Grim Convictions, Book 1: Relics of the Founders

by HarlanSpindlewheel

Elsbeth Ledoux is the perfect example of a pureblood princess. Well, at least on the outside. Feeling troubled by her family's beliefs and their growing involvement with a powerful dark wizard, Elsbeth begins to question her reality and is faced with an impossible decision. Blood is thicker than water - will she let it sink her? [Marauders Era] [OCxSiriusB.]

6. Chapter 6: Quite the Show

PHEW! Feels like I've been writing this for two years... So sorry for the wait guys! Trying not to make it a habit. :(

Hopefully, you enjoy nonetheless! Please fav, follow, and review! :)

---

- QUITE THE SHOW -

My entire body felt like one giant piece of lead, with each step up the stairs from the dungeon feeling like it took several minutes to take. When I reached the top, I grabbed hold of the nearest railing and leaned on it to rest for a second. Students passing by sent me odd looks but I just ignored them, not even having the energy to sneer.

Reconstructing the door to the greenhouse took longer than anticipated, as I botched the spell several times before I got anything even close to resembling the old woodwork. The castle was already bustling with students by the time I arrived back at the castle. I had to scurry along the walls of the common room in the hopes that I wouldn't be seen by anyone relevant on the way to my dorm. I debated even bathing but quickly decided it was a necessity when I saw a glance of myself in the mirror.

Now, I trudged around as fast as I could while every muscle protested. With each turn of a corner, I felt as though the corridors got longer, distorted by my current fatigue. Never before had I yearned to reach the Hospital Wing but I found myself desperately wanting to reach my designated seat at Lucius' bedside and sit, finally letting my body rest. Then the battle would center around whether or not I could keep my eyes open while he droned on to his henchmen.

Finally, the door to the Hospital Wing came in sight and I let out a sigh of relief. I adjusted my posture to stand taller as I approached it, straightening out my still drying hair with my fingers. Then with less grace, I rummaged around the front pockets of my rucksack until I found what I was looking for. Pulling the ring out, I slipped it onto my left ring finger, completing my pureblood costume.

I had one hand on the knob of the giant door when someone pushed through from the other side. It hit my foot when I wasn't fast enough to sidestep it and I hissed in pain. Just another piece of bodily harm to add to the list, I guess.

A tall body with black, curly hair and piercing grey eyes almost slammed right into me but was able to stop just short. All grown up, Regulus Black really could pass as Sirius' twin sometimes. I went to greet him but paused when I saw the pained look on his face. His features quickly melted into something unreadable.

"You're late," he said levelly. "And honestly, kind of look like rubbish."

I scowled. Usually, I took an extended period of time to cover up how poorly I was feeling these days, practically using every skincare and cosmetic product on the market. I thought I had done an okay job this morning, given my time restraints, but I guess that wasn't the case. That was going to be a problem for my fiancee.

"I was going to ask if everything was alright," I replied back, just as cooly. "But you're clearly okay."

His jaw clenched and he balled his hands into a fist momentarily. However, his eyes betrayed something sorrowful despite his movements. It only lasted a second before he relaxed back into his mask of neutrality.

"Just brilliant," he muttered before pushing past me, just barely missing bumping his shoulder with my own. Without a look back, he called out to me. "He's not happy about your lack of punctuality, by the way."

I groaned. Taking a deep breath, I straightened my back once more and pushed through the large wooden doors.

The Hospital Wing was as silent as it usually was when I arrived first thing in the morning. Lucius was usually the only one here this early, making the current occupation of another bed all the more noticeable.

Remus, not surprisingly, still looked beaten as he lay on the nearest bed to the right. Fast asleep, his ragged breathing was obvious even from my position in the middle of the room. James was the only one with him now, the others hopefully getting some kind of sleep. He himself was on the verge of passing out from his slumped position in a chair next to Remus' bed. With his head propped up by one of his fists, I watched as his eyes slipped closer and closer to slumber.

However, his eyes popped open at the sight of me, straightening in his chair as they did so. He gave a smirk and a wink, the movements contrasting greatly with the bags that were forming under his eyes from his long night out. I shot him a small smile of my own before I proceeded past them to Lucius' covered off cot at the back of the room.

"Finally," he said, annoyed. "Where have you been?"

As per every other morning, I pulled aside his curtains, allowing the sunlight to bathe over his hospital bed. Unbeknownst to Madame Pomfrey, Craggy had placed a silencing charm on them the first day Lucius got here, allowing for complete privacy whenever they were drawn. Even on his hospital bed, he could scheme and plot out his plans to end the world as we know it.

He aggressively put down the morning edition of the Prophet that he was reading. I caught a glimpse of the headline: TENSION GROWS AROUND THE COUNTRY AS PUREBLOOD MANIA INTENSIFIES.

"Overslept," I shrugged and looked out the window, avoiding his gaze. "Was up late studying."

"Well you look horrible, my dear," he sniffed. I rolled my eyes, reaching for his morning medications. Considering he was set to be released tomorrow, Madame Pomfrey had moved on from the heavier stuff to just some regular doses of Pepperup Potion. "You know there's no sense fretting over test scores anyhow. You'll be off to the Ministry no matter what."

"Have you taken one yet?" I asked, ignoring him.

I reached out to pass him a vial but he just shook his head. He wrapped his hand around my own extended one and pushed it back, the action shocking me as if I was suddenly zapped by something.

"You take it," he said nonchalantly. "Looks as though you need it more than I do."

Trying to regain composure, I simply nodded. I drew the potion back to myself but didn't take it, saving it for another time as I placed it in my rucksack.

"Anyway," he began to pry, back to his normally conniving self. "What's Lupin doing here? Did you overhear anything? He looks almost as roughed up as you do."

Salazar, did I really look that horrendous today? Remus looked like he was trampled by a hundred Hippogriffs and then swallowed by the Giant Squid. If I appeared worse than that, I might as well hole up in my dorm all day. At the least, I'd definitely have to find a mirror before lessons.

"Don't know," I said. "He's sacked out so they weren't exactly talking. I'm sure he's also just ill from all the studying… He's taking just as many advanced courses as I am."

"Hmm," he mused, peeking around me to glance at the boy on the other cot. His face contorted like he was smelling something unpleasant. "He does get sick rather often though, doesn't he? And why would that blood traitor be posted at his bedside like that if it was just some sort of cold?"

My heart started to beat a little faster. It was something that came to my mind when I was cleaning up this morning as well. If one paid attention, Remus did look out of sorts at least a few days a month, the last couple of which he walked the halls like the living dead. Sometimes he even skipped a few classes, claiming to be 'ill' when, in hindsight, it was really just the morning after a transformation. Last month, on the night that fell on the full moon I realized after I did some calculations, he had even pushed off his Prefect duties to someone else.

Maybe I was jaded from actually knowing about everything, but it really wasn't hard to put two and two together if someone analyzed it all closely. His periods of being 'sick' coincided perfectly with the cycle of the full moon, a no brainer for anyone who paid too much attention to him and Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons. Anyone like Lucius right now.

"Ehem," I cleared my throat loudly to bring his attention back to me. "There's a cold going around, I think. Caroline Elder was telling me she wasn't feeling her best in Transfiguration yesterday… and I think Sven Holliday has missed some classes."

Averting my eyes once more, I hoped that my lies were convincing enough. I had purposely picked a Muggle-born Ravenclaw and a Half-Blood Gryffindor in my year since I knew he wouldn't have paid enough attention to them to know or cared enough to stop them in the halls to ask how they were feeling. I picked at a string on the hem of my skirt, conscious of his eyes on me. When I finally looked up, they almost looked concerned.

"Well, then you better keep your distance and get plenty of rest," he said sincerely. I was almost heartened at his words but then he continued. "I don't want to get sick as soon as I leave this forsaken place."

My face leveled into one of annoyance. I should have known this was about him.

"Anyway," I moved on, tone flat. "What's going on with Regulus?"

"What about him?" He picked his paper back up, scanning the headlines once more.

"I saw him on the way in here and he wasn't exactly looking excited about breakfast."

He shrugged. "Like you said, must be something going around."

I could tell from his tone that he knew that wasn't the case.

"We agreed," I said after an irked sigh. "What is going—"

"Firstly," he put the paper down, rougher this time, "we did not agree to anything. I, your brother, and our fathers made the decision to let you in on some things. A decision we can very well take back when seen as necessary."

"That is absolutely unfair," I seethed.

My face went hot with anger, the exhaustion sparking tears in my dry eyes at his words. This was just the kind of thing to tip me over the edge on a morning like this. Knowledge was the one thing I was given out of this whole shit situation and I was not going to let anyone take it away.

"Elsbeth—" he began but I immediately cut his words.

"No, shut up," I said sternly, sucking my tears back in. My lack of sleep was making me even bolder than I usually was when we were alone. "Just shut. UP! You can't do that, Lucius. You get to live out your precious, privileged life doing what you want to do while making your own choices. But me? My entire future is in the palm of someone else's hands. I don't have a say in anything! But the one thing, the one thing, that you all gave me was insight into whatever the hell it is you all are up to on a daily basis. Can I do anything with the information? No. But it makes me feel like I at least know how to prepare for how miserable the rest of my life is going to be."

