Black Rose [Regulus Black]

63 - strange portraits & inescapable rooms

She couldn't bring herself to enjoy the tranquil at Hogwarts the way she did last time after the strange vision she saw at the very end of the trip. Especially not after all the loss she'd experienced over the last year. Chelsea. Her mother. Marlene.

Halls that once looked open and friendly now looked hallow and the courtyard looked too empty, which made her feel strangely vulnerable. It wasn't like someone would jump out of the bushes and declare war on the tiny group that had come, so what was she worried about?

"Remember that time we placed rotating charms on all the Slytherins' furniture, so when they'd sit, the chairs and beds would suddenly flip and toss them off?" Sirius sniggered, somewhere ahead of the group.

"That was you?!" Alessandra snapped out of her thoughts when Regulus yelled out beside her, now fuming.

"All is fair in love and war, little brother."

Goosebumps covered Alessandra's arms and she stopped in her tracks, but it wasn't because of Sirius' remark about war. It was the glowing door against the wall, golden light spilling out from its edges and beckoning to her. She could hear whispers coming from behind it, enticing her to swing the door open and take a look. She was so close... so remarkably close... the urge to open the door was overwhelming.

"Sirius!" Dorcas hissed, kicking him in the shin, and he mumbled an apology, whilst looking sheepish. Ever since her best friend's death, she'd been incredibly superstitious.

"Are you alright?" Regulus' eyebrows drew together as he took her in, grey eyes worried now. Alessandra's eyes darted between the door and him

"What's that door?" she asked.

"What door?"

Her knees wobbled and he gripped her arm, helping her stay upright. She hated this, that feeling of seeing things that weren't there, that weren't seen by anyone else. It made her feel stupid. Abnormal.

"Al?" Regulus whispered, his voice just barely tugging her out of the waves of helplessness crashing over her and threatening to engulf her. "What door? Are you fine?"

No, she wanted to cry in despair. Everything was wrong. She felt like a lunatic who was constructing her own absurd reality within another absurd reality. The voices behind the door were so real...so real. They blended with that tiny voice in her head that belonged to her father, that had taken over her mind gradually and drowned it in poison. Thick poison that she was unable to escape from.

"I'm fine," she whispered, trying to ignore the burning sensation in her eyes. She had to look at the door. Had to touch it, to make sure she wasn't going mad. "You guys go ahead, I'll wash my face and come soon."

"I'll come with you," Regulus said cautiously.

"No," she said abruptly.

"What?" the worry in his eyes was deepening now.

"No, I mean, I don't want you to miss out on the whole experience. Go with them. I'll be there soon."

"I've experienced it for seven years, I'm not missing out on anything," he said lowly. "What's going on? Why don't you want me to come?"

She could feel tears pooling in her eyes now. "It's just- the door, don't you see the door?" her voice cracked as she pointed at the door. "The golden door, Regulus, you see it, right?"

Regulus stared at where her hand was directing him, blinking several times and rubbing his eyes. "Love..." he said quietly. "I'm sorry, but no."

She pressed the heels of her palms against her eyes, trying to repress the tears. "I feel like I'm going crazy."