The Marauders: Year Seven Part Two

The Perfect Plan

Regulus was very suddenly unavailable to visit Professor Kettleburn. He returned a request for a visit to see how the bowtruckles were getting on with an apologetic reply, asking for a raincheck sometime in the near future. Regulus, however, didn't reckon that the "near future" would come before the following term. Between studying for the OWLs and working on perfecting the fine details of his plan, he knew he would scarcely have time to take a breath for the rest of term.

Horace Slughorn's last Slugclub meeting was also quite pared down (word had it that only a couple of his usual attendees came to the luncheon the Potions Master had organized, among the most notably absent being Lily Evans, Slughorn's favorite pupil). Regulus replied to his invitation to the luncheon with the same hopes to obtain a raincheck, though if he were honest he much less hoped that Slughorn would take him up on the offer to reschedule.

Regulus had formed an excellent plan to discover the secrets of Greyback's army without being suspected for being the leak at all, he just had to figure out how to enact the plan.

It was the week before the exams, and everyone in 5th and 7th years were positively going mad. They were crammed into the library and the shelves were starting to empty. Filch was reallocated to assisting Madame Pinch in reshelving the books after use, which seemed only to serve more frustration for the librarian as Filch gave little care to whether Moste Mundane Herbs & Remedies belonged under Potions or Herbology. Be damned if he had the time to alphabetize the books he put up, but he loaded them onto the shelves in great armfuls at a time, anywhere they could be stuffed in.

Regulus sat at a table by the door of the library, waiting, and watching his prey from across the room, pretending to leaf through pages of his Arithmancy book. It seemed to take hours, but at long last the greasy haired form of Severus Snape rose up from his stool by the Restricted Section, and began to pack up his things. Regulus hurriedly did the same, stepping out into the corridor directly behind Snape and grabbing onto the older boy's jumper sleeve.

"What do you want?" Snape asked, his voice snapping with impatience.

"I need to talk to you," Regulus whispered. "In private."

Severus looked Regulus over. The boy was clearly overtired and altogether disheveled, his hair wildly unkempt in a way that irritated Snape beyond words. He sneered at Regulus. "We have nothing to talk about," he said dismissively.

Regulus plowed around Snape, stepping in front of him quickly and stopping him at the bottom of the steps leading up from the library's corridor. "We do have things to talk about. Important things." Regulus gave Severus meaningful stare.

Severus's lips pressed tight together. Regulus reminded him simultaneously of his two least favorite people in the world, Snape suddenly realized, looking at the stupid, simpering face the boy was making - James Potter and Sirius Black. "You and I are not friends, whatever you might believe to the contrary, I am afraid," Severus hissed under his breath, "And there is nothing that I wish to communicate with you that makes me keen to interrupt what has been a very pleasant, quiet year without you tethered to my side. Good day, Regulus." Severus then attempted to step around Regulus, but he caught Snape about the elbow.

"It's about Lily Evans," Regulus said, and he put up the strongest walls about his mind that he was capable of laying.

Snape stared directly into Regulus's eyes, and an expression of frustration flickered on the edges of his mouth and then disappeared as his face returned to its stoic straightness. He pursed his lips. "What about Lily Evans?"

Regulus looked around, "Not here," he whispered, "The ears have walls, after all, Severus." Regulus reached into his bag and withdrew a book, handing it over to Severus, then turned and walked quickly away.