My Breath || S. B.

9. Class Buddies

Junia entered the train, following the direction of the pushing crowd. "Merlin, since when did— Oh!" Her head knocked on someone's back, right on the shoulder blade. She held up her hand to her eye and winced.

The person quickly turned around to check on her, "Oh my goodness. I'm sorry— Junia?"

"Regulus?" she perked her head up to see a familiar face.

"Merlin, I'm so sorry," Regulus quickly held up his hands and inspected her eyes. "Shit. You've got a little bruise."

"Don't worry about it. It'll heal," Junia brushed his concern off. "But honestly, since when did everyone become so... uncivilised?"

Regulus chuckled, "C'mon let's find an empty seat."

The two walked further ahead, passing the sea of students until they found two perfectly empty seats. Not a compartment, but it'll do.

"Finally," Regulus sighed as he sat down across from Junia, placing his sweater on the table between them. "Oh yeah, how was the, you know, arrangements? I didn't get the chance to write to you and ask about it."

Junia grimaced, "I had hoped that you'd forget about that. Let's just say that it went the way I had expected. Oh and I got this thing," she held up her hand, showing off the magnificent stones on her ring finger. "That just wouldn't come off," she tried to pull the ring out again, knowing that it would not work.

"They must've charmed it," Regulus pointed out.

"I know," Junia said in a tone of regret, "I shouldn't have tried it on so carelessly."

"It's a nice ring," Regulus tried to make her feel better.

Junia nodded, "That's exactly the reason why it's stuck on me now."

"Oh yeah, um have you looked at the things I asked you to check out in your house?" Regulus asked her.

Throughout the summer, Regulus and Junia had exchanged many letters which they ended up burning in the fireplace to avoid any unwanted consequences if the letters were ever to be in another person's hands.

Despite Junia's initial impression on Regulus' plan in digging up Voldemort's secrets, she ended up being more involved than anyone would've expected. The time the summer holiday provided allowed Regulus and Junia to be sure that Volde— Tom Riddle's secret is none other than his horcrux or even horcruxes.

For now the two only knew that one of them is the Slytherin Locket. Hepzibah Smith, an antique collector who was definitely murdered by Riddle, had bought it from the Black Family a few decades back. It was not significant to the Black Family amongst their many other possessions, so they accepted the 2 million galleons offered by Smith. When Smith died, the Blacks tried to get it back, but the Locket disappeared.

The odd disappearance of Helga Hufflepuff's Cup from Smith's collection also brought attention to the two. He knew that Tom Riddle, the boy Voldemort used to be, looked up to the founders of Hogwarts because as an orphan he most likely saw Hogwarts as his home.

Regulus suspected that Voldemort might have taken something from the Crawfords, after all Junia's ancestors were very highly regarded by Voldemort himself.

"No, nothing seems to be missing," Junia shook her head. "Mother always made sure of that."

Regulus sighed, "Well, I guess the only confirmed one is the locket."

"I'm sure the cup is too," Junia continued.

"But you know the connection is just not quite there. Do you really think the Dark Lo— Voldemort is that sentimental?" Regulus raised his brow questioningly.