The boy in the moonlight
The corridors are empty as Regulus makes his way through them, it’s late and way past curfew so he makes sure to make as little noise as possible. Luckily the portraits on the walls are mostly asleep or quiet, none of them comments on his presence or tells him to go back to his dorm. They had eventually learned to stay out of the black brothers business and to not stick their noses into why he or his brother was making their way around the castle on the way to the hospital wing at night. They didn’t need to ask, they knew why. If he was being honest with himself, all of the teachers were probably aware too, the Noble house of Black’s way of parenting and raising their heirs and children wasn’t exactly a secret in the wizarding world.
Though there were other secrets, more than he could name at the top of his head. Regulus had spent countless sleepless nights going through the library at Grimmauld place 12th, and oh boy had he found more than he had expected.
He is shaken out of his thoughts, coming to a halt, when he almost walks face first into the door leading into the hospital wing. That would have been ironic, he thinks to himself. Getting injured on his way to the place that heals such injuries? Almost comical to him in his tired state.
His steady breathing and heartbeat is everything that he can hear as he puts his ear to the door, trying to make out if anyone is inside or if madam Pomfrey is alone.
He stands like that for a few moments, he can hear the wind rustling in the trees outside, the distant snoring from a portrait a corridor away. He holds his breath, his breathing too loud for him to make out noises from inside the room. And there it is. Two muffled voices. He assumes one of them is madam Pomfrey, but he doesn’t know who the second voice belongs to, he can’t put a name to it though he feels that he has heard it somewhere before.
He takes a shaky breath.
Please don’t be Sirius
Please don’t be Sirius
He chants over and over in his head, it’s all he can think, all he can hope. The wooden doors slides open with ease and he steps in and closes the door behind him silently, making little to no sounds.
His eyes dart around the room that he by now knows all too well, the beds with the small bedside table next to them, the windows that lets in the moonlight from the cloud free night sky outside. During the years he has spent here at Hogwarts he has learned to know this room better than most students. He comes here sometimes for when the nightmares gets too bad to the point where he wakes up and isn’t sure where he is or who he is, or sometimes just when he desperately needs sleep after multiple sleepless nights but even then the sleep just won’t come, Pomfrey will give him a “dreamless sleep” potion that will knock him out in the matter of minutes.
His gaze falls on one of the beds, a young boy is sitting in a stream of moonlight. Even though the boy is sitting in the light, Regulus still can’t really figure out who it is. Neither madam Pomfrey nor the boy has noticed Regulus yet, he is standing in the shadows and blending in. He has always been good at not being noticed, some would call it sad but he knows how to use it for his advantage when it’s needed or useful.
This time he uses it to study the boy.
He is sitting in the hospital bed with his head bent down to watch as madam Pomfrey puts salve on his wounds and wraps them in bandages.
The boy’s head being tilted downwards makes it hard for Regulus to see his face due to the hair covering it, he is wearing pajama pants in a dark red and a golden yellow. A Gryffindor, of course Regulus had to be stuck with a Gryffindor, he wouldn’t even be surprised if that boy was familiar with Sirius. The Gryffindor boy isn’t wearing a shirt, probably because madam Pomfrey is applying a salve to the wounds on his chest. The injuries are unlike anything Regulus has seen before, they almost look like claw marks.
While studying the injuries on the boy’s chest he can’t help but notice the scars running over his chest and arms overlapped by the current wounds, Regulus could guess they also stretch to his back and most likely on his legs too considering how he can see ends of scars on the boy’s hip, ankle and bending over his shoulder. The scars are long and ragged, he finds himself almost pitying the boy for having to be reminded of whatever reason he looks like that whenever he looks at himself in a reflection. Regulus doesn’t know what caused the scars but he can’t imagine it being anything pleasant, it also can’t be pleasant to look at your own reflection and see what is instead of what could have been. He would know all about that. He knows all about looking at yourself and hopelessly wishing to see something else, or someone else.
He takes a step towards the bed, loud enough for madam Pomfrey to hear him this time. “Pomrey?” he asks his voice a bit hoarse from laying quietly in his dorm for hours. She looks up and directs her attention to him “Regulus dear, hello” she says, her voice the same gentle and soft tone as usual. The other boy also looks at him and Regulus finally recognizes who he is, Remus Lupin. Sirius friend.
