King Of My Heart | R. BLACK

48 | hook, line, and sinker

Angela sat at a table towards the back of the library. She scribbled out her essay on a parchment but she wasn't sure any of it was even legible but she had to turn something in.

She froze for a moment, the air shifting around her. She waited a moment before she looked up to find Crouch approaching her. Angela fought every instinct to get up and run out the door as he took a seat at the table across from her.

She had returned to her essay, her hand shaking slightly despite herself. "Working on the potions essay?" he inquired as he pulled out his books. Angela did her best not to display her confusion.

"No, this is for Transfiguration," she replied simply, not caring to force a conversation.

"Great, that's enough small talk then," he informed her before folding his hands in front of himself. She raised an eyebrow at this, "I've been told that I have to work on coming off strong right off the bat, it scares people away."

She snorted at this, placing her quill on the table, "What do you want, Crouch?"

"I was just wondering how long you've been seeing Regulus for," he informed her simply, watching her very carefully. "And what it will take for you to understand that our threats are legitimate."

"For one, I'm not seeing Regulus," she leaned forward in her chair, "And two, is this how you threaten people, Crouch? I thought you were better than this."

He smirked, leaning closer to the girl, "No, Potter. That wasn't the threat. But keep going the way you're going and you won't even realize it until it's too late."

She sat back in her chair, "Why is this conversation not being taken directly to Regulus?"

"Because he'll just deny it," Crouch explained, "That and it's near impossible to get him alone given that his fiancé is practically breathing down his neck after the Great Hall incident."

"Listen, Crouch," Angela began as she gathered her belongings, "I'm not interested in whatever game you're trying to play here. Kill me, if you feel so inclined, otherwise stop wasting my time." She stood up, "If you don't mind, I'll be going now. I have to finish this paper and you just reminded me that I have a Potions paper due as well, and honestly, you just aren't worth my time."

He stood up as well, rounding the table so that he was towering over her, "You want a threat, Potter? You go near Regulus again and I'll have your brother's head on a plate, do you understand me?"

"I hear you loud and clear, Crouch," she said as she stepped away from the boy. "But you don't stand a chance against my brother."

"This isn't coming from me."

She faltered but masked it quickly, "Then who's it coming from."

He raised an eyebrow, "You know who." He then resumed his work at the table as though nothing had happened.

Angela was quick to get away from the boy, practically running the second she left the library. James was right. She should have stopped seeing Regulus ages ago and yet, here she was being careless. And now James was right in the line of fire.

Pre-Holiday exams were shockingly easy for the girl despite her constant awareness of James and any prospective Death Eater in a certain radius of the boy. It wasn't until Angela was sitting in her compartment that she felt as though she could relax a little.

The door slid open to reveal Lily who greeted her with a smile, "Hey! I hope you don't mind, James said you'd be here. The boys are hunting down the food cart."

"No, I don't mind," Angela said as she sat up. "You're staying with us for the break, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am," she replied with a tight smile that made Angela frown slightly. "I'm excited to meet your family, though I am a little nervous."

"They'll love you," Angela assured her. "They've been hearing about you for the better part of a decade, they're ecstatic to meet you. I promise."

Lily let out a breath, "Good. That's good."

There was shouting from the other side of the door that caused the two girls to bolt up. Lily turned to the girl, "You should stay here."

"I'm absolutely not going to stay here," she countered and Lily sighed in defeat before the two exited the compartment. To their right was a group of students surrounding what seemed to be a fight.

"Get him, Prongs!" someone shouted in excitement and Angela narrowed her eyes at the familiar voice. She pushed her way through the crowd and she froze when she finally saw what everyone was watching.

"What is going on?" Lily asked from somewhere in the crowd. The redhead finally pushed her way through with a gasp. "Oh my god," she said, "Would somebody get him off of him."

On the ground was James and Regulus who seemed to be in the middle of a rather physical and blatantly wandless match. It was all too bloody and not at all successful on either end.

"James!" Angela exclaimed as she placed her hands on her brother's back. She was simply shoved backwards and Lily steadied her. "Sirius, Remus! Do something!"

The two grabbed either side of James and pulled him back after a moment. They almost lost their grips on him but were able to keep him back. "What the hell has gotten into you?" Lily demanded.

Angela looked down at the boy on the floor with a frown, resisting the urge to help him.

James pointed at Regulus who was sitting up with the help of a Slytherin buddy, "Stay away from her, you hear me? I swear to Merlin, Black, if I find out you went near her again, I'll kill you!"

Angela's heart dropped in her stomach as she looked over at her brother. Just behind him, in the crowd, stood Crouch, who was watching with a raised eyebrow.

They baited him. They baited him and he fell for it. And it wasn't even his fault. It would always be because of her.