Hello everyone!

For once, nothing unusual to report, so I'll get straight to it.

Thank you to creelluka, lizyeh2000, Cae-Leigh Anne, xXRosexScorpiusXx, Blue Luver5000 and dreamzz for reviewing! I love reading them every time.

Dreamzz: you made me laugh with your last comment, so here's a chapter as promised. Usually I update every week, though that might change to every two weeks (apart from at Christmas and during the summer). There's more Reg/Emma to come, don't worry.

'You know,' Alecto said the next morning as they were brushing their teeth. 'You could always ask Reg and Rab to petition for your engagement if you're that worried about it. It'd take ages for the Lestranges and the Blacks to fight over which one gets you.'

'I told you, it's stupid,' Emma said, angrily spitting into the sink. 'My family's not like that, it's not like Wilkes will actually succeed.'

'I don't know,' Alecto mused teasingly. 'The Blacks hold so much sway with the Ministry that they could probably get a law approved through money alone.'

Having no counter-argument to that statement, Emma threw her toothbrush back into the pot and walked off in a huff. Or at least tried to. She stumbled over the step into their room and fell face-first to the floor.

This is not a good day.

Lucinda was still giggling to herself on the way down to breakfast, even after the context had been explained. All she had heard was Alecto's comment about Rabastan and Regulus. The redhead shook her head and went to torment some terrified Ravenclaws when Lucinda started coming up with wild scenarios in which the boys would have to duel to the death for Emma's hand in marriage.

'It's not that funny,' Emma said grumpily.

'Yes it is,' Lucinda smiled, before trying to arrange her face into a neutral expression. 'Is that what you were going to tell me about Rabastan? That you're also secretly dating him, and are worried they'll tell each other about you?'

'What? No!' Emma exclaimed, aghast.

'Just checking,' Lucinda said cheekily. 'Though you have to admit, either of them would be a catch, marriage-wise.'

'In need of a husband, Lucy?' Emma teased, seeing her opportunity. 'What happened to playing the field?'

'The field got muddy,' Lucinda sighed. 'I want a nice, cosy cottage now.'

Emma shook her head, both at the metaphor and in suprise at Lucinda's wishful thinking. 'You are a strange one, you know that Lucinda Rosier.'

'Well, Evan's engaged and I have until their wedding to come up with my own suitable suitor,' Lucinda said pragmatically. 'Of course, my parents haven't mentioned it to their darling girl, but I'm not an idiot. Their baby boy's going to leave the next, and guess who the attention is going to be focused upon?'

'So you've given this a lot of thought then?' Emma probed.

Lucinda gave her a wry smile, waving to a tapestry to reveal a shortcut.

'I'm not McGonagall, Ems, I do have a heart you know. Of course, I would love to marry the man of my dreams, swept up in a romantic tale, but I have to think a little pragmatically. Unless I find a foreigner in the next few years, my business will never get the clientele I want. Purebloods want a family set, not some female designer who can't get a husband in their eyes. Plus, all the good ones go early, you know that.'

'But that's in a few years yet,' Emma pointed out the bright side. 'It's not like you have to choose right now.'

'I know, I know,' Lucinda sighed again. 'Marriage aside, I am feeling a little lonely. It's alright for you and Reg, and your forbidden romance. Why is it a forbidden romance, again?'

'I'm not quite sure,' Emma admitted. 'I think Reg just wants all of the newness of it to be over before we're seen in public. You know him, always in control of the situation.' She decided to move the conversation along. 'Speaking of control, have you noticed how Bast's grown up? I can't believe he's the same guy we had to turn into a girl to get a little respect!'

'I know, right!' Lucinda's tinkling laugh resounded through the Entrance Hall. 'He's gotten rather handsome too, this year,' she added shyly.

'Bast was always too charming for his own good,' Emma laughed along. 'But in the end, I think he's just covering a romantic heart.'

'Rab? Never! His heart is as black as stone, as he always likes to say,' Lucinda shook her head.

'No, really,' Emma insisted. 'You probably don't remember, but I got pretty upset at Narcissa's wedding and…well, accidentally used a rather powerful Cheering Charm. You know me and Charms, I always found them too easy.'

'I wish I could say the same for myself,' Lucinda said wistfully. 'What happened? You know, you're right, I can't remember much from the evening.'

'Well, let's just say that Cheering Charms aren't usually used in normal situations for a reason. I acted completely out of it, but instead of teasing me Bast Confunded everyone's memory of the last hour before the dinner.'

'Wow, he must really fancy you then,' Lucinda frowned. 'You know, I was talking to him yesterday, and I swear he blushed when I told him he hadn't been charming the girls lately and teased him for losing his touch. I just thought he had found a new way of annoying me with commanded blushes, but maybe he's in love.'