He knows it’s stupid, that it’s stupid that every time he sees one of his brother’s friends his stomach churns. But he can’t help the bitter feeling that courses through him, too close to jealousy for what he would like to admit. He isn’t jealous of Sirius friends, shouldn’t be jealous of Sirius brothers. He isn’t, he’s just tired and therefore his mind is going in directions it usually wouldn’t, right?
“I assumed I would see you here today, though it’s a bit late to be walking around the castle alone isn’t it?” madam Pomfrey asks which turns his attention back to her. “Suppose it is” he admits with a short nod “I wasn’t going to come here until tomorrow after classes” he admits “but I couldn’t sleep cause of my leg” he adds which earns a disapproving look from Pomfrey “I told you to come here right after the sorting ceremony and dinner” she says with a disapproving tone to her voice “in fact I recall telling that to both you and Sirius” she scolds. At the mention of his brother Regulus tenses slightly “has Sirius been here yet?” he asks in a forced casual tone, he barely finishes talking before Remus speaks up for the first time since Regulus entered the hospital wing “few hours ago”. Regulus visibly relaxes once again and nods, keeping eye contact with Remus for a few seconds before Madam Pomfrey speaks up again.
“I’m almost finished here, sit down my boy I’ll get to you in a moment” she says and gestures to the bed next to the one the boy is sitting in. Regulus silently sits down in the bed and waits for Madam Pomfrey to finish patching up Lupin, Lupin is still sitting in the moonlight and Regulus can’t help but think about how it seems to fit him. It’s almost as if the moon is familiar with him and chooses to embrace him with its cold light, like it has specifically picked him to bring its attention to, whether the he wants it or not.
Not long after that, she tells Lupin to go to sleep since the salve needs time and peace to work. Lupin nods and lay down but he doesn’t seem to be sleeping as madam Pomfrey makes her way over to Regulus. “You said it was your leg that was bothering you?” she asks and he nods, he lifts the leg of his pajama pants, revealing a nasty cut on his shin.
“And why in Merlins name where you going to wait getting that treated?” she sighs as she finds the necessary things for treating the cut “it didn’t look that bad this morning” he lies which earns him a strict look from Madam Pomfrey “this is not something that has worsened over a day, it looks like it’s at least a week old, if not more. But it still haven’t healed” she says sounding a bit puzzled over how slowly the healing process is going. “Yeah well Lacero is a nasty curse, nasty curses tend to give nasty results” he shrugs and winces slightly when she gently touches the skin around the injury “I still don’t understand why that spell is still legal” she mutters “y’know I keep telling Dumbledore to talk to the minster about it but he keeps making excuses” she tells him which makes a smile tug on his lips. Madam Pomfrey had always been caring towards him and his brother, even when they refused to get their injuries treated or when they excused their parents’ behaviour she would be kind.
“If I’m being honest with you, I don’t think making the curse illegal would stop my mother and father, they seem to care very little on what is illegal or unforgivable and what is not” he says with a dry smile. She huffs “they should care, this is no way to raise a child” she mutters under her breath, Regulus doesn’t respond. He doesn’t know what to say, he knows she is right, he knows him and Sirius should leave but it’s not as simple as it sounds.
As she starts cleaning his shin he bites his lip to distract himself from the pain in his leg. “You’re going to have to stay in the infirmary tonight” She informs him as she wraps the cut in bandages, “what? No I can go back to the dorm, it’s fine” he protests but she shoots him a look telling him to drop it, which of course he does, because even though he is stubborn he knows better than to argue with Madam Pomfrey.
“Rest, you need it” she says and pulls the leg on his pajama pants back down.
He nods, not bothering to protest.
Madam Pomfrey looks over at Lupin who seems to be asleep, “if either of you two need me then don’t be afraid to wake me” she says while turning her gaze to Regulus. “You know where to find me” she says, and with that she leaves to her office.
It’s not really an office but more like a small version of one of the dorms, it’s connected to the hospital wing and inside of it she has her office but also a bed and a shower.
Regulus watches as she leaves and then he lies back down with a quiet sigh. After a few moments he feels someone watching him and he turns his head to see if anyone is there of if he is just finally losing the last of his sanity. He looks over at the beds next to him and sees the Gryffindor boy laying in one of them, not as asleep as both Regulus and Pomfrey had thought. He is silently observing Regulus, and Regulus feels a little uneasy.
