If Regulus was asked to use a few words to describe the current state of his left arm, it would probably be 'uncomfortable' and 'tender'.

The third word would be 'broken', but sadly, most of his classmates didn't seem to understand the word.

Regulus kept his face flat, mind spinning with the sterile scent of the hospital wing as everyone seemed to surround his mattress. Burke and the rest of his quidditch team had left after Madam Pomfrey informed them of his condition – nothing permanent, the mediwitch said, just a broken arm that would heal nicely in eight hours with skele gro potion – and now Regulus was left with his classmates, who seemed to have forgotten about his injury, never mind that he was practically sitting on a mattress in the hospital wing with his arm in a cast.

"It was wicked," Pyrites gushed from the end of his mattress. He was unfortunately facing straight at Regulus so Regulus could only stare at the boy with dead eyes. "You fell so fast, and you crashed to the ground, and you rose and the snitch was in your hand!"

"Good thing you caught the snitch when you did," nodded Warrington, "You did what you had to do."

Regulus refrained from rolling his eyes. He most definitely did not have to do it. He could have broken more than just his arm if the pitch didn't have that security measure to suspend his fall just five inches before his body hit the ground, though why it didn't immediately activate when he tried to break his fall with his arm confused him.

In any case, he didn't even know why he jumped like that.

"He has a broken arm," Crouch reminded, emphasizing each word. It was spoken in so much frustration that Regulus couldn't help sneaking a glance at the girl. At least someone was sensible.

Crouch's shoulder was a bit slumped, and her arms hugged her body, as if comforting herself. She looked tired - And her nose was a bit red, did she fall ill?

Warrington rolled his eyes. "Nothing a potion can't fix."

"Does it hurt, Black?" Parkinson asked from his left, eyes wide.

Spoken like someone who hadn't gotten their arm broken. "Not at all," Regulus deadpanned at the girl. "Bones break all the time."

Parkinson blinked, processing. But Hornby at her side sighed in relief.

"Oh, that's good then!"

Regulus gave the oblivious girl the smallest, polite smile as his friends snickered.

Madam Pomfrey eventually ushered them out, saying that only three would be allowed to visit simultaneously as he rested. Regulus caught Crouch's eyes for a brief moment, before the girl wordlessly turned around, curly hair waving, and walked out of the hospital wing with Oprington beside her.

Regulus gloomily dropped his eyes to his blanket. She didn't even say anything directly to him.

"How long will you stay in the infirmary?" he heard Barty ask. Regulus only managed a shrug.

"A night. To make sure it's properly mended."

He didn't feel like conversing now. The cast was very uncomfortable and the pain on his arm was immense. Regulus still had to take two more cups of that disgusting potion in a couple of hours and Crouch didn't congratulate him again.

Judging from the silence, his friends probably had caught on to his dismal mood.

But so what? He had a broken arm. He was entitled to some moping.

Rabastan shook his head after some time, still not quite believing his friend had jumped from a broom. "You could have broken your neck."

"But I didn't."

His friend let out a long sigh, exchanging a look with the two first years like they were conversing about something. There was some concern in their eyes, Regulus thought, and guilt instantly creeping up his mind.

"I'll bring some books," Rabastan tried again, and Regulus met his friend's eyes, nodding his gratitude.

Barty perked up. "I'll bring some snacks!"

"And I'll bring the exploding cards," Evan offered with a grin, which Regulus finally returned with a wry smile.

A sound of clearing throat interrupted them, putting a pause in their newfound spirit. They all turned their heads to the corner table, finding Madam Pomfrey glaring at them, looking positively unamused.

"The hospital wing is not the place for a stay-over party."

"Stay-over party?" Barty parroted, sounding clueless. "What is that, madam?"

"It means the dance has passed midnight and you have to stay at the host's house," explained Evan succinctly, drawing Barty's attention. Regulus kept his breath even, not letting a smirk escape him as he watched Barty return his childlike face to the now constipated-looking madam.

"Don't worry, madam!" Barty beamed earnestly. "We won't make Regulus dance. He has a broken arm!"

"I have terrible footwork, anyway," Rabastan added.

The madam combusted, muttering about cheeky boys as she returned to her report in rage. His friends all turned to him and grinned, and Regulus couldn't help the smile on his face as he shook his head.

Idiots.

.

His friends guarded him till dinner time, though they would have stayed for longer if it weren't for Regulus' insistence. They needed to eat - and Barty didn't want anyone to help him bring more food as it would mean revealing his secret - so they reluctantly went to the great hall, leaving Regulus alone in the dark and quiet infirmary.

