Fractured paths

Meeting between worlds part 3

"Good riddance to that little menace," Regulus growled as he followed the road away from Albert's house. "How dare she—thinking she knows so much better than me! Like she could teach me anything—me, Regulus Black of the finest Black family. My heritage surely—" He smacked his forehead with an open palm. "Crud... I do sound like Mum!" Regulus stopped, shut his eyes, and whispered, "Pen... what would you have said?"

Penelope had scolded him before. "Regulus Black, you're stuck up and too proud for your own good."

"Oh, swell... Absolutely delightful." She'd been right, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Guess I've got to go back and apologize to Lucy... But I really don't want to. It's embarrassing. I hate being embarrassed.

With a grunt, Reg tried to gather the strength to turn around. Humility? Hah! I have plenty of humility.

Leaves crunched a few feet away.

Regulus drew his wand and whirled toward the sound.

A woman, covered in dirt, burst from the bushes. She would have been pretty if she were clean—light blue eyes, brown hair, a nice dress. She shivered, stopped, and saw Regulus. The instant she noticed the wand, she screamed. "Nooo! No! No more! Leave me alone!"

"What?" Regulus put the wand away. "I'm not going to hurt you. If you'd just—" He took a step toward her.

"Get away from me!" She screamed, stumbled, and fell. "I don't know what you people are. Are you demons? Just get away!"

"Wait. I'm not—"

The woman scrambled up and ran.

"Wait!" Regulus sprinted after her. "I'm not going to hurt you! You need help!" He drew his wand, ready to shoot a body binder.

The woman looked back and saw the wand again. This time her screech rose in volume.

"Oh, all right." Regulus put the wand away again. "But you've got to stop! I can help—obliviate you. That's what we do in cases like this." Isn't it?

"Nooo!" She didn't stop until she tripped and fell.

"You're... all right?" Regulus slowed to a walk and then sat beside her.

"No more... No more. You're one of them!"

"One of who?" said Regulus.

"Them."

"You mean... a wizard?"

"What do you want from us?" The woman sniffed. "We never did anything wrong."

"Did they use magic on you?" Regulus said. "You seemed afraid of my wand."

The woman shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "Why...?"

"I don't know," Regulus said. "I don't know why anyone would do this." He took off his cloak and spread it over the woman. "Try to calm down. It'll be all right. The Ministry should be here, and you won't know it ever happened. At least... they'd have come if they weren't so busy... fighting. But I'm sure they'll come, eventually."

"No," the woman hissed. "I don't want more of them to come. Just go away and leave us alone."

"But why? Why would anyone do this? I don't—I don't understand."

The woman sniffed and whimpered.

Reg reached for her. This time she didn't move away as he laid a hand on her shoulder. "What's your name?"