Hiraeth | Regulus Black

Chapter Fourteen

Esme perched on the very edge of the leather seat, looking up at the stacks of bookcases around her. Silently, she thanked Orion Black for being away on business that weekend as it meant the girl could sit in the Black family office as long as she pleased.
Upon arriving at Grimmauld Place, Esme had wasted no time in hiding herself away in the room to avoid any further questioning from Regulus.

At least, that was until a knock sounded at the door.

"Esme?" A voice tentatively called out from the other side.
"There's nobody in here." Esme groaned before sitting back in her seat and hiding her face behind a book.

The door creaked open and of course nobody but Regulus Black stepped into the dusty room. He dug his hands deeply into the pockets of his trousers and tugged at his bottom lip with his teeth as he tried to find the words he wanted to say.

"About what you said before..." He started, unsure as to where he was heading.
"Don't-don't mention it." She slowly lowered the book slightly so her eyes could peer over the top, "I didn't know what I was talking about."

"You always know what you're talking about. That's what's annoying about you." Regulus retorted, awkwardly resting on the arm of one of the other chairs in the room.

"It was a guess. I wasn't serious." She shook her head in a futile attempt to persuade the boy to believe her lie.

"How did you know? More importantly, what do you know?" He desperately inquired.

She muttered under her breath, "I know everything you know."
"What is that supposed to mean? How?" Regulus struggled to comprehend what was being said to him.

"How could you not tell me?" Finally Esme dropped the book into her lap to face the boy fully.

"Tell you what?"
"You know what."

"You mean... How could I not tell you about..." His voice dropped to a whisper, "The Death Eaters?"

"Exactly." She frowned.

The atmosphere of the room had been building in intensity and was about to reach breaking point when the door flew open and Ignatius strutted in.

"What's going on here then? A little party?"

"Go away, Ig." The girl spoke swiftly, lifting up her book again to continue reading.

"Gee, talk about bad manners." Ignatius chuckled lightheartedly, "What's up with you?"
"Not important." She replied shortly.

"Could you... Give us a minute?" Regulus asked softly.

"Alright." Ignatius held his hands up, "I'll wait patiently downstairs for permission to hang out with you." He left without closing the door.

Regulus and Esme both watched carefully, neither one particularly wanting to return to their previous conversation but both desperate for some answers as to what the hell was going on.

"I don't know anything." Regulus moved to shut the door to the room, "All I know is my father was talking about Death Eaters. That doesn't mean anything. But... How do you know?"

"Of course it means something!" Esme exclaimed, throwing the book to the side and leaping to her feet, "Do you have any idea what that could mean for all of us?"

"What do you mean?" He shrugged.

"Entangling in that sort of... business... could get us all in unprecedented trouble! I won't have my life ruined because your dense father wants to discriminate on some innocent, naive muggles." She spat angrily.