never until forever [s. black]

thirtythree

"katherine, you can't be serious." regulus exclaims as he slams her bedroom door behind him and she looks up with wide eyes. he notices the tear stains on her cheeks and starts worrying. "you can't become a death eater."

"i don't have a choice anymore." she says softly as she looks down sadly, at a picture she had found on her desk. it was a recent one, of her and lily over the christmas holidays. sirius and james appeared on the side of the picture, making the girls laugh.

"who's forcing you?" he asks in confusion and she takes a deep breath, before giving him a look. he frowns and shakes his head. "if you mean severus, that's impossible. he said he'd never talk to a blood traitor. and well, you've become one."

"very short lived though. he said i had to choose. become a death eater or he'll hurt them." katherine says weakly, making regulus sigh as he walks up to her on the bed and sits down next to her. he wraps his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. she rests her head against his chest and keeps staring at the picture. he looks down at it and smiles as he sees how happy she is in it.

"you really love them, don't you?" regulus asks, making her hum and nod with a breathy chuckle. she smiles fondly.

"it's crazy right. if you had asked me that in september, i'd have called you a bloody fool. but now, they're like a family." katherine answers, and he smiles weakly. even though it saddened him, to not be part of her life anymore, he's happy that she had found some amazing friends, even though it was with the most unexpected people. "i can't let anything happen to them, regulus. i wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"i know. i know. is there nothing else you can do? have you talked to them?" he asks and she shakes her head, making him frown. he'd have thought she would have talked to them about it by now. "why not? isn't it better if you talk to them? they could help you."

"and they would try everything to do so. i can't let them get hurt, whatsoever. regulus, they have a freedom, one that i had yearned for years and having had a taste of it for the past few months, they should enjoy every moment of it. even if it means without me. i was never born to have that freedom." katherine sighs, making him pull away and look at her in disbelief.

"following your logic, katherine. sirius wasn't born for that either. he was meant to be a death eater, just like you're meant to. but he left that and you did too. don't throw that away. go talk to them and tell them." regulus says and she shakes her head furiously.

"no. this is something i have to do.  there is no other way, regulus. severus agreed to not give me the mark as long as i join. he said he'll bring me to my father and brother in two weeks." katherine says weakly and regulus looks at her with wide eyes.

"you fool! don't you remember what your brother did you? you can't seriously go back to them." he snaps, feeling slightly frustrated by the situation. she takes a deep breath and shrugs as she looks down at her lap. "sirius won't let you. you and i both know, the moment he hears about this. he'll stop you, even if it means shifting the planets orbits."

"he won't. i won't let him. he'll have to accept the choice i made." she says firmly and he sighs in defeat, as he pulls her back into his arms.