Regulus Black and The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 11 - Grey Lady

Regulus hoped things would return to normal- well as normal as they got.

James had developed a unexplainable seer ability from the accident.

It wasn't something anyone could explain, nor had ever seen.

Which caused Regulus to worry more about James than he'd already had been.

The 'visions' were sporadic, but frequent enough that Regulus had gotten somewhat used to them.

James' eyes would cloud a vibrant blue.

Regulus was able to communicate even if he were in one of his visions.

James explained them as almost memories.

Most times, though, James didn't tell Regulus about his visions.

They usually occurred while he was sleeping.

Regulus could tell by how James woke up, the harshness of his vision.

Sometimes he would wake up pale and out of it and others he'd wake up smiling and clinging to Regulus' side.

Regulus knew James had no control over when or what he saw.

Which would drive a control freak like Regulus crazy, but James had been taking it rather easy.

James assured Regulus that he was fine, but Regulus figured he was only lying so Regulus would focus on his NEWTs.

Regulus was ready for school to be over by the time NEWTs rolled around.

Ivan and Claudette had been joining him in the library to study everyday leading up to the tests.

Regulus was sitting in the library waiting for his friends, reading a book about the founder's objects- specifically Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem.

"Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem?"

Regulus turned to the voice.

A blonde girl was glancing over his shoulder.

She had curious blue eyes and fair skin that was covered in light freckles.

Regulus had seen her many times in his schooling, noticing her mostly for the peculiar way she dressed.

"Hello, Pandora." Regulus greeted.

"Hello", She returned with her floaty sing-song voice, "Read anything interesting about it?"

"Only that it's been lost for centuries now", Regulus sighed, "There isn't a person alive
today who's seen it."

"Perhaps you'll have more luck speaking with someone not alive." Pandora suggested.

Regulus' eyes widened, "You're a genius."

He abandoned his plans to study to set out with Pandora to find a ghost.

They didn't have to go far to get from the library to Ravenclaw Tower.

"If you're to find her, you'll find her down there." Pandora spoke as she stood in the doorway.

"Aren't you coming?" Regulus asked.

"No", She shook her head, "I think it's best if you two talk alone. She's very shy."

Regulus apprehensively started his walk down the dark hallway, the only light was the moon shining through the windows.

It wasn't long before Regulus spotted the ghost.

She was the least scary of any of the ghosts, and yet Regulus was more afraid of her than the others.

"You're the Grey Lady- the Ghost of Ravenclaw Tower." Regulus muttered.

"I do not answer to that name." She hissed as she vanished into the wall.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's Helena, isn't it? Helena Ravenclaw", Regulus quizzed, "Rowena's daughter."

"Are you a friend of Pandora's?" She asked, appearing again.

"Yes", Regulus started, "And she thought you might be able to help me."

"You seek my mother's diadem." She muttered.

"Yes", Regulus explained, "That's right."

She seemed to almost frown, "Pandora is kind, unlike
so many of the others. But she was wrong. I cannot help you."

She became a ball of light, passing through Regulus to disappear.

"Wait", Regulus called, chasing after her, "Please. I want to destroy it."

She paused.

"That's what you want too, isn't it, Helena? You want it destroyed?" Regulus quizzed.

"Another swore to destroy it many years ago... a strange boy with a strange name", She mumbled in distraught, "But he lied."

Tom Riddle-

"He's lied to many people." Regulus explained.

"I know what he's done!", She spat, rushing towards him, "I know who he is! He defiled it with dark magic!"

She seemed to calm down afterwards, floating her way into another area.

Regulus followed.

"I can destroy it once and for all, but only if you tell me where he hid it", Regulus muttered, "You do know where he hid it, don't you, Helena? You just have to tell me. Please."

"It's here... in the castle, in the place where everything is hidden", She started softly, "If you have to ask... you will never know. If you know, you need only ask."

"Thank you." Regulus muttered, although he had no idea the answer to her riddle.

She disappeared and Regulus made his way back to Pandora.

"I should head back to the library", Regulus explained, "Thanks for all your help."

Pandora nodded and smiled politely as Regulus went on his way.

He'd spotted Ivan and Claudette as he entered the library, sitting a table towards the back.

"What the hell?! You were supposed to meet us here like an hour ago." Ivan huffed.

"I spoke to the Grey Lady about the diadem." Regulus explained.

"What did she say?" Claudette quizzed, placing her book down.

"She said it was in the castle- in the place where everything is hidden", Regulus started, "She said, 'If you have to ask... you will never know. If you know, you need only ask'."

"The place where everything's hidden? Like the Room of Requirements?" Ivan started.

The pair looked at him, both a bit surprised.

"Don't you remember? When we first found it and never asked it to change, it was just a huge junk room." Ivan explained.

"You're a genius- I could almost kiss you." Regulus gleamed.

"Please don't." Ivan jeered.

So they hatched a plan.

A very thorough plan that hopefully would not get them maimed or killed.

They'd spent the entire week finishing out their NEWTs and by their last NEWT exam they were ready.

The trio would head to the Room of Requirements, find the diadem, and destroy it as soon as humanly possible.

It was a piece of cake.

The plan was great.

Only when had plans ever worked for the trio?

The answer- never.

Would their luck change?

No.

No- it most certainly would not.