Inferius | Regulus Black

Year Seven (III)

"You are going to have to earn your place in this world, Annie." Dumbledore had said.

"I'd do anythin' sir." Annabelle had replied, eyes locked on him, freshly healed hands clutching her Hogwarts letter like she was afraid it would vanish were she to let go.

"Good."

Annabelle's necklace was burning. She woke up in a fright, clutching at her neck and gasping. Annabelle scrambled to the edge of her bed to put out the fires that had caught on her freshly finished potions essay.

"Annie?" Said Claire groggily "Another abominable snowman dream?"

"...no."

"You didn't really kill him. Go to sleep." Said Claire, rolling over and covering her face with her pillow.

Annabelle held her necklace, brows furrowed. She got out of bed as quietly as she could, she had fallen asleep in her uniform. Tie holding her hair back like a hair band, and shirt missing several buttons.

Annabelle set off to find his royal majesty and give him a piece of her mind. On her birthday no less.

If for no other reason than to yell at him for waking her from her first non snowman dream in months. She was willing to march into Slytherin, retrieve him, and then maybe shag him.

She would decide in the moment.

Annabelle left Gryffindor. She moved down the stairs quickly,

The portrait hole swung shut behind her.

"Aelin."

"Black?" She said, her eyes snapping to where he stood. Regulus was leaning on the wall waiting for her. He was holding a letter. In a Black envelope.

"I need to speak with you." Said Regulus. He was still. Possibly too still. He resembled a marble statue. There was no colour in his skin, only circles around his eyes. The Onyx envelope was held tightly in his grasp as he looked at her.

Annabelle nodded.

They walked in deafening silence down the steps and onto the seventh floor. Regulus tried several classroom doors, growing progressively more anxious as each failed to open.

A horrid feeling formed in Annabelle's chest, like her heart had turned into a black hole. This was not a super fun birthday surprise was it?

They turned left.

Annabelle had never seen that door before but it opened for Regulus.

He opened it. It looked like the Gryffindor common room shagged the library and forgotten a condom.

"Regulus?" She whispered.

"I don't know." He said, momentarily distracted from his panic.

"Do you want to go to the lake?"

"No. I do not wish to tarnish it." Said Regulus, clutching the letter.

Annabelle sat on a sofa in front of the fire as Regulus paced before her.

"Regulus?"

"Is, it's- here." He said, handing her the parchment he had been holding like a lifeline, Annabelle pulled the letter from the envelope.

Annabelle felt like she had fallen from a tree as the air was knocked from her. She crossed her legs as she sat on the sofa.

"You've killed people." He said. She nodded. "You know what it's like-"

"That's different."

"Because they deserve it?"

"Yes." Said Annabelle.