Faith in Fear | A Regulus Black Story.

Chapter 20 - Serendipity

ser·en·dip·i·ty
· noun ·

the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

"a fortunate stroke of serendipity"

~~~

July 10th, 1981

Regulus knew Marlene, not well, but he knew her from school. He knew she had started dating Dorcas Meadowes in their seventh year and she was on the Gryffindor quidditch team as one of their two beaters and did she ever play well. She moved fast and she hit hard and her accuracy with her aim was still something Regulus had always respected, but he didn't know her well outside of that. He hadn't known she was training to be a healer or that she was a well practiced dueller, but he certainly knew Dorcas was.

Dorcas had been visiting her when they were attacked. It was very clear from the Dark Mark in the sky over her house who had been responsible for the attack and they clearly thought they had won, but Marlene was smart. After everything Regulus had told them, everything about Peter and the horcruxes and what Regulus had been doing for months, she had put a protective charm around her house out of precaution. She had only done it a few hours prior, just after Dorcas had arrived. It was a silent charm that altered the perception of the person who triggered it, so after a few minutes of fighting back and forth, the attacker would believe they were dead. As Dorcas had fought them off, Marlene had sent for help. They were still hurt and Marlene had taken quite the blow, one that had knocked her out for a few days, but they were alive and she had woken up.

It had been Peter. When Marlene woke up, it was the first thing she said. Sirius had said she had been in a "frenzied state" when she woke up, yelling that Peter had done it and wanting to know everyone was safe. Her family had fought with her and her older brother had been badly hurt, leaving him blind in his right eye, but they were all alive.

At first, Marlene couldn't remember why Peter had attacked them, all she could remember was how different he looked. He was still Peter, but something was off and she knew almost immediately. He looked a little sad at first, looking down at his feet as he spoke. All she could remember him saying was "I'm sorry, but you've gotten too close." And then he looked up. Behind his eyes was a look she had never seen before, it had been almost sadistic she had told them. He wasn't Peter... not anymore.

The running theory was that Peter may have figured out for himself that someone in the Order knew he was the spy and Marlene, having grown more distant due to her work and the war, became his number one suspect. But this attack had been the final straw. They couldn't risk anything anymore and as soon as Marlene and Dorcas confirmed their suspicions, Peter was arrested. Today was the day of his trial.

Sirius had to testify at the trial since he had been the first to arrive at Marlene's house and Remus went along to support the two. James and Lily wanted to be there, but for obvious reasons, they couldn't. After everything that had happened in the past few weeks, James had refused to leave their safe house anymore. He wouldn't go anywhere if he didn't know where Lily and Harry were. As for Regulus, well he was stuck in the same flat as well, waiting for Sirius and Remus to come back and tell him what had happened. He spent most of the morning pacing the flat, thinking to himself and panicking that they might let him go, that something might go wrong and he'd be freed on a technicality or something. But they had the proof right in front of them. He had the Dark Mark now and Marlene was alive to testify, but the ministry was stupid and that was something Regulus was sure he'd always believe.

"Would Master Regulus like some tea, sir?" Kreacher asked, peeking his head out from the kitchen as he watched Regulus pace. "Master Regulus seems stressed."