𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆, regulus black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟏: 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

"Please can I go?" repeated Rune as she sunk deeper into the ice bath. 

The sewers of her dress had forgotten needles in the seams, and they were digging deep enough into Rune that she was afraid she might pass out from the pain. 

Another bucket of ice was dumped into the bath, and she moved forward to help the iciness bite into her and numb the pain. 

"I already said no." 

Rune looked up at Honorius and said, "It's only at the end of August. I won't even be missing any shows." 

When he looked at her, there was anger and even annoyance swirling in his eyes. "Rune. I said no." 

"But—" 

With that the Ringmaster stood up and marched towards her. She recoiled into the bath as he stopped at the bath side and leaned down to meet her eyes. 

"I knew I made a mistake by spoiling you rotten and now you seem to have forgotten that you are not an ordinary girl like all the ones you frolic around with at school. Do you think any of them would still want to be your friend if they know what kind of abomination you are?" 

The words struck her, and he must have seen it, because he gave her a pitiful smile and reached out to pat her hair. "I'm all you have, Rune. I see you for what you are. A horrid little beast." 

He gave her an opportunity to say something, and when she didn't, his eyes lit up in triumph. "So, where do you want to go then to spend that week?" Before she could even think of an answer, he said, "Vietnam it is." 

Hours later, the ice in the bath had melted and all the flickering lights from the candles had been dimmed. Rune was perfectly alone in her chamber when she finally managed to place her hands on the edge of the bath and pull herself up so she could go to bed. 

The pain from the needles still poked at her, but she would have to endure it until she regained her strength for another shift. 

As she sat down in her bed, she picked up the letter from Tina and Mason which had invited her down to the Bones' Beach House for the last week of their summer vacation. 

With a pang in her chest, she set the letter alight and watched as its ashes dropped on her blanket. 

***

The weeks of holiday passed rather unhappily for Rune. 

She spoke only when asked to, ate only when food was given to her, smiled only during performances and did what she needed to for Honorius to not grow displeased with her. 

Her only exceptions when she found herself enjoying herself was when writing to Super Mysterious Guy and when she received her O.W.L's scores. 

She'd received all her O.W.L's with Outstandings- which was exactly what she expected. 

The part that had her keeling with joy was the print under the results which read: 

Congratulations, Rune Westwood. You placed first. 

Her excitement was so volatile that she made a copy of her results sheet, highlighted the part where she came first, ringed it with hearts and then enclosed it in an envelope and sent it via owl to Regulus Black. 

Then she pulled out her bucket list and added a big fat black tick next to number 15.

15. Beat Regulus Black for O.W.L's ☑️