While his friends' presence was soothing, Regulus was glad when he finally had the chance to just flop down and bury his head in a pillow. Mending broken bones was excruciating. It felt like something crawling, burning, in his nerves. Cracked bones snapped to their place, fibers tightening against throbbing veins. The pain was pulsating inside his arm and Regulus hated it. He definitely would not put himself in this misery for a second time.

Especially as sympathy was apparently not a thing in his house.

"Do try to avoid jumping off your broom, Regulus," said a voice coldly from afar.

Regulus commanded every inch of his body to stay still, his breath evened as he kept on burying his face on the pillow. The visitor stopped by his side, but Regulus was asleep. Dead to the world. Dead people didn't need to greet their visitors,

- and they also wouldn't be scolded.

"I know you're awake, Regulus."

Of course that plan did not work.

Regulus slowly lifted his head, blinking to his side. Above him was his cousin, sharp features folded in displeasure. He cleared his throat.

"Cissa."

His greeting was only answered with a glare.

Regulus took his time as he fixed his posture, sitting straight to face his cousin. He felt Narcissa watching him the entire time, though Regulus didn't dare to meet her gaze, eyes wandering to the wall on his left. He didn't know why, but Narcissa in her ire always made him feel like a little child.

"You shouldn't have jumped off like that," she reprimanded again, making Regulus wince.

"It was on impulse," he weakly defended. "The snitch was so close and I had to get it."

His cousin sighed, muttering something like 'boys and quidditch' under her breath before she set him a look. "Your mother will definitely hear about this."

His eyebrows shot up.

It was grave indeed if Mother knew he had recklessly thrown himself off his broom. But despite the gravity of this situation, Regulus couldn't help the pulling of a smile at the corner of his lips. He had heard from Sirius that Narcissa liked to bring up their mother whenever he was in trouble, but Regulus hadn't ever had this phrase used against him. "I'll ask Uncle Alphard to calm her," he replied lightly.

Narcissa tilted her head, considering his words. She smirked knowingly only a few seconds after.

"You mean you will sick uncle to him," she accurately deduced, her smile turned approving, "Ruthless, cousin. You know she'll blame this as his influence."

"Is it wrong?" Regulus smirked. It was indeed Uncle Alphard who introduced Sirius and him to Quidditch.

Narcissa rolled her eyes, amusement sat on her mirroring smirk. A victory on Regulus' part, he would say. Perhaps he wouldn't be scolded too much after all.

"Still, an impulse or not, do you understand all the ramifications of your action?"

He spoke too soon.

The next hour felt longer than it was, as Narcissa enlightened him of all the possible consequences if he was killed or permanently injured in one of Hogwarts' quidditch games. He didn't think all the scenarios that Narcissa mentioned would have occurred – his life couldn't have mattered that much to their family - But that scenario where Narcissa would ban all her future children from attending Hogwarts or playing quidditch haunted him.

Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine. He didn't want to be the reason for some quidditch-deprived children in the future.

In the end, Narcissa finally left him alone after Regulus promised her to not be as reckless anymore. He already planned to do that, anyway.

Barely five minutes later, another unsympathetic person appeared.

"Psst, Reg."

Regulus almost jumped as Sirius' materialized out of nowhere on his left. He glared at the grinning Sirius. He didn't appreciate being sneaked upon. Not even a bit. "How did you do that?"

Instead of answering, Sirius just smiled winningly.

"Your first time breaking bones! How does it feel?"

Regulus narrowed his eyes. Sirius sounded a bit too cheerful for someone who was visiting an injured person. He should have at least shown a bit of concern, this whole experience had been painful! - not that Regulus would admit it. That show of emotion was beneath him - He looked down on his nose, "The potion is the most unpleasant part of this whole ordeal, but otherwise, it's been fine."

"Sure," drawled Sirius. "Got any bird worrying after you?"

Regulus hated it when Sirius wiggled his eyebrows like that. "Right now, I'm being visited by an ex-canary."

"Let's not talk about that," Sirius winced, the memory of his unique predicament sent goosebumps to his arm.

Regulus smirked at his response.

"So you are here to talk?"

"I'm not here to spoon feed you your potion, if that's what you're hoping for," Sirius clarified, making him scowl.

"That is not what I'm hoping for."

"Oh, you're hoping for something, then? What is it?"

"Not your annoying self, that's for sure."

"Moi? Annoying?"

