Once a month…. once a month… What does it mean?
Over the past week my brain had been put into over drive. I was either studying madly – even though NEWTs were still a few months away, there was so much to learn in what felt like very little time – or I was theorising and connecting hypothetical dots about the Marauders "late night adventures."
A dreary Thursday afternoon after all my classes had finished, found me in an empty classroom with my cauldron out, brewing a potion, as was my habit when I was exceptionally stressed.
Sirius had told me (rather apprehensively) that the next late night adventure was tonight and that they would be sneaking out of the castle in a few hours. I recalled how he told me with a look of extreme caution, as if expecting me to blow up at the mention.
My mind wandered through all the information that was buzzing around my head, trying to order and sort out the various pieces.
Okay, so… The boys go out once every month, the pattern isn't always on weekends, but the adventures can occur on weekdays too, like today for example, a Thursday. They go through the whomping willow which could lead to several possibilities – some kind of travelling portal, an underground room, or a tunnel leading to some other place. There's also the new piece of information – the shrieking shack (which was only built a few years ago) is apparently occupied only once a month – the obvious connection would be that the boys end up there on their adventures – but to do what? How can the 'shrieking' be explained? But Remus's reaction the other day in the library was heavily suspicious…
I had been through this cycle of thoughts too many times to count.
I sighed, stirring my potion counter clockwise three times. I was growing bored of modifying the Florian draught, I'd have to come up with a new potion soon. I gazed down at the slightly shimmering lilac liquid. It was dancing inside the cauldron, and every now and then a bubble would rise from the potion and pop, enhancing the sweet fragrance of the already perfumed substance.
My thoughts began to drift to more agreeable areas. I remembered the last time I brewed this potion in this room, how Sirius had come in and complimented my skills, and handed me that letter… I smiled dazedly, looking into my cauldron as if it was Amortentia.
Pouring the perfume into several vials and packing them into my bag, I made sure the room was in order, before leaving for the common room. I hoped to catch Sirius before he left with the boys.
Approaching the trophy room, I slowed my steps before passing it. I carefully peered into the room, intending to check that Peeves wasn't in there as he usually was, because he would surely turn to wreak havoc on me if he spotted me, but I stopped short. Regulus was standing there, holding something like a newspaper in his hand, gazing unwaveringly at an award on the shelf. I waited for a few moments but he didn't move a muscle.
My immediate thought was to hurry away, interactions with the boy had caused me nothing but trouble, which I wanted no more of. But I knew I couldn't turn away. Before I had even decided on an action, I was already walking into the room towards him.
Alerted to another presence in the room, he whipped around, hand shooting inside his robes – presumably to grip his wand.
His expression turned into astonishment as he saw me, and then he schooled his features into customary caution once again.
He watched me approach warily, as though already predicting a script of how our interaction would proceed within his mind.
"What are you looking at?" I questioned him, "and don't say 'nothing'."
He didn't answer, but turned back around, looking at the award again.
I reached his side and stood next to him, my gaze following his to the shelf.
"Special Award for Services to the School, Tom Marvolo Riddle" I read aloud. "Why're you staring at that? He's a freak and a murderer!"
"What do you know about him?" Regulus asked quietly.
"I know he's a lunatic! He's got fanatical followers too who all think muggles are worthless and muggle born's should die. What a right creep. I hope his little radical sect vanishes quickly." I muttered.
"It's not just a little radical sect." Regulus stated firmly, still staring at the award. "And it's not going to vanish either."
"What are you talking about? Of course it will. The whole thing is ridiculous, no one in their right mind would support it."
"No," he emphasised, "it won't. He's so much more powerful than you know. Than anyone knows."
"Reg, where is this coming from?" I chuckled nervously, turning to him and elbowing him lightly, hoping he would suddenly declare he was just having a joke.
"He's starting a war Bella," Regulus finally turned to me, looking straight into my eyes. "And he has the support of many powerful dark creatures and witches and wizards, very influential families of witches and wizards in fact, like my family for example." He finished quietly.
"Regulus, you… what?" I stared back at him, shocked and not knowing what to say. This has to be a joke. Some sick, twisted joke.
