The first letter
The two boys trailed into the great hall, Nicolas had just pointed out classrooms and details to the younger as they walked.
"And here, is the great hall!" Nicolas finished with a grin, Regulus snorted at the older boy, he didn't want to tell him that he did infact already know about the secret passage behind the tapestry near the moving staircases, thanks to Sirius, because, he even surprised himself when he realised he actually enjoyed Nics company.
Nicolas and Regulus walked over to the Slytherin table before either noticed the blue robed Ravenclaw chatting with a green robed Slytherin.
"Pots, over here!" The Ravenclaw called, her blonde curls bounced as she waved her hand above her head to gain Regulus's attention.
Regulus looked away from talking to Nic, over to where Pandora and Sienna were sat at the end of the...Slytherin table...
"Oh, Pans?" Regulus said as he sat down opposite his best friend, he sent a reserved smile Sienna's way, who grinned back before going back to her eggs, toast and bacon.
Regulus looked around as Nicolas sat down next to him, Regulus was half sure people were staring at them, probably because of the Ravenclaw sat talking and giggling with Slytherins...Even though her side of the Lestrange's are known for being "blood traitors", then again, it could possibly just be his imagination acting up...
But what if it isn't, and people are staring, judging, judging him, maybe even Pandora, even though Pandora is the best, kindest person, and doesn't deserve a single bad eye staring at her, what i-
Pandora hummed, tapping Regulus's shoulder, she always knew when he was stuck inside his head, and she always knew how to get him out.
Regulus turned back around sharply, his eyebrows shot up abruptly as his grey eyes landed on Pandoras blue ones.
"Hm?"
"Your mate?" Sienna said, Regulus was still confused by the girls heavy accent so he turned to Pandora for help.
The girl cocked her head towards Nicolas who was focused on his jam toast and goblet of pumpkin juice.
"Oh, right, yes,"
"Sienna, this is Nicolas," Sienna held her hand out for the boy to shake, who took it in his own, nodding in acknowledgement.
"Hiya," Sienna said softly.
"Hey." Nicolas replied, sporting the same gentle tone.
Regulus looked between the two before his attention landed on Pandora, who was smiling knowingly at the couple, if Pandora looked so...reserved... then this could be a...bad idea...
/-/
Sirius looked down at the diary, one of his hands was mindlessly stroking Patches, the other using his index finger to mark his spot on the yellowed page.
"Pandora looked somewhat reserved, worried...Maybe introducing Nightly and Mellark wasn't a great idea..."
Sirius frowned at the words, of course he remembered Sienna's and Nicolas's relationship, everyone did, but he never realised their oh so...turbulent relationship started as soon as they met.
Patches nuzzled further into Sirius's lap, as if they could read Sirius's thoughts, as if they could tell what happened next, as if they knew Sienna's and Nicolas's fate, as if it were written in the stars from the very beginning, as if they were destined to have...
"Never mind." Sirius muttered, fingers lingering on the tip of Patches tail.
"What'd you think, Patches?" The man mumbled as he dog eared the page, (knowing full well Regulus would loose his shit) as he shifted slightly, trying not to disturb the cat too much.
"You think you know where Nicolas is?"
The cat let out a noncommittal purr.
"How about Sienna, where's she?"
The cat let out a small, somewhat sad sounding, whine.
Sirius huffed a laugh, it was tragic, really, what happened, what with the summer of '78...
No ones seen Nicolas for years, no contact, no letters, no sights, nothing.
And yet, Sirius still wanted to try, after all, Regulus had written Nicolas one of those letters that he'd found, it was a bit thicker then some of the others aswell, something that looked like it was some type of locket, maybe, is inside it.
Sirius shivered at the memory of picking it up, he had been flicking through the stack, seeing the names, Pandora, Dorcas, Rosier, Crouch and then...
The letters sat in the corner of the hole, there was just something about them that spoke to him, a deep, dark whisper curling through the air, dancing and twirling into Sirius's ear.
