This is Home | Marauders Era

IV. Let Me Go

CW: emetophobia, suicidal thoughts, & child abuse. like, a lot of child abuse. please be kind to yourselves when you think about whether or not you should truly be reading this chapter (it does get better after this, i promise!!) <3

"Regulus?" James called again, his brow furrowed as he looked around.

People were looking at him strangely as he searched for the boy, walking along the ends of the aisles and looking down each one for that familiar bone structure and head of curly black hair. When he had reached the other end of the store and double-tracked with absolutely no sign of the other boy, James stopped. He put his hands on his hips and tilted his head, scanning the area with a look of utter perplexity on his face.

"Regulus?"

He was racking his brain for any place that Regulus could have gone. Had he left to go back to the house without saying anything to James? But no, he wouldn't do that, right? He would have at least let James know?

He realized that this wasn't necessarily a factual statement; Regulus Black was quite unpredictable, after all.

But, there was something about the whole thing that just didn't sit right with him.

He began his journey to the front of the store, intent on getting home so that he could be sure that Regulus was there. Though, on the way out, he saw a familiar face.

"Ms. Rhee!" He exclaimed, drawing in the attention of the small woman. She smiled brightly at him as he approached, neither having expected to see the other. "I thought you were heading the other way?" James asked, having remembered the fact that she had walked the opposite direction of Regulus and James on their parting.

"Oh, I remembered that I needed to pick up some apples!" She said, beaming at him.

An idea suddenly struck James. "Hey, Ms. Rhee, d'you remember the boy I was with?"

"Oh, yes! Regulus, was his name?" James nodded. "Yes, I do. I just saw him a moment ago, actually," she turned and pointed out of the front doors, indicating that she had seen him leave.

"Was he with anyone when he left?"

Ms. Rhee nodded, much to James's confusion. Though, it all clicked into place just as the words were leaving her mouth. "I believe he was leaving with his mother or someone of the sort. Looked very similar, they did. Well now, where are you off to?" James had been running out of the store before she had even finished speaking.

He was running as fast as his legs could carry him, tearing down the sidewalk on his way back to his house. He was searching the streets as he ran, hoping desperately that Ms. Rhee had simply been mistaken. But, the dread in the pit of his stomach was enough to make him assume otherwise.

He needed to get home, and he needed to get home right then.

Come with me and I won't kill him.

That had been what the all-too-familiar voice of his mother had whispered into his ear. Regulus had known then that there was no choice - he wouldn't let someone die just because of his own selfishness. So, he had gone with her without protest.

She had gripped his arm so tightly that he could've sworn he felt it on his bone, her fingers digging so painfully into his skin that he knew it would bruise. And it had been then that he realized he was right, and it had been then that he realized just what was waiting for him when he got back to Number 12.

She had apparated him as soon as they were behind the store, not needing any aurors showing up due to a broken Statute of Secrecy. She knew it was unlikely, but she and Orion were already in such deep trouble with the Dark Lord that she did not need to take any chances.