Over the next couple weeks, they each took it in turns to be watching over the locket and keeping it secret and safe. But the funny thing about the locket was the way that it made them feel when they were in possession of it. It was as though a countenance of darkness flooded whoever it was that guarded the locket, causing their personalities to sour and for their patience to wear thin and their tempers to run hot.

Even sweet Maryrose was affected horribly, her lovely hair turning an unnaturally angry shade of bright red. She snapped angrily at Marlene when she tentatively asked how she was doing and if the locket was bothering Maryrose the same as it had done herself. "What are you asking me, Mackinnon?" Maryrose growled, making Marlene and Regulus both stare at her with wide eyes at the shocking tone, "Are you suggesting because my boyfriend is Regulus that I'm dark, and checking if I still have the locket? Do I look cursed?"

Marlene shook her head, "That isn't what I'm saying at all..."

"Stop being so much like Sirius Black," Maryrose snapped.

"I'm not like Sirius Black..." muttered Marlene, leaving Maryrose and Regulus behind, annoyed.

And the tensions only grew - particularly when it was in possession of one of the Marauders, who were all in one room and all equally affected by the locket's proximity. It was after a particularly terrible argument between Sirius and Peter during one such evening that James called for a meeting of the Order members who were involved in guarding the locket.

"I can't stand this anymore," James said, angrily. "It's too bloody dark, it's ruining everything and everyone, mucking up relationships and —" he shook his head, then burst, "If we could just come up with some intelligent way to destory the manky thing we could get on with our lives! You'd think that between all of us we might be able to come up with at least ONE plausible way to destroy this piece of shite locket!! What are we? A bunch of first years, for Merlin's sake!"

Everyone looked quite uncomfortable at this outburst. Lily cleared her throat and carefully lifted the locket from about James's neck, setting it to levitating so that no one had to hold it. The moment she'd done it, he felt an immense amount of relief, as though a great weight had been taken off his chest and he looked about apologetically. "I'm sorry," he murmured, feeling embarrassed for having just insulting all of his friends. "This is exactly why we need to figure this thing out, though," he added, pointing at the locket. "I don't reckon carrying that thing about is healthy for any of us, it's so dark. No one should feel the way that thing makes you feel. It isn't right, and it's exactly what You Know Who would want, people feeling like rubbish."

Regulus was staring down at his lap and he murmured, "It doesn't affect me the same as you lot."

"Already too dark to feel the cursed locket?" Sirius asked, eyebrow raised suggestively. "It's no wonder that Voldemort's pet wouldn't be affected, is it?"

"Says the one who's as much of a heartless bastard with the locket as he is without it," Regulus snapped.

James waved his wand quickly, casting a silent sticking charm to the bottom of Sirius's boots to keep him in place before he leaped at Regulus, enraged by the words. "Hey! Enough!" James said, "I just finished apologizing for creating tension among us, don't you two start now, too. It's bad enough that Voldemort is tearing apart the world from the outside, we don't need to be fighting amongst ourselves as well. That's only helping him along with his ultimate goal, isn't it?" James looked between the others in the room, "It's certainly not helping us toward ours."

Lily nodded, "We need to be loving to each other."

"Yes, exactly," James said, nodding.

"Love's the greatest weapon we have," Marlene added, glancing at Emmaline, who nodded firmly.

"It's the only way to defeat him," Maryrose said, "Because it's the only thing You Know Who can't take away."

Peter said, "It's the only thing he doesn't have to match us in."

Wendy nodded, "The only thing he's weak at."

"And we can be stronger than him in," Remus said, and he grabbed Sirius's hand and squeezed it tightly. Sirius stared down at his and Remus's hand, clasped together and his eyes flicked to his brother, then back down to his boots.

Regulus's voice was low, "The reason that it doesn't bother me, I think, isn't anything to do with if I'm Volemort's Pet," he looked away from Sirius and up to James, knowing that if nobody else in the room believed in him, at least James Potter would. "It's the same reason the Dark Lord doesn't affect me as much as you lot, the same reason that Severus Snape isn't bothered by him, too, for that matter..."

Sirius's face grimaced at the name.

"It's because we can block him out from our minds - because we can practice occlumency. Whatever darkness that locket is putting off," he explained, "I'm blocking it out."

Remus cleared his throat, "That makes sense," he said.

