𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 [regulus black]

Vivien finished her essay and stood up to leave. “I have to go, prefect duty,” Vivien groaned.

“But you just got back from the potions project before dinner, and now you’re going again,” Ava complained.

“I know,” she sighed. “Honestly, between the prefect duty, potions, and astronomy, I feel like I see Black more than you. And god, he’s so annoying!”

Vivien and Regulus did their usual rounds in silence, when suddenly, they heard whispered sounds coming from a passageway.

They glanced at each other and entered the narrow corridor to find James and Sirius there. Probably executing a prank. The moment their eyes fell on the two marauders, Vivien felt Black stiffen beside her, as though frozen. Likely because of their family drama, she thought.

It didn’t seem like Black was about to speak soon. So she said, exasperated, “What are you two doing out of bed this late at night?”

“Oh, y’know, just taking a causal stroll.” Sirius grinned.

“It’s after curfew and you’re not supposed to be out of bed,” Regulus said haughtily. Who seemed to have regained his composure. “I am going to give you detention.”

“C’mon mate, could you please let us go this time? We’ll be more careful next time, when out of bed,” James said cheerfully.

Regulus glared at him. “Since you’re breaking the rule, you both have detention, and that’s final.”

“Come on Reggie, can’t you do this for your brother?” Sirius said.

“I thought you weren’t my brother anymore,” Regulus replied. Vivien noticed his hands clench into fists, his knuckles turning white.

Sirius flinched. “You know I didn’t mean that. I was frustrated at that time and it just slipped out.”

“No, no. I know you meant it. I get it; you have a new family. You don’t want to be related to me anymore, so you just abandoned me. It’s fine.“

Vivien and James glanced at each other, as if to say, well this is awkward. They stood beside Regulus and Sirius in silence, letting the brothers talk.

“I gave you a choice, alright? I asked you if you wanted to come with me; to get out of that hellhole. You preferred not to. That’s not my fault.”

“I can’t just escape from there. It’s not that simple!”

“It is!”

“You don’t get it, do you? That’s my whole life. I don’t have anything to go to when I leave home, unlike you. You have Potter, your brother.” He said bitterly, glancing at James, who shuffled awkwardly.

“You had me.”

“I’m not like you Sirius. I’m not brave. I can’t just leave the house and leave our parents.”

“Some parents! You know what they did to me!”

“Yeah, I do. Do you know what they did to me? When they were angry at you and you weren’t home. When you were out with Potter? When you left home this summer?!”

Sirius paled, “No- they didn’t- they wouldn’t-“

“They did.” he cleared his throat, his fists still clenched at his sides. “Whatever. It doesn’t affect or concern you anymore; since we’re no longer related.”

“By the way,” Regulus added, “you two are still getting detention.”

With that, he stalked off; and after one uncomfortable glance at Sirius and James, Vivien followed him as they went to continue their round.

“Um-“

“You don’t have to say anything,” Regulus said, cutting her off.

“Alright.” They continued through the corridor for a few minutes. Then-

“I can finish the rest of the round myself. If you want to, you can go.” Vivien said tentatively.

“I’m fine. I don’t need your pity.

“Alright.”

They continued up to the seventh floor.

“I’ll check the astronomy tower and the right side passages. You go to the left.” Regulus said, “so that we finish faster.”

Vivien nodded, and they split up. As she continued down the hallway, she couldn’t help but think about Sirius and Regulus. It was obvious they both still cleared about each other; and yet they didn’t want to be related - or at least that’s what they just said.

Though, she thought as she reached the end of the corridor and turned around to go right; she supposed they were kind of like her and her elder sister Petunia. Ever since Vivien had been accepted to Hogwarts, Petunia had been cold and distant toward her.

Vivien went ahead, but there was no sign of Black. He probably finished and went back to his dorm, she thought. She headed to the Astronomy tower to get some fresh air and looking at the night sky, which she rather enjoyed. As she reached the top of the tower stairs, she heard a sniffling sound. She glanced inside to find none other than Regulus Black. His back was toward her and he stood at the railing, looking at the sky.

She hesitated at the entrance, wondering if she should maybe comfort him or just leave and give him privacy. Considering their strained relationship, she thought she’d better go. However, just as she was leaving, her shoe made a clanking sound against the floor, at which she winced.

Hearing the sound, Regulus turned around. His eyes were red rimmed, and his face looked even paler in the moonlight.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He snapped.

“I just came up to get some fresh air. I didn’t know you were here. Sorry,” she replied.

Regulus sighed and turned around. Surprisingly, not giving a snarky comment. This time, she went up and stood beside him, seeing as he’d already seen her.

“You know he still loves you, right?” Vivien asked after a few moments of silence. “Siblings never stop loving each other, no matter how much they fight.”

“Honestly, I’m not quite sure anymore.” Regulus paused for a moment.

“I have an elder sister Petunia. She’s a muggle. We used to be very close, best-friends. And when I got into Hogwarts, she started talking to lesser. Then, as time passed, she stopped talking to me completely. Now she doesn’t care about me; she doesn’t even respond to any of my letters.” She glanced up to see Black looking at her with an intense gaze in his eyes.

“She doesn’t sound like a very pleasant person.”

“She’s still my sister. And no matter what, I still do love her.”

Regulus looked pensive. “When we were kids, and before he started his first year, Sirius and I spent so much time together; he taught me everything he knew. We were best friends. But then he went to Hogwarts, and when he came back for the summer, all he could talk about was stupid James Potter. And everything had changed. We weren’t best friends anymore. We didn’t spend time together.”

Vivien placed her hand on his, which was on the railing, in a comforting way, not quite sure what to do. She felt him freeze, as though he wasn’t used to physical touch.

“But then I got into Slytherin and he rarely talked to me; he thought I was just like all the others. And then he started to like me and talk to me lesser as time passed.”

“Seems like both our siblings aren’t fond of us.”

Astonishingly, Black smiled dryly.

“Well,” he cleared his throat, “I should get going.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Evans,” he nodded as a goodbye.

She smiled, “Black.”