UNFINISHED VERSION

2.5

For the next few weeks, Violet dedicated all of her time to her plan.

If she wasn't blinded by her determination, maybe she would have realized the drastic changes that began to occur around her. But no, in her mind, everything remained exactly as she'd left it.

Even though her older brother had finally won over the love of his life.

Even though her other brother had finally become official with the tall, scarred, fluffy-haired brunette that had been dancing around a relationship for as long as she'd been in Hogwarts.

Even though her blonde best friend had gathered the courage to ask out the girl she'd been pining after for years.

Maybe, if she'd been paying attention to anything other than her plan, she would've noticed the darkness that seemed to envelop the castle.

The heavy atmosphere that suffocated the lighthearted laughter which used to permeate the halls. The candles seemed half as bright as they used to be, the corridors a few degrees colder, and the nervousness that filled the air replaced the child-like joy that used to be. The table of emerald and silver, the origin of it all.

She would've noticed the glare she sent across the dining hall to the young Black, wasn't being returned as she thought it was. Instead, a gaze of concern and worry was aimed her way, not one of hatred.

But of course, all of this, the young brunette was too distracted to realize.

———

Regulus had had enough of the whole charade.

He knew he had upset the girl, but at this point, she was just being irrational about it. Certainly, anything he said a few weeks ago wasn't that bad.

But then again, she didn't know the true reason behind his actions. The true reason he felt the overwhelming urge to keep her from his house. He was protecting her, but she didn't see that.

The need to remedy the rift in their... friendship... is what brought the boy to an empty corridor that night before a pair of grey eyes identical to his own.

The older boy looked down at his brother, eyebrow raised and head tilted in confusion, "Reg? How're-"

Regulus swiftly cut him off, as much as a part of him was dying to have a pleasant and civil conversation with his elder brother after everything that had happened, there were much more important matters he needed to attend to first.

"What is wrong with Potter?"

Sirius' confusion only deepened, "I'm not sure I follow..." the boy trailed off crossing his arms over his chest, "I know that place we called home is bleak, but surely you understand what happiness is."

At this point, Regulus was also confused. What on earth is he talking about? Potter isn't happy- He'd thought that maybe Sirius would have a better explanation of what to do given the two's closeness... but if he hadn't even realized she was upset, maybe he'd been mistaken.

"It's not a disease Reg, leave 'im alone" Sirius scoffed rolling his eyes, "James is just happy Lily finally said yes."

Ohh. Well, that makes much more sense.

Regulus' eyebrows crinkled together in annoyance, hands flailing outwards in quite the undignified manner during his outburst, "No you idiot, not that one" he hissed, "the other Potter. What is wrong with her?"

The older boy's eyebrows raised, a soft 'oooh' leaving his mouth in realization. "Well that makes much more sense then." he mumbled under his breath.