high adventure! → regulus black ✓

[14] a trip to the shops

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"NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT," said Regulus firmly, shaking his head. His response earned a huff of pure annoyance from the shorter blonde standing before him (and not that he'd dare to tell her, but she looked adorable when she was annoyed).

"Oh come on, Reg! It's been a week since we've left this flat, I don't think it would be much trouble to step out to the shops for a moment." Their Hogwarts endeavor had been a whole week ago at that point as Stella stood there in Sirius's living room, making her case. She was growing restless, having done nothing except relax far too much and eavesdrop on the murmurs from those around her about things they didn't want to worry her about.

"It isn't safe. The Death Eaters are still after us—after me. They'll do anything to get their hands on me, and you too, no doubt. We can't just go wander about at the shops."

"You don't really think they'd go after us with a bunch of Muggles around, do you?" Stella asked, brows raised challengingly.

"You'd be surprised," Regulus deadpanned. Exasperated, Stella looked to Sirius, who sat nearby on the sofa shamelessly eavesdropping.

"Come on, Sirius, tell him I'm right."

"I'm sorry, Stella, but he is right in this situation," sighed the older brother, clearly none too happy about his admission.
"The Death Eaters don't care about secrecy, nor do they care about how many Muggles they have to kill to achieve their ends." It was a blunt statement, but got the point across just fine, and Stella let out a sigh of what they assumed was defeat ...but she wasn't backing down entirely. She looked back to Regulus.

"Just one shop, one large enough to see everything, including if we're being followed. Please?" Sirius looked to his brother, expecting to see him stand his ground, but what he saw instead was quite different. It seemed that he was melting under her soft gaze, hesitating as he tried not to give in, though he looked about ready to do just that. Sirius would have smirked had it not been a concerning situation.

"One shop," Regulus told her firmly, finding great joy in the way she beamed at him.
"In and out, and we Apparate both ways."

"I'll grab my things," Stella replied cheerfully, pressing a kiss to his cheek and practically jogging to the guest bedroom, a spring in her step. Only once she was gone did Sirius rise from the sofa.

"You are aware of how dangerous this is, aren't you?" he asked his younger brother, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of course I am," the younger of the two replied quietly, all joy from earlier gone and replaced with visible concern.
"But she's getting restless, Sirius, and she's stubborn enough that, had I said no, she would have found her own way eventually, even if it meant going by herself. This was the safest way."

"This is a horrible idea ...but I must admit, it's far better than the alternative," Sirius sighed.
"Do you want me to tag along?"

"No, I can handle it, but thank you." Sirius gave him a nod in reply just as Stella reentered the room, her spirits higher than they had been in a few days.

"Ready?" she asked Regulus, who put on a calm facade and flashed a smile her way.

"I am. We'll Apparate from the alleyway." And so they left the flat, the two brothers both far too nervous for their liking.