'Not with me,' Emma quickly supplied, feeling that she was giving out the wrong impression. 'I was just saying that underneath all of his pranks and bluster, he's really quite sweet. I think he would have done it for any of us, even Alecto.'

They walked a little further as Lucinda thought on Emma's words, the laughter gone from her eyes

'You're never going to tell me what happened between you two, are you?' she asked softly. 'Not that I'm complaining, it made me closer to both of you as a result, but it's a shame… So Rabastan's a romantic, huh? I would never have guessed.'

'You know,' Emma said quickly as they approached the Slytherin table. 'I'll let you in on a secret though - he does fancy someone, and I bet if you try hard enough you can get him to tell you who. Maybe in return he'll find you a suitable suitor, as you put it.'

'You know what? I think I will,' Lucinda declared, as they sat down. 'Why shouldn't I do some underhanded business, like the rest of you?'

'You'll what?' Rabastan asked, just as Regulus snorted and said: "Underhanded business? Sweet Lucinda, you're ambitious and clever, but you definitely don't have the Slytherin sneak.'

Lucinda just raised her eyebrows and pulled out her notebook, drawing up a plan and ignoring them for the rest of breakfast. The others all exchanged looks, but decided to let the blonde have her fun.

Just as Rabastan finished his toast, a large grey owl clattered into his plate, knocking his pumpkin juice all over the table. Alecto rolled her eyes and pulled her book out of the danger zone, but Regulus and Emma both peered over their friend's shoulder, eager to read what Mr Lestrange thought of their plan.

My dear boy, it read.

Whilst it pains me to no end the number of favours you have needed to ask me - you know that I disapprove of requiring help - your mother has pointed out that times were not as troubled as they were during Rodolphus's time at school. Regretfully, I have looked over the matter and your plan is a sound one, though at no small risk to myself. However, I have long known that I must stand aside for the younger generation to pave the way to the greatness I myself had envisioned during my schoolboy days. It seems to me that you have finally grown out of your childish habits and are willing to take on the responsibilities appropriate for an heir, although not the heir, to the House of Lestrange.

Do not mistake me in this matter; I expect your devotion to your family and our allies to increase twicefold henceforth. I have it on good authority that you have recently been shirking your duties. I can only hope that it is due to this underlying problem.

Take a look at the newspaper. I believe you would find section three interesting.

Cordially,

Agnus Lestrange

'Does your father always sign his letters like that?' Emma asked, once she had finished reading.

Rabastan made a face. 'He finds it belittling to be reduced to the title of "father".'

'He always was a pompous prat,' Regulus sniped unexpectedly.

Rabastan whacked him with the adjoining rolled up newspaper. 'Hey! That's my dad you're talking about!'

But no harm seemed to have been done, because he diverted his attention to the Daily Prophet. After scanning one of the inner pages, he thrust it back on the table in disgust.

'Bah,' he said, waving a hand in dismissal. 'It's about the construction of a new wing in St Mungo's for magical creature attacks, what do I care? It's not like we're the ones keeping dangerous beasts around.'

He turned towards the teachers table with a glower as if to prove his point. During the Thestral lesson, Rabastan had been nipped on the ear. He had never forgiven the Care Of Magical Creatures professor since. Another reason to avoid outdoor classes, Emma noted internally.

Regulus ignored the rant, instead carefully extracting the newspaper from the puddle of spilled juice. He frowned in concentration for a second and then rolled it back up and hit Rabastan back in a similar manner, spraying Emma with droplets of orange liquid.

'Hey!' she said angrily, but Regulus didn't care.

Emma grumbled, dabbing at her jumper with a napkin, but her attention was soon caught by Regulus's next words.

'Rabastan, you twit, did you not look at the date?' He looked around, realising that he was speaking too loudly. When he was sure that no one was looking their way, he continued in a lower tone. 'The article said it was published on the seventeenth of December. That's the day that he'll send the note into the Ministry, just before their Christmas party. It's a clever idea: you'll be back to be on the lookout for Order members and the Wizengamot can debate it during the celebrations. Bones will probably be invited at New Year, but they'll already have made a decision before they bother to contact her.'

Emma was impressed with Mr Lestrange's ingenuity. Although it was her plan, she couldn't imagine an adult ever taking it seriously. Why not? she asked herself. After all, the Dark Lord's taken you seriously so far.

But the Dark Lord is different, another voice argued in her brain. He's more -

Crazy? she thought flippantly.

I was going to say open-minded, the voice replied snidely.

'Emma? Hello, earth to Emma?'

Rabastan was waving an arm in front of her face.

'What?' she blinked rapidly, realising that she had been staring off into space.

