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(Make sure you're on the right chapter!! wattpad glitches💔)
"Thank you," Josephine expresses her gratitude to James as he hands her the note with the details for the Order meeting scheduled for later that night. James responds with a smile before taking his leave.
Heading down the hall toward lunch, Josephine can't shake the sense of apprehension about both the upcoming meeting and the subsequent one with Tom. However, her thoughts are momentarily diverted by a more immediate concern – Regulus.
Just as she ponders him, Regulus materializes down the hall, walking in her direction, though his focus seems fixed on the ground.
"Regulus?" Josie calls his name, a hint of longing and hope evident in her voice.
Regulus glances up briefly, a flicker of his gray eyes meeting hers before he walks past her without a word of acknowledgment.
"Fucking prick," Josephine mutters under her breath. Merlin, she feels the urge to lock him in a room and make him listen to her. His days of ignoring her have stretched on, and now he walks by without a single word.
Josie absentmindedly picks at her nails, wondering why Regulus isn't headed to the Great Hall.
Upon reaching the Great Hall, she takes a seat at the Ravenclaw table. Only Evan and Barty are present so far.
"Hello," Josephine greets them.
"Josette," Evan smiles, continuing his conversation with Barty.
Josie adds small portions of food to her plate but finds herself merely picking at it. Regulus has always been confusing, but lately, he has become incredibly perplexing. Sitting there for only a few minutes, she feels a sudden aversion to eating.
Before leaving her table, Josephine swivels in her seat to face Barty and Evan.
"Has Regulus said anything to you guys about why he's ignoring me?" she inquires.
Evan shakes his head slowly. "He has been acting weird, though," he adds.
"Right..." Josephine takes a moment before rising from her seat and exiting the Great Hall.
She is only a few feet away from the doors when Barty calls her name from behind.
Turning with raised eyebrows, Josie waits for Barty to approach.
He leans closer, lowering his voice. "I'm not sure if it has anything to do with what's wrong, but..." Barty begins, "Regulus got a letter from his parents right before he started acting weird."
Josephine nods slowly. "Thank you for telling me."
Barty nods in return before turning to head back to the Great Hall.
So, whatever is wrong with Regulus does have something to do with his parents. But what could they have said in that letter that made him act so differently? The mystery only deepens, leaving Josephine with more questions than answers.
~~~
What would she say to Tom?
The Order meeting has just concluded, providing little information. However, Josephine's concern lingers on what she can convey to Tom regarding the necklace.
She knows he is growing impatient, but there is no way she will surrender that necklace, even if it lacks any mystical powers. Her mission is to end him, not hand over an object to potentially become another horcrux.
Regulus crosses her mind as she enters the passageway. A letter from his parents—could it be related to the Death Eaters? It seems possible, yet why would such information be conveyed in a letter? It isn't about him joining; she has made sure he wouldn't. Could Tom have allowed him to join?
After a long walk, she reaches the Shrieking Shack and greets Tom. He appears to be in a better mood, but as soon as she relays the information, she can't help but ask, "Those names I gave you at the start of this, you haven't let them join, have you?"
Tom gives her a look. "No, I haven't let them join."
She nods slowly, then shifts the conversation to the necklace. "I've searched for that necklace almost everywhere, Tom. I don't think it's in the Room of Requirement."
Tom tilts his head. "Check again, and do the same with the Ravenclaw tower. It has to be there."
"Alright," Josephine replies, rising from the sofa, determined to play the role Tom believes her to be, even if it leaves her feeling upset.
