Stars and Mist | Regulus Black

c h a p t e r. t w e n t y - n i n e

 Hi, Reader! This is a little author's note before the chapter. It's about the story and the other things I wanted to incorporate- I promise there won't be any spoilers! 

Firstly, I want to ask for some constructive criticism on this story. It'd be interesting to see a reader's perspective on the story. If you could, please DM me or leave a comment. Thanks so so so much! 

Secondly, would you be interested in me making this into a series? I do have plans for it to be one, but the stories I plan to publish could easily not be a part of this universe. I feel like I'd be overloading this whole fanfic-verse thing a bit much, but it's your choice... please please please respond, it would be so helpful. 

Also, 

Thanks for reading this author's note- now back to the regularly scheduled programme. 

~~~

"Wha-" Regulus's voice faltered as he looked around him, enveloped in a large cloud of mist. "What even are you?" 

There was no response and Regulus wondered how this would look like to an outside viewer. Someone had to notice this, right? I mean, it couldn't be common for a sudden tornado to just appear out of nowhere.

"They don't know," the wispy voice replied. "They can't tell that you're here, Regulus Black. You're safe." 

"From what?" the boy argued. "I have nothing to be afraid of. I'm not in any danger." 

"You might not be in any danger currently," The voice said. Regulus scoffed. 

"So you're saying that I'll be in danger in the future? How would you know- you don't even know who I am!" He said frustratedly. The mist seemed to exhale, a small cloud floating towards Regulus. 

"Currently, you might not be in danger. All this is is a place for you, and you only, to hide. For however long you want. But do be warned, I can only hide one person for so long." 

And with that, the mist recoiled and rose up until it was perfectly blended in with the clouds so well that even Regulus couldn't tell. 

***

It was really, really lonely. 

Mirabel had forgotten the excuse she'd told Liora on why she had to stay away. To an outsider, it would seem like she was lying just for the sake of it, or that she was lying because she'd wanted more time with Gabiel, or even that she was performing missions for the mysterious M.G., but Mirabel knew better. After all, she'd always been too nice, even if she wished otherwise- to be able to prize herself over others. But that had never been the way she worked, had it? No, the sender of those notes knew that. 

At first, it had just been random papers she found in her bag, which she dismissed as her reading too many books. But then- then, the pages had started coming everywhere. Slipped into her hand when she slept at night, slid in the middle of a textbook, you name it. The same pages, she'd noticed; and that was before she started reading them. 

Oh, when Mirabel read those pages, it changed things. 

The first thing that she'd noticed when she'd read the pages was that the majority of them were written in some sort of gibberish, letters that looked similar enough to English letters that at first glance it looked normal. But no, oh no, the words she could read were different. 

"He was murdered by Voldemort. Or on Voldemort's orders, more likely. I doubt Regulus was ever important enough to be killed by Voldemort in person. From what I found out after he died, he got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out. Well, you don't just hand in your resignation to Voldemort. It's a lifetime of service or death."

"To the Dark Lord. I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more. R.A.B."

"For years he talked of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns... and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord."

And then the annotations written into the notes, messages that were for someone. Her? She wasn't sure. 

You can stop this. 

Regulus wasn't meant to die. 

Some of them didn't look like she was meant to see them. Arrows littered the page, there were flourescent yellow highlights and chocolate brown underlines, and there was some writing in that gibberish that resembled English- it was gibberish, Mirabel had checked. 

Maybe Liora will change things. But was she there before, just never mentioned?

How does this fit in? 

No, right now isn't gonna work. 

Switch. 

Meddle. 

Change. 

But can she read anything I send her if it's not meant to happen?

And then the most important note. 

It's the older Greengrass.