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James was a bundle of nerves. He’d been waiting for Regulus at the edge of the forest for a few minutes, and even though he was one of the most optimistic people you could imagine, not even he could stop his mind from racing through every possible way this plan could go horribly wrong. And what if it did? Half of his friends would be dead—including Sirius, his best friend, his soul-brother. James simply couldn’t imagine living what might be an eternity without Sirius Black by his side. None of them could. He was pretty sure the only reason he hadn’t done something stupid yet was because of the hope this insane plan gave him.
“Sorry I’m late.”
James didn’t see when Regulus arrived, but the second he was in his arms again, an inexplicable wave of relief hit him. Ever since this whole plan had started, they’d barely seen each other, and even though James knew Regulus was alive, the fear never left him. Lately, all he felt was fear—fear for his friends, fear for himself, but mostly, fear for Regulus.
“You okay?” James asked, noticing the strange look in his boyfriend’s eyes and frowning when Regulus sighed and took a small step back.
“Operation Massacre,” Reg said, shoving his hands into his pockets and avoiding James’s gaze. He looked exhausted, and it broke James’s heart. He’d been like that ever since Sirius died. Since then, Regulus hadn’t stopped for a second—doing everything he could to bring his brother back. Even helping with a plan that involved blowing up a bar full of people. And yeah, James wasn’t exactly a fan of mass murder, but they were the ones who started this. It wasn’t enough that they’d taken their town—because of them, his best friend was dead. And so many others. And they were going to bring them back, no matter the cost. “Assuming MacDonald knows the difference between water pipes and gas lines.”
And somehow, James still laughed. Even in all this chaos, he’d always loved Regulus’s dark, sarcastic sense of humor—even though Reg never saw himself as funny.
“Listen…” Reg’s tone shifted, and James felt the smile fade from his lips, because Regulus’s expression changed too—and James could swear his heart skipped a beat. Well… if it still beat. “I didn’t want to tell you the details, but then I thought… that’d be lying. And what’s the point of saving everyone if you end up hating me for it?”
“Reg?” James reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently. Regulus finally looked at him, and what James saw in those stormy silver eyes made his stomach sink. Whatever Regulus wanted to say—he needed to say it face to face.
“Okay so... the kaboom project needs someone to actually trigger the explosion.” He squeezed James’s hand tighter as he spoke, but James didn’t react right away. He just frowned, waiting for the real issue to drop.
“Alright… but what—” Then it clicked. The realization hit him hard when their eyes met again, because Regulus could lie to anyone… but not to James. “Wait—you?”
“Jamie…” Regulus reached up to touch his cheek, but James caught his hand midair and instead brought both of Reg’s hands to his chest—right over the place where his heart used to beat.
“Reggie, no. Absolutely not.” James wished that just saying it could be enough. That his panic alone could stop Regulus from doing anything stupid. It was one thing to give everything they had to make this plan work—to bring Sirius and the others back. A plan that, frankly, still might fail. James was usually the optimist of the group, but something in his gut screamed not to let Regulus go.
“Trust your instincts, Regulus… I’ve finally learned to.” Regulus murmured the words as he glanced down at the grass, and the fear in James’s chest grew. It ballooned to a size that made him feel like he was suffocating—bigger than anything he’d felt, even when he died. He let go of Regulus’s hands and brought his own up to hold his boyfriend’s face, gently but firmly guiding his gaze back up to meet his own.
“Regulus, look at me.” James hated how Reg’s shoulders slumped at the sound of his full name. He never called him that. Not even when they hated each other—James always used nicknames just to irritate him. “Do you see a future with me? Because that’s all I see.”
“James…” Regulus whispered his name, and James wanted nothing more than to kiss him, to bring Sirius back, to run far away from all of this and live out his immortal life with this man. With Regulus. The mere thought of losing him was unbearable. Reg placed his hands on James’s shoulders, his touch softer than before, and his expression even more so. “I’ve seen it since the day I first laid eyes on you.”
“Then don’t go on this suicide mission!”
Why did he have to fall for someone so damn stubborn? James trusted his friends, but there was still a chance the plan wouldn’t work. There was still a chance Regulus would die—as a human—when he crossed the barrier. And if Sirius and the others didn’t make it back, how could James live without both of them?
“Technically, it’s only half a suicide mission—because we’re bringing people back to life and I’ll come back with them.” Regulus lifted his hands to cover the ones James still had around his neck.
His smile was sad, and James found himself missing the cold, paranoid Regulus who cared way too much about his own safety. But that wasn’t who was standing in front of him anymore, was it?
These weren’t just anyone. It was Sirius. It was Pandora. It was Barty, too. The only other people besides James that Regulus truly cared about. James slowly let go and dropped his gaze.
“And what if something goes wrong?”
He felt Regulus’s fingers gently lift his chin again, and he shivered at the tenderness in those eyes—those eyes James loved so fiercely. Eyes he’d move heaven and earth for. Eyes he was terrified he might never see again.
“Okay... I don’t want to reopen an old argument,” Regulus said with a sigh, his tone serious now. And James knew, right then and there, that no matter what he said—how much he begged or pleaded—Regulus had already made up his mind. “But this is my choice. And I need you to respect that.”
“Ouch. Low blow.” James muttered, feeling the weight of those words settle heavy on his chest.
