The Story of Regulus Black - Years 5-7

XXXVIII. And They Were Happy

Chapter Notes: timeline is sort of confusing in this, please just bear with me
CW: sad (i'm sorry in advance) also some child abuse & brief gore

Voldemort had planned. He had planned, and he had planned, and he had planned until everything fell perfectly into place as though it was a well-built puzzle. He was beyond excited to carry out his plan - to finally take Hogwarts and kill as many as he needed to in the process.

When he had been informed of the Hogsmeade celebration, it had fit together perfectly. Not only would they not be expecting it, but the gates would also be wide open and ready to enter. He would be able to walk right in without any protest; surely the Resistance wouldn't have enough time to gather themselves when he showed up. So, there would be nothing but students and a minimal amount of students fighting against him and his followers who were not beyond killing children if the task called for it.

Hogwarts would be his for the taking.

At first, everyone had been frozen in place. Deacon and Francesco had dropped hands when they came back to the main street, but the shock of the cracks echoing around them and the figures appearing had certainly been enough to make them drop any worries for what others might think. Francesco had wrapped an arm protectively over the smaller boy as the figures all wearing grotesque masks and long cloaks appeared around them. Deacon had curled himself into Francesco's grip, eyes wide with panic as the both of them froze and stared forward, unsure what to do.

When one of the taller figures pointed a wand and struck one of the Hogsmeade residents in the back with a Killing Curse, the gravity of the situation settled in. People began screaming, and they began scattering - some people went for the shops, some for cover wherever they could get it, and the boldest of the occupants began a sprint back to the castle. Some of the Hogsmeade residents and teachers alike were drawing their wands, fighting the intruders. Sparks began flying left and right, hitting people, knocking over carts, hitting buildings and shattering glass. Explosions, and roaring flames, and screams, and whistling winds were the only sounds in the village that had been completely peaceful mere seconds before.

Deacon stayed frozen. He was gripping a fistful of Francesco's coat so tightly that his knuckles were white and his hands were shaking. His eyes were wide with panic, ears ringing and heart beating so violently against his ribcage that he was afraid they would break. Ever since he was young, Deacon had never been one to react well during a time of panic.

This, as it turned out, was no different.

Deacon could barely process the sound of Francesco's voice in his ears before he was suddenly pulled away. All sound came back to him - as though his head had been pulled out from a bucket of water. He could just barely make out the feeling of fingers twined with his own, pulling him off to the side as screams sounded around him and a fire burned to his right. Suddenly, he was pulled to the ground, and dust entered his nose on heavy inhales, but he was barely coughing in the panic of it all.

Francesco was face to face with Deacon, hands pressed on either of his cheeks and fear clear in his eyes. But, Francesco did not have time to be afraid - he just needed to be sure that Deacon was alright. Above all, he just needed to get Deacon out of here and make sure that he was ok.

"Deacon, I need you to listen to me," Francesco said, voice shaking with fear as the two boys ducked behind a cart that had been pushed over by a spell. Their faces were lit up by the orange glow of the fires around them, screams ringing in their ears and the sounds of spells being cast with the small addition of teachers and adults alike trying to round all of the students and children into safety.

Francesco kept his hands comfortingly on Deacon's cheeks, thumbs running over the skin in an attempt to soothe at least a fraction of his fears. "Deacon, love, I need you to listen, ok? Can you do that?"