This chapter might just fill you with some serious joy only to steal it all away and leave you broken hearted... sorry...

Chapter 27:

A Murderer For A Son

By the middle of March, James was beginning to get a little bit worried about his parents. He still hadn't heard from them. All he knew was that they were busy working for the order of the phoenix. He'd hoped that Dumbledore might have passed on a message to him by now but he hadn't. He hadn't even told him they were still alive and yet it had been months. He tried not to show it but he was getting more worried every day. Lily noticed him watching for an owl at dinner time on Thursday evening and put her hand on his knee, "they'll come home soon."

James smiled sadly, "I hope so."

Lily leant in, "I wish I could promise you that they would come home tomorrow. I'm really sorry, James."

Regulus and Rebecca were sat in the grounds chatting happily, "why do you hate him so much?"

"Who?" Regulus asked.

"Your brother," Rebecca replied sheepishly.

"I don't hate him…" Regulus frowned, "I just don't like him very much."

"He's your brother…"

"No he's not – not anymore. You don't get it Beck. My mum's disowned him. He's been taken off the family tree. I'm not allowed to like him… I'm not allowed to love him."

"You're a very dutiful son," Rebecca frowned, "but you'll end up hurt."

Regulus laughed, "You're very nosey."

Rebecca grinned, "Do you want to be a death eater?"

"The walls have ears, Rebecca," he replied, but the answer was written on his face. He wanted nothing to do with Voldemort but his parents thought it was a great idea so he would play the part of the dutiful son.

"I like you Regulus," Rebecca whispered.

"Sure… you like me – the evil deatheater wanna-be," Regulus laughed bitterly.

Rebecca leant over and kissed him gently on the lips. Regulus was caught off guard but soon he was kissing her back. They spent the next few minutes making out until Regulus frowned, "you shouldn't have done that – I'm dangerous… I'm not good for you." He stood up and walked back towards the castle.

James was getting fed up with the concerned looks of his friends so he decided to hide out in the secret garden. He lay back in the sun, smiling to himself. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift asleep. An hour later, he woke to the feeling of someone's head on his shoulder. He jumped slightly at the feeling, until he smelt her shampoo. He breathed in the strawberry scent, "Hey Lily."

"Hey James," Lily smiled, "I thought you'd be hiding out here."

"I forgot that I'd shown you this place," James smiled as he pulled his arm around her. It was getting dark, "what time is it?"

"Just before seven," Lily replied.

"I missed dinner?" James frowned.

"I saved you some," Lily said happily, "it's waiting for you in the common room."

"That's if Padfoot hasn't eaten it already," James chuckled.

"I put a spell on it," Lily looked sheepish, "only you can eat it."

"Aren't you just the sweetest thing," James laughed. Lily shivered slightly, "are you cold?"

"Just a bit," Lily replied honestly.

"Here," James sat up and took his jumper off, "wear this."

Lily pulled it over her head, "you always look after me James."

"Says the girl who just promised to feed me," James joked. He lay back down, pulling Lily with him, "I like this."

"I'm really glad you showed me this place," Lily grinned. She leant her head on his chest.

Regulus had been avoiding Rebecca ever since the kiss. It had been over a week and they still weren't talking. Rebecca had even given up trying. Regulus saw her in the corridor before dinner on Friday. She didn't even look at him. He frowned. He didn't want to leave things the way they had, "Rebecca, can we talk?"

"Piss off Regulus," Rebecca tried to walk away.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty classroom, "I like you too you know…"

"Yeah right, whatever," Rebecca laughed bitterly, "you're the evil deatheater wanna-be, remember?"

"Yeah, I am… but I'm also just me," Regulus told her. "I really like you."

"I like you to Regulus but you were right," Rebecca frowned, "we're a bad idea."

Regulus pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. When they came up for air Regulus whispered, "I don't care if it's a bad idea… I really like you."

"What are you saying Regulus?"

"Be my girlfriend?"

"But…"

"I really like you Rebecca," Regulus told her.

"I like you too," Rebecca sighed, "but our lives are heading in different directions."

"You mean that I'm going to be a deatheater and you want to be a good Gryffindor?"

"Well… yeah… my parents are dead because of the deatheaters."

"I thought you were a pureblood," Regulus looked confused.

"I am… but the deatheaters thought my parents were blood traitors so they murdered them over the summer… I know what it's like to come home to find the mark above my house… I know what if feels like to walk into your home and know that everyone inside is dead."

"Rebecca…" Regulus looked distraught.

"No, Regulus. I love you and it's killing me, because you stand for everything I hate…" Rebecca was crying now, "I just wanted to help you… I just wanted to save you, the way I couldn't save my parents… but you don't want be saved, do you?"

"No," Regulus looked shamefaced, "I don't want to be saved, Rebecca. I want to make my parents proud…"

"Only crazy people are proud to have a murderer for a son…" Rebecca wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked him dead in the eye, "and that's exactly what you'll become."

With those final words she left Regulus alone in the empty classroom.

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Coming Up In The Next Chapter...

1. What will Regulus do about Rebecca...

2. The Final Match between Gryffindor and Slytherin...

3. Some News from outside the castle...

4. Strange Occurrences inside the castle...