It wasn't anything, the words weren't making sense in Sirius's mind, it was more a static ringing, when he paid attention he could make out some words, some dark, morbid words that Sirius didn't even want to acknowledge.
Growing up in Grimmauld, one would think that he'd grown accustomed to the darkness, grown accustomed to the monsters in the shadows, under the bed.
You do grow accustomed to it, you have to, because the monsters aren't under the bed, weren't lurking in the shadows, they were the ones who made you, the people you share blood with, the same, dark, whispering blood that tainted you, tainted your mind, your soul, until you lost yourself, gave into the madness that comes with the Black name.
But this was different, this was a hiss piercing its tounge against his brain, again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and agai-
"Fuck." Sirius muttered, shoving the letters back in place, he hadn't managed to read the names of all the letters, only the first few.
As soon as the letters were jammed back in the hole the hissing stopped, the ringing turned off and Sirius's head hurt with the after effects of whatever the fuck had just happened...
When he'd realised what letter it was coming from Sirius scoffed, it was as if a deep darkness was seeping out of the old envelope, wafting from the slightly yellow paper, he'd had half a mind to rip it open and throw the thing away...
But of course it would be, Nicolas was just as much a Slytherin as Regulus...
So he didn't, he didn't even entertain the idea, he only made a note of the letter, whatever piece of jewellery that was inside could fucking shove it, he decided he'd send the letter, ship it off to Mellark and let him do with it whatever he pleases, because after all, Regulus did want it sent to him.
"Maybe I should send it to Dumbledore instead, it did seem..." Sirius cut himself off, suddenly he had goosebumps trailing up his arms and the hairs on the back of his neck had shot up.
"What do you think Patches?"
Sirius looked down at the cat, expecting nothing hut a content sigh or purr, but instead Patches let out a low growl, Sirius didn't know how such a small, petite thing could let out such a deep grumble.
The dog in him wanted to bark back, Padfoot was always at the back of his mind, so, to be honest, Sirius was shocked the cat hadn't used its instincts and fucked off yet.
"Woah, alright, bloody hell," The man said, laughing slightly.
"To Nicolas it is."
And to that the cat let out a pleased huff.
Sirius was sat at the dust covered desk, the chair creaked from disuse as Sirius shuffled slightly, adjusting the quill in his hold as he thought of the next words to put down on the paper.
Mellark,
I've found Regulus's old journals?, diaries?, do you know what he called them?
(I'm sure you did, you two were quite close)
Sirius shook his head, he really shouldn't ramble, he wanted answers, maybe some proof Nicolas is even alive, this wasn't even about regulus...Okay, maybe a little about Regulus...
Anyway, just wanted to see if you're alive to be honest, always did get on, I guess.
Just, y'know, going through my brothers bits, he mentioned you and Nightly, so I thought I'd reach out.
It would be nice aswell, if you could write back, maybe something about Regulus?
Well, Reg also wanted you to have the second envelope attached to this, probably died a coward before he could get the nerve to send it.
Sorry, you two were close...
Probably died before he could send it.
(Well he did since i have it on me and you don't.)
Anyways, please write back, I guess, or don't.
(Please do.)
Thanks, Nicolas.
S.O.B
"Great, I sound pathetic." Sirius muttered, placing the quill down as he re read the letter.
"What'd you think Patches," He said, turning slightly in the chair to look at the cat curled precariously on the edge of the bed.
"You think I sound sad?"
Nothing, obviously, Sirius huffed as he reminded himself...I'm talking to a goddam cat...
Sirius shrugged, setting the letter back down to let it dry as he stood from the chair, stretching slightly as he heard his joints crack.
"Right, an owl," Sirius murmured, hands on his hips as he looked around in thought, again, it crossed his mind that maybe he should just send the obviously cursed letter to Dumbledore, and maybe he shouldn't even reach out to a potential Deatheater, but isn't life just full of maybes...