Disclaimer- I don't own HP.

On Wednesday Nights

A girl entered the Gryffindor common room, and quickly walked over to where Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew were sitting around the blazing fire. The girl tapped Lily on the shoulder, and whispered something in her ear. Lily nodded and stood up, telling the Marauders that she'd be back later, ignoring their curious looks. She slipped out of the common room, and found Regulus Black waiting for her.

"Lily." Regulus greeted.
Lily smiled. "Hello, Regulus."
"Shall we go?" Regulus suggested. Lily nodded, and they started to wander away from the Fat Lady's keen gaze.

"I heard that you stopped Severus from hexing James and Sirius. Thank you."

"I didn't do it for you." Regulus said sharply. They went around a corner and waited for a staircase to come around. "I did it for my own benefit."

Lily grinned. "Slytherin through and through, hmm."

"Contrary to popular belief, I do care about my brother." They stepped onto the staircase, and walked down.

"I already knew that. You can't really stop caring about your family, even if they're absolutely horrible." Lily sighed, a distant look in her eyes.

"I doubt that." Regulus tickled the pear on the painting of fruit, and held it open for Lily to walk through to the kitchens. "Sirius seems to absolutely loathe Mother."

"Touché." Lily conceded. Lily conjured a table and two chairs, whilst the House Elves set up the table with table linen, before they served the pair their usual Wednesday night meal, which was a pea and ham risotto, along with two, tall glasses of butterbeer.

They sat down, and spread their linen napkins over their laps. "Sirius loves you, you know." Lily said softly.

"Then why doesn't he prove it. He refuses to even speak to me in the halls, and I'm supposed to think that he cares about me?" Regulus stabbed at the rice with his fork, and then scooped some up and put it in his mouth.

"He does it to protect you." Lily took a sip of her butterbeer.

"That's bullshit."

"Language." Lily said absent-mindedly. "He knows that if you're seen talking to him that you'll be shunned. All he wants is for you to be safe."

"There are plenty of excuses for him talking to me," Regulus snarled. "He just didn't want to. Couldn't bear to talk to a Slytherin."

Lily decided to change the subject. "How have your classes been? Eugh, O.W.L's. I know that Slughorn's been raving about your talent with potions."

"They've been good. I got an O on my Transfiguration project."
"Brilliant! What was it on?" Lily praised him.

"How transfiguring animals into inanimate objects could be dangerous for the animal."

Lily nodded and skewered a lone pea on her fork, before popping it into her mouth. "Interesting. I was never one for Transfiguration. Horrible at it. But in my fifth year, I did the project in a pair with Remus Lupin on the difference between werewolf transformations and animagus transformations."

"I thought about doing it on something like that, but I decided that it was a bit unoriginal."

Lily ignored the jab and ate some more risotto. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"I've been asked to join… them." Regulus said softly.

Lily clenched her glass of butterbeer tightly. "Have you replied?"

Regulus nodded slowly.

Lily closed her eyes. "What did you say?"

"Yes."

Lily's eyes flew open. "Why?"

"I have no other choice."

"There's always a choice."
"Not for something like this." Regulus said desolately.

Lily took hold of Regulus' hand. "Regulus… Promise me something."

He nodded for her to continue.

"Promise me that if you're ever in any danger from anyone, or if you want to leave the Death Eaters, come to me. After graduation, James and I are moving in together. You can come and stay with us, or even Sirius. We'll protect you. Dumbledore could protect you."

"I can't promise you that." Regulus said evenly.

"Why the hell not?" Lily growled, showing a rare moment of anger.

"Because I refuse to put you in danger."

Lily sighed. "Okay. Fine. Then promise me that you'll at least try not to get hurt."

"I promise." Lily leant back, letting go of his hand, satisfied with his response.

"Where do you think she goes every Wednesday night?" James asked the rest of the boys curiously.

"She's going to meet her secret lover." Sirius said sarcastically.

James' eyes widened in panic. "You don't think she is?"

"Of course not. Lily's not that kind of girl. And she's been leaving every Wednesday night since third year." Remus said disapprovingly. "Look, mate, if you're that worried, check the map."

