If Only I Were A Marauder

Part 33

Info - Slytherins locket, giving praise where it's due, angry at Regulus, the Marauders strike again, mentions of trauma, sadness about not being able to sleep with someone, dark arts, secret agent

"You did what?" Andromeda said her mouth hanging open.

"We got the locket," I said again. We'd had the first meeting of our group today. We'd wrote them on the special paper to tell them what we'd found out.

"No, you risked your lives, floated over a lake of Inferi, forced the love of your life to drink a potion that tortured them, battled said Inferi. Plus even though you were exhausted, you zoomed out of there, saved a house elf, and got a piece of dark magic that could change the direction of the potential wizarding war. And now you're acting like you went grocery shopping."

"I mean yeah it was hard," Regulus admitted. Andromeda stood up and started a slow clap.

"Fucking clap for them you idiots, they've got more balls than all of us combined," she ordered. Everyone was clapping and Regulus looked at one another sheepishly. It felt nice for some recognition.

"Anyway, we've realized that this is a living breathing part of Tom Riddle's soul." Regulus started again.

"Can we please call this dude Voldemort or whatever," Ted Tonks asked. "His real name is so ridiculous it was like someone was foreshadowing his life when he was birthed."

"You're so witty," Andromeda said lovingly to her boyfriend and kissed him. When she'd come back from break she'd used her hands for everything until people realized Ted had proposed. I was so happy for her. Regulus and I would at least have some supporters in his family. It'd been hard to hold it together when their parents had given up a goodbye pep talk about keeping lines clean, gratefulness for our cooperation with Voldemort, and praising me for keeping secrets. The praise was more like a threat.

"Fine. It has a piece of Voldemort in it. We've found wearing it can increase feelings of anger and violence. Don't underestimate it. We've chosen a group of four people to switch the locket between."

We'd discussed in private that though my idea was good, trading the locket between a large group was risky. Of course, then there was the fact that some of them, like Arita, had family members with ties to the other side. Regulus, Andromeda, Ted, and I would be the ones who held the locket. The others were to practice spells, gather intel, and be on the watch over muggle borns and half bloods. We'd secretly discussed possibly having Arita turn secret agent as well, but she was much too antsy at the moment. She needed training.

"We will be the Carrier Quartet," Regulus explained dutifully.

The rest of the night we talked about what intel was needed, researched Horcruxes, and practiced Defense Against the Dark Arts. I felt very satisfied with where we were at when Regulus and I left the Room of Requirement. I'd found out that's what the glass breaking room was. Regulus had shown everyone how to use it.

Though the locket hit my chest every time I took a step, I was feeling very affectionate towards Regulus, and very happy with what we'd done.

"Why are you following me down, your dorms are up?" He asked cheekily. "Want a snog before bed?"

I realized with a small horror Regulus and I couldn't sleep next to one another anymore. A simple vacation had spoiled me. I didn't want to imagine him alone in his dark, dank dorm in the dungeons. I didn't want to imagine myself, holding myself so I could sleep in the Ravenclaw tower. I'd think of something we could do, if not tonight, then sometime.

"I- I only just remembered we won't be sleeping in the same bed," I said sadly.

"Oh love," he said and wrapped me in his arms. The locket seemed to pang in protest of the loving gesture.

"I'm sorry, you know I wish we could. How about this I'll ask Andromeda what she does. I know for a fact she hardly sleeps in her dorms, the Slytherin girls comment on it all the time."

"Yes please, I just feel so needy for you, now more than ever," I said in a whisper. He pulled me to him. He kissed me with such passion it made me blush. This was the type of kiss heroines in erotic novels received and it was laced with a promise of more to come.

"I love you, and one day we won't spend a single night not in each other's arms, but for now we must be brave," he said with a sad smile.

I had horrible dreams of dark figures coming to try to steal the locket. Plus I had so many detailed and realistic dreams of Regulus cheating on me with nearly every member of our secret club that I was actually annoyed at him the next day. I knew it was stupid but the lack of good sleep made me cranky.

He met me outside the Great Hall and tried to kiss me but I ducked.

"What is it, do I have something in my teeth?" He asked.

"No," I said feeling stupid and mad at myself, but also at him. I hated how the little curls in his eyes made my heart flutter but I couldn't sleep beside him.

"Fix your hair it's falling into your eyes," I snapped.

"You love that," he said in confusion, and pushed his hair back.

"Sorry," I groused.

"This is because of the locket, give it here," he said.

"No," I snapped and held it protectively. "It's still my twenty four hours, I'm not a baby. I can take this!"

"Then kiss me. I'll be convinced you're doing okay if you can," he said. I pulled him to me for a crushing kiss. Many different emotions sailed through my head, but I did feel happier.

"There we go, not so grumpy now?" He asked me because I was smiling to myself.

"Alright yeah," I said. I kissed him again quickly and ran off to class. Before I could enter the room, a hand pulled me aside. It was an extremely remorseful looking Sirius.

"Yes?" I snapped.

"We were, well I was a douche. I don't have the details, but I heard you saved my brothers life. Thank you. I was wondering if you'd like to be my friend again? I can't talk for the others, but I miss you."

"You do?" I asked. Other than Remus he had taken the most interest in me.

"Yeah," he said touching my arm.

"And you promise this isn't a trick?"

"I swear!" He said intensely.

"Okay, on a trial basis," I said sternly.

"Alright, I'll see you around," he smiled. I went into class. Everything was just slightly more annoying than usual. However, having Regulus, and an apology from Sirius was nice.

"Y/n," called Remus. What were the odds?

"Hello," I said, my tone a little less icy than my response to Sirius.

"How have you been?" He asked.

"What is this? Did you know your boyfriend just asked me to be his friend?" I demanded. For some odd reason, Lupin went sickly pale and he looked extremely worried.

"No, I didn't, must be a coincidence," he said with a weird laugh.

"Look, I want the truth. What is this shit? I'm not in the mood to be fucked with."

"Look," Remus sighed and looked to the side and ran a hand through his hair. "We're growing up. We're all a lot different and take things more seriously, like you asked. And we miss you, at least Sirius, James and I do. You're like James's god because of how you got him with Lily, and I miss having any sort of academic conversation. Wouldn't you consider giving you a chance? We don't care about Regulus anymore, things are different now."

"I don't know if I believe that last bit. I'll try, I do miss the three of you, I've known you half my life. But one bash of Regulus and I'm gone. I know you don't have all the facts, but respect that you don't have all the facts," I said.

"Understood, just good to know you'd even talk to me," he smiled weakly. I nodded and walked away in surprise. I saw James headed towards me and I saw Lupin yank him to a stop and furiously whisper to him. I chuckled, obviously they'd all discussed this without a concrete plan and were embarrassed that they were coming to me separately.