𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

18. Good intentions...

I didn't know where we were, regulus had snuck the five of us into mcgonagall's office to use flu transportation through her chimney.
He wanted to surprise us all with the place.

It seemed nice, there were respectable people there but not so much so that they were snobby.

Everything was raw wood and all the surfaces were polished for easy cleaning, there were small windows with glass so thick and old you couldn't see out of them.
And the place was lit with old fashioned lamps that gave the place was warm and fun vibe.

"You like?" Regulus asked, bouncing on his heels slightly for a way to release his excitement without smiling too wide.
I would have loved to have seen the grin he was hiding.

"I've seen better." I shrugged, smiling so bright that he instantly knew I was teasing him.

"Really? I mean— we can leave." He chuckled, playing along with my attempt of a scheme.

"It's perfect." I smiled, staring up into his eyes. They were different to his brothers, most people didn't notice but I did.
I noticed the little differences, regulus had about an inch on Sirius—but that wasn't a lot considering Sirius isn't that tall at all.
Regulus's face was a lot sharper whereas Sirius's was more deeper and defined.
He had sharp canines that would make an indent in his bottom lip when he'd smile.
He was quite small— in comparison to the other quidditch players I mean— he was thin and only just taller than most of the girls our age, the top of my head lined up with the bottom of his nose, so not that short to me.

He let out an awkward chuckle as rubbed his hands together as if he were trying to warm up, but it wasn't cold in here.
I must have been staring for too long.
"Wanna get a drink?"

I looked around to see that the others had gone—
Evan was having "certificated banter" as he liked to call it with some older guy,
Barty was flirting shamelessly with girls way out of his league like usual,
And Amara was sipping on coke while patting some grey cat that was rested on the windowsill.

"Sure." I shrugged, grabbing the hand he had raised slightly for me to take.
"Nothing with alcohol... yet."

"All good darling."
I knew he was just teasing, but him calling me darling sparked a warmth in my chest, I feeling I had forgotten existed.

I sat up on one of the wooden stools which made me glad that I decided to were pants, while regulus stood next to me leaning on his forearm that rested on the counter so he could face me better.

"So... how have you been?" He asked, awkwardly clapping the counter so that he didn't feel like he was just staring into my soul.

I tried not to laugh,

"For someone who has had to make small talk their whole life I thought you'd be better at it." I laughed, I didn't want to answer his question because their wasn't a good answer, and from the way his posture straightened I could tell he noticed this.

"I'm great at small talk, I just know that all of the topics that I have learnt to use will do nothing but bore you to the point you'd rather die than talk to me another second,
and I don't really want that to happen." He explained in a mellow tone but keeping a closed mouth smile.

"You look really pretty tonight." I said truthfully as I feel a smile grow across my face.

"Pretty?" He laughed, I could tell he was embarrassed but I didn't care, he needed to hear it, so I just nodded.
"Not handsome?"

"Sure, but I see you as pretty." I shrugged taking a sip of the coke regulus had ordered for me.

"I guess the compliment is as good as any." He smiled to himself before talking a sip of coke, only his had a little something extra in it.

I spun the stool so my back was facing the bar
And used the counter top for some support, leaning back on my elbows.

I could see the two boys had already started on there shots and Amara was standing close by, making sure they didn't get into too much trouble.

Until the party life had had drifted to the other side, the bar was in the middle of the pub so their was another side I hadn't seen yet.

"Wanna dance?" Regulus suggested with shrug, I guess that's why the so many people had drifted to the other side. Dancing.

"I don't dance, I can't, I was actually born with two left feet."
My answer only made him chuckle, not make him stop.

"Half the people in here are so drunk they might as well black out right here and now, so I'm sure their dancing isn't that much worse than yours."

I reluctantly nodded in agreement.

A slight tingle of excitement began to fill me as we walked around the bar, leaving the table section behind.
But that tingle fizzled out in mere seconds when I saw the four marauders having the nights of their lives.

"What the fuck are they doing here?" Regulus spat, loud enough that most people in the room heard, including the four in question.

What few people were dancing had stopped, moving two the sides of the room so that they would be caught in a fight, most of the people here were just on dates and probably never fought someone in there life.

"I could say the same about you." Remus said, walking up to regulus as if he were about to pounce.
"We were here first. Leave."

"I don't think I will. Five on four, I like my odds." Regulus said as Barty, Evan and Amara had come over standing behind regulus as few he were their king before they entered a battle.

"We don't have to fight guys." Peter tried to interject, but it was no use.

A/n
Word count is about 45,500