December 30, 1978
REGULUS ARCTURUS BLACK
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Regulus woke up in cold sweat. He instantly sat up, breathing heavy. He knew it had to be the middle of the night but James woke up regardless.
James placed a hand on his arm. "What's wrong, love?" He asked him soft but groggily. "Is it the same dream again?"
Regulus slipped off his shirt because he had sweat through it. He met his boyfriend's concerned gaze. "Yeah, I'm alright though. You can go back to bed."
"Bullshit," James told him as he pulled him into his arms. Regulus melted into the embrace. James ran a hand through his curls. "I thought our thing was we weren't pretending to be fine around each other anymore."
Ever since Regulus had killed that death eater, he had been having dreams about it over and over again.
"I wish I could fight away the dreams for you," James told him. "You didn't have a choice. It's not like you did something terrible."
Regulus didn't believe that last part but he didn't feel like fighting with James right now. Everything around him felt so fragile and he was afraid he would say the wrong thing and shatter it all. It seemed like something he would do. He was a Black after all no matter how hard they tried to change it and he tried to hide it.
Instead of objecting, Regulus shifted the focus off of him. "And how are you?"
"Scared shitless," James admitted truthfully. "I'm terrified I'm going to lose you in this war. I've always imagined us both making it out of this war but with everyone dying... it's starting to hit me that we might not."
Regulus placed a soft kiss to James's collarbone. "When did you become the pessimist in this relationship?"
"It's only the truth, Reggie. I'm so fucking tired of pretending I'm not slowly losing myself in this war too. It's affecting me like it's affecting the rest of you. I hate the fact that we might lose each other but it's only the truth."
James had gotten good at communicating with him. He didn't feel like his feelings were such a burden anymore. Regulus was proud of him. They had both come a long way since they first started dating.
"We aren't going to lose each other, Jamie. I'll make sure of it. We've worked too hard to be together to die in a fucking war," he reassured James. "And when we make it out of this thing... maybe I will consider the baby thing."
That made James break out in a smile. "Really? You'll think about it?"
"When you first brought it up I wasn't too keen on the idea but thinking about it now... raising a kid with you doesn't sound absolutely terrible."
James tackled him into a bone crushing hug. "Thank you. So what are your name ideas?"
Regulus pulled away and looked straight into James's hopeful eyes. "Hold on, I didn't say yes yet. It was a hypothetical statement."
James raised an unconvinced and knowing eyebrow at him. "But you will say yes. You can't resist me when I get excited like this."
Observant bastard.
"I think I'm going to have to break up with you. You know me too well now," Regulus joked around.
James just laughed and placed a big and dramatic kiss on his lips. "Sure you are, Reggie."
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
January 10, 1979
EVAN WILLIAM ROSIER
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Evan was smoking a cigarette, glass of whiskey in his other hand, against the wall of the back of the Carrow Mansion. Today was Alecto and Yaxley's wedding. Evan had snuck off right after the reception ended.
He heard the crunch of twigs to his left and he turned his head to see Barty approaching him. Barty held out his hand and Evan passed him the cup. Barty took a drink of it and his face wrinkled in disgust.
Barty coughed. "Holy hell, that is terrible."
Evan laughed at his boyfriend and he took the cup back and placed it on the ground. "It's not bad, you just can't handle whiskey."
Barty pulled something out of his pocket and held it out to him dramatically. It was a red rose. "A rose for my rose."
Evan felt himself blush and he let out a breathless laugh as he took the rose from his boyfriend.
"Get it, because your name is Rosier." Barty cringed, "Shit, you don't get the joke do you?"
Evan gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I get the joke, you dork. Thank you, the rose is very pretty."
Barty looked a little embarrassed and flustered still. "It's only fitting. You are very pretty too."
"Your certainly flirty today."
"The wedding is putting me in a romantic mood," Barty explained as he lightly tucked at his blazer, urging him to step forward.
Evan did as he was told. "Is it now?"
Barty held onto his hips, pressing their bodies together. "You look so fucking hot in this suit, Ev."
Without warning, Barty crashed their lips together and he backed them up so Evan's back was pressed up against the wall. He put his knee in between his legs to pin him in place. Evan kissed him back eagerly as his head spun.
It took him a moment to become aware of their location again. He broke the kiss and let out a giddy laugh. "Not out here, Bee. We are going to get caught."
Barty pouted but he let Evan drag him by the hand into the mansion. They made it about halfway down the hallway before Barty's lips were on his again. He broke the kiss again, fighting the urge to melt into Barty. He turned the doorknob to the nearest door and kicked it open with his foot, pulling Barty in with him.