He said nothing, staring at me solemnly.
"Well… surely he wouldn't be able to win, not with Dumbledore and a whole host of powerful witches and wizards fighting against him." I said weakly.
"I don't think you understand how powerful he is."
"Reg… Is this why you've been out of sorts lately? Is this what Thaddeus was talking about?"
He nodded.
"No way… you can't be… you can't actually be thinking of joining him?" My tone and turned into a quiet, desperate plea.
His face fell, "I… I don't know. My family-"
"He's a monster!" I nearly shouted, before looking around and continuing in a more subdued voice, "who cares what your family thinks, He believes half this school should die!"
"It's not as simple as just changing sides! I would be betraying my whole family! My friends!" He waved the newspaper in air with an emphatic hand gesture.
The title of the paper caught my eye, "What's that?" I pointed at it.
He handed it to me. I straightened it and read the cover.
"What newspaper is this? I've never heard of the Quibbler" I frowned.
"It's not very widely known. A guy called Xenophilius Lovegood publishes it. He graduated a few years ago. Mostly rubbish in there but this time he got it right. In fact he's spot on."
I gulped as I scanned my eyes over the cover again and again.
There was a moving photograph of a distant figure in a dark hooded cloak, obscuring his face as he glided through what looked like a forest clearing. It was hard to make out, but there seemed to be a horde of people of all shapes and sizes, some distance behind him. Above the picture was the bolt title that read, 'RISE OF DARK LORD VOLDEMORT BRINGS OVERTURNING OF THE WIZARDING WORLD AS WE KNOW IT'.
"He's winning," I jumped as Regulus' voice brought me back to reality. "Everything is going to change. He's been getting so many people on his side, he's unstoppable."
"Evil is always stoppable." I said loudly, looking directly at him, scrunching the paper. "And everyone in their right mind will fight with everything we've got until he is stopped! The question is what are you going to do, Regulus?"
We stared at each other for a long time.
"I don't know." He finally admitted, defeated.
"Then you're not anything like I thought you are." I said coldly, shoving the newspaper into his chest before turning and walking away.
By the time I reached the common room, Marlene informed me that the boys had already left. They had decided to go early. I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, and I was still processing my conversation with Regulus, so I began working on my homework by the fire instead of joining the girls in the dormitory.
After finishing my homework, I visited the kitchens and collected some pumpkin pasties and cakes, which I brought back with me to the common room.
I fell asleep by the dying fire in the comfort of the soft couch.
I began to stir awake as I heard noises around me. I vaguely recognised the sound of the portrait door closing, and hushed whispers.
"Shhh Wormtail, she's sleeping!"
"Let's draw a moustache on her"
"No Prongs, let her sleep you git!"
"It's already dawn, she'll have to be woken up in an hour."
"We'll I'll see to that, now sod off the both of you."
"Oooooooooooh. Alone in the common room? Don't be nasty, like I said it's nearly breakfast, there's not much time for you two to-"
I heard a distinct thud and a few choice curse words, followed by hurried footsteps and muffled laughter.
I felt the couch shift beside me and a hand gently tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear.
I blinked and opened my eyes to be greeted by Sirius leaning toward me with a gentle smile.
"Hey you." He said quietly, stifling laughter at my groggy groan.
"Hi Sirius," I suppressed a yawn and stretched my sore limbs. "When'dyougethere?" I murmured sleepily.
"Just now. Why're you asleep down here?" He asked, playfully pinching my cheeks.
I swatted him away before replying, "I was waiting up for you." I saw his eyes soften at that. "Where are the others?"
"James and Peter went upstairs, Remus is um…er…still on his way."
I stared at him, detecting his secrecy. Sirius awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, looking at the ground.
I sighed, the last thing I wanted to do was argue with Sirius again, after the horrible night I'd had previously.
"I brought us stuff from the kitchens." I reached behind me and retrieved a cloth from the table, unwrapping it to reveal the treats I had brought hours ago.
