RISE OF THE FALL | R.B.

XLV.

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter World belongs to J.K. Rowling.

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CHAPTER XLV.

James Potter rounded on her the moment she was alone, sitting at the dining table, thinking about the events of the night.

The Order meeting discussing how their mission had gone had ended hours ago, and Reia had been sitting here since.

"What happened?" He asked, glaring at her, "Why did you protect the Death Eater?"

"I didn't."

"Yes, you did," James snapped, "You protected him, when you were supposed to at least stun him. What were you doing?"

"I said," Reia snapped, "I didn't protect him. Now, why don't you leave me alone?"

"I had a clear shot at him! You had a clear shot, too—we could've taken him down!" James said, sounding more frustrated than angry.

"I didn't want to," Reia said, and didn't elaborate.

"Are you a traitor, then?" James accused, "Have you been passing information to them all along, and is that why you didn't want to take him down?"

"No!" Reia snapped, "I don't support the Dark Lord—I don't support the Death Eaters and I don't approve of—," She groaned in frustration, "Why can't you just understand, Potter? I didn't want to hurt him—I didn't want you to hurt him—because some of those Death Eaters were my friends in school! And it's hard, you know, to let go of them, even though we're on opposite sides of this fight." She swallowed, "I'm sorry, okay? That I didn't let you hurt him. But I just...he's my best friend, James. I don't..." She shook her head, "I don't want to hurt him."

She fought back the tears. She'd spent hours trying to forget about this—to stop thinking about him—to stop thinking about what the others must think of her now—but—

James sighed, "He was Regulus Black, wasn't he?"

"How do you know?"

"Because I've seen him around school before," James replied.

James didn't move away until Reia finally managed to say shakily, "Please. Just...leave me alone."

***

It seemed that nobody wanted to leave her alone that night.

"Hey," Sirius said, only minutes after James had left.

"What, did James send you?" She sighed, trying to make herself sound angry, but she was too tired to put any form of sharpness in her voice.

"No," Sirius answered, sitting down opposite her, "How long have you been sitting here?"

"Not that long."

"Reia," Sirius said, "It's been hours since the meeting finished."

"I'm aware," She sighed again, too tired to snap at him, "I just wanted to be alone, Black—," She winced a little and instead said, "Sirius, why can't you or Potter understand that?"

"It was Regulus, wasn't it?" Sirius said bluntly, very suddenly.

Reia's eyes widened, "What?"

"It was Regulus, whom you were trying to defend."

"Yeah," She swallowed, looking away, "It was."

"What's up with you and him?" Sirius asked, his tone suddenly accusatory, "First he wrote a letter to you, then you try to protect him?"