Small Favors // Regemma
Greenhouse B 18 June 1977 Before Hogsmeade
Regulus, while usually one to think every eventuality and possible outcome through to avoid any unforseen nastiness, had forgotten to account for Emma. Of course, he’d only known about the attack on Hogsmeade since the night before and between end of term festivities, graduation ceremonies, and trying to talk some sense into Sirius, Regulus hadn’t had a chance to talk to Emma. He should have known, he realized now, that she would be planning to go into Hogsmeade with the rest. She had friends among the seventh years, friends she would want to say goodbye to.
Friends Regulus knew should have been telling her what he hoped to tell her. Not to go.
When he’d learned about the attack, his immediate thought was to try and keep Sirius from harm’s way without breaking direct orders and telling him about the attack. He’d not even thought of trying to protect Emma. She wasn’t meant to need protection from those he called allies. And it wasn’t so much that she was in danger from them, just that having her in a place where he knew a battle would break out went against every fiber in his body.
He’d lost her after the graduation but they’d talked about meeting in the greenhouse to have some time alone with one another in all the bustle of the day. He was surprised to have arrived before her and waited in the warm embrace of the glass walls and foliage lined paths, pacing through the aisles as he waited for her to join him.