You Only Live Once

CHAPTER 49

The small village was usually quiet, especially during the long, biting months of winter. The cobblestone streets were typically dusted with snow and empty by dusk, but tonight was different. Tonight, the air didn't feel cold; it felt alive. The streets were filled with the sound of laughter and the kind of lively chatter that had been missing for far too long. The witch and wizard occupants of the cottages peeked through their frosted windows, their hearts warming at the sight. It was a relief to hear young voices filling the air again after the suffocating silence of the war.

The five people responsible for this surge of energy were far too caught up in their own world to notice the eyes on them. They walked in a loose line, shoulders bumping, breath hitching as they struggled to catch their breath between jokes. To the onlookers, they were a symbol of hope—five young humans celebrating the simple fact that they were alive.

"Remember when you punched Reg in the face?" Pandora asked. She had to stop walking for a second, her blonde hair haloed by the glow of a streetlamp as she shook with laughter.

She turned her wide, shimmering eyes toward Theo, which only served to make everyone else's laughter more intense. They had been walking for nearly an hour, reminiscing about their time at Hogwarts, digging up one funny memory after another like buried treasure.

"Yes! Yes, I do! And turns out I was right!" Theo exclaimed. He grinned widely, pointing a triumphant finger at Regulus.

Regulus didn't look particularly bothered. He had his arm draped comfortably over Mira's shoulder, pulling her close against the evening chill, while her hand was tucked firmly around his waist. He offered Theo a dry, knowing look that only fueled the group's amusement.

"Wait!" Mira said, her laughter dying down as she came to a sudden halt. "I can't believe I never actually asked why that happened."

The group naturally formed a circle in the middle of the street. The orange light of the lamps cast long shadows behind them. Mira looked between Theo and Regulus, her brows furrowed in genuine curiosity. Evan and Pandora shared a quick, secret glance; they knew exactly why the punch had landed, but they both instinctively felt it wasn't their place to say anything.

Regulus widened his eyes at Theo, a silent plea for him to keep his mouth shut. But Theo wasn't in a merciful mood. He simply stood there with a smug grin, waiting for Regulus to be the one to admit it. The silence stretched for a few beats until Regulus let out a long, heavy sigh. He shifted his weight and turned his full attention back to Mira.

"I may have expressed my desire to break you two up so I could be with you instead" he admitted.

He rolled his eyes as he said it, trying to act like it was a minor detail, but the slight flush on his cheeks gave him away. Even after everything they had been through—the danger, the hiding, the near-misses with death—admitting his feelings out loud was still one of the hardest things for him to do.

Mira stared at him in utter shock. Her mouth hung open for a few seconds as she processed the confession. Then, she let out a loud snort that turned into a full-blown fit of giggles. Evan and Pandora lost it too, leaning on each other for support. Regulus stood there with an unimpressed look, his arms now crossed over his chest as he waited for the hysterics to pass.

Theo didn't laugh this time. He just watched them with a soft, thoughtful smile. He was the only one in that moment who seemed to truly realize how far they had come. They were still so young, yet they had lived through enough for three lifetimes. Seeing them standing in a peaceful street, arguing about schoolboy jealousy, felt like a miracle.

"Guys, it's been fun and we should totally do this again soon" Theo said, his voice bringing the group back to the present. "But I should go. Little Theodore has started being curious about everything and won't sit still for a second. I should go help Christie before she loses her mind."