Hello everyone! I'm sticking to my self-imposed schedule of one week, hopefully this will continue.

Thanks to roguepayne, Senyuu, anasha, Nik1804, lizyeh2000, 19irene96, Cae-Leigh Anne and Alyssa1413 for reviewing! As usual, I enjoyed each and evey one (and for once replied to you on time).

And of course, thanks to my beta, VidereLux!

Now, enjoy a chapter filled with Regulus and Emma!

Emma walked into the Great Hall the next morning tired, but happy. She felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, even though talking with James hadn't technically accomplished anything.

Still, she munched her toast with a gusto she hadn't felt in a while, raising her glass of pumpkin juice towards Rabastan when he entered the room. Lucinda had already eaten, of course, and was already out roaming the castle.

Rabastan sat down at the table and – as was his custom – stole a piece of buttered toast off of Emma's plate.

'It's always the stolen food that tastes the best,' he declared, closing his eyes with pleasure. Then, never one to pass up the opportunity for a joke: 'So from your chirpy mood, I guess you and Regulus sorted out whatever was in those papers yesterday? They weren't love letters to some other bird, were they?'

Emma frowned at him, not knowing what to say. She had nearly forgotten about Regulus's notes. She put her toast back on her plate, her appetite vanishing in an instant.

Rabastan lowered his own food, worry creasing his forehead. 'They weren't, were they Ems? They can't be. Regulus isn't like that.'

'No, nothing like that,' Emma replied hastily. 'I haven't seen Regulus since Transfiguration class yesterday, though.'

'Really?' Rabastan said, shredding another piece of toast to strips. 'He wasn't back by the time I went to bed last night, and his bed was still made this morning. I just thought...'

As they both tried to figure out the missing information without alerting the other to their own worry, Remus Lupin walked through the doors, making a beeline for the Slytherin table.

Rabastan and Emma looked at each other with twin expressions of surprise. Remus Lupin was universally liked by the student body as a whole, with the sole exception of Severus Snape, but he wasn't one to rock the boat by sitting at Gryffindor's rival's table for breakfast.

'It must be you he's after,' Rabastan said. 'Some kind of Prefect thing.'

'I don't think so,' Emma replied, watching Remus make his way across the hall, noting his pallid expression. 'James or Lily would have come, and they're over at their table enjoying their food.'

Rabastan swivelled around. True enough, the couple were taking it in turn to heap a full English breakfast on each other's plates. By that time, Remus had drawn close enough for them to notice he was out of breath.

'Thank Merlin, I've been looking for one of you everywhere. Slytherins are harder to catch than their House mascots,' he said, hand going to his side. Emma wondered if the full moon made him easily winded, as well as tired. 'I thought I'd warn you before the whole rumour mill starts up. Regulus is in the Hospital Wing - it seems as though he got lost in the Forbidden Forest last night.'

Emma's initial reaction was fear. What had Regulus been doing in the Forbidden Forest, and what kind of creature had attacked him?

Then she realised that the story was most probably not true, especially given the way Remus was eyeing them with. She glanced up to Rabastan. I didn't think he had anything to do for the Dark Lord, she thought. But the papers yesterday proved that he could be doing something on the side. But what?

'Thanks, Lupin,' Rabastan said quickly, walking quickly towards the doors.

Emma made to follow him, but she found herself blocked by Remus, who had caught hold of her arm.

'Wait a minute, Emma,' Remus said. 'Is there something I should know? Any…conditions, any side projects that would require Regulus to be out in the forest so late last night?'

He gave her an appraising look. He thinks Regulus is a werewolf, was Emma's immediate thought, but she quickly dismissed it. Still, Remus Lupin was astute enough to know that this was something that was out of the ordinary. If Regulus had been ill, then he would have gone straight to the Common Room so as to not look weak in front of the entire school. Regulus despised the Hospital Wing.

Emma realised that Remus was still waiting for a response.

'No,' she replied hesitatingly, before strengthening her voice. 'No,' she repeated. 'I don't know what it is.'

And it was true. And that was what scared her.

'One at a time please.'

Emma didn't even need to see the matron before she knew it was Madam Pomfrey who spoke. Rabastan glanced over, his pale green eyes flitting from Emma's worried expression to the matron's stern face.

