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Well, that was that.
The reactions that the twins received from the people present were all worth it.
The thing was, Regulus and Aquila were talking one day, and they realised how good of a spy McGonagall would make, if everyone didn't know her Animagus form. And once you turned into an Animagi, it was released in the newspaper and registered in the Ministry for the general public to see. That meant illegal Animagus.
Which wasn't that difficult, considering both the twins were well-versed in illegal activities and potions and weird enchantments.
Unfortunately, they didn't have the hindsight to cast a Patronus to figure out their Animagus form beforehand. Where Regulus thought he'd be some sleek and cool fox or whatever, they turned for the first time and found themselves looking at identical birds.
It had resulted in both of them turning back and muttering about how they got stuck with the same face as the other again.
Aquila had been struggling with her Patronus a lot, but Regulus had cast the charm perfectly, and instead of one raven, two ravens had burst from his wand after he had cast a corporeal one for the first time. Aquila had laughed about the poetry of it all, and Regulus wondered if it was part of the reason why she wasn't able to cast a corporeal patronus.
With the threats growing, and the war casualties increasing, Aquila's paranoia increased by the minute, the time when she wasn't stressing over the Order and the risks involved, she would panic over how James and Sirius were in the frontlines, and how Regulus was technically still on the other side.
Severus Snape was coming up uncomfortably often in conversations with Dumbledore, who was trying to stop Aquila from being alienated from the rest of the Order by including the twins more in meetings. He brought the greasy bat up nearly every time she had the misfortune of talking to him, thinking maybe they would bond over their mysterious broody dark Slytherin nature and shared hate of Sirius.
The difference was, Aquila was more of the cool type of mysterious broody dark Slytherin and Snape was more of the creepy type of mysterious broody dark Slytherin.
Also, Aquila's hatred for Sirius was pushy-pushy, and Snape's was stabby-stabby.
So no, they were not the same. And Dumbledore could suck it.
But that was just Aquila's internal monologue while they flew around the Nott manor, figuring out a way to break the boundary spells without changing their form.
But that was the day when Aquila really wished they had just quit and gone home.
The next thing they saw was two cloaked figures approaching the gate, breaking the boundary for a tiny second in which the twins dove in after them. The cloaked figures removed their hoods, and Adrian Avery nodded, slapping Rowan Mulciber's head lightly, the sight so familiar to Aquila that she nearly let out a laugh and asked them what foolish thing 'Ro-ro' had done this time.
Shaking off her nostalgia, she heard Regulus in her mind, his voice quiet. I didn't know he became a Death Eater.
We'll get through this, love, Aquila replied simply, offering her company to him, unable to do anything more considering the fact that they were nose-deep in enemy lair.
"What is this about, Avery?" Tom Riddle snapped in his perfectly cold voice, the sound of which sent shivers down Aquila's spine.
Adrian bent his head. "Prophecy, my lord. Sybil Trelawny, Dumbledore's trusted Seer, just gave a prophecy."
Riddle took a deep breath in, and sat down. "Well?" he said, motioning Adrian to continue.
Adrian went white. "The problem is that, uh, none of us actually heard the prophecy, we heard of it. It talks about a boy destined to. . ." he trailed off.
Riddle raised an eyebrow. "Destined to?"
There was an uncomfortable murmur around the room. Regulus flapped his wings uncomfortably. "Defeat you, my lord," Adrian replied, his words echoing in the empty room.
Riddle's face showed no change. It was as if Adrian had said nothing at all. "And from where did you come by on this information, Mister Avery?" he asked. And there it was. The tone with which he spoke to everyone. The polite, honeyed voice which indicated something bad was about to happen.
Adrian seemed to realize this too. "Severus Snape, my lord. He heard from the Seer directly before the owner of the pub threw him out. He couldn't come directly because he had to keep up his ruse for Dumbledore."
Aquila and Regulus exchanged a glance. Called it. Snape's a bitch, Regulus said dryly.
"And who might this boy who is going to be my downfall?" Riddle asked, folding his slender hands on top of the table.
"The boy has not been born yet, my lord, but since Dumbledore knows about this prophecy, he will try his best to make it happen, which will just result in making it easier for us to stop it," Adrian said.
Riddle stood, and everyone sitting around him flinched. "We will kill it in the womb if need be," he said, his voice unconcerned. "Till we know the identity of the parents, all of you will stand guard at all times, dispose of any of my army gaining ideas to betray us."
Murmurs of 'yes, my lord' went around, and as the party dismissed, Riddle approached the fireplace, his face highlighted by the flames, like a king watching his kingdom burn in glee.
- - -
Aquila glanced at herself in the mirror again, swiping a hand in front of her face.
Red lipstick or no lipstick?
She chose red, gave her reflection a kiss, and headed out of the room into the living room. Regulus was standing there, dressed up as well. Aquila let out a wolf whistle.
"Look at you, all dressed up. Planning to outshine Siri tonight?" she said.
