Disclaimer: We (mysterious victoria and A Girl Called Tennessee) own absolutely squat that is related to Harry Potter and JK Rowling's world! We do however, own all of our made-up characters. :)

A/N: OMG - it's almost Christmas!!! We also basically inter-weaved the story with our ideas put into one POV, so, we both wrote the chapters because there is a mix of both mine and A Girl Called Tennessee's writing.

The Black Flight

An owl black as the night was flying in, ruffled its feathers and swooped from its perch on the top of the tallest pine tree, that sat in front of Vanessa's shack that she called a house, well she would call it a house for the time until her lover returned, to her bedroom window and tapped the glass eagerly. Vanessa sat straight up in bed; she had been expecting the owl. She had been expecting it for almost a week. She jumped from her resting spot her feet catching in the thick winter blankets and knocking her down, but she got up as if it hadn't happened and ran to unlatch the window.

The owl flew in with the addition of a cold blast of snow and wind. It stretched out its leg for her to take the message off, but it was hardly what she had expected. It was a small scrap of torn paper bearing only the short sentence, "I took it, but I don't know how far I'll get." She frowned at the piece of paper, sat down, and read it over and over again. It didn't make sense, absolutely none. Vanessa shook her head. She massaged her head and tried to think of what he meant by that. What was it? How far was he going? Where was he going to? Yet, she read it one more time. It finally made sense; she knew what the it was and his situation now. That alone was enough to scare her.

"Why did you have to do with Regulus? Why on earth did you have to do this?" Vanessa muttered to herself while forcefully putting on her gloves. Of course, that depended if you counted them as gloves. They had no finger protection whatsoever; they only covered the backs of her hands and her palms, acting less than a protection as possible as the owl nipped her finger to hurry her along with writing a reply. "I'm not replying!" she scowled opening its cage, and it puffed its feathers angrily and walked in, eyeing her not unlike it did to Regulus when he tried to send it out into the storm a few nights ago. "Miserable bird," she said locking the cage while pulling on her winter coat.

Vanessa's amber-green eyes flashed as she opened the door and ran into the snow that came to her knees and soaked her jeans through. It was her eyes that Regulus had been attracted to in the first place, and she'd quicker gouge them out before never being able to hear the sound of his voice again.

She had been in Ravenclaw, never expecting to snag the heart of a Slytherin as she walked to Care of Magical Creatures that early spring morning. She'd always been around, but he had never noticed her before that. Strange that it took almost five years for him to finally pick up on someone that he would love for the rest of his short life. His friends had said he went into sort of a trance as he gazed up the green lawn of the grounds and up to where the quiet girl whom no one had heard much out of her, had just emerged from the bridge, with a heavy sack of books hung over her shoulder.

"Do you t-think she needs help?" Regulus muttered, the words dribbling off his tongue like he couldn't form them properly. His friends shrugged and went on trying to engage him in conversation, but he wasn't listening. His black eyes fixed on the young woman. "I bet she does, I'll be . . . back . . . just wait a minute," he said practically throwing his books and bag at his friends and knocking one over, and then taking off up the hill to where she stood. "Hey, do you need some help with these?" Regulus asked, coming right up to her. The young woman with exceedingly long, curly, black hair looked up at him. She had recognized him before; she had been in plenty of his classes. She hesitated on answering though for she knew he was a Slytherin. Regulus, however, could not tear away from her eyes that he seemed to be pulling him like a magnet.
"Um, okay, thanks," she finally answered looking downward, rather shyly. Regulus came over to her other side where her sack was slung over her shoulder. She opened up the sack a little clumsily as she handed Regulus her rather small (compared to her other books) Charms book, and her slightly larger Arithmancy book. Regulus took them gladly, and the two started walking down the hill.

"So . . . where're you headed?" Regulus asked, thinking of some type of conversation to make the walk less awkward.

"Care of Magical Creatures." she replied quietly, still not looking at him.

"Oh, I have that class next too. You're in my class aren't you?" Regulus asked a little shocked he didn't even notice this before. She nodded in response. He realized that was bad move to make because she probably knew that they were in the same class, so he cleared his throat. "Well, I don't know if you know me, but I'm Regulus Black." He held out his hand for her to shake. She looked up at him, a little surprised by his notion. Yet, after a hesitation, she extended her hand and shook his.

"Vanessa. Vanessa Pennington." Vanessa said with a small smile. Regulus, rather quickly, retrieved his bag and books from the tree where he and his friends once were. His friends had gone to their classes already, which was what Regulus had hoped for. The two continued in some animated small talk as they walked down the somewhat steep, green hill, but that ceased once they came into the green house.

