Les Misérables | Regulus A. Black [1]

Chapter Seven

[Chapter Seven]

Éponine kept a firm grip on Regulus' hand as they left the teashop, leaving Ernest in their wake. The girl was beyond thrilled to escape the awkward predicament, although she was still quite shocked that Regulus had been her rescuer among all people, especially after the way she spoke to him before storming off. He didn't say anything as they walked outside but once they were a safe enough distance from Rosa Lee's, he quickly began shaking his hand loose from hers. It left Éponine completely confused as she released his hand, only to watch him drop his to his side before he continued walking away. 

"Wh-what are you d-doing?" Éponine asked him as she followed, confused by his actions. Surely the boy wouldn't have saved her inside the teashop, only to bring her outside and ignore her. Unless he really was as sick and cruel as those he associated with during school. He didn't answer her as he continued on, walking ahead through the crowd of people. 

"Excuse, I asked you a question, what are you-"

Suddenly, Regulus turned around, no sign of a smile anywhere on his face as he met her gaze. "I wouldn't want you to feel like you're being led around. After all, you said it yourself, didn't you? You're fairly capable of walking on your own."

Directing her gaze to the ground, Éponine pressed her lips together as Regulus took it upon himself to use her words from earlier, against her. She didn't say anything right away, but she could sense that the rescue had not been a genuine act, but a way to rub her own words in her face, even when he had hardly any grounds to do so.

"If you honestly believe that everything is going to be fine between us, after everything you said back there, you are sorely mistaken," he said and all Éponine could hear was an echo of her own words ringing in her ears. " I won't hold hands with someone who claimed they'd rather marry a blood-traitor over something that wasn't entirely my fault!"

Éponine's lower lip trembled terribly, but she would not bring herself to cry in front of Regulus. She had already wasted enough tears in doing so, but with how things were going since her parents dropped her off at the Black household, the girl was feeling incredibly overwhelmed as she stood outside some of the shops. All she wanted to do was go home and not just back to the Grimmauld Place, but to her home, where her parents were, along with the horses. She could survive spending another summer, hiding among the stalls or keeping her face covered with a book. 

It would be far better of a situation than the one she was in currently as she was practically being mocked on the streets of Diagon Alley. Already tears were burning at her eyes, threatening to fall if she didn't do something to take care of them. Quickly, she wiped at her eyes using her sleeves, opening her mouth to just tell Regulus to go away, when suddenly, a voice called out to the boy that made her blood run cold.

As Regulus turned around, Éponine lifted her head, only to see the likes of Andras Avery, making his way over in their direction. In his company was Bran Mulciber, as evil always decided to travel in twos. She swallowed nervously, wishing she could just turn invisible for the time being or wishing that Regulus never came to her "rescue" in the first place. She would be better off in the company of Ernest Nott than the two boys that taunted her without mercy while they were at school.