✷ Chapter Fourteen, Swallow Me Up Into A Pit
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NICE DAYS MEAN BAD NIGHTS.

That's what Capella's grandmother always said. She had always longed for a granddaughter to share her salacious and hilarious stories with. Pandora, Capella's sister, was too soft and delicate to appreciate a truly funny story, or at least that's how their grandmother saw it.

Capella adored her grandmother, viewing her as the center of the world, earth, universe, and all beyond it. The old woman's presence was like a constant, warm glow in her life, illuminating every corner with wisdom and wit. Her grandmother's stories were more than just amusing anecdotes; they were life lessons wrapped in humor and a bit of naughtiness, imparted with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Capella supposed everyone felt that way about their grandmothers. After all, grandmothers had a magical way of making you feel like you were the most important person in their universe. Her grandmother's house, with its cozy nooks and crannies filled with relics of a bygone era, felt like a haven, a place where time stood still and memories were cherished.

It was also true that grandmothers passed on superstitions that would last until your dying day. Capella's grandmother had a knack for weaving these old wives' tales into everyday conversation, making them seem as essential as breathing. Capella still knocked on wood, avoided walking under ladders, and never, ever placed a hat on a bed – all because of the stories her grandmother had told her.

Capella had grown tired of waiting for her beau's proposal. Patience had never been her strong suit, and she was not one to sit idly by when she wanted something. So one evening, while they were reading together in comfortable silence, she simply told him that they were getting married. He looked up from his book, blinked a few times, and then, with a slow smile, agreed.

Together, they picked a date: January 10th, 1980. It wasn't too far away, just short of three months. Perfect for purchasing a dress from a catalog and arranging for a minister from the Ministry of Magic's marriage division. The date felt right – a new beginning at the start of a new year.

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It was December 18th 1979, and a very cold day for London. Regulus was off at work, and Capella decided to host her friends. Bedelia, Fiona and Lance all came over. Fiona informed everyone about her pregnancy and how she was definitely not going to drink.

She had about three sips of beer. Fiona would probably never stop drinking. Even if her life was put on the line.

Capella, as the new Lady Lestrange, her money had arrived and her inheritance. The money for Callum's widow had been deducted and for the unborn baby.

Capella felt no remorse. She didn't feel guilty towards her former sister in law and unborn niece or nephew.

She was a pawn on the chessboard of her father's. Then her brother, now they were pawns on her chessboard.

She was free. Her life was her own now.

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It had been nearly three weeks since Capella had so much as glanced at the stack of RSVP letters piling up on the corner of her desk. Between flower arrangements, dress fittings, and managing the labyrinth of details surrounding the wedding, the RSVP list had become an afterthought. But today, the letters demanded her attention, each name a reminder of the past she was trying to leave behind.

Her fingers froze as she saw a name she hadn't thought she'd ever see again: Lucinda Ackerman.

Regulus was at her side, scanning the name over her shoulder, a look of disbelief crossing his face. "But... I thought she died? Her parents made a huge ordeal about how she died of stomach cancer, supposedly from all the stress and bullying."

Capella's lips pressed together in a thin line. "Apparently, it was all a ploy. And, well, she's coming to the wedding."

Regulus let out a sigh, his jaw tightening as he muttered, "I don't want her there any more than you do. But if it has to happen, then so be it."

Capella gritted her teeth and worked through the remaining letters, her hands moving almost mechanically as she finalized the seating chart, thoughts swirling in her mind. She jotted down arrangements before passing them off to Narcissa, the only member of Regulus's family she trusted enough to help plan their wedding.

Of course, Capella's first choice would have been Andromeda, but given the tensions, Narcissa was the closest option that wouldn't completely unsettle the family dynamic. Despite her apprehension, Capella had even sent an invitation to her own sister, though no reply had come. She assumed her sister's silence meant they wouldn't attend, so she left them off the chart and out of her thoughts.

Finally, exhausted and drained, she threw herself onto her bed, letting the weight of her worries fall away. Moments later, Regulus joined her, lying close, tracing invisible stars along her shoulder and collarbone in a soothing rhythm.

"Regulus... I'm scared," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He continued tracing, his voice calm and reassuring. "You have nothing to be scared of. Callum is dead, his wife is on the run, and no one else will hurt you."

Capella's voice trembled as she responded, "No! That's not true. You left the Death Eaters—they're looking for you, and who knows if they're sending someone to spy on us at the wedding. They've taken over Lestrange Hall, Regulus. Who's to say they won't ruin everything?"

Regulus turned, his face softening as he looked at her. "Ella, if you're that worried... let's forget the wedding and just go to the courthouse tomorrow. We'll get married quietly, and we can run away on the day of the wedding. No one else has to know."

She blinked, caught off guard by his earnest offer. "Regulus... you'd really do that? Just leave it all behind, for me?"

"Of course," he replied, a warm smile spreading across his face. "We could even go somewhere far away... maybe France?"

Capella laughed, a sudden, joyous sound that filled the room. "Forget France—let's run away to Switzerland!"

They both laughed, the tension easing as they pictured a life together, free from all the threats that had followed them. In that moment, lying together and imagining a future far from everything they knew, Capella felt truly free, her fears melting away in the warmth of Regulus's embrace.

But as the couple danced around in their charming yet small flat. A man, shrouded in dark looked up at the window.

"Oh Capella. Oh Regulus. You have no idea what's coming for you."

AUTHOR'S NOTE━━━━━━━
i twist , you turn , who's the first to burn?

hey pals! two chapters in a day wow i am on fire bye queens