'I'll go,' he offered, placing a hand on Emma's shoulder as he passed her. In an undertone, he added. 'I think he's cracked under the pressure, Ems. I'm worried about him.'

Emma looked up at her friend, but he had already left the Hospital Wing. Unconsciously gulping, she approached Regulus's bed, gingerly sitting down on the side. Looking around, she saw that Madam Pomfrey had already gone to tend a few second years suffering from Venomous Tentacula bites.

Regulus was lying propped up on a wad of pillows, smothered in layer after layer of blankets. It looked as though he had a cold, what with his puffy eyes ringed with dark circles and his red nose, but Emma knew better.

'Regulus?' she asked softly, placing a hand where she supposed his arm was.

His eyes met her own with a series of heavy blinks before he reacted.

'Emma? Glad…you're here. I needed to tell you...' he mumbled, slurring his words as though drunk.

He extracted an arm out of the blankets with difficulty, almost knocking over his glass of water as he did so.

'Whoa,' Emma said, righting the glass and moving it to a safe distance. 'Careful, or you might bring Madam Pomfrey's wrath down upon us all.'

'What?' he asked, trying - and failing - to sit up properly. 'Didna want to…Hospital Wing.'

'I know, Regulus,' Emma replied soothingly, pushing her curiosity to the side. 'The rumours have started already. Don't worry; I'm sure we can spin it some way as to not ruin your reputation. With the Slytherins, it's easily done. Just imply that...'

'Stop,' Regulus moaned, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. Several blinks later had him looking marginally more awake. 'Don't want Emma the planner. Need…need my Emma. The real Emma.'

Emma didn't reply, instead taking one of his hands in her own. She started at how cold it was. Quickly, she covered it with the other as well, alarmed at the small tremors she could feel running through his body.

'What have you done, Regulus?' she murmured, shuffling closer and feeling his forehead. It was covered in a sheen of cold sweat.

'Need to tell you…tell my Emma…too late, not coming,' Regulus mumbled, his gaze far away again.

In the blink of an eye, Madam Pomfrey was back, administering some kind of modified Pepper-Up potion to Regulus. Emma watched as the steam unfurled from his ears.

'What happened?' she blurted out before she could stop himself. 'What's wrong with him?'

'He caught hypothermia,' the school matron tutted like a mother hen. 'He must have been out all night; it's a wonder that he made it back to the gates at all! He was very lucky that Mister Lupin found him passed out near the Entrance Hall so early, or he might have made quite the commotion! Now, shoo. He'll need his rest if he's to be up and about this evening.'

Suddenly, Remus's sudden interest made a lot more sense. But if what Madam Pomfrey said was true, then what was Regulus doing outside all night?

Could it be... Emma wondered on her way out, thinking back to her conversation with Rabastan earlier.

"I guess you and Reg sorted out whatever was in those papers yesterday."

She looked back to the slumbering Slytherin. Could it be that he was out there looking for me?

After having reasonably well completed her Transfiguration essay - thanks in most part to James helping her - that afternoon, Emma pored over Regulus's transcripts of the Dark Lord's speeches within the safety of the Slytherin Common Room. Now that she read it for a second time, she realised that some words were underlined, some circled, others cross-referenced.

She wished she had his notebook, then she might be able to figure out what he had been looking for - because she was nearly certain that he was looking for something. The question was.. what?

Evidence of the Dark Lord's power of persuasion? A historic observation of the wizarding world's future leader's rise to power? His power as such? Many underscored words were referencing the Dark Lord's foray into fields of magic as yet unheard of…was Regulus trying to improve his own skills?

Or was it all about something closer to home?

Emma allowed herself to indulge for a moment, imagining that Regulus had also realised the futility of throwing their lot in with Voldemort, his unprecedented brutality that would not abate even at the end of the war.

A girl can dream, she thought wryly, remembering how only a year ago she had believed that her dreams of a better world were coming true. At least Voldemort seems to believe in equality between magical races. That has to count for something.

But she was conjecturing at best, and she knew it. James had told her of the Order of the Phoenix finding allies amongst the goblins, who were treated like vermin by some of the Dark Lord's followers.

Sighing, she bundled up Regulus's notes and carefully stowed them in her bag.