Regulus rolled his eyes. "You missed Cissa," he generously informed his brother, changing the subject to something more substantial. "She was just here."

"Oh?" Sirius replied distractedly, sitting at the end of his mattress, "What a bloody shame, then."

He didn't sound regretful at all, Regulus thought, face frowning. "Don't you want to meet her?"

His brother shrugged. "Does she have a broken bone?"

Regulus sighed.

.

Breakfast on Sunday was usually a quiet affair. Many opted to sleep in, or perhaps came in a bit later than they usually did on the weekdays.

Not today though. Today everyone was still hyped.

As Barty walked through the great hall, he could see the Hufflepuffs flocking and the Gryffindors plotting. The Slytherin was leading now, both in quidditch cup and the house cup, and one wouldn't have to see the hourglass to know it - it could all be seen in how all the Slytherin strutted with their nose high in the air. There was no doubt that the two other houses were scheming to beat the Slytherin's points in their game next week.

"Enthusiastic, aren't they?" Evan commented, sending a grin on his way. Barty grinned back.

To their surprise, both Regulus and Rabastan were already sitting at their table, particularly right between the second year and first year line, but Barty couldn't see his sister anywhere. He sure hoped she didn't go back to her old habit of skipping meals.

"How's your arm, Reg?" Evan asked, taking a seat across the sullen looking boy. Barty followed him.

"It's healed," Regulus replied, earning a grin.

"Nice. Nifty potion, that Skele gro is."

Barty rolled his eyes. Evan couldn't stop showing off yesterday for having known the potion's taste before. Even went as far as giving them a list of sweets that would lessen its aftertaste. While Regulus was thankful of his input, Barty still couldn't see how breaking bones repeatedly in the past became sort of an achievement in Evan's mind.

And while Barty was curious about the taste, he was certain that Madeline wouldn't appreciate it if he broke his bones just to have a taste of the potion.

Speaking of Madeline,

"Have you seen Maddy?" Barty asked both Regulus and Rabastan, earning a simple 'we haven't' from Rabastan. Barty frowned, eyes gazing off a plate of scrambled eggs, though his mind was wandering to where Maddy could have gone this morning.

In the midst of his musing though, something touched his left shoulder.

"What?" He asked to his left, only to find a grinning Evan shaking his head.

"It's not me."

Someone then nudged his right shoulder. Frowning, Barty turned his head again - and immediately had his cheek pecked in a blink. He looked up, finding a smiling Maddy.

"Happy 12th Birthday, little brother."

He stared at his strange sister. Did she forget the date? It seemed unlikely… "Mad. My birthday isn't until tomorrow."

Her smile widened.

"That may be so, but we can't have an all-day birthday celebration on a Monday, can't we?"

"An all-day birthday celebration?" He parrotted, eyes widening. An all-day birthday celebration sounded super fun! Giddiness pumped through his blood, and a wide smile that matched Maddy's own smile bloomed on his face.

"Come on!" Maddy said, pulling the sleeve of his robe in her eagerness to leave the great hall. Barty wasn't as eager though, his eyes falling to the scrambled egg plate hesitantly. "Uh, Right now? I haven't had my breakfast."

Maddy gave him a most amused look.

"You don't think you'll eat a boring breakfast on your birthday, do you?"

Barty gaped, catching an enthusiastic glint in his sister's eyes. A memory of her previous birthday breakfast flashed through his mind and an even wider grin spreaded through his face.

Cakes and sweets, here he comes!

Sending a smug smirk at his clearly envious friends, Barty wasted no time to rise from his seat, wanting to run with Maddy to wherever she wanted.

"Am I not invited, Maddy?" Evan pouted, prompting a guilty smile from Madeline.

"Not today, sorry."

Now standing, Barty stuck his tongue out to a pouting Evan, a crestfallen Rabastan, and a sour looking Regulus - promptly ignoring how Evan stuck his tongue out back at him in return - before finally getting pulled by the hand by his sister to the great hall's door, a grin still decorating his face.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there," she replied with barely contained excitement.

They skipped out of the castle, and Madeline led him straight to the direction of the Black lake, particularly the side that faced against the forbidden forest. There, on one of the banks of the lake was a huge beech tree, whose shade was covering an entire picnic blanket of bright linen. Barty let out an excited laugh at the various plates on the blanket - puffs, strawberry cake, muffins, fruits, berry trifle, doughnuts! Turning his head at his sister, they exchanged a grin before racing to the picnic blanket.

