Black Rose [Regulus Black]

28 - devil's lairs & pigeon biscuits

"Regulus!" Alessandra gasped out, green eyes wide with a little happiness and a lot more horror. "What a surprise!"

"I made plans with you for today at this time," Regulus pointed out.

"Yes!" she squeaked, "Yes, yes, you did, Regulus!" She enunciated his name so that Sirius and his friends would hear and get out, but then remembered that it was Sirius and his friends so there was no point having hope.

"What happened to you?" he demanded. "Why are you acting so strange?"

From the other room, she heard Chelsea laugh and her breath hitched. This was a terrible situation, to say the least. Her best friend, who didn't know about the magic world or even the people in her friend's company, was sitting in the room with a bunch of wizards, who the person in front of her absolutely loathed (and he was also a tad bit clueless around Muggles, which was the cherry on top).

What was next? Voldemort walking through the door? Maybe even with Bellatrix and the rest of his cronies in tow?

"No, it's fine, I'm fine," she laughed. "Should we go out or something? Get some fresh air?"

Chelsea laughed once again, and she heard one of the men chuckle. In front of her, Reg tried to take a peek over her shoulder, his eyebrows were knitted perplexedly and she hoped that he didn't see the pink on her cheeks.

"I... don't think that's a good idea, you should stay indoors for a few days," he replied absent-mindedly. "Is this a bad time? Do you have guests over?"

"Yeah," she breathed out in relief, "Maybe tomorrow?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but whatever he was about to say was drowned out by the laughter of a woman and multiple men. Multiple familiar-sounding men, to him.

"What was that?" he questioned, jaw flexing because he already had his suspicions.

"Nothing, Regulus!" she shrilled, trying to get their attention yet again.

However, it was a futile attempt because Sirius' voice rang out clear as day, "-and of course, because I'm not an idiot, I told him to bring out the fox!"

She shut her eyes for ten seconds when Reg charged past her into the room where the laughing guests sat.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, glaring at all of the people that sat frozen in her living room and then rounding on her as she slowly approached the scene of the upcoming disaster. "Alessandra, what are they doing here?"

"I- just one second," she said, turning to her friend, who sat there with wide eyes. "Chels, I'm sorry but I think you need to leave, I'd really rather you not get caught up in this. I'll fill you in later, I promise."

Chelsea looked like she wanted to say something, but thankfully just pursed her lips and began picking up her stuff. Alessandra could practically hear the seconds ticking by as Chelsea left, and guilt rose up in her for dismissing her friend like that. She didn't know how she was going to explain all this, it was actual insanity. Half the time, even she didn't know what was happening.

Now was one of those times.

"Why. Are. They. Here?" Regulus hissed.

"I don't know either," she admitted. "They just came strolling in, and because my friend was in here, I couldn't kick them out without revealing too much."

Sirius threw a wounded look in her direction. "You opened the door for us."

"What are you doing here?" Reg cut in.

Sirius grinned at his brother sheepishly. "It was raining and this was the closest place we could find-"

"Why not apparate? Why not use magic to conjure an umbrella or put on a rain-repelling charm?"