MAROON

LXX. The War: Marvolo Guants Ring

December 14, 1978

JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

All James wanted to do was stay cuddled up in bed with Regulus, blocking out what was happening in the world around them. But he knew that wasn't what Marlene would have wanted him to do. So, he got out of bed and he joined the rest of his friends.

Kian and Regulus had pieced together what the next horocrux was based off their combined dreams. The horocrux was Marvolo Gaunt's Ring.

"Dumbledore has the ring in his office," Regulus told them. 

James felt anger boil in him. Of course Dumbledore knew about the horocruxes. Him choosing not to hunt them all and leave it his followers was just another example of him getting other people to do his dangerous work because he was too much of coward to do it himself. He had almost lost Regulus because Dumbledore refused to help.

"At school? Or at headquarters?" Pandora asked.

"He had it at school but not anymore. It's at headquarters in his top desk drawer."

James didn't question how his boyfriend knew exactly what drawer the ring was in.

"So, are we all going to go this time?" James asked them all.

"Only three of us should go. It will be easier to slip in and out of headquarters incognito that way," Kian suggested.

"I'll stay back and do some more research on lost artifacts that could be the remaining two horocruxes," Pandora offered.

Kian nodded. "I'll stay back you. As we look at potential ones, maybe I will have a seer episode."

"So me and lovebirds are going then," Remus stated.

"Ready to destroy and find your first horocrux, Lupin? You have missed out on the others. I've had the not-so-lucky opportunity of finding all three of the previous," Regulus mused. "I've had to drink a potion that made me see my worst fears, drowned, been brought back to life via CPR, I now have scars covering my abdomen from the inferi, and I've almost died again because of Basilisk venom."

Remus didn't look thrilled. "I'm so excited. Can't you tell?"

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

James was crouched in a bush outside headquarters, sandwiched in between Regulus and Remus. They were hiding from the crowds of aurors flooding out of headquarters.

Headquarters was just a simple house in a muggle town/neighborhood. It wasn't very far from Grimmuald Place, only a couple blocks down.

"Where do you think they are going?" Remus whispered

"They are preparing for something," Regulus answered.

"Everyone looks so bloody miserable," James couldn't help but note.

"We lost Marlene and who fucking knows who else. We've been gone for four months," Regulus pointed out.

Sirius and Dorcas were the last aurors to walk out the door. Both looked more serious and tired than James had ever seen them. The war had burnt a light out within them all. James could feel it inside him too and he saw how it was all affecting Regulus. His boyfriend was walking the line of going too far and James figured he was walking it with him. They had both managed to keep their hands clean but who knew how much longer that would last.

As all the aurors apparated away, they all entered headquarters under the invisibility cloak and went straight to Dumbledore's office, making sure to do it quietly in case some people remained in the house.