Barty thought he had never smiled as much as he did as they ate. Madeline had charmed the area around the tree to be unperturbed by any external sound, and they also could talk freely without others hearing them - not that anyone was giving them any look, Madeline also took care of putting a notice-me-not charm on the tree.

So talk they did, spending hours accompanied by stories and sweet treats. The house elves apparently helped Madeline plan this day and they were more than happy to help prepare the food for their picnic as their present for him. Madeline also brought some books - they chose an encyclopedia of magical creatures to read together, just so Maddy could add a bit of trivia of his thoughts on each creature when he was little. Barty was beyond delighted that they could read together again, just like how they often did before Madeline went to Hogwarts.

He wished they could stay like this forever.

Near lunch, Maddy gave him three boxes of presents from their parents and grandma Adele. Barty didn't waste too much time on them, though. He asked straight for Maddy's present. Maddy shook her head in exasperation at his demand, but she couldn't fool him, what with her pleased smile as she handed him her present.

It was another potion, its transparent containers giving him full view of its emerald green content. Barty eyed it curiously, spinning the bottle slowly to see its consistency.

Madeline smiled. "Can you guess what it is?"

Barty frowned, eyes still locked on the potion. "Is this another cloud?"

"It's not."

Barty thought so. The potion for the clouds were pale lavender, though he couldn't completely ignore the possibility of Maddy making some other modification that could have changed its color. But if it wasn't clouds… "Is it some ability inducing potion?"

"Nope."

"Transfiguration inducing potion?" he tried again, and Madeline's lips quirked up.

"A bit like that."

Barty's eyes widened, turning his attention back to potion and eyed it hungrily. "Rodent! Can this turn people into rodents?"

"What is it with you and turning people into rodents?"

Barty grinned at his amused sister. "I'm okay if it turns people into the weasel family too. It's their mustache and their beady eyes, I can't explain it."

Maddy huffed, shaking her head, again in exasperation. "It's an ageing potion," she eventually told him.

Barty blinked, feeling his grin slowly dropping from his face though he tried not to frown. It was a bit… disappointing. Why would he need an ageing potion on his birthday?

He didn't want to let it show though, letting an appreciative smile fall into his face as he eyed the potion, "I suppose you brewed it yourself? That's awesome! Isn't this an OWL level potion?"

A snort answered him.

Now Barty truly couldn't stop the frown on his face. He turned his head to Madeline, "What?"

Madeline's smile looked three times exasperated now. "That is not my present, Barty."

Confused, Barty chose silence so Maddy could elaborate. Her smile turned mischievous.

"Fancy a little trip to Hogsmeade?"

Barty frowned. Dropping his gaze at the potion on his hands, he tried to make sense of what Madeline was trying to tell him. Hogsmeade… and an ageing potion.

It didn't take him long to connect the two, and Barty's eyes shone in understanding. He snapped his head at his sister, "so this is how you sneak into the village."

Madeline hummed, smiling in ease as if it was obvious from the very start.

Barty still couldn't wrap his mind around it though, eyeing the potion in wonder. He had known about the secret passage since his first month in Hogwarts, but Hogsmeade was a completely magical village - People would have wondered why a boy his age was wandering in Hogsmeade, rather than cooped up at Hogwarts. To think the solution had been this simple potion… Barty pouted at his sister, "I was perfecting my disillusionment charm so I can make use of that passage, you know."

"That wouldn't have worked," informed Madeline airily. "The disillusionment charm doesn't hide shadows - and you also can't make any purchases while disillusioned."

He pouted some more.

.

The person in front of him was supposed to be him. He had blonde hair - though a bit darker than what he had - and his nose was a bit of a shock for Barty. He didn't know his nose could grow as big. What staggered him the most however, was his long limbs and his height.

"Huh," Barty said, grabbing his face left and right, "It's weird that we're seeing our adult face." He snuck out his tongue at his reflection, not surprised that it copied him. Turning his head to his right, he found Madeline putting some charm on her lips in front of the mirror, making it dark purplish-pink.

She looked mature - like a true grown up.

"You look a lot like Mother," Barty commented, earning him a pretty smirk on her dark lips. He kind of could see why Regulus called Maddy pretty now.

"And lucky you," Madeline drawled, fixing her leather jacket, "you don't look a tiny bit like Father."

He shuddered at her words. "Thank Merlin for that. I would have to learn body modification spells if I do."

Barty fixed his own jacket, eyeing his reflection once again. It was muggle clothes, Madeline said. They had to use it so people would not connect us in the future. But Barty found himself liking its shape and color - and it had tons of pockets! He could hide a lot of things there.

