See You Again

-𝕏𝕏𝕏𝕍𝕀𝕀-

She made her way through the gargoyle corridor, clutching the piece of parchment with "Pepper Imps!" written on it. It seems Dumbledore, had finally sought to summon her to his office over the suspicious incident that had happened yesterday with the Slytherins. The gargoyle stepped aside as she said the password, and she took a step onto the ascending staircase. 'Come in!' Dumbledore voiced, before she even knocked. It was quite unnerving how the office looked exactly as it had from her time. 'Ah, Miss Lovella... how wonderful of you to come see me.' He spoke with his faux, kind, grandfatherly voice as he gestured for her to take the seat in front of his desk. She plastered on a small curious smile as she took her seat. 'You wished to see me, sir.' He nodded his head gently as he secretly tried to invade her mind, it took everything she had to not burst out laughing when he failed. 'I have summoned you here today, because there was an incident yesterday, that I would like to ask you about.' She tilted her head slightly, feigning curious innocence. 'Incident? Sir.'

An hour later she sat on the dock at the Black Lake. Luckily Dumbledore had no evidence, just suspicion, and the Slytherins refused to say anything... She had a feeling Barty may be behind that. But she knew one thing for sure! Dumbledore will be keeping a closer watch on her from now on. She was brought out of her musings by someone sitting down next to her, to her immense surprise, it was none other than Regulus Black. They both sat in silence before Ara couldn't take it anymore and blurted out, 'I always wanted to meet you.' He looked at her surprised and she gave him a small smile in return. 'Sirius, would always tell me stories about you and the Marauders. I think it helped him deal with it all.' 'He told stories about me?' He whispered in disbelief. She hummed quietly in response, 'He would tell me about how amazing you were at playing Seeker, how much of a great flyer you were, that you had more heart combined than the entire Black family. He also told me about all the chaos the two of you had caused prior to Hogwarts... Did you really turn Bellatrix's hair into worms?' Regulus snorted, 'It was my accidental magic, but I don't regret it.' He finished with a smirk.

They both sat there lost in their own little thoughts as they watched the water in the far distance ripple, then Regulus broke the silence. 'Are you going to tell them?' She turned to look at him, puzzled. 'Tell who? What?' He raised his brow and then realization dawned on her. 'Barty told you about -' 'The price. Your soul in exchange for changing the past. Are you gonna tell them?' She looked back to the water with a conflicted expression. She should. She knew that, but - saying it was the problem. All it would do is hurt them more than she already has. 'I - I don't know how.' She whispered with a pained expression. 'You told Barty.' 'That's different.' 'Is it?' He looked at her like he was trying to solve the most intriguing riddle, before he seemed to have come to his own realization. 'Life's been very cruel to you. After everything you went through and now, you fall in love with someone you could never be with because of the price of saving him and the ones you love.' 'I -' Regulus quickly cut her off, 'He feels the same way about you, you know. He was a little slow but he's finally realized it. Though I am quite surprised that you realized how you felt before him. In your memories you seemed to be a bit... oblivious to such things.' She opened and closed her mouth a few times, failing at coming up with words.

He watched amused as she struggled to find words, at least he confirmed what he needed to. It was mutual. He was still processing the memories he saw. It was honestly astonishing that she survived, let alone came back to the past. He honestly held a lot of respect for her. He'd already made up his mind to help Barty find a way to save her, but he was curious whether Barty actually had a chance with her. If it would all be... not for nothing but, a hopeless love endeavor? Though she clearly doesn't realize Barty's not the only one that has a thing for her. And to be completely honest with himself, he didn't want her to go either. If he had any chance at fixing his relationship with his brother, having her here, would probably help a lot as well. Coming out of his inner pondering, it was time to get to the second reason he went looking for her.

'I think I know where the locket is.' He suddenly said, drawing her attention back to him. 'What? Where?' His face suddenly morphed into a grimace as he spoke his next words, 'I believe my mother may currently have it.' Her face suddenly morphed into a matching grimace, 'Not the banshee...' She whispered under her breath, causing him to snort. 'Why do you think she has it?' Regulus then thought back to the end of summer, a week before returning to Hogwarts, 'She had company over... I didn't see who but when they left - I remember her walking up the stairs cradling a type of necklace. I believe it may have been the locket. I think I was able to feel its... presence, whenever I passed the second library.' Ara pondered quietly to herself. Did he give it to Walburga until he found a proper place, and created enough inferi? She mustn't have told anyone... Kreacher wasn't aware she ever had it.

'Thank you. That helps a lot.' She whispered back to him with a small smile. 'So, what's the plan?' 'Plan?' 'Yea, to get the locket.' Does he think... 'No.' 'No?' 'I came back to prevent everything from happening the way it did. That includes you and the damn locket going anywhere near one another!' 'How do you expect to get it without my help! It's not like you can just waltz into Grimmauld and take it!' Regulus protested in shock. 'As a matter of fact I can!' She protested back. Now it was Regulus's turn to sit there looking like a fish gasping for air as he continuously opened and closed his mouth. 'But - But it's Black family magic! It's enchanted and protected by wards!' 'So is Hogwarts, and yet I surpassed those wards easily. Look! I appreciate you wanting to help. Truly. But I'm not gonna put you at risk, Regulus. And there's nothing you can do about that, you took the vow.' And before he could protest or say anything else, she got up and left. Regulus watched as she walked away full of a mixture of different emotions....