aquila ▶ marauders era {EDITING}

22.

1979

MORE THAN A YEAR HAD PASSED SINCE THE MARAUDERS had left Hogwarts and Aquila too would soon be leaving these hallowed halls to join the real world. The girl had been staying with Remus and Peter for the entire time they had left Hogwarts and she had managed to secure herself a job in Diagon Alley to help with groceries and bills. She hoped that after her NEWT results, she could secure a well enough position in the Ministry or better yet, return to Hogwarts to teach but the war that loomed over their heads was not working in anyone's favor. 

Muggleborns and their families had continued to die at a rapid rate and no matter how much the Order worked, Voldemort always seemed to be one step ahead of them. He even had larger numbers than them as a lot of students from Hogwarts had decided to join him instead of the Order, including Aquila's own brother Regulus and all of his friends. 

Now Aquila, as she had not left school yet, was not allowed to go on official Order escapades but she was allowed to attend any meetings they had on weekends and was filled in on what she missed by either one of the Marauders or Dumbledore himself.

It was the beginning of June and Aquila's NEWT's were due to start that week. The girl had pushed herself to study for all her subjects (Charms, Herbology, DADA, Potions,  Astronomy and Transfiguration).

She had decided to take a break from studying, escaping from the library to go down to the Black Lake and relax as she and Eliza used to do in their fifth year. With a nostalgic sigh, she made the familiar way to the lake, noting how far away those days seemed. It felt like it had been a lifetime since she had seen Eliza smile or heard her best friend laugh, when in reality, it had only been two years.

Still, two years without your best friend is practically a lifetime away from each other. 

Aquila had made it down to the lake and she sat at the edge, allowing her toes to just touch the surface of the cold water. She laid down, letting her back touch the warm ground that had started to soak in the beginning of summer's sun (though it was still kind of cool). 

"Aquila," a voice that she had not been expecting called out to her. The girl flew up, staring into the eyes of none other than her little brother, the Death Eater, Regulus Black. Her wand came out as soon as she stood, for the girl was wary of her brother and his intentions. Her gaze left his face and went to his left arm where, sure enough, was the Dark Mark; the tattoo that showed allegiance to Voldemort.

The girl's eyes darted back to his in an intense stare but she was surprised at the emotions that were swimming in his own gray orbs. Fear.

Regulus was afraid. 

Aquila instantly dropped her wand hand and put away her wand, reaching out to her little brother.

"What's the matter, Reggie?"

He started to stammer before he croaked out, his voice cracking as he spoke, "Voldemort, he- he tried to kill Kreacher with some potion in a cave and he's such a terrible man and what was I thinking? How could I do this? I was wrong, Aquila. I was so wrong and foolish and naive and you and Sirius were right all along."

She almost smiled at the thought of Regulus coming over to their side but she knew he would not have come to her unless he was desperate for something. As scared and broken as he was, Regulus would never show himself as helpless and desperate. He was a Black, after all.

"I know you don't want me to offer you a place to stay or hide because you would have gone straight to Dumbledore. You- you want revenge, don't you?" Aquila asked and by the look that took over the boy's face, she knew she had hit the head on the nail. 

"Aquila, I know you've been leaving the school to go to Order meetings on a weekend. I need a way out of the school to go finish something," Regulus paused, hesitant to tell her anything in case someone was listening. This information could get them both killed in the matter of seconds and while death did not bother him, he did not want to be the reason behind his sister's death. Ignoring the nagging voice in the back of his head that told him to keep her out of it, he continued, "Voldemort, he's created these things- horcruxes - and they can used to keep him immortal. The only way he can die is if they're destroyed and I know where he's keeping one."

"So, your plan is to go after it?" Aquila questioned, understanding where her brother was going with this. The boy nodded and Aquila sighed. Their year of little to no conversation had not severed the strong bond between them and Aquila knew why Regulus felt like he had to do this. He had to do it to prove himself; to redeem himself and nothing she said would make him change his mind. 

With her lips pulled together in a tight line, Aquila said, "Okay, I can get McGonagall away from her office long enough for you to get in. You know where you're going, right?"

Regulus nodded and she breathed out audibly, "Okay, well. Might as well do this now."

The younger Black shook his head to clear out all the emotions that was clouding it and followed his sister into the castle, hiding behind the railings of the staircase as she entered McGonagall's office. 

He didn't know what Aquila told the professor but it was enough to have the woman run straight past him, up the stairs, without stopping to even bat an eye at the boy.

"What did you tell her?" he asked as he entered the office. Aquila had already lit the fire and gotten out the Floo Powder by the time he entered and she shrugged in response, "I said one of the ghosts was trying to tie a kid to a chandelier on the seventh floor corridor. Should buy us enough time."

The boy nodded, about to commend her on her quick thinking when something she said stopped him, "Us?"

Aquila looked up at him, "You don't think I'm going to send my little brother on a suicide mission by himself, do you?"

Regulus wanted to argue that she should stay but much like himself, once her mind was made up, Aquila would be going. She gave him a look that said Try me, either we both go or we both stay and he knew she meant it. 

Because if there was one thing Aquila believed in, it was family. They would go through it together or not at all.