𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 ⎼⎼ 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤

v. friends

The two sat until the stars were up overhead.

"Well, now that we're friends, I've got a favor to ask of you." Regulus spoke. Mairead looked at him, then smiled.

"Anything." She said. He sighed and drew in a deep breath. He knew it was a long shot to ask, but he was so uncomfortable going alone. Plus he'd have to explain the whole wizarding world and war to her, but he thought it was worth the trouble. He faced her fully, curling up into the chair he sat in.

"I...A family friend is throwing a birthday party for her son next week. And I really don't want to go alone. I was...wondering, if you'd come with me. As a friend, of course." He stuttered. Mairead smiled at Regulus. To her, it wasn't even a question.

"Of course, I'll go. Are they close by?" She asked. Regulus was obviously British, but she wasn't sure if his family lived close or if they were back in England. She assumed he either moved here to be far from his family, or close to the sea.

"They're in England. But before we go, I've got to tell you something. And it might ruin everything, so just try to listen to the whole thing, okay?" Mairead furrowed her eyebrows and fully turned to face Regulus. He just stared at the girl, then flicked his wrist. She just was confused until she saw a book zoom full-force into his hand. He caught it easily and Mairead's jaw dropped.

"You...you...you're one of them." Regulus' stomach dropped. Mairead just clenched her jaw and watched him look away. "Regulus." She whispered. "I knew I recognised the name." He looked up at her with a shocked look written on his face. She got up and paced around her living room, Regulus looking at her with intent eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked. She looked at him incredulously.

"I mean you're the Slytherin seeker! We were in the same year, oh how could I be so stupid!" She tugged at her hair. Regulus just looked at her. She wasn't a muggle? Mairead Walsh was in his year? At Hogwarts?

"Y-you what? How do I not remember you?" He asked. She plopped down on the couch and buried her face in her hands. Just remembering Hogwarts was not a good memory for Mairead. She was put through endless bullying and tough home situations that never stayed at home. Hogwarts was not her home. Barna was. The line was. Holly was.

"I was in Hufflepuff. And I was quiet. Nobody else noticed me. Don't beat yourself up. So what time do I have to be ready next week?" Regulus looked at her strangely. He tried to remember her freckles or her accent or her wavy sandy hair, but he couldn't. Now she was acting like she hadn't made this big confession of being a witch?

"Erm, Wednesday. Around eleven. We can apparate. If that's okay with you." He stressed. Mairead nodded. She then grabbed the remote, turned on the telly, and sat with Regulus. He looked at her, scanning her face. She seemed to be tense, but not angry. And she obviously didn't want to ever mention Hogwarts whenever she was at home. He understood that. Completely. So as a favor for going with him to Harry's party, he vowed that he wouldn't bring up Hogwarts around Mairead unless she was comfortable.

Now Mairead was slightly uncomfortable around Regulus. I mean, he was one of the richest wizards in the world, knew wandless and wordless magic, was a pureblood, and was probably a fucking Death Eater. But Mairead didn't know if the war was over or not. She had left that world behind the second she graduated. When she had left her wand in Dumbledore's office after declaring she didn't want to be a part of the Order of the Phoenix, and in fact, she didn't want to be a witch anymore.

"Miss Walsh, you'd be a valuable asset to the Order. You are most skilled in dueling, are you not?" Dumbledore had asked her. She remembered clenching her fists and closing her eyes tight. Then, she remembered exploding at Dumbledore.

"You stupid man! I am not joining a war. I am seventeen. I am a nobody. I don't want to be some mercenary in your puppet show! You know what, I don't even want to be a witch! Take the stupid fucking stick, take all my useless grades, take anything you want! You can have anything, except my life to trade for yours. Goodbye forever, you absolute thick, gobshite old man." And then she slammed her oak wand on the desk. Dumbledore watched her go with angry eyes, but she didn't look back once.

She may have not been a Gryffindor, but walking away was the biggest, bravest thing she had ever done. And she never regretted leaving that office without looking back. She stayed out of the war, safe from other witches and wizards. She was quiet, so not many people had problems with her, and she could easily pass for a muggle if she wanted to. So she moved to the line, in Barna, her hometown. She missed Ireland more than anything at Hogwarts. She might have hated her parents and her sister there, but Ireland was her home. It always was, and always will be.

Hogwarts was just some boarding school that she had to attend to learn some gobshite things she never needed to know. The only friends she had there anyway were the house elves. Smiley and Orla, to be specific. They were the nicest creatures Mairead had ever met. They let her study, eat, chat, and whatever else she wanted to do in the kitchens with them. No wonder Regulus had never noticed her. She was always holed up in the kitchens talking to the two elves. Regulus noticed her trying to shrink into herself further, extremely nervous about sitting next to a fellow wizard.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I just...can't go to these alone. It's hard. A-and you've been so nice and we're now friends and-"

"No, no. It's fine, Regulus. Just... reliving rejecting Dumbledore. I think I insulted the man about five times. Plus, I'd love to meet your friend's son. What's his name?" Mairead laughed.

"His name's Harry. He's turning three and he loves Quidditch more than anyone I know. He's a carbon copy of his dad, but he acts like his mum. He told me that he wanted to be a professional seeker." He thought of the small boy. Sure, James didn't really trust Regulus fully around him, but he did like Harry. He was only uncomfortable.

"He sounds lovely. I can't wait to meet him." And they left it at that. Now, all they had to do was show up to the birthday party, and act like they weren't dying of nerves on the inside.