“Hey,” Regulus said, gripping his shoulders tightly. “I’m going to come back to you.”
“Sirius is in there.”
“I know.”
“And if it doesn’t work, Reggie—if I lose both of you…”
“I will come back to you.” Regulus whispered the words as he leaned in, their noses almost brushing. “I promise…”
That promise hung in the air as their lips met, and James clung to it like a lifeline—because Regulus never broke his promises.
“I promise…” He echoed it softly when they finally pulled apart, keeping their foreheads pressed together.
______☆_______
In Mystic Falls, Marlene McKinnon and Mary MacDonald—being the only ones still able to stay in town without turning into lifeless corpses—were kicking off the second phase of the plan.
“Okay, it’s exactly seven o’clock,” Mary said, checking the time on her phone.
“Then let’s do this,” Marlene muttered, grabbing the pipe meant to rupture the gas line. She never thought she’d actually be helping commit a literal mass genocide, but what other option was there? Her friends—and her girlfriend—were in trouble, and Marlene would do anything to help them.
She was still worried. During the call earlier, she could tell Dorcas hadn’t been entirely honest. Like she was hiding something. She’d said she would stop being the anchor once everyone was back and the Other Side collapsed, but Marlene hadn’t bought that completely. Something was off, and she didn’t want to think about what it might be. She needed Dorcas to be right. She had to be. There was no other choice, right?
Once the leak had started, it took just one look from Mary for the two of them to take off running the same way they’d come. Their part was done. Marlene pulled out her phone and sent the message.
Now, everything depended on Euphemia Potter
______☆_______
It was almost time. Her phone read 7:05, the plan was already in motion. It still felt strange to Dorcas—knowing that in just a few minutes, maybe an hour at most, she wouldn’t be in this world anymore. She’d be pulled under, along with thousands of other souls, to the Other Side. That’s why she had to do something to save them. She couldn’t let her friends die.
Gideon had already started the spell. Dorcas pitied him—what they’d done to make him help was unfair. Deep down, she knew that if they'd had more time, they would’ve found another way to get him on their side without having to kill his twin brother. But everyone was desperate, and it had been necessary. Fabian would be brought back, one way or another.
She didn’t regret letting Severus Snape get pulled into the abyss either. Even if he had helped by teaching them the spell, Dorcas couldn’t risk unleashing someone on the world who had once tried to kill her friends. Snape had lived for 2,000 years—it was time for the traveler to go.
She clutched her phone tighter, debating whether she should call Marlene, just to hear her voice one last time. But her girlfriend was deep beneath Mystic Falls now, probably just finishing the gas leak that would kill hundreds. Dorcas pressed the phone once more before sighing and slipping it back into her pocket.
“Where are you, Grandma?” she whispered, eyes fixed on the tombstone of Sheila Meadowes, surrounded by other witches of their bloodline.
“I taught you better than to rush the elderly, didn’t I?”
A voice—so painfully familiar—rang out behind her, and Dorcas let out a breath of relief at the sight of her grandmother.
“Thank God. I found a way out for us,” Dorcas said, stepping forward to embrace her, but the serious look in her grandmother’s eyes made her pause.
“You think I was born yesterday? I know what you’re doing,” Sheila said firmly, her gaze heavy. Then her expression softened with something that looked like pity. “You can’t survive this, not with all those souls passing through you. And even if you could... in the end, you’ll still be the anchor. And when all of this is over—”
“I know what you’re going to say,” Dorcas cut in quickly. She knew the odds. She knew she wouldn’t survive. She’d be tethered to the Other Side until it collapsed. She knew she was already dead—she didn’t need her grandmother to remind her.
“No, you don't know” Sheila replied. Dorcas tensed. But then her grandmother smiled—proudly, just like she had the last time Dorcas saw her alive. It was in that moment Dorcas knew she’d done well, that no matter what, she’d become a witch worthy of their bloodline. “I was going to say that it’s been a privilege to watch you grow into the woman you are.”
Dorcas felt tears prick at her eyes. For the first time since the plan had been set into motion, she wanted to cry. Of course she didn’t want to die. She was nineteen. Less than two years ago, she hadn’t even known she was a witch. She should’ve been worrying about parties and university exams—living the best years of her life. She should be with Marlene now, not wondering whether she’d get to see her again before it was all over.
“You’ll have to go through me,” she murmured, wiping away the tears before they could fall. “When the ritual starts.”
“No,” her grandmother said without hesitation. “I’ll stay here.”
“Grandma?” Dorcas laughed nervously. “You can’t. This place is going to implode and take everything with it.”
“I have to, Dorcas. You’re not the only one in the family who knows how to make the sacrifice.”
Sheila was calm—so sure of herself that Dorcas found herself stunned.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I’ll be fine,” she said with another smile, and despite knowing what would happen to the Other Side, Dorcas didn’t doubt her for a second. “I found peace... because I made sure you’d find yours.”
“I don’t understand…”
“You don’t need to,” she whispered. “Just know I took care of you.”
She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Dorcas—and for the first time since the plan was born, Dorcas felt like maybe, just maybe, things would be okay in the end. For the first time, she felt at peace. She felt like she was home.
“I love you, Dorcas. Be strong.”
And that was all it took for the tears to finally fall. Wherever she ended up in the end, Dorcas could only hope she’d find peace—just like her grandmother.
“I love you too, Grandma.”
