You find him in the abandoned classroom, moonlight spilling across the dusty floor. Regulus stands in front of the Mirror of Erised, his expression unguarded for once. You see it before he notices you. In the glass, he is holding your hand, his eyes brighter than you have ever seen, the Black family crest on his skin burned away, leaving only pale, unmarked flesh.

He sees you in the reflection. His shoulders stiffen and he looks away, ashamed to be caught wanting something so badly. The silence is heavy as your footsteps echo closer. You stop beside him, your eyes flicking between him and the mirror.

“I did not mean to intrude,” you say softly.

His jaw tightens. “It does not matter. It is only a lie.”

You glance back at the mirror. The reflection shows him standing beside you, smiling, free. Your reflection is looking back at him with so much softness that it makes your chest ache.