'Going to see Regulus?' Rabastan asked, looking up from his Herbology sketches.

Emma opened her mouth, before realising that half of the Common Room was waiting with baited breath for her response. Their hurried exit from the Great Hall that morning hadn't gone amiss, and the younger students were always attentive to friction between groups and information on the Dark Lord's rise.

Her eyes flickered to the corner by the fire, where Wilkes and Snape were nonchalantly playing chess together. Severus wasn't one for ratting people out, but she knew that Wilkes would do anything to get Regulus in his grandfather's bad graces. After all, his passing fancy had turned into social embarrassment when she had turned down his marriage proposal by accepting Regulus's.

'Yeah,' she said, purposefully leaning closer to Rabastan, whilst still letting her voice resound off the glass wall opposite them. 'This morning he said he'd tell me…His…new plans for us.'

Rabastan frowned at her, but quickly caught on and turned it into a pensive expression. 'Maybe it's about Little Hangleton.'

Emma's heart went cold at the thought of the raid, and it took all she had to gulp down her revulsion and throw a smirk back to her friend as she crossed the room.

'Maybe,' she called, ensuring the rumours would start. After all, they were integral to her plan.

'Madam Pomfrey?' Emma called, knocking softly on the Hospital Wing door.

A white cap appeared out of the Mediwitch's office, followed by a blond head of hair. The woman visibly sighed, then ushered her over.

'I was wondering if Regulus was well enough to be released,' Emma said quietly once she was near enough. 'We're all quite worried about him.

'I suppose you would be,' Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips, eyeing the necklace with the ring around Emma's neck. 'I suppose you would. Well, follow me.'

The Mediwitch led Emma to Regulus's bed, where he was - predictably - reading a history book. He looked up eagerly as they arrived, snapping the book shut in an instant.

A concise history of notable Muggleborns, Emma read. By Bathilda Bagshot.

A blossom of hope flared in the pit of her stomach. She unconsciously reached out, her lips parting in a question that she quenched in the matron's presence.

'Ah, young love,' Madam Pomfrey sighed, misinterpreting the gesture. 'The purebloods always want to grow up too fast. Well, Mister Black, you're free to go, so long as you forgo any strenuous activity and make sure to keep your energy levels up.'

'Yes, Madam,' Regulus replied politely, giving a short nod of the head.

The Matron returned the nod approvingly, before bustling off to check on her other patients.

Regulus immediately tore the covers away, almost tripping over his legs in his hurry to get out of the room.

'Thanks,' he muttered as she handed him a woolly cloak, courtesy of Rabastan.

'Don't thank me yet,' Emma replied, going quiet as a gaggle of students walked past them. She pulled out the sheaf of parchment from her bag, handing them back to him. 'These belong to you. We've got a stop to make, and then…Then I think it was time I started being honest with you. Completely honest.'

'Emma,' Regulus stopped short, grasping his arm to make his point. His eyes were wide and almost fearful, the grey breaking into a shattered mirror of emotions.

'Not here,' Emma replied quietly.

She almost wanted to tell him there and then, but with his disappearance that morning, she was under no illusion that some students willing to get into the Dark Lord's graces would eavesdrop on their conversation. Still, she pulled her body to his own, kissing him softly in a rare public display of affection.

When she opened her eyes, she was relieved to find nothing on his face but affection and gratitude. Will he still look at me that way once I tell him my darkest secret?

Thirty minutes, two hot chocolates and one conjured jar of Bluebell flames later, Regulus and Emma were standing above Hogsmeade Station. They had taken the passageway through the one-way mirror - Emma thought that it would be better not to risk spending too much time in the cold, given that Regulus had only just recovered from freezing himself to the point of exhaustion - but it still wasn't enough.

Emma led the way down the stairs towards the Black Lake, towards the one place she could think of with no prying eyes. The room above Hogsmeade Station was beautiful, but it was a cold beauty that would forgive no transgressions.

There was only one place she believed she could make her confession, the one place where they had truly, voluntarily, let their vulnerabilities show.

'You remembered,' Regulus murmured, his eyes alit with emotion.