Not far from the gravesite, Sirius Black and Lily Evans watched the scene unfold, frowns on their faces and confusion in their eyes.
______☆_______
In Mystic Falls, Euphemia Potter glanced down at her phone as a notification lit up the screen. The sheriff quickly turned it off, shifting all her focus to the man standing in front of her.
Mulciber.
Leader of the Travelers.
Because of this man, her children couldn’t even visit their hometown—one of them was dead, in fact.
Euphemia had always wanted more kids, but James was all she’d been given. So she poured every ounce of love she had into him. Sirius had become something like a second son, and later on, so had Regulus—even though, technically, both brothers were much older than she was.
And because of this man and his gang of arrogant bastards who marched into her town and did whatever the hell they pleased, someone she loved like her own was dead, James couldn’t set foot in the city, and Regulus was one wrong move away from literally exploding.
So no—Euphemia wasn’t going to regret what was about to happen in the next few minutes.
But first, she had to get out of there.
She’d already done her part: evacuating the town and luring all the Travelers into one place. But Mulciber had grown suspicious, and now he wouldn’t leave her alone.
“Third call in five minutes,” the Traveler noted, lifting a beer bottle to his lips.
“Tell me something,” Euphemia said, changing the subject. “Why am I still here?”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Mulciber replied, eyes locked on hers. “You evacuate the entire town just to stay behind and give a lecture on civic duty?”
Euphemia Potter was not easily intimidated.
“A captain stays with her ship.”
“Or... she’s up to something.”
Their eyes locked, the tension thick in the air. For a second, Euphemia thought he could see right through her, straight into her soul.
But something snapped her back to the moment.
“…Is that gas?”
“Must be a leak somewhere,” the sheriff said, guiding Mulciber toward the bar’s storage room.
The Traveler stepped closer to the old piping entrance—just in time to be struck hard in the back of the head with Euphemia’s gun.
He staggered, stunned, and she hit him again—this time, he went down.
Without hesitation, Euphemia sent a message to Regulus.
Her part was done.
It was his turn now.
But she underestimated Mulciber.
He wasn’t as weak—or as unconscious—as she’d assumed.
The next thing Effie felt was the searing pain of a blow to the head.
The floor dropped out from under her.
Then—
Nothing.
______☆_______
Regulus sat a few meters from the Mystic Falls border, perched on the hood of his car with a bottle of bourbon in one hand and his phone in the other. When Effie’s message came through, he let out a long, heavy sigh and drained the last of the bottle. It was time. In a few minutes, he’d be dead—again—but he'd come back, along with his brother and their friends. He was going to miss the car, though.
Funny how he never thought he’d say that. But having Sirius back meant more, even if he did love this car.
Sliding into the driver’s seat, he took one last look at the interior. It was impossible not to think about all the memories made there. That’s when the passenger door opened—and who else but his incredibly reckless, idiotic boyfriend slid in.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Regulus asked, not even trying to hide the surprise in his voice.
James just looked at him like the question didn’t make sense.
“You told me to respect your choice. I did. Now respect mine.”
Regulus was so shocked he forgot to answer for a moment.
“Hey—no! That’s not how this works, James,” he said, frustrated as hell when his boyfriend showed no intention of getting out. “The moment we cross that line, you’re going to feel everything!”
James opened his mouth to respond, but Regulus cut him off.
“You’re going to drown again, James. You’ll relive the night you were human!”
He sounded desperate—because he was. He couldn’t watch James die again. It was unnecessary. They didn’t need to go through this.
“I know what I’m doing, Reggie. And I’m going with you,” James said, putting a full stop on the conversation.
Regulus just stared at him, stunned. Stupid hero complex.
“What are you waiting for? Drive,” James said, giving him a look Regulus understood perfectly—either we both die, or neither of us does. Make your choice.
And so he started the damn car, because of course he did. Because he was crazy. And he was in love with this crazy man. That’s exactly why he’d fallen for James Potter—because he was out of his goddamn mind. So they’d be insane together, all the way to the end.
Just seconds after crossing the border, Regulus felt it—the searing, familiar pain right under his rib cage. The same place his father had shot him over 140 years ago. The pain was back, just as blinding as ever. He could feel the burn, the hot blood soaking his shirt, staining it red just like that night over a century ago. He hit the gas harder.
It was impossible not to remember that night. Sometimes Regulus thought it would've been easier if he’d taken the first bullet. But his father had aimed at Sirius first. Only after watching his brother drop did Regulus feel his own body give out and fall. Just like then, Sirius had gone first.
The scream of tires and the sound of James choking snapped Regulus back to the present.
“Faster!” James gasped between gulps of air. “We have to die as vampires...”
Then he started coughing violently, water splashing from his mouth, his lungs fighting to reclaim the oxygen that had been ripped away. Regulus panicked. He just wanted the pain to stop for James.
He floored the accelerator. If they died as humans, that was it. Game over. At least Sirius still had a chance to come back.
That’s why Regulus hadn’t wanted James to come. Before, there was a chance—however small—that he could survive this. But now? With James in the car, there was no more chance. There was only must. James had to make it. No matter what.
“Reg…” James whispered.
Regulus understood immediately. He reached out, and felt an overwhelming wave of comfort when James gripped his hand tight.
“I love you,” James said.
The next thing Regulus heard was a deafening crash—glass shattering, screaming, blinding light—and then…
Nothing.
