Every time Aria would finger his scars in astonishment, Regulus' body would tense and then shiver, sending electric tidal waves through his veins.
Finally, he placed his shirt down, covering his wounds. The pair sat in an awkward silence, before an...
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Aria laid there motionless, unable to breath or move. She just stood there as she watched Regulus fall deeper and deeper. When she heard the loud thump, that's when all hell broke loose.
Instantly, as if switched on by a remote she came to her senses. Taking in the scene in front of her, she broke down into tears.
"Regulus!" she screamed from way up on the astronomy tower.
It was too late.
His body lay limp on the cold grounds of Hogwarts.
By the time Aria made her way down the spiraling staircase and ran to help the younger Black, teachers were already at the scene. McGonagall was checking his pulse as Madame Pomfrey propelled him onto a cot, levitated the stretcher and making her way to the hospital wing.
Dumbledore stayed back with Aria as she stood there, tears leaving her blood-shot eyes and hands trembling of fear.
"I suspect you had something to do with the matter" he broke her trance.
Aria lifted her head to meet the bright blue eyes of the old bespectacled man. A lump must have formed in her throat from all her crying as she just nodded.
He led her through the dimly light corridors up the familiar moving staircases and into the infirmary.
"In here Miss Sterling," said Dumbledore, "I will leave you to it."
She instantly spotted his form amongst the other ill patients. She made her way over to his bed, grabbing a stray chair, setting it beside him and sitting.
She grabbed his hand in hers and placed her head on his legs.
"I'm so sorry" she mumbled as sleep got the best of her.
~
She awoke the next morning as someone squeezed her hand. Realizing who it was, she instantly stood up receiving backlash.
The events of the previously night came flooding in as she recalled Regulus' fall.
"Regulus?" she whispered, taking her seat once more, "Are you awake?"
"Mm-hmm" he mumbled, slowly opening his eyes, revealing the dazzling blue colour.
"Are you alright?" she asked, lifting the sheets off his body and plumping his pillow.
"You won't get rid of me that easily" he teased.
She let out a stifled laugh.
"I'm really really sorry-" she began but was interrupted.
"Look, I told the others that you had found me, not the other way around so your secret is safe with me" Regulus said now serious.
"Really? But why-?"
"Are those voices I hear?" said the voice of Madame Pomfrey as she opened the privacy screen, "You're awake!" She smiled.
"Will he be alright?" Aria said with a worried expression, "Is there anything I can do?"
"No dear, everything has been taken care of," the cheery witch said, "Lucky for him, your friend here used the incantation 'Arresto Momentum' so he stopped right before he hit the ground, minimizing his impact and injuries."
"Oh thank God" she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
~
For resting purposes, Madame Pomfrey forbid any visitors for Regulus.
In the week following the fall, Aria locked herself in her room. She had been seated on the edge of her bed, staring at the wall when Lily walked in followed by Marlene and Mary. The three walked in with trays of dinner food for Aria.
They all sat next to her on her four posters bed, placing the food down on her trunk.
"Roast beef and potatoes," Lily said, remorseful, "Eat up before it goes cold."
"I'm not hungry" Aria shrugged, not taking her eye off the dorm wall.
"You've said that for the past week" Marlene intervened, placing her hand on her knee.
Aria flinched.
"Are you alright?" asked Mary, "Wanna talk?"
The three sat in silence as Aria fingered the blanket beneath her.
"I should've done something" she finally spoke.
"How could you have?" Lily spoke sympathetically.
"I should've jumped, gone after him," Aria mumbled, "What ever happened to 'You jump, I jump'."
"Are you mad?" Marlene said.
"He would have done the same thing!" Aria said defensively, "What happened to the Gryffindor side of me?"
"What do you mean?" Lily asked, "It lives inside of you."
"Clearly it does not," said Aria, "I was not brave nor chivalrous."
"You're a Gryffindor, whether you like it or not" Mary chimed in, hugging Aria from the back.
"I'm not so sure anymore..." Aria truthfully said, turning around so she was facing all three girls.
"What are you saying?" Marlene asked, angling her head slightly to the left like a dog.
"I'm not quite sure I'm truly a Gryffindor" Aria said, hanging her head low.
"Aria?" Lily spoke.
"I want a reassortment."
~
The following morning, Aria woke early. She got dressed in her uniform for the first time that week, did her hair up nice and added a tint of makeup.
She walked down towards the Great hall with pride in her steps. She was doing the right thing.
Last night she had visited McGonagall's office asking her to just move her to Ravenclaw but the teacher said a reassortment was a 'more formal way to go about it'.
As if on cue, right before the students were beginning to dig into the fresh pastries, Aria opened the oak doors, walking into the hall.
"Miss Sterling" McGonagall greeted, gesturing for the girl to take her place on the wooden stool.
The entire school had stopped their hungry eating to watch the girl with curiosity.
Complying the the old witch's wishes, she sat on the stool. The witch placed the sorting hat on Aria's head giving her flashbacks to over a year ago when she had just entered Hogwarts for the first time.
"A REASSORTMENT, EH?" the sorting hat spoke, "IF I RECAL, I HAD PLACED YOU IN GRYFFINDOR. NOW, LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE. WELL, THERE MUST BE SOME REASON YOU ARE BEING RE-EVALUATED. PERHAPS YOU DO NOT THINK YOU ARE BRAVE ENOUGH?"
Something in Aria's stomach sunk.
"AH, SO THAT'S IT. WELL, YOU WOULD BE GREAT IN RAVENCLAW..."
"Yes, please Ravenclaw" she said, remembering the time Sirius told her she would be sorted into the clever house back when they first met.
"THOUGH, I STILL HAVE COURAGE IN YOU. MY DECISION IS FINAL. BETTER BE; GRYFFINDOR."
"But professor-?" she asked.
"No buts Miss Sterling, the hat has spoken. Looks like you are indeed a true Gryffindor" McGonagall said.
~
A big shoutout to @XxMati2004 for being so kind and sweet. Comment suggestions for future chapters (specific things you would like to happen).