James took the map out of his pocket immediately and said the password, before tapping it with his wand. He searched for his girlfriend's dot in all the common places –Library, Great Hall, Black Lake, ect- but couldn't find it. He then checked everywhere else, until she was finally discovered in the Kitchens.

"She knows about the Kitchen's?" Sirius said confusedly, as he'd been looking over James' shoulder. "Wait- is that Regulus?"

"It is! Get the cloak. We're going on a trip to the Kitchen's."

"Remember when we first started these dinners?" Lily grinned at the memory.

Regulus nodded. "Oh yes. I remember very clearly."

"Black, Regulus." Professor McGonagall called out.

A little boy who was the spitting image of a young Sirius Black walked confidently up to the stool, and out the Sorting Hat on his head.

About half a minute later, the Hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!", and the Slytherin's all cheered.

Regulus cast an uncertain look at his stony-faced brother, but then went and sat at the Slytherin table.

"Sirius!" Regulus cried out in the hallway, a giant grin spread across his face. "Sirius! Can you believe it? I'm at Hogwarts!"

Sirius slowly turned around. "Why'd you do it Reg?"

Regulus frowned confusedly. "What?"

"Why did you go into Slytherin? Why not Gryffindor? Or even Ravenclaw? Hell, I'd take Hufflepuff over Slytherin!"

Regulus' chin quivered. "I couldn't choose Sirius. You get sorted into the house that you're best suited for."

"You could have tried harder!" Sirius cried. "You could've tried to persuade the Sorting Hat!"

"What's going on here?" Lily came up behind Sirius.

"That's none of your business, Evans."

Lily glanced at Regulus and frowned. "It becomes my business when you're about to make a first year cry."

"Go away Evans, you're not wanted here." Sirius barked.

"No Black, it's you that's not wanted here." Lily said sternly. "C'mon kid,"

"Regulus." Regulus supplied.

"Regulus, then. Why don't we go and have some Hot Chocolate." Lily smiled at him.

Regulus nodded uncertainly. "Okay."

That was how their Wednesday night dinner's started. While they drank their Hot Chocolate, Regulus found himself telling the kind Gryffindor all kinds of things. How he thought that Sirius hated him, how he didn't want to believe that Muggleborn's were bad, how he was scared of what his cousins would do to him if they found him talking to a Muggleborn.

Regulus had timidly stood in-front of the Gryffindor portrait hole for the second time. He'd enjoyed the redhead's company, and had wanted to talk again.

"Excuse me," A boy said to Regulus. "do you need some help?"

"Yes, actually. Could you please get Lily Evans for me?" Regulus requested politely. The boy nodded and disappeared into the common room.

Minutes later, Lily came out of the common room with a soft smile on her face. "I take it that we're having dinner then."

Regulus blushed a little. "I don't mean to impose."

"It's fine. Why don't we go to the Kitchens again? I hear that the House Elves make an exquisite risotto." Lily said temptingly.

"Whatever you want." said Regulus shyly.

"Let's go then."

"Those were good times." Lily reminisced.

Lily and Regulus' heads whipped around when they heard the portrait door open. They exchanged panicked looks, and Regulus ducked underneath the table. But nobody entered.

"Strange." Lily commented. "No one came in." Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "You can come up, Regulus." Regulus slipped into his seat again.

"I think that I'm ready for dessert. How about you?" Regulus asked.

"Yum. I'm pretty sure the House Elves made Bread and Butter pudding." Lily tapped one of the elves on the shoulder, and politely asked for and received their pudding.

"Regulus…"

"Yes Lily?"

"Are you sure you have no choice?" Lily asked desperately. "You're fifteen for Merlin's sake. You're too young."

Regulus looked troubled. "Lily, you know that I don't. And don't you dare tell Sirius about this."

Lily frowned. "You're right. And I won't tell Sirius. You have my word."

"I have to go. My friends will be wondering where I am." Regulus finished off his pudding, and then stood up, before he gave Lily a hug. "Don't worry about me Lily. I'll be fine."

But Lily gave him a doubtful look. "Whatever you say Reg. Whatever you say."

