You Only Live Once

CHAPTER 33

 Going back to Hogwarts never felt more depressing. It should have been a good day, a day she would see all her friends after not speaking for two weeks. There should have been a compartment filled with six students. Six friends. Instead they ended up being just three, three friends who tried to act like everything was normal, even if they knew nothing would be the same. Evan, Regulus and Mira managed to go almost the whole train ride to Hogwarts without expressing a depressing thought, even if they all had them. Instead they made small talk and laughed. And they laughed a lot, because it was the only way to forget about everything that was changing around them. Pandora had stopped by to greet them all for about fifteen minutes before her presence was requested from her new Ravenclaw friends who she had made through her boyfriend. That's when it became clear to Mira that she would be spending most of her time left in Hogwarts with Regulus and Evan, because in reality , they were all she had left at school.

"We know what Barty did ,Mira" Evan said in a low voice after recovering from a fit of laughter. He did seem like he wanted to say something but held back since the moment they stepped on the train. Mira also wondered why Barty hadn't joined them, even if she was glad he hadn't. She didn't know for how long she would be able to pretend that everything was okay with them. "We had a meeting two days ago and he wouldn't stop boasting about branding a Potter" he explained.

"But at first he left out the fact that someone helped him do that" Regulus added with a scoff.

"When he told us who helped him Mira... Merlin I couldn't even look at him." Evan said , briefly closing his eyes, as if the scene was playing out in his mind. "We were already on edge and I-this was the final straw for me."

"Did you-"

"Yes. I broke up with him" Evan confirmed and looked up at Mira with a smile. "At least you're okay"

Mira didn't know how to respond to what she had heard. They had broken up. And as much as she thought it was for the best after what Barty had done to her, she felt bad for Evan. He didn't deserve to be heartbroken like that.

"I'm so sorry , Ev. Truly" Mira whispered, her eyes fixated on the floor.

"Why are you apologizing,Aisling? You were the one in danger" Regulus spat, leaning forward on his seat. At the mention of her real name, Mira' eyes widened in horror. How would he explain what he had just said? "Evan knows. I told him"

"Reg!"

"Don't worry Mira, I won't tell anyone. I promise" Evan said taking a hold of her hands and making her look at him with a sigh. " Mira...promise me you won't fight this war." he asked in the sweetest voice he probably could master. His eyes begging her to understand the weight of the situation.

"Ev-"

"You can help from the sidelines. And you can help Regulus and me to take him down. But you won't do anything else, okay?"

"You and Regulus? Wait-"
"Promise"

"I promise. But...he told you and you're...in?" Mira questioned, looking between the two friends confused. Evan was supposed to be one of the most loyal death eaters, so much so that he would die for his Lord. Evan just nodded with a determined smile plastered on his face.

"There's one good thing about the situation" Regulus said, interrupting their little moment. His two friends looked at him confused, curious to find out why Mira having the Dark mark could be a good thing. "He wanted to brand a Potter" he reminded. "Well...his dream didn't come true"

.......

It had been almost a month since everyone had gone back to Hogwarts and for the most of it Mira was hidden form the crowds with Evan and Regulus , discussing where they could find the Horcruxes and how to destroy them. With Regulus' already existing research and Mira's knowledge on the matter , they were able to find the location for most of them. They were now trying to figure out how they acquire them seeing as it was just Evan and Regulus who would do the work, Mira, as she promised, would stay on the sidelines.

Mira was sitting alone in her dorm, trying to finish her Potions' homework, because Slughorn decided to put an extra assignment to everyone that wasn't a member of his little club with the excuse that they needed the extra credit. Most students wouldn't even bother starting the paper because of what day it was which gave Mira a huge advantage. Being too focused on her work , she didn't even hear the knock on her door before it burst open, scaring the living daylights out of her.

"What the hell, Reg!?" she shouted , throwing a pillow at him at the door, when she saw who it was .

"I knocked" he tried to defend himself, shrugging his shoulders before gliding into the dorm and sitting on the opposite side of Mira's bed.

"Can I help you with something?" she questioned, not even looking up from her paper. But she didn't get an answer. Instead she had to lift her head to see if he was still even there with how quite he had gone. What she didn't expect was to find Regulus looking at her with a mischievous smile. A smile that mad her nervous. "I know I look good but can you stop staring?" Regulus snorted before taking one of her pillows and making himself comfortable on her bed.

"Evan is out on a date, bless him, and Dory is out with Lovegood" he stated, looking at the roof of her bed. Mira just nodded since she knew all that already. "I'm invited to Slughorn's party, but I won't go"

"Why?"

"What kind of friend would I be if I left you all alone on Valentine's day?" he questioned , bringing his hands to his chest as if he was offended she would suggest such a thing. "I'm taking you out, Potter." he announced standing up and walking to the door , not even sparing her a glance. "Wear something nice"