Regulus stared unseeingly at the textbook lying in his lap. Study was important - he knew it was - but it was hard to concentrate on something as banal as school when a war was being waged around you. Things were heating up at Hogwarts, with more students fleeing to the Room of Requirement by the day to escape the Carrows' tyranny, and somewhere, far away, Hermione was on the run with Harry and Ron.
At least, he hoped she was. The Death Eaters wouldn't have been able to keep themselves from bragging had they managed to catch the trio, so he could only assume they were still alive out there, still fighting.
He had to. If they weren't, then everything would be over, forever but certainly not for good. And that was too excruciating a thought to bear thinking.
The entrance door was flung open, and a fifth year student came barrelling into the grand room. Regulus watched her intently as she, panting heavily from exhaustion, tried to gather herself together. He recognised her as one of the more vocal Death Eater sympathisers, so it was unlikely that her distress had anything to do with the Carrows' special brand of detention. But, from her crazed expression, it was clear that something major had transpired.
"He's back," she gasped out when she was composed enough to speak. "Potter's back! We're gathering in the Great Hall."
A hush settled over the Slytherin common room at her words. All around Regulus, people were staring at her in shock as they processed the information. Harry Potter had returned to Hogwarts, and that meant that the battle was about to begin. They were all balancing on the middle of a seesaw, but they couldn't remain like that any longer. One way or another, one side was going to crash to the ground, and it looked like that was going to happen that very night. They were either going to see the dawning of a new day or be forced to resign themselves to a life of perpetual night.
"Are Granger and Weasley with him?" Regulus asked, trying to sound nonchalant but only succeeding in sounding uncomfortable.
"Yes, unfortunately."
His whole body relaxed at the news. But their exchange broke the silence, and others started to fire rapid questions at her, not even leaving time for her to respond before adding another query to the ever-growing list.
"Who sent you down here?"
"What's going on?"
"Why the Great Hall?"
"What did you see?"
Ignoring the mounting din, Regulus unsheathed his wand and rushed out the door. He had to get to the Room of Requirement. He had to see for himself that his friends were alive. And he had to be ready for what he knew would be the fight of his life.
A/N: Prompt: 'hush'