The crisp air of October settled over the castle and grounds, meaning Quidditch season was just around the corner. Over the last few weeks, it had been nothing but back to back drama with Éponine dealing with Regulus only for it to come abruptly to a stop. Gian would admit, he was quite confused because it seemed all Éponine and Regulus did, since being reunited during the term, was argue. But, after Éponine asked Gian to get Regulus, so he could tend to Mulciber in the Hospital Wing, the two of them were acting as if the other didn't exist in the corridors. Not that Gian was complaining because he was so tired of Regulus being the main cause of Éponine's stress.

However, Gian couldn't help feel nervous, thinking Regulus had something planned up his sleeves. Had Éponine truly got her point through to him that she wasn't willing to talk to him if he didn't change his views, or was Regulus trying to think of another approach?  After all, while Regulus was pretending that Éponine didn't exist out in the public eye, his stolen glances hadn't gone unnoticed.

One evening, as Gian remembered, Éponine had been sitting in the Common Room, helping a few first-year students with their homework. She had been helping Gian too as he was definitely falling behind in History of Magic, when Regulus entered the Common Room. Éponine paid him no mind as one of the first years asked a question regarding her Potions' assignment. But Gian had seen Regulus stop and look over.

For a Seventh Year student, not to mention, Head Boy, Regulus looked like a lost puppy. He had gone from being one of the most popular boys in the school, or at least, in Slytherin, to someone who appeared completely closed off from the world around him. His two best friends were no longer at his side, not even willing to be around each other. He didn't have Éponine to talk to, and it seemed he didn't want to talk to anyone else.

Part of Gian felt bad, thinking he was spending too much time around Éponine that her soft nature was beginning to rub off on him. But at the same time, Gian knew that Regulus had brought it upon himself. Sure, his parents and family had filled his head with ignorant reciting and prejudice beliefs, but Regulus had been approached numerous times, not only by Sirius but  Éponine as well. Two people that he trusted and cared for, both of them telling him to just open his eyes and try to listen to what they were telling him.

What were they supposed to do if he wasn't willing to listen?

It seemed Éponine had given up with trying to reason with Regulus, and by the frequency of Sirius' letters arriving in the post, maybe she really was trying to move on. But if Sirius and Éponine were willing to move on and leave Regulus behind, he didn't stand a chance.

And maybe Gian hadn't given up just yet. Maybe he wanted to hold onto hope that like Éponine, Regulus just needed that moment where everything clicked in his mind.

Éponine confessed to Gian once that he had been the reason that she had started to question things. The way she looked at him and couldn't bring herself to be mean, even if that was expected of her. She told him that she had been called "soft" because of it. But it was what she needed to start opening her eyes and start to question everything she had been told since she was a little girl.

Gian didn't think too highly of himself, but maybe if he showed Regulus that he wasn't an awful person, maybe Regulus would start to question the validity of what he had been told all along. Maybe he would see what Sirius and Éponine had been trying to tell him.

So Gian came up with a plan and one afternoon, decided to tell Éponine only half of it.

"You want to join the Slytherin Quidditch team?"

Éponine blinked several times after Gian made his little announcement while they were eating lunch. It sounded like something a typical student would say, however, Éponine couldn't help but question Gian's intentions.

"That's what I said!" Gian grinned. "Try-outs are this evening and I'm going."

"Do you really want to do that?" Éponine asked him. "Gian, under normal circumstances, I would tell you to go for it and support you no matter what. But you do remember who's on the Quidditch team for this House, right? It's not just Regulus, but Emmett Travers is on the team too. He's one of those purebloods if you catch my drift and he happens to be captain. I just don't want you to get upset if they don't give you a fair chance at try-outs."

"Hmmm, I didn't think of that," Gian frowned. "They're probably not going to like it if I show my face there at all. Silly idea, I guess-"

"You're going."

Confused, Gian looked over to see that Éponine looked more determined than him at the moment. She had her fingers wrapped around her little goblet of pumpkin juice, her eyes slightly narrowed as if she were concentrating on something.

"But you just said-"

"Which is exactly why you should go," she sighed. "They can't stop you from trying out, Gian. I know that for a fact because they wouldn't be allowed to discriminate in such an obvious manner. They may not let you join the team and I'm sure they could come up with a million reasons besides the fact that you're a muggle-born. But you should still try because you can't let them scare you or discourage you. That's how they win."

Regulus stood in the Quidditch pitch among the remaining members of the Slytherin Quidditch team that evening. For the upcoming Inter-House season, they were down two Chasers and a Beater, meaning that try-outs were a must unless they wanted to attempt to win matches with an incomplete team. The try-outs were announced a few days prior and it seemed word had spread fast as plenty of Slytherin students had shown up.

