Persephone POV
August 8, 1995
Slowly gaining consciousness, I feel the worst pain I've ever experienced. My chest aches with each breath, arms and legs feel like concrete and burning as if a cauldron exploded on me.
Fighting through the pain, I open my eyes to stare at my bedroom ceiling. So, we made it back home, good. Where is everyone, though? I don't hear my family at all. Slowly pushing myself up in bed, it takes a minute to get my balance. When I do, my eyes focus on one thing, the portrait of Regulus, except it isn't right. What was once a young man in his bedroom, now portrays an empty room.
"Dad!" I scream. With a pop, Remus stands beside me, quickly taking me in his arms. He whispers reassuringly that I'm okay. That is, until he smells my fresh blood in the air. "Sirius, get the girls! Sef is bleeding heavily."
When turning to yell at the door, Remus lets me lay back down. When my head hits the pillow, I hear a faint breathing to my right, Regulus. I slowly relax, while Pansy and Luna dress my wounds.
"Shh, it's okay, Petal. What happened?" Sirius quietly asks from the doorway, clearly worried. I raise a shaky hand to point at the empty portrait. "He's gone, and you panicked?" I nod, knowing a blush is spreading across my cheeks.
"I-is he okay? Why is his portrait empty?"
Remus reassures me that Regulus is fine. "He's already woken up once, but it was a bit complicated. He only had memories up until his death. He's unconscious, because his and portrait Regulus's memories are converging. It's not a guarantee, but he should remember you once he wakes up. However, he can't return to the portrait anymore." If the memories fail to take hold, I'll be losing Regulus. No, don't think about that right now!
I ask the girls to help me to the sitting room downstairs, not wanting to reopen my wounds, again. Regulus needs his rest to properly heal, so the extra room to relax and less noise will surely help.
The girls help me change clothes, but refuse to help me walk, instead calling Draco to carry me. "Harry's downstairs making lunch, and Theo has the Creevey boys studying in the library," Draco informs me as we descend the stairs. "You did it, Sef. You actually managed to bring Regulus back, though I can't say I doubted you."
"Thank you, little Dragon. I couldn't have rescued him without everyone's help." Taking a deep breath, I continue, "I panicked in the cave. Harry had to come up with the rescue plan, and the twins saved my life with their quick thinking. You, Theo, Hermione, Ron and Sirius were a major help in healing us in the aftermath. Really, Draco, thank you for helping me save my... I'm not sure what Regulus and I are exactly, but the sentiment holds."
I'll do anything to help our family. And everyone of our family feel the same. Now, I'm sure you're hungry," he says, pushing open the kitchen door with his foot. "Oops, I lied. All the guys are in the kitchen."
Draco carefully sits me in the chair between himself and Theo. Harry, Colin and Dennis sit across from us leaving the chairs at the far end available. Luna and Pansy join us shortly after. "Sirius and Remus said to eat without them, and they'll be down in a little bit," Pansy says with a small smile. It's good to see her finally opening up.
The eight of us sit around the table eating and chatting about random things ranging from Luna's creatures to stories of our school years.
"-but none of the older students found out it was Daphne and I. I mean, how could a third year possibly get a boggart," Pansy is mid-story when Remus walks in.
"So that's where it went," he laughs, walking over to the table. "I have to say, I'm proud of you, Pansy. You're fitting right into the Marauder family." Everyone agreed to being called the Marauder family as a whole. Sure, we have individual surnames, but we wanted a unified name. What better name than a tribute to our dads?
"I agree," Sirius says from the doorway behind me. The room falls silent, causing me to turn around. Standing behind my adopted dad is Regulus Black.
His chin length hair is slightly curly, but tamer than Sirius's. His eyes are the same grey of a storm cloud, and boring right into me. Draco moves over a seat, letting Sirius help Regulus into the chair beside me. Regulus keeps glancing over while looking uncomfortable.
I feel my heart break a little with each look. I guess the memory transfer failed. Maybe I should have listened to Regulus and left his body alone. I would have my Regulus here, not someone who doesn't know me. I did the right thing, though, even if it hurts to lose him.
"Hi," Dennis says to Regulus. "I'm Dennis and this is my older brother Colin." The aforementioned boy gives a small wave.
"I'm Regulus. Sirius is my older brother," Regulus replies.
Slowly, everyone goes around the table introducing themselves to Regulus. It finally comes to the last person in our group: me. "My name is Persephone, but everyone calls me Sef. I-I have something I need to do, so see you guys later."
Calmly walking out of the kitchen, I make it to the backdoor before the tears silently fall. I'll just have a good cry in the garden, then move my stuff into a new room. It'll have to be downstairs with the girls if we want to keep the medical and recovery rooms. I allow myself a few more minutes, before heading inside.
I reach the fourth floor, only to watch Regulus enter ou- his room. Better to get this over with. I knock on the door before walking inside, and towards the closet. "Hey, are you alright?" I try to tell him I'm fine, but the words won't come out. I simply nod, hoping he will buy it. "Something is wrong, so what is it?"
"It's nothing important. Seriously, don't worry about it," I try to brush him off. I'm reaching for the locket's clasp when a hand stops me.
"Korre," My head snaps up at the nickname to see the same smirk he gave me the first time I heard him say it. The day after we met.
"Do you remember me?" The question is barely above a whisper, but I know he heard me with the way his body tenses.
"I've given you my clothes, my ring and my heart. I could never forget you," he quietly replies, pulling me into his arms. Because of our height difference, his chin rests on the top of my head. I don't know how long we end up standing here, just holding each other, but he eventually backs away a step. "I never thought I would get to do this," he says, a small smile playing on his lips. Grabbing the back of my neck, he pulls me into a kiss.
The hand Reggie has on my neck moves down to rest on my hip like his other one. Magic rushes through us, intertwining and pulsing in the air. A flash of gold fills the room before the magic slowly dies down. Even though the kiss lasted a few seconds, it was perfect.
Clapping can be heard from the hallway, where my nosey ass family is eavesdropping. I wouldn't have them any other way.