Just darkness.
______☆_______
Barty leaned against the doorway of the crypt where the surviving Prewett twin was performing the spell. The guy was pushing himself hard—hard enough that blood had started dripping from his nose.
The other twin sat not far from him, watching with a fire in his eyes, whispering encouragement: telling him he was doing great, that he was going to make it.
The one actually casting the spell, of course, couldn’t see or hear either of them. They were both dead, lingering—waiting for the moment to come back.
Fabian looked pissed. Barty got it. They were desperate for a witch or wizard to carry out the ritual, and the twins had been the closest option. Killing one to leave the other no choice but to help… it had been cruel, yeah. But it was also a stroke of genius—or maybe just plain desperation.
Only an idiot wouldn’t know Remus Lupin would do anything to bring Black back.
Speaking of which, the hybrid stood just a few feet from Dorcas, his eyes locked on her, waiting for the moment—when everyone would return.
Sirius, though... he was still missing.
He’d been here earlier with that redhead friend of his—another dead one—but they’d both taken off. Barty just hoped he didn’t screw it all up.
Not that Barty cared much whether Sirius came back or not. But Regulus needed his brother. And for Regulus’s sake, Barty hoped Sirius made it.
Then they started to arrive.
Dozens—maybe hundreds—of them.
The massacre had worked.
But Barty didn’t have long to revel in it, because Dorcas suddenly doubled over in pain as the Travelers passed through her, on their way to the Other Side.
He heard Mulciber, the leader, laughing as he declared it would be a pleasure to die and return with his people.
Barty didn’t give a damn. He hated Mystic Falls anyway. He just wanted to be alive again so he’d never have to look at these bastards ever again.
And then—
James Potter appeared.
Of course.
Followed, moments later, by... Reggie.
Barty had expected some self-sacrificing heroic bullshit from Potter, but not Regulus walking willingly to his death. Then again, his friend had always done insane things for his brother.
And now… for Potter, too.
“Okay,” Dorcas said through clenched teeth. “As soon as you touch me, your bodies on the Other Side will start waking up. You need to get back fast.”
She cried out in pain as James touched her, then Regulus right after.
And it began.
______☆_______
Pandora saw the explosion.
During her time on the Other Side, she had watched it all unfold. She’d seen her best friend fall in love. She’d watched her brother spiral into despair—only to eventually find comfort, ironically, in Barty Crouch Jr.—and then lose him again.
She’d seen Regulus keep believing he wasn’t worthy of love. Especially not a love like James Potter’s—the kind of love that gave itself entirely, without hesitation.
For someone who had never been loved like that, it could be overwhelming. And James was overflowing with it, while Regulus had space—so much space—to be filled.
Watching that love grow, even from afar, even separated by the veil of death, had been beautiful. But seeing it now—seeing her best friend drive his beloved car straight into a crowded bar and blow it to pieces—Pandora could only think one thing: Regulus had lost his mind.
Still, with half of his closest friends and his brother dead, maybe going a little mad made sense.
James was the first one she saw. He was already up, rising to his feet and leaving behind a lifeless, mangled body—far too damaged to recognize. James thought the same, she could tell. If he weren’t already dead, he might’ve thrown up.
Pandora looked around at the scattered corpses, fire and smoke curling into the air. She still hadn’t spotted Regulus—and James, clearly, was looking for him too. His body must’ve been thrown farther in the blast. James was growing frantic, eyes darting, desperately scanning for his boyfriend.
“Were you even wearing your seatbelt?” Pandora found herself asking with a wry smile.
James turned, confused at first—then his face lit up, and that made her smile more. She’d always loved how readable he was. So expressive, so genuine.
“Oh my God—Pandora!” James said, startled and delighted.
“Come on. You have to go,” she said gently.
“No—I… You go. I—I have to find Reg. I need to find him.”
He was already turning to search again, but Pandora stepped in front of him. Of course he was going to look. But what kind of friend would she be if she let him? Reg was out there somewhere, and in the state James was in, he’d only get in the way.
“No, you need to go back—to your mom, to your friends. I’ll find him.”
“I… I can’t.”
“You’re not thinking straight. The best thing you can do is get to the meeting point. That’s where he’ll find you. I’ll look around a little more here. We’ll meet you there. James, please, you have to go.”
He just stared at her, frozen in place.
“Now. Please.”
“Okay… okay. I’ll go check if he made it to Dorcas. But promise me, Pandora—don’t leave without being sure.”
“I promise,” she said.
Pandora made her way through the wreckage of the bar until she heard something strange in the back. She moved toward it, and the moment she saw Regulus, she nearly collapsed in relief.
He was trying—desperately—to lift a huge chunk of the wall off someone unconscious on the ground.
Because the Other Side was unraveling, the dead could make contact with the living again. They still couldn’t be seen, but they could be felt. Barty had made that very clear—he’d had a field day breaking things in the Black house just to remind them he was still there, pissed off and waiting to be brought back.
As Pandora moved closer, she saw who it was. Euphemia Potter. Regulus was struggling, and she rushed to help him lift the slab of concrete. His stunned, emotional expression nearly made her cry.
“Dora…” he breathed.
“Friend-to-friend advice?” Pandora said once they pushed the wall aside and Euphemia finally took a weak but steady breath. “When you get yourself a boyfriend—don’t cause a massive explosion.”
