Regulus grunted, sitting down in front of the fire and completing a circle with the Marauders.
"How is she?" Remus asked.
On their way to James and Peter, Callie lost grasp of her consciousness. Her limbs fell limping. It was a good call to have two people carry her.
They also thought it was good she passed out. Tiredness had consumed her, she wouldn't have to fight to keep her eyes open. Regulus thought that was what she had been doing. That was why even though the dementor seemed to have taken more than half of her soul, she still fought back and kept herself as conscious as she possibly could. Unfortunately, her human, muggle body could not handle anything anymore and it gave up.
Once the tent was built, Regulus carried her to her bed. She lay asleep; not even the biggest movement could wake her up.
"She's gone warmer now. Still cold, but warmer," Regulus answered.
Her skin's temperature took their attention when Sirius and Regulus carried her. She was ice-cold. They thought it was a result of the dementor's kiss. Sucking the soul out meant sucking the life out.
A collective sigh interrupted the silence after. Of all the people who could suffer the most in the dementor's hand, why had it to be Callie? Any of them would trade places with her. Peter had doubts about that but he didn't want her to be in that kind of danger again.
Callie had been kind to him ever since. She never made him feel alien, never made fun of him. She never even disgusted him when they all learned what he would do in the future. She believed in him.
That was probably one of the reasons they grew to adore Callie. She believed in every single one of them. James did need not a lot of people to believe him, but he needed someone to believe his friends like him. Remus had friends who believed he wasn't a monster and Callie was the same. Sirius didn't even know he needed someone to believe he and his brother could still be with each other after all those years. And Regulus. Oh, Regulus. He never knew he'd need someone to believe in him. Not until Callie came.
They couldn't afford to lose her. Maybe not until this was all over.
She made it clear to Regulus that she had to go back to her world after their mission succeeded. And they might never see each other again if they didn't find a way to do so. He was scared of that. Not that he'd admit with his voice. But he sure was scared to be left alone again. He'd have no one but Kreacher and possibly Sirius. Hopefully Sirius.
He sighed, looking away from the Marauders.
"We shouldn't have parted ways," Sirius said, shaking his head. Leaving each other unattended always left a bad taste in his mouth. Because when they were young, he never left his brother's side just to make sure nothing bad would happen to each of them.
He did leave still. And look what that cost, the Dark Mark on his brother's forearm.
"It was Callie's idea. Besides, she had warned us about protective enchantments," Remus retaliated. It wasn't that he was blaming her. But Remus knew Sirius would blame himself for not stopping the decision to be made.
"Does that mean the dementors are one of his defences against the likes of us?" Peter asked, growing anxious.
"Seems like it," James shrugged. "Nowhere else we found dementors but just around a certain place. He could've used them. But how?"
"The Dark Lord has his ways with everything. He must have made an agreement with those creatures in exchange for protecting his Horcrux," the former Death Eater answered.
Sirius did not like how knowledgeable his brother is about the topic. But the deeper he thought about it, they wouldn't be able to stop Voldemort if Regulus never became a Death Eater. Sure, Callie had extensive knowledge of their world but no one would be able to get the diary or Bellatrix's hair strand except Regulus.
"Do you have any more idea what enchantments he could have to protect his Horcrux?" Remus asked.
"He's capable of the most wicked enchantments, that's all I know. There are varying ways he can protect his secret."
"Should we still," Peter hesitates, "continue this?"
"Of course!" James' brows furrowed. Among all of them, he was the one who had a lot to lose. His friends, Lily, their happy future, Harry. Yes, even if their son hadn't even come to life, he wouldn't dare risk anything that will include him.
Thinking about it, they all had everything to lose. Remus would lose his friends, the only people giving his life colours brighter than the rainbow. Peter would lose a bright, free world where he could enjoy anything. Sirius would lose his brother and his friends; once he did, he might ascend to madness. And Regulus, he would lose his life, he knew it. Not just his brother who he was getting back but also the reason his life was saved; Callie. He'd lose her if they didn't continue to fight.
"I know this is hard for you, Pete," said Remus, patting his back. He knew Peter would rather wrap himself in blankets and eat biscuits in front of the Gryffindor fireplace. "But we have to do it. Who else would do this if not us?"
"The Ministry?" he suggested.