~1979~

Lily crossed her ankles as she waited in the cute little coffee shop that Regulus was supposed to be meeting her at. She'd picked a table near the bar that gave her a good view of the whole café. Mad-eye Moody at really gotten onto them to be more cautious. Poor Benjy Fenwick had gotten jumped as he came out of a night club a few nights ago. Lily had lied to James, saying that she was going shopping with Alice Longbottom. He had given her a searching, almost hurt look, before nodding. It was almost like he knew exactly what was going on.

"Hey Lily! Meeting that boy here again?" Eddie, the bartender called out.

"Yep."

"I think that he's too young for you, just so you know," Eddie said with a grin. "If you want someone who's a bit older, then you know where to find me."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm married, Eddie." She wiggled her fingers at him, showing off her wedding ring.

"So you say."

Lily grinned. "Can I just have my coffee? The usual, thanks."

"Sure thing."

A few minutes later, Lily's usual flat white was set onto the table. She wrapped her hands around the cup to warm them up, and frowned. Where was Regulus? Usually he was very punctual. It was unlike him to be late for anything.

Half an hour later, Lily was still sitting at that same table, anxiously tapping her foot. She was getting worried now. Regulus would never stand her up. They'd been meeting for years, why would he stop now?

"Still hasn't shown up?" Eddie said sympathetically.

Lily stood up, her chair squeaking against the floor. "Something's wrong." She set some money down onto the bar for her coffee, and strode out of the café, not even saying goodbye to Eddie. She found an alleyway to leave from, and apparated away.

She stumbled to a stop in Regulus' apartment. Usually she'd knock, but she needed to know what had happened to him. She entered his bedroom, and frowned at the state of it. There were dozens of books stacked everywhere, on his desk in his open wardrobe, on the windowsill. She picked up a book and glanced at the title. The Magic of Horcruxes, by A. T Lestrange. She frowned. What was a horcrux? And why was Regulus researching them? Lily gingerly put the book back down, and went into the kitchen. Pinned on his notice board, was a piece of parchment with one word on it.

Goodbye.
It was written in Regulus' hand.

She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. A tear ran down her cheek, followed by more. Soon, she was full out sobbing. She wished that Regulus would walk through the door, look at her oddly, and then ask why she was crying. But she knew, deep in her heart, that he wouldn't. That he was gone. Forever. She could barely get up to apparate away. But she managed.

She arrived in the cosy little apartment that she and James lived in, and collapsed onto a chair at the kitchen table, head buried in her arms. She looked up as an owl flew through the open window, and recognised it as Archimedes, Regulus' owl. Her bloodshot eyes lit up with hope as she tore open the envelope that was in the owl's talons.

Lily,

I'm scared. So, so scared.

I found something that could kill the Dark Lord. He's made horcruxes. He's hidden bits of his soul in inanimate objects. I've gone to destroy one. Don't try to find me. It's too late.

If you're getting this letter, it means that I've died in my attempt. Lily, I love you like a sister. Please, tell Sirius that I'm gone. Tell him what I did. Maybe now he'll forgive me for not being the brother that he wanted. I've given Kreacher instructions to transfer all of my money into his vault at Gringotts. Tell Dumbledore about the horcruxes. He needs to know.

Lily, I know that I've done the right thing. By doing this, I've made up for at least one of the many mistakes I have made in my life. Thank you for being my friend. You've helped me in so many ways…

Lily, I'm scared. I'm so, so scared. I'm a Slytherin, not a Gryffindor. I don't want to die. I'm afraid for you. Stay safe. Keep my brother safe. Make sure that he doesn't do something rash.

I'll always be with you Lily. And with Sirius too. I hope that I don't see you soon.

Regulus A. Black

She could almost imagine him, sitting at the table, hurriedly scrawling this down. A tear slipping down his cheek, looking up every few seconds, making sure that there was no one else in the room.

She fell to the ground, shaking as she was racked with big, heart-breaking sobs, clutching the letter to her chest, murmuring the word no again and again.

I'm wondering whether or not to make this a two-shot and do a chapter where Regulus and Lily meet again up in Heaven. Thoughts? R&R?

Love,

Silvs