"You know about body modification spells?" asked Madeline suddenly, drawing his attention again. She was frowning, with her shoulder stiff. Barty stared at his sister - was she thinking about it the whole time? It was nothing special, he read its mentions in Evan's and Regulus' books.

"Well... yeah."

He didn't know why he hesitated.

Madeline pursed her lips. "That's a dangerous branch, Barty."

"Not as dangerous as whatever branch you're studying," he argued, frowning.

Madeline tried to not let her surprise show, but Barty still caught it, and his frown grew deeper. What? Did Madeline think Barty didn't know what she was reading in Grandmother's library?

"Remind me to look at your reading list," Madeline finally said, displeasure evident in her tone.

Barty chose not to argue this time. "Of course." Now subtly change the subject. "Where did you get these clothes, anyway?"

"The house elves."

Of course it was the house elves again.

Now looking properly adult, they finally headed to Gunhilda of the Gorsemoor statue at the end of the corridor. Madeline let him give the password to the statue, and soon, they both were walking for an hour in a dark, damp, tunnel, with only each other as company and their wands to light their way. Madeline conjured a stream of fire a couple times, whenever some shadow-inhabiting creatures jumped in their direction, and Barty felt like in some kind of an adventure - Him and Madeline against the dark, mysterious tunnel.

It felt a bit anticlimactic when they arrived at the honeydukes.

"Try it," Madeline grinned, shoving some blood red candies at him in one section of the famous sweet store.

Barty eyed the description distastefully, with not a little distrust. "Who likes blood-flavored candies?"

"Vampires, of course," Madeline answered in a matter-of-fact tone. Barty looked down to meet his sister's eyes - Oh, yes. Barty would be a head taller than Madeline when he grew up - giving her his most unimpressed look.

Madeline responded by baring her now bloodied white teeth, letting out a mock vampire growl.

It looked ridiculous.

"Stop it, Mad."

Madeline grinned, still with bloodied teeth. "Too intimidating?"

"Like a rampaging kitten," he nodded, and immediately moved away from her striking hands, "not the cheeks!"

To their utter astonishment, Barty didn't have to nurse a pair of pinched cheeks. In fact, his cheeks had moved away quite far from Madeline's grabby hands. His sister narrowed her eyes. "You're getting faster."

Or he got taller and Madeline's grabby hands were no longer a threat for him.

But of course Barty didn't say that. Barty wasn't that dumb. Instead, he marveled at his hands.

"It's this body - It's awesome! I can't wait to grow up!"

The wizard at the counter turned at them, his face perplexed, before eyeing them suspiciously. Barty froze - maybe he shouldn't have said suspicious things like that in public - but fortunately, his sister wasn't one to be caught off guard by some strangers. One smile, and the wizard was flushed, clearing his throat as he looked away.

They got two free lollipops by the end of it.

.

They were twenty feet away from three broomsticks when a disagreement erupted between them.

"No," Madeline asserted, for the third time.

Barty was not deterred.

"But, Mad! My hogsmeade experience wouldn't be complete without it!"

Madeline put her fingers on her temples, nursing what it looked like to be a headache. It was great news for Barty - It meant a couple more whining and Madeline would finally relent!

"You are twelve, Barty," Maddy chided, stressing the number. "You are not drinking beer."

Barty sniffed. "The use of ageing potion changed my body constitution to a 19 years old body. Which means it will be perfectly safe for me to - "

"And the answer is still no," Madeline said, dragging him by the arms. Barty could have easily stood still though, it wasn't like Madeline's puny body could drag his bigger body like that (though Madeline's grip was awfully strong, it was kind of strange). "Come on. Let's visit the bookstore. You like bookstores, don't you?"

Her temptation worked, unfortunately.

They spent another hour at Tomes and Scrolls. It was nothing new, Barty was certain the library in Blakeville house was much more complete than the collection they got here. Although, Tomes and Scrolls also included muggle books, and Madeline introduced him to some muggle arithmancy books - called mathematics - a book on moon landing and spacecrafts, and some books on muggle's history of wars. Barty didn't care much about muggles, but since Madeline recommended it… It wouldn't hurt to have them for some light reading.

