SNAKE - Regulus Black

Chapter seven ~ Désir

REGULUS

Regulus hadn't stopped thinking about it all day. The way Remus Lupin's eyes lingered on Cassandra during breakfast—it gnawed at him, a slow burn beneath his skin. He had caught the look, and so had Andromeda, whispering to Cassandra like it was some harmless curiosity. But it wasn't harmless to Regulus.

He sat in the Slytherin common room, staring at the fire flickering in the hearth. His textbooks lay open in front of him, forgotten. Lupin had no business looking at Cassandra like that. What unsettled him more was that she hadn't even noticed—or worse, maybe she had, and didn't care.

His fingers tightened around the edge of the table. What could Lupin possibly want with her? The thought twisted deeper inside him. It wasn't jealousy. It was something else, something more possessive. Cassandra was his. He hadn't said it aloud—there were no declarations, no promises—but it felt like a fact. Something that didn't need to be spoken.

By the time evening fell, the tension in his chest was unbearable. He couldn't let it go. He needed to see her, talk to her, make sure she wasn't slipping away into something he couldn't control.

He found her near the Astronomy Tower, gazing up at the sky. She looked so peaceful, as if none of this was weighing on her. It only made the knot in his stomach tighter.

"Cassandra," he said, his voice a little sharper than he intended as he walked up.

She glanced over, eyebrow raised. "What is it, Regulus?"

"Lupin," he started. "Have you noticed him?"

She sighed, crossing her arms. "Not this again."

"I saw him staring at you this morning. It wasn't just some passing glance."

"And?" She didn't seem the least bit concerned. "Why does that bother you?"

"It should bother you," he pressed, stepping closer. "He doesn't just look at people like that for no reason."

Cassandra tilted her head, watching him closely. "And what if I like his stares?"

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He froze, unsure if she was serious or just trying to provoke him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She smirked faintly, her eyes narrowing. "Exactly what it sounds like."

Regulus' pulse quickened. His jaw tightened as he stepped even closer. "You don't," he said firmly. "You don't like them."

"And how would you know?" she challenged, lifting her chin defiantly. "You don't own me, Regulus."

For a moment, his mind blanked. He didn't have an answer that wouldn't give too much away. He clenched his fists. "You don't know what he's after."

"And you do?" Her voice was calm, but the edge was unmistakable.

Regulus didn't know what else to say. He couldn't stand the idea of Lupin getting anywhere near her, but saying that aloud would only make him seem desperate. "I just...don't want you to get the wrong idea about him."

Cassandra studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she shook her head. "You worry too much."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there with the unspoken tension gnawing at him even more. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was slipping out of his control—and he hated it.

Regulus watched Cassandra walk away, his chest tight with frustration. He wanted to follow her, to make her understand why it mattered. But he also knew pushing her any further would only make her more defiant. She was stubborn like that—always had been. It was part of what drew him to her, though right now, it only felt like another obstacle.