TWO OF WANDS
upright — planning, first steps, making
decisions, leaving comfort, taking risks
reversed — overanalyzing, not
taking action, playing it safe, avoiding risk
Here onwards are a collection of notes received and exchanged by Regulus Black through the span of November to December 1975.
[ November 25, 1975 ]
》Slipped into Regulus Black's book bag in the corridor after 4th period:
Sorry about what happened in the library. Dora didn't mean anything bad about it. She's just vigilant about blood supremacists. You've seen her family.
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
Can't say I wouldn't feel the same if I were in her shoes, but more importantly… How many of your friends actually know that we're acquainted?
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
Just Pandora and Xenophilius.
They swore not to tell a soul but Dora warned me just now. She said that even if we're using magic, we shouldn't pass notes in the Great Hall. The other three (or worse, your housemates) are bound to catch on and they're the ones who would definitely make a big deal out of this.
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
Always as heavily guarded as usual.
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
They're just protective in nature. I can't really blame them.
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
Well, I doubt a few Gryffindors can take me.
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
So… What are you trying to say?
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
I'm saying I accept the challenge.
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
What do you mean?
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
Reg?
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during dinner:
If you're going to look for me tonight, you'll find me at the library instead of the tower.
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes while exiting the Great Hall after dinner:
Regulus, you better not be scheming anything.
A.
[ November 26, 1975 ]
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Regulus Black:
Regulus Arcturus Black, you've really done it this time.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Amaris Leclair:
I got sick of the Prewetts' red hair. It would do them well to change things up a little. Hence, I went out of my way to do them a favor and added a little bit of flair.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Regulus Black:
You turned them purple, Reg!
Bloody hell, changing their hair was one thing but even their faces were purple!
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Amaris Leclair:
Turnabout is fair play, Leclair. And besides, I certainly proved myself, didn't I? Like we agreed, they didn't catch me slipping you that note.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Regulus Black:
We didn't agree on anything. You came up with this challenge on your own. You can't honestly expect me to condone this behavior right now.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Amaris Leclair:
Nice try. I can see you trying to suppress a smile.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Regulus Black:
But still! We couldn't get the leaves off and they're still puking flowers!
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Amaris Leclair:
There are worse things that could happen. I could've made them puke slugs, or cast a silencing spell on them for a whole week. If anything, I was being generous. And if you must know, I was inspired by Shrivelfigs. Lovely color, isn't it?
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Regulus Black:
I am not going to explain why you shouldn't do it again. Just give me the counterspell, please?
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Amaris Leclair:
I still don't understand why you're reprimanding me. Gryffindors shouldn't dish out what they can't take.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Regulus Black:
You really are Sirius Black's little brother.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Amaris Leclair:
You did not just compare me to that arse.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Regulus Black:
Oh please, I know how much you treasure your big brother. You must be beaming with pride.
》Slid across the counter of the Potions lab towards Amaris Leclair:
"Beaming" would be too much.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the corridors after 4th period:
Pandora took inspiration. She told me she was going to dye her hair.
A.
[ December 4, 1975 ]
》Slipped into Amaris Leclair's book bag in the corridors after the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff vs Slytherin:
Are you still up for meeting at the tower tonight?
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the corridors after the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff vs Slytherin:
Of course! You won today's Quidditch match and to celebrate, I have gone out of my way to prepare a feast.
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the corridors after the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff vs Slytherin:
Alright, just answer me this: (1) How come you're more enthusiastic about this than I am? We crushed your house in case you've forgotten and (2) by "feast" you're referring to those Muggle potato crisps again, aren't you?
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the corridors after the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff vs Slytherin:
Just take the compliment, will you? Speaking of which, I almost cheered when you caught the snitch. Mary was giving me odd looks. Thankfully I caught myself before my housemates accused me of betrayal.
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the corridors after the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff vs Slytherin:
My thoughts exactly. For a Hufflepuff, where is your loyalty?
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the corridors after the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff vs Slytherin:
My loyalty lies with my friends before my house.
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the corridors after the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff vs Slytherin:
How you can say that with a straight face is beyond me.
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the corridors on the way to the Great Hall:
Well, my untrusting serpent friend, I meant every word.
A.
[ December 13, 1975 ]
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
They're out of Sherbert Lemons!
A.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Good morning to you too.
I thought we weren't supposed to be passing notes in the Great Hall?
R. A. B.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Look around. The Great Hall's almost empty. I doubt anyone would notice.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Where's your entourage?
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
The Gryffindors were up partying all night. I heard other houses were also invited.
As for Dora and Xeno, I visited Hogsmeade with them but they said they might spend all day picking which book to buy at Tomes and Scrolls and I might miss breakfast so I was told to go ahead.
