The Truth Behind the Veil ✔️

What Did I Do Wrong

Warning:

This chapter will probably cause some tears.

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   "I'm back!" sang Sirius Black, the sound of apparition echoing through the flat. This would be perfectly acceptable if it wasn't two in the morning.

    Fawn and Regulus both left their rooms, wands raised in half-asleep delirium at what was assumed to be an intruding threat.

  "Stupefy!" The kitchen table chairs crashed noisily to the floor, accompanied by a large human thud and a dragged out pain-filled groan.

   "Wha's goin' on?" Remus Lupin asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes. His David Bowie t-shirt was crumpled and his flannel pajama pant legs had rolled up showing off his calf. There was no wand in his hand. In fact, if he weren't a grown man and so skilled in defense, some may say Remus Lupin looked a bit like a groggy toddler.

    "We heard someone apparate in here and shout," Fawn explained.

  Regulus ran a hand through his usually tame but currently tangled hair. "Now that I've thought about it, it's probably just Sirius." Remus rose an eyebrow at the two.

   Fawn lowered her wand slightly and turned on the light to reveal that the intruder had, in fact, been an idiotic Sirius Black having returned from his work with the Order. He was crumpled over a few chairs but was clearly playing into dramatics, not being overly injured.

    Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Welcome back, Sirius."

  The Raven-haired young man smiled guilty. "Hiya Moony. Did I wake you?"

   "I'm going back to bed," Remus sighed. His footsteps thudded down the hall. He loved Sirius but sometimes his boyfriend was a real pain in the arse.

   "Repairo," Regulus muttered. The chairs returned to their places and the kitchen was clean and tidy once again.

   "Miss me?"

   Sirius was met with the shutting of bedroom doors.

    That morning, the group of four were much more rested and better able to handle the eldest boy's antics. He was chatting excitedly about his mission, adding sound effects and wand movements for emphasis. No one would have guessed he was acting out a battle in the middle of a war instead of some game with action-figures without context.

   Remus and Fawn were listening with tired, amused smiles on their faces while they ate.

   Regulus was more focused on his own thoughts. At any moment Sirius could find out the truth and act as if Regulus was the bane of his existence. He'd lose all of his friends, maybe even be sent to Azkaban, all because Dumbledore only allowed Fawn to know the truth.

   Speaking of Fawn, the two had kissed last night. Realistically nothing more was going to happen. Fawn had to return home—if there was even a home still waiting for her. There was a large chance the timeline that she had come from no longer existed—and Regulus belonged there, in the seventies. Love didn't exist—couldn't exist—in this situation. That was okay, really the least of any of their problems in the present moment.

   "Hey Reg, pass the orange juice."

   Sometimes the simplest things cause the most destruction.

   Regulus grabbed the carton, stretching his arm out to give it to his brother. His shirt sleeve, in the process, rolled up. This wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that the Slytherin boy was left handed.

   "Thanks Reg—" Sirius paused, the juice carton still raised mid-air.

   Remus and Fawn noticed pretty quickly the situation but it was too late to save. Fawn squeezed her eyes closed, begging every god ever talked about, real or not, that this wasn't happening. Regulus yanked down his sleeve but the damage had already been done.

   "Regulus..."

   Sirius had never sounded so broken before. Fawn had always expected that in the situation where Sirius must have found out about Regulus' Death-Eater status that there had been some sort of huge blow up, that Regulus was thrown across the room and a duel to challenge all duels had occurred. Instead, Sirius sat staring at where Regulus' arm had once been with empty, dejected eyes full of heartbreak.

   "Sirius I—"

  "H-How could you?"

  "Sirius please..."

   But there was nothing to explain, nothing he could say to make this better. The brotherly love that had taken so long to rebuild had broken once again, and this time, there was no spell or running away from home that could mend it.

   Sirius stood to his feet slowly. He shook his head, running his hand over his face. He didn't meet Regulus' eye when he spoke next. "What did I do wrong?"

   Regulus' lips trembled. His hand twitched, longing to reach out and assure Sirius that this wasn't his fault, but he couldn't.

   Fawn had never despised Dumbledore—or anyone for the matter—so much before. Because if Regulus was sworn not to tell anyone besides herself, she was too.

   "I'm so sorry."

   The older brother shook his head again, feeling nothing but regret. "I-I can't look at you anymore." Sirius brushed past him and locked himself in his and Remus' shared bedroom.

   Remus looked solemnly at the boy. "Regulus, I think it's best if you leave." Regulus shared a fleeting look with Fawn but both knew it was futile to beg.

  "I'll walk you out."

   "Are you sure that's a good idea, Fawn?"

   She met Remus' concerned gaze. "He won't hurt me, Remus. Trust me."

   "I do trust you." Both knew what he was insinuating. Regulus wasn't trustworthy anymore, not to anyone other than Fawn.

   She went to argue but Regulus stopped her with a light touch to her arm. "It's okay Fawn, I understand. I'll leave."

   Despite wanting to know where'd he'd go, if he'd be safe, she knew the answer and that almost hurt worse. The guilt tore at her as she watched the place where he'd disapparated from. He'd done this for her. She could blame Dumbledore all she wanted, but the truth was, Regulus chose this to help Fawn Briggs and Fawn Briggs alone.

Sorry