One Step Ahead part I | Sirius Black

Chapter 88

{{sorry guys meant to update more today but the day got away from me!}}

Sirius wasn't sure how it had come to this.

Gwenyth Whitlock had up and disappeared. For an entire day, Sirius could not find her. He asked the girls, practically begged Dorcas. But they had no clue. He waited outside every class, went to all of her normal places.

She wasn't in the kitchen or the library, wasn't in the first floor bathroom. Sirius asked the portraits and ghosts and even tried to get Peeves to talk to him. It was the first reminder in months that he and the Marauders needed to get their bloody map back.

But then he saw someone he hadn't spoken to in a while and as a last ditch effort pulled them aside.

"Have you seen Gwen?" Sirius asks uncomfortably, shifting back and forth on his feet.

Regulus stares at his brother in surprise, instantly nervous. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he and Sirius had a conversation. Just the two of them.

Sirius blinks at his little brother, surprised to see that they were nearly the same height. Had they been the same height when Sirius ran away? He didn't think so. He's not sure what compels him but he's suddenly blurting out,

"At dinner yesterday James made a stupid fucking comment about how I used to snog girls in broom closets and now I can't find Gwen! It's been an entire day, Reggie and I don't have the map and Peeves wont—"

Regulus interrupts him asking incredulously, "A whole day?"

Sirius nods rapidly, his hands fisting by his sides. His brother looks thoughtful, chewing on the inside of is cheek as he tries to figure out where on earth the Veela had gone. Regulus hesitates before asking, "Have you asked Professor Flitwick? If she was excused from classes he would know."

Sirius eyes widen and he says, "Oi! Brilliant, Reggie!"
He turns to leave before stopping short and peering over his shoulder at his brother. He hesitates, nervous to open himself up to more hurt from his brother. But he missed him.

"You coming?" Sirius wonders, ignoring the twinge of hope he feels in his chest. This was still Regulus. He wouldn't betray his parents, he wouldn't betray the dark wizard that his parents were obsessed with. But Sirius can't help but wonder if his brother is starting to doubt.

Regulus hesitates too, not sure what to say. If anyone in Slytherin saw him with his brother—let alone his brother's girlfriend—he'd be in trouble. But he missed him. Missed him terribly. And despite what his parents and some of his peers said, the Veela was anything but an evil creature.

So the younger Black just offers a stiff nod and begins to follow Sirius as they hurry to Professor Flitwick's office. Regulus winces when Sirius barges in without knocking, asking loudly,

"Fil, have you seen Gwen?"

Professor Flitwick nearly falls from his chair, blinking at Sirius and Regulus in surprise. His cheeks turn tomato red as he stammers, "M-Mr. Black! What have I told you about calling me Fil?!?"

Sirius ignores his comment and Regulus wants to crawl into a hole and disappear when his brother demands, "Tell me where Gwenyth is."

Professor Flitwick gapes at him, still stunned by the gall of the student. He clears his throat and narrows his eyes at the boys, replying firmly, "No."

"No?!" Sirius cries. "What do you mean no?!"

The teacher snaps, "What I mean is that you'll be having detention for—"

"Professor," Regulus jumps in, cringing when the teacher turns his angry eyes to him. He swallows and says quietly, "We're just worried, Sir. Sirius hasn't seen her since dinner yesterday."

Flitwick huffs and settles back down in his chair, asking flatly, "You mean after Mr. Potter brought up Mr. Black's old sexcapades?"

Sirius flushes and opens his mouth to reply haughtily, but Regulus silences him with a quick elbow to the side. The two of them wait silently as the Professor looks back and forth between them. He finally relents,

"All I know is that she was with the Headmaster all of this afternoon."

Sirius eyes widen and he nods, fleeing the classroom and leaving Regulus to quickly thank the Professor before running after him. Fortunately, the headmaster and Flitwick's offices share the same floor, so Regulus catches up rather quickly.

Sirius glares at the gargoyle, asking his brother, "How the fuck are we supposed to know the password?"

"Generally you're supposed to be given a password, not guess it."

Sirius and Regulus jump, whirling around to face Dumbledore. Regulus instantly looks at the ground, his forearm burning at the sight of the Headmaster. Sirius however perks up, asking quickly, "Where's Gwen??"

Dumbledore stares at the Black brothers for a few silent moments. His eyes linger on Regulus and he smiles, asking, "If I say 'Echo' does that ring any bells for you, Regulus?"

Sirius groans frustratedly, coming to realize why Gwen and the Headmaster seemed to get along rather well. They both spoke in riddles.

Regulus blinks confusedly for a few moments before realization dawns on him. Echo. The answer to her riddle. The one from when he visited Remus in the hospital wing.

"Come on, Sirius," He says quickly, not saying another word to the headmaster before hurrying down the corridor. Sirius scowls at the old wizard before following his brother, asking as they run, "Reggie, where the fuck are we going?"

"The infirmary," Regulus replies, just continuing to sprint down the stairs with Sirius hot on his tail. Sirius feels fear twisting in his gut, tries to rationalize that Dumbledore would have told them had she been seriously injured. It doesn't help.

Regulus and Sirius fly through the doors of the hospital wing, nearly knocking Madam Pomfrey over. She glares and hisses irritably, "Get out. Now!"

"Not until I see my girlfriend," Sirius insists. Normally the mediwitch would get even more angry. But the pleading behind his tone softens her resolve. She sighs and mutters, "She's asleep. And before you ask, yes she is fine."

Sirius feels ill, his eyes closing for a brief moment. When he opens them he offers the witch a brief smile before walking quietly down the rows of beds. He peers around the curtains, cursing every time it's not her. Until finally he stumbles across the right bed.

Regulus can't help it, he barks out a laugh at the sight of the Veela. She's asleep, pearly strands a wild mess around her face, her lips parted as gentle snores come from her mouth. An acid pop dangles limply in one hand, the other one tossed haphazardly above her head.

Sirius feels like the wind has been knocked out of him when he spies a white bandage wrapped around her shin. He quietly sits in the chair by her bedside, and Regulus watches with awe as his brother gently grabs the sleeping girl's hand, removing the acid pop.

He'd never seen Sirius look this soft, this emotional. Even when their father was cursing him, making him bleed, making him shout in pain. He never looked like this.

His voice is nearly a whisper when he says,

"You love her."

Sirius doesn't look away from the Veela, his eyes tracing the gentle curves of her lips and cheekbones, the strength of her expressive brows. He swallows, expecting to feel like this should be harder. That confessing this should be damning. Terrifying. But he only smiles, chuckling quietly when a snore breaks the silence.

"Yeah," He says calmly, his hand warming in hers.

"I do."