Which leads me to my most important point…
Look at how early it is. How can Honeydukes be out of Sherbert Lemons?! They are a delicacy! Magic exists for Merlin's sake! How can they be out of Sherbert Lemons?!
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Maybe the headmaster decided to hoard a bunch.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
He wouldn't dare. That is an abuse of authority!
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Frankly, I still can't fathom why you're so fond of those mediocre sweets. For someone your size, you eat a notoriously appalling amount.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
My sister doesn't really condone such (despite how she's the one buying them for me). She says I should only have one every other day, but I obviously don't listen so I get them refilled in Honeydukes regularly.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Why not?
(And, from what you have just claimed, I'm inclined to suspect that you're the one behind this lemon drop shortage.)
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
My sister's a dentist.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
What the hell are those?
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Dentists are like healers of teeth. Except it's not really "healing" per se. They pull out teeth or get them cleaned and repaired. Things like that.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Muggles pull teeth out? You people really are barbaric.
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
It's absolutely normal. There's plenty you don't know of the world. If you think that's barbaric, I can name other examples that could easily beat that.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Are you trying to make me appreciate Muggle culture or are you trying to put me off completely?
》Slipped into the pocket of Regulus Black's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
Always the former.
》Slipped into the pocket of Amaris Leclair's robes in the Great Hall during breakfast:
I beg to differ.
[ December 20, 1975 ]
》Slipped into Amaris Leclair's hand after boarding the Hogwarts Express:
I'll write to you during the holidays again but don't owl back.
Happy Christmas.
R. A. B.
[ December 25, 1975 ]
》Passed on to Regulus Black by Pandora Lestrange at the annual Christmas Gala held in Château de Rosier:
Dear Reggie (hehe I bet you scowled at that just now, didn't you?),
I asked Pandora to pass this on while we were on the train, so I'm going to have to cut it short.
I'll respond to your letters and hand them over after the break. I'm really looking forward to knowing what you'll be up to. I hope you enjoy your holidays and don't be too short with your brother!
I would've given you a gift like I will with the others but I don't know how else to send them or hand them over (and I can't ask Pandora either because I doubt a package could be discreet) so I suppose you'll just have to wait until we meet again.
Happy Christmas!
Yours truly,
Ari
[ December 31, 1975 ]
》Handed to Regulus Black during the annual New Year's Eve Ball hosted in Malfoy Manor:
We just found out that Amaris' birthday is a month from now. She doesn't know that we know so keep it a secret.
Just to be clear, we're obviously not expecting anything from you. I just thought you'd want to know.
— Lestrange, P.
.
.
.
JANUARY 1976
ALTHOUGH AMARIS LECLAIR'S group of friends believed that she was their ray of sunshine —the sun whom they all revolved around, as well as the glue that held them all together— the truth couldn't be any further from that.
If anything, she'd like to believe that it was them whom her life revolved around, not the other way around.
Regardless of how natural it had been for people to gravitate towards her, all her life, the Hufflepuff had kept herself in the safety of a bubble that only consisted of her family. Amidst her childhood, her birthdays were all but spent at home with a cake and a single present of her choosing. She didn't have any friends and it was undoubtedly difficult to gain any, considering her magical disposition.
When she entered Hogwarts, that routine then changed to a letter from her family and a pack of Sherbert Lemons to serve as an annual present because as she continued to grow up, she often declined the notion, feeling as if she was giving them an additional burden. After all, Amaris Leclair was unnecessarily mindful of people's tendency to care for her. Despite how she often did the same, ironically enough, it felt like it was a crime to direct that attention towards herself.
Her fifteenth birthday wasn't supposed to be any different—
But then she finds herself in the Three Broomsticks on that Friday afternoon, wholly oblivious to the surprise her friends had been planning.
.
"I…" Amaris, tongue-tied and taken aback, stared at the cake they set in front of her. Ever so thoughtful, her dear friends had crammed themselves together in a single booth at the furthest corner of the inn to grant them a bit of privacy. "I don't know what to say."
The candles form tiny fireworks, fizzing and flying around like temperamental fireflies of a variety of colors. She then looks up to meet five pairs of anticipating eyes.
"How did you—"
"Remember when I came to visit you during the winter holidays?" Mary grinned proudly. "I asked your older sister about your birthday since you always kept it a secret."
"But—"
Xenophilius spoke up before she began to protest, "Look, we don't know why you won't bother to tell us. But you celebrate each of ours with great enthusiasm, Amaris. Don't you think we ought to do the same?"
"My boy, Xeno here has a point," Fabian chimed in, patting the Ravenclaw's back harder than the boy would have sought.
"Go on, have some Butterbeer. It's on the house," Gideon probed while Pandora motioned to their table. "There's also cake and Sherbert Lemons, your favorites."