Most of them were second-year students, just looking to give it a try with a couple of older students scattered among them. Regulus hadn't really been paying attention to the newer faces until he was gently elbowed in his side. Immediately, he looked over to see Emmett Travers, give a silent nod of his head in the left direction.

"Look who showed up."

Glancing over in the gestured direction, Regulus swallowed instantly as he spotted Gian making his way over. Of all the people in the castle, why did it have to be Gian that showed up, the only way it could be worse if Éponine decided to show up as well.

Of course, because the world was completely against him, Regulus watched as Gian waved behind him, and Regulus looked up to see that Éponine sitting in the stands, with little Toulouse sitting in her lap.

She was all bundled up to face the cold weather, as a light drizzle was starting to fall. She had on her heavy robes, a house scarf wrapped around her neck, paired with a knitted cap. Even Toulouse had a small scarf wrapped around his neck as Éponine tucked her hands into the cat's thick fur, more than likely to keep her hands warm.

"Adorable," he muttered to himself, "why do you have to be so damn precious?!"

Why was she there? The obvious answer was she was there to support Gian, but why was the universe so against him? For the last few weeks, Regulus had just found himself so damn confused with everything taking place around him.

After confessing his love for Éponine, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

She claimed he didn't, but he knew he did. However, Éponine had made a fair point and he wasn't sure how to counter it if he could. When she said that if the Dark Lord ordered him to kill her, he would. No, Regulus knew he couldn't bring himself to do such a thing, but it made him wonder what the consequences were going to be if he openly defied the Dark Lord?

The quick answer was death. He would probably kill Regulus and then he would kill Éponine. Or probably get one of his other followers to do so. The Dark Lord hardly wasted any effort to rid of someone unless he was in a foul mood or personally wanted to watch a person suffer for whatever reason. There was a slight chance that he would practice some mercy on them for being purebloods, but that wasn't much. More than likely, any punishment that was given was going to make them wish they were dead.

So how did Regulus support a wizard that was willing to kill Éponine and then claim to love her at the same time?

He wasn't exactly sure.

All he could hear in his head was Éponine and Sirius telling him to wake up, while simultaneously, hearing his parents telling him that their minds had poisoned by muggle and muggle-born propaganda. It was just what the muggle-borns wanted, for the wizarding world to put their guard down and by the time they all realised it, it would be too late. The constant back and forth in his head was leaving Regulus with a throbbing headache most days. And there was only one way to get it to stop.

Regulus was going to have to choose a side and stay firm with it. No more wavering between his love for Éponine and Sirius vs the love of his parents and family traditions. But who the hell was right?

"Might as well tell the little mudblood to get out of here," Emmett whispered to Regulus, " there's no room on the team for him even with the positions open."

Regulus didn't say anything right away as Gian approached and stood among the other students. Emmett wasn't exactly for one for common decency and was more than likely going to tell Gian to get the hell off the pitch without an explanation. And as the large Seventh Year boy approached where Gian stood, Regulus could see a slight fear in Gian's eyes, but the younger boy didn't move.

Stealing a glance in the direction of the stands, Regulus could see that Éponine was up on her feet, her wand drawn and ready in one hand, while Toulouse was tucked under her other arm. If Emmett tried anything, he was more than likely going to end up dead on the pitch when Éponine was done with him. And while it looked like she was getting ready to make her way onto the pitch, while Emmett towered over Gian, Regulus decided to finally intervene.

Hurrying over, Regulus reached his arm out, having it act as a barrier between Emmett and Gian. The two looked confused, both probably wondering just what the hell Regulus was doing, and even Éponine had come to a halt.

"Let him play," Regulus told Emmett. "Just let him try out."

"Regulu-"

"Just fucking do it, alright?" Regulus whispered harshly. "Think about what you're doing. If you tell him he can't try-out, he can easily go to the Headmaster and then what? They're not going to let you get away with not letting him at least do the try-outs. Now come on."

Emmett wasn't prepared to argue and it didn't seem to matter even if he was as Regulus walked away from him to go get his broom.

Éponine let out the breath she was holding, feeling her heart pounding in her chest as she sat back down in the stands. For a moment, she wasn't sure what was about to happen as Emmett Travers approached Gian in such a menacing manner. She hadn't expected Regulus to walk over, but whatever he had said had caused Emmett to reconsider whatever he was about to do and take a step back.

And a few seconds later, Gian looked over to where she was sitting and winked in her direction with a thumbs up.

"You cheeky little shit."

A/N:

Gian after Regulus said, "let him play."

Éponine after Regulus said, " let him play."