Being a Greengrass after all should sound pretty serene.
But being a part of "the Emeralds" should not, especially when hearts become entangled with the infamous Regulus Black.
Goodness, lawfulness, or evilness. Which path will they tread in the ti...
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November 23rd, 1978
The corridors of Hogwarts were thinning out by the time Avery slipped silently down the seventh-floor hallway, her school bag slung over one shoulder more for disguise than necessity. Her steps echoed quietly on the stone floor, her heartbeat outpacing them with every step closer to the Room of Requirement.
She passed the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy for the third time, and as she turned once more, the hidden door appeared before her—solid, ancient, and waiting.
Avery hesitated, just for a second, then stepped inside. The room was dimly lit by floating candles and cloaked in the kind of hush that felt sacred. Dusty shelves lined the walls, cluttered with forgotten objects and timeworn books. A single worn couch sat in the center, a small wooden table before it. Regulus was already there, sitting with a roll of parchment in one hand and a glint of something sharper than fear in his eyes.
"You came," he says, his voice steady but quieter than usual.
"I said I would," she replies, closing the door behind her before sliding in the seat next to him.
Avery dropped her bag to the floor and folded her arms. "Alright. So what have you got?"
Regulus took a deep breath, then unrolled the parchment and laid it on the table. "This is where it begins. I've been keeping notes. Observations. Everything I've seen, heard, and pieced together about the Dark Lord's movements, his weaknesses—if he has any."
Avery leaned forward, eyes scanning the writing. "You've been spying?"
"In my own way," he mutters. "I'm not trusted with everything, but I know enough to start something dangerous."
She glanced up at him. "So this really isn't just about turning your back on Voldemort. You're planning to kill him."
He didn't answer right away. His eyes looked distant, almost haunted. "I've seen what he does to people. What he takes from them. And it's not just blood or loyalty. If he wins, there'll be nothing left to save."
There was a long pause. Avery studied him closely, trying to read what he wasn't saying. "What do you know that could actually help bring him down?"
Regulus hesitated. "Horcruxes."
Avery blinked. The word didn't settle in her mind right away. It sounded foreign—sharp, wrong, like something that shouldn't exist. She stared at Regulus, waiting for more, but he just looked back at her, his expression guarded but weighed down with something heavier than guilt.
"What the hell is a Horcrux?" she asks finally, her voice quiet but firm.
Regulus didn't meet her eyes. He leaned forward, forearms resting on his knees, voice quiet and heavy. "I'm not completely sure. I've read bits — old texts and things most people avoid. There's not much written about them—on purpose, I think. But I know it's dark magic. Very dark."