"And we got a whole bag of sweets from Honeydukes for your notorious sweet tooth," The other twin doesn't fail to add.
"You're going to give me cavities," Amaris gives them a wry smile.
"Oh, please. Birthdays are exceptions," Mary beamed, "We also got you presents. Nothing too costly that would make you feel bad. They're all handmade… Er, does it count as handmade if we made them with magic?"
"They're mostly gag gifts, to be honest," Gideon admitted.
Pandora scoffed at that, "In your case at least."
Xenophilius then turns to Amaris to explain, "The Ravenclaws decided to pit against the Gryffindors to see who could get you a better gift, you see."
"Well, I'm sure I'll like them both either way," the Hufflepuff assured him, before fiddling with her fingers anxiously. "And thank you but really… You guys shouldn't have."
"Ames, it's our turn to celebrate your existence," Pandora spoke solemnly as both she and Mary leaned against the blonde maiden to squish her between them in a hug. "If anything, look at it as a way to placate us. We're merely a group of incorrigible handfuls who want to thank the universe for giving us a saint like you."
"I'm far from a saint and you're not as much of a handful as you guys think you are…" Amaris mumbles but relinquishes herself to their schemes, granting them a small sincere smile that was full of emotion nonetheless. "But even if you are, I'd take you on any time… You guys are the best, you know that?"
"Oh, don't start with me with all that sappy sentiments," Fabian kids, "I might cry."
Mary snickered as she and Pandora held their dear friend even tighter between them. "Jokes on you, mate. Your twin's already tearing up."
"Am not!"
[ January 31, 1976 ]
》Slipped into Amaris Leclair's hand in the corridor after their return from Hogsmeade:
Astronomy Tower. Tonight at 8.
R. A. B.
Amaris thought she was done getting lucky by the time the evening came rolling around. She felt that wave of bittersweet emotions, the sense of longing you get when returning home after a rather jovial day with the people you care about. It leaves a sentimental pang in the chest.
And she just knows she's going to go through it all over again when she met Regulus Black later that night.
"I got you something," he tells her, leaving her dumbfounded because never in her life would she have expected such an occurrence. (And here she thought her friends' birthday surprise was the most shocking thing yet.)
"Why?"
Regulus, ever so keen on maintaining a nonchalant front, merely shrugs in response, "Lestrange told me it was your birthday."
(Now that's even more surprising.)
"You talked to Pandora? Since when were you two on good terms?" Amaris beamed, ecstatic to know that two of her closest friends were finally getting along with each other.
"Definitely not in this lifetime," he scoffed at the sound of that, crushing her hopes in an instant. (But if there was one thing they seemed to have agreed on, it would be their concern for this particular Hufflepuff.)
.
"Anyway… Here," the boy clears his throat to hand her what he came there for. It was a gift, wrapped in brown packaging paper and held together by twine.
She smiles despite how trivial it was because she would never have taken Regulus Black for a guy who would bother giving presents, and what more, attempting to even wrap them?
'Not the point, Amaris,' she chastises herself for staring too long, looking up to meet his eyes, to ask, "Can I open it?"
Regulus gives her a nod, the said present rested on her lap while she sat crossed-legged right beside him.
"Consider it as a payment for all the pens you gave me," the Slytherin doesn't fail to add as he watches her unwrap his gift.
"You didn't have to… Get me something, I mean," Amaris looks up to meet his eyes momentarily, pursing her lips together, "I wasn't even able to get you anything for your birthday."
Instead of assuring her with kind words, he chooses to play it off coolly, feigning nonchalance, "You're always giving me things and I don't like being in debt."
At that, she gives another smile before unraveling the wrappings. And yet, when she finally does, she falls silent instead of responding to his snarky words.
.
For a moment, Regulus wonders if he did something wrong. The girl seemed to have frozen in time, neither blinking nor speaking, merely staring at his present like a deer caught in the headlights.
His gift had been a black leather-bound notebook monogrammed with her initials and adorned with gold embellishments. Small crimson stones decorated its spine and the silhouette of a little lion was engraved at its side (a detail to mock her for the Gryffindor-like fountain pen, no doubt).
And although she has yet to find out the best part of it yet, she's already gaping and speechless. It doesn't take a genius to tell how much thought he had put into it. For Regulus Black to do such a thing for some was already a feat.
"Reg, this is…"
"Wait. It gets better…" the Slytherin smirks smugly, having been given the chance to brag about his most recent achievement.
"I charmed two of them so you can send messages through it," Regulus explained. "I have the other one. I figured that this way, we wouldn't have to go through the hassle of owling letters or slipping notes."
Well, he certainly deserved a moment to gloat. It was in fact, a noteworthy feat.
