ᴀʟʟ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ꜰʀᴇᴇ - regulus black

chapter 25

The next day, when Octavia woke up, the sickness had left her a little but she was in a gloomy mood. She was going home and she wouldn't bother showing some anticipation or happiness. She was tired of acting, she had no strength, no envy to. The girl didn't even go down for breakfast, rather wanting to hide under her sheets for a little while, as long as possible. Just until Lilah begged her to go down or she would seriously miss the train. She wished she could – though she didn't want to stay alone filled with loneliness at school neither, especially after what happened recently. She would stay with Lilah and Zephyr. And for once Jaden too as he wasn't traveling to America this year. He felt unhappy about it, but he knew he would get to stay a little with Ivanna. This could be worse and he wasn't the unluckiest of them all. The one who was almost in a worse state than Octavia was Zephyr. The boy was seventeen years-old since August, and, single, unfortunately. He knew what to expect, he knew it was his turn. He and Jaden now knew about Lilah and Octavia's engagements, he could expect his own to come soon. And he felt afraid and anxious. Zephyr dreamed of travels, of laughter, of happiness, and like all of them, of freedom. But he couldn't get any. All this boy could get was a wife, a family and a boring job at the Ministry. But what he wanted to do was being an Auror, something he would most likely never be, sadly.

Arriving on platform 9 ¾ later that day, Octavia felt even more depressed but surprisingly was doing well at hiding it. She was walking with her head on Lilah's shoulder while the girl's arm was around her body to keep her close.

"Happy to go home?" asked Jaden as a cynical joke, as he knew well it wasn't the case.

"Are you kidding? I'm going to Hell. This is home that I left," groaned the girl, not hiding her exasperation. He chuckled in return.

"Oh, c'mon, maybe this time you'll have good holidays."

Before the ginger-haired girl could answer, a voice interrupted their conversation.

"Surely, because she's going home with me," announced Regulus, not looking so happy about it. He too placed an arm around her body, trying to get her away from Lilah, hoping to tease her playfully.

The girl mouthed 'this is a joke' to Jaden as she tried to escape Regulus' hold while her lips formed a smile far from being convincing to the others. Lilah had left her side already, trying hard not to laugh at her friend's situation.

Jaden and Lilah left them while waving their eyebrows up and down.

"What are you talking about!" exclaimed the girl, finally getting Regulus off, not minding some curious stares turning to them.

"We're going home. Mother-in-law invites you for dinner," only explained the boy, in a monotonous voice, showing a dark look on his face. He wasn't enchanted by this.

"No... this can't be happening."

Regulus only took out the letter in answer. Her eyes scanned its content quickly and she sighed audibly, but didn't say another word. She had nothing to say, all she could do was take the hand Regulus was offering and apparate at his house, do as she was told, as always.

They apparated at the front door. He muttered some spells that would open the door and the next thing she knew was that they apparated in his room. He started moving around, preparing up and she stayed immobile.

"I'm sorry, I'm just quickly putting on something more appropriate for dinner and I'll leave you so you can do the same."

She didn't say anything and didn't look at him, not even when he left to go downstairs. It was when her eyes started looking around and she noticed a dress lying on his bed, one of her dresses. Maybe her house-elf brought it, or just her mother. But that would mean meeting Walburga Black and Octavia doubted her mother really wanted to.