I huffed, finally taking a breath to try and calm down. He stared at me with level eyes, not betraying any of his thoughts.

"You are not taking that away from me," I finally said quietly. My tone was final.

He didn't say anything but his eyes darted past my shoulders once more. I turned my head just in time to see James quickly turn his back towards Remus. Shit, maybe I had gotten a little too animated, my voice echoing slightly around the room. Though, at that moment I didn't care. I turned my glare back towards Lucius who met it with a small one of his own.

"Don't look at him and answer me," I bit out.

"You need to hold your tongue when we're amongst those," his eyes flitted back over my shoulder before coming back to mine once more, "who are not held in favor by those of importance."

"We'll say it was a lovers' quarrel," I sneered, not caring if the bespectacled boy behind me had heard everything. "Now, quit avoiding it."

He folded his copy of the Prophet and set it on the side table with force.

"You're right," he said calmly. I could feel my mouth open slightly in shock. "You're ingrained into this situation, so you should know some things."

"I-I," I stammered out, trying to regain my composure. I straightened my shoulders and lifted my head. "That's right."

"Right," his tone was sharper now. And quiet, more cognizant that James may be keeping an ear on us. "So you want me to tell you everything? Our marching orders both in and out of this godforsaken school, when we meet to discuss our plans to make this world a better one, commands he bestows on us?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation.

"Then you have to get the Mark."

I looked for any sign of sarcasm or joking but found nothing close. He was being dead serious.

A thick silence fell between us as we sized each other up. His gaze didn't give anything away, likely waiting for me to react in some way. But I found that I couldn't. Even after a night filled with illegal Animagi and a werewolf, this had to be the most unbelievable thing to imagine. Me with a Dark Mark? Even the thought of it made me sad and depressed and actually angry. I glared at him.

"We say that we can tell you things, that we can let you know what's going on," he continued. "But the truth of the matter is Elsbeth, you'll never be able to know everything so long as you aren't one hundred percent dedicated to the cause, to him."

His eyes were cold and distant, almost somehow more so than usual. I hung my head, frustrated tears continuing to threaten my eyes.

I felt like I was being given another ultimatum: all in or all out. As if choosing this side hadn't been hard enough. It made me wonder how much of myself I would have to concede after all was said and done.

"Do you want me to do it?" I asked sternly, head still down. "Do you expect me to get it?"

I heard him give out a long sigh and I looked up. His eyes betrayed something akin to genuine pity. After a while, he gave out a sad smile. I hated to admit how my heart warmed at the unexpected sight of it.

"It's not something I would force upon you," he said delicately. "Not something I would force upon anyone, really. It requires a significant amount of dedication."

I nodded slowly, eyes moving past him as I focused on something beyond him.

"And Byron?" I whispered. "Or my father?"

"You'd have to ask them," he shrugged. "But I wouldn't worry about it. I understand it's not something you're interested in and I couldn't imagine any of us trying to change your mind about it."

"Thank you," I sent him a small but hesitant smile.

"We may not exactly like one another but you still will be my wife," he said as he reached for some parchment out of the satchel next to his bed. His arms were just too short, so I bent over and grabbed it for him. "We have a commitment to look after one another, despite extenuating circumstances."

I couldn't help but snort at the thought of it. It would be hard to have a picture-perfect family during the end of times, wouldn't it?

He grabbed a textbook off one of his side tables, opening it to a page he had marked with a spare piece of parchment. He then grabbed a quill, prepping to write.

"Wait," I asked and he paused what he was doing to look at me. "Are you actually doing your homework?"

He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Yes, I didn't want to hear your complaining about it anymore."

"Well, color me honored that you would listen to me," I said sarcastically.

"Of course I would, my dear," he replied just as sarcastically. "Actually, while you're here… You're taking Advanced History of Magic, correct?"

"Yes, why?"

He gave out an awkward cough, slouching into himself as if embarrassed.

"Erm," he finally muttered out. "Would you be able to help me with this essay? Clearly, I haven't been attending lessons so this passage on the Goblin Strike of 1903 is a little confusing."

"Wow, first listening to me and now asking me for help. You might just win my heart over, in the end."

"Oh, just shut up."

Despite his hostile tone, he joined me when I started to chuckle. I shuffled my chair over so I was right next to his bed. He pushed the book over a little so I could have visibility of the page at hand.

It was a lesson I remembered well. The Goblins working in the bowels of Gringotts had petitioned for better working conditions and, when they didn't get it, went on strike. I reached for the draft of his essay, already marking out some lines that were incorrect with his quill.

"You know," I said after striking a line through something else. "This is kind of nice."

"Studying is nice?" He asked, pulling his attention from a piece of parchment that held some of his notes.

"No, just" I waved my hands around, at a loss for the exact words to say. "This. This is the most friendly we've ever been."

"Hmm," was his curt response.

"In fact, our times spent in the hospital have been our most cordial in general. Putting aside my outburst this morning and discussions about You-Know-Who, of course."

"Yes, well," he cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Being in the hospital is quite relaxing. You don't have to worry about everything you usually would because you're confined to a bed and all."

"Hmm," it was my turn to hum as I considered his words. Maybe being able to spend some alone time, time away from his goons who usually followed him around twenty-four seven, had done Lucius some good. Perhaps it had given him some time to think about something, anything other than his role in this new regime. "I like bed-ridden you. Less… prick-ish."

I smiled softly, remembering how I described him to Sirius last night. But as I met Lucius' cool eyes, other images flashed in my mind. His hand too tight on my wrist in the corridor or too close to my neck as he held me harshly against a wall near the dungeons.

"Less cold," I continued on in a mumble as my smile dropped.

He must have noticed my tone as his face slumped to mirror mine. It almost looked like shame?

"I," he started before stopping momentarily. He took a second to ponder his words before he continued. He leaned back into his pillow as he spoke, eyes up to the ceiling. "I have been under a lot of pressure this year. There seems to be extra weight on my shoulders and I admit that I've taken that out on you."

He looked pained but I knew it wasn't for the physical symptoms he was here for.

"And it's not fair," he continued, meeting my eyes with a genuineness that I had never experienced from him before.

He leaned back up with a sigh, waiting patiently for me to respond as I pondered his words. He seemed sincere, very much unlike the Lucius I knew. For just an instant it made me wonder if, under different circumstances, this whole arranged marriage might have worked out.

"I really appreciate that," I said, just as genuinely. A few serious seconds passed before I broke into a smirk. "Maybe I'll have you hexed more often."

I chuckled while I averted his glare by looking back to his paper. We marked and wrote in silence, only speaking when he asked me a question or I explained to him why I wrote through something.

"You should go," his words were morphed by the yawn he emitted at the same time he spoke. He closed his book on his notes and marked-up essay draft. As he placed it back on the side table, he replaced it with his discarded Prophet copy.

"But everyone's about to come by," I said, confused.

"Yes, so I'll be fine," he unwrapped the paper and I once again found myself unnerved by the headline. "You look two seconds from death. Just… go take care of yourself today so you're better off for when I leave tomorrow."

"Wait," I processed his words, giddy at the thought of what I thought he was implying. "So I don't have to come back at all today?"

"Do you want me to spell it out for you?" He aggressively rustled the papers.

I shot out of the chair so quickly it made my head spin. Lucius just sent me a small glare, unhappy with how overwhelmingly excited I was feeling. But I couldn't help myself. I was finally free and it felt so good.

"Well," I fought every urge in my body that was telling me to just run out of the room. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow, my dear."

He finally went back to reading his paper and I took that as my permission to leave.

Just before I turned to go, in an impulsive movement I leaned down and very quickly pecked him on top of the head. It was unplanned and even I was perplexed by my actions, but it just felt like the proper thing to do. Maybe I was loopy from the thought of having one day that was all my own or maybe this was a sign that the lack of rest had reached my brain. Either way, if he was surprised at the action, he didn't let his face betray anything.

It was at that moment that Byron approached his bed, flanked by Narcissa and Andromeda.

"Are we interrupting something?" He asked playfully.

"Shut up," I grumbled as I quickly distanced myself from Lucius.

His eyebrows met his hairline as I approached him on my way out. Andromeda just fidgeted, a look of confusion darting between me and Lucius. All the while, Narcissa had set her jaw and looked straight out the window beyond Lucius' head. Her eyes were cold and I was relieved she didn't seem interested in meeting mine.

"What?" I mumbled playfully as I stood right next to Byron, just out of earshot of the others. "Just playing along. Aren't you happy?"

He rolled his eyes but a smile spread across his face. It made me almost sad knowing that me being affectionate towards Lucius would stir up some sort of happiness for him. I pushed down the feeling as I moved to leave.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I thought she could use some rest," Lucius shrugged, not giving me time to answer on my own. "Come, sit. Let her leave so she can get herself together before too many students see her."

"So caring," I said mock lovingly as I shot him a short look past Byron's shoulder. "Well, I'll leave you all to it."

Andromeda gave me a short wave as I bolted from the bed, not allowing anyone the opportunity to keep me there.

I didn't even register the Gryffindor boys this time, though I felt bespectacled eyes on my back as I made my way across the room. The doors of the hospital were the weight of feathers as I pushed through them and into the corridor.

