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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This was bad. This was horribly, terrifyingly bad.
A few days before Christmas holidays, the twins had received a letter signed lovingly by their mumsy, but the handwriting was Bellatrix.
Elegant, but crazy.
The letter stated that while everyone would love to have both the siblings home (casually omitting Sirius), there would be no need for the two of them to make this tiring journey home, and only Aquila could come.
Except reading between the lines said that if Regulus came home, they would shut the door in his face. And if Aquila didn't, Hogwarts wouldn't be enough to give protection to them.
"I'm sure everything will be fine," Adrian said, voice shaking as Rowan handed the clothes to Aquila who decided if she wanted them and Regulus folded the clothes neatly and handed them to Adrian who arranged them neatly in her trunk.
Aquila scoffed. "Yeah, I'll tell you all about it if I return alive."
"That's a very big if," Rowan muttered.
Adrian threw a pillow at him. "You're not helping."
Rowan threw up his hands. "Am I supposed to? I thought we were being realistic here?"
"Bellatrix won't kill her," Regulus said. Three pairs of disbelieving eyes turned toward him. "I don't think," he amended.
"She may not kill me, but she can certainly take me to the brink and then bring me back again and again," Aquila shrugged, throwing a shirt in the no pile.
"That's a very good shirt," Rowan muttered and threw it to Regulus.
"Aquila, listen to me," Adrian said seriously, getting up from the floor. "If you think any such thing is going to happen, don't worry about who sees you or what happens, blast the hell out of there and don't look back. Go to my house. My mum will hide you, I promise."
Rowan put his hand on her shoulder. "And contact us any time you want. One of us will be with Regulus all the time so if you do contact him, he'll at least have backup."
"That won't be necessary," Aquila said. "Bellatrix has gone to France, I think, so the only people who'll be there are my parents."
Regulus frowned. "You're lying."
"Wha-" Aquila gaped.
Her brother pointed an accusatory finger at her. "You're lying, don't try to deny it! For fuck's sake, Aquila, this is not a joke."
Aquila threw up her hands. "You think I don't know that? You think I'm not scared shitless about going into that house? Rowan, Adrian, can I have a moment with him, please?"
The two of them muttered under their breaths but left them. Regulus cast a Silencio dome around them and pursed his lips.
"You remember what happens if one of us gets hurt, right?" Aquila hushed, her eyes red now.
During their summer holiday fun, Aquila and Regulus discovered that if their mental shields were open, say, in deep pain, then they felt each other's external wounds. Which was how Regulus had felt Aquila's hair burning and rushed in time to save her, that was why wherever Regulus had bruises Aquila tended to rub those spots on her body sometimes. Which was fun, because double pain! Yay!
Except it really was useful at times, in dire situations, such as this one.
Unfortunately, they lived in a world where there was a curse for inflicting pain that was purely psychological. Well, unfortunate because they couldn't tell whether their twin was being tortured or they just needed coffee. You know, your daily dilemmas.
Aquila shut the lid of her trunk and sat on it. "It's gonna be okay, Reg. We'll get through this. We always do."
She squeezed his hand in reassurance. The two of them hid their shaking hands in the embrace of the other's.
- - -
"Can't you just, not go or something?" James said, flailing his arms about.
Aquila shot him a look. "Oh, gee, wish I'd thought of that!"
"You know what I mean," he scowled.
Aquila sighed. "It's unnerving to see Reg and the others so scared. They're all acting like this is the last time we may spend together."
"Hey," James grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "This is not gonna be the last time we see you," he said fiercely. "I won't let it be."
"You won't be able to save me," Aquila whispered, leaning her forehead against his.
James nudged his nose against hers. "I'll always save you."
- - -
"Ah, welcome, sister dear," Bellatrix smiled coldly, ushering Aquila in with a forceful hand on her back.
"Say your hello's to mumsies and dadsies later on, dearest, we've got someone to meet you!" Bellatrix said, sounding almost giddy. Which was weird, because she was sure Bellatrix hadn't been giddy since she'd killed that poor hen that one time. Aquila barely got a chance to peer into the dining room where she saw her mother and father facing away from the door, talking in hushed voices.
"Now, on your very best behaviour, Aquila, you have no idea what a big honour this is. Do not harm our family's reputation," Bellatrix bared her teeth, threatening her. Now that's more like her.
Bellatrix put the tip of her wand on Aquila's neck and smiled a predator's smile when she nodded. "In you go, then, cousin."
The ground floor parlour, which had been shut for the better part of a year, was flooded with sunlight. Aquila looked up and stared right into the cold eyes of a man. Or a boy. It was hard to tell.
"Hello, Miss Black," Tom Riddle purred. "I've heard of your fantastic abilities. Please, seat yourself."
