Chapter 26: First Vow

"Thank you for today." Lily whispered as they stood outside the door to the girls dormitories. After they had finished lunch they had walked around the village and the grounds of Hogwarts just talking. The common room was empty – everyone was at dinner and after having such a big lunch, both James and Lily had decided they couldn't stomach another big meal.

James smiled, "Thank you." He said. "Thank you for giving me a chance." He reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Lily looked startled and stepped back, banging her head off the door. She blushed and James chuckled. "Sorry." He mumbled. "I didn't mean to startle you." His hand fell limply to his side.

Still blushing Lily leant forward and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later." She said before disappearing through the door. James heard her door close and let out a small sigh. Checking to see if the common room was still empty James let out a small cheer and bounded over to his own room. He'd had a brilliant day. Lily had slapped his worst enemy, she had spent all day with him because she wanted to and not because Marlene was with them and best of all she had kissed him – albeit a small kiss on the cheek but nevertheless she initiated it.

Marlene found Regulus quite by accident. The fact that she wasn't really looking for him, constituted the fact that it was an accident. It was a Friday night and he was hidden behind piles of books at a lone table at the back of the library. He was alone.

Marlene sank inconspicuously into the seat next to him and pulled a large leather bound volume off the nearest pile. "'The elements of the Dark Arts and their properties.'" She read, raising an eyebrow.

Regulus jumped and looked around, he hadn't seen her arrive.

She smiled and gestured to the books, "Heavy reading for a sixth year."

Regulus scowled. "I seem to remember you saying the exact same thing back when this whole mess started."

Marlene stuck her tongue out and flicked casually through the book. "I wouldn't call it a mess... more like a small predicament."

Regulus smirked. "A predicament is easier to get out of than a mess, a mess involves... well mess."

It was Marlene's turn to smirk. "A mess we can clean up."

"Not if you're dead." Regulus stated dryly.

"Ever thought of switching sides?" Marled asked coyly after a few minutes of silence had trickled by.

Regulus sighed and put the book he was reading back on the pile. "I'm committed for life."

"You sound as if you've already given up. It's only been, what four months?"

Regulus nodded, "You sound as if your egging me on – telling me not to give up."

Marlene raised an eyebrow. "Look if you ever need someone to talk to I'm here."

Regulus scowled. What was she playing at? He voiced his opinion and Marlene shrugged. "As I said before I'm trying to save you."

"What if I don't want saving."

Marlene locked her dark eyes onto his blue and Regulus couldn't look away. "Then just let me know and I'll leave you alone."

But Regulus didn't want her to leave - despite the fact that she was Marlene McKinnon and by all the unwritten student laws at Hogwarts he should loath her very existence, he found it somewhat comforting talking to the older Gryffindor. He hadn't really bothered with her before last year. Sure he had played Quidditch against her, knocked her off her broom a few times but before the start of fifth year, she was just a shadow. He had heard of the family however. I mean who out of all the pure-bloods and possibly some half-bloods didn't know the five big families. The Blacks, The Malfoys, The Potters, The McKinnons and The Weasleys. He wondered briefly why the Weasleys were even on the list. He remembered first meeting Marlene, he was ten and had arrived to wave his brother of to Hogwarts. She had arrived along with Potter sporting a brand new trunk, a brand new wand and a small badge on her robes that announced to whomever pressed it that the wearer was twelve.

Marlene coughed politely and Regulus slowly returned to the present. He sighed and turned to the brunette reading his books.

"Before I say anything you have to agree to not tell anyone. You have to swear not to repeat any of what I am about to tell you, whether it be by writing it down, via Legilimency or by spoken word. Understand?"

"I'm not that good at Occlumency."

Regulus shook his head. "If you want to learn I can teach you, my cousin taught me." He added in answer to the unspoken question.

Marlene seemed to think about the conditions then nodded.

"It's a vow."

Marlene paused. "Unbreakable?"

"In theory. If I find out that you have broken it I will hunt you down." Regulus' eyes narrowed. "I can't trust telling a third person to be the bonder."

Marlene nodded and held out her hand. Regulus took it in his and shook it.

Marlene looked around the library. "Here?"

Regulus shook his head. "I'm going to take you to a place my brother has never found, at least I don't think he's found it it's not on his annoying map."

Marlene cocked her head. "Map?"

Regulus stared at her incredulously. "He hasn't told you?" Marlene shook her head. "It's not my place to say. Ask him about it next time you're together. Anyway you'd best make up some excuse as to where you're going to be then meet me on the seventh floor next to the dancing troll tapestry."

Marlene looked curious but nodded all the same. "Do you want to some help putting the books away?" She asked as he started tiding up. He declined and Marlene left him to it.

Regulus and Marlene finally got started an hour later – Marlene had asked all the obvious questions about the room, what is was, how he found it (via Bellatrix) and what it's functions were.