Regulus let out something between a cough and a laugh, but it stopped abruptly when Euphemia let out a soft moan of pain. She was alive—barely—but conscious.
“She’ll be okay,” Pandora said. “Come on. Your boyfriend is about thirty seconds away from having a full-blown heart attack.”
“That’s not possible.”
“I know. But honestly? The way he was acting—I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“Sirius…”
“He’s fine. Come on, Reg. Let’s go home.”
______☆_______
Sirius had been dead for days, and while seeing Lily again had been nice, he was (quite literally) dying to see his friends. Remus, especially. And James. And—Merlin, Reggie. For days, Sirius had watched his brother do everything humanly possible—and then some—to bring him back. He’d even gone as far as killing himself to blow up the Travelers. All Sirius wanted was to return and fall into his Moony’s arms, but how could he if the most important people hadn’t made it to the meeting point yet? James and Regulus weren’t there. He could see Lily, Crouch, and Peter—who had apparently been killed just a few hours ago by the Travelers to prove the barrier worked. The Traveler who had possessed him was gone, too. But his bloody brother still wasn’t there. And neither was James.
“Dorcas!” Sirius snapped his head up in surprise, just in time to see the dead Prewett twin storming out of the crypt, fury written all over his face. “It’s too much for him! It needs to happen now!”
“No! We’re going together. Regulus isn’t here yet!” Sirius shouted, never having felt so helpless in his life.
“I don’t care,” the redhead spat before grabbing Dorcas’s shoulders and letting himself be “revived.” Sirius knew it had worked by the shocked expressions on the faces of the living standing near Dorcas. Remus and Evan Rosier almost stumbled backward when Fabian touched her, but the twin didn’t even spare them a glance before sprinting back to where his brother was finishing the ritual inside the crypt.
“You all need to go,” Dorcas said eventually.
“What about the others?” Barty asked. Sirius was surprised Crouch cared—until he remembered the vampire was Regulus’s friend. He was probably only worried about him.
“Go! I’ll wait for them,” Sirius said.
“Are you sure?” Peter asked, standing beside him.
Sirius nodded. Peter hesitated a moment before reaching out to touch Dorcas, clearly reluctant to cause her more pain, as everyone knew it hurt when people crossed through her. That reminded Sirius of the conversation he’d overheard between her and her grandmother earlier—about how Dorcas was probably going to die—and he doubted anyone else knew that.
“Pete!” Remus’s voice cracked through the air. “Sirius, where is he?”
“J-James and Regulus haven’t shown up yet...” Peter stammered, and Sirius felt sick watching the fear and anxiety contort Remus’s face. He wanted nothing more than to run to him, to hold him tight and never let go—but he couldn’t.
Crouch gave Sirius one last look before sighing and placing his hand on Dorcas, collapsing immediately into Rosier’s arms.
“You have to go!” Lily shouted in his ear.
“They’re not here yet, Lils! I’m not leaving without them,” Sirius snapped.
That’s when they heard footsteps coming from the woods. James appeared, breathless, eyes wild.
"Where is he? Please tell me he's already been through Dorcas..."
Sirius’s heart broke at the desperation in his best friend’s voice. He wanted to lie, to give him hope—but this was James, and James could see right through him.
“I... I’m going back,” James said, already turning.
“No! Prongs—James, look at me!” Sirius yelled, stepping in front of him. “You have to go. I’ll wait for him.”
“No! I’m not going without Reggie!” James shouted, and it physically hurt Sirius to see him like that. What he did next might’ve been selfish, but he didn’t do it just for himself—he did it for everyone. He thought of Euphemia, who’d already lost a husband and couldn’t bear to lose a son. He thought of their friends, who needed James Potter’s light in their lives. He thought of Regulus, who would kill him if James died. And he thought of himself—because he couldn’t stand to lose either of them.
That’s why Sirius didn’t hesitate to shove James toward Dorcas.
“No! Sirius, don’t! FUCK!” James screamed. He looked around, panicked, but he probably couldn’t see Sirius anymore. And Sirius hated himself for it—for the tears spilling down his friend’s face—but he didn’t regret it. It had to be done. Regulus was only there because of him, so if someone had to stay and wait, it would be Sirius. He’d already died at his brother’s side once—he’d do it again if he had to.
“James, calm down!” Remus pleaded, trying to hold him back.
“No, Dorcas, I can’t—I can’t be without him.”
“We’ll find him,” the anchor said before suddenly breaking into a violent cough and stumbling. She nearly collapsed if not for Sirius catching her just in time. And then—everything changed.
In a split second, the world shifted. It was brighter, clearer, alive. Far from the destruction of the other side.
“No, no... I was...” Sirius whispered to himself, unable to believe what had just happened. He didn’t move even as Remus reached him. His legs went numb when James refused to meet his gaze.
Regulus still hadn’t arrived.
Sirius couldn’t leave him. Not like this. Not alone. Not again.
“It’s okay... I’ve got this,” Dorcas said, then began to stumble toward some unknown place.
______☆_______
"Dorcas!" Lily shouted as she watched the girl wander aimlessly through the chaos. Dorcas turned to face her, and Lily swallowed, remembering the conversation between the witch and her grandmother that she and Sirius had overheard earlier—about how every person who passed Dorcas brought her closer to death. "This is killing you, isn't it?"
