The Chain|Regulus Black

Come and go

"For the greatest wizard of our time, he's a bit shit." Sirius uttered as they ushered down the steps of the Headquarters. James casting a quick glare as his arm slinked around Lily, but something inside him was agreeing with Sirius.

Dumbledore was the greatest wizard but he refused to even try and find Delilah? If he gave a cryptic no James could try and figure it out, but he simply said no? This was something he couldn't comprehend no matter how many times he twirled his wand between his fingers or shoved his glasses on his head, brushing his hair out of his face.

Remus was chewing on his bottom lip till he tasted blood more than dried skin. So he turned to pick at the dead skin around his fingers until those too were bloody and raw, he didn't stop until Sirius took his hand in his own. They walked quietly down oxford street, and Lily, just in a moment of weakness wished she were a Muggle. That this weight didn't rest on her shoulders, that she could make the world a better place.

And without a thought, her hand fell to her stomach-

"Is that-"

"Peter?"

The smaller boy ran towards them with alarming speed they felt for their wands, ready for an attack.

He tried to open his mouth to speak, but could only heave and gasp for air, doubling over he almost looked like he was going to be sick.

"Peter what is it?" James finally asked in an almost tiresome voice. Reminded of his Hogwarts days, Sirius and himself doing laps around the Quidditch field and Peter trailing along behind.

"Found her- in- in a- dumpster- b b behind the house." Peter wheezed his face turning a bright red as Remus rubbed his back, unsure of what else to exactly do.

Lily's eyes widened, and she had never run so fast in her life. All she could register was her feet smacking on the pavement and Muggles moving out her way, some shouting after her, but she couldn't stop. Even when her lungs begged for a rest, she went further, James barely in her peripheral.

Skipping up the steps of their new home, tripping over boxes full of possessions, she finds herself irritated at every slight obstacle, until she's on the landing and her sister's voice is travelling from the opposite room.

She's waiting to wake up, for it all the be a lie. Like the dreams, she had before. The dreams James struggled to wake her from.

But she pushes open the door, and there she is. Sat upright in bed, cup in one hand, Gideon at the foot of the bed smiling at her.

Delilah turned to face her, smile brighter than ever as she set the cup down and lunged at Lily, throwing her arms around her sister. Yet, as Lily hugged her back, something was screaming at her, this wasn't her sister. Something was telling her to let Delilah go and run as fast as she can.

***

"Where did he take you?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Delilah replies nonchalantly, she sees how reserved they look at her, how calm she is as she fills her plate again. But her tongue twitches, she knows exactly where she was, she was at Grimmauld Place, she remembers scoffing at their Headquarters and how calmly Regulus replied

"Idiots never think to look in plain sight." His lips curling into a smirk.

So why couldn't she say it? Opening her mouth to try again, "I was just in one room most of the time. But I know it was heavily guarded." Some sort of pain shoots through her as she discusses the details of the place, "there was someone there I recognised." The pain zaps through her again, like an electric shock.