CHAPTER NINE
A Brothers War
March 5th, 1979.

          Regulus and Mallory strolled around Diagon Alley because Alastor Moody had asked them to be more public, so no one would question their new found relationship. Besides, it helped them be more at ease with each other and also they both discovered that they weren't that bad. The ball had taken place a week ago, Mallory had never talked about what had happened and Regulus never pushed it either.

"This is ridiculous," Mallory laughed, eating the ice cream Regulus had so kindly bought earlier. "You are telling me your mother wanted to marry your father so badly that she forced their union!"

Regulus snorted, he couldn't believe that he was telling all of this to Mallory Abbott, "Believe it or not, Mother can be very persuasive," he chuckled. "Is the ice cream alright?"

"Brilliant. Want to taste?" " she replied, handing him her ice cream. "It's strawberries."

Regulus used the spoon to taste it and nodded, "It's good."

"Right!"

"What's a funny thing your mum or dad did?" Regulus queried as she thought for a moment but before she could answer, Regulus had gone completely rigid next to her as if he was made of stone. "Salazar."

"What is it?" She asked with a frown.

"There's—there's," a brief pause as he grimaced, grabbing her forearm and pulling her closer. "Sirius is here," he notified, closing his eyes as he tried to calm his pounding heart. He must have looked ridiculous because Mallory reached for his cheek and gently cupped it.

"Regulus, it will be alright. I don't think he saw u–"

"Ah, how surprising," the familiar voice reverberated behind them and Mallory hurried to take her hand away from his face. "Kitten, what is it?"

"Kitten, really?" Regulus snorted, a tiny feeling of jealousy hit him. "Bloody ridiculous."

Mallory nudged him softly, "Sirius," she said, greeting him as she ignored the way his foot tapped the floor impatiently. "It is not what you think."

"Oh, isn't it?" He exclaimed, glancing back and forth between the two. "Because if I'm not mistaken, you are with my bloody little brother who is a—" he stopped, inhaling. "You know what he is!"

"Oh, would you stop?" Mallory exclaimed, glancing anxiously around to see if anyone had heard them. "Can't we go back to your place so we can talk properly?"

Sirius frowned, not very happy with the fact that he would have to show his flat to his little brother but his curiosity got the best of him, "Fine. Remus is not here."

"Where is he?"

He shrugged, starting to walk, "I don't know," he told her. "Dumbledore had been coming more and more lately to ask him to go on those secret missions. He refuses to tell me shite," he sighed.

"I'm sorry," Mallory said as he simply hummed, not bothering to even glance at her.

Regulus didn't say anything, instead he followed quietly. Mallory would turn her head to look at him sometimes, though he suspected her to be only checking if he hadn't run away from them. Regulus was nervous to be with Sirius. All of their interactions had ended badly when they were still in Hogwarts, and he didn't want things to end badly now as well.

Not long after, they reached the flat and Regulus couldn't help but notice how the whole building screamed the opposite of Grimmauld place. It wasn't so bad. Mallory entered the place as if she owned it while Regulus stayed back a little, not used to being here and around Sirius.

"Spill," Sirius said all of a sudden, grabbing himself a bottle of alcohol that Regulus couldn't name. Probably Muggle alcohol. "What were you doing bloody giggling with my brother?"

"Giggling is a bit stretched out," Regulus interrupted with a scoff. "We were merely talking."

"What Regulus meant is that we are on a mission," she started as Regulus rolled his eyes. "Moody asked me to infiltrate his side."

"Fucking what?"

Mallory pinched the bridge of her nose annoyingly as she was about to answer. One thing Regulus Black had learnt over the weeks was that Mallory hated repeating herself.

"Regulus was captured weeks ago and brought to my flat. Moody asked me to keep an eye on him, then we were sent to a safe house," she said as he nodded with a hum. "Therefore, Dumbledore shows up and asks us to do this mission."

"This is mental!" Sirius exclaimed loudly.

Regulus let out a chuckle, "That is exactly what I have told her."

"He asked us to be more public about whatever was going on with us," she then said with a sigh. "I met your parents and went to a ball."

"Don't worry, brother," Regulus chirped in, noticing his brother's grimace. "I am keeping an eye on her as well."