Regulus grimaced. "I hate you," he informed, grabbed her coat and held it out for her to slip into.
With difficulty, Aquila had managed to drag Regulus out of bed after seeing Adrian with a Dark Mark on his arm. While he and Adrian had been nothing exclusive, Regulus felt it was his fault that he had not gone to meet Adrian when he had asked him to.
So Aquila was tasked with convincing Regulus to bring home another partner tonight, just to get his mind off of things. And then Sirius' head popped in the fire, telling them that the Marauders and a couple of other friends were going to grab a pint or two on Sirius' article that was published in Witch Weekly.
The pub was as well lit and sanitary as you'd expect a pub to be on a Saturday night. Some Muggle music played in the corner as the twins approached the large booth their party had occupied.
"I'll be the first one to say it, both of you look very nice, which is absolutely grand because I'm an official fashion adviser now!" Sirius yelled out over the music, climbing across James' legs to give both of them a hug as they congratulated him.
James got up as well, giving Regulus a little grin as he slid in the booth, leaving Aquila and James standing. James leaned down, his arm around her waist. "You look beautiful, darling," he said to her, pressing a soft kiss on her lips. Aquila smiled when he pulled back, pressing her palms flat on his shirt. "You look pretty beautiful too, darling," she said, grinning.
Aquila cast her eyes on the other members of the table when James and her approached the booth. There was Peter, squinting through the flashing lights and waving at her once he spotted her, then next to him was Remus, who was deep in conversation with Regulus, their heads bent together. Next to Regulus were Marlene and Sirius, who were making moon-eyes at each other. Next to them was Lily Evans, who was staring at Aquila and James, and didn't respond when Aquila gave her a small wave, so Aquila decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she had zoned out.
James got in the booth, and Aquila slid beside him, his hand around his glass and one hand on her leg. Every pair stayed in their respective bubbles, with Peter and Lily awkwardly acknowledging this fact as they gave each other the occasional 'I feel you' look. Lily just decided to move to Peter's side, and they found their bubble too.
As the clock hour increased, so did the alcohol in their systems, James and Aquila refraining from drinking too much, both of them taking the occasional sip, but mainly keeping an eye on their friends and mostly Sirius, who was even more rowdy when he drank, and Regulus, who was very. . .crass when he drank. Aquila mainly had to stop him from shouting obscenities at the crowd which was more difficult than anticipated.
The group stumbled out of the bar, and as they all started to depart their ways, Marlene kissed Sirius straight on the mouth, and both of them apparated away before anyone could say anything.
Regulus stumbled all over the footpath and Remus pulled him back by his coat lapels, and Regulus yelled at Aquila that he was going to stay over at Frank Longbottom's place along with Remus and disapparated. Lily and Peter waved goodbye to the pair and went off their own ways.
"And then there were two," James sighed, slipping a hand around Aquila's shoulder. "Wanna grab a coffee?" he asked.
Aquila laughed, leaning into his touch. "What place would be open this late?"
James simply pressed his lips to the shell of her ear and whispered, "hold on," before he apparated them. . .to his house.
"Ah, yes, the ultimate cafe," Aquila said, grinning as she entered the apartment, collapsing on the sofa.
"Tea?" James asked, dropping on the sofa beside her.
Aquila turned her head to face him. "No, that's fine," she said softly.
James reached out a hand and pushed a strand of hair from her face. "I was thinking. . .we should go to Paris, you and me. Once this is over, I mean," he said hesitantly. "You know, we've had plans since the ball, and I really want to hear you speak French," he said, his hand finding home in the crook of her neck.
"Tout ce que tu avais à faire était de demander, mon amour," Aquila breathed, and leaned forward to capture his lips in a slow kiss. He responded with equal enthusiasm, his hand moving from her neck to her thigh, moving it over his own till both her legs were around him. She pushed her hands into his hair, his hand on her back to push her closer to him.
Her bones ignited with each movement of his, even if all he did was tilt his head slightly and lean forward to diminish the minuscule space in between them. Her heart threatened to burst out of the restraint of her rib cage, just so she could give it to him.
He pulled back the slightest bit, panting softly. "Are you sure?" he whispered into her mouth. And, fuck, if she wasn't before, she definitely was now. She nodded hurriedly, and went forward to kiss him again, but he put a hand on her shoulder and pulled back. "Are you sure you want to do this, Aq?" he asked her, firmly this time, looking for a proper response.
"Yes, I hundred percent want this. Do you?" she asked in return, a flash of fear going in her mind.
James huffed a laugh. "Since I saw you with that sinful lipstick on," he said, and captured her lips again.
Aquila thanked Quidditch training as he picked her up and walked to the bedroom without breaking the kiss, and kicked the door shut behind him.
Needless to say, they were very glad Marlene had chosen this night to kiss Sirius.
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say aye if you agree that snape's a bitch
this is probably the longest chapter ive written and all so i could keep the smut scene in ch69??
im not funny i know
but its like fucking 4 am
so good night laddies
show me some love when i wake up