"Neat!" He beamed, "have I ever told you you're the best girlfriend to ever exist?" He slid closer to me and threw his arm across the back of the couch behind my head, smacking a kiss to my temple.
"Not in those exact words," I said cheerfully through a mouthful of pastry.
"You're the best girlfriend to ever exist. I have heaps of other variations of the sentence too."
"Hmm. What's another one?" I asked, reaching for a cake.
"You're the hottest girl in this school and most likely to snog me in a broom closet."
"Most likely? Got a few other options have you?" I poked him in the chest.
"Er, make that certainly likely."
"No, make that certainly impossible."
"Oh come on, you loved it last time!"
"No, I just said that because you kept annoying me."
"Is that right?" He reached between us and put the rest of the food back on the table, before turning me slightly and pushing me until I was leaning back against the arm rest. "That's not how I remember it, shall we revisit the scenario?" He asked deviously, towering over me and leaning in with that smug smirk plastered across his face. And merlin help me, my heart started leaping out of my chest, cheeks burning.
"If you want to," I said slyly, "don't sulk when I prove you wrong," my giggles morphing into a squeal when he grabbed my waist with a squeeze.
"Oh you are so finished," he said, with a positively animalistic gleam in his eye. He started to lean down, but I met him halfway, unable to keep the game going as my excitement increased.
"Still think I'm wrong?" He asked after a few blissful moments.
"Mmm-my memory is still fuzzy so-mmf!" He swooped in again, cutting me off. Cheeky sod. I clutched at his shoulders.
As we continued, I began to forget the point I was trying to prove, until Sirius pulled back and chirped in a mockingly high pitched voice, "Oh Sirius you're such a good kisser, broom cupboards are actually really fun! Sound familiar?" He smirked down at me.
"Oh will you just shut up and keep kissing me?"
"Aggressive. You don't have to beg, you're welcome to have your wicked way with me anytime you want, princess."
He promptly shut up after I grabbed his collar and pulled him down to my lips again. He didn't attempt to interrupt for any snide remarks after that.
The sun began to shine through the window and I heard a faint noise like someone speaking outside the common room.
I disregarded this until the noise turned into the distinctive click of the portrait door swinging open.
My eyes flew wide open and I shoved Sirius back. "Wha-" He lost balance and ended up on the floor, landing on his butt. I snorted with mirth and clapped my hands over my mouth when I couldn't contain my giggles. He shot me a look that said I would pay for this later.
"Strength of a chaser, baby" I whispered, miming throwing a quaffle into a hoop and blowing a kiss.
"Uhh, what are you two doing?"
I looked up and Sirius swivelled around on the floor to face Remus, who was looking at us strangely. He seemed to then deduce what had happened and tried to smother a smirk, much to Sirius' displeasure.
"Oh you know, just hanging out." I said unconvincingly. I looked Remus up and down.
"Right. Well, I'm going to try and catch a few minutes of sleep before breakfast," he said before trudging up the stairs to the boys dormitories. I followed him with my eyes until he disappeared.
"So where were we?" I started as I turned to see Sirius back on the couch, leaning in again.
I flicked his forehead, "people are going to start coming downstairs soon lover boy."
Sirius grumbled, before brightening and grabbing my hand, hauling me to my feet.
"Where are we going?" I laughed as Sirius pulled me along and we exited the common room.
"The best place to snog in private," he winked at me.
"What? Sirius, no!"
"Why not? You were all over me just then, love."
"Oh fine, you're such a bad influence on me." I muttered, even though I felt my nerves racing with excitement as he closed the broom cupboard door.
Later on in the day, I found myself blushing like an idiot in Transfiguration, when I was reflecting on the blissful morning I had just had. I scribbled onto my parchment with a stupid grin on my face, which only grew wider when Sirius turned around and winked at me when no one was looking.
As I ran the sequence of events of that morning through my head for the umpteenth time, I caught on a detail I had skimmed over on my previous recollections. Soon I found my blush fading and my smile along with it. My mind descended into the hopeless spiral of thoughts I had been dwelling on just yesterday afternoon.
I couldn't get the image of him out of my head all of a sudden.
Why had Remus looked so haggard this morning?
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