edited.
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There had been a celebratory feast. A feast from which she could hardly stomach any food.
She conversed normally–barely holding herself together as she smiled, laughed, teased, and debated.
It was late into the evening by the time she retired for the evening.
She had just bid Narcissa and her batshit crazy sister–Bellatrix–goodnight and ducked into her room when she finally collapsed to the ground.
Her heels were discarded on the floor as silent tears fell down her face.
She cradled her arm, pain from hours prior still throbbing over her skin. It felt like something was living under the surface of her forearm.
Violet's vision blurred as she pulled her sleeve and examined the dark brand. The familiar snake seemed to laugh at her as the skull grinned maliciously at the reptile's secret joke. It was laughing at her.
Laughing because she was now bound to the Dark Lord in one way or another–forever intertwined with the most bloodthirsty wizard in the world.
Laughing because, in a way, Violet had failed.
Of course–she was not actually a part of the Death Eaters, but the fact that their Mark was now embedded on her arm was a sign that no one was safe from the war. Especially not her–a girl who had already lost so much.
Violet sucked in a shaky breath, trying to stifle her tears as her fingernails dug into her skin–threatening to start scratching at the brand.
This was a nightmare.
A living nightmare.
She had sworn to Remus that after this mission, she was asking never to be sent away as a spy again.
Violet had sworn that she would get this done and leave.
But she needed to be done now.
She had already felt like she was losing her mind in the unending halls of the manor–but this...this was the last straw.
Being a part of the inner circle meant she had to do everything at Voldemort's bec and call. She was a puppet on strings now–the Mark calling out for its prisoners whenever its own master deemed it fit.
And now she was ensnared in the trap.
Violet had to get out–now before they made her do something that would haunt her to the grave.
She decided right then and there that she would write to Dumbledore–requesting a plan to be formed so she could get out.
After a few more sorrowful moments, Violet stood to walk to the writing desk across the room–determined to scribe this letter tonight. But as her fingers glanced over the parchment and ink well, a knock came from her door.
She turned her head–just staring at it blankly.
Then her eyes turned to the clock on the wall, and a frown pulled at her lips, "Who in Merlin's name..."
Her hand moved to her wand as she wiped her face of all tears–praying it wouldn't be evident that she had been crying.
Moving towards the door and unlocking it slowly, Violet pulled it open–shocked to see the source of the knock.
Regulus.
Her eyes widened a fraction as she raised a brow, "Yes, Monsieur Black?"
"May I speak with you, Perriweather?" His voice was hushed as it was late in the night.
Violet just stared at him–hesitation fueling her. Still, she surrendered to whatever begged her to let him in and opened the door further.
Regulus stepped in as she closed it behind him–taking in the contents of her room.
There wasn't anything out of the ordinary besides the faux Slytherin Quidditch sweater.
He stared at it for a long moment before slowly turning to her–his grey eyes sharp and expectant, "Well?"
Her stomach twisted as she shot back, "Well, what?"
"Stop these pretences."
"What pretences?"
Regulus gave her an unamused look before he glanced at the door.
He pulled his wand out–waving it around the room, uttering noise-cancelling charms.
"What are you doing?" She demanded–her voice cold and slightly panicked.
He spun on her, his voice low despite having just placed the Muffliato charm on the room, "Violet, drop it."
The air was stifling for about fifteen seconds before Violet released a heavy breath–her shoulders drooping as she rushed to him, throwing her arms around him, "Reg..."
She buried her face into his shoulder as his arms immediately tightened around her–holding her close.
It was a long moment before he pulled away–his arms on her shoulders as he demanded, "Why in the name of Salazar Slytherin are you here? How are you here?"
Violet glanced over her shoulder–her paranoia still strong as she answered, "Because...because of Dumbledore."
Regulus pulled his hands away from her–almost like she had burned him and furrowed his brow, "What?"
I am so dumb...Months of training and I slip up in my friend-turned-Death Eater
Violet pressed her lips together–her guards rising further as she said dryly, "I can't go any further into detail."
He stared at her–emotions flickering across his face before nodding, "I get it..." Violet was sure he would get angry or maybe even rat her out. Instead, he placed his hands on her face–his voice solemn and sincere, "And I'm not going to tell anyone..."
Shock filled her.
She could see in his silver eyes–ones so similar to his older brother's–that he was telling the truth.
Her chin fell to her chest as she said in a rush of air, "Thank the stars..."
