/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟔.𝟡.𝟣

Or one girl in particular. That was where the choice came in. He knew Artemis would fight directly against dark wizards the second she got out of school. It may not be in her blood, but it was in her nature. She would fight against him, he knew it. She wouldn't let the bias of their friendship over the years stop her. So he had a choice. Them or her. He could join her. If he told her he would take her side, she'd protect him, he knew it.

She was leaning up against the back of the Gryffindor locker rooms after his quidditch match on Friday, smoking a cigarette. She was alone at last. Regulus hadn't been able to find a time when she wasn't surrounded by a loud and obnoxious group of friends, or worse- Sirius.

He approached her, still in his quidditch robes, his broom slung over his shoulder. "Hey."

She looked up. "Hey, good game. Pity Emmeline's a better seeker."

"Pity our beaters are scared to knock a girl out of the sky."

She laughed softly and doused her cigarette in the mud by her feet, crushing it with the heel of her boot. "What's up, Reg? Why aren't you changing with everyone else?"

"I needed to talk to you." She gave him a quizzical look, but didn't say anything. This was the hard part. He'd rehearsed his speech to her a hundred times in his head, but getting words out while those piercing blue eyes were staring at him was a whole other ball game. "Look... remember the Christmas party?"

"No," she said sarcastically. "Not at all."

"Right." He shifted from foot to foot and looked down at the sat, soggy looking cigarette in the mud. "Listen, everything you said, everything you were worried about- it's true." He wouldn't look at her- couldn't look at her. "All of it. They- um- they want me to join up. And... I'm going to. At least I think so."

Her mouth feel ever so slightly agape. "Reg..."

"No, don't say anything right now." He didn't think he could handle her worry on top of everything else. "Artemis, I- I'm-" He didn't know if he could do it. "I'm in love with you."

It felt like the breath had been knocked from Artemis's lungs. A cold, guilty feeling crept into her chest. "I- what?"

"I'm in love with you, Artemis." Now that he'd said it, the words flowed much more easily. "And you don't have to answer me now, you really don't, but you're the only person I've ever loved. I can't get you out of my head, I've loved you since I was eleven years old. And if you say yes- if you love me back, then I won't-"

"Regulus-"

"I won't-"

"Regulus, stop."

He stopped and looked up, finally meeting her eyes. He knew the answer before she opened her mouth to say it.

"Regulus, I dunno if you heard... I'm, um-" This was the most he'd ever seen her struggle to speak. "I'm with Sirius."

It came out as no more than a whisper, but it felt like a scream in Regulus's head. "You're-"

"We started dating on Valentine's Day," she said softly, folding her arms over her chest and hugging her coat to herself. It was only then he realized it was Sirius's leather jacket. The one he wouldn't let anyone touch for fear of it getting ruined. "I thought you knew, Reg, really I did. I didn't even think to tell you, I'm- I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said hoarsely. "No, I should've- I should've known. Yeah, you guys are good together, it's- it's alright. It's on me."

She was still staring at him with those pitying eyes. He wanted to walk away, but it didn't feel right now. "Reg, don't join up. We can keep you safe, we'll be out of Hogwarts after next year and when you leave you can stay with us- it'll be nice."