"If we told the Ministry, they could easily rat us out to You-Know-Who," said Sirius. "Father's associated with people in the ministry. Father's Bella's uncle, Bella's a Death Eater."
"There's also Narcissa's fiancé Malfoy. He's in the Ministry too. And Malfoy's a Death Eater," added Regulus.
"Right now, I think it's safer if it's just us who knows about this matter," Remus finalized.
"And Dumbledore?" James suggested.
"For all we know, he hadn't come back when we left," said Remus.
Hearing the name of Hogwarts' headmaster, a memory flickered in Regulus' mind.
"Callie doesn't trust Dumbledore," he muttered but enough for everyone to hear.
Confusion made the Marauders turn their heads to the youngest Black. With their stares, he felt compelled to relay her reason.
It was one of those days during the full moon. They were in the Room of Requirement where she was staying. Regulus had brought up Dumbledore that led Callie to tell him she didn't trust him.
When asked why, she answered, "Because it's Dumbledore!"
"I don't... understand. Most people trust him."
"Well, I'm not most people, am I? I knew what he had done and I hate him because of it."
"Why? What did he do?"
Callie inhaled as if preparing herself for a speech. "For starters, he recruited young people to join his secret organization that fights off against Voldemort. In that group, he recruited the Marauders, Lily, and many more. He did that when they were eighteen. Eighteen! Regulus, you heard me?"
"Loud and clear." He fought off the urge to smile.
"He endangered the lives of young wizards! All for a war adults like him should fight. Next, during the war, Voldy was looking for a chosen one who would end his wickedness. He chose Harry, James and Lily's son. He hunted him to kill him. James and Lily were in hiding and were safely hiding! But when Pete ratted them out, Voldy went to their hidden house. And killed them!"
From almost smiling, his brows furrowed in confusion. "How is that Dumbledore's fault?"
"You know James has an Invisibility Cloak, don't you?"
"Of course." He had used it more so. "Right. He didn't use that to hide the three of them?" Now, he was even more interested.
"He couldn't use them. You know, why?"
"Why?"
"Because Dumbledore borrowed it!"
"What?"
"I know!"
"Why?"
"The cloak was one of the Deathly Hallows as everyone probably knows. And Dumbledore was in search of them and their powers! Those were critical times, he should've left the cloak to James. But he didn't! And he's the reason they're dead. Or would in this timeline- wait no! In my world, I mean! God, they shouldn't die here. But you understand what I'm trying to say."
"I do."
"Let me continue. Harry, James and Lily's son, survived because Lily sacrificed her life for him, giving him some sort of shield against the death curse. Now, I'll take Snape's word, he raised Harry just so he'd get killed."
"What?" Regulus couldn't even mention how she knew Snape. She probably would have, of course, but he'd still like to know his role in their story. But the shock of what Dumbledore would do to an innocent child got the most out of him.
"Yes. It was all too complicated but he meant for a kid to die. Do you understand where I'm coming from now?"
"Yes. I assume that's all he did?"
"There's a lot more to unpack but let me add one last thing. He said help would be always given at Hogwarts to those who need it. But he never helped you or Sirius, did he?"
A short silence formed between them. Regulus would never seek help even though he needed it. But her question just struck.
"If he's so smart, why didn't he figure out you knew about the Horcruxes? If he's so smart, why didn't he help you? Why didn't he propose the truth serum be taken by Sirius when the Ministry wrongfully accused him of betraying his best friend and mass killing those muggles?
"Because Dumbledore is a massive manipulator. He should not be trusted. He could assist us but I would never trust him with anything that holds power." Hence why Callie wrote a letter to him asking for assistance. Just assistance.
"Is she sure Dumbledore did all of that?" James asked, not wanting to believe what Regulus had told them.
Sirius, on the other hand, was already convinced, staring at nowhere with dead eyes.
"Callie knew almost if not everything in this world," Regulus answered James. "She knew things we don't. If she said Dumbledore did those things, we can assure you it's true."
It was without a doubt they trusted Callie. But Dumbledore had been looked up to by almost every wizard even them. Yet hearing what Callie thought of him made them question things.
"She also said he was the reason why there is the Dark Lord."
"What do you mean?"