"Regulus," called one of his friends, in a where-the-heck-did-you-go tone, and motioned to the seat beside him.

He opened his mouth but nothing came out, so he pointed to Vanessa like she was an excuse why he wouldn't be sitting over there, then walked her to a seat near the back like she was a small child, or a blind pedestrian, purposely not walking to get his bag so they would be forced to share a book.

"Yeah, this was a smooth move on his part," thought Vanessa sloshing through the muddy soil on the path to Hogsmeade, "But there was that time where he was less than smooth, he was more like cute as he fell down the stairs into the Great Hall, but maybe that was here fault."

It had started about a week before the Christmas Ball in their sixth year; Vanessa racked her brain to remember what she had been saying to her boyfriend when he walked up.

"Hi, hi," Regulus panted wiping his brow and then waving a hand at the boy she was with, "You mind?" he said.

The boy named Ian looked disturbed by this, and by the fact that the person who had just interrupted him was wearing green robes.

"What?" Ian asked moving in front of Vanessa slightly.

"I told you to–" Regulus began, but was cut off by Vanessa.

"I'm thirsty," she said quickly.

"What?" her boyfriend asked caught off guard by this.

"I'm parched, can you get me something to drink, and I bet breakfast's still going on."

"I-I, fine . . ." Ian said shooting a look at Regulus and walking down the stairs.

"What are you doing?" she scowled after he was out of earshot looking down slightly at his face. At this point she was somewhat taller than him, but he hadn't started to grow yet.

"I just wanted to talk," he said pulling her aside.

"We did talk, don't you remember?"

"Okay, after the break-up talk, there has to be a get-back-together talk," he pleaded.

"I . . . I don't know. I'm not just about to go and break-up with my boyfriend just because you're lonely."

"But, I'm not lonely," he said before he could think about it.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Then why are you here?"

He hesitated and mumbled, "Maybe a little." She raised an eyebrow. "I am, and I miss you . . . really I do, would it help if I said sorry?" he said looking at his feet.

She bit her lip and smiled, "It might."

"Well then," he said leaning upward and kissing her on the cheek, "I'm sorry."

She blushed a violent shade of red, and sighed, "Apology accepted."

"Does this mean I can take you to the ball?"

"I think it does . . ." she said trying to shake the color from her face, "But what about–"

"I'll handle it," Regulus smiled walking up the stairs; Vanessa knew this wouldn't end very well.

Vanessa let a smile cross her face as she shook her head. It ended up going better than she had expected to say the very least. The two boys had argued, but Regulus had managed to handle it before any physical action went on. Later though, he mentioned to Vanessa that he had threatened him so badly that he had turned a sickly pale and ran from his sight. It was like him, of course. Only a week later the Christmas Ball had occurred. "What a night that was," Vanessa muttered chuckling to herself.

"For the love of Salazar, where is she?" Regulus asked running a hand through his hair while pacing in a little circle. Vanessa was never late. It was rare if she was, and right now, Regulus was becoming more worried by the second because it was only three minutes past the time Vanessa had asked Regulus to meet her. He looked worriedly back up the staircase and saw no Vanessa. Regulus went to start pacing again, but his eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette. Vanessa soon came in his sight. She was dressed in a navy blue, sleeveless gown that reached her ankles. Her dress sparkled in the dimmed light near the entrance to the Great Hall. Her curly hair was now perfectly straight and sleek which totally blew Regulus's mind. Despite the fact that he thought she was pretty to begin with, but he had never seen her this radiant with her attire, accessories and make-up. She never put on make-up before. Her diamond earrings also glittered, which made Vanessa all the more entrancing. Regulus leaned off of the wall and went up to her, still completely awestruck.

"Hi Regulus," Vanessa greeted with a warm smile.

"You look absolutely beautiful Vanessa, I-I can't even describe it in words." Regulus said quite quickly. Vanessa's cheeks turned a vibrant red very quickly.

"Thank you," Vanessa said quietly.

"Shall we?" Regulus said, holding out his arm for her to link. Vanessa turned an even brighter red while nodding.

The two went in and managed to get through the crowd towards the front, near the floor. The music started playing; the two were attentively and curiously watching the teachers dance across the floor like they had been dancing for years. Soon enough, students hesitantly made their way to the floor. So Regulus took his chance.

"Hey Vanessa, let's go." Regulus said with a smile, tugging her forward.

