You Only Live Once

CHAPTER 16

Barty had arrived at the Potter household right on schedule, the fireplace glowing a dull orange as he stepped out. He was just in time for Fleamont Potter and Mr. Crouch to prepare for their departure to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Mira stood by the banister, watching the adults adjust their robes. She thought she would feel more excited about visiting the house—after all, she knew its history and the famous characters who would live there in the years to come. But right now, in the present, it wasn't a museum or a headquarters; it was the ancestral home of the Black family, and that fact made her skin crawl.

She hadn't expected an invitation to this house in the first place, let alone one to attend a formal Christmas ball. The Blacks weren't exactly known for their hospitality toward those they deemed "unworthy," and even with her Potter name, Mira felt like an intruder. However, all her friends would be there, and Fleamont had made Barty promise on his life that he wouldn't let Mira out of his sight for a single second. Mr. Crouch and Fleamont looked at their children one last time, their expressions tight with a mix of pride and worry, before they turned on the spot and disapparated back to their respective homes. They would be waiting by their firesides, counting the minutes until it was time to collect them again.

When they stepped through the heavy front doors of Grimmauld Place, the atmosphere hit Mira like a physical weight. The air was thick with the scent of old wood, expensive perfume, and something metallic that felt like dark magic. She could hear the muffled roar of chatter coming from the main drawing room. She was certain that inside those doors, she would find every present and future Death Eater in England. The thought made her stomach turn, but her panic was interrupted by a familiar face.

Regulus Black appeared from the shadows of the hallway, looking sharp and regal in his dress robes. Beside him was a hunched house-elf Mira recognized immediately as Kreacher. The elf took her coat with a low, grumbling bow, his eyes narrowed at her as if he could sense her discomfort.

"Are you two just going to stand there?" Regulus questioned, crossing his arms. He looked at Mira and Barty, who were both frozen near the entrance, staring at the serpent-shaped umbrella stand and the gloomy portraits lining the walls.

"Your house is creepy, mate" Barty commented, his voice echoing slightly in the dimly lit hall. He adjusted his collar, looking less like a nervous teenager and more like a boy looking for an escape route.

"Evan's waiting by the stairs, you should go meet him" Regulus said, gesturing toward the back of the hall.

Barty didn't need to be told twice. Without a second thought or a backward glance at Mira, he disappeared in search of his boyfriend, leaving her alone with the younger Black brother.

"And you, little Potter, are coming with me" Regulus announced. He offered his arm with a stiff, formal grace.

Mira took it with a heavy sigh that she couldn't quite suppress. As they walked toward the noise of the party, she kept pausing, trying to fix the hem of her dress, smoothing down her hair, or fiddling with the clasp of her necklace. She was doing anything she could to delay the moment she had to enter that room.

"Stop fussing, you look... stunning" Regulus said, his voice dropping a bit of its usual coldness.

"If someone as much as raises an eyebrow at me, I'm out of here" she warned him. She gave him a stern look, completely ignoring the compliment. She didn't feel stunning; she felt like a sheep walking into a den of wolves.

"No one is going to do anything, Mira. You are our guest. You are my friend. And besides, it's a party" he tried to comfort her, but his voice lacked the warmth needed to actually settle her nerves. He saw her face remained pale and added "Look Mira—"