“I can handle it! Come on, touch me!” Dorcas shouted over the roaring wind. “We need to finish this!”
“NOT YET!!”
Lily acted on pure instinct, landing a solid punch to the jaw of whoever was approaching. Thank God she followed her gut—because it was Mulciber.
The two of them went at it, throwing punches and kicks until they both hit the ground hard. Lily managed to land a brutal kick that sent the Traveler flying into the darkness, sucked into Merlin-knows-where. Panting, she struggled to her feet and turned to face Dorcas, who was watching her with anticipation.
Lily had lived for 350 years—but it was only after meeting Sirius that she truly felt alive. He had become her best friend, and that century by his side had been the best of her long life. She wanted to see more. Because for the first time in over a hundred years, Sirius was finally happy. And even little Reg—proud, unpredictable, unreachable Regulus Black—was happy too. Lily felt like she had seen everything she needed to see, like she had fulfilled her purpose.
She remembered her earlier conversation with Sirius:
> “Why haven’t you found peace yet? If anyone deserves it, it’s you.”
“I don’t know. Maybe there’s still something I need to do—like earn my stars or something.”
“Alright, let’s make a deal. If everything goes wrong, and we end up stuck here... we don’t let it consume us like it did everyone else. We’ll find peace together.”
“A peace pact in death? I like it.”<
“LILY! It’s your turn, come on!” Dorcas shouted, reaching her hand out to her.
But Lily didn’t move.
“Every person that passes through take you one step closet to death,” the redhead said quietly. She turned one last time toward Sirius, who was staring at her wide-eyed with fear. He didn't even react as Remus called his name.
“What kind of friend would I be,” Lily said, “if you died before Sirius got his brother back?”
Dorcas stared at her in shock. Lily just smiled.
She spread her arms wide and looked up at the sky one final time. No—she wouldn’t be pulled into the void like the others. She wouldn’t disappear. She wouldn’t be forgotten. She would find peace. She would finally rest. And she was ready for it.
“You’re not taking me,” she whispered, eyes closing. With a soft smile on her lips, Lily Evans surrendered to her fate.
______☆_______
Dorcas admired Lily Evans for all her courage, and smiled sadly, only able to hope that the vampire would find peace—wherever she ended up.
She was so tired of people passing through her. The dizziness was getting worse, and a wave of nausea hit her hard as she scanned the surroundings, looking for the last person still missing. She had never really liked the younger Black, but James was one of her best friends, and that was enough reason for Dorcas to stay on her feet a little longer. She knew the spell wouldn’t hold forever—at some point, Gideon would have to stop. Time was running out. And of course, in true dramatic fashion, Regulus had to turn this into some sort of spectacle. That idiot better have a damn good reason for taking so long.
“Dorcas!!” Meadowes never thought she’d feel such relief at hearing Regulus Black’s voice, but here they were.
“James and Sirius—where are they?” he asked, rushing forward, and—of all people—Pandora was with him.
Dorcas broke into a wide, tired smile. She had missed Pan so much. She never really understood how she and Regulus had ended up so close, but seeing her here, alive again, about to return to the world of the living... it made her genuinely happy.
Now, finally, it was Regulus’s turn. It would all be over soon—everyone would be alive, everything would be okay.
But for some reason, when Dorcas touched Regulus… nothing happened.
She turned to the living. All of them stared at her with a mixture of expectation, hope... and fear? Pandora was already in Evan’s arms. James was looking at her like she was holding his heart in her hands—because in a way, she was.
Dorcas tried again. And again. And again. Nothing.
She turned to Regulus, whose expression shifted from confusion to something far colder—chilling, even.
“Well, what a surprise...” he murmured, a smile creeping across his face that sent a shiver down Dorcas’s spine. Something was wrong. Or maybe...
“The twins,” Dorcas whispered, eyes darting toward the crypt where Gideon Prewett had been holding the spell.
“They stopped the ritual. I can’t bring him back.”
And in that moment, Dorcas Meadowes had just shattered James Potter’s heart.
______☆_______
Regulus had never regretted loving James in life—and he never would. But watching the state his boyfriend was in now, maybe, just maybe, Regulus regretted making James love him back.
He watched as James ran toward the crypt, shouting Gideon’s name. He saw his brother try to follow, only to be stopped by Remus, who gently told him that maybe James needed a moment alone.
It still hadn’t truly hit Regulus that he was going to die. That everyone already saw him as someone who was gone. That he was already gone.
He wanted to say goodbye to his brother—last time they’d seen each other, they were both alive. He hadn’t even been able to see Sirius on the other side. But the sound of James’s trembling voice pulled him back into the moment, and before he could think, Regulus was already walking toward the crypt.
The twins had vanished—most likely they had broken the spell and fled. Dorcas was there, trying to calm James down.
“Dorcas, we have to find them! We have to restart the spell!” James said, breathless with a mixture of fear and fury, eyes wide.
Dorcas looked at him with soft, sorrowful eyes.
“We can’t. That was our only shot.”
“No, but... but Regulus is still on the other side...” James’s voice cracked as he looked at her like she was the only one who could fix this. But she couldn’t.
“Dorcas, he... he…”
“James,” Dorcas said, her voice shaking, eyes glistening with exhaustion and unshed tears. “It’s over.”
