Sitting in the Great Hall one morning, Esme picked her other mail and turned the letter over in her hand and a wave of nausea swept through her. Despite only having come up with one idea, she was out of ideas.

Perhaps Andromeda had good news - a solution for Esme and Regulus. However, she doubted this would be true.

Recently, nothing was working out quite how she had wanted it to.

Her gaze was focused intently of the table in front of her as she fell further into her thoughts.

"Esme?"

"Merlin's beard!" She exclaimed, clutching her chest as her life flashed before her eyes. Once Esme had managed to catch her breath, she looked up at Regulus, who was sat beside her. "You nearly gave me a heart attack." She muttered disapprovingly.

"What?" He frowned.

"When did you sit there?" She asked, "I didn't notice you."

"Clearly." Regulus sighed, "I've been sat here for nearly half an hour. I said 'hi' when I sat down. Have you seen the time?"

Esme pursed her lips, mildly irritated at her own ignorance, "No, why?"

It had been a few days since their conversation in the Owlery and neither Esme nor Regulus entirely knew where they stood with each other. They hadn't really spoken privately since, and it appeared neither of them was about to broach the subject.

"I didn't mean to make you jump, I only meant to remind you about your lesson. I mean... Doesn't your Potions lesson start in..." Regulus looked down at his watch, "About 98 seconds?"

"Oddly precise. And maybe..." Her eyebrows furrowed in thought, "I erm... I got this letter, though."

"Letter?"

"I don't know how else to describe it."

Regulus closed his eyes for a moment, calming himself before replying, "A letter from whom?"

Esme pursed her lips; she had hoped to wind the boy up and delay having the conversation they were about to have. Regulus hadn't taken the bait, which only meant she finally had to open the letter and read what it said.

"Andromeda Tonks."

The thought of being on time to lessons was instantly wiped from the boy's mind.

"A-Andromeda... What... I-er..." He didn't know what to say. Regulus wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to know what the letter said.

"I haven't opened the letter." She explained, watching as a wave over emotions washed over his face. She didn't want to worry Regulus anymore than he already was, but there was always the slim chance that the letter bore good news.

Regulus rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, "I think I might want to leave it that way. Maybe it's best to not open it."

"You're joking, right? I mean, at first I didn't want to open the letter because I was scared it would be bad news but-"

"Miss Avery... And Mister Black." The two teenagers instantly stopped talking and looked up at Professor Dumbledore, who was peering down at them over the top of his half-moon spectacles, "Isn't it time the two of you headed off to your lessons?"

"Yes, Professor. Nearly lost track of time." Regulus let out a half-laugh and quickly rose to his feet, grabbing Esme's hand and hurriedly leading them out of the Great Hall.

"Good thing you didn't." The professor mumbled to himself as he pushed the glasses up his nose and stood and watched as the students dashed out.

Once they had rounded the corner and were out of sight of the headmaster, Esme pulled her hand free from the boy's grip and waved the letter in his face, "You need to open this."

"Esme." Regulus warned, snatching the letter and shoving it deep into his pocket, "We can't do this here. I'm not even sure I ever want to open this stupid letter."

"Regulus!" She snapped, grabbing onto his arm and leading him towards the moving staircases, "Now is really not the time for you to be stupid. This letter could save your life!"

"We both know it won't. You're being unreasonable." He sighed as they came to a stop underneath one of the non-moving staircases, where they were mostly out of sight.

Esme gritted her teeth together before replying, "Regulus Black, you open that damn letter! At first I was scared to incase she can't help, but even if Andromeda can't help us we're no worse off. It's best to know. Why would you not jump at the slightest chance you might be saved?"

Regulus slowly pulled the letter out of his pocket and flattened out the envelope before turning it over and intently reading Esme's name and address neatly addressed on the back of it. "I don't want to be told that... That nobody can help. I'd rather not have that fact cemented."

"I'll open the letter." She offered, "I'll read it. If it's good news, I'll tell you what it says. If it's bad news, I won't say a word. Deal?"

Begrudgingly, he agreed. "Deal."

So Regulus handed the letter over, and rapidly tapped his foot on the floor as Esme tore the envelope open. Folding his arms tightly across his chest, he dug his nails into his arms and watched closely as she read over the contents of the letter. He couldn't read her expression as she slowly folded the letter back up.

"We're going to be really late to our lessons. Slughorn is going to have my head."

Regulus had suspected Andromeda wouldn't be able to help them, but the news still came as such a blow to him. He almost felt as though the air had been knocked out of his lungs. Suddenly, he took a step backwards, leaning against the wall as he took in the information.

"We don't have to go to our lessons. We can just sit somewhere quietly, if you need." Esme offered, her expression softening and eyes filling with sadness as she watched Regulus struggle with the news. His fate, against his own will, had been sealed. "Regulus-"

"Yeah, y-you're right. We should... Go to our lessons. It'll be alright." He swallowed the lump in his throat and slowly looked up at the girl opposite him.

Despite not wanting to leave his side, Esme knew that he definitely needed some time away from her. Whenever Regulus has been upset as a child, he had always preferred to be alone so nobody else could see him. Going to his next class wouldn't mean he was alone, but it sure stood a better chance of distracting him.

"I'll figure something out, I promise you. Regulus, you're...." Esme wanted to hug the boy. She wanted to rest his head on her shoulder and run her fingers through his hair. She wanted to tell him she'd fix it.

But she knew now was not the time.

They had both confessed how much they cared about the other, but also both knew they would put that aside in an instant to prioritise protecting the other. So that's why they had spent the past week carrying around their own heartache, as they struggling to keep each other safe.

Regulus ran a hand through his own hair, leaving it messy as he gathered himself ready to go to his lesson.

"Let me just..." Esme pointed at his hair, "It's a bit all over the place."

"Right, yes, thank you."

She couldn't help but note how badly he must be taking the news if he was willing to go to a lesson looking so dishevelled. He was always the epitome of neat and punctual, and Esme wouldn't let that change on her watch.

She stepped closer, placing one hand on his shoulder as she used the other to comb through his hair, flattening it out and making sure if all flowed in the same direction. Smirking slightly, she couldn't help but pull forward that one strand of hair that sometimes fell in front of Regulus' eyes. She ran it between her middle finger and thumb, leaving it down over his forehead.

"What was that for?" Regulus asked.

Slowly, Esme took her hand of his shoulder but didn't step away from him, "I like that one weird strand of hair."

"Is that just because I won't allow you to stick crumbs all over my robes?" He smiled now and Esme was pleased she had succeeded in lightening his mood, although she wouldn't admit that to Regulus.

Esme sighed, pushing his chest playfully before stepping back, "There's just no need for one person to be so pristine all the time! Live a little! Put crumbs around your sleeves, untie one of your laces, have that one weird strand of hair that doesn't fit in. It's funny."

"I don't see what's funny about an untied shoelace. That could seriously injure somebody."

"Dear God, Regulus Black has done the impossible - he's become a fifty year old man!"

Regulus pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, "See you later, Avery. Try not to wind up anymore innocent people."

Esme pretend to salute him as he walked past, "Your wish is my command."

Once Regulus had left her sight, Esme remembered the other envelope in her pocket. She pulled it hastily out of her pocket and stared intently at it. A letter from her father.

Normally, Antoinette would write to her two children. Very rarely would Lucas Avery pick up a quill for personal matters.

Esme's parents had recently returned from their travels, and she'd received a letter from her mother only two days ago. It was odd for them to write again so soon.

Nevertheless, she opened the letter.