FONTAINE MANOR

"I'm going to be tasked to kill my brother."

Darkness overwhelmed the room then, and it felt to each of them like the air had been sucked out of their lungs.

Sage Fontaine felt like the world had stopped spinning on its axis as she sat at the kitchen table in what had once been her grandmother's house.

She was not one to react loudly and openly; she really wasn't one to react at all. She let the information wash over her, and she reached out to her boyfriend for stability.

Sirius Black looked confused. "Why me?" He asked, gripping Sage's hand tightly, so tight that her knuckles turned white.

Regulus, a year and a half younger than Sage and Sirius but in this moment looking about a decade older than his real age, pursed his chapped lips.

"I'd assume the Dark Lord wants me to prove my loyalty. If he knew about Sage, I think he'd have me kill her instead." Regulus answered quietly, glancing from the two lovers to Anna-Lee, Sage's American friend, and her husband, Noah.

Thunder boomed in the sky above the manor, and the ceiling light flickered ominously.

Sage shuddered and tried to keep herself from vomiting. "It doesn't do any of us any good to stay up all night talking about this. Reg, I'll take you to one of the guest rooms. Yankee, you and Noah should get some sleep, too." She turned to Sirius. "I'll meet you back in my room in a little bit."

The five of them left the kitchen, and Sage left the light on for the morning staff who were set to arrive in a few hours. She led her younger friend through the house, up a set of stairs, towards the wing of bedrooms that were meant to house a large number of visitors.

"Thanks for coming to get me." Regulus said in a whisper, not looking at her.

She scoffed and opened the door to one of the bedrooms. "Don't thank me. You'll have to go back eventually, sooner rather than later, most likely. But it's good you told us—it gives me a chance to put some wards up around the house, just in case Voldemort decides to send some of his more seasoned Death Eaters to kill your brother."

He gave her a dark look. "You don't need to worry. I have a plan."

"As long as it doesn't involve either of you dying, I trust you."

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