I really need to get more sleep, she thought to herself. Hearing voices was a sign of madness, and she had already seen what path that had led to for Bellatrix and Alecto.

'I was going to ask if you wanted to come over at Christmas. That goes for you too, Reg, even if you are a horrible twat who hits me with soggy newspapers,' Rab said with fondness, smiling down on his fellow Slytherin.

Regulus rolled his eyes at him.

'Well, I promised James Regulus and I would go to Godric's Hollow for Christmas,' Emma replied after a second's thought. 'But I guess it wouldn't hurt if we went to yours, first.'

'What's all this?' Regulus asked, genuinely surprised.

Oh yeah, she thought. That's what I forgot to tell him. She gulped upon seeing Regulus's face darken – he really didn't like to look the fool, but Rabastan was oblivious as ever, turning to her with a wide grin

'Oooh, "Regulus and I" now, is it?' He jumped on her words loudly, mischief dancing in his green eyes. 'You come as a unit now, do you? When's the wedding? I heard that May was supposed to have magical properties.'

'Shut up Rab,' Emma mumbled, rolling her eyes.

Alecto was far more interested in a different part of the conversation. Her book snapped shut and she leaned forwards, Vanishing the puddle of forgotten pumpkin juice as she did so. Her eyes gleamed with a new idea.

'What's this? You and Regulus are together now? Since when?'

'Thanks Rab,' Emma muttered again, poking him sharply in the side with her wand.

Rabastan was only too happy to reply for them, squirming out of Emma's reach. 'Only a couple of weeks or so,' he announced.

Undaunted, Emma shuffled forwards on the bench to poke him again. Seeing that Alecto was lost in thought and Regulus was deep in conversation with their fellow seventh years, she took advantage of their friends' momentary distractions.

'Careful what goes spewing out of your mouth Rab,' she whispered to him evilly. 'It might just happen to me next.'

She smirked as Rabastan blanched, his eyes sliding over to Lucinda, who was watching them curiously, but who was too far to hear their words. She noted something down in her booklet. Feeling the weight of his crush's eyes upon him, Rabastan quickly covered his moment of weakness, puffing up his chest out with bravado.

'Go on then,' he said boldly. 'I don't care.'

'Lucy?' Emma didn't need any more encouragement. 'You know we were talking about who Rab fancies? Well, it turns out hmppf-'

Rabastan had just placed a rather large hand over her mouth, effectively cutting off her next words. Lucinda cocked her head in amusement, her eyes crinkled with silent laughter.

'Ah, children nowadays huh?' Rabastan laughed nervously, ruffling Emma's hair. 'They just say the darndest things, don't they?'

Emma ducked to free herself of Rabastan's grasp. A scuffle ensued, with each trying to discomfort the other as much as possible.

'She doesn't look like she's your soon-to-be fiancée,' Wilkes observed to Regulus on the other side of the table, watching the two fighting. 'If anything, I'd say that Lestrange has more of a shot than either you or I.'

Upon hearing Rabastan's announcement, Wilkes had broken off his conversation with Severus Snape and grilled Regulus with questions. He was very polite about it, after all Regulus might not have heard that he had petitioned for her hand beforehand. The only gentlemanly thing to do would be to back down immediately, for although Regulus was a Black, Wilkes was the firstborn heir to a large fortune.

Controlling the seething anger that was bubbling up - both at himself for being behind on the happenings in Slytherin, and at Wilkes for believing even for a fraction of a second that Emma would ever have him - Regulus arranged his features into one of slight disdain. He could have gone on as Emma had the night before, talking about how they were no longer in the Dark Ages, that arranged marriages were usually to the teenagers' liking and how Wilkes was definitely, without the shadow of a doubt, not to Emma's liking, or even to James's liking, but that wouldn't do.

He needed to show Wilkes his place without creating the same sort of enmity that Emma and Rabastan had a habit of doing. Someone in the group needed to look out for their interests, and as Alecto's reasonable voice became swallowed by a pit of madness, it fell to Regulus to sort everything out.

'I'll have you know, Wilkes, that my grandfather has already made the arrangements,' he said in his haughtiest voice which, considering he was a Black, was pretty impressive if he did say so himself. 'It would only be polite to include James Potter, the heir of the Potter fortunes, and unfortunately that means waiting until this Christmas to officially cement the engagement.' A thought occurred to him and he smirked. 'Why else do you think the Gryffindor would invite me to Godric's Hollow?'

Regulus decided that he quite enjoyed the look on Wilkes face. The boy seemed to realise that in pursuing his decision he would make an enemy of two prominent pureblood houses, even if none of Regulus's words were close to the truth. Even so, he couldn't resist another little dig.

