Trouvaille - something lovely discovered by chance
A Slytherin and a Gryffindor are sworn enemies. Families, friendships, relationships, all are infected by house rivalry.
So are James Potter, proud and brave Gryffindor, and Aquila Black, cunning a...
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Regulus pretended like he did not know what Aquila was doing, but she had to give him some credit. Regulus wasn't that oblivious, and Aquila wasn't that good an actor, but they all pretended that was the case anyway.
Why? Ignorance is bliss, that's why.
It was better to ignore that Aquila and James Potter had kissed, and had been meeting up regularly, and that he was the most probable cause for Aquila's frequent disappearances. It was better to ignore that due to their 'unruly' behaviour this summer their parents might end up finding a match for Aquila soon. It was better to ignore that that match might be Rowan.
It was better to ignore all of this because for the first time in months, Aquila had finally been smiling and looking the way she used to be, and Regulus refused to be the reason for his twin to be unhappy again.
It was selfish, but Regulus couldn't stand the blank cold wall that he felt in his mind whenever he reached for Aquila. He couldn't bear to look at her trying all those different tonics and potions to regrow her hair.
Because whenever he closed his eyes he saw her writhing on the ground and watching her convulse towards the fireplace but not being able to do anything and unable to reach for her and no, please let me go she's slipping away I can feel my sister's life draining letmegoletmegoletmego-
"Reg?" A voice cut off his thoughts. Regulus was staring at the mirror, the tap still running in the sink, his eyes bloodshot and nose red. Aquila stood behind him, perfect, happy and most importantly, whole and not hurt.
"Is everything okay?" she asked tentatively. Regulus smiled at her, a little strained, and ran his wet hands through his hair, slicking back the curls. Unruly hair had nearly given him a panic attack the first time he saw his long curls in the mirror, thinking it was Sirius coming to torture them again. But then Aquila had come and tickled him, because apparently she'd read somewhere that sudden movements were the best way to avoid panic attacks.
"Hey, you good?" she asked, full-blown concerned now, resting a hand on his shoulder. Regulus didn't say anything, just turned around sharply and grabbed her in a hug.
Maybe once, in the past, Aquila might have pushed him away and called him clingy, but now she knew these hugs mattered, after nearly losing each other. They never let a moment slip by, tried their hardest not to fight, because you never know what might be your last moment with someone right now and it was best to not let regrets carry in their next life.
Bellatrix had taunted them with these lines nearly every week, and they had dug their way so hard into their heads that they started taking this advice to heart.
Aquila, thanks to Regulus' growth spurt, came just at his shoulder, which made it perfect height for Regulus to tuck her head under his chin. And Regulus felt like never letting go, because this was war, and you never know when you might hug someone for the last time.
