𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 - 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫

61 - 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙭 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚

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"Why are you wearing that?" Aquila asked the next day as she saw Regulus in all his fur-coat ensemble glory.

Regulus spread his arms wide. "You don't like it?" he asked, mirth dancing in his eyes, his face half hidden by the extravagant fur lining the collar of his coat. Aquila made a face at him, reaching for the tea her brother had set out.

"Did you talk to Sirius?" Regulus asked as he removed his coat and went to grab his shoes.

Aquila grabbed for the crackers on the table and shook her head with her mouth full. "Nope, but I talked to James. He said that Dumbledore might bring some new members to fight for their cause, but I don't know what it is that James is fighting in."

Her brother shrugged in response, and with a quick kiss on her head and a small 'bye', he was out.

- - -

It was raining when Regulus left the house. He had never been as grateful for the Floo powder that ruined his shirt, like always, but at least it was not ruined by water instead. He had no idea why Rowan wanted to meet in the Leaky Cauldron. He did not have the smallest idea why he had to write it so cryptically as well. It was not as if the Leaky Cauldron was some kind of a gentlemen's club.

"Mr Black," Tom greeted. The man had his back hunched and his rotting teeth grinned as always, but the glint of his eyes showed nothing but his cunning. He was a businessman after all, Regulus supposed. "Reservation?"

"Yes. Rowan Mulciber, two o'clock, I believe."

"There's no reservation for Mr Mulciber, I'm afraid. But we do have one for Mr Miriam, which I'll have to assume is Mr Mulciber's pseudonym?"

How am I supposed to know? Regulus thought. He smiled through the annoyance and nodded his head. Inside, he cursed Mulciber, the prat. He was the one who asked to meet him, he was the one who was late, and he was the one to cause all the inconvenience Regulus had had to face this whole day.

Fifteen minutes passed, and only then did Rowan arrive. He looked flustered, his cheek red and his hair a mess. His hand rubbed his neck over and over again as he entered the Leaky Cauldron, his coat dripping water all over the floor.

"Regulus," he greeted. "I'm sorry. I - I really didn't mean to be late."

"Yeah," Regulus grumbled in reply. "I noticed you made a reservation as Mr Miriam. Why?"

Rowan paused. After a while, he stuttered out, "I thought it'll give us more privacy. Keep us off the record."

"What do we need that much privacy for?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Regulus pursed his lips. Really?

"What do you want me here for?"

"I want to apologize. For everything I've done. It was wrong of me, I had no right to do - to say that. And I don't know how to make it up to you, but if - if there's anything you want me to do, then I'll do it."

Regulus nodded and said, "I won't thank you for it. It's the least you could do."

"You're right," he said. He reached into his pocket and took something out, a little velvet box. "I know that. I - I also bought this, as a token of my apology."

Regulus only eyed the box in suspicion.

"It's cufflinks," he said. "A set of two. Each has your and Adrian's initials on it. I hope you'll accept it."

"This isn't like you, Rowan. You've never done something like this."

"I have never fucked up like this before. I want to apologize for what I've done," he said. His eyes followed Regulus' hand which had reached out to touch the box.

When Regulus finally touched it, he found himself in another place. A sickening feeling was apparent in the pit of his stomach and he instantly knew the box was a portkey that had brought him somewhere.

Somewhere unsafe.

"And for everything I'm about to do."

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hahahahah new update say what

yeah it's rlly short but only bec i suck big time

and ive only written like the first 3 lines from this chapter

so like a huge fucking thanks to farplaces for writing this chapter bec i tell you that girl has helped me plot half this book

anyway, hope you guys are still around, and ily for that!!