time ✞ regulily

23| s i x t h

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y -
T H R E E
=> s i x t h
|reg|

Regulus hid in the alcove and waited. Lily had ignored him the whole year—it's closing into spring break right now—and he just wants the chance to explain to her.

He peeked around the corner and sighed in relief when he saw her walking down the corridor, towards him, alone. He silently thanked whoever finally decided to listen to him and waited until she was walking past him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the alcove.

She opened her mouth to scream but she hesitated when she saw Regulus with his grey eyes wide and panicky. Lily scowled at him. "What do you want?"

Regulus winced at her tone but felt he deserved it. "I just—I need to at least explain to you why I took this mark—"

"Oh, I get it," Lily cut in angrily. "You just played me and when you couldn't get any information out of me—"

"You think I wanted this?" He almost shouted. "Well, I did but it's not why you think!"

Lily pursed her lips and clutched her books to her chest harder. "Then please. Enlighten me," she gritted out.

Regulus inhaled deeply before starting. "My parents. I have to live up to their expectations—they're tough people and you know it."

"That doesn't qualify as a good enough reason," Lily snapped.

"If I don't do it, they'll make Sirius do it," Regulus finally said, his hands shaking and his grey eyes watering up a bit. He gaped like a fish for a second before saying, "I'm not going to let Sirius to be dragged into this mess. I've disappointed him enough as a big brother—I'm not going to disappoint him again. I'm not going to sign him up for his death."

Lily looked away from him. She was quiet for a while and Regulus seriously contemplated that she didn't believe him. He didn't really blame her—not after everything.

"So what you're telling me is that you had no choice?" She finally asks, still not looking at him.

"Yes," Regulus said, not sure why she asked though.

Lily shook her head and pushed out of the alcove. "There's always a choice. You just chose the wrong one."

Before he could tell her otherwise, she left.

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