The Storm | Regulus Black

The Plan

It was the day after the Blacks had arrived at Burke Manor. They had already settled in quite well, which made Agatha proud—even if she wanted them gone. You see, even though Agatha wasn't a married woman, she could not risk her reputation getting stamped with being a bad hostess. It was every housewife's biggest fear. And Agatha had to act like one now, apparently. So she was helpful, kind and feminine to everyone around her as usual. The truth—which Regulus had definitely learnt to see over the months of them getting to know each other—was that she wanted to stab every single one of them and leave them to dispose and fertilise the flowers in the garden.

Truthfully, and to Agatha's surprise, it wasn't as bad as she had thought after all. Notwithstanding that everyone in the house was acting on their best—and fakest—behaviour. Agatha knew for a fact that Walburga and Orion really weren't that kind and social. Herbert and Primrose weren't either, although, it was nice for their children to see this side of them every once in a while. Even though it was fake.

Agatha was reading an old classic she had found at the top of a dusty bookcase in the library. She hadn't read it since she was young. 'Miss Cordelia's Adventures.' It was about an orphan girl who goes on adventures and makes friends—occasionally magical creatures—and enemies. Agatha couldn't deny that it was quite stupid for her to read a book that was meant for young children. However, reading it at an older age gave it much more meaning, especially the ethical and moral themes. It also gave her comfort to read a book from her childhood. It seemed, although she was only 16 years of age, that the world and the people inside of it were making her grow up more quickly than she should have been.

She peered out through the tall window and only then noticed how dark it had gotten, her room was pitch black as well, other than the lamp on her bedside table. How long had she been reading for? Just as she was about to marvel over the fact that the clock had just struck one a.m, and the fact that she had been reading for over two hours, there was a knock on her door.

Who would be knocking at this late hour? But then she realised, ugh, it had to be Regulus. She stood up and stumbled over to the door. What did he want? Probably sex.

She opened it. "What do you want?"

"You don't want this either, do you?"

"What?" she asked, still completely confused.

"The marriage?" he said as if it were obvious.

"Come in," she said and opened the door wide, then closed it when he was inside. "What do you think?" she asked incredulously as she walked back over to her bed.

"So, no?"

"Of course I don't," she seethed. "I mean, my feelings haven't changed but I don't want... that."

He was standing by the foot of her bed with his hands in his pockets. "Therefore, we need to come up with a plan," he said.

"Sit down, then," she said.

He laid down sideways on her bed, propping himself up on an elbow.

"I don't understand why they're so determined on getting us together."

Regulus looked at her tiredly. "Of course they do. We're Regulus Black and Agatha Burke. Besides, we kind of already are."

Agatha shrugged and played with the loose string of a decorative pillow. She made a mental note to tell Koble about it tomorrow. "It's awkward."