She looks even more elated to receive it if that was possible.
The maiden stammers, unable to hide her astonishment, "But— How did… How?"
"Protean charm," Regulus answers proudly. And a little bit of blood magic but she doesn't need to know that.
It's also why it took him almost a month to accomplish. (Not that he'll ever say that, because that meant admitting he had a difficulty no matter how minuscule it had been. And besides, it was commendable for someone his age to have even done so, but to modify the spell and make it his own? What was the point in selling himself short?)
.
"This is…" Amaris trailed on, still unable to find the right words to express her complete awe. "Reg—"
"You have to chant something to reveal its contents," the boy continued to inform her, interrupting her failed attempts to speak coherently. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to receive the message."
"Like a passcode?" She stares at him, dumbfounded to know that he was aware of such a Muggle concept but then he makes a face, proving his confusion regarding another one of her Muggle contraptions.
Amaris chuckles softly at the way his once-smug expression morphs into utter confusion.
She decides to cut him some slack, clearing her throat as she asked enthusiastically, "What do I have to say?"
The boy grunts in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, "Ad astra."
To the stars.
Her eyes lit up as she recognized the meaning behind it which led her to wonder, "What about yours?"
"Ad lunam."
To the moon.
Amaris smiles even brighter at that.
"And then, you say 'diluculum' to hide its content," he immediately adds, ignoring the heat spreading through his face at both her delighted reactions and the sentimental value of his creation. "But other than that, it's rather self-explanatory."
When he meets her azure eyes for the nth time that night, she immediately takes it as the opportunity to tell him, "Thank you, Reg. This is precious… It's incredibly thoughtful."
"I told you—"
Amaris cuts him off, "I know you'll say it's just to make things even between us but this still means a lot to me. More than you can imagine."
.
It takes a couple more beats before she gathers the courage to admit it, recalling the people who cherished her and their efforts to make the day feel special.
"I-I never really fancied the thought of my birthday."
Regulus' eyes don't leave her tiny figure as she pressed her knees to her chest, journal held tightly in her arms.
He wants to ask why someone as optimistic as her would even dare to think such. But in doing so, he realizes that it may be too personal to ask, and he doesn't want to seem like he's forcing an answer out of her. So instead, he only makes a sound of acknowledgment, "Mhm?"
It seemed to be enough because the maiden continued to confess, "I-I didn't want to be a witch—"
"I know it's absurd of me to associate those two things together but…" she immediately talks over herself, worry seeping deep into the nervous cracks of her voice which eventually morphs into a defeated sigh. "I guess I tend to be a tad bit foolish."
He chooses not to confirm or deny her statement, knowing better than to say otherwise because he knows she wouldn't buy it either way. A cycle of self-deprecation was impossible to escape with a mere outsider's assurances. And what was the point of spouting empty words?
Instead, the Slytherin wisely chooses to avert the subject, deciding to ask, "What did you want to be?"
Her face seemed to brighten a tad bit compared to before.
"A doctor…" Amaris answers, before rambling as she usually did. "They're uh, Muggle healers. Although, I suppose that an actual healer would be better than that, considering the practical uses and the perks of magic."
"Why a healer?" he continued to pry, knowing it wasn't too deep of a question for her to evade.
As simple as her words were, the complexity of her answer surprises him more than he thought it would.
"Because I'd be of more use to others that way."
It had confirmed his growing suspicions, one which he had already observed:
Amaris Leclair couldn't leave people alone for the life of her. She had a compulsive need to have people like her —seek her— as if it were a way to get them to stay.
As if she believed that they only stuck around to get something out of her.
It dawns on Regulus that they may have been more similar than he would've expected.
.
He knows it's going to take a while for him to discover why exactly she thinks that way, but here's a start—
"I don't need you," he spoke out of the blue.
His tone is not hostile or even sarcastic. It's solemn and sincere— and from the way, his grey orbs gaze at her, something tugs on her chest. The feeling was neither unpleasant nor uncomfortable, and it was precisely why Amaris had not been offended by his words.
Instead, she asks as if she misheard him, "Pardon?"
"I don't need you," Regulus repeated, adding a handful more words that almost changed the entire meaning of the phrase— or rather, had perfectly expressed what he had been trying to convey. "But you're always welcome to stay."
I'm with you because I want to be and not to get something out of you.
For a Slytherin who was so suspicious of people's true intentions, always claiming that people "don't do something for nothing," here he was actually claiming otherwise.
And right then, Amaris Leclair can't help but wonder how someone could feel like crying yet feel so damn happy at the same time.
.
.
.
.
.
a/n: sorry for the late update. i had a bit of burn out and i didn't want to force an output and risk its quality. so here you go. i hope you still enjoyed it ;;