Students all around were making their way to the Great Hall, ready for breakfast. My stomach grumbled at the thought but after all the comments I'd received this morning, I knew I had to head back to the common room first in order to clean up. Pivoting towards the dungeons, I nearly crashed into a couple of Ravenclaw girls but they had the mental capacity to sidestep me to avoid a collision. I scowled at the nasty looks they sent my way.

I was almost to the main staircases when I heard a familiar, haughty voice.

"You're lucky we let you around us, Wormtail," Sirius said as I watched him throw an arm around the plump boy from their position at the other end of the corridor. "You haven't got a brave bone in your body, do you?"

He was chuckling while messing with Peter's head, the boy clearly uncomfortable with both Sirius' words and actions.

My heartbeat quickened as I froze on the spot. I didn't think I was ready for a Marauders reunion quite yet. Last night had definitely taken a toll on me and I needed to process everything before even thinking about speaking to them again.

Frantically, I looked for an out, thankful that neither of the boys seemed to notice me yet. As they neared, I quickly darted down another corridor. Sirius' voice once again echoed through the halls and I pushed on the nearest door, quickly closing it behind me. My breath caught in my throat as I listened for them to pass, Sirius' boisterous laughing alerting me of their exact whereabouts.

I let out a sigh of relief as I heard them go by, slumping against the door and rubbing my eyes.

"What are you hiding from?"

The quiet voice startled me, making me jump a little from my position against the door.

The room was dark, clearly unused based on the musk that had gathered over the desks. The only light was from a singular unblocked window in the center of the other wall. The rest were covered, dust radiating from their thick curtains. It made the open one seem awkward and out of place as the silhouetted form of Regulus stood before it.

He faced me but I couldn't exactly make out his facial features as they were cast in shadow. Nevertheless, I could tell something was off. His toned body was slumped against the windowsill, back hunched and much unlike his usual proper posture.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I moved towards him. The dust collected on the tip of my finger as I ran it across one of the desks along the way.

"I believe I asked you something first," he said.

He stood up as well, body still slightly slouched. As he came closer, his face was illuminated by the light bouncing around the room. I couldn't help the small gasp that escaped my lips at the sight of him. His eyes were puffy, the area around them flushed a light pink. Had he been crying?

"I—," I began but couldn't find the words. "Regulus are you okay?"

"I told you I'm fine," he sounded more exhausted than anything despite his sharp words. "Get off it."

He moved to go past me but I stepped in his way.

"No," I said sternly. "What's going on? Lucius won't even tell me."

"It really doesn't concern you."

I could see the anger rise in his features despite his eyes remaining somber. He tried to sidestep me a couple of times but I kept placing my body in front of his. The movements, slight as they were, were exhausting. With each shuffle, I could feel the ache in my hips and the twang of pain in my ankles. I tried hard to conceal the protests of my body.

"I could do this all day," I breathed out heavily, knowing full well I couldn't. "But I really need to go make myself presentable so could you just get on with it so we can go?"

"Blimey, you are one nosey prune, aren't you?" He spat out.

Under normal, I-got-enough-rest circumstances I might have been shocked or offended. Never had I heard Regulus speak to someone like this or even raise his voice beyond a low murmur. But my body was not functioning as usual today, so I just stared at him while he glared back.

With a puff, he kicked the nearest chair out. The wood sounded like a well-aimed hex as it slid across the floor violently. Just as aggressively, he plopped down as tufts of dust flurried all around him. He leaned on the desk beside him as he rubbed a hand down his face, looking exasperated. I more gently pulled out my own chair and sat down across from him.

"Sorry," he finally said after a few moments of thick silence. His voice had returned to its usual demure and quiet tone. "I'm just a little overwhelmed right now."

"No, it's fine," I watched him as he stared off into space, his eyes no longer hiding their sadness. I felt like I could be doing cartwheels right now and he wouldn't have noticed. "I am being nosy."

He gave out a small chuckle, eyes not leaving whatever point they focused on at the other side of the room.

"Regulus," I leaned closer, thinking about reaching out to place a comforting hand on his but deciding against it. "What's going on?"

His eyes finally met mine, calculating but not as cold as I would have expected them to be. Nevertheless, he sat up straighter, like he was forming back into his old self.

"You don't know me," he said simply.

I waited for what felt like hours for him to go on, the dank room perfectly silent around us. I felt like if I tried hard enough, I would have been able to hear the dust settle back into its place.

"And?" I finally broke. "I don't really know anyone, to be honest."

"Yeah, I've noticed actually. Why is that?" He narrowed his eyes as if he were trying to examine me closely. I shrunk a little in my chair.

"Don't try to—"

"I mean from a quick glance," he leaned back in his chair, more relaxed. This was the Regulus I knew. "You're pretty convincing. You're excellent in lessons. I hear professors absolutely adore you. And Prefect was to be expected, of course… At meals, you're always surrounded by mates. You come from an excellent family and have got the right man on your arm now. Could basically run the school if you tried, perfect as your life is."

I was starting to feel sick to my stomach having him list my life out to me. It made me feel like a phony. But I took a deep breath and sat up in my seat, mimicking him.

"Okay," I gave out a huff. "This isn't about me. You're clearly just trying to dodge—"

"But that's the thing," he interrupted once more. "It's not perfect, is it? At least not to you."

It felt like his eyes were boring into my soul. I forced myself to keep eye contact, trying to remain strong as we suddenly entered into a staring contest. Unfortunately, I blinked first.

"Stop it," I said, tears pricking my eyes as my frustration grew.

"You cling to your books for a distraction, constantly heading down to the greenhouse to escape and avoid the common room at all costs. As soon as meals end, you're off to some distant nook of the castle, only having to interact with these 'friends' of yours when you have to."

"I said stop."

"And you're now thinking that you don't even know your family anymore. Doesn't seem like it'll get better either, right?" Now he just looked smug. "You hate Lucius. Resent his entire family. Your life is going to be hell as soon as you leave these stone walls."

"I—" I began but stopped short. My mouth set in a straight line. "You're wrong. At least about most of it."

"Actually, I know I'm not," he crossed his arms, eyes never leaving mine. I just blankly stared back, all sorts of thoughts bouncing around my brain as I processed what he was saying. "I didn't know you before, it's true. Barely even talked to you. But ever since you've been sat at Lucius' side I've paid attention.

"I've seen how you put on a fake smile while you're with him, only to wipe it off your face as soon as you thought everyone else wasn't looking. You held his hand as loosely as you could. And do you even really know anything about those so-called friends of yours? You smile and you talk when you need to at dinner but more often than not, you're staring off into the distance.

"You see, I'm a watcher. I know more about people than they think. It gives me the upper hand, let's me navigate situations to give me the most advantage," he began to look through me, off in the distance once more. He paused for only a moment before coming back into focus and locking eyes with me once more. "So I know people. I know you."

We sat in silence and it was my turn to analyze him, sure that he was continuing to do the same to me. He had fully slipped back into his usual demeanor now, calm and collected. His words were always so calculated and it was no different now.

However, there was something different about him today. He seemed less confident and not as laser-sharp as he usually was. The word 'distracted' came to the front of my mind. Even now, he would momentarily slip out of focus before realizing what he was doing and snap his eyes back to me. There was something bothering him, that's for sure. His eyes still had a faint red glow around them, fresh from tears that must have ceased right as I entered the room.

He was sad. Distracted and sad.

Unfortunately, it was a look I knew all too well now because I had seen it on so many faces lately. Byron, Lucius, and their mates carried the look more often than not these days, the first of whom made my heart break every time I caught his eyes in the Great Hall. It was hard looking at him, knowing that he was clearly going through something at that moment. Thinking in retrospect, even the Marauders had shown that side of them when I thought about it. There was only one string that connected those two groups of individuals.

And then it clicked.

"He's making you do something horrible, isn't he?" I whispered.

Regulus audibly gasped, stiffening at my words. Any confidence he had had previously disappeared from his features.

"That's it, isn't it?" I continued when he showed no signs of answering.

He shifted awkwardly in his seat, eyes now plastered on his uniform loafers. I could have sworn I saw his jaw quiver but he quickly reset it.

"What makes you think that?" He asked flatly.

"In all your watching, did you ever consider looking at everyone around me?" I started and could practically feel our power dynamics shifting. It was now he who slumped in his chair as I spoke. "They eat up my performance. There's no fooling Byron and Lucius, of course, but to their mates, we're a happy couple. His stint in the hospital only helped us in that regard.

"And sure, those aren't my real friends. But they definitely believe they are. I make sure I execute the image of a member of the pureblood elite perfectly. At every feast, on every trip to Hogsmeade, and every time I squeeze into some stupid dress robes for holiday gatherings. I'm proud of being able to keep up with all of it even though every fiber of my body is repulsed.

"And do you know how I do it?" I paused, seeing if he wanted to fathom a guess but he remained quiet. "It's because I'm a watcher, too, Regulus. All these years, I've observed and I've learned. I know who I am, what family I'm a part of, and what that entails. The only way to survive is to conform and I was able to do that because I was looking at how others in my position behaved. Much like you, I use what I've learned to my advantage to keep me protected within our community."

I leaned back in my chair, focusing on objects on the other side of the room to avoid his piercing grey eyes. Ones that reminded me so much of his brother. I pushed Sirius out of my mind and focused on the skeleton of a Grindylow that was elegantly displayed behind glass, made almost opaque by the dust that had covered it.

