ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛʜ ᴡᴀʟʟ | ᴍᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀꜱ ᴇʀᴀ

xxii. diary

Everything went back to how they were before when Callie first popped. The Marauders brought her meals and there was no Regulus around.

Ever since that night two days ago, Callie had never seen nor heard from him. She tried to get him off her mind every time his face appeared. Anything that reminded her of Regulus just brought the sadness back all over again.

But how easy was it to stop thinking about him if wherever Callie looked, she could see Regulus? Her bed where he confronted her about her feelings, on the floor before her bed where they used to read together, the piano in the room that he used to play, the books he gave her, even the blouse she was wearing, it was from him.

It would've been easy to take him off her mind. If only she didn't like him! Regulus had been Callie's favourite fictional character for years! Of course, after they depart she'd feel some sort of gloominess.

Callie was so sure her feelings were strictly fictional. That it wasn't romantic. She had liked him from when she just knew Regulus as a fictional being. Therefore, so were her feelings after discovering he was actually breathing.

Though just like what she told Remus, she couldn't expect to befriend everyone in their world. Hence she had to move on. Life had to continue. They still had a Horcrux to destroy. The Horcrux Regulus stole for her.

...

Regulus again?!

"Enough of this Callie!" she hissed to herself. Callie exhaled in frustration.

Right on time, the Marauders came.

After she visited them in the Hospital Wing, Callie told them to rest for a few days, especially Remus. James and Sirius weren't compliant as ever whilst Peter and Remus agreed. With three against two, James and Sirius gave up with an agreement that after two days, they will continue their mission.

They all agreed. The four went back to their common room and she remained in the shack.

They rested per her instructions, attended classes they missed, and ate the food they weren't able to munch. That was when a first time happened.

Almost everyone's eyes were on Regulus. It was because he was standing right behind Sirius, eyeing the back of his brother's head.

For the Hogwarts students, it was a first. No one expected to see the younger Black talk or even approach his brother after years. Though the tension between them still enveloped the Great Hall. The tension only the Black Brothers could pull off.

For an instant, it seemed like Regulus was struggling to open his mouth. He kept pressing his lips together. True to be told, he couldn't find words to call his brother.

His looming presence was soon felt by Remus who was across from Sirius at the Gryffindor table. If Regulus felt his gaze, he ignored it for he did not look elsewhere than at his brother.

Seeming like Regulus didn't have the plan to start a conversation and Sirius was too busy with his food to feel his little brother breathing on his back, Remus chose to advance.

"Sirius," Remus called.

"What?" he asked, mouth half-full.

"You never cease to amaze me and how disgusting you are," Regulus spoke with nausea written all over his face.

Sirius turned around fast to see his brother's scrunched face. "Regulus?"

"That is why Mother would always hit your mouth."

It was Sirius' turn to grimace. He went back to his food. "Did you come here to lecture me?"

"No."

"What then?"