Lily looked at James, "That could explain, too, why Severus didn't think anything of giving it to me, despite how dark it is. He might not have realized how much power it was putting out if he wasn't affected by it the same way as the rest of us have been... I really don't think he would've given it to me if he'd known it would make me feel badly like it does..."

James nodded slowly, though he wasn't sure that he really agreed with Lily on that. There was no telling where Severus Snape would draw the line on what was hurting Lily and what might force her further into his web. It wouldn't be the first time that Snape had justified something that would hurt Lily, despite his obsessive so-called love for her...

"Well," James murmured, and he studied the locket a long moment, "I mean... The locket has negative - very negative - effects on all of us. Except Regulus. And we're not any nearer to knowing how to destroy it... or even knowing what, exactly, it is..." He paused a long moment, biting his lips and hesitating, knowing that Sirius wasn't going to like what he was about to say... at all. "It's just that, um, it only makes sense if the person who's least damaged by it --" James looked at Regulus, "Well, that he'd be the one to watch over it. All the time." He braced himself for the implosion.

Sirius didn't blow up though. Instead, he laughed. It wasn't his normal laugh - it was a cold laugh, accompanied by an eyeroll and a half-smirk of mirthless amusement. "Well done, little brother," he said, eyes sparkling, "You've managed it, haven't you?"

Regulus's jaw tightened, but he didn't speak up. He just stared at his brother, their eyes locked, daring one another.

"Oh why don't you let your brother be, you big bully?" Marlene interrupted the tension, throwing up her hands in exasperation. "If he really wanted to give it to You Know Who he could've done it already over the last couple weeks, couldn't he? You're just being stupidly hard on him and he's done nothing to deserve it!"

There was a long silence that hung in the air for several long seconds. Then:

"Alright." Sirius stood up. "Tell you lot what. I will go so that my bullying isn't a problem anymore, and I won't be annoying you all with my warnings. But mark my words -- you give that locket to Regulus Black and you might as well be handing it to the Dark Lord himself." Sirius stared into Regulus's eyes, then turned and walked out the door before anyone could answer him or even try to stop him. 

Remus stared at his trainers, biting his lips.

Marlene said the words everyone was thinking, "Alright, no offense to him, but good bloody riddance, I was getting really sick of his negativity. Merlin's beard!"

Emmaline snort-laughed at this, which made the others all laugh, too, breaking some of the tension that had entered the room as Sirius left it. Regulus, on edge and half expecting them to chuck him out in favor of bringing Sirius back, chuckled uncomfortably, and tried to keep his hands from shaking.

"How do you stand it?" Wendy asked, looking at Peter, then James and Remus in turn. "I would absolutely  have to murder him."

"He's not as bad as he's been acting here," James said, half defensively for his best mate. "He's usually much more friendly."

Regulus piped up, "Afraid it's my fault, really. I get under his skin."

"We noticed," Emmaline said.

James looked about at them all, and, getting back on track, he turned to Regulus. "Do you have any reserves about holding onto this bloody thing for us? At least until the holidays."

Regulus nodded, "I can do that."

Lily spoke up, "Wait. Is it really a good idea to be sending the locket to Slytherin common room?" she asked. "What if somebody sees it and knows what it is? What if Severus Snape sees into your mind and finds out you've got it? It was him that gave me it, after all, he'll recognize it the moment he sees it in your mind."

"I can close him off, too," Regulus replied, "I already do. He has no idea about... well, anything I don't want him to." 

James glanced between Lily and Regulus. "Is that good enough of an answer? For everyone?" He looked about at Marlene, Ali, Wendy, Emmaline, Maryrose, and Remus. "Any other questions, doubts, worries?" he pressed. But none were forth coming. James turned to Regulus. "Congratulations," he waved his and and the locket twisted through the air and came to rest in Regulus Black's palm.

Regulus quickly draped the necklace about his neck, tucking it into his shirt, deep in the folds of his button up and tie, where it couldn't be seen. He looked around at everyone, and felt a lump rise up in his throat. "Thanks everyone, for... for trusting me, despite the things Sirius has to say about me."

"Just don't let us down," Marlene answered for the group and a general murmuring went up among the others.

Regulus patted the spot where the locket hung against his chest. "I won't let you down," Regulus added, "I promise you lot that I won't ever let the Dark Lord take this locket. Not ever."