"She said Dumbledore found the young Dark Lord, an orphan. But he knew of his magical abilities hence he took him to Hogwarts. There, he grew as he is now."
"So it was Dumbledore who'll kill us?" Sirius scoffed. Even though he'd just get them killed, he'd still be a part of the reason why. He'd be the reason why. "I can't believe we trust him." He felt as much of a fool as his brother. They both, no, they all believed the wrong people.
"Is Callie sure?" James asked. He, too, trusted his life in Dumbledore. And he hadn't seen his actions take place. But doubts about him in undoubtedly present in every one of them.
"Her dedication to us is the same as her hate towards him," answered Regulus. "It's that much."
"But... that's... Dumbledore."
"Let's not think about that for now," Remus encouraged. "We're already here. Instead, we should recount the protective spells that we know."
"Speaking of, how'd you learn the Patronus charm?" Sirius asked as though suspicious but wasn't.
"I read?"
"You just read."
He hummed a yes. "I read and thought I should give it a try."
"And you were successful," Regulus added.
Remus tilted his head almost everywhere. He was unsure whether that was a compliment or not; how to accept such remarks coming from Regulus.
"Yes?"
"Why do you sound unsure?" Sirius asked.
"Teach me." Silence came after Regulus spoke.
"You wanted to learn the Patronus Charm? From me?" Remus clarified.
"Well, who else in this room knows the charm?" After what happened, Regulus wanted to know how he could protect Callie from those soul-sucking dementors.
"But... the spell... It's quite complicated," Remus replied.
"But you managed to do it. Surely we could too. I could too."
Not knowing enough about Regulus made Remus doubt. But since the boy insisted. And he seemed dedicated to learning it, he sighed and fixed his posture on his seat.
"Just to be clear, the Patronus Charm is advanced magic. As far as I know, even the most powerful wizards and witches can only conjure one without shape. And doing so can already be regarded as an amazing feat." He cleared his throat.
"The key to successfully casting a patronus is a positive state of mind. Hence, you should think of the happiest memory you could think of. It should be the happiest. The happier it is, the better and more powerful your patronus.
"Once you've got hold of that memory, draw circles with your wand like this," he demonstrated, "and say 'Expecto Patronum'. If you didn't get it on the first try, it's fine. Like what I've said, this charm is for an advanced level."
The four brought out their wands and began trying the charm.
Regulus closed his eyes and thought back. He wanted to scoff at the mention of happy memories. As far as he could remember those could only be counted on the fingers in his hands. He had to dig deeper. Deeper.
He was nine. And it was Christmas Eve. He was pretending to be asleep because he couldn't sleep. He heard a creaking noise from the door. Regulus assumed it was his father or mother so he curled up and tightened the blanket above his head.
"Reg," Sirius' voice whispered.
Regulus' eyes opened wide. He jumped on his bed to confirm it was indeed his brother. Sirius had the widest grin on his face.
"What are you doing here? Mum and dad are going to hurt you again if they see you out of bed."
Sirius just brushed that off. "I come bearing gifts!" He kept his voice low as he presented his brother with a small rectangular box poorly wrapped.
"Are you sure that's a gift? Doesn't look like it."
"Hey! Have you any idea how much silence it took for me just to get that wrapped?"
"Bet all the remaining silence in your life."
"Hush with all the talks. Open it!" He kept jumping on his toes.
And so Regulus did. When he could make out what the gift is, his eyes bulged open. It was a muggle book he had been wanting to read. But since it was made by muggles, his parents did not allow him to have it. Sirius was a witness to that. That was why he knew it would be a great Christmas gift for his brother.
"How'd you get it?" Regulus definitely knew he couldn't possibly get it from their family's golds. Their parents surely wouldn't allow it.
Sirius put a hand beside his lips as though someone would hear him whispering. "I asked Andy to buy it for you." Andromeda Tonks, who was exiled from the family kept communication with her favourite cousin, Sirius.
"They'll be mad if they saw this." Regulus pertained to their parents.
"Only if they saw it." Sirius grinned with mischief.
It only took a few seconds for Regulus to share the same grin. That was the happiest Christmas he ever had. Disobeying his parents, a gift from Sirius, the book he had been wanting. That was the last happy Christmas he ever had.
"Expecto Patronum!"
It didn't work.
