The Haunting of Aspen Bleu

13

Dear Aspen,

Justice and vengeance are two different things. That's what you would say. But you're gone.

Sirius Black

1 WEEK LATER...
REGULUS BLACK

My hands were shaking and I felt sick. I knew this was the right thing. But it felt so wrong. My trembling fist knocked on the Gryffindor portrait and a young boy answered the door. "No Slytherins allowed." he said. "I need to see my brother." I said. He frowned. "Now." I snapped. He let me in and led me up to Sirius's dorm. I knocked on the door before I could talk myself out of it. A few seconds passed and the door opened. "What do you want?" James snapped. "To confess." I said, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. His face dropped. He opened the door and Sirius was sitting on the bed. Remus and Peter were there too. They were all there. "What are you doing here?" Sirius asked. "I didn't mean to hurt her." I said. His face faltered. "What?" he choked out. "It was an accident. I promise." I said. "Tell me what happened. Just tell me." Sirius said. I nodded and exhaled a shaky breath. And I told him.

FLASHBACK

"You're always forgetting your stuff." Rabastan said. "Fuck off, it'll take 5 minutes." Lucius snapped. We walked into the old potions room and Aspen Bleu was sitting there, curled up on the chair, crying. "Well, well, well, look at what we have here." Lucius said smugly. She looked up quickly, wiping away her tears. "Leave me alone!" she said. "We have more of a right to be here than you do, mudblood." Rabastan snapped. She sighed. "Fine. I'll leave." she said standing up and grabbing her bag. She walked over and tried to push past us, but Lucius pushed her back. Her face faltered and she kept her chin up. "You don't scare me." she said. "Really?" Rodolphus said. "Let me through." she said. "No." Rabastan said. She looked at me with pleading eyes. "Regulus, if Sirius finds out that you were bothering me, he'll-" she started. "What? What will he do?" I asked. "Just let me go." she said. I scoffed. "Don't look at me for help, mudblood. You disgust me." I spat. Her face fell. She pushed past us again and this time, Lucius shoved her harder and she fell back. Before she could draw her wand, ours were pointed at hers. She slowly stood up, raising her hands in surrender. "I don't want trouble. Just let me go." she said. "Go ahead, Regulus. Show her what we do to mudbloods." Lucius said smugly. I looked at them with concern. "If I hurt her, we'll get in trouble." I whispered. "So what? We'll get detention. It's worth it." Rodolphus said. "Put her in her place." Rabastan added. I looked at her and she shook her head. "Fine." I said. But she reached for her wand. Before I could think, she was speaking a spell. So I spoke faster. "Stupefy!" I yelled. It hit her square in the chest and her body was thrown back against the stone wall. The smacking sound of her small frame against the wall echoed through the room and she went limp. "Bloody hell!" Lucius exclaimed. I pushed them out of the way and ran over to her. I shook her body and her eyes opened slightly. "It hurts- I- I can't breathe-" she said weakly. She coughed and blood spilled out of her mouth and down her chin. My eyes widened and I turned to them.
"We have to take her to the hospital wing." I said. "No! No way! We'll get in so much trouble for dueling without teacher's." Lucius said. "She's hurt!" I exclaimed. Aspen fought to keep her eyes open and her head up. I held her chin, holding her up. Her face was pale and her eyes looked cloudy. "Something is seriously wrong." I said. "She'll be fine." Rabastan snapped. "No, she won't!" I yelled. "Do you really want your parents to know you helped a mudblood?" Rodolphus added. I turned back to her. She took shallow breaths and blood seeped from her nose. "Please- help me- I- I'm scared. It hurts to breathe." she said. "I- I can't." I said. Fear filled her eyes. "Please." she whimpered. "Regulus, let's go." Rodolphus said. "Leave her. I'll bet your brother will come running for her." Rabastan said. I turned back to her and stood up. There was blood on my hands. Her blood. "I'll send Sirius as soon as I can." I whispered. Her eyes widened and I walked away.

Silent tears streamed down their cheeks and I was surprised they hadn't killed me yet. "You just left her there to die?" Sirius choked out. "I had no choice. If I helped her-" I started. "You killed Aspen." James said. I looked at him. "It was an accident. I was only going to hex her. But then she drew her wand and I didn't mean for the spell to hit her that hard." I said. Tears filled my eyes and I looked at Sirius. "I was going to sneak out that night and go back for her. I swear." I said. "But you didn't." Sirius said. I shook my head. "I didn't." I said.