Arcane (Regulus Black)

twenty-four

"Regulus," I whispered as he looked up away from the bookshelves. He turned around to check on his friends, but they did not see it. I knew that. I made sure of it. I took his hand and tried to drag out, "Come with me, please."

He stopped and tried to push me away, but i would not listen. His friends stood at the end of the hallway. As he looked over at them, Barty waved for him. "I'm not leaving your side until you go with me." I whispered. I watched Regulus's jaw clench and unclench. He nodded, and followed me.

I walked into the toilets and said, "They've been out of service for a few days now, so nobody will come here."

He nodded and folded his arms, as he waited for me to speak first.

I walked towards him and took his hands into mine, "regulus" my lips quivered, but his eyes remained down at the floor. In that moment it was as if everything came undone there, maybe if I had not said anything, would it had changed anything?

Tears dropped down my face as I clenched his shoulders, with my face on his chest. "Regulus" I begged, "Why didn't you tell me? I found my way back to you and I have never left. I understand it now. I get why you did what you did."

He stepped back and froze momentarily, but then looked up at me, "I have no idea what you are talking about, Elizabeth."

I bit my lip and sighed, my eyes pleaded in his. We both knew he was not telling the truth nor would he admit it. Rage overtook me, and despite his protests, I grabbed his arm. He stepped back toward the wall, and I used that moment to lift up his sleeve, which revealed everything.

His mark.

His head hung in shame and embarrassment, but I took his hands in mine, and kissed his cheek.

"I love you Regulus. I know why you did what you did but don't push me out of it. I'm right here. You won't lose me. I'm right here." My lip quivered.

"Nobody stays forever, ELizabeth." He whispered, "nobody stays forever." He repeated, perhaps to persuade himself I had assumed in that time. Maybe things could have been different.

I let go of his cheek and kissed his mark; he looked down at me and I smiled; my eyes burned with the rising tears; "I will be your nobody then."

"You can't just do that, so easily Elizabeth." he pushed me away.

"Why did they give you this? What did you give up in return for this? Who did you do it for? For me?" I asked, with my arms folded.

He leaned against the wall and I followed, stood next to him.

"My parents. They have traditional practices, especially when it came to Sirius and I. YOu knew that. In coherence with their traditional beliefs. It just worsened after Sirius was sorted. They would not stop. They would..." He paused and inhaled, as if he tried to control his rising sobs.

I took his hand in mine and rubbed it, to sooth him. He looked up and forced a smile to me.

"To torture Sirius they would punish me too. They just had so much anger and there was only two of us, so when he was not home, they would take it out on me. But on Sirius they would not stop. So one night, i made sure to end his torment. That night I transported him to his firend's place-"

"James" I interrupted, as I remembered that night. "You knew his friends would never let him go back there."

"In exchange for his escpae, I promised my parents I would get the mark when I turned 16."

"Oh Reg-" I rested my head on his shoulder as tears formed in my eyes again. He looked down and wiped them.

"At the beginning, I thought I was doing the right thing because their values and beliefs are all I have ever known. Without them, what am I? Who am I? But the methods they used to act upon it became questionable." He paused and looked at me. "Your friend Taylor."

I gulped, and wiped my face immediately.

"I just did not want to see you get hurt, Elizabeth, ever."

"And you won't. I'm not trying to change who you are, Regulus. Be who you are, just be it with me, don't be ashamed of it. You had no choice. Over time, Sirius will understand."

He nodded and hugged me. When we pulled apart, I stood up on my tiptoes and unified his lips with mine.

Him and i.

Together again.

Arcane and whole.

-

Later that night, after dinner, I went upstairs to shower. When i came out of the bathroom I heard someone knocking at the window, I recognised it to be Regulus's owl. He asked to meet me at the tower tonight, he had sent his owl to ensure that I would. OF course. My hair was slightly wet but I remembered that one time when it rained outside and I was with James and Sirius, and it rained. Everyone ran into the buildings but we remained outside. Regulus hovered under the sheltered building amongst his friend but Sirius and James ran into the rain, with their grip on me i followed. That night, Regulus told me he liked my hair like that. I took my jumper and did not dry my hair that night. I walked towards the balcony and my entire body shivered from the cold air. I greeted him but his back was turned to me. I took a step towards him but stepped back, under the tower, away from the balcony away from the rain. It rained again that day.

He lifted his hand for me to join him but I shook my head, and pointed at my hair. He smirked. In that moment it felt like it was just us in that universe at that time. "Don't you trust me, E?" he smirked.

I pointed at my hair and in that single moment, he pulled me towards him and I shrieked. I'll never forget this moment. This will never leave me. With the cold rain that slide on me, shivered escalated over me that turned into hot fire with Regulus rubbing his hands against my entire body. His hands reached my face, against my cheeks. "Regulus, use your wand." I asked and he tilted my body to lean against him. I did not fight it, that night. I remembered it to this day, he smelt of a sweet wood sap, vanilla and cacao. Sweet but strong. He did not reply. He just looked at me. His green eyes full of the warmth of an everlasting hearth, that brought warmth into my soul across my entire body, as if they were a piece of wood that i fell into and which burned with a golden flame forever and ever, with an everlasting warmth.

As he stood there, silent despite my plea for a response, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words. The pitter-patter of raindrops echoed softly in the background, adding a melancholic rhythm to the moment. "What?" I eventually broke his gaze, feeling the chill of the rain seeping into my bones. He, without a word, took off his jumper and draped it over my shoulders. I gratefully accepted, feeling the warmth of it enveloping me, though the dampness still lingered. He rubbed my shoulders gently, then pulled me close, wrapping his arms around my waist. Our eyes met, reflecting the unspoken emotions swirling between us.

In the midst of the rain's gentle symphony, he broke the silence with a question that had pierced through the tranquil ambiance, "Where did you see yourself in 10 years?"

I pushed, "Before I would have said someone in according to my parents, but now honestly given the situations, I don't know" I took his hands in mine, "but ask me where my heart is," I storked the right side of his face, "with you, Regulus, forever and always. My Arcane."

It did not even take a second before he joined my lips with his and wrapped his arms around my waist, to ensure my body was pressed against his. The rain continued to pour in the background but the sound was all blocked out. He slowly lifted me and I wrapped my legs around him as he slowly picked me up to lay on the ground. "Don't move your lips" I broke apart as he started to peck at my neck but I pushed his lips to join mine again.

Did I write an entire book just to rewrite the Delena scene into the Harry Potter universe because Regulus deserves it? Yes I did. (1451 words)