Queen of Disaster | 𝑅𝑒𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝐿𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑛

Chapter 106

The Dark Mark was alive on his forearm, the skull bold and black against his pale skin. The tattoo of the serpent was moving, slowly protruding from its mouth like a tongue; just like the one Rosier had.

Diana let go of Regulus's hand in shock and Layla took a step back from him, eyes wide in horror. Regulus still refused to look up at them and meet their eyes, glancing away bashfully with a deep frown. He still would not speak.

"No..." Layla whispered, shaking her head slowly in disbelief. She tore her gaze away from him as her eyes got filled with tears and ran out of the common room, the entrance shutting close behind her.

Diana didn't follow her friend. She found it impossible to move or to take her eyes off Regulus, who was now pulling down his sleeve to cover the mark.

"Just tell me one thing," Diana whispered, her voice weak and wavering, "were you forced to join them, or was it your own choice?"

"Why does it matter!?" Regulus snapped at her sharply, trying to push her away from him with his words. But Diana didn't budge.

"Of course it matters," she said in a quiet tone. She, out of all people, knew what it felt like to not be given a choice, or to be threatened and blackmailed.

"Was it your choice?" she repeated herself, more firmly this time.

"Yes," he finally whispered, looking away from her again. "Yes, it was my own choice."

Diana drew in a sharp breath and her face fell. "But... but why?"

"Because it was the right thing to do!" he yelled again, his eyes dark and glaring.

"The right thing?" Diana scoffed bitterly. "Says who?"

"Says — says — I don't know! okay!?" Regulus huffed in frustration, running his hands through his hair out of anger. "I... I thought I knew."

"Reg —"

"Don't!" Regulus raised a hand to stop her the moment she began to take a step toward him. "Just don't."

"We can help you —"

"I don't need your help!" Regulus bellowed, glaring at her again.

"This isn't you!" Diana retorted, fighting her way through to grab onto his arms, looking deep into his eyes. "Don't you see what's happening here? Avery and Mulciber have been feeding you lies! Let me guess... They've been saying what noble thing you're doing. That the only goal the Dark Lord has is to take Wizards out of hiding and give them freedom. Is this what they've told you? That this is what you're fighting for?"

Regulus couldn't hold onto his glare for much longer, his frown disappearing as his anger slowly faded away, though he remained silent.

"Please," Diana softly whispered, "you're better than this."

"No. That's where you're wrong." Regulus pulled away from her and snapped her hands off him, shaking his head. "I'm better like this."

"Regulus, please don't do this."

"Even if I wanted to, there's no way back. " He shut his eyes close, turning away from her. "Just... stay away from me."

And then, without Diana could stop him, Regulus quickly walked upstairs and into the boys' dormitory, shutting the door close behind him.

Diana remained where she stood, motionless for a moment as she tried to recollect herself. Then, heaving a long sigh, she ran out of the common room to search for Layla.

It didn't take her long to find her friend, sitting on the dusty floor of one of the corridors nearby, her back leaning against the wall and her knees hugged to her chest as she wept.

"Layla," Diana called out her name quietly as she approached her, grabbing her attention.

At her sight, Layla quickly wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, sniffing.

"I'm sorry," Layla whispered through her new tears as Diana sat down beside her. "I know I'm a mess."

Diana had been so busy with her own problems that she hadn't noticed what Layla was going through. She looked tired, dark bags underneath her eyes. Her skin didn't have the soft glow it always used to have, and her hair was a whizzy mess. She was still beautiful, but her heart had been scarred, and her pain was visible on her face.

Layla's parents were both in hiding this very moment as the Death Eaters searched for them, and Layla was worried every second of every day that something would happen to them.

"You don't have to apologize for something like this." Diana wrapped an arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer. "I'm sorry that you're going through all this."

"Wh-why is all this happening?" she whimpered, covering her face with her hands. "The world is falling apart. The war is spreading. Everyone's dying or disappearing. Families are being torn apart. And now Regulus is gone, too! I-I can't take this anymore!"

Diana didn't know what to say or do, so she just held her tighter, hoping that it could be offered as a small comfort.

"Sorry," Layla said again, taking in a few deep breaths to calm herself a bit. "I know you have your own problems. I don't want to bother you with mine."

"Oh, don't say that! I'm supposed to be your friend!" Diana said, offering her a sympathetic smile. "Besides, saying that you can't be sad about your problems just because others in the world have bigger problems than you, is like saying that you can't be happy just because some people are happier than you. It's rubbish! You should be allowed to be sad and cry it all out if it makes you feel better. It doesn't do you any good to bottle your emotions up. And you know I'll always be here for you."

Layla finally smiled, looking sideways at her. "Thank you." She then hugged Diana back as they were both still seated on the floor, saying, "And any help you need, I'll be there too, Little Brother."

Diana chuckled. She missed that nickname.

She wished that everything could go back to the way it was, to a time when they were all just a bunch of innocent kids, when their biggest worry was getting late to Professor McGonagall's class or wondering which House was going to win the House Cup.

Now, Diana knew that she had to prepare herself for what awaited her in the future. What she didn't know, however, was just how soon everything was going to change for the worst.