Chapter Twenty-Nine
"Three…two…one…"
Sirius and James threw the handful of Stink Pellets into the classroom and took off running. They pelted through the corridors, dashed down several flights of stairs, and burst into the Great Hall.
"Flitwick's going to kill us!" Sirius laughed.
"Worth it," James snickered, "He shouldn't've given us that 'T'."
Sirius' grin slipped away as he realized that it was eerily quiet. Instead of the ecstatic conversations and laughter, there were grim whispers. The fifteen-year-old straightened up and glanced around. Students were frowning, shaking, and even crying. Many were holding copies of the Daily Prophet.
James mirrored his look of concern and confusion.
The two joined Remus and Peter at the Gryffindor table.
"What is it?" Sirius whispered, "What happened?"
Remus solemnly handed over the paper.
Sirius read the headline and groaned:
VILLAGE ATTACKED BY DEATH EATERS
A DOZEN MUGGLES DEAD
TWENTY INJURED
Death Eaters.
Sirius felt his stomach churn.
A few years ago, he had simply known them as the resistance that his parents seemed to support. He now knew that they were more than a small resistance. They were an army. And they were starting a war. The Aurors were doing their best to try and stop the hate crimes but they were escalating. His parents talked about it quite frequently. They seemed proud that the Death Eaters were taking it upon themselves to cleanse the world from the inferior races.
"I need to contact my dad," James immediately said, "I have to make sure he's alright."
"I'll go with you," Sirius offered.
James nodded and the two leapt to their feet.
Sirius felt his throat burn as they pushed their way back through the Great Hall. Madam Pomfrey had her arm around a first-year, who was stammering something about her aunt. Prefects were walking up and down, comforting everyone. Sirius spotted Lily Evans whispering words of encouragement, though her own eyes were bloodshot.
"Alright, Evans?" James quietly asked.
"Fine," Lily whispered.
"No-one that you knew?" Sirius asked.
She shook her head.
James nodded and continued on.
Sirius went after him but stopped when he heard several Slytherins talking.
"I can't wait," Mucliber hissed, jerking his head towards the paper, "Can you?"
Sirius turned.
Mulciber and Avery were sitting with his brother. Regulus had a smile plastered on his face and was nodding along.
Sirius heard James swear.
His friend grabbed at him but he was too quick. He raced over to his brother, grabbed the front of his shirt, and pulled him right out of the chair.
"What're you—!?"
"Can't wait, huh?" Sirius hissed.
Regulus' defensive charge flared but Sirius refused to let go.
"Can't wait until what?" Sirius asked.
Regulus stared at him, his eyes cold and angry.
"You can't wait until what?" Sirius growled.
His brother's gaze lowered as his demeanor slipped.
"Forget it, mate," James cried, attempting to pull him away, "Forget it…"
"I didn't say anything," Regulus pointed out.
"You were nodding along," Sirius barked, "Happily agreeing."
"I…"
Remus and Peter arrived and helped James pull him away.
"Get out of here, Regulus!" James cried, "Go!"
Regulus didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed his things and left with his friends.
"He was acting in the heat of the moment," James murmured, squeezing Sirius' shoulder.
"A bit of peer pressure," Remus agreed, "That's all it was."
"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it," Peter helpfully finished.
Sirius realized that he was shaking, out of both anger and fear.
He took a deep breath and whispered, "Yeah…alright."
"Let's go back to the dormitory," James quietly said, "We can put on the kettle. A bit of tea is just what we need."
Sirius nodded and miserably followed his friends.
The heat of the moment.
Right.
That's all it was.
And technically, Regulus hadn't said anything.
He had just nodded along.
But still, that was just as bad.
Wasn't it?
Apparently, not to his friends.
He was just responding in the heat of the moment.
But what if…?
Sirius shuddered.
His parents seemed to support the Death Eaters and their leader.
And now Regulus' friends did as well.
A war was brewing.
There was going to be many times when Regulus would face the heat of the moment.
And what if one day, he didn't just nod along and smile?
What if one day, he made a drastic mistake?