Regulus laughed softly before his tone shifted, and he murmured, "I'm sorry Dumbledore put you in that situation. I had no idea he was going to do such a thing...Especially with your–your parents."
He stammered out the last part, and Violet knew he was just trying to be considerate, but it still hurt.
She lifted her gaze to him, and she shrugged,
Violet winced, "People have been surprising me increasingly as I've grown up. I should have known he would ask me to pull a stunt like this. Reg, I have to get out..." She sucked in a small breath before she placed her own hands on his and whispered, "Reg, I have to get out of here."
His grey eyes shimmered with regret as his gaze briefly stared down at the Dark Mark on her arm, "I'm so so sorry, Vi, but...you can't. Not yet."
She frowned–pulling away from him this time as she questioned, "Why not?"
He stiffened–glancing at the door as he said, "Because if you disappear now, he will know you were a mole. The walls have ears here. And Lucius is already suspicious of you. You should have heard him talking to me and Snape about it. He's desperate to find dirt on you, and you haven't even interacted with one another as your alter ego. But if you leave, Lucius will know and tell the Dark Lord. After that, he will stop at nothing to kill you and get rid of you. You already have been here for months–I can only assume you have been feeding information to the outside somehow?" He stared hard at her. Violet could only gaze back. Regulus sighed–his young face looking far older than his seventeen years. "And on top of that– that you're a Muggleborn. Everything he could hate you for–you are made up of..."
Violet felt ill as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Then what am I supposed to do? I will not kill anyone, Reg. I won't do it. I don't care if he kills me because of it." She shook her head–her fingernails digging into her forearm again, "I would rather die than give up any information too."
Fear filled his face as Regulus stared at her.
He started to pace slightly as he drummed his fingers on his angular chin.
Finally, he stopped–grabbing her hands again, "Violet, you have to do what I tell you, okay?"
She glared lightly at him, "What do you mean? Why should I trust you?"
He looked pained and replied, "You have every reason not to. But please–I will protect you. The Dark Lord trusts me even more than Lucius, I think." Regulus's eyes looked a little distant, but he nodded again, "But for me to keep you safe, you have to do everything I tell you to, alright? Please?"
Violet let her eyes take in the boy's features before her.
The young boy she watched grow up at Hogwarts.
The boy who had first hated her but became her friend after a bit of coaxing.
The boy who cared for his older brother–a blood traitor according to everyone in the Black family line–but was very wary of showing his concern.
The boy who was now in the deep depths of the Dark Lord's schemes–having probably conducted and formulated various attacks as well.
But this was also the boy who was now risking everything for her.
It was so unbelievable that she had to question him–her tone icy, "Why do you care? You have worshipped him for as long as I've known you. Why would you help me? What am I to you that you would risk all of this for?"
Regulus pressed his lips together, making them almost disappear. He looked vaguely frustrated as he explained, "Because...I've learned things about his plan that I do not believe is right."
Violet raised a brow–frowning, "What do you mean?"
"I can't tell you..."
She scowled, "Then why would you tell me that you are having second thoughts?"
"Because I want you to know why I am helping you. You have proved to me that Muggleborns are just as magical as Purebloods. Also, I do not have enough evidence to feel like I can share with you yet."
She scoffed slightly, "It would've been smarter if you hadn't said anything. Now I'm gonna be worried about you because I know you. You're gonna get yourself into trouble to find answers. That's how you were at school–that's how you are now,"
Regulus's tone was severe enough to make Violet freeze, "And that's what I'm gonna do to ensure the people I care about are safe."
His grey eyes stared hard into her soul as he said this.
Violet had to admit she was flattered when she got his double meaning.
It was so bittersweet as she realised what he meant.
"Reg..." She said softly–frowning a little. ""
He bobbed his head–smiling a little instead of looking miserable like he could have done, "I know. I know...You're in love with Remus Lupin..." He chuckled, "It took you two long enough to get together." Regulus tilted his head, "And I won't interfere with it. I could never do that to you. But I do want you to know that I care about you, and I want you to be safe."
Violet felt her heart ache in her chest as she stared at this severely misguided teenager.
He really did care.
He just wasn't always good at showing it. Or he was afraid to.
But here he was–proving how much he would risk for her by pushing aside his personal feelings for her to keep both of them from dying.
However–her anxiety was still bubbling under the surface for him, "What about—"
"Do you trust me?" He asked her. Then he rethought about his question, "Can you trust me?"
