Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 163

Isabella had never held onto his hand so tightly. He wasn't saying anything though. 

"You should eat," Regulus said. 

Isabella nodded and picked up her spoon. She swirled the soup in the bowl around, and stared at the liquid. She had been doing this for the past fifteen minutes.

It had come as quite the shock. Regulus was still recovering, to be honest. 

And he also realised how much of a prat he was to think that Isabella wouldn't be as miserable as she was now.

It was as though he had forgotten that she was human too. 

He had only ever seen her calm and indifferent, that he seemed to have trouble getting the image of her crying her heart out, out of his head.

"Your bird," Regulus said. "The augurey has been waiting outside the window for days now,"

Isabella looked up, concern in her eyes. 

Regulus waved his hand and the nearest window flew open, and in swooped the bird.

It went straight to Isabella, and into her embrace. 

"I'm sorry for worrying you," Isabella said. "All of you," 

She glanced at Regulus, who tried to act as though he was focusing on closing the window.

"Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let the bird in, so you have to let it go out for now," he said.

Isabella nodded and, as though understanding them, the augurey hopped off and gave a farewell cry, and flew out of the window it had come in through, and Regulus finally closed the window. 

"Snow Wiffle came to find you too," Regulus said. 

Isabella looked positively alarmed at this.

"Don't worry," Regulus said bracingly. "Madam Pomfrey's patched him up too. He's sleeping under your bed right now,"

Isabella let out a sigh of relief. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if something were to happen to Snow Wiffle. 

"When did you find out?" Isabella asked slowly.

"Twenty-sixth," Regulus said. 

It was something that still stung at Regulus. If only he hadn't dismissed the Evening prophet like an idiot. Isabella had stayed out in the cold, all alone for almost an entire day. He could have gotten to her faster, if he hadn't been such a fool. 

"Phineas Nigellus Black, he has a portrait in the Headmaster's office, he told me," Regulus said.

Isabella's expression hardened.

She opened her mouth, then closed it. Then she had the first spoonful of her soup. 

". . .I asked him," she said as though every word was coming out with great difficulty.

"I asked Dumbledore to keep my family safe," she said. "I should have done it myself,"

Regulus took her hand in his and held it tight.

"It is not your fault, Isa," he said. "You couldn't have known,"

"I was wrong," Isabella said, shaking all over. "I was wrong, and I can't afford to be wrong. I'll only end up hurting everyone,"

Regulus had just never realised the burden Isabella was carrying. It was true. Even a small mistake on her part would bring everything down. 

He suddenly felt terrible that he had been too self-absorbed all this time. He was focused on his problems and how he felt, never even stopping to think how Isabella must be feeling.