“What do you want, Lupin?” he asks, making eye contact with the Gryffindor. The boy seems to be shaken out of his thoughts “huh?” he asks, “You were staring” Regulus replies bluntly “what do you want?” he repeats. Lupin snickers “no need to get all snappy with me” his expression shifts to a more almost soft one as he continues “so, you’re Regulus? Sirius brother?” he asks, they both he knows the answer already but that doesn’t seem to stop him from asking. “Yes. That would be me” Regulus can feel himself on edge, like a rubber band ready to snap at any second if the other boy continues the topic of his brother. This doesn’t seem to bother the other one though, as he continues talking “Sirius talks a lot about you, y’know” he says which earns a scoff from Regulus “I bet he does” he sits up, leaning against the wall as he continues talking, an almost amused tone to his voice “but honestly, is that really supposed to be surprising? He talks a lot, like all the time”
Lupin huffs amused “that he does. He can go on a rant about anything he sets his mind to”. Regulus snickers but it’s more amused than mocking for once.
A comfortable silence falls over them, both Lupin and Regulus is sitting up in each of their bed. The Gryffindor is silently adjusting the bandages wrapped around his hand while the Slytherin is fidgeting with some loose strings on his sleeve, lost in thoughts. He hadn’t let it shown but it had affected him when he got told that Sirius talked about him a lot, he didn’t expect it to be anything positive, he isn’t oblivious, and he knows what his brother thinks of him. But a small part of him can’t stop wondering, thinking, wishing that not all of it was negative things.
After a few minutes of silence he can’t take it anymore, he clears his throat before speaking up “so, what has Sirius said about me?” he asks while trying to keep his voice unbothered and casual. He had half expected Lupin to lie or sugarcoat it, so when he just bluntly says “that you’re a sarcastic, blood purist, cunt” he can’t stop the laugh escaping him, it’s not forced or mean, it’s genuine for the first time in a while. Lupin smirks amused at the younger boy’s reaction.
“Then why are you talking to me?” Regulus asks after his laugh fades away, “I mean, you’re close with Sirius. I don’t think he would be happy with you talking to his sarcastic, blood purist, cunt of a brother” he asks, quoting what Lupin had said. Lupin just shrugs “Sirius says a lot of things, not all of them being true” he is quiet for a moment “besides, I like to judge people after talking to them instead of making assumptions on someone I don’t know” he adds thoughtfully, a small smile tugs on Regulus lips but it’s gone again quickly.
Regulus notices a book on the older boy’s nightstand, “what are you reading?” he asks with a hint of curiosity in his tone. “hm? Oh, Wuthering Heights” he replies, shooting the book a quick glance. “You read classics?” Regulus asked intrigued, the other boy nods.
“Isn’t it a muggle book?” he asks, he was pretty sure he had seen the book somewhere in the library back at Grimmauld place, he doesn’t know why there would be a muggle book there but then again, there were many weird or unexpected things about the Black family, and a muggle book wouldn’t be near the strangest thing he had found in that library. “Yeah, it is” Lupin says while trying to read Regulus expression, “you can borrow it when I’m done with it if you want” he offers which catches Regulus slightly off guard “seriously?” Lupin nods “I think you would like it”. “I would love to borrow it” Regulus says, his usual snarky and cold demeanor temporarily gone. “y’know I have to admit, you’re not as bad as I thought, Lupin” Regulus admits, a small smile forms on the other boy’s face “you don’t seem to bad either, Black” he teases. A smirk forms on Regulus lips, “Call me Regulus” he says, his tone warmer than usual, though not completely warm, maybe lukewarm. Lupin returns the smirk “Then I must insist you call me Remus”.
“Nice to meet you, Remus”, an almost smile playing on Regulus lips.
Before Remus can respond they both hear footsteps, and it’s Madam Pomfrey coming to check on them.
They both hurry under the each of their covers, and for some reason Regulus can’t help but grin as him and Remus hide from Madam Pomfrey, pretending to be asleep. Maybe it’s because it’s such a childish thing to do, or maybe it’s because he actually finds himself enjoying Remus Company.
Madam Pomfrey enters the hospital wing and the two boys pretend to be asleep.
Neither of them had noticed how late it had gotten or how tired they were, so after a few minutes when Madam Pomfrey leaves neither of them are pretending to sleep anymore. Usually it would take both of them hours to fall asleep, especially in the same room with someone they barely know, but Regulus felt oddly safe around Remus, maybe that was just because he was tired. But nonetheless they both fell asleep, their dreamless sleep potion stood untouched but neither of them would wake up that night with nightmares.