"Why didn't it work?" he asked Remus.
"What was the memory you conjured?"
Regulus looked at Sirius hesitant. "When my brother gave me a muggle gift I've been wanting for Christmas."
When the older Black heard that, his trip down memory lane halted. He still remembered that and chose that as his happiest memory. He fought the urge to smile.
"You'd need something happier than that." Remus did not take much notice of his memory. He knew Regulus wouldn't want to dig that deeper in him. "Something bigger."
And so, Regulus closed his eyes again. He conjured all memories, happy ones, he could in his head. None worked.
For an hour, nothing was happening. They were all growing tired of trying. There wasn't even just a spark or any indication they were near succession.
Peter gave up first and retreated inside the camp. Then James accepted his fate and played elsewhere. Next was Sirius. It took him a few more hours to give up. Certainly, there was an easier way to conjure a happy memory anywhere in his mind. And he was sure he had used almost everything, if not all, of his memories just to conjure a patronus. Even a non-corporeal one. But when nothing was happening, he, too, gave up.
But Regulus had one tough head. He never gave up. Even if he had squeezed all memories he had. May it be with Sirius, Barty and Evan, Pandora, Dorcas, and of course, Callie. He sure didn't have many options so it should be easy to pick the happiest one. But none was working. Or were those happy memories not happy enough for a Patronus?
Remus watched his persistence. He saw in his eyes doubt but Regulus never put his wand down even when the sun was already setting. Feeling his muscles sore, he stood and stretched. He walked back to where the rest of his friends are but left a pat on Regulus' shoulder.
"Conjuring a patronus is not easy. You should take a rest and leave it some other time."
But his words came in Regulus' one ear and out in the other.
Sirius watched by the tent's entrance.
"You and your brother still have a lot in common," Remus commented as soon as he was beside Sirius. "Black genes?"
He smirked. "No. That's just us." He couldn't be happier by the fact that he and his brother shared something that no one could ever take away; the persistence to protect someone they love.
Regulus continued his practice 'till moonlight shone. Callie was still asleep. He deduced perhaps she was too tired her body was taking longer to recover from the dementor's attack. The Marauders were in the tent and it was just him, alone, by the fire they made outside.
He couldn't drift off to slumber. Not yet. He couldn't sleep knowing he couldn't protect Callie from soul-sucking dementors. He had to at least conjure even a small patronus to keep her safe. Because he knew it wouldn't be a disaster if she was in danger; it would be worse than that.
So for hours and hours, he conjured memories, he swished his wand, but nothing was coming out. Of course, he was growing frustrated with every passing moment he failed. But he knew he must not let anger get him. So he breathed in and out and dug deep in his mind for the happiest memory. But what he got, instead, was a series of them.
"Do you like my brother?" Sirius asked while he hid from them inside the shack.
It was just Callie and his brother and they were sitting on the edge of the bed.
"W-What? Wha-What are you talking about?" Her laugh came out nervously.
"Come on. You can't deny it. And even if you do, I won't believe you."
"I-I-uh...it's...well..."
"Just say it. It's just the two of us," Sirius encouraged in a sing-song manner.
Callie did not speak right after and let a few seconds pass. "You'll tease me for sure!"
"So you do like my brother? But why?"
Regulus raised both his brows in surprise, still concealing his presence.
"Please don't tell anyone! I'm begging you!" she asked.
"Sure. I mean, you are pretty obvious. Your look like a red apple whenever you're near Regulus. You do when you first saw him. You have a separate section of his images even if some of those didn't really happen-"
"Alright, alright, I get it! Just...just don't tell anyone."
"Yeah, yeah. Now, back to my question."
"Well..." A brief pause. He anticipated. "He is a hero," she began, which caught him off guard. "I've told you about his bravery, correct? About how he has high morals, respecting a house elf that most filthy rich wizards look down upon." She chuckled. "How he sacrificed his life to weaken Voldy. He didn't let Kreacher tell anyone what he did to save your family from 'disgrace'.
"He's a kind man, Sirius. A very kind man whose story deserved to be told. He deserved to be idolised by young wizards. Be in a card in chocolate frogs. He deserved so much. He was walking through the wrong path, yes. But soon, he found his way. Because deep within him, he's brave, respectful, and nothing but a good man.
