MAKES ME FEEL ALIVE → regulus black

02.

LET ME PHOTOGRAPH
YOU IN THIS LIGHT IN
CASE IT IS THE LAST TIME

24th November 1973

Rose fought back a yawn as she made her way out of the Hufflepuff common room in the early hours of the morning, cursing Regulus Black and his strange requests.

When he'd ran up to her earlier that day - well, she supposed it was yesterday now - and told her to meet him near the school entrance at one o'clock, and to consider it an early birthday surprise, it had sounded like an adventure.

Like something that she'd talk of years later, with a soft smile, as she remembered a boy with hair the colour of ashes, and the things they'd done.

It certainly didn't feel like an adventure when she struggled not to yell as she stubbed her toe on a stair that certainly hadn't being there just seconds before.

The usually warm castle felt eerie at night. Rose could hear nothing except the sound of her footsteps, echoing throughout the dimly lit passage, and found herself longing for the comfort of the common room.

"I could hear you coming from the other side of the castle." Regulus hissed as she made her way over to where he stood.

"Oh, sorry I don't have experience in sneaking around undetected at night." She whispered back irritably. "What are you, Batman?"

"Batman?" Regulus gazed at her blankly. "And I have to do it sometimes at home, if I..."

"It's a muggle thing." She briefly explained, but her friend looked so uncomfortable she decided not to inquire about the second part of his sentence.

Everyone has secrets, after all.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't lay awake in the many nights that followed, worrying about what he might have said.

"I thought you were meeting me at the entrance, anyway."

"You were late. I was worried you might have been caught out of bed."

Feeling guilty for snapping at her friend, Rose hesitantly smiled, an apology in her eyes.

"So, what is this sur-"

She was cut off by a thunderous crash elsewhere in school, and the delighted cry of Peeves following it.

"Ickle wickle students are out of bed!" The poltergeist repeated it over again, increasing in volume, until the horrified pair heard Filch's angry muttering.

"Run."

Regulus grabbed her wrist, and then he was half-dragging her along, and they were running down the corridor, and her heart was beating fast, and her heart was in her mouth, and she could feel adrenaline shooting throughout her body, and all she could do was run.

And then somehow they were out of the castle, and she could breathe again, as the two stood on the steps that marked the entrance to the school.

"What are we doing out here?" Rose asked, her breathing a little heavy.

Regulus only grinned mysteriously, and murmured something about how she'd see soon.

"So, you know how you've got a thing about magical creatures, and complain every chance you get that you can't take care of magical creatures until Third Year?"