Barty's eyes went wide and Evan heard panicked shuffling behind him. He spun around to see Wilkes and Amycus standing there, what they had been doing before they were interrupted obvious.
Amycus's shirt was unbuttoned, both of their blazers were discarded on the ground, they had messy hair and puffy lips, and they both looked like deer in head lights. Wilkes was still gripping Amycus's hip.
"We didn't see you if you didn't see us," Wilkes told them.
"Fine by me," Barty stated.
Evan could tell Amycus was on the verge of tears. The dark brown-haired boy pushed Wilkes hand off his waist and he ran out of the room. Something felt so off about this situation. Evan just had this feeling in the pit of his stomach. I mean Wilkes was four years older than Amycus.
"Ignore him, he's just being a sensitive little baby," Wilkes told them.
Evan wanted to slap the shit out of him. It looked like Barty wanted to do the same. Barty turned to face Evan, "Go after Amycus, me and this one over here are going to have a little chat."
Evan didn't hesitate to follow his friend. He ran upstairs to Amycus's room where he figured the boy was. Sure enough, Amycus was sitting on his bed, his sobs echoing throughout the room.
Evan moved to sit down next to him and he pulled Amycus into a hug. "It's okay, we aren't going to tell anyone," Evan reassured him.
Amycus pulled away as he wiped away his tears. "It's not that."
Evan couldn't help the frown that appeared on his face. "Amycus, I'm going to ask you something important so please answer me truthfully."
"What?"
"Is Wilkes forcing you to be with him? Like is he -."
Amycus looked slightly offended. "What?! No, he isn't. I love him. We've been going out for a year now."
"So then what are you upset about right now? I'm confused."
"It's just that... I don't know. I guess it's that he promised me we wouldn't get caught. I told him I wasn't in the mood for anything today and that we were just going to get caught but he didn't listen to me. And you know how he was in school. He was always with some new girl and he said it isn't like that anymore and that he is only seeing me but sometimes I just don't believe him. Maybe I just have trust issues, I don't know. It's just that sometimes I think..."
"You think what?"
Amycus met his gaze and he looked hurt. "Sometimes I think he is seeing my sister. It's the way they act around each other."
"But what about Yaxley?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if he joins in. I mean it's Yaxley."
Evan couldn't help the laugh that tumbled out of his mouth and he wanted to kill himself right then and there for it because this was not the right time to be laughing. Luckily, Amycus joined in on his laughter.
When their laughter died out, Evan spoke, "Well, it sounds like you deserve better than Wilhelm."
Amycus shrugged weakly. "Yeah, maybe. I also don't think people who kill people deserve very much though."
"Amycus, he is way older than us. He is 21 and I can tell he treats you like shit and is using you. No one deserves that. Especially not you."
Amycus changed the subject. Evan still felt uncomfortable just letting Amycus see Wilkes but he didn't press further. Amycus nudged him in the side playfully, grinning at him. "So you and Barty?"
Evan felt himself blush and he looked away sheepishly. "Yeah."
"How long has that been a thing?"
"I've always loved him but we have been dating since April."
Amycus gave him a smile. "Good for you two. You guys are cute together."
.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⭑
‧₊˚ ⋅ જ⁀➴๋࣭ ⭑๋࣭ ⭑
February 1, 1979
KIAN ANSEL CRESSWELL
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"Cresswell, care to explain why you have summoned us at 7 am," James complained.
"I had a suspicion on what the next horocrux could be so I owled Ariana," Kian explained. "And-."
"Wait you got your little sister involved in this? Do you have any clue how dangerous-," Remus started.
"Yes, I know," Kian cut off. "I remember a crown from my dreams so I asked Ariana if her and Mira could talk to Helena Ravenclaw about her mother's diadem."
"And?" Regulus asked.
"She stole it from her mother because she believed it would make her wiser. She hid it in a tree trunk in a forest in Albania right before the Bloody Barron stabbed her and himself. Its been lost ever since and I wanted to see if it was still at the tree so I apparated there last night but it wasn't there."
"So then how the hell are we going to find it?" Remus asked.
"Because Voldemort is arrogant. He thinks he is smarter than everyone else but he isn't."
"That's a known fact but how is that going to help us?" Regulus asked.
"Dumbledore has had people keeping an eye on Rowena's childhood home for years. Why do you think that is?"