"Sometimes I lose myself in it all, of course. Hell, I just kissed Lucius. For no real reason, just because I wanted to in the moment," I continued with a scoff, returning my focus to him.

He raised his eyebrows in shock only for a second before making his face neutral once more. He tried to seem nonchalant but I could tell he was paying attention, listening intently. I couldn't deny that I was enjoying the ability to let some things off my chest.

"But that's beyond the point, which is that I'm also watching. I've noticed how those in our position have changed this past year. I've been able to translate their actions and demeanors to understand just a little bit about what's going on outside of this school… And the look you've had on your face since I first saw you this morning is the same look I see on Byron and Lucius' faces almost every day."

He gave out a remorseful sigh and leaned forward, resting his head in his hands as he rubbed his eyes once more.

While sitting bedside in the Hospital Wing, there were many times I'd thought about how mature Regulus looked these days. It was like he had aged ten years in the span of one. No longer was he the young boy who preferred to sit in his own corner of the common room to read. No, now he was more of a young man who carried the weight of this horrible world on his shoulders, much like everyone else involved in this mess of a situation.

"He's making you do something," I said again.

"Who?" He said as he leaned back up, almost a little angry. It was like he didn't want to say it himself.

"You-Know-Who," I said firmly. "The Dark Lord. He's put you up to something like he has with some of the other boys."

"Besides your brother and Lucius," he said, "I'm the only person he's assigned a task to, actually. The rest are just pawns under them."

He said it so nonchalantly as if we were talking about lessons or homework.

"So I'm right, then?" I asked.

He simply just nodded.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Can't tell you," he sat back up to meet my eyes. They seemed more tired than ever and I felt like I had finally broken through to him.

"Why not?"

"Just can't."

"That's a rubbish answer and you know it."

"It's all I can say about it," he snapped. "The Dark Lord commanded it not to go beyond your brother, Lucius, and me. You shouldn't even know he tasked me anything at all."

I narrowed my eyes, not satisfied with his answers but giving in to the fact that I wasn't going to get anything more out of him.

We slipped back into silence, him leaning back in his chair while I rested my chin on an arm propped atop my crossed legs. We were both looking off into the distance now, stuck in our own worlds. I blankly stared at a calcified Bowtruckle that was on display next to the Grindylow. This must have been an old Care of Magical Creatures classroom.

Looking back to Regulus, I couldn't help to think that we had more in common than I ever thought. All this time I just assumed he was the quiet boy at the end of the hospital bed, only speaking up when necessary and then slipping back into his own world. Fascinating to think that he had actually been spending that time observing all of us. Observing me.

"Regulus," I grabbed his attention. "Since you spend so much time examining me, can I ask you a serious question?"

"Shoot," he simply replied, not moving an inch from his slouched position.

I took a deep breath, unsure if I wanted to hear the truthful answer to my inquiry.

"Do I really look that bad today?"

To my surprise, he broke out into a small smile. It was nice, like the room got brighter somehow from the action of it.

"Absolutely dreadful."

---

I didn't realize I had dozed off until my forehead collided with the corner of the Ancient Runes textbook I had propped up on my crisscrossed legs.

"Ow," I grumbled, rubbing the spot in the middle of my forehead where I hit the book. It pulsated under my fingertips and I already knew it would form a welt. Great, another thing I had to cover up.

I slapped my face lightly in a futile attempt to wake myself up. It was just after dinner and I had escaped to my favorite nook on the seventh floor. It was a nice alcove placed right in front of a window overlooking the entire grounds. It was my favorite study space and I spent many nights sitting here, watching the warm lights from the lower greenhouses illuminate the edge of the forbidden forest and the smoke rise from Hagrid's cabin.

Currently, I was avoiding Lucius. Wednesday had quickly melted into Thursday which then flew by into Friday. With his release yesterday, he had been a little unbearable. He spent the day limping about the castle like he was recovering from extended exposure to the Cruciatus curse.

Being bedside in the Hospital Wing involved social interaction but not to the level of what I experienced when he was discharged. Housemates, known and unknown, flocked to him like a new broom on display in Diagon Alley. They fakely asked him how he was feeling while I just smiled by his side. It was all just one giant circus.

Thankfully, today had been easier. Lucius was busy scheming for the impending hex bombing that would take place tonight on the fifth floor, much to my chagrin. More than once I had asked my brother if there was any chance they would just call the whole thing off. I decided to give up after my last failed attempt this morning.

I twiddled my thumbs as I waited on the couch in the common room. Every time a group of boys bounded out of the dormitories, my head would snap up as I hoped that I would finally see my brother. Group after group came out to go off to breakfast while I just watched them go by, not even remotely hungry.

Finally, the chocolate blonde locks I was looking for bounded around the corner. Unfortunately, he was accompanied by my betrothed but I put on a bright face as I stood to greet them.

"Ah, Elsbeth," Lucius said as they reached me. "So nice to see you so early in the morning."

He leaned in to place a small peck on my cheek. It was something we'd somehow adopted since I'd made the mistake of kissing him on the head during his last morning in the Hospital Wing. It was like some sort of affection floodgates had opened, which had made my life much, much worse. We were now holding hands and sat semi-snuggled up on the common room couch. It would have been nice under any other circumstance or with literally any other boy.

What worried me the most was that I wasn't sure if he understood that it was still all an act. We were of course still bickering profusely but it seemed more playful somehow. Almost not as serious.

Then there were the looks. On more than a couple of occasions, there had been a genuine spark of happiness behind his eyes as he sent me a smile while we sat at the table in the Great Hall. I would smile back per usual but the uncomfortable thought that he thought this might be real somehow would always linger in the back of my head.

It didn't help that there was now my conscious awareness of eyes on me. More often than not, I could turn my head only slightly and lock eyes with Regulus. He didn't betray what he was thinking but would just stare at me for a few moments before looking away with a small smirk.

"Shall we head off to breakfast?" He asked as he pulled away.

"Actually," I said with a sickly smile his way. He was giving me that same look I was worried about and it made my stomach flip around. "I was hoping to speak with my brother. We'll meet you down there?"

"Of course," he gave a nod towards my brother before stepping towards and through the doorway in the dungeon wall.

Byron and I remained silent until we heard the dungeon door close behind Lucius.

"Beth," Byron said calmly, breaking the still that had fallen over the common room. "If this is what I think it's about, I—"

Just then, a rowdy group of girls turned a corner into the common room. I groaned internally as I realized it was my dorm mates, laughing amongst themselves as they made their way out.

"Elsbeth!" Celeste called out, her bright blonde hair swinging behind her in a high ponytail. "Are you off to breakfast?"

"In just a moment," I smiled brightly.

She noticed my brother beside me and her face flushed a bright pink. It had been no secret that Celeste Cecil, one of the most available purebloods in our house, had had a crush on my brother since first year. Unfortunately, I had to be the one to console her when she found out my brother was set to marry Andromeda.

"Right," she smiled back as she composed herself once more. "We'll save you a seat!"

I simply nodded and led my brother towards the window as they headed for the doorway. Like the many times we'd had these side chats, he leaned on the glass windows looking into the dark of the lake. His face was resigned as I stood in front of him and crossed my arms.

"Did you get him to call it off?" I asked firmly.

"I didn't even bring it up," he shrugged. "Just like the other times you've asked me."

"Byron," I groaned, rubbing my eyes and instantly regretting it as I saw a bit of my eyeshadow rub off on my fingers. "Why won't you just listen to me? This is absurd, you guys shouldn't be doing this. Someone could get seriously hurt."

"That's the point, Beth."

"I can't believe you're actually okay with that!"

"I have to be," he stared at me sternly. "This isn't about my personal feelings. This is about what has to be done."

"This doesn't have to be done and you know it," I glared at him. "Tell him to call it off."

"Why don't you just ask him?" He said angrily, taking a step closer.

"Because you know he won't listen to me," I seethed. "So I need a little help from you. Please."

We had a bit of a stare-off for a few moments before another gaggle of giggling girls interrupted the silence that had fallen upon the common room.

"I can't do anything, Beth," he finally said, more softly, as they traveled out of earshot. "Just steer clear and you'll be fine, don't worry."

"It's not me I'm worried about, Byron," I sighed in defeat. "This is serious. Someone's going to be sent to the Hospital Wing, for sure… And what if you guys get in trouble?"

"Again, don't worry," he smirked. "We've got it all figured out."

"You guys are daft. This is a stupid idea. And for what? To wreak havoc in a space that's supposed to be safe for all of us?"

"Just keep out of it," his tone became serious once more but he averted my eyes to stare at the fire on the other side of the room.

"I will not when I'm forced to be a complacent bystander. C'mon. All you have to do is talk to Lucius."

"I won't," he turned back to me with finality. "This is happening whether you like it or not, so just get off it."

"Merlin, who even are you anymore?" I blurted out.

A look of sadness flashed across his features but he quickly steeled his face, though he had noticeably slumped further against the glass. He let out a sigh as he looked at his shoes, kicking at something on the floor that I couldn't see.

"Just stay away from the fifth floor tonight, Beth," he said firmly, eyes still on the floor. "And that's not an optional request."

