Stars and Mist | Regulus Black

c h a p t e r. f o u r

Liora didn't like talking to people. Unfortunately, the person in question was extremely persistent and wouldn't leave her alone, presenting her from escaping back into the Slytherin Common Room. They'd moved out into one of the corridors, leaving them free to talk.

"What do you want?" She said nastily and wrinkled her nose. In response, the boy sent her a flirtatious wink, then his face straightened.

"You Slytherins are all about reputation, right? I don't want to do it this way, but..." He sighed. "I want my brother to see what he's doing, that he's wrong."

"And what's in it for me?" Liora countered, knowing what was happening.

"I'll tell everyone."

Liora looked in Sirius Black's eyes, seeing the steely grey and a flicker of honesty in his eyes. How was she going to get out of this?

"I can't," She said as she made tears pool in her eyes, but not before scanning for anyone else watching. "I don't know your brother enough, but I don't want my reputation to be over!"

A flash of pity shrouded Sirius's eyes as Liora made an effort to wipe away the fake tears. Sirius sighed, nodded, and glanced around awkwardly.

"Um... okay, I won't tell anyone," He said cautiously. "Fine. No blackmailing, Sirius."

He ran off into the distance, leaving a smirk on Liora's face as she finished wiping away the tears and any evidence that she had been crying. Her eyes turned at the end of the corridor she was standing in, noticing the strange brick wall... so similar to the other walls that no one could've spotted it.

She took out her wand and tapped the bricks that you used to enter Diagon Alley, watching the bricks rearrange themselves, but not in the way she wanted. None of the combinations she was trying worked, each of them just rearranging to different patterns. Why wasn't it working?

***

Sirius Black was skeptical.

He'd heard rumours of the Gaunt girl, about the Gaunt family and their relation to Voldemort, but had never thought too much of it. He left the girl alone but wasn't sure if she was telling the truth.

So why not go check the Mauraders Map?

The truth was that Sirius didn't really care about any Slytherin except his brother, and if that girl was lying, then either Sirius was doing something wrong or the girl was fake.

"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good," he muttered in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory. The map unfolded, presenting the school.

"Show me Liora Gaunt," he whispered, hoping the map would hone in on one of the many spots in the castle. But she wasn't. She was gone. He looked around the map again to check, but it was true.

Liora Gaunt was not on the castle grounds. And why did this worry, Sirius?

Because everyone should show up on the map.

Sirius opened the doors to the Room of Requirement, expecting the girl to be in there, but she wasn't. He exited the room, map in hand, and opened it.

"Show me Regulus Black," He whispered. The map showed him, alongside many others, in the great hall. Oh, right, it was dinner. Sirius rushed towards the area, managing to go in without any problem. His friends James, Peter, and Remus all sat there waiting for him.

"The girl, she's not in the Room of Requirement or on the map," Sirius pushed out in a breath.

"What girl?" James questioned.

"The... Slytherin... Gaunt... Girl..." He huffed as he sat down. Facing him sat a multitude of students and Mirabel Greengrass, looking pointedly at him. In fact, the girl was making her way towards him.

"Greengrass incoming," Sirius muttered under his breath. The girl looked angry, annoyed, and scary.

"What have you done?" She asked coldly. "Liora isn't here, and Myrtle said the ghosts last saw her with you."

The ghosts? Questioned Sirius. No one had a powerful link with ghosts, enough to get them to trust you that much; that was a rare trait. Mirabel glared harsher.

"Look, I don't know, okay?!" Sirius said, frustrated. "She's not anywhere that I know of."

Mirabel walked away in a huff, disposing her food before disappearing outside. James, Peter, and Remus were all hunched over the map.

"Strange," Remus said quietly. "Sirius, your brother isn't on the map either."

And then Sirius got it; the entire corridor he and Liora were in had disappeared.

***

Regulus had spotted Liora as his brother was walking away. He saw everything; wiping away the fake tears, tapping the bricks, and the disappointment that came with each failed trial.

"Hey, brick tapper, what are you doing?" he asked lazily as she failed for what seemed like the hundredth time. She shot a glare at him.

"Well, if it's so easy, you try it!" She said hotly. He nodded, took out his wand, and started tapping the bricks. Like Liora, though, the bricks didn't open up. He groaned before putting his wand back in his robes and winked at her.

"Arithmancy is still stupid, brick girl. Nice game," He nodded and left.

Liora glared at his retreating back before deciding to go back to the Slytherin common room, finding Mirabel sitting on her bed with an angry look on her face. The girl grabbed Liora by the shoulders and started shaking.

"How... DARE... you worry me so much that I have to talk to Gryffindors!" she exclaimed as she continued shaking Liora before releasing her. Liora stumbled onto her bed, clutching her head.

"Oh my god, girl, were you trying to kill me?" She said in between the dizziness. Mirabel glared at her, then burst out laughing.

"So, what were you doing? I was talking to Myrtle. Wait, you already know that. After that, I went to this little area close to the Ravenclaw tower, and I talked to Garrick Ollivander's grandson. His name is Gabiel, and he's slightly dreamy."

Liora caught the glance Mirabel threw her at that; don't press. Mirabel leant on her elbows, gazing at Liora. "So, what did you do?"

"Nothing much. Just exploring." Liora winked at Mirabel at that, hoping the girl wouldn't press. Her best friend was really the best when she didn't question Liora, and the girls started talking about other things.

"Did you know about the rumor? Apparently, the dark lord is rising, and people are thinking to join."