She's A Liar [T.R. & R.B.]

IV

4| Sugary lies 

Regulus wasted no time. He took Althea in his arms, hugging her so tightly he could hear her breath catch, but she said nothing.

He tangled his hand gently in Althea's hair, quivering with the desire to know... to know why she was there, in a cult she herself had described as stupid and senseless. The very cult she had suggested was wrong.

It didn't make sense.

But nothing ever made sense with Althea, her thoughts were not owed to you. She moulded herself into the best version for you, in her you found a friend, your confidante... the person you needed at that moment and now, he needed to see her. Without masks and without subterfuge. He needed to see Althea and find the girl who would never help such a monster. He needed to because he couldn't bear the idea of another soul corrupted by the twisted desire for victory that possessed Lord Voldemort. He'd been blind for so long...he wasn't going to allow someone else to be drawn into such a path of darkness.

"Althea?"

He wanted to ask her what the hell she was doing there and what had driven her to such a foolish action. She was not a hypocrite there had to be a valid reason for her choice. Although, he had to admit, the idea that this was the real Althea was holding him back a little from seeking the truth. Was she, too, blinded by purity? Had she joined them in their quest for a 'better' world?

They pulled away slowly and every question and request he had in mind was brutally pushed aside to make room for concern. Regulus frowned and took her face in his hands, surprised and uncomfortable at noticing her tear-streaked face. They had been left alone for a matter of minutes...what had he done to her?

Althea met his eyes with a tired but genuine smile and a hint of colour returned to her pale cheeks. Regulus didn't take his eyes off her as she wrinkled her nose in a grimace of pain, he followed her gaze down to her arm and a flash of displeasure passed through his eyes.

"He's already given you the mark, hasn't he?"

She only nodded, worried that the words would fail her, and rested her hands on Regulus'. A wider smile made its way onto her face and she cleared her throat before attempting to put words in order.

"well, good thing you stopped me from getting a tattoo in that Muggle shop! I don't think I would have endured the pain decently." She let out a light laugh which was soon joined by Regulus sighing in relief.

At least she had not lost her playful spirit, he thought happily. He pulled her into his warm embrace once more and felt her inhale deeply. Although he would have liked to stay that way, relaxed and with his best friend safe, he had questions to ask and he wasn't going to let this illusion of calm fool him. Althea, as sweet and affable as she was, had joined a death cult and it was a detail impossible to ignore.

"What do you say we go and have a cup of tea while I explain how things work here? I'm sure our Lord wouldn't want you to waste your time in your training."

Althea wrinkled her face at the new information "training? Aren't I supposed to stand in a corner and wait for a vision and report it?"

Regulus couldn't help but smile at her annoyed expression. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her out the doors, towards the kitchen. "Ah your life would be easier that way wouldn't it? He parted from her with a small smile still lingering on his lips and walked down the hallway, leaving her a couple of steps behind.

"hey! what do you mean?"

Althea lifted up her skirt so she could run after Regulus who, as soon as he realised it, increased his pace until he found himself running down the corridors. Althea's countless -not too kind- words filled the empty corridor making their presence almost cumbersome. Their laughter and the clicking of her heels echoed through the corridors not failing to draw several attentions to them.