"No! Regulus – wait a minute!" Vanessa pleaded quietly but desperately. Regulus and Vanessa walked out onto the floor. The two went into the dance position and started dancing. Vanessa and Regulus started switching hands, feeling a little nervous at first by the touches of their hands. However, they started to relax as they continued to look at each other, especially Regulus. As the rest of the students filed out onto the floor, the music became a little faster and more upbeat despite its classical sound. Regulus had looked around to copy something off another guy because he wanted to impress Vanessa. He didn't want to let go of her anytime soon to that Ian. So, like most of the boys, if not all of the boys, who lifted their dates up in the air, Regulus did as well.

"Regulus! Merlin!" Vanessa exclaimed as she was set down. The two started spinning and doing some different dance steps. Regulus whispered with a small smile crossing his lips,

"Don't worry. I would never let you go." Vanessa flushed a bright red with a shy smile, but she quickly shook off her flush and continued to focus on not messing up her dance moves. A band that neither of them had heard of, although the group was a recent and new band, had taken the stage. They started dancing to their music, having a fantastic time letting loose their own dance moves. After four songs, Regulus and Vanessa finally decided that they danced enough for a little while and went to go get drinks.

"Here you go my love," Regulus said handing a sitting Vanessa some punch.

"Thanks," Vanessa said as Regulus sat down next to her.

"You know, three years ago, I never thought I'd be where I am right now." Regulus said as he put his arm around Vanessa's shoulders and held her close.

"I suppose I should take that as a compliment?" Vanessa asked a little confused as to why he said that then.

"Huge." Regulus replied with a smile. Vanessa looked at him, and she smiled back.

"Having fun with him are you Vanessa?" Regulus stood up and turned around violently.

"What's your problem?" Regulus sneered deadly. "I told you to stay away from her."

"Regulus, please, you don't need to–"

"Yeah, I do, just don't worry about it." Regulus tried to assure Vanessa calmly. Of course, it did not any good, but Regulus turned back to her former boyfriend, "Ian." She noticed that every bit of rancor and hatred he had inside of him spilled out with that word although Ian didn't know it, "Let's take a walk." Vanessa sat down in her seat and nervously took a sip of her drink while watching the two boys closely over her shoulder. They had started talking, and Vanessa had an assumption that they were talking about her. Vanessa quickly got up from her seat to walk over there. She was curious enough as it was, but she wasn't too sure that she wanted to hear any of that conversation when she heard Ian say,

"You know, Vanessa, good to have as a girlfriend. Very easily manipulated, for at least two months, had her believing that you were a player like your brother. And oh boy is she fun to mess around with, if you get what I mean," Vanessa was more than shocked. She was upset and angry at the same time. Regulus flared up and threw a punch, which sent Ian flying.

"Regulus!" Vanessa held back his arm from throwing another punch at Ian who was now on the floor, clutching his nose.

"Why did you do that for?" Ian asked although it sounded a little deranged and muffled because he was holding his nose.

"Because I simply don't like you. Disgusting piece of filth . . . . Let's go Vanessa," The two of them linked hands, leaving a well beyond shocked Ian on the floor. Vanessa, still hearing Ian's words, turned away from Regulus, trying not to cry as they came into the hallway. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Regulus turned her to face him again, and she was on the verge of tears. Her eyes glistened brightly. "What's wrong? Why are you upset?"

"W-what Ian said a-about me," Vanessa muttered, trying not to cry.

"Oh, don't worry about what he says," Regulus said hugging Vanessa comfortingly. "He's a piece of crap, and he does not even deserve to walk this earth to say something like that about you."

"Really?" Vanessa said looking at him.

"Yeah," Regulus said. The two looked into each other's eyes for a moment as Regulus started to lean in towards Vanessa. Due to Vanessa's long dress however, when Regulus stepped forward, he tripped and fell down. Vanessa unable to contain her laughter, started to laugh out loud.

"Regulus," She helped him up, and Regulus looked rather embarrassed with a bit of redness in his face.

"Thanks," Regulus muttered.

"No problem, let's go dance. It's the last dance of the night."

Vanessa's arms wrapped around Regulus's neck loosely, and Regulus's hands were on her waist. Vanessa head rested upon Regulus's shoulder. Regulus was in the same position; they left no space between each other. They didn't care; they felt too wonderful and safe with each other. Hence, they started dating again after that night.

So, I (mysterious victoria) haven't been on in ages, but I hope you'll forgive me. The next chapter will be posted up next week. We both love reviews! Lurking, favs, alerts and subscriptions are silver, but reviewing is gold! :)

~ Mysterious Victoria