James let out a strangled sob, tears falling freely now. “No… no, not this, please just—”
Regulus turned his gaze away, unable to watch him like this. The guilt was unbearable.
He had spent his entire undead life trying not to love, trying not to get attached—he didn’t want to experience loss again. He had even pushed away his own brother for that reason. Never in his 172 years had he imagined that someone would grieve for him like this. That someone could love him this much. That someone could need him.
Dorcas noticed him and gave him a faint, sympathetic smile before turning back to James.
“He’s here,” she said gently. “You can say goodbye.”
Then she walked away, still casting him those pitying looks Regulus had come to despise. He didn’t want pity. Not now. He just needed James—to be seen, to be held. He needed to be alive.
James’s expression changed. His eyes, still red and brimming with tears, scanned the room like he expected to find Regulus standing there. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t see him. He couldn’t hear him.
James slowly slid down the wall, curling into himself on the floor. He clutched his hair in his fists, trying to wipe away tears that wouldn’t stop falling. And it broke Regulus in ways he didn’t know he could break.
“You lied to me,” James murmured through his sobs.
God, Regulus hated this. James wasn’t supposed to be like this—he was supposed to be the light, the joy, the person who held everyone together. Seeing him like this was unbearable.
Regulus stepped forward and touched his cheek. James flinched—just slightly—but enough for Regulus to realize the barrier between their worlds was thinning. James couldn’t see him. Couldn’t hear him.
But he could feel him.
“Even if I wanted to say sorry… you wouldn’t hear me. So I won’t,” Regulus said softly.
He had never spoken so tenderly to anyone. But he felt James's pain as if it were his own. No, if the tables were turned, Regulus would have destroyed the world already. He would have gone after Gideon and Fabian and ripped their heads off in front of each other. But James wasn't like him. And Regulus was grateful for that. Because if anyone deserved to live and be happy, it was James Potter.
"Please," James whispered, leaning into the invisible touch, "please don't leave me..."
"I have no choice, love," Regulus whispered, even though he knew James couldn't hear him. "You are, by far, the best thing that has ever happened to me in 172 years of life."
Regulus wished he could take away James's pain. He wished James could at least hear him. Because Regulus had never been so honest—not in over a century.
"To die knowing I was loved..." he sighed, watching James close his eyes tightly, trying to regulate his breathing, "...not by just anyone, but by you, James Potter—it's the achievement of a lifetime."
“You promised me…” James whispered, and oh, how Regulus regretted that promise now.
“I know. I’m so sorry.” Regulus bent down and pressed a kiss to James’s forehead.
James’s lips trembled. Eyes still closed, he whispered, “I love you, Reggie…”
“I love you too, James. In just one year, you did what no one else could in over a century—you made me glad I was alive.” Regulus felt his expression soften as James slowly opened his eyes again—still brilliant brown, still red from crying. Regulus didn’t believe in God, but in that moment he prayed. He prayed that James would find happiness again. Because if Regulus was the reason James suffered forever, he would never forgive himself.
James was immortal now. One day, somehow, he’d move on. Maybe even find someone else. Regulus exhaled slowly, letting his hand fall away from James’s face—and it shattered him again to see the younger man flinch at the loss of contact, to watch panic bloom in his eyes. That moment when James realized this was goodbye.
There was nothing Regulus could do.
And that was the worst part.
“…Goodbye, James.”
______☆_______
Remus got Sirius back. These last few days had undoubtedly been the most agonizing of his life. He won’t lie—he’s relieved, even happy, to have his boyfriend back. But Sirius? Oh, he was shattered. He was crumbling, and Remus didn’t know how to reach him, how to bring him back, how to comfort him.
What do you say to someone who’s suffered that kind of loss?
When he lost Sirius, Remus knew that no words could ease the pain. So now, he settles for holding him, just holding him as Sirius breaks down in his arms. And James... Remus could only imagine what he must be going through. Even with Sirius gone, Remus had known there was a chance to bring him back. But James...
“I lost them both,” Sirius mumbles against his chest, breaking Remus’s train of thought. “The two people I’ve known the longest... they’re gone.”
Remus stays still, confused, until realization hits him like a bolt of lightning.
“Lily…” he whispers. Sirius just nods, his hands fisting in Remus’s shirt.
“She didn’t make it out,” he says, voice so quiet that if Remus didn’t have super-hearing, he might’ve missed it. “And Mulciber didn’t either. I know that’s not a coincidence.”
“Oh…” Remus breathes, tightening his arms around him. He felt powerless. Useless. He couldn’t do anything more than this.
“She was his unfinished business…” Sirius murmurs, trying to wipe his tears away with one hand. But the moment he wraps his arms back around Remus, they start falling again. “And Reggie, he…”
Sirius goes quiet for a while, still clinging to Remus like he might disappear. And Remus… he couldn’t even begin to imagine what was going through his head.
He’d nearly lost his mind when he thought he’d lost Sirius—and they’d only known each other for two years. Sirius had known Regulus for over 170.
And yeah, Remus knew the kind of love between them was different—but Sirius once told him that Regulus never wanted to be a vampire. That he’d planned to die before the transition was complete. But Sirius had forced him to go through with it, because he couldn’t imagine a world without his brother. Regulus had resented him for years after that—for turning him into the monster he believed he was.
“He finally got what he wanted,” Sirius whispers at last. Remus feels the tears soaking through his shirt, but he doesn’t care. “He was happy… He… he should be here.”