'I'm terribly sorry I didn't think to tell you before,' he drawled, examining his nails. 'What would the Dark Lord say if he thought you were trying to undermine his plans for the cohesion of the pureblood group?'

He glanced slyly back to the other boy to see the effect of his words. Wilkes turned green and pushed his plate away, seemingly thankful that Mulciber wasn't there to mock him. Regulus met Severus Snape's eyes and could swear he saw a hint of amusement in his black eyes, though he said nothing. Interesting, he thought.

Next to them, the scuffle had degraded into a quiet duel, with levitated goblets of pumpkin juice evidently fighting a battle to the death in the name of their masters' honour.

Regulus sighed. Why did they have to pick now to degenerate into twelve year olds?

'You what?' Emma's voice went dangerously low, pulling her hand out of his in disgust.

Regulus had decided to tell her his clever plan to deal with the Wilkes situation during their patrol. Evidently, Emma didn't think much of it.

'I don't see what the problem is,' he said reasonably. 'You won't have to marry Wilkes if my family finds a loophole in the law - my grandfather can be very persistent if he's promised a dowry in exchange - and this way, there's no way anyone else can try it either.'

Emma let out a dramatic sigh, leaning against a wall.

'That doesn't mean I want to be married at the age of seventeen,' she pointed out, trying to calm down.

I will not hex Regulus, I will not hex Regulus, she repeated to herself, clutching the wand in her sleeve. She knew that the Potters were prone to rash actions, but she wasn't sure that hexing Regulus would fix this particular problem. Besides, if James can control himself, so can I.

The familiar wood was soothing, as she calmed her heartbeat. She reminded herself that Regulus was just trying to help, but it still irked her that he had done this without talking to her. Plus, he kind of sprang it on me, she thought. This kind of impulsive action was not what she had in mind when she thought of Regulus. Then again, she hadn't told him about Christmas with James and Sirius. She supposed it was only fair, and through this reasoning, stowed her wand back in its sheath.

'We don't have to be,' Regulus replied, mimicking her leaning stance with a hint of amusement. 'An engagement can last for as long as we want to, and in this "time of fear",' the words were said with obvious sarcasm, 'it's quite natural for couples to get serious quickly. Besides, it doesn't really matter if it's true or not – we only need Wilkes to believe that I've petitioned for your hand. We can just pretend that James is taking a while to think about it over the holidays.'

'I suppose,' Emma agreed reluctantly, seeing the truth in his words. She relaxed into a smile. 'Thank you, by the way. I can't believe you'd go all the way as to ask your grandfather if you could marry me, just for my peace of mind. What would he say if he found out it was fake?'

'Hey, what are boyfriends for?' Regulus asked, his trademark smirk sliding onto his face. 'Besides, my grandfather has nothing on Bellatrix, trust me. Now, what do you say we ditch the patrol and go for a fly?'

'We haven't been in ages,' Emma breathed, realising how stuffy Hogwarts felt the moment Regulus mentioned it.

Within minutes, their brooms were zooming towards their outstretched palms through the open window and they were out under the night sky. Emma was briefly reminded of their very first night in Hogwarts and how disappointed she had been to be put in Slytherin. She wouldn't trade places with her brother for the world now. She whooped as she dived, and even Regulus let out a chuckle when they raced each other through the Quidditch hoops.

She wondered how he had felt that night, doomed to play the peacekeeper for the next six years. Did Sirius even realise what Regulus gave up for him? She wondered, as Regulus performed a Wronskei Feint with driven intensity. What does it feel like to have your life scrutinised, watched down to the slightest detail and knowing that, making sure of that, so that someone else could make mistakes unnoticed?

James hadn't done that, though the relationship was incomparable. James had always supported her against Charles in their arguments – when he realised something was going on. But Emma wouldn't have given up her brother's innocence – idiocy and all – for the world. Still, she didn't know if she would have been able to turn her life into a sham, the way Regulus had.

I guess that's why he's so comfortable with a fake engagement, she thought. Well, a fake proposal. I can still get James to say no and explain everything.

She halted her broom as high as she could go, the Heating charm she had cast protecting her against the chilly wind. Regulus was a speck darting in and out of the spectator boxes and Hogwarts was a mass of twinkling lights. Secretly, Emma thought that his hidden love for danger belied a dormant Gryffindor nature, no matter how Regulus tried to deny it.

But after knowing everything he did for Sirius, even though his brother barely acknowledged it, knowing that I can trust Regulus with more than my life... she let her thoughts trail off into memories, remembering how he had helped her get through so many things when even James couldn't: the Sorting, her parents' death, the trials to become the youngest Death Eaters ever... What if I don't want it to be fake?