Secret lovers - Regulus Black / short story

C h a p t e r O n e

"You seem out of place sis, everything okay?" asks James Potter to the small girl standing next to him, watching forward in the void, her eyes empty, like she was frozen. The music kept going, everyone was dancing around her, in their Halloween costume. But she was standing still in the corner of the big room, quiet. James was starting to freak out as she wasn't answering and he moved his hand in front of her to make her react. "Earth to Julia, wake up" he laughs trying to get her to talk.

"Sorry what did you say?" she said as she came out of her trance. She wouldn't tell him what was going on in her mind, but she had to figure out something before he'd realise who she was looking at. "I was just lost in my thoughts, did you need something?"

"No I was just checking on you, I saw you all by yourself in your ugly costume, I felt bad for you." James laughed as he was mocking her. She knew he was only being an asshole because he thought it was fun and not because he meant what he was saying. Very deep inside his heart, there was a place for Julia, but he wasn't the kind to talk about emotions.

"Oh fuck off James, I don't need rescuing, if I'm alone it means I chose to. Go back to your stupid friends, you'll become smart if you stay with me too long, we wouldn't want that would we?" she stuck her tongue out of her mouth and walked away from her big annoying brother. He was a smart guy, he just didn't want to be smart, he'd rather pull out pranks with his three friends and flirt with Gryffindor girls. Especially Lily, he liked flirting with her, even though she wasn't flirting back, he was sure she'd break some day and accept to go on a date with him. He was very confident about it and that amused a lot of people, including Julianna who made a bet with the marauders. When would Lily finally accept to go out with James? Remus and Sirius said the same thing, not surprising, but one had to change, it wasn't fair. Sirius chose Halloween and Remus said Christmas. They would eventually find out the next day if Black was right. Peter was convinced she would never agree, and they wouldn't end up together. Julia knew Lily wouldn't break easily, she liked seeing James struggle, but she did have a crush on him, that, she only told the girls. Julia decided to play safe and she bet Lily would go out with James before spring break. She was praying in her head that Lily would accept her crush and make her win the bet. Which was an interesting one, the winner wouldn't have money as they used to do on regulars bet throughout the years. No, this time, Sirius wanted something fun. The losers would have to get detention. They'd have to intentionally make a mistake that would earn them several hours in detention. The winner could taunt them during their detention time without the others flinching.

Julianna walked through the dancing crowd in their big costume to join her Slytherin friends, Severus and Regulus. They were a great group, she was with them most of the time, when she wasn't hanging out with the olders. She liked hanging out with the marauders and their friends but they were all so reckless and stupid whereas Severus and Reggie were more calm and had their head on their shoulders. Severus was the quiet one, probably due to James formerly bullying him. Julia couldn't even count the amount of times she had to apologize for her brother's action so he'd finally agree to be friends with her. He still hates her brother, but she's not him. He wouldn't talk much but he was very wise and gave the best advices. He also was extremely good in potions and she was the worst, it was nice to have him help her. Regulus wasn't a loud person either, out of the three of them, Julia was the talkative one. Reggie was a perfectionist, he liked when everything was going as planned, he was a very reserved person but Julia knew him best and he would be more open with her. She knew he was a passionate guy, doing the things he loved with passion but his family was the worst and she would watch him be drowned by their believes and ideals. She tried as much as she could to keep him from ending up like them, but he was his mother's favorite and deeply cared about his family, as dark as they would be. She couldn't make him change his mind, but it wasn't her place, he could do whatever he wanted, it was his choices, his life. She liked him for who he was, and she believed he was a good person.

"Julia! What are you dressed as? A unicorn?" Sirius stopped her before she could meet her friends. He was just like James, making fun of her all of the time. He was like a second brother to her as he was living with them since he ran away.

"It's not a unicorn dumbass, I don't have a horn. I'm a hippogriff, it's obvious."

"Right yeah, obvious." Sirius says in a sarcastic way, preventing her from continuing her way. "Where are you going like his?"

"To see my friends."

"I'm your friend."

"No you're annoying, can you please move."

"You're not a very funny person Julianna, you should spend more time with your brother."

"I spend enough time with him already, thank you." She walks past him, pushing him to the side and finally reaches Severus and Regulus. "Hey guys, what are you up to?"

"Not much." answers Regulus taking a sip of his glass. "Just watching people from afar."

"Yeah, you're bored too?"

"Very."

"I think I'm gonna go anyway, I'm not a party person, I'll let you two alone. Goodnight gentlemen." she smiles at them and glances at Regulus, praying he understand she doesn't actually want to go to sleep.

"Goodnight Julia" says Severus, knowing everything going on between them but keeping it to himself. As Regulus says a fake goodnight, Julianna leaves the great hall and goes to the seventh floor, hidden behind a wall, waiting for Regulus. He finally joins her long minutes after, so Severus wouldn't suspect anything. If they only knew...

"Julie?" Whispers Regulus arriving on the seventh floor.

"Reg! I'm here!" She emerges from her hiding place and walks fast to him opening his arms to welcome her into a warm hug. It was very hard to hide all the time, they wish they could hold hands in the hallways and kiss on a bench outside, not caring about people's eyes on them. But it wasn't that simple. "Did Severus say something?"

"No, I don't think he knows, he doesn't really pay attention to that kind of things, we're okay."

"Maybe we should tell him, he could cover for us, I don't think he would say anything to my brother."

"Oh I know he wouldn't, but I still think no one can know, it's more careful."

"You're right." She lifts her head up and he kisses her on the forehead before facing the empty wall of the seventh floor and see a door appearing. "I can't believe we actually found it."

"I'll never be thankful enough for that room."

"Hopefully we're the only ones."

"Even if other students would come to find it, they wouldn't think of the same place as we do."

"Yeah, that's true. We're safe in it." She smiles while her beloved opens the door and takes her inside. A bed they now know very well is waiting for them, in the same spot from last time they were here. No one could ever find them in the Room of Requirements, few people know the existence of it, and even fewer know where it is and how to use it. Julianna found it not long after Regulus and her started dating and he asked her if she knew a place they could go without being scared someone would see them. One day she walked through the hallways of the seventh floor thinking about where she and Reggie could hide, when the door just appeared out of nowhere. She remembered the stories she heard in her first years about a secret room that would turn into whatever you want it to be. She was so excited, she almost revealed their secret in front of everyone. But Julia is the best secret keeper, she learned to lie to her brother very early and Regulus, as a reserved person, is good at hiding anything. They knew they could keep their relationship secret for a very long time, it was no problem. The problem was, they didn't want to hide, but they had to.