“I know,” Remus murmurs, pulling Sirius even closer as his boyfriend trembled in his arms. He had never seen him so vulnerable. Maybe that one night James turned, but not like this. Not this broken. Not this small.
Sirius wasn’t like this. Sirius was strong. Sirius never cried.
But even the strongest people break sometimes. And Remus would be right there with the glue. He’d stay there, holding him, for as long as Sirius needed—until the day he pushed him away.
______☆_______
Marlene stepped into the crypt, and the sight before her shattered her heart—James, inconsolable, collapsed on the cold stone floor. She moved closer and pulled him into a hug. At first, he flinched in surprise, but then he melted into her arms.
“He’s gone,” James choked out between sobs and tears.
“I heard… I’m so sorry, Jay,” she whispered, resting her head on his shoulder.
Marlene and James had known each other forever—longer than anyone else in the group. They’d been thrown into the supernatural world together, too. She had never seen him like this. Not even when his father died.
That’s when her phone rang. She was ready to silence it, but paused when she saw who it was—Dorcas. She hadn’t seen her yet.
“You can answer,” James said softly. With a small nod, she did.
“Hey… where are you?” Marlene asked gently, but her body tensed when all she heard was her girlfriend’s breathing. “Dorcas?”
“It was all a lie,” came the quiet response, and Marlene’s blood ran cold.
“You can’t stop being the anchor.”
“What…?” Marlene breathed, not even realizing James was now looking at her with concern. He was a vampire now—he must’ve heard everything.
“When the Other Side goes… I’m going with it.”
“You told me you could come back,” Marlene said, stepping slightly away from James.
“If I’d told you the truth, it would’ve changed our last day together,” Dorcas said, and Marlene bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. “And I didn’t want that. I… we were happy.”
“Marls—” James tried, but she didn’t hear him.
“So none of it was real?” Marlene asked, feeling her tears begin to build. “Dorcas? Wait—I’m coming, okay? I...”
“I died, Marlene,” Dorcas said, her voice making Marlene freeze in place, a lump rising in her throat. “I died the night before graduation.”
Marlene shuddered, memories crashing into her—Dorcas’s first death, how she’d hidden it from everyone that whole summer, how she was the only one who could see her. How they fell in love through it all.
“And everything since then… it’s been a gift,” Dorcas continued. “And I’m choosing to be grateful that I didn’t waste a single second.”
Marlene heard her girlfriend sniffle on the other end. Why was it always Dorcas? Why was she always the one to sacrifice herself?
“So… take care of James, okay? And…” Dorcas gave a shaky little laugh. “Tell him I’ll look after Regulus from here.”
Marlene heard James let out a soft, broken sigh behind her, but she couldn’t focus on anything except Dorcas’s voice.
“Dorcas?” Marlene called, but there was no reply. “No! Don’t you dare hang up on me!”
“I love you.”
“Dorcas, don’t you fucking dare—” Marlene was already running out of the crypt without thinking. “DORCAS!!”
But the call had already ended.
“Oh my God, Marls…” James said behind her, stunned, looking at her like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.
“I… I have to find Dorcas. She—” Marlene didn’t even finish.
She ran.
______☆_______
Dorcas could hear Marlene screaming her name, but the witch couldn’t see her—not now. The Other Side was dark, the wind harsh and menacing, like witnessing the end of the world. Any second now, it would collapse, and it would take her with it.
She passed by Pandora, Evan, and Barty sitting on a stone bench. Pandora was crying with her head resting on Evan’s shoulder, and Barty sat silently, staring into the distance like he was waiting for someone to appear out of nowhere. Dorcas knew exactly who he was waiting for. That person was there, watching from afar, but Barty couldn’t see him. Their eyes met as she walked by, and the vampire gave her a subtle nod.
They’d unintentionally spent a lot of time together since Barty died—he’d haunted her relentlessly in her dreams, demanding to be brought back.
Eventually, she stood next to Regulus, who was still watching their friends.
“DORCAS!! DORCAS!!”
Marlene’s voice echoed through the forest. Behind her, James, Sirius, and Remus appeared, running in her direction.
But Dorcas couldn’t see them anymore. What she saw now was the blinding light of the Other Side beginning to implode.
And beside her—of all people—was Regulus Black. Ironic, really. They’d never exactly been fond of each other.
“This place in going down, isn’t it?” he said.
“It is.” Dorcas had never been a fan of the Black brothers. They’d arrived in town suddenly, and her life had never been the same since. Neither had the lives of any of her friends—Remus, James, Peter… even Marlene. They’d all been pulled into that world. His world.
“Look,” she said, “I know we’d both rather be with a million other people right now... but…”
And yet, despite it all, she reached for his hand. And when Regulus didn’t pull away, she smiled. Maybe he felt it too—this quiet need not to go alone.
“A few thousand at most,” he replied, flashing a smile that Dorcas thought might be the most genuine one he’d ever given her. She returned it.
And then, the dark world around them began to grow unbearably bright. A fierce, blinding light. The wind howled, shaking the trees and whipping through Dorcas’s braids.
She wondered what came next.
“Do you think it’ll hurt?” she asked.
“I don't know,” Regulus replied, just before the world collapsed around them and the darkness claimed everything once more.
She hoped he’d find peace too.