And with that, he pushed past me and walked out of the dungeon.

I hadn't spoken to either Byron or Lucius since. And now, I found myself hiding in my current location to avoid the coming conflict and maybe get ahead on some coursework before I headed down to the greenhouses to check on my batch of the Wolfsbane Potion.

I gave out a hearty yawn, stretching my arms as I did so. Prepping the potion was trickier than I had anticipated. It was a complicated concoction with a complicated process that kept me awake for most of the night the past few days. I had even switched Prefect duties with some fifth year Ravenclaw so as to go down to the greenhouses and perfect the process. I was in a groove now but it was all about finding time to sneak down at night and complete the daily tasks necessary for completing the potion.

I continued to stare out the window. The Whomping Willow twitched every so often as the sun went down. On other nights I would pay it no mind, just disregarding it as another beautiful but peculiar statement accoutrement to our campus. Now it held a completely different meaning. I unconsciously tapped my quill on the parchment propped up on the book as I analyzed the tree, looking for any sign of an opening at its base that would lead to some sort of tunnel.

For a brief second, I thought I caught a glimpse of it but the tree jerked around once more and I lost focus of where I was looking. With a sigh, I turned back to my textbook.

I rubbed my eyes and focused on the words in front of me. We were learning about the runes of ancient aqua creatures, with our most recent class focusing on saltwater variants. It was a little tricky, as most looked like the freshwater variants but carried different meanings. I rewrote the symbol for 'departure' over and over again on my parchment, bringing the textbook closer to me in order to make sure I was getting all the elegant lines correct.

"Alright, Ledoux?" I nearly dropped all my things, tearing a hole in the parchment with my quill as the voice rang out above me.

Turning, I met a shaggy man bun and grey eyes, flanked closely by three other bodies. Sirius leaned smugly over me, smirking after seeing me jump in my seat.

"Ugh," I groaned, placing my head in my hands as he plopped down beside me. He was the last person I wanted to see.

Others I had been avoiding were them. The Marauders. I didn't deny what had happened only a few nights ago but I definitely didn't acknowledge it. They had sent me short stares during lessons and at meals but I had avoided them for the most part. No way could I be caught making eyes with the 'enemy.'

"Wow, Ledoux," James said sarcastically. "Calm down. Don't be so excited to see us!"

"What are you doing here?" I asked as Lupin calmly sat down beside me, pulling out a textbook of his own. "And how did you even find me?"

I had intended for this location to be impossible to locate but it looks like I would have to start hunting for another hideout.

"We just know our way around the castle," James said, exchanging a knowing look with the other boys. I didn't care to pry.

Sirius sat on the other side of Remus, while James and Peter made their home on the floor in front of us. James immediately stretched out, leaning on the stone wall as the light from the window above illuminated his obsidian hair.

"Whatever," I sighed. I closed my parchment in my textbook and reached for my bag.

"Where are you going, darlin'?" James asked.

"To look for another place to sulk in isolation."

"Actually," Remus piped up quietly. He gave out an awkward cough, staring at the other boys who just sent him amused smirks. "While you're here... Do you have a moment?"

He indicated to the textbook in his lap. Much like the morning after the full moon, there was something in his eyes that just begged me to help out. Weak from the look once more, I placed my bag back on the ground.

"You need help with homework?" I asked, a little incredulous since it was coming from Remus. Last I heard, he had top marks in everything, competing with both Lily and me.

"Yeah," he opened his book. "You're practically top of the class in History of Magic so I was wondering if you'd be able to help me out with this week's assignment?"

"Uh, yeah," I said awkwardly. What was it with boys needing help with History of Magic these days? "Sure."

I set my Runes textbook to the side and rummaged through my bag. Our History of Magic textbooks was one of my favorites. It was ornately designed, with lettering that sparkled a gorgeous gold when held in the right lighting. Placing it in my lap, I flipped through the owl feathers I used as bookmarks before landing on the chapter of our current reading.

"But to be clear, Lily is top of the class by far," I clarified. "So I might not be your most reliable source for all this."

"Eh, you'll do just fine," Sirius said cooly, whipping out his own book that was in much worse shape than mine or Remus'. I looked around to notice Peter and James doing the same.

"Wait," I said. Slytherins were taking History of Magic with the Ravenclaws so I had no idea who in Gryffindor was taking it. Besides Lily and Remus of course, as we had talked about it during Prefect rounds. "You're all taking the class?"

"Is that so surprising?" James asked as he placed a roll of parchment on the floor in front of him, quill at the ready in his hand.

"Just doesn't seem like the kind of class you lot would be interested in," I mumbled, fidgeting with the corner of the pages of my textbook. "With the exception of Remus, of course."

"Trust me, it's not, sweetheart," Sirius shrugged. "But History of Magic is required to become an Auror."

"An Auror?" I blurted out in shock before I could stop myself.

James raised his eyebrows at me, as if he was questioning if that information was such a surprise. Meanwhile, Peter's cheeks had turned a bright shade of pink and he flipped through his book rapidly. It was clear he wasn't looking for anything, just needing an excuse not to look up at us. Remus just coughed uncomfortably, adjusting his tie as if it were too tight.

But it was Sirius' look that caught me off guard the most. His jaw had set tight, grey eyes now piercing the open pages in front of him. If he tried hard enough, he might have been able to burn a hole through the entire book with just his gaze. His knuckles burnt white as they held onto it and I immediately got the feeling that I had offended him somehow.

"Um," I stuttered, trying to compose myself. "That's great! Really... Brilliant!"

I tried to sound as convincing as possible but I knew I wasn't fooling a single one of them. For a few seconds, we sat in agonizing silence. I started plucking out the individual barbs from my makeshift bookmark.

"Well," Remus finally spoke. The playful tone of his voice instantly began to melt the tension that clouded over us all. "Of course I'm not. Can't exactly tell miscreant witches and wizards to put their shenanigans on hold for a couple days a month, can I?"

There was a half a heartbeat of silence more before James burst into laughter, Peter following suit. Remus lightly elbowed Sirius in the side and the latter finally cracked as both of them joined in with chuckles of their own. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. Only they could use something as serious as lycanthropy as the butt of a joke.

"So what did you tell McGonagall, then?" I asked as their varying fits of laughter died down.

"Professor. Can't imagine students would care if they got to take a few lessons off, eh?"

"True that!" James raised his book as if he were toasting in agreement.

"What about you, Beth?" Remus asked, turning all eyes on me.

"Already know that one, Moony… I bet Puffywood was glad to hear from Slughorn that you're interested in becoming a Herbologist of some sort. My dad always says we don't have enough out and about so you'd be joining an elite bunch. Proper worthy of it, too, based on those marks you get."

"Well, thanks," I said sincerely. Who would have thought James Potter paid so much attention to me during class? "But actually, I told him I was interested in Ministry Administration."

Another heavy silence fell over us and I regretted saying anything at all.

Everyone at Hogwarts knew that an interest in a 'Ministry Administration' could only mean one of two things. For some, it was because they performed so poorly that they could strive for nothing else of note. For another, more specific demographic it was because they weren't able to declare 'Pureblood Housewife' as their intended career path. It was clear on which side of the fence I fell.

"Well that's… lovely," Remus gave me his best smile. When no one else spoke up, he aimed a kick at James' foot but missed when the latter dodged. Thus Peter gave out a yelp when Remus' foot actually collided with his toes instead. "James, wasn't your grandad in the Ministry? Any fun stories he pass down?"

"Yeah, he was in the Wizengamot which sounds exciting but it was mostly boring stuff, really," he started, combing a hand through his messy hair. "But I could see if my dad still knows anyone and have him put in a good word if you're interested, darlin'. I'm sure you'd be able to transcribe at least a couple interesting cases as their secretary."

He immediately let out a yip of pain after speaking. While he had once again avoided Remus' kick, he hadn't been prepared for Sirius on the other side. Both boys sent him a small glare but he just shrugged in annoyance.

"Thanks but my father has something lined up for me," I said flatly, ignoring all of it. Not wanting to talk about it any longer, I pulled out the notes I had taken during class and propped them on my open books. "So what did you guys need help with?"

"Right," Remus straightened, sorting through his own notes. "Hogwarts founders and their trinkets."

"Really?" I asked, a little incredulous. That was the easy part of the lesson compared to the rest of it. Remus gave a slight nod, mostly directed at the boys on the floor, to indicate that it wasn't really him that was asking. "Um, right. 'Founders and their trinkets.' What about them?"

"What is who's?" James asked, rubbing his eyes as if he were already exhausted by the whole concept. "Why's it theirs? And where in the bloody hell did they go?"

"Well," I started, flipping a couple of pages in my book. Remus merely underlined a few things on his notes, while the other boys pulled fresh parchment from their bags. I rolled my eyes before continuing. It didn't surprise me that they hadn't bothered to write anything down while Binns was talking. Though I couldn't blame them, really. That ghost could put even the most fervent student to sleep. "Can you at least name all of these said 'trinkets'?"

I looked around at all the boys. Remus merely leaned back on the bench, looking around at his companions as well. A look of embarrassment flushed his features when no one even attempted to answer. Sirius and James looked smug, like they didn't even care to know. Meanwhile, Peter was flipping through the pages as if he would luckily land on the exact excerpt that would tell him the answer.

