Truce

5

Jacob-

After a week the invitation was sent back unopened. Gene and Jacob both furrowed their eyebrows, thinking that the Marauders may have infiltrated their plans yet again but then noticed that Regulus left a small 'no' on the edge of the paper that would have gone unnoticed if not for Jacob's spectacular eyesight. James didn't bother returning to the orphanage. Gene assumed that he was attacked by the tattoo gun when he tried to leave which made him afraid to ever come back. As the days passed slowly, the two friends started making theories about what happened to the older boys. Some were more disturbing while others were more kind-hearted. The best fable came on a hot August day five days before they would retire at The Leaky Cauldron for the last five days of summer. The two watched in mild horror as the older boys wrecked a car that had a pride flag tied to the antenna. The car belonged to two men who were looking to adopt and if the older boys had been smart Jacob predicted that they would have been adopted. Instead, the two husbands looked on at the wreckage, picked up Maxxie, and bolted out of town. Gene supposed it was a good change, Maxxie would be safe from the tattoo machine and the boys would just turn on Gene again, but then noticed that the older boys were glaring at him. They still hadn't figured out how to surpass the wardrobe barricade and they were growing more dangerous by the day. Jacob took notice of the tension and made the rumor that the two boys continued to smirk about days later. Jacob assumed that instead of telling Euphemia about Jacob's robbery, Sirius and James defied all odds and got married. They moved to America where they now live with four identical quadruplets who are identical to the Marauders. It was a nice thought, a happy ending to a horrible story that would result in the defining age of Hogwarts, but the two boys were still on edge. 

On the final day at the orphanage, Jacob and Gene went to the ice cream store. It was a bittersweet conclusion to the wreckage of their summer. Two broken boys drinking and smoking what they wanted. The two wore swim trunks and flip-flops, stealing a radio from the younger boys in order to put a soundtrack to their life. They wanted the moment to feel like a TV show. The two boys would have gotten actual ice cream if the money bag hadn't been stolen. Now the boys only had fifty pounds and they weren't going to waste it food. Drugs, maybe, but not food. Upon their arrival, Gene quickly rolled up and hit the bell on the counter as though he was about to order. Jacob rolled his eyes, quickly getting a beer from the fridge before sitting down at the counter. The radio hummed softly as Jacob's nose soon filled with the smell of weed. Gene chuckled, his eyes closing slowly before he started laughing. Jacob threw a cautious gaze at the boy before rolling his eyes, opening the bottle cap with his teeth.

"You know, I've been at this shithole for fourteen fucking years, and this is the first time where I'm actually happy," Jacob smirked in mild amusement.

"Is that you talking or the weed?" Gene just giggled, inhaling once more.

"Both, being high is great," Jacob just nodded, wincing at the taste of the beer. 

"Bloody hell, it's flat,"

"I'm not, my ass is fricking huge," Gene leaned closer to Jacob who had set the beer aside. "Huge, you hear me? H-U-G-E, huge-," Jacob laughed loudly as he pushed his friend away.

"Okay, your ass is huge I get it. How strong is that weed?" Gene shrugged, whining when Jacob took the blunt out of his hand and threw it in the bottle. 

"My weed!" Gene cried, practically chucking the bottle across the diner. The two boys winced when they heard a crash but did nothing, instead they turned up the radio to listen. It was static at first as Jacob twisted the knobs until he stopped at a news station.

"- Mrs. Pratchett and her two children, Eloise Pratchett and Samuel Pratchett, both fourteen years old, were found dead in their four-bedroom apartment at approximately three in the afternoon. There was no evidence of forced entry or blunt force trauma and detectives are suspecting mass suicide." The voice was low but audible. The news sobered Gene up automatically as the names wracked through his brain.

"Holy shit," Gene whispered. Eloise was the only other girl in Ravenclaw who would put up with Gene's bullshit throughout the day. She would always help Pandora deliver books back to the library and her smile was well-known for being jaw-dropping. Jacob clenched his jaw, tuning back into the report which had little to no information about the murder.

"Was she a muggle-born?" Gene nodded slowly, the drugs leaving his system as he crashed back to hell. Voldemort was getting stronger. Something that used to be so small was now getting bigger. "We need to get to Regulus," Jacob muttered, storming out of the ice cream shop. Gene quickly grabbed the radio and followed.

"Jacob, he won't come with us," Jacob just rolled his eyes, storming back into the orphanage to pack his bags. "He already turned down the invitation," Jacob stormed up to the dresser and tore his wizarding robes from their confinements. His eyes felt like they were burning as he quickly pulled on a button-up. Gene sighed, grabbing Jacob's arm to stop him. "Jacob, calm down,"

"Don't tell me to calm down, Regulus isn't safe,"

"He won't become a monster of break. He can't leave. We both know it. It was a fantastical idea that you thought of because you were happy. Now you're back and now you have to think about the real world. He has nowhere to run to,"

"He has us," Jacob's voice broke slightly before he clenched his jaw, turning away from Gene. Gene nodded while licking his lips.

"Do you really think he'd be happy here? He'd want to die,"

"He's dying at his house,"

"He's a Slytherin, Sirius wasn't."

"That doesn't matter," Jacob breathed, attempting to get away from Gene only for Gene to hold him still. 

"It does," Gene smiled softly, his eyes glistening with tears. "You know, we know it, and Sirius knew it which is why he's staying with your brother," Jacob stood still, allowing the information to flood his ears. Gene took a hesitant step closer and saw the tears streaming down Jacob's face. "Jac-,"

"They're going to turn him into a monster," Jacob whispered, allowing Gene to wipe his tears away.

"You can't be so sure," Gene denied, his heart feeling heavy at the thought.

"What if-,"

"What if what? He joins the death eaters? Then we help him," Jacob's eyes widened, backing away from Gene.

"I don't want to join Voldemort," Gene shook his head quickly.

"Neither do I, that's not what I meant. What I meant is that we'll help him survive." Gene placed both hands on Jacob's shoulders. "He'll get killed if he joins the ranks. He's friends with two Ravenclaws and me, someone who's technically not a pureblood." Jacob blinked before coming back to his senses. He slowly took off his button-down shirt and placed his suitcase back into the dresser. "Jacob-,"

"Nevermind Gene, let's go swimming," Jacob pushed past his friend to go back outside. Gene furrowed his eyebrows before quickly following.

"Jacob, you know I'm right,"

"I don't care anymore," Gene rolled his eyes, forcing Jacob to look at him. 

"Jacob, Regulus will be fine. He's too young to be recruited anyways." 

"They may bend the rules,"

"Or they may not. Look, I know you're protective over him but you have to understand that I am too. Let's have fun for the last day of summer and then we'll see him hopefully tomorrow, alright?" Jacob bit his cheek before sighing, drooping his head against Gene's chest. He was so tired and so overwhelmed by the news. Eloise was only fourteen, fourteen and now she was dead. Jacob had thought of death multiple times before but never stopped to consider that he may end up dead one day. The world was slowly dividing into a place unrecognizable. Gene sighed, wrapping his arms around his friend. The two would have to choose their side. Light or dark. Good or evil. Grey wasn't going to work anymore and either side was dangerous.