RISE OF THE FALL | R.B.

XVI.

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

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CHAPTER XVI.

Regulus didn't want to see Reia like this.

He didn't want her to worry because of him; he didn't want her to be like this—to be so stressed and hopeless; because of what he had done.

"I'm sorry, Rei. I mean, Reia," He corrected himself quickly, meeting Reia's eyes, "I thought...I thought you wouldn't want to see me."

Reia groaned in frustration as she snapped, "And why wouldn't I want to see you, Regulus Black? You're my friend—I'm your friend—we've been friends for years. Do you seriously think that staying away—that not talking to me, will make me feel better than if you came and we had a conversation about what is really happening? Do you seriously think, that I'm an unreasonable person; that if you told me the truth, I wouldn't believe you, or I wouldn't be your friend anymore?"

No. Regulus didn't think that. He'd just...he'd just...he didn't even know anymore. He hadn't wanted to worry her—he hadn't wanted to bother her.

But it seemed that that was just another mistake.

Now he just had to add that onto the list of things that he couldn't do properly. The list of things that he'd done wrong—the list of things that he'd let happen.

His hand absently touched his left forearm at that thought, Reia's tone turned softer as she said, "Come on."

She tugged him to his feet, but then, as though just remember, Reia turned to the others—Lucius, Fagan, Narcissa, and said, "Same to all of you. If you all seriously think that...that...I'm not going to be your friend because of some mark on your arm after all these years—then you're all foolish little children."

She gave them a smirk—the smirk that Regulus was so used to seeing.

That single gesture gave him comfort; comfort that Reia was okay.

That she was still Reia—the girl that he'd known for so many years.

The girl who had been his friend through hard times, easy times. Through the times that Regulus had forgotten to do his homework—through the times that he'd receive harsh letters from his parents when his grades would drop by the tiniest fraction.

She'd been there.

But now, he didn't even know what to do, because he'd made her worry and he didn't want her to worry and he just—

The others murmured a reply to her that Regulus didn't quite hear, and, satisfied, Reia turned, grabbed his hand, and dragged him out of the compartment.

"We're going to Josie and I's compartment, in case you were wondering," She said lightly as she gave him a glance, "That's fine, right?"

"I don't mind," Regulus replied, and then he added with a sigh, "Look, Reia, I'm sorry. It's my fault that you had to worry; it's my fault—I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to...to worry you like that, I didn't mean to upset you, I just—,"

Reia shook her head and cut him off, "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, Reg."

"Then what does?"

"To me, what matters is not who, but rather, why."

Author's Note:

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