"Seriously? Guys, it's not Arithmancy," I said, slightly annoyed. They couldn't even nail the basics, so how did they expect to pass their N.E.W.T.s? "The sword, the locket, the cup, and the diadem… Can anyone fathom a guess as to which belongs to who?"

Silence once more. Remus kicked Sirius this time, pushing him to say something.

"Um," Sirius coughed out. "W-what's a diadem?"

"It's like a tiara. Very high class, so… who amongst the founders do we think could even sport something like that?"

"Rowena Ravenclaw?" To my surprise, it was Peter who meekly spoke up.

"Right! And why did you think it was her?"

"The Ravenclaws were rumored to be Scottish royalty back in the day," he continued, still shyly. "So it's natural she'd have a tiara. And t-then it's said she charmed it so that it amplified the intelligence of whoever wore it."

"Spot on, Peter," I smiled at him and his face turned beet red. I eyed his companion on the floor and the other one sat next to Remus. "You two better catch up or else Peter is going to be the only Auror amongst you."

James scoffed. "Please. He may pass his exams here but he won't last one second during the Ministry trials."

Peter ducked his head at this, cheeks red for a different reason now. I set my jaw in irritation.

"Well at least he'll make it to the Ministry trials," I said hotly. "Can you even match any of the other founders to their famed possession?"

"Um," he scratched his head, clearly not bothered by my tone which only made me angrier. "Helga had the locket."

I crumpled up a piece of parchment and threw it at him. It hit him square in the face, setting his glasses askew. The other boys tried to hold back their chuckles but I was still too annoyed to join them. It wasn't fair that he had the gall to poke fun at Peter when he couldn't even get anything right.

"Wrong," I said.

"Okay," he said, fixing his glasses in annoyance. "Did Salazar have the sword?"

Another piece of crumpled parchment hit him in the face.

"Really? That's literally the easiest one."

"Godric had the sword," my head snapped to look past Remus at Sirius. "The sword of Gryffindor that's supposed to come to anyone in our house that is worthy of it and truly needs it. Right?"

"Right," I said, sending him a small smile. "And why did you think it was he who had the sword?"

"Um, not too sure, to be honest," he rubbed the back of his neck while staring blankly at his textbook. But suddenly his head whipped up to me and I felt my heart flutter at his pompous stare. "But don't throw any parchment my way. At least I wasn't a git and got one right."

"It was probably just a lucky guess," I said as my smile dropped. "He's associated with the sword because, like all you Gryffindors, he probably acted on impulse most of the time. Can't imagine him waiting to negotiate peace… Probably jumped into battle whenever he got the chance."

Another scoff from James but I was happy to see Remus and Sirius smirking. At least they were self-aware enough to understand the downfall of their house.

"In fact," I continued. "It's said to be him who really started the riff that eventually disbanded the founders."

"Codswallop," James said. "We all know it was Salazar and his pureblood ideals that really derailed the foundation of this school."

"Yes, he definitely played a part," I said through gritted teeth. "But rather than trying to open a line of discussion, Godric was hot-headed and self-righteous. I doubt they even had one cordial conversation about it."

"What was there to discuss?" James said, becoming enraged. "Only purebloods are allowed to learn? While everyone else is just left to rot. If he had had it his way, some of the best wizards in our school wouldn't even be here. It's rubbish."

"Prongs," Remus said calmly. "I think we get the point."

"No! It's absolute shit. He's the one who wrecked the ideals that this school was built upon. That every wizard, no matter what family they were born into, deserved to be educated and prosper."

"James," Remus said more firmly, almost like a father reprimanding his son.

"I mean just look at the legacy he left behind! Every evil wizard comes from Slytherin after all."

"Yeah, but not every Slytherin is evil," we all fell silent as Sirius spoke up, just as strictly as Remus had been.

I had started to tap my quill against my parchment once more while James went on his rant but stopped abruptly when he had said that. I looked over to see him eyeing me once more.

It kind of reminded me of the way I now noticed Regulus staring at me. For a moment, I was reminded of our nights where, unbeknownst to me, he was a dog. 'But maybe I know more about you than you think.' His words once again rang through my head. I suddenly became very uncomfortable with how much the brothers of the Black family were able to see through my exterior.

Beyond that, though, I wondered if these estranged brothers knew how alike they were.

Sirius and I finally broke eye contact after a long pause of silence. I became interested in my notes but kept my peripheral focus on the boys. He was able to kick James, who seemed to be very interested in a statue down the corridor. The latter responded with a giant 'OW!' that ripped through the quiet. He rubbed his shin furiously while Sirius sent a subtle nod in my direction. I don't think he thought I noticed.

"Sorry," I heard James mutter and I looked up at him. He wasn't serious about it but I wasn't too fussed by it.

"Whatever," I sighed. "Not exactly wrong."

He sent me a sad smile. Maybe he finally realized the impact of his words.

"So, yeah," I went on somberly. The mood of this study session clearly soured. "Goodric had the sword and Rowena had the diadem, so we're covered on those. As for the other two, Helga had the cup and Salazar had the locket. Anything else?"

I closed my book as an indication that there would in fact be nothing else to talk about. The boys seemed to read my movements, packing up their own parchments. Remus sent me a woeful look. This was clearly not how he envisioned this study session going.

"Nah," James said, getting up and patting his knees. "Anyway, heard there's a Slytherin versus Ravenclaw duel on the fifth floor in just a bit so we probably want to head down if we want good seats."

"Man, wish I could join," Sirius said, irked. "But someone gave me detention with Filch."

He was sending a small glare my way but I was too focused on James' words to notice.

"Did you say the fifth floor?" I directed my attention to James, trying to keep the worry that threatened to lace my voice at bay.

"Yeah," James said slowly, a look of concern crossing his own features. "Your ears okay, darlin'?"

"Who's it between?"

He shrugged. "I think they said Malfoy and someone. Pretty ballsy, if you ask me. Didn't he just get out of the hospital, Ledoux?"

"I heard it was Snivellus," Peter butted in.

"Oh, I heard it was Craggy on Slytherin's side," Remus mused casually.

"Did they say who from Ravenclaw?" I said, shaking slightly as I put my parchment away and slipped my ring back on my finger, knowing that I had to stop by the common room before heading down to the greenhouses.

"I don't think anyone's said," James mused for a second but then shrugged once more. "But no matter. Should be a great duel nonetheless, eh boys?"

This was it then. The coverup story to get kids like the Marauders downstairs, trapped, and then ambushed. I realized now the disadvantage this would put upon them and anyone else who wanted to watch this 'duel.' And from conversations that happened bedside in the Hospital Wing, I knew Lucius had gathered plenty of numbers and set many traps in order to create the most chaos. They wouldn't see anything coming. They and many others would definitely get hurt.

Still slightly shaking, I finally turned from my bag. They had been laughing about something but stopped abruptly when they saw the look on my face.

"Everything alright, Ledoux?" Asked Sirius, trying to hide his concern with a laugh but failing.

"You can't go," I said. "To the duel."

"What are you on about?" James said with a laugh. "Of course we're—"

"It's not a duel," I interrupted. "The Slytherins are going to ambush everyone. And it's not meant to be about some fun rivalry. It's going to be a free for all but they'll be targeting specific individuals that they see as a threat."

They were all side-eyeing each other before turning back to me as an indication to continue.

"Individuals like you," I continued. "If you know what I mean."

I tried to convey the underlying message without saying it out loud. There was no way I could because that would be acknowledging the situation in which we found ourselves and I had yet to find the courage to do so.

"Bastards," James finally muttered with fury. "Well you can't expect us to just stay out of it and do nothing, can you?"

"No but I'm asking you to," I said hotly. "That's exactly what they want. For you all to swoop in and save the day but you have no idea how intricate this plan is. They're going to blame everything on you all. Things that will have expulsion level consequences. That is if you make it out of it at all."

They all stared at me in silence, gobsmacked. James and Sirius were practically mirror images of one another. Eyes aflame with absolute rage while they repeatedly clenched and unclenched their jaws. Remus gave out a long sigh as he heaved his bag over his shoulder, eying the two alphas of the group with a look that told me he already knew what they were thinking. I assumed the worst, only made correct when I saw them both make for the direction of the stairs.

"No, no, no!" I quickly got in their way, my outstretched arms almost getting toppled by them. Remus and Peter hadn't moved, the latter darting between Remus and the three of us as he decided on what to do. "You can't go."

"Merlin, what's it to you, Ledoux?" James asked scathingly.

"Listen, Potter," I bit at him. "I may not be your friend, or even like you but this is serious. This isn't after hours dueling like we were kids. People could get seriously hurt here. They're not going to change their minds and back down but you can. You have the choice to be the bigger person here."

They continued to glare, though Sirius' began to lighten.

"Mates, let's just lay off it, yeah?" Remus stepped up and pat James on the shoulder, almost as if to restrain him. "Let's just make sure Lily and the gang aren't heading down there either and head back up to the common room. Rest up for a crazy day at Hogsmeade tomorrow, eh?"

"Wait, Lily is going?" I asked, shocked.

"Yeah, we were kind of going to go together," James' tone became softer, cheeks tinting slightly red.

"Well, you have to grab her before she gets down there!"

