𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆, regulus black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟕: 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐧 𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

As dinner approached, Rabastan strolled into The Great Hall and took a seat next to Regulus. 

"Where were you all day?" asked Regulus in what had to be his best attempt at nonchalance. 

"Just out and about," answered Rabastan. 

"Doing what?" 

"Just this and that." 

Regulus turned to Rabastan and gave him a look that said 'stop messing around'. "What did she want?" 

"Who?" asked Rabastan. 

"Stop acting like an idiot. You know exactly who I'm talking about." 

"Oh, Rune. We were just catching up. But she and Tina were heading down to the dungeons because they wanted to sneak out." 

"Why?" asked Regulus. 

"Think they wanted to head to Hagrid's. He's got new puffskeins." 

"Did she say anything about me?" 

Rabastan frowned at Regulus. "Why are you so curious about her?" 

"I'm not curious about her. I just want to know what dirt she's throwing on my name." 

"Yeah," droned on Rabastan. "Of course, that's it." 

As Regulus placed a spoonful of lentil soup in his mouth, students came tumbling into The Great Hall shouting and panicking in an uncontrollable frenzy. 

Dumbledore stood up at once, silencing them all except for one. 

"Serpent!" shouted a panicked Ravenclaw girl. "There's a vicious Horned Serpent in the courtyard!" 

In all but a second, pandemonium erupted across The Great Hall.

Students began to scream and run wildly, some even pushing others to bolt the doors of The Great Hall, some knocking over platters of food, some knocking over others, while everyone wanted to hurry to safety. 

"Teachers and Prefects! Lead your house back to the dormitories!" boomed Dumbledore over the noise. "Steer clear of the dungeons."

Before any of them could, Dumbledore went hurrying out of the door, wand in hand and teachers in tow.

Regulus hit Rabastan's arm. "Where did you say Rune was?" 

"Dungeons," answered Rabastan. He pointed to Tina, "Oh, but Tina's here. Maybe she is too." 

Regulus surveyed The Great Hall twice over. There was no sight of that darned blonde-haired girl.

"Regulus," instructed the seventh-year prefect. "You take the third years. Use the entrance on the left."

Once he was out of earshot, Regulus turned to Rabastan. "You take the third years. Use the entrance on the left." 

"What? Why? Where are you going?"

Regulus cursed before muttering, "Rune might be in the dungeons." 

Before anyone could stop him, he went hurrying out of The Great Hall to find her. 

Had he turned back, he would have seen the grin that Rabastan and Tina shared across the chaos. 

*** 

Rune sat in the moonlight with her feet dangling in the cool water of The Great Lake as she hummed the lyrics from a song from a Cinderella film. 

"A dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep."