anything," Regulus said, and meant it.
"Promise me that no matter what, you'll stay with me."
"I promise."
Selene hugged Regulus, burying her head in his shoulder. "I love you," she told him, her voice muffled by his robes.
"I love you too." Regulus hugged her tight, holding on to her with all his strength. For the first time in his life, someone loved him unconditionally. It was a wonderful feeling, and he was never going to give it up.
"So, when are we leaving?" Selene asked, pulling away.
"As soon as possible. I already got all my things and took gold from my parents' Gingotts vault. Once your things are ready, we can go."
"Alright. I'll go pack, then. Are we Apparating?"
"Yes. I can't get a Portkey without the Dark Lord finding out somehow, and flying would take too long."
Selene left the room, and came back fifteen minutes later with two large trunks in her hands.
"Ready?" Regulus asked.
Selene looked around at her flat. She'd been living there for almost a year, ever since she graduated from Hogwarts and got a job at the shop below. She'd met Regulus not long after she moved in. He was a Hogwarts student in his seventh year, shopping for his mother on his Christmas break. She'd been smitten with him from the instant she saw him, even though he was nearly a year younger than her and obviously much too good for a poor orphan girl who barely managed to feed herself.
She had been delighted when he came back the next day, and when he asked her out a week later she agreed happily. She was only eighteen, and he was only seventeen, but Selene could see herself spending the rest of her life with Regulus- and he felt the same.
"I'm ready," Selene said certainly. She would happily follow Regulus to the ends of the earth.
"I love you," Regulus said again, taking Selene's hand. They stepped forward together, Apparating hand in hand into their new life.