[DISCONTINUED] I Know The End, Regulus Black

𝐎𝟏𝟏. To Survive Means To Survive The Night

January 5th 1978

"Oh my wizard God." Is the first thing Raina says when Charlotte steps onto Platform 9¾. Her lips are formed into a grimace as she looks her friend over. "You look awful."

Charlotte's managed to cover most of her injuries up with a lot of makeup, but some things are not able to get hidden away. The cane Euphemia demands she uses until at least the beginning of March, for example. Something about ensuring her ankle heals the way it should. For the first few days she tried getting away with not using it, but then her mum had something to say about it and that was that. She'll always listen to her mum when it's about something reasonable.

That does not include the sun necklace currently hanging around her neck. She still finds it completely unreasonable that her mum doesn't want her to throw it away. If she likes it so much, why doesn't she wear it?

But she's smart enough to keep her head high as long as she's on the platform. Only in the safety of the Hufflepuff common room – even more comfortable is her dorm – is when she'll properly freak about everything. About the looks people are giving her, the collective gasps at the sight of her necklace. She can do it, right? She can hold off on a complete and total meltdown until they're back at school? Though she might not be given a choice for that, Sirius gets to have the total meltdown on the platform.

"Where did you get a Black family heirloom?" Raina shrieks and hits Sirius. He frowns at her, but focuses his attention back on Charlotte as though he didn't get hit. "That's like a... I don't think that matters, but where did you get that? Who in my family are you – Lola! Ouch, that is really painful. Don't hit me with your stick."

"What do you mean heirloom?" Charlotte asks through gritted teeth.

"Oh, like, heirloom. Like, I don't know, that atrocious thing around your neck? How do you get a family heirloom before me? No, no, why do you have a Black heirloom?" He cries out.

"I think it's really pretty. Lola is the sun in everyone's lives, Sirius. It's not that big of a deal where she got it from." Raina intervenes. She can already see where this is going. "We should get on the train by the way, before it leaves without us. Pen and Luke are holding a compartment for us. You can go sit by your own monsters, Sirius. We're all long overdue a conversation with Lola."

Raina gently guides Charlotte away from Earthquake Sirius, sending the boy a venomous look that has him shooting up his hands. She can't believe it. Or, actually she can, which might be the worst thing about it all. Charlotte looks like she's come straight from battle, complete with a cane to help her walk, and all Sirius is concerned about is a supposed family heirloom? Good to know where his priorities are. Definitely not with the safety of his friends!

"Regulus?"

"Regulus."

"Honestly, Lola, I don't get why you don't tell him to his face that you fancy him. Or want him to keep his paws off of you. Either he really fancies you – which I know you at least kinda do – or he's raising you as a pig for slaughter. That necklace says everything we need to know about his intentions. He thinks you're hot, wants you, he wants you to fix him right up. Everything in between. I don't know how it works with someone as emotionally unstable as Regulus. Don't ask Barty, please, I broke up with him again, he's pissing me off with stupid war talk."