"Ledoux, we can handle it, alright?" He went back to glaring and trying to push past me.

"No!" I practically yelled. "Listen, I will put you all in detention with Sirius if I need to."

"Oh yeah?" James jeered. "On what grounds, darlin'?"

"I recall all of you being out past curfew the other night. Remus can only get away with it because he's a Prefect, too. Although, I don't even think I would need to worry about him because, amongst you all, he's the only one with any real sense." I let out a rough sigh. "It doesn't matter if you can 'handle' it, okay? It's not about that, it's about who's going to keep all this… bullshit out of Hogwarts."

"Honestly, you are out of your mind if you think—"

"Prongs, she's right," Sirius said with resolve.

The bespectacled boy's mouth dropped as he slowly turned to his now much calmer companion. Sirius' face had dropped, almost as if in defeat. He just gave a shrug towards his baffled friend.

"What? She has a point, mate," he continued.

"What point is that?

"We were told to act with purpose. If we went down there, it would just be giving them what they want. It's avoidable damage."

"But—"

"And you heard her. They've got a plan, while we'd be going in blind. We can't afford to get in trouble or get hurt."

"He's absolutely right, Prongs," Remus said.

James looked betrayed as he looked between the two of them. Finally, he landed on Peter.

"And what about you, Wormtail?" He asked, annoyed.

The mousey boy fidgeted, picking at his thumbs while he shook. He was in a precarious situation. For him, either choice would be the wrong one depending on which side you fell.

"Um," he muttered. "I'm not particularly fond of getting hit by hexes… And it is a Friday. We should be having fun, right? Not rushing into battle or anything."

He caught sight of James' glare and shriveled underneath it.

"I-I mean unless we want to, of course."

"Classic Wormtail," James sneered. "No backbone."

"That's not fair," Remus said. "He's just got some sense in him as well."

"Just go on, Prongs," Sirius said, clapping a hand on his friend's back. "You and Lily can head off to Puddifoot's tomorrow or something."

He clenched and unclenched his jaw for a few more moments but I knew from the look in his eyes that he knew it was a losing battle. His posture softened as he released a loud sigh.

"Fine," he grumbled. "But someone owes me a duel."

He stormed off in sync with his friends' chuckles.

"Wormtail," Sirius said with a nod in the direction of the bespectacled boy who had already made it to the end of the corridor. "Go after him, eh?"

"Why me?" The pudgy boy squeaked. "I'm always his punching bag."

"Just go, yeah? Make sure he doesn't change his mind."

With a huff, Peter rushed after James. He had to bust out into a light jog for his stocky legs to catch up before the other boy disappeared down the stairs. Remus casually made to follow them.

"I'll head off too," he said. He shot me a smile, casually placing his hands in his pockets. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't go getting into any trouble."

I nodded with a sigh of relief. If there was anyone in the Marauders that I believed would keep the tornado that was James Potter at bay, it was Remus. He shuffled off after them, though at a slightly more relaxed pace.

With his absence, the corridor returned to the quiet I had enjoyed before any of them had arrived. I considered making camp back in my now not-so-hidden alcove but decided that, with everything that was just moments away from taking place, now was the best time to head down to the safety of the greenhouses. Not that I would need a cover story but it was great to have one on hand just in case. With a heave, I shifted my satchel from one shoulder to the other.

"I'll be off then," I said to Sirius.

"Yeah, I guess I better head off to detention," he mocked.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun. You and Filch must be best mates at this point, right?"

"Very funny," he said flatly. He shuffled on his feet but made no move to walk away. When I turned to look at him, he was watching me with an unreadable expression.

"What?" I asked, a little annoyed.

"Did you put me in detention to keep me from going to the duel?"

The question surprised me as I didn't think he would figure it out. It was true. That night in the kitchens when I had passed out his detention, it wasn't because he was out late. In fact, I couldn't have cared less. It was Sirius Black, after all. But I knew that this attack was going to cause major damage and, at least at the time, I didn't care about sides enough to submit anyone to what was going to happen.

But I wasn't going to let him know that.

"No," I lied, looking away from him. "Just a coincidence."

"Right," I knew he was seeing right through me. He smiled, looking smug. "Knew you weren't like them."

There it was again. These Black brothers going around thinking they 'understood' me was really starting to piss me off.

"You know," I raised my chin and squared up to him. "I'm not your charity case. You don't 'know' me at all, Black, so you should stop thinking that you do. I don't know how you all found me today but let's not make it a habit, yeah? Moving forward, I would really, really appreciate it if we only saw each other when absolutely necessary."

Without waiting for a response, I brushed past him and made my way down the corridor.

---

For a morning before a Hogsmeade trip, the Great Hall was disturbingly quiet. The heels of my boots seemed too loud as I walked along the wall, making my way down the table. Amongst all the houses, the most students in attendance sat at the Slytherin table. From this alone, it was clear that last night had played out very well in 'our' favor.

Even though it was earlier than usual, when I had gotten back to the common room last night, everything had been dead quiet. I had decided to wait around for a bit, hoping to catch Byron or Lucius as they came back so I could hear how everything had gone. But when it had eventually reached past two in the morning with no sign of them, I had decided it was time to give into my drooping eyes and head to bed.

But even as I had tucked myself in, I wasn't able to rest. With the absence of anyone who would know what was going on, my mind was able to wander with a million questions and just as many worries. Without knowing if Byron was safe or still a student, I was barely able to get a wink of sleep.

From a few paces down, Celeste waved to me from her seat next to Vanessa Ackerly and across from Greta Weatherhill, two of our other dormmates. She animatedly waved me over and I smiled as I continued closer to them. I was halfway there when a slouched figure caught my eye and I stopped abruptly.

Regulus' hair washed over his face as he hunched over, head propped up by his palms as he sat alone. I looked back to Celeste who, along with the other girls, had raised her eyebrows in confusion. I looked between the party and the lonely boy before letting out a sigh and sitting down.

"Regulus?" I said quietly.

The pile of food on his plate was clearly just for show as he hadn't touched it and it had gone cold long ago. Up close, he looked even worse. Even through his messier than usual hair, I could tell that his fingers were scratched and bruised. From his drooping posture alone, even without seeing his face, it was clear that he was exhausted.

"Regulus?" I said again, louder, just in case he was nodding off.

"Shhh," I heard him murmur.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Shhh!" He replied, a little more aggressively. "I have a brutal headache."

"Well then maybe you should drink some Pumpkin Juice or something."

Still no movement from him. I made a point of making as much noise as I could while preparing a goblet of the drink and setting it in front of him. Taking a peek towards the girls down the way, they were hunched close to one another, whispering while sneaking glances our way. Great. I wasn't sure if I had the brainpower to come up with something clever enough to satiate them when they ultimately wanted to leech some gossip about this.

I looked back at Regulus. Still no movement.

"Hey," I said firmly, lightly slapping my hand down on the table.

He jumped a little, clearly startled by the sudden change in tone. With a groan, he roused slowly from his slouched position. His eyes squinted as they met the light and he rubbed them a couple of times before once more leaning his head on one of his hands. His eyelids were heavy, staying closed for seconds at a time before he realized where he was and opened them quickly.

The sunlight bathing over his face accented the bruise that was taking over his left eye. He had scratch marks dappled across his face that matched those on his hands. And the bags under his eyes looked like they had been permanently etched into his skin they were so dark.

"So what happened?" I asked, finally taking a piece of toast and putting it on my plate. I buttered it up as I waited for a response. When I looked back up after a couple of seconds of silence, I saw his eyes closed once more. I dropped the knife on my plate with a loud clink and he opened them again. "Do you need to go back to bed or something?"

"No, no. I'm fine," he said after a big yawn. "Besides we're all, you know, due at the Hog's Head today."

He said the second part lowly, despite us being plenty out of earshot of other students.

"What are you on about?" I asked, thinking I misheard him.

"We're all meeting at the Hog's Head later… Lucius didn't tell you?"

"No, I haven't seen them," I said, toast all but forgotten. "That's what I've been trying to talk to you about. You're the first one of everyone who was there last night that I've met today."

"Oh, Salazar," he sighed, rubbing his eyes once more. "They must still be in questioning…"

"What?" I gasped. "What are you talking about? What happened?"

"Bloody havoc, that's what." He stabbed a fork into his sausage. "I mean, it was carnage, Elsbeth. No one saw it coming, which of course was the whole point. But I guess we didn't expect it to go so… well? Seems like a weird word to use in this situation but that's the only way to describe it when you're looking at it from the winning side, I guess."

"So everyone's okay? Byron?"

"Yeah, he maybe got a couple of bruises here and there but he's just fine. Lucius, too. Nott was probably the worst off. He got hit pretty bad by some seventh year Ravenclaw so he'll be in the Hospital Wing for a bit. But everyone else is pretty fine."

"And… all the others?"

He stared at the apple in his hand, flipping it over and over in silence. For a moment I thought he might have fallen asleep with his eyes open or something.

"A couple had to be shipped off to St. Mungos," he finally said quietly.

"Merlin," I breathed out. I swallowed uncomfortably, the toast suddenly a little too dry in my mouth. I tried to keep my face as neutral as possible while I processed that piece of information. "You guys really planned for this well, huh?"

