Even to those closest to her, Althea was as much a mystery then as she is now. As a girl, she was driven by her ambition and thirst for knowledge to a place very few could follow, and she didn't hesitate to leave them behind. But now, after living a...
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"YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE, RIGHT, THEA?"
Hogwarts had always been a safe place for its students, a place in which children could forget the struggles of the outside world and be just students. That began to change in 1976.
Outside the castle walls, a dark wizard known to the wizarding community most commonly as You-Know-Who, was quickly rising to power. Every year, after Hogwarts graduation, it seemed as though the graduating students had to make a choice: to join the terror of the Dark Lord, to oppose it, or to ignore it completely. But now, they didn't have the freedom to wait.
It started with the Slytherins, as it was practically a given that they would follow in the footsteps of their family and friends in joining the Dark Lord. Many of the students saw it as an honor to be a part of something when they were so young, some of the older, more talented ones even receiving the Dark Lord's mark. Among those few was the soon-to-be-graduated Head Boy, Beau Selwyn. It was just a matter of time before the rest of his Slytherin gang followed him.
"I think Professor Flitwick's considering making me a prefect."
Regulus Black sighed at his broken train of thought, and looked up at his best friend. The two of them sat in a shady spot along the shoreline of the Black lake, taking breaks between studying to look over advanced charms books with the hope to find something that would help create some ease in their spell-making process. Regulus watched Althea Potter, her nose still stuck in a book as she spoke to him. Most would find this rude, as a conversation between friends deserved attention, but Regulus was very used to it.
"What makes you think that?" he finally responded.
"Oh, I don't know," Althea breathed as she flipped a page in her book. "He's been calling on me more than usual in Charms, and even referred a couple of first years to me for schoolwork advice. Anthony said that his Head of House did something very similar before making him a prefect. It's like they're testing you."
Regulus didn't answer for a minute. He watched the too-calm water in front of him, and tried not to let himself be angry at how simple her problems seemed to be. Here he was, knowing that in less than a month he would be meeting the most dangerous wizard of their time to confirm that he would be joining him, while all the while, Althea was wondering if she'd be getting a prefect badge in her Hogwarts letter this next summer. She was oblivious, and that angered Regulus.
"Everything okay, Reg?" Regulus looked over and found that Althea had closed her book, and for the first time in a while, was giving her full attention to her best friend.
Regulus swallowed and readjusted his position on the fallen log the two sat on, facing Althea. Immediately, she knew something was, indeed, wrong, and she was about to find out what it was. "Thea," he started shakily, hesitantly. He had no idea where he would stand after this conversation - where she would stand. "Where do you see yourself? After Hogwarts, I mean?"
Althea pursed her lips, not expecting something like that. "Well, research, I guess. Hopefully I can get a Ministry grant to continue experimenting with different spells - see where that - "
"No," Regulus interrupted, catching Althea off guard. "No, Thea, that's not what I meant."
Althea was frozen, a large crease between her brows as she tried to understand what Regulus was talking about. She was, indeed, oblivious.
"You know what's happening out there, right, Thea?"
Her silence was enough to make Regulus regret asking at all, but he knew that there was no turning back now.
"Which side of the war do you see yourself on?"
Althea's breath caught in her throat when Regulus asked her this. Her hands shaking, she removed the textbook from her lap, and nervously played with the hem of her skirt, all the while looking everywhere but Regulus. "I guess I've never thought about it," she said, her voice almost quieter than a whisper.
"You've never thought about it?" started Regulus, sounding almost angry with her. "It's a war, Thea. How've you never thought about it?"
"Regulus, we're fifteen!" she exasperated, beginning to become extremely concerned. A dark thought crossed her mind. "Please tell me you haven't made your decision already."
The two of them glanced down to Regulus's left forearm, which was discreetly covered with the sleeve of his robe. He held it with his other hand. "Not officially."
Althea swallowed, becoming extremely anxious. She knew that if he had made his decision, there was nothing she could do to change his mind. "Promise me," she whispered. "Promise me you won't make your decision yet."
