ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛʜ ᴡᴀʟʟ | ᴍᴀʀᴀᴜᴅᴇʀꜱ ᴇʀᴀ

xxiii. apologies

"All right, we meet here by dawn," said Callie after laying down the next plan she had been cooking for a while. "Pack your necessities. We won't be returning to Hogwarts after we destroy the cup. We would also need a charmed tent if you could find one. And bring the polyjuice potion I asked you for."

"Not to worry." Sirius winked.

A faint smile dawned upon her face. "Off you go. Bid your temporary goodbyes to your loved ones." Callie pertained to James. She knew going out of Hogwarts without any adult would edge them in danger. A near-death danger. She made sure James knew that and the possible consequences that included Lily. But he never backed down.

"It's better dying protecting Lily than not, right?" James said when she warned him.

Every strand of her hair stood hearing that. Images of him dying, protecting Lily and Harry flashed right before her eyes. Fear crept up next but she brushed it away. Callie kept reminding herself of the reason she chose to bring down Voldemort instead of looking for ways to go back home.

The Marauders walked out of the shack, the reality of actually defeating Voldemort slowly sinking in then that they have to go out the safe walls of Hogwarts. But Regulus stayed.

He remained standing in front of her, unmoving. He would've been a statue only if he wasn't breathing and blinking.

Callie didn't know what to do. Things still weren't clear with Regulus. Sure, he stabbed Voldemort and indirectly told her which side he was on. But she thought he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. She thought he didn't want to do a move that'd only bring disgrace to his family. She did try to think outside the box just like what Remus suggested to her. But there really was nothing else outside.

Oh, god. If Walburga and Orion discovered what he did against the Dark Lord... Fear crept upon her for Regulus' well-being. And Voldemort, oh no, he would've felt a part of his soul dying. And if he knew who did it... Crap, crap, crap, crap.

"Callie," he called that snapped her eyes to him. They were wandering around the floor.

"I would like to apologise. For what I've said and did that night." She understood which night. "It was a lie that I do not want us closer. And it was wrong of me to snap at you. To ignore and not pay attention to you then not give an explanation as to why. I'm sorry."

Callie blinked for a moment as she absorbed his apology. Then tears built up around her eyes. Regulus did not expect that.

"You're confusing me." Finally, she spoke to him. "I can't, I can't understand you anymore. I thought I had you all figured out. I thought we were already friends but then you just... you shut me out. And yeah, you're right to apologise because I deserve an explanation. I deserve to know why. Because I would understand whatever your reason was if you had just told me. But you didn't."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"And now, you're coming here. I thought we already parted ways because you don't want to befriend a muggle like me?"

"I never said that. I never accepted your goodbye. I never told you."

"Exactly why I thought of that. I kept asking myself why. If I did anything wrong, if-if your parents caught you befriending me or-or Sirius. Or maybe Voldemort found out what you're doing so he threatened you or if you really just love your family so much you are willing to trade a friend for them. You probably would. Because who am I? I'm just your friend--"

"You are not just a friend, Callie."

"Then what am I?! Please Regulus just tell me what I am in your life!"