Money can't fix everything
„I don’t believe it! Another 4 months for nothing! And time’s racing away! Urgh – what did i do to deserve this?!“ Walburga Black pushed her pale fingers against her temples and quickly closed her eyes, before snapping them open again and fixing the doctor sitting opposite her behind his big white desk with a piercing stare.
„My son is still not saying a single word, what did you do all this time?“
„Mrs. Black, I can assure you the therapists of this clinic did their best to help Regulus overcome his inhibitions.“ The doctor – Mr. Sears – as his name tag read, answered in a calm voice.
„Their best. Hmph. I should sure hope so, regarding the thousands of dollars we leave here each month.“ Walburga flipped her long black hair over one shoulder with practiced ease. Graceful, one could also say.
„Sometimes money can’t fix everything, Mrs. Black, as i’m sure you’re aware of.“ Mr. Sears lifted one eyebrow defiantly. Walburga crossed her arms and tilted her chin in response.
„Am I? I’m not so sure about that. One should assume with all the newest equipment and world-known specialists, you should be able to fix Regulus’ problem. This is the 6th, or was it the 7th – institution we’re giving our trust and no small amount of money, may i add, to and still nothing. Nothing! Only silence! There has to be something. I simply won’t accept this!“
Thomas Sears watched the outburst of the elegantly dressed woman in his office with patience. How she managed to look this beautiful in her distressed and upset state he didn’t know. She looked quiet similar to the little patient he had gotten to know over these last few months. But they all did. All the Blacks looked extraordinarily alike. Especially the two young brothers.
Regulus Black was a special case for sure. The whole Black family – over generations - was a special case honestly, even if he would never say so out loud, of course. Sometimes Regulus’ older brother came along to bring him or fetch him after a session, and what Regulus wasn’t saying, Sirius made up for tenfold. Not only in words, but also in movement and other rather creative behaviour.
Thomas wasn’t sure why the youngest Black wasn’t talking, he was a gentle and very clever kid, could already read at five years old - but with this big folder full of recorded therapies of the last 2 years on his desk, he knew one thing for certain. Therapy in whichever noble clinic wouldn’t fix this. Some things didn’t want to be fixed. They needed healing. And healing needed a very special place. Special care. Special comunication. Special touch. And time.
Thomas looked at a picture on the wall to his left. It was a framed photograph of a beautiful landscape that held many special memories for him. Maybe. Maybe this was a place that could change something for the Blacks. And because Thomas Sears quiet liked the young Black brothers, he looked back at the black-haired lady in front of him and drew a deep breath.
„How do you feel about travelling to a very special place?“
***
„SIRIUS! What did i tell you about – where is this ungrateful child yet again?! Michelle! What is this mess on the table in the lounge?!“ Walburga stalked through the big open kitchen with a *clickclickclick* of her high heels on the marble floor. Michelle – the kids nanny and on occasion provider of food for a spontanous quick snack – hurried from the hall to quickly as possible answer the Lady of the house.
„I’m sorry Mrs. Black, i know it’s a lot, but according to Sirius there was quiet some danger of explosion and i really didn’t dare to touch --“
Walburga Black stopped the other woman with a wave of her hand.
„Yes yes, there is always some kind of explosion involved with Sirius, i’m sure, and everyone is always sorry – oh how i can’t stand this right now!“
„I’m not sorry.“
Walburga whirled around and stared at her oldest son exasperatedly.
„Of course you’re not. Go and fix this mess on the table!“
„I can’t.“ Sirius shrugged one shoulder, half a smirk on his lips. Walburga took a step towards him and looked her son in the eyes with furrowed brows. She knew better by now to not just ignore his words.
„Why can’t you?And what happened to your tie?“
„Danger of explosion.“ Ignoring the tie question (he had needed something to combine two metal poles), Sirius had to try hard not to grin too wide at this point, he didn’t fancy a smack to the cheek right now, even with Michelle here, you could never be sure.
„Stop this nonsense and clean up, Sirius, i really don’t have time for this now!“
„If you say so. But i’m not being held responsible for the outcome. I told you!“ Sirius turned around and marched off into the direction of the lounge, where the result of a whole afternoon of important construction was occupying every surface of the huge and shiny wooden table.
„Then see to it that no explosion happens! Before i explode and i can tell you, you wouldn’t like that either!“ Walburga shouted after her son while already flipping on the professional coffee machine on the countertop with a heavy sigh.
„Is everything packed, Michelle?“
„Yes Madam, the boys suitcases are ready upstairs.“ The young woman folded her hands behind her back waiting for new instructions to come.