"It was just unfair how his life ended that fast. Worse part? You never knew of his heroic act. No one did. It's unfair. And every time I am reminded of that... it hurts? Funny, because it didn't hurt as if I have bruises. It hurt as if there were knives impaled on me?"
Silence followed.
Regulus was struck in the shadows. He had no idea how to move or to breathe again; even that he had a beating heart. He was just struck there, in disbelief at everything Callie just said.
"Wow." Sirius destroyed the silence. "I only asked why you liked him. You gave me a whole speech."
She chuckled.
"But how could you feel all of that? When you knew us as just...fictional characters?"
"Well, I love all of you. There's nothing you wouldn't do for anyone you love, right? You guys... you did more than you think. You healed me when I was at my lowest. You may not know it but when I was in the downward spiral, the lot of you pulled me back up again. This is the least I could do as a payback."
"Isn't that too much?"
"I don't think so, no. Especially that you didn't deserve your fate that I know. No one does but Voldemort and his followers who could never do what Regulus did. He went through the length of turning his back on the person he looked up to since he was a child, sacrificing his life because he realised what that noseless wizard will do. It takes a lot of courage to do that. And Regulus has an overflowing one."
Another round of silence reigned over them. Regulus couldn't think of his next move. Should he come in? Should he remain hidden? Why not even get out of the place?
"I don't think you like him," Sirius said out of the blue snapping Regulus.
"W-Wh... What do you mean?"
"You love him."
Inside Regulus, warmth and cold ran.
The memory changed.
"Can we talk?" he asked Callie just after he decided to talk to her about her confession to Sirius.
"Oh, uh, um, uh su-sure..."
Regulus stepped inside the room and made his way to her bed. She took her book away to show that she was ready to entertain whatever he needed. He sat on the edge, a good foot away from her.
And then... silence.
Awkward silence.
Regulus had no idea how to begin. He didn't know what to say; he did not prepare for it. So, he sighed, deciding it was better to talk about things chronologically.
"I heard what you and my brother talked about."
With a cherry red face, Callie shook her head and hand, flustered. "I-I-I-I-It's not what it looks like!"
"It is what it looks like." Regulus was calm, the opposite of her. "I heard everything. And I'm no fool to believe the otherwise." He quoted his brother to show he really heard.
"I'm sorry..." Callie murmured, looking down and red in embarrassment.
"What are you apologising for?"
"I- I don't know..."
Another round of silence.
"Thank you," Regulus murmured.
Callie looked up in bafflement. "What?"
"For thinking of me that way. For thinking that I'm a good person when I couldn't even see myself as that."
He watched her soften her gaze at him.
"You are a good person, Regulus. Nobody can change that," Callie assured him, softer and calmer than her previous flustered one. "So don't beat yourself into thinking that you're not."
"But I'm not and I can't be the person you think I am."
"Because you already are that person." A small, soft smile made its way to her lips. "You turned your back to Voldemort. That alone is a sign of courage, of bravery, of morals."
He scoffed. "But I'm no Gryffindor."
"You don't have to be a Gryffindor to be brave. Because it's in your name. You're Regulus, the heart of the lion. The heart of exceptional courage and bravery." She crawled a little towards him, getting his attention. "Houses don't define who you are. So no matter where you're sorted, you will always be that courageous and brave person I had always known." She wore a proud smile and he couldn't understand still for what.
"Sirius was right. How could you think this highly of me when you only know me as a fiction? How could you think of me that high when you know little about me?"
"Because I know enough. I know enough that you are a good person. Despite just being mentioned in movies and books. The information they gave is enough for me to conclude that you are a hero. They're enough for me to know who you are."
"It doesn't make sense." He hoped that didn't sound wrong.
"Not everything has to make sense. How did I get here doesn't make sense either, did it not? And yet, I am here." She offered him a smile.
But he couldn't return it. Instead, confusion wrote all over his face. "But why? Why do you care for me when I was just," he scoffed, "a background character?"
"Because you're not just that. You're a hero, Regulus. A hero everyone should know. Because I love you." He almost leaned back hearing a confession. But he brushed it off for her next sentence. "As a fictional character, of course!"
He chuckled sadly. "Do I deserve this?"
