𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀.

thirty three.

"Regulus you have got to me fucking joking with me right now."

Regulus ran his hands frustratedly through his hair, pacing back and forth in the Gryffindor common room. "I didn't know! How was I supposed to know!"

"Why didn't you tell anyone?!"

Barty set a hand on Sirius' shoulder, "calm down he didn't know what to do!"

Marlene stood from where she was seated between Mary and Alice on the couch, "a death eater threatened him and he didn't think that maybe, just maybe he should let someone know?"

Mary pulled her back to a seat, Lily in the armchair beside them gnawing on her nails in anxiousness. James stood next to her, rubbing circles on her back, "can everyone shut up!"

The arguing teens turned towards him, the brunette standing straighter, "what's the most important thing right now?"

"Getting Jovie back," Remus confirmed from where he was standing, worry coating his face.

Dorcas turned to Regulus, setting a gentle hand on his arm, "what exactly did she say?"

Regulus' frown deepened, he knew this was all his fault, "she told me I had a month to join, I ignored her, I'm so fucking stupid!"

Alice nodded, "agreed."

Pandora shot her a quick glare before turning back to face the others, Evan speaking now. "I know Bellatrix, her threats are serious and if that's what she said then..."

Silence expanded over the group.

"It was a death threat."

"Dammit!" Sirius pulled at his hair, pacing angrily around the room.

Peter finally pitched in, "if she told you that a month ago then there must not be much time left."

Mary's eyes trailed to the clock on the wall, "it's 11:16, that gives us forty minutes."

"Okay plan time," Remus knelt to his knees, sweeping his hands over the coffee table in the center of the room. "Where would they take her?"

"The Malfoy's?"

"The dark forest?"

Regulus frowned, "they're at home, I know they're there."

Remus nodded, "okay at least we know our way around. Now we need a small group, no more than four and we need to leave soon."

James immediately stood, "I'm going."

Sirius shook his head, "me too, non negotiable."

Remus stood as well, "that's three," he added, counting himself.

Regulus went to step forward, "let me-"

"No," Sirius pushed him back, a harsh look in his eyes, "you're the one they want, you're staying right here."

Regulus gave him a pleading look, "please, if anything happens to her-"

"That's why we're going," James interrupted, "nothings going to happen."

Regulus was going to resist but Evan pulled him back, shaking his head at him.

Lily stood, "let me come, I need to be there."

James went to shake his head, the redhead giving him a sharp glare, "correction I am coming. Let's go get our brooms, you all stay here and cover for us," she ordered, taking charge.

Without argument Remus and James followed her out of the room, Sirius pausing briefly before leaving.

He looked around at his friends, each of them heavily disturbed at the possible thought that they would never see their favorite blonde again.

Who could blame them?

She had found a way to weasel into each and every one of their hearts and had planted roots there that could never be dug up.

"I'll bring her home."