Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 156

"What's that cat doing?" Marcus said. 

"I don't know," Regulus said stiffly. 

He knew exactly what it was doing, alright.

"I think I've seen it before," Marcus said. "Yes! It always seems to come to you,"

Regulus shrugged. 

Isabella must have sent the cat. 

Snow Wiffle was following him everywhere since lunch. 

It had been two days since he said goodbye to her in the Room of Requirement. 

On the first day, Isabella didn't do anything. And even though this was what he was hoping for, Regulus couldn't help but feel disappointed.

He couldn't help by doubt that he meant very little to her. He had decided to leave, so she let go of him easily. Since his use was done. 

On the second day, Isabella acted like she didn't even feel his presence and Regulus felt incredibly stupid for glancing at her every two seconds. He was the one who hoped that this was what it would be like, but he was the one who kept going back. 

As he left Charms and went for lunch, he saw the white cat waiting for him outside the classroom, and Regulus' heart swelled for a second. 

Maybe Isabella had just given him some time to think over things and was waiting for a response. But Regulus wasn't going to. He wasn't going to be the one who made the mistake. 

"Is it really going to follow us all day?" Marcus said. 

"It hasn't had anything to eat or drink in hours," Elena said concerned. "I saw it in the afternoon and now we're going to dinner. . .Regulus, maybe you should take care of it for a bit,"

Regulus felt a muscle jump in his jaw out of annoyance. 

A cat just as stubborn as its owner. 

Regulus bent down and scooped up the cat into his arms, disgruntled.

"Water and then you leave," he told the cat sharply.

Snow Wiffle looked up at him disdainfully.

Regulus sat at the Slytherin table, with the cat on the table, eating away at the food he had put on a plate specially for Snow Wiffle.

"How do you know so much about cat diet?" Elena said, slightly impressed. "You've never kept a cat as a pet, have you?"

"No," Regulus said stiffly as Marcus fell apart laughing. 

Of course, Regulus knew what cats could eat and whatnot. Isabella had made sure to ensure he was a  healthy cat when he got turned into one after the potions mishap in his fifth year.

Regulus had made to pick up his goblet when he noticed something stuck to Snow Wiffle's collar. 

He reached out and pulled the parchment. 

He opened it under the table, and read it quickly.

'Outside the Forest, at 11. I will be waiting.'

Regulus crumpled it up immediately and stuffed it into his pocket. He glanced up at the Gryffindor table and saw that Isabella was not there.

He wasn't going. And he told the cat just that.

"Tell her that I won't be coming," he instructed in a whisper. "And she can wait all she wants,"

The cat didn't even spare him a glance and focused solely on its food.