"Seems so," he said flatly before going back to his breakfast. He didn't eat anything, just pushed some beans around.

"So what's happening at the Hog's Head later?" I asked, forgetting my breakfast entirely.

"Big meeting," he replied simply, not breaking eye contact with the beans. "Everyone of importance is going to be there. So long as they make it out of their interrogations, of course."

"Do you guys really think you'll get away with this?" I whispered.

"Oh yeah, we've got it covered," he sighed.

As if on cue, a ruckus rose up from just outside the Great Hall. Everyone's heads shot towards the doors as the noises got louder and louder, and it soon became clear that there were some people yelling. When it appeared that the noises were right outside the doors, some students got up and headed out to see what was happening.

"C'mon, Elsbeth!" Celeste suddenly appeared behind me, making me drop the knife that I was about to use on another piece of toast. "Let's see what all the fun's about!"

She practically strangled me when she pulled on the collar of my jacket, forcing me up from my seat. I fumbled as I tried to keep up with her. Shooting a glance back at Regulus, he merely sent me a smirk. As students scrambled around him, he made no indications that he was going to follow suit.

We pushed through the heavy doors and were greeted with a flood of students from all houses heading out to the courtyard.

"What could possibly be going on?" Greta said in her high pitched voice that I hated so much.

We all moved with the current to join everyone outside. The cool October air kissed my cheeks and I wondered if I should grab a thicker jacket before we all headed down to Hogsmeade. But all thoughts fled my mind as I watched the scene before me unfold.

"Back! Back to your houses!" McGonagall was screeching as she tried to shoo away the ever-growing crowd of students in the courtyard. "Or no Hogsmeade trips for any of you!"

In the center of the opening stood Professor Dumbledore, flanked by Professors Slughorn and River. They both looked sadly forward as three students stood shaking in front of them. I recognized two of them as seventh years on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and assumed the third was a friend in the same house and year. One of them, a Beater on the team if I was remembering correctly, was on the brink of tears. It was then that I noticed that they were accompanied by their trunks and other belongings.

"Mr. Wynn, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Veil," Professor Dumbledore turned to them one by one as the courtyard fell silent. Professor McGonagall had abandoned her ambition to disperse the crowd and had placed herself next to Slughorn and River. "We have assembled statements from various sources regarding last night's events."

You couldn't hear a soul breath as everyone waited in anticipation for what Dumbledore would say next. Looking around the crowd, it was interesting to see a lot of the students' faces contort in confusion about what was going on. I was relieved to see that most hadn't been subjected to what was apparently a horrific evening.

Across the way, I locked eyes with who I had been dying to find. Byron looked a little worse for wear, sporting some scratches but ultimately looking fine. His gaze turned into a glare as we locked eyes and I wondered what had him so miffed. Meanwhile, Lucius looked smug at his side, clearly trying to hide a giant smirk. He shot me a wink when I caught his attention, to which I replied with a small fake smile before returning my attention to the action in the center.

"As such," Dumbledore's voice rang out once more, "the information we have gathered has forced us to make the unfortunate decision of terminating your education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, effective immediately."

"No way," Celeste hissed out in glee. "This is amazing!"

Gasps and murmurs rang out throughout the crowd, including from me. I was worried that this would happen but never really thought that it would become a reality. Lucius could no longer hide his pleasure as the boys in question broke down, wrapping arms around each other's shoulders as they tried to compose themselves.

"Professors Slughorn and Puffywood shall accompany you to meet your parents," he paused for a heavy moment. I noticed him fidget, an uncharacteristic move for the Headmaster. "Your wands, please."

"This is rubbish!" We heard someone call out from the crowd. A quick scan revealed the culprit to be James but he was quickly covered when the likes of other Gryffindors, including his fellow Marauders, joined in on the shouts.

"QUIET!" Dumbledore's voice echoed throughout the courtyard, silencing all. After a glance around at all the students, he turned back to the boys in front of him. "It is a decree by the Ministry that we must abide by. Your wands, please."

With shaky hands, the boys lifted their wands in front of them as McGonagall stepped up. In absolute horror, we watched as she took each one of them in turn and snapped them in half. The cracks of the wood rang out and bounced around the flagstone.

"I think I speak on behalf of all of our staff," Dumbledore said with a sigh as McGonagall handed him the broken wands. "When I say that we wish you luck in all your future endeavors."

With a nod and a sad smile, he quickly turned and made his way back into the castle. The sea of students parted as he passed and the large wooden doors slammed shut with a loud thud behind him.

In an instant students were in motion. Celeste, Vanessa, and Greta huddled to discuss, allowing me to inch backwards and out of the crowd. I tried to control my ragged breathing as I watched the chaos surrounding me. Most recognizable as Gryffindors rushed to console the three boys in the center. Included in that flock were the Marauders, with James making his way to the front to greet his now-former teammates.

For a brief second, I locked eyes with Remus. He just looked dejected, letting the wave of students push him along rather than moving himself. Sirius on the other hand looked absolutely furious when I caught his gaze. His eyes remained on mine for only a millisecond before transitioning to something behind me.

"Quite the show," I heard Regulus say from behind me, confirming who had been the other victim of Sirius' glare.

"It was barbaric," I muttered, not looking at him. Part of me felt like I was going to puke as I realized I was not prepared to face the actual consequences of everything going on. It had all been happening in theory before, through the lens of articles in the Prophet. But this? This was real.

"It was necessary," Lucius said happily as he stepped in front of us. "Necessary and quite enjoyable."

Somehow, he had managed to escape the scuffle with virtually zero injuries. It wouldn't have surprised me if he had used Craggy and Mulciber as human shields during the entire ordeal. I wondered if he had even lifted his wand.

"Hmm," I replied noncommittally.

"We need to get going," Byron stepped up beside him. He was still glaring at me, making my stomach even more upset at what that could mean. "We don't want to be late."

"Indeed," Lucius replied, holding an arm out in my direction. "Elsbeth, shall we?"

Past him, most of the students had dispersed minus a sizable group still consoling the Gryffindors. Slughorn and River were trying to diffuse the crowd in order to escort the ex-students off campus but were clearly having trouble balancing being Professors and sympathizers. The Marauders were hugging the boys goodbye one by one. I'm pretty sure I even saw James wipe away some tears and it pulled at my heartstrings as I watched.

"Beth," Byron caught my attention, his voice laced with annoyance. "Let's go."

Quickly, I looped my arm around Lucius' and we followed Byron and Regulus out of the courtyard. At the top of the path, we were met with Snape, Mulciber, and, to my surprise, Andromeda. She looked like she felt just as bad as I did. Lucius momentarily let go of my arm to go talk with the other boys, so I pulled her over to the side.

"Hi," I said quietly, to which she didn't reply but just looked back at me sadly. I pulled her into an embrace and held her there as I whispered into her ear. "Are you okay? Teddy wasn't there, right?"

"No, no. He's fine, thank Salazar," she replied sadly. "But one of his mates was shipped off to St. Mungos. He's all torn up about it and I don't know what to do."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Andromeda," I pulled away but held her hands in mind. "Do you know what this is about? This meeting?"

"Not a clue. Byron just told me about it half an hour ago," she looked towards my brother, worry lacing her features. "It seems serious, though. They're bringing loads of members."

Before we were able to say anything else, we were rejoined by the boys. I once again found my arm in Lucius', while Andromeda laced hers with Byron's. She sent me a sad smile as we continued down the path to Hogsmeade.

It was a quiet walk, with only the occasional comment from Lucius. His aura glowed with excitement, clearly over the moon with the results of their first siege on the students of Hogwarts. As such, it was actually a relief to see the worn-down hanging sign of the Hog's Head, as hopefully it meant that I soon wouldn't have to deal with Lucius' joy when we got on with whatever this meeting was all about.

When we entered the dilapidated bar slash inn, we were greeted by the familiar faces of many other Slytherins, all of whom looked worn and scratched up, clearly from the previous night's events. They all cheered as we entered, raising glasses of butterbeer in a toast to their accomplishments. I took hold of Andromeda's arm in confusion as Lucius and Byron went up to greet some.

"What the hell?" She whispered to me, clearly shocked by the sight of everyone as well. We both jumped as the innkeeper shut and locked the main door behind us. He shot us a friendly smile as he made his way back behind the bar.

"Beth," Byron called out to me from near the steps that led up to the rooms. "Come with me, please."

Andromeda gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as I made my way towards my brother. More than once, I had to push off slightly intoxicated housemates as I battled to get to the foot of the steps. Merlin, and it wasn't even noon.

I finally reached Byron and, without a word or a glance my way, he started ascending the stairs. With a scoff, I followed as we hiked up a couple of twisted flights before heading down several bumpy corridors. I was running out of breath trying to keep up with his rapid pace.

"Byron," I heaved as we finally stopped in front of a door. The paint was chipping and I'm pretty sure there was some sort of mold forming in one of the corners. "What is going—"

"In here," he said, placing a hand on the doorknob. He paused for a moment, thinking, before locking saddened eyes with me. "For what it's worth, to an extent I am actually sorry."

And with that, he opened the door and flew inside.

"What are you—" I followed him but stopped short when I saw that the room was already occupied. "Father?"

I barely had the word out when Baptiste Ledoux swiftly strode across the room and slapped me across the face.