"Pardon me if I do not trust you entirely, Reg," Sirius told him with a suppressed laugh. "But, how can I know that you are really keeping an eye on her?"

Mallory gulped, licking her lips nervously before talking, "Rodolphus Lestrange almost assaulted me," she admitted in a quiet voice. Regulus' eyes widened at the confession because none of them had talked about it. "He—he trapped me against the door and Regulus told him to leave."

"Did he?"

"He did," she said with a nod. "He...took care of me, alright? If you don't want to trust him, then fine but trust me, okay?"

Sirius nodded softly, "Okay," he said quietly, looking down at his feet. "I miss you, Mal."

"I miss you too, Sirius," she replied quickly, rising to her feet so she could embrace him into a hug.

Regulus looked away because he could not tell the feeling that came crashing like a violent wave on the beach. He did not want to admit that it was probably jealousy because how could Regulus Black could be jealous of this? Of this friendship that he never was jealous of before. It wasn't new for Regulus, he had seen them in the corridors or the Great Hall. He wasn't blind.

So, he did what he always did the best: stay in the shadow of his older brother.

...

"What has gotten you so silent?" Mallory asked as they stepped back into her flat. Moody had obligated Regulus to walk her back home every single time. "You haven't talked much."

He sighed, "It's nothing, Mallory."

"Is it because of Sirius?" Once again, silence. "If you are angry at your brother, do not take it on me by giving me the silent treatment!"

Regulus clenched his jaw so tight that Mallory could see his muscle, "I am not taking it on you, Mallory. It's just–" he paused, sighing. "Sirius thinks so low of me and it is somehow hurting me."

"You or your ego?" Mallory tried to joke but he shot her a look that made her smile drop.

"Me. It's hurting me," he said, pacing back and forth like a madman. "He thinks that I am not capable of keeping an eye on you and–"

"Sounds like an ego problem to me, Regulus," she chirped in. "Alright, would you stop pacing around? You are giving me a bloody headache!"

"Sorry," he muttered, sitting down.

Mallory bit her lower lip, thinking of the right words, "There is a war between you two and I've been Sirius' friend long enough to know that he still loves you," she said softly. "He is your brother, Regulus."

"If you say so."

Mallory stayed quiet, hugging her knees to her chest as he watched outside the window. Pen, her kneazle, was purring at his feet and it took him every muscle in his body to not pet her or else Mallory would probably throw a fit at him. So, he stayed silent as well until the conversation came back and he recalled when she talked about Rodolphus.

"Why did you never talk about it with me?" He suddenly asked, curious to hear her answer.

Mallory shrugged lightly, almost ashamed, "I didn't want to–sound weak."

"I thought I had to get over it because you were my only mate now," he told her with a frown. "So, why are you not acting as if I was your friend?"

"It's harder than you think, Regulus," she admitted. "Holding your hand, smiling at you or even laughing with you is...rather difficult. I'm working on it, alright? I'm trying to trust you."

"Oh, I see," he replied quietly, inhaling then exhaling. "I reckon it is time for me to go."

"Oh," she said surprised he would leave so early. She would be lying if she said she didn't grow accustomed to his late stay. "Of course. Let me walk you to the do—"

Before she could finish her sentence, someone stepped out of the floo and both of them grabbed their wand rapidly. Pointing it towards the fireplace, they stayed quiet until Mallory could see Fabian wiping the ashes from his clothes.

"Oi, have I committed a crime?" Fabian joked as he noticed the two of them holding their wand at him. Mallory lowered it but Regulus didn't. "Black, you can lower your wand."

"How can I know it's really you, Prewett?"

Fabian snorted, "Is he serious?" He asked to Mallory, ignoring Regulus.

Mallory stepped back, grimacing, "He's right. What did you tell me in the safe house before I left?"

"Told you it was mental and that you shouldn't trust Black," he muttered. "Though, it seems to have changed."

Regulus took it as his clue to leave. He grabbed his jacked in his hand and bowed his head at the couple, "Prewett," he said then turned to look at Mallory. His face softened, though only Fabian noticed. "Mallory, I'll see you soon."

Just like that, Regulus was gone.

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authors note, so... i'm having trouble keeping reg and mal apart bc they make so much sense. they don't see it yet but I DO!