There were some others there with them in the bookstore, swiping through the aisles to search for their desired books. He supposed it was to be expected, they were in an all-magical folk village, after all. Barty caught some of them eyeing Madeline though, and he glared at them the whole time, making them uncomfortable enough to walk away, far from his sight. One of the employees was the worst, he looked barely out of Hogwarts and he kept on tailing them, trying to help Madeline find her books. Madeline didn't look bothered - the employee was just being kind, she said - but Barty gathered she wouldn't be opposed to messing with the wizard a bit.

Just as Madeline went to another aisle, Barty saw his opportunity. He tapped the wizard by the shoulder, giving him his widest grin when he turned.

What followed after that was complete idiocy. Trolling others had become something that came natural in Barty the longer he hung out with Regulus and Rabastan, and he wasted no opportunity to confuse the annoying wizard.

At the end, the wizard looked freaked out.

"Are you really 19?" He asked, face contorted in utter befuddlement. It triggered a full, beaming smile.

"Of course I am. I am this tall already!"

Barty internally cackled as the wizard's befuddled expression became more defined. It truly became funnier each second!

"Pardon my brother," Madeline intervened, appearing suddenly at his side. She put her arm in his, "he's a bit drunk."

Barty leaned to the front, whispering loudly to the wizard, "I'm not drunk. I'm not even allowed to drink beer."

The wizard hesitantly stared at them, eyes moving back and forth between Madeline and him. Barty winced as he felt his arm getting pinched, but Madeline's face didn't even show any indication that she was harassing him, smiling sweetly at the employee.

"Drunk, as I said. Excuse us."

Madeline dragged him to the counter, steps so fast one would have thought that they were racing in their walk. "Don't act suspicious," hissed Madeline under her breath, making him frown at the aisle in front of him.

"You're the one who acted suspicious. I was just messing with him. He couldn't have known that we were originally children, could he?"

Madeline paused, making him stop in his step. Turning his head, he was met with a deadly glare.

"He truly believes that you're a child pretending to be an adult."

"But I was just double bluffing," Barty defended, face confused. Madeline looked very serious though. Barty couldn't help but sneak a glance at the previous wizard, finding him eyeing them with a suspicious gaze. Barty blinked out of his wonder.

"He fell to my exaggerated act when I pretended to be a child in an adult's body?"

Madeline sighed, head dropping to her hand. "You're actually a child, Barty. You don't need to pretend anything to sell it."

Her words made sense - it truly explained why it felt so natural for him to do it. What an oversight.

Tomes and Scrolls was their last stop, unfortunately. They both returned to Honeydukes before the sky completely darkened, and Madeline casted some disillusionment charm on their body as they sneaked into the cellar. The trip back to Hogwarts was not as exhilarating as when they first headed out to the village, Barty thought in retrospect. Contentment filled his chest though, so he supposed it was an equal exchange.

Madeline questioned him about the day, asking him of his favorite spot from all the places they visited today. Barty, as usual, regaled Madeline with his excitable recount, but after some time, they fell into a comfortable silence. Their mind wasn't silenced, though. It grew louder the longer their mouth and ears took their rest.

Eventually, their thoughts leaked through.

"I wish we were twins," Barty voiced, out of the blue. It was just fifteen minutes before they reached the end of the passage. After that, his birthday celebration would be over, and their days would return back to normal.

Madeline tilted her head at her brother. "Why is that?"

It was now or never, Barty thought. "I hate being in a separate class with you," he admitted. "If only we could spend every day like this."

His words drew Madeline to turn her head to him, of course. Her eyes swimming in guilt. He pleaded, "We still can, you know. Can't you just tell me where you go when you disappear? I promise I won't hinder your studies."

"Don't you have your own friends to hang out with?" Asked Madeline, her tone conflicted.

Barty hesitated. He forgot he had three friends now.

Then again, Regulus got a study session with Madeline once a week. It was only fair if Barty got to study with Madeline too. It's not like Barty would abandon them. He said this much to his sister, pushing her deep in thoughts.

The end of the passage was so close now. Barty felt his chest deflating, sensing all his happiness today would just be another memory, one that he could remember by himself rather than having Madeline to remember it and share with him in some childhood tales. Once they stepped out of the passage, the joy of his birthday would end, just like that.

"Next year," Madeline suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. Barty blinked, turning his head at his sister. His sister's lumos was much brighter than his, and with her light, her smile was visible among the dark, clear and bright. "I'll let you join some of my private studies next year."

Was this real? "Really?"

Madeline nodded, her smile getting surer at the hope in his eyes. "Yes. It will be just like before hogwarts."

"You promise," Barty pushed, a grin already breaking out of his face.

His sister grinned back. "I promise."