free as a wounded bird
The cold wind in the streets hit Regulus like a slap. The snow is falling all around and his boby is crossed by a new wave of pain. He can feel his calf, soaked with blood, buring, in contrast to the freezing air around him.
But he is free.
He looks at the dark house behind him and sits on his broom, his bag on his back. He feels exhausted but he knows he needs to hold himself together. He needs to reach his destination before fainting from loss of blood or dizziness.
So he flies away, leaving behind the abuse of a home that would kill him if he stayed a second longer.
The fly toward the Potter's house is long and difficult, especially in his condition. After 10 minutes Regulus starts to feel a little numb.
The cold of the snow is going throught his thin school cape. He made sure to wear his school uniform on him to maximize the space in his bag, but it wasn't the most suitable to the weather.
He tries to focuse on the road he's following.
Just few more minutes.
Little far away, he finally notices white pebble path joining the road, and to its end, a large mansion. Regulus goes down and changes his course, flying right toward the door.
He reaches the floor in an uncontrolled landing, his feet hitting the ground painfully. He stumbles toward the door, his head spins.
He glances down at his legs.
Mistake.
A dizziness threatens him at the sight of his own blood staining his shoes and the back of his pants.
Come on, it's just a few cuts, nothing you can't handle.
He knocks weakly and leans on the door to stop himself from falling. He needs to get inside before passing out.He knows he wont survive the night overwise.
His head keep spining, his whole body trembling and shivering. He knocks again.
"Please...Please someone..."
The door finally open, pushing on him. The boy looses his balance and hits the ground. He lays still, too exhausted to get up again as he hears a gasp.
"REG!"
And then he can feel strong warm arms wrapping him.
"What the hell-... MOM! HELP!"
The black haired boy opens his eyes and to see a blurry James Potter, looking at him, really concerned and panicked, "Regulus, what happened?!"
Regulus coughs and shivers as he tries to speak,
"They beat me... 't was too much... h-had nowhere to go... you said I could come here if needed..." He manages to mumble shakly.
"Its okay, you're safe, you're gonna be okay..." James whispers. His eyes though, are filled with worry.
Effie is rushing towards them and kneels.
"James, take him inside," she says, keeping her temper.
His son obeys and carries shakly Regulus to one of the living room's couches. Sirius who was sitting on Remus' lap shoot up as if the seat had burn him.
His brother.
His baby brother was laying unconscious.
Bleeding out.
It was all his fault wasn't it?
He tries speak but only a sob came out. "R-Reggie"
Effie starts casting healing spell professinally. She takes off his pants to check for injuries
"We need to turn him over on his stomach," She orders after spotting where the blood came from. James helps her hurryly. Sirius was looking at the scene sobbing and being hold by his boyfriend as his legs gave up on him.
Effie works efficiantly on his wounds and finally she wraps a bandage around them. She turns over Regulus back and covers him with a warm blanket. She then gently strokes his hair.
"The poor boy..." Euphemia sighs. She has always been a mother person, even before having James and she can't bear the thought of parents treating their own children this way.
Sirius crawls to her side, sitting on the ground to look at his little brother. His face is still full of tears.
"He'll be okay dear" Effie hugs him, "I promise."
Sirius is shaking "I shouldn't have left him there... I-I should have knew..."
The woman shushes him gently "No darling, you did good. You wouldn't have survived there. This is none of your fault, it wasn't your role to protect him but your parents'."
Sirius sighs and wipes his cheeks
After a few hours Regulus' eyes flutter open