Perhaps Esme had had it too easy for too long. For once, in the midst of the Death Eater chaos, she felt as though she was finally one step ahead of everyone else. Finally, Esme felt as though she was secure in her position in life.

But that hadn't lasted for long.

Now this feeling of unease was creeping in.

Esme felt as though she was on the back foot again. There was something missing - a piece of the puzzle. Someone wasn't telling her something. It just didn't make any sense.

"Why would Bagman betray us if she knew we were going to help her?" Regulus asked with a hushed voice.

Esme thought for a moment, before whispering, "Maybe it just proves how scared she is? I don't know... I get the feeling we're missing something."

"Do you think-"

"What are you two whispering about?" Piper asked, immediately drawing all attention to the couple sat in the corner of the train compartment.

Esme and Regulus straightened up and leant away from each other. "Nothing." She replied, "Why? Is your conversation not interesting enough?"

"Clearly not because you two are over there conniving." Piper retorted with a grin.

Dirk chuckled, "Wow, Pipes, it's almost like you want Avery to have a go at you."

"I just want to know what they're talking about." She shrugged.

Esme opened her mouth to reply but before any words could come out, Regulus spoke up. "Just about how this is your last few months at Hogwarts. It's going to be strange next year." He offered with a sweet smile.

Piper groaned, "Ugh, don't remind me. I'm ancient."

"One of many words I'd use to describe you." Esme muttered under her breath, then yelped, "Ow!" as Regulus elbowed her sharply in the side.

Piper continued to complain, "I can't believe it. I don't want to leave Hogwarts. What am I even going to do?"

"Get a job?" Dirk suggested whilst not bothering to look up from his book.

This instantly sparked a long process of bickering between the Dirk and Piper - allowing the other two to return to their previous conversation.

"Did Dumbledore ever reply to your letter?" Regulus asked.

Then. A lightbulb moment.

"Regulus..." Esme reached out to grip onto his arm, "Don't you think it's a little odd that Bellatrix turned up at the Bagman's house the exact same time that we were there?"

An unreadable expression washed over Regulus' face as he sat back and his jaw hung slightly open. "Are you suggesting..."

"Someone knew where we were going." Esme nodded, lowering her voice so it was barely above a whisper, "Someone overheard our plan."

"Who could have?" He thought, turning to Dirk and Piper but instantly dismissing the thought - neither of them supported the Death Eaters and neither would betray Esme.

Esme pursed her lips in thought, "I'm not sure... I have an idea, though."

"Not another one. My hair is going to turn grey with the stress from your schemes." Regulus sighed and shook his head whilst running a hand through his dark hair.

She cast a look out of the window, "I have a plan to find out who was spying on us."

"What is-"

"You two! You're at it again!" Piper exclaimed, instantly snapping the couple's attention towards her.

Dirk sunk down in his seat, burying his nose deeper into his book, "If you two are going to start kissing or something, let me know so I can leave."

"Don't be gross, Cresswell." Esme retorted.

Regulus scoffed, "Gross? Thanks for that, Esme."

"We were just going to go and get some food." She elbowed him sharply in the side, "Do you guys want anything?"

Piper narrowed her eyes and glanced between the two of them. Something suspicious was certainly going on. The nosy part of Piper wanted to know what they were talking about, but she also knew it was probably dangerous and Death-Eater-related and thought it best to stay out of it.

"I'll take a liquorice wand." Dirk replied, not looking up from what he was reading.

Esme stood up and shook her head, "No you won't. They're gross. I'll get you some Drooble's."

"Brilliant." Dirk replied with a slight chuckle.

Esme turned back to Regulus, "Come on then." She grasped ahold of his hand and tugged him out of the compartment and down the train carriage as quickly as she could.

Slowly, Piper rose from her seat and closed the compartment door behind them. Upon sitting back down again, she mused, "I think I do want to know what they're up to."

Finally, Dirk closed his book, "What would they be up to?"

Piper's eyes widened as she blurted out, "Nothing."

"Esme, slow down!" Regulus grumbled, freeing his hand from her hold as he stopped in his tracks and caused Esme to finally come to a standstill and turn to face him.

"What's your idea?" He asked, glancing past Esme and down the carriage to make sure they were alone.

She exhaled slowly before replying, "Whoever betrayed us... It's got to be somebody who supports the Death Eaters, right?"

"Right." He nodded, he had a faint idea of what Esme was getting at.

"They'd have to know we're not particularly aligned with the Death Eater beliefs..." She continued.

Regulus pursed his lips, "They'd have to know us well. Someone from home or... Hogwarts."

They looked each other in the eye and whispered, "The Slytherins."

"They must have heard us talking about it around the castle." Esme fretted.

Regulus started to pace down the corridor, shaking his head and muttering curses under his breath as Esme leant back against the window.

"I'm surprised they've let us live this long." Regulus shook his head and dug his hands deep into his pockets, "We're doomed."

"Stop being dramatic." Esme stepped forward to stand in front of him and stop his pacing as she swatted at his chest.

Regulus had to stop from rolling his eyes, "Everything about this is dramatic. What we're doing is literally life or death."

"I have a plan, trust me." She insisted.

"So you keep saying." He replied, "But what exactly is it?"

"It's a trap." Esme flashed her lopsided smirk, "I know just how we're going to trap who betrayed us."

He sighed, "By all means, please expl-"

"Avery! Black? What are you guys doing?"

Esme and Regulus both turned to see Levi Rogers striding down the carriage towards them. He beamed brightly upon recognising the two of them, and chuckled, "I found your cat down the other end of the train."

"Oh!" Esme grinned, "That's where she went."

She extended her arms to take the black cat from Levi, but sighed as it leapt out of her arms and gingerly landed on the floor.

"She actually hates me." Esme tutted.

Regulus knelt down to one knee and immediately Egeria went to the boy, purring excessively as he began petting her, "She just knows who's better, that's all. Why waste her time with second best?"

"Merlin, you're annoying." Esme mumbled, looking over at Regulus as he stood back up with the happy cat in his arms.

"What are you guys doing?" Levi asked.

"Nothing." They replied quickly in unison.

Levi frowned, "Alright. That's not weird."

"Damn right." Esme responded shortly, turning on her heels and leading the way back to their original compartment. A small smile playing on her lips as Dirk protested as she returned with no sweets.

-

a/n

i don't like this chapter at all but i don't want to spend anymore time working on it bc i just want to move on so please excuse this slight filler chapter - i just needed to briefly include some important information here to make sense in the rest of the story

thank you