On the 16th of October, Sirius paid the owl that delivered The Prophet to his and Remus’ flat in Camden. On the 16th of October, Sirius was hopeful as he read the headline. “Black Heir Missing”. This was it, he thought. His little brother was keeping his promise. Four years ago, on the night Sirius had ran away and begged his little brother to come with him, Regulus had made a promise. An oath. Sirius had made him swear it on his last breath. Regulus had sworn that as soon as he was of age he would leave and find Sirius. He wanted to stay until then because, in his words, “Maman and Father would never let both of us out. As soon as I grow up Sirius, I swear.” So, Sirius thought that this was the beginning of his brother leaving. Although confused as to why Regulus didn’t immediately come to him, he reasoned it away as him knowing that Sirius’ was the first place they would look, and so he was laying low. Sure enough, Aurors had come knocking on their door asking about his brother, not that they found him.
Two weeks later, when Regulus still hadn’t shown up, Sirius began to worry. One week was long enough, he thought to himself, so where was he? He already knew James agreed with him, though his best friend had seemed a lot happier at the news than Sirius had expected, but that was just James, he assumed, always caring and compassionate. It was the next day when he found out exactly why Regulus had been taking so long to come to him. The same owl delivering The Prophet. Instead of hope, this particular headline filled him with dread. As he read it he could feel the despair creep into his bones, burrowing there, carving out a permanent place for itself. He could feel the exact moment his heart shattered, pieces becoming lost, not to be found again in this universe. A universe without his brother. The ink on the front page stared up at him, bold and cruel, with his brother’s picture underneath, as if it were mocking him, mocking his grief. “Black Heir Declared Dead”
The promise felt rotten now, as if it was judging Sirius for ever thinking it would be fulfilled. Technically, it had been, just not the end of the bargain Sirius had wanted, or even expected. The words were ringing in his ears. “On your life Reggie, swear it on your last breath. Promise me, you’ll get out as soon as you’re of age, and you’ll come find me.”, he had forced it out, having to inhale painfully, aggravating his undoubtedly broken ribs.
“I swear it Sirius, on my life, on my last breath. I’ll grow up, and I’ll come find you. It’s that or death, I promise.”, his brother had whispered back, his voice barely audible for fear of getting caught. They both knew their parents would punish Regulus if they ever found out he had helped Sirius leave, nevermind that he had plans to leave himself.
The oath was bitter now, the death line taken all to seriously. His brother had never grown up, nor had he found him. He was only seventeen.