Raising her brows just a tad, she tilted her head–her voice a little taunting, "Reg...you do know you lied to me about being a part of the Death Eaters for a hot minute, right?"
Regulus huffed, nodding, "Touché...But I'm being serious–"
"I thought you were Regulus."
Regulus rolled his eyes, "Dear Merlin..."
"So sorry. Habits. Continue."
He chuckled before saying, "I need you to trust me, okay?"
Despite the heavy reluctance in her stomach, Violet sighed and questioned, "You promise you'll keep yourself safe?"
He gave her a crooked grin–looking eerily like his brother, "No promises."
She giggled–getting ready to push his shoulder playfully when the door opened, no knock or warning given.
Now...
Despite Regulus wishing death on his older brother a couple of times, he must have taken notes on the art of distraction and misdirection from Sirius.
Or–great minds think alike.
All this to say–Violet had been mid-head-turn when Regulus was muttering, "Don't tell Lupin or my brother about this..." right before his hands were suddenly in her hair, and he had pressed her against the wall next to the open door.
The air rushed from her lungs as his lips pressed hard to hers–his body holding her still.
Her whole head spun as her mind started to freak out.
WHY IS HE KISSING ME?! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?! Then her brain caught up, and she mentally screamed, LIFE OR DEATH, BITCH, LIFE OR DEATH!
Violet kissed him back–keeping up the act that they had been snogging for whoever had interrupted unceremoniously.
In one movement–she buried her own hands in Regulus's dark curly hair, and as if they had the same idea–their lips parted, and the heated kissing was taken to the next level.
Oh Merlin...
Regulus had turned and pulled his lips from hers–starting to press kisses to her jawline and neck when the sound of someone letting out a choked gasp found their ears.
Their bodies still pressed against the wall–the two turned, lips full and eyes dilated to find Severus bloody Snape, staring at them with enormous eyes.
"Snape..." Regulus questioned–his voice husky as his curls fell into his eyes. "Why are you bursting into someone's room unannounced and without knocking? And a lady's room nonetheless."
"I...I just..." Snape was looking between the two of them–still entirely bewildered by what had just happened. "Do you know one another?"
"Nope," The two replied in unison.
"Is that a problem?" Violet snipped back lazily–trying not to think about how they had almost got caught and that she was still pressed against the wall rather scandalously.
Snape shook his head, "N-No."
"Then close your mouth. You look like a codfish."
His jaw snapped shut as Regulus questioned, "Why are you here?"
Snape cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure, "Malfoy wants to speak with us..."
"Alright, I'll be there in a moment." Regulus nodded. "Just...Let me finish up here with Miss Perriweather." Regulus looked at Violet–the look in his eyes blatantly said, I am so sorry–just before he caught her lip between his teeth, pressing himself further against her so that he wasn't touching her in the way he made it look.
What. A. Gentleman.
And to add her own acting skills into the mix–Violet internally grimaced as she hooked a leg around Regulus's hip (also not touching him in the way it looked) and let out a moan that must have sounded real because Snape literally ran from the room–slamming the door shut behind him.
The second he was gone–the two broke away, smoothing out their clothes and feeling way more awkward than they probably needed to be.
"So..." Violet coughed–her brows raised, looking down at her nails as if they were the most interesting thing on the planet at the moment. "That–"
"It never happened," Regulus said with a quick nod–looking very, very guilty. "Sorry about that. I didn't know what else to do."
"It's okay..." Her voice was tiny as she replied, "And...thank you."
More silence.
Finally, Violet cleared her throat–looking up at him, "I guess you better go see Malfoy before he gets angry and has an aneurysm."
Cheeks flushed and ears red, Regulus laughed nervously, "Probably." He looked at her again–something passed through his eyes before it changed to a gaze of sorrow in his eyes. Carefully, he grabbed her hand, "You'll be safe. I promise. You can trust me."
Violet nodded, with a slight smile, "I believe you."
He smiled once more before disappearing out the door.
She just stood there like an idiot for about five minutes–scratching the tattoo on her arm before she ran a hand over her face with a groan.
"How the hell do both those boys know how to kiss? Like–do they give them lessons when they're young?
Violet was speaking about the Black brothers.
She shuddered–her brain moving on from the impromptu snogging session with Regulus Black and onto the fact that Snape had come into her room.
She scowled at where he had stood before she turned and grabbed her pyjamas–heading into the bathroom, "I need a bath."