Regulus had detoured via the kitchens and managed to scrounge some tea and biscuits off the house-elves and they were both now sat on a three-seater sofa.

"This small mess we are in, is actually supposed to be Sirius' mess." Marlene raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Ages ago when Mother first met your brother and when he spoke so highly of you, the first initial draft of the contract held Sirius' name. However when he denounced Mother and her ways and when Mother disowned him. That contract was torn up and my name was drafted in."

"Is that why, when I started dating Sirius of my own free will, you said it might save him?"

Regulus nodded. "When Mother found out she cursed Sirius all names under the sun. She sent me a rather colourful letter explaining that I was to seduce you and make sure Sirius didn't corrupt you."

To his surprised Marlene burst out laughing. "Corrupt me? In what way? I'm already a Gryffindor."

Regulus cracked a smile. "Your brother spoke so highly of you, my mother decided to overlook that factor in preference of blood-purity."

"The McKinnon's are the only family not linked by marriage to The Blacks." Marlene stated. "I read my brother's copy of Nature's Nobility." She added when Regulus gave her a surprised look that said 'I'm impressed you know your pure-blood history'.

"Yes and because you're getting friendly with our little blood-traitor, if you guys happen to have kids or get married then it won't show up on the tapestry and won't be counted in my mother's dream of uniting the Pure-Blood line under one name."

"Hence my brother fighting to bring us together." Marlene concluded.

"My mother has really grown a liking to your brother and was disappointed when his relationship with Bellatrix fell through."

"Bellatrix would be a McKinnon though." Marlene stated.

"Still joined with the Black Family by marriage. However you would take the Black name." Regulus stated simply. He paused for a minute to top up their tea cups. "That is the predicament we're in. My Mother and your brother's wish to unit the families has gone a bit pear shaped and now Martyn has bragged to the Dark Lord about you well, he's in favour of wedding vows as well. The only way a female can bear the mark is if she is bonded in some way to a male Death Eater."

Sexist pig. Marlene thought bitterly but didn't say anything out loud.

"Bellatrix is married to Rodolphus and Alecto's brother is Amycus Carrow - another loyal follower."

"What about Narcissa?"

"Hasn't been branded."

Marlene let out a small laugh. "You make it sound like you're cattle all marked for the butcher."

"Maybe we are."

Marlene shifted uncomfortably.

"Anyway since Sirius left, the responsibility of upholding the family honour and name falls to me. However I'm having second thoughts."

"How come?"

"When you're young you just want to be accepted, when your Mother uses your brother as an example you get scared and do it because you want your parents to love you and not because it's the right thing."

"You said it's for life."

"I have a few ideas." Regulus grinned. "I can't do much I'm still only sixteen and I have tonnes of research to do, but having someone to talk about would be great." Marlene nodded and Regulus smiled a warm genuine smile that had never graced his handsome features.

"You should smile more often. I might re-think this whole brother situation," Marlene teased.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "You're too Gryffindor to leave Sirius for me." He sighed and put his cup on the tray. "I enjoyed talking to you for some funny reason, talking makes it seem better somehow. That there is actually a light at the end of tunnel. Thank you."

Marlene shrugged, "I don't really know how to react. No offence but I'm kind of appalled that Lord Voldemort has given his blessings just so I may join and help his conquest. My loyalties lie else where."

Regulus nodded. "I understand but by you talking to me and if I write in my letters that we have been 'hanging out'" Marlene smiled at the muggle terminology coming from a pure-blood, muggle hater. "Mother and Martyn won't get too suspicious. They're decided not to press further until our Newts are over."

Marlene smiled her innocent smile and Regulus knew she had something to do with it. "Do you want to learn Occlumency?"

Marlene nodded eagerly. "It could come in useful."

Regulus nodded. "I'll try my best, you probably won't be able to do it in front of the Dark Lord but hopefully it'll be enough and it'll also lessen any Cruciactus curses that get thrown your way. We'll start on Sunday. Hufflepuff are playing Ravenclaw tomorrow and we'll be missed if we skive."

Marlene nodded. She was looking forward to learning Occlumency. It would certainly come in useful for the Order and if she ever became an Auror.

"Has Martyn ever mentioned being hit by a Police Car?"

Marlene shook her head, confused at the change of subject and its contents.

"Ask Potter and Sirius, they'll be able to shed some light on it."

Marlene nodded and placed her cup on the tray next to Regulus'. "I'd better go." She said stretching and standing up.

Regulus nodded. "Remember the vow." He said darkly narrowing his eyes.

"How could I forget." She muttered dryly. She had a funny feeling this was going to be the first vow of many.

A/N: More LilyxJamesness but the main point was Regulus. Everyone has had different interpretations of Regulus and it was time to add my two knuts. I hope this all makes sense and that it clears up some vague points in earlier chapters. We will be seeing more of Regulus just because after Hermionie he is my favourite character and I need to toss him about like a salad and hang him out to dry :D Hope you enjoyed it and please Review.