Callie put a hand on his shoulder, her soft facade coming back. "You deserve even more. You deserve so much more. And I promise I will do everything to give them to you."
That was probably the moment he slowly accepted that maybe, just maybe, he was more worth it than he thought he is. Because finally, someone made him feel so. That he was more than just an heir, more than just a pawn. That he didn't have anything to prove to anyone anymore. That was the moment he felt loved again.
The memory faded and another came.
"What are you thinking?" Regulus asked which snapped Callie out of her trance. He sat beside her.
She forced a smile and turned to him. "Life."
He smiled too. "You seemed to think quite deeply about it."
"Yeah." She hugged her knees to her chest more and drank the soup.
Silence enveloped them for a moment. Both their eyes were everywhere else but not at each other. Regulus resorted to watching the leaves sway with the wind. But in his mind, a battle was commencing as he thought of what he should say. He had been having questions in his mind even during their break in Gringgots.
"I do not want to push you to give me an answer, but for the second time I'd like to apologize." He turned to her and stared directly into her eyes already looking at him. "I'm sorry. I know the Imperio Curse is one of the Unforgivable Curses and I shouldn't use that in the first place but you said it was the only way we could succeed in getting the cup so I had to—"
Callie held his hand and that immediately calmed him down as though a hot tea ran through his throat. Her eyes did not judge him. Her eyes weren't telling him how disgusted she was with him. They weren't. But they were grateful instead. They were loving instead. Not that he expected otherwise but he usually got the opposite stares.
"I forgive you."
Three words in just one sentence. Three magical words and something warm, something unknown, wrapped around Regulus' heart. It spread from his core to every inch of his body. His body leaned back subtly that he didn't even notice it.
He did not expect such quick acceptance. He thought she'd be mad at him for using an Unforgivable Curse. He thought that'd weaken their relationship more. But it did not.
"I forgive all your mistakes. Everything that you confessed to. I forgive them all." Callie had a soft smile on her lips. "And I'm sure," she looked at his brother and his friends, "they forgive you too."
"But do I deserve it? All your forgiveness?"
She looked back at him with furrowed brows yet the adoring curve on her lips was still there. "Of course. Anyone who repented of their actions, those who turned back to their old, wicked ways, those who walked back to the right path, of course, you deserve forgiveness."
"You've always been so good to me. Why?" From the moment they met. Even when they were almost ripped apart. Her goodness never faded. She had mentioned they were her favourite characters but, did that go this far?
Callie shrugged. "I love you. I think that's why."
Once more, he was taken aback by her bluntness. But she didn't seem to mind that she gave her precious words to him. To him...
Love him? That couldn't be, could it? How could... how could she love him? And that didn't sound like she loved him as fictional; that sounded romantic love, something that Regulus never thought he'd have.
"I love you so much I can't explain it. It's hard, you know?" Callie chuckled. "Love. How do you even know what it is? How can you tell when one thing is love? Or it's simply friendship? Simply adoration? Just fondness. But not love. It's quite confusing. I am confused. But I do know that I love you."
She did love him. Not just a fictional character. Not just a friend. But she loved him.
And once again, he found himself speechless. He found himself falling into the hole of love. Because now that she made him feel everything he rarely ever felt, he understood that he was capable of being loved. Despite his flaws and everything, he can be loved. And he can love.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A small, almost bluish light lit up the tip of Regulus' wand. He thought it was just Lumos that he accidentally cast. But not long after, the light oozed out like Aurora. Thin strings of blue light came out and shoot forward like it was chasing something. Until it formed a circle. And what came out of it, was a lion. A roaring lion that ran around even after he put his wand down.
It lit up parts of the forest it circled around at. Oh, it was majestic like the king of that forest.
It stopped right across from him, a few metres away. It looked at him and lowered its head. The patronus lion bowed down.
Needless to say, Regulus was stunned. Not only did he produce a patronus, but it also bowed to him and was in a shape of a lion, just like his name.
So he bowed down before it vanished.
°°°
A/N: I am apologising for the mistakes, I am too tired that I did not edit it thoroughly. This might be the last chapter for a while. I haven't been able to write the past few days, other than personal reasons, I took the college entrance exam today so for the past week I was just preparing for it. Wish me luck with all my exams! And I wish you all the luck, too, in whatever it is you need it!
Have a good day or night!