The jetty was the spitting image of the last time they had been there, unchanged even in the slightest of details. There was no snow to be seen, but Emma placed warming charms around them to keep the frost at bay. The Great Lake shimmered as ever, the wisps of moonlight trailing down to reflect off the slightly icy surface.

'Of course I remembered,' the corners of Emma's mouth curved upwards. 'I think this may be the place I fell in love with you.'

Regulus smiled Emma's favourite smile, the small, secret smile that showed that he was truly happy, the one even the best of his masks couldn't fake. However, the minute it graced his face, it vanished. Regulus turned away from her, eyes turned to the water, brimming with tears. He pulled the cloak tighter around himself, and Emma surreptitiously cast another warming charm on it.

'I haven't been honest with you, Emma,' he replied. 'And I think you know it. I just hope that…that you'll understand.'

He took a deep breath, turning back to her, his jaw squared.

'I have been studying the Dark Lord…Lord Voldemort's speeches for the past few months, since before Christmas. Yes, I had sent my grandfather a request for your hand in marriage, but - forgive me - I knew that he would always favour the House of Black over Wilkes.

'Instead, I compiled a list, a list of every reference to the Darkest magic known to wizarding kind found in the Black and Lestrange libraries. I wished to keep you apart from my studies. If I was wrong, then I would worry you needlessly. If I was right...' he looked down. 'I had hoped not to be right.

'The truth is, and we have been blind to it because of our devotion to the cause, I have reason to believe that…Lord Voldemort…has a Horcrux. Or more specifically, more than three Horcruxes in existence.

'This explains the changes in his appearance, the ruthlessness that has characterised his later speeches, the callousness with which he treats us, his most loyal of followers.'

He paused, letting the implications of what he was saying sink in. Emma knew what a Horcrux was - every Slytherin did. It was a horrifying, yet alluring aspect of the Dark Arts, combining that which was most evil with that which was most powerful: immortality itself.

Just as Emma was about to respond, Regulus stopped her with a shake of his head. He looked away for a split second, fleeing from her gaze, before steeling himself to tell her something worse.

Is there worse? she asked herself. Maybe what I did shows that I am more like the Dark Lord than I thought.

'I…Upon discovering this...' Regulus's voice faded into the evening fog. It was several seconds before he summoned the courage to continue. 'I can't do this anymore, Emma,' he said in a pained voice. 'I can't just follow him, knowing that he doesn't fight for what we fight. There is no noble cause, there is no better world,' he continued bitterly. 'There's just Voldemort and immortality, and we are the means to his end. Nothing more, nothing less, and we have been tricked into believing we were fighting for a greater good.

'There's nothing great, nor good about this.'

Despite the shivers convulsing through her at the idea of Horcruxes, Emma couldn't help but give a nervous laugh of relief.

'I know Regulus,' the words burst forth in a flurry, her smile growing wide at the relief that they were still a team, still on the same side. 'I know. I can fight for the Dark Lord no longer.'

In response, Regulus hugged her fiercely, lifting her feet from the ground and spinning her around despite his weakness, setting her down only to kiss her more passionately than they had since their last raid.

The laughter died from Emma's lips with that thought. She set her hands on Regulus's chest, fully meaning to push him away, but unable to.

I just got him back, she thought. Would it hurt to wait, just for a few more days?

'What is it, Emma?' Regulus asked, worry colouring his voice once again. 'Tell me.'

'I…You're going to hate me,' Emma's voice trembled.

Regulus gave a laugh of disbelief.

'I just told you the Dark Lord has multiple Horcruxes and that I plan to desert, and you're worried about something else? What in Salazar's name could be worse than that?'

Emma clutched at her jaw, which had begun chattering from the worry and anticipation. She felt sick, she felt dizzy, she felt overwhelmed. She let go of Regulus and clutched at the icy barrier for relief, taking deep breaths in order to try to calm herself down.

'What is it Emma?' Regulus asked again, more urgently. He covered her left hand with his right. 'Are you pregnant? If you are, then I won't hate you. I love you, I want to marry you, for Salazar's sake! Sure, it would be a little strange, but -'

'I'm not pregnant, Regulus,' Emma said shortly, but suddenly, she wished that she were. Better that she had brought life into this world rather than...

A flash of blond plaits crossed her vision, a streak of green following it. Avada Kedavra. 'I killed someone.'