𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚 || 𝘳.𝘢.𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

034. end of year exams

"Hi." Maria breathes when the Black finally reaches them and Regulus smiles and sits next to her at the circular table. "Uh—you know Remus and then Lily, obviously."

"Hi." Regulus greets and Lily offers the grey eyed boy a warm smile whilst Remus just nods, rarely taking his eyes off his book that he's skimming through whilst aggressively scrawling down notes.

The quartet sat for what felt like an eternity to Maria, scratching down any spare bits of information they could dings in the seemingly endless pages of the books Remus and Lily had gathered for them. Maria couldn't focus the whole time, not with Regulus' hand resting on her thigh and his eyes constantly locking with hers when they both went to look at each other. Along with constantly feeling the cold surface of his ring on her bare leg, and the fact he always needs to have some part of his body touching hers. The library goes emptied by the hour and Maria finally stands up, not being able to take sitting in that uncomfortable wooden chair when the onto sound was the scraping of quills on parchment, and feeling Regulus' grey eyes burning into her.

"I'm out." Maria breathes. "I studied, like you wanted me to, Lily, Remus—I am tired." Maria says stubbornly, gathering her jacket and bag as Regulus also stands up.

"Uh—thanks for letting me study with you." Regulus says to Remus and Lily who nod with slight smiles as Regulus and Maria walk towards the exit of the library, seeing the two sixteen year old's hands discreetly intertwine as Maria seems to be ranting to Regulus about the two seventeen year olds she's been sitting with for the past five hours.

"He really likes her." Lily states softly to Remus who nods, watching Regulus smile in amusement at the venting Potter girl, his storm filled eyes shining brightly with admiration and what some people would call love.

"Yeah, he does."

"And they drag me there, for hours!" Maria says exasperatedly to Regulus as they begin strolling up one of the moving staircases. "I've probably spent more time in that library this past week then I have spent sleeping—because they always drag me out of bed!"

"At least you know they care. . ?" Regulus says, not knowing what else there is to say to the Gryffindor who huffs as they walk up the winding stairs of the astronomy tower. "And, we have our potions final tomorrow, so it was probably lucky we both went over it all."

"I hate it when you're right." Maria says, dropping her bag and Regulus rolls his eyes, slouching against the wall, the side of his body leant on the railings.

"I'm always right."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

Maria raises an eyebrow at the boy who shrugs with a challenging smile and Maria rolls her chocolate eyes and strolls over to him, sitting sideways in between his legs, her legs dangling over his left one and over the tower.

"It doesn't feel real." Maria whispers, leaning her side into his chest and Regulus rests his chin on her head. "James is graduating—my idiot brother is actually allowed a job. It'll be weird not having them around next year."

"Next year, I have you all to myself." Regulus smirks down at her and she nods, kissing the skin on his collarbone gently as he pulls her closer, the two of them looking out across the fields that seem to glow orange in the sunset.

"Well, what do you propose we do, Albus?" Minerva says, meanwhile, some of the teachers had gathered in Dumbledore's office — Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid, Slughorn, Sprout and Flitwick.

"We can't do anything." Albus says quietly as he gazes into his pensieve, looking at the glowing memories dancing in the liquid. "We just have to let the events. . .unfold."

"Do nothing?" Minerva asks as if it's the most preposterous thing she's ever heard. "I agree that Mr. Black has never looked happier. . .but at what cost? His life—her life?"

"Just one life, Minerva." Dumbledore says and Minerva looks at him like he's insane. "One life over hundreds is quite enough."

"Yeh can't do nothin'?" Hagrid asks the headmaster, concerned also. "There must be somethin' yeh can do, Professor."

"Not anymore." Dumbledore mumbles. "For now, Regulus Black and Maria Potter are at the greatest risk. And we can only see where that risk can lead us on the path to defeating Voldemort."

"So—they're bait?!" Minerva exclaims in disbelief. "It's preposterous—outrageous—no. No, I won't let two of our students risk their lives. Albus, they're just children."

"Not anymore, Minerva." Dumbledore says gravely.

So, sitting their, laughing quietly and occasionally sneaking a kiss are two teenagers who have no idea what their future holds.

No idea that they have just been offered up as bait.

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"I'm officially done with potions." Maria says to Regulus as they read the complicated instructions for amortentia. Regulus rolls his grey eyes, sprinkling the powdered moonstones into the cauldron as Maria reads out the next instruction to him. "I mean, I know I either want to be a healer or an auror, but why potions?"

"Merlin, Ria, how much perfume did you put on today?" Regulus says, sniffing slightly and Maria's eyebrows furrow slightly.

"Same as I do everyday, why?" Maria questions and Regulus shakes his head. Maria suddenly gets a whiff of strong cologne, mixed with the slight scent of cigarettes and lake water, as well as rain. It's addicting, making her inhale sharply and move cliser to their cauldron for a few seconds, the smells getting stronger.
Regulus smells strong, vanilla perfume with strawberry scented shampoo, along with the scent of fresh pages of a new book.

Regulus reaches forwards abruptly and grabs a lock of Maria's wavy, brunette hair, bringing it to his nose and smelling it, smelling the same thing he'd smelt when hovering over the potion that's giving off a string of spiralling, compelling steam.

"Is that. . ?" Maria breathes and Regulus nods, letting the curl drop back onto Maria's shoulder and Maria smiles, quickly walking to the door of the closed off room that each pair had to prepare their potions, because if the fumes mixed it would be too hard to tell who had successfully brewed the love potion.

"Professor! Professor Slughorn—we've done it!" Slughorn beams at the Potter girl as he follows her into the dimly lit room and over to their cauldron, examining the liquid for a few moments.

"It's perfect—excellent you two, really amazing. I always knew you both would work well together." The potions Professor says proudly, dismissing them with a smile and telling them to expect a good grade, which was more than enough for the pair that stroll out, Regulus' arm slung over Maria's shoulders.

"I won't say I told you so." Regulus says slowly and Maria elbows him in the side making him wince but chuckle. "I wanna take you somewhere—when we break up for summer."

"Like where?" Maria laughs. "Your family are out to kill me and my dad would probably kill you."

"I don't know. . ." Regulus face lights up with an idea and Maria raises an eyebrow as she leans on the wall. "Europe! I'm taking you to Spain—Italy, Paris."

"Reg, slow down." Maria says with a breathy laugh. "When? How and why?"

"As soon as we break up, think about it Ria, it's my birthday two days after we go home and then it's your birthday five days after mine. We can go for a week, maybe a bit longer but—come on it'll be amazing."

"Fine, fine." Maria smiles. "My parents will be out on a mission anyway, they've got their work cut out for them now that there are more people becoming death eaters every day."

Regulus swallows thickly but forces a smile and nods in understanding.

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