𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞 || 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter 39

Saturday 13th February, 1977

Two weeks had passed, and I'd been spending more and more time with Regulus's friends. Pandora and Avery both loved me, thank Merlin, and I'd won Evan over long ago. Barty was the only one I'd yet to charm, the stubborn bastard, but I was working on it.

Currently, I was in the Gryffindor Common Room with the marauders and Lily, having an idle conversation with Lily while the boys hunched over the table, hushed whispers being passed back and fourth.

"So, you got any plans for Valentines Day?" I asked Lily.

The girl blushed, her cheeks going the same shade as her hair as her eyes darted away from mine. "What are your plans for Valentine's Day?"

I raised an eyebrow at her avoidance and Lily just shrugged, staring at me expectantly.

"I'm not sure," I confessed. "It's a surprise."

Lily grinned at me, and we moved on to guessing what the others would be doing. Sirius would either go big for Remus, or shy and hesitant. James would go big; he was a hopeless romantic after all, and Peter would be awkward in an endearing sort of way.

I found myself full of excitement for the next day, wondering what Regulus had planned. It would be our first ever Valentines and I desperately wanted it to go well. I had a suspicion Regulus had something planned, but I wasn't sure what it was.

After a while, I bid Lily and the boys goodbye, walking up the staircase to my dorm. I wanted to be well slept for tomorrow and whatever surprises it held. Even so, it took me a lot longer to fall sleep, my thoughts stuck on Regulus and Valentine's Day tomorrow.

. . .

Sunday 14th February, 1977

I woke up bright and early the next day, heart hammering in my chest as soon as I gained consciousness. Today was Valentines Day. I got ready, grabbing Regulus's present and exiting my dorm.

"There you are Y/n," Sirius said when he spotted me. "We were waiting for you."

"Good morning to you too Sirius," I replied, following the marauders as they exited the Common Room.

Remus noticed the look of giddy excitement on my face and sent me a private smile, one I returned eagerly. We made it to the Great Hall and my eyes immediately started scanning the room for Regulus... only to come up empty.

I sat in my seat, deflated. Nearly the whole school was at the Great Hall right now, and yet Regulus was no where to be seen. I found my eyes straying to the doors to the Great Hall, even when all the grand gestures were occurring.

James got 47 roses and gave each one to Lily, claiming she now had as many roses as she did freckles dusting her face. It was quite romantic, and even Lily didn't seem immune to this particular gesture, thanking James softly with a small smile. She never accepted his Valentine officially, but James seemed so happy, like he was about to burst, so I didn't think he really minded.

Sirius stood up and made Remus stand up with him. All eyes were on them, as was usual. Sirius grabbed Remus by the waist and seemed to murmur something to Remus. When Remus nodded, Sirius smiled brightly and kissed him right on the lips, in front of everybody.

Jealousy writhed around inside me. Jealousy that they were allowed to be public, but Regulus and I weren't. Jealousy that all my friends were having a wonderful Valentines Day, and I was left alone, sulking. Maybe I was overreacting, but the memory of Regulus leaving me at the Yule Ball was still rather fresh and I was afraid maybe he'd left me again. Maybe he got too scared, or his parents found out and forced him to break up with me.