Regulus seemed to get it then. "Because he knows the diadem is hidden there. But there is a barrier around the house that only Ravenclaws can get rid of. Voldemort had the diadem with him so he was able to get in. I'm guessing the person he killed to make it was a Ravenclaw. He probably killed them in the house and then left the horocrux there. He never thought anyone would think to look there because of the barrier and him not being a Ravenclaw. His arrogance is his flaw in the whole thing."
"I don't understand. Why didn't Dumbledore just get a Ravenclaw to break the barrier?" Pandora asked.
"Because this is Dumbledore. He has known about the horocruxes for years but he is too much of a coward to get involved in it himself," Regulus answered.
"But you can break the barrier for us, Dora," Kian told her.
"Shit, you are all way smarter than me," James muttered in awe as he stared at them. Regulus reached over and gave his boyfriend a comforting pat on the back.
˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ❀
February 5, 1979
PANDORA WILLOW ROSIER
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Breaking the barrier was easy enough.
"So where would Voldemort hide a diadem in this house?" Remus asked as they stepped
"Wherever he hid his nose," Regulus joked. The joke made them all laugh hysterically.
James smiled at his boyfriend. "Nice one, Reggie. My hilarious humor is rubbing off on you."
"I think we have different definitions of hilarious humor then," Regulus insulted.
James flipped Regulus off.
"Good to see you two have returned to your regular selves," Pandora told them.
"Someone had to lighten the mood. We all need to stop being depressing as hell. I'm looking at you Cresswell," James stated.
Kian flipped James off.
"Well back to our current task. Let's all split up," Remus stated.
So, that's what they all did.
⭑ ⭑ ⭑
It was what felt like hours before James yelled to them all, "I think I found something! I'm in the basement."
Pandora walked down into the basement alongside Regulus, Remus, and Kian. James was standing in front of a wall next to a bookshelf.
"I moved the bookshelf to look behind it and this is a fake wall," James told them and he knocked on the wall to prove his statement. "See, it's hollow. There is something behind it."
"I'll do the honors," she told them and James stepped over by Regulus. "Bombarda!"
The wall crumbled to reveal a passage way. She used lumos to light up her wand and she stepped into the passage way. Her friends all followed behind her.
The passageway came to an end and sitting on the ground was a brown wooden box. Regulus squatted down to pick it up. He opened it to reveal the diadem.
Regulus then looked up at them. "It's looks like we found our diadem."
"You think?" Remus asked mockingly.
"Welcome back to you too, Remus. Look at us, reverting back into our regular selves just in time for our deaths," Regulus mused.
"Merlin, how does James date you? You are genuinely concerning," Remus insulted.
"Aw, thank you. I love you too, Remus," Regulus told the sandy brown haired boy with a sweet smile.
"Wait, everyone shut up!" James told them and they all obliged. "Do you hear that?"
Pandora could in fact hear it. "The house is on fire," Kian stated.
They all scrambled to the basement steps. When Pandora realized Regulus still had the diadem she spoke, "Leave that here. It's Fiendfyre, it will destroy the horocrux. It's more important that we get out of here right now."
Regulus dropped the box and they ran. Luckily the fire was on the other side of the house from the steps so they were able to climb out the side window unharmed.
When they stepped off the property, they came face to face with no other than Amos Diggory.
"What the hell are you five doing here?!" He asked them.
"Wait, did you set this fire?" Pandora asked him.
"No, three death eaters did. I was following them," Amos explained. "Where have you guys been staying for the last five months and what have you been doing?! What are you doing here?!"
"We are on a secret mission and we have been staying in a tent in the woods. Basically, we are on the run from death eaters because they don't like how much we know and they want to kill us," Regulus explained.
"You have been staying in a tent for the last five months?" Diggory asked, looking at them like they were crazy. "Why didn't you just ask to stay at mine and Calistas house? No one would have looked for you there."
"Are you offering for us to stay at your house because I really would appreciate not having to sleep in a tent anymore," James stated.
Kian glared at James. "Really? You are the one to complain. You and your boyfriend have been sleeping a room with a bed. I've been on the fucking couch!"
James held his hands up in surrender. "Look, it's not my fault you pulled the short stick."
Kian flipped James off for the second time today.
"Yes, I'm offering for you all to stay at my house. Come on," Amos told them.
With that, they all gratefully apparated to the Diggory house with the older boy.
***
The next chapter is a chapter dedicated to one of the death eaters and it basically sets up their arc which becomes important when the battle happens. The chapter won't pick up after this one and will instead start in November of 1978.
The chapter after that will pick up after this one left off.
Words: 2,780