Chapter LVI: Moles and Targets

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
Brena stared at Regulus. The slight flinch at the nickname wasn't missed by the curly haired Black. 
"What is it?" His voice came out more leveled than stern but still making Brena stiffen a bit. Her mind coming to a complete halt when the smell of the man in front of her entered her nose. His cologne had a way to calm her down- it probably cost more than her family ever could have thought to afford. Regulus stood in front of her, his hand moving up to push a piece of hair behind her ear. 
"How do you know that Phineas is dead?" Brena voiced suddenly. Regulus paused in his movement, shocked perhaps of the random question. Brena's brown eyes analyzing his face for any reaction. He seemed to be hesitating, like he was trying to put together what to say or like he had no idea what to say. "Did you see his body?"
"No." Regulus responded. Brena stayed silent, waiting for him to finish explaining. "It was mentioned in a meeting. Greyback was complaining about the unnecessary death to some of my distant family. About how it was going to mess up his plans." Regulus explained slowly, as if he was trying to relive the event in his mind.
"You never-" Brena let her brain process the information. Thinking back to the blue eyed man who had sat with her. "He's still alive." The curly haired Slytherin looked at the girl in front of him in confusion. 
"Alive? You think Phineas is still alive? Brena that's imp-" He paused as he noticed the hope in the center of the girls eyes. He let out a breath, unable to will himself to smother that hope from her. "What makes you think that?" 
"A guy was here- well down in the pub." Brena moved away from Regulus, pulling out her black book along with some tarot cards that she was given. A pull on her mind made her stumble slightly. Talvi trying to push her way through to take over, but Brena pushed back. This was something she needed to figure out. "Blue eyes- dark blonde hair. He said I knew him." 
"Wait." Regulus demanded as he watched the girl rush around. "Someone came here to talk to you? Brought up Phineas? Who was it?" Brena shrugged as she moved to the bed.
"I didn't recognize him." She muttered as she began to lay out the cards in front of her. She paused as if something had come to her thought process. "It was a trap." She mumbled, her brown eyes snapping to the young Black. He was frozen in place as he processed what she had just said. 
"To find a mole." He breathed. His skin seemed to pale more. Even if he did defect- now there was no way to hide the fact that he was never on the dark lords side. Anything that was leaked would fall on him. Earning him a target on his back with not only his family but his supposed friends as well. "You said dark blonde hair? Blue eyes? Any other features?" He questioned, trying to put a name to the stranger as he moved to watch Brena with the tarot cards.
Brena thought about it for a moment. Thinking over the way the man looked. 
"Um- He was older than us. Maybe in his mid twenties?" Brena said as she tried to reimagine the man. The pull on her mind caused a groan to leave her throat as it began to cause a headache. Regulus furrowed his brows as he tried to think of who she was talking about watching as she got up suddenly and went to pull a book out of her bag.
"The Mysterious case of Jekyle and Mr. Hyde?" He questioned as he remembered the book from when he first noticed her in the library talking to herself.
"Its a running joke." Brena huffed, opening the book to a page that held a mirror in it.
"It's Jonah!" Brena frowned as she stared into the mirror. Her reflection looking frantic. "The man you saw today was Jonah."
"Are you sure? He didn't look like-"
"He's aged, but I would recognize him anywhere." Brena looked up from the book to see Regulus looking confused.
"Do you know Jonah? He worked in Greybacks pack back when Talvi was alive." He nodded.
"He still does. He was the one who was with Greyback- shit." Regulus ran his hand through his curly hair as he realized what had happened. He was set up. It was a ploy to ween out the weak. Brena snapped the book shut and walked over to him swiftly, seeing his anxiety flooding.
"It's okay. Take a breath." She tried to calm him. But all Regulus could think of was that this was it. He had many dark wizards and witches painting a bright red target on his back now. 
Brena pulled him to her, rubbing circles on his back to sooth the boy. Her mind gearing with thoughts of the visions she had seen. 
She had seen Regulus die in the future. But it didn't go this way. His future had already changed. He had been meant to drown trying to steal from the evil wizard. But now?
"Did you have a new mission recently? To hide something?" Brena questioned. Reggie pulled back from her hold, looking down at her as he tried to calm his quick heart.
"I was meant to meet him somewhere- a cave or something." He filled in. Brena nodded, not pushing it as she pulled him to the bed to sit with her. Pushing the tarots off to the floor so Regulus could lay his head on the girls lap. Her fingers running through his tangled curls gently. 
"You'll be okay. I'll keep an eye on the future. Nothing will come of this." She assured him. 
Regulus felt truly weak. His fear of death making him curl into a fetal position in front of the girl who had been through it all already. She was so strong in his eyes and what did he look to her? But it didn't matter at the moment. He relaxed against her. Breathing slowly at the relaxing touch of her fingers.
"And what of Phineas?" He questioned quietly. Was the young Willard boy still alive? Or was this another ploy to get what they wanted? Regulus worried about Brena getting her hopes up, only to have to go through the loss again. 
"I'll need to talk to Albus." The words tasted worst than vomiting up pickle juice and chocolate. Burning her stomach and causing it to twist. She didn't trust the man- but he may be her only way to know the truth.

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          

A/N: Another short update, but the next will be longer I hope. 
Sooooooo??? Mystery man solved! Did you expect a visit from the past??
Is Phineas alive? I mean, I know...but what do you think?
Will Reggie be okay?? 
How will a talk with Albus go?