„Did Regulus say anything today?“ Lifting the fresh cup of coffee to her lips Walburga took a tiny sip. In the background she could hear a little *tickticktick* of whatever it was that Sirius was doing to avoid explosion. Hopefully.
„I’m afraid not. He’s been reading a lot.“ Michelle tried to smile but it was always hard to smile in front of Walburga Black. How Sirius even managed his smirks, she didn’t know.
All of a sudden, there was a very loud crashing, ringing and sizzling noise coming from the lounge. Walburga Black almost spilled her coffee before putting the cup down on the marble counter with a clatter. The two women looked at each other with startled eyes. Walburga put her hands in her hair and sighed audibly.
„One child always silent and the other never shutting up! I’m going mad in this house!“
***
Sitting on the floor of his room after his mother practically dragged him here, Sirius looked up at his little brother, who had just kneeled down beside him.
„I’m sorry, Reg, that the explosion happened without you. It looked amazing! Even the soda powder worked exactly how i wanted it too! Szzzzzzzzzzzz!“ Sirius’ wide open eyes were sparkling with excitement. Regulus leaned over towards him and Sirius went still. These moments were so so special and he felt his lips pull into a silent little smile, even before he heard his little brother’s whisper.
‚‘twas loud enough.‘ Reg leaned away a bit and gifted Sirius with one of his own rare smiles. Conspirational. Secretive. And full of trust. Sirius felt this little warm sensation somewhere in his belly that he loved so much. And oh how he loved Reg! He’d do everything for his little brother. To get these little smiles from him. To make him happy.
But then Reg’s eyes, a little darker than Sirius’ own, fell on his older brother’s wrist. Regulus pressed his lips together, carefully touching the clearly visible marks, before looking at Sirius with concern clouding his glance.
Sirius pulled his wrist away slowly and instead took Reg’s small hand in his own.
„I’m okay Reg. Don’t worry. It was all so worth it.“ The whole experiment. The fun building it all. Then starting the chain reaction. And then Reg’s little smile.
Reg let his head sink against Sirius’ shoulder and wrapped his free arm around his brother’s middle, while Sirius put his other hand on Reg’s back and held him close.
I’m okay. Don’t let go. We’re okay together.
***
Meanwhile Michelle stood a little baffled in front of the – undoubtedly very expensive – massive and very large dark wooden table. How Sirius had managed to create the biggest mess she had seen in this house so far, she wasn’t sure. There even was some kind of foam(!) dripping from the table’s edge to the carpet. Well, she had an idea, of course. She had seen him walk back and forth to and from the longue with all kind of stuff and boxes in his arms all afternoon, after all. She had known he was up to something, but this boy was always up to something and there was hardly any stopping him when he had his ideas. Not from her side, anyway. She’d been busy looking at books with Regulus, trying – as Walburga so often reminded her – to subtly coax some words out of the little boy’s mouth. The whole situation was more than strange. Regulus wasn’t dumb, quiet the opposite, actually. He could read already, silently, of course, figured it out being only five all by himself, mind you. Maybe with a little help from his brother, but no teachers involved whatsoever. He had these intelligent, dark grey-blue eyes, that always seemed to search for something. Still – not a single word. Over time, with losts of reading to him on her part, silently playing or baking together, he opened up to her. They had these very special conversations now, where Michelle would ask him something, and Reg would answer by pointing to a word or a sentence, or even a picture in the book they were looking at together. Michelle knew by now to keep the questions nice and easy, otherwise Reg would simply turn the page and ignore the question, or close the book completely. Means of comunication blocked.
Michelle had known the Black brothers for almost two years now, since she started this job at the house of Black as the kids nanny. Actually, the kids were fine, really. Of course they were spoiled, had everything, financially at least, for sure, but she liked them both a lot despite their posh attitudes. Sirius was more than a handful, of course, and he regularly drove his mother up the walls, but he wasn’t a mean kid. He cared so deeply for his little brother and could be quiet sweet sometimes. He had this neverending supply of energy and ideas, this desire to live and be – it just didn’t fit into the confines and expectations of this noble and strict house of the family Black.
Their father – Orion – was rarely home, often away on special projects as a pilot, or managing stuff all over the country for the family buisness.
Then there was Walburga of course. Always busy with her own company – something to do with cosmetics and fashion and whatever else, Michelle wasn’t sure - her modeling career, they even had their own magazine… it was a lot. Walburga was always stressed and needed a quiet house and therefore quiet children when she came home. Of course that was exactly the opposite of what Sirius was able to give her.
Michelle sometimes thought that maybe, if only Walburga could accept the wildness of her oldest son a little more, maybe Regulus wouldn’t have the feeling that it was up to him to compensate for all that…
Michelle also thought that The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black just drove everyone mad.