Chapter 3
“Hello, young boy, you must be Regulus, I have heard a lot about you!”
Regulus grimaced, then smiled coldly and shook hands with the large man who was appearing in front of him.
Must be Fleamont Potter.
“I can only hope for good things, but I don't really know.” He replied.
“Oh please, let's not joke, you are more than welcome here, for the summer right?”
“Yes, I am very sorry to disturb you in this way, but I had no one to look after me and my friends are leaving.”
“Are you kidding? At least I have someone to share my passion for literature with.” He smiled, disappearing in the kitchen.
Too much smiles and too early.
Throughout all this, his brother had been on the sidelines whispering with his best friend God knows what about him.
He had a knot clenching in his stomach and he got a headache just thinking about having to interact with James Potter.
James and his unbearable exuberance.
James and his contagious joy.
James and his jokes.
James and his hero complex.
James and the fact that he was the perfect heir for his family business.
He hated James Potter.
No. Not hate.
He envied James Potter.
He was brilliant and nice and make people around him feel safe.
He was like the sun, bright, beautiful and warm.
He used to have a fucking crush on James Potter, before his brother decided to go and play the happy little family with him.
Now it was all ruined.
They ruined his image of him.
But Regulus was a nice person.
So he greeted him accordingly to the situation.
“Hi James, thank you for taking me in.”
Okay, well done Regulus, you're doing very well, almost patting himself on the back.
“Oh hi Reg, it’s nice to have you here. My mum is preparing some breakfast, do you want to enjoy?” James smiled as the golden retriever he was. He was almost nodding along even though he was not in the mood to eat, when obviously his brother felt the need to open his mouth.
He never thinks before he speaks.
“Okay, I see we are ignoring the elephant in the room. Regulus, the fucking Noble House of Black went to bankrupt and they had no food in the house? Were they starving you? What's going on? And that black eye? Covered badly among other things. Do I have to take measures? Do you want to live here? Are you still defending them?”
His brother began to approach, maybe to touch him, his face, his wrists, to give him a hug but he’s tired, aching and he can’t face him right now.
After so long time.
He didn’t know how to speak to his brother anymore.
And he didn’t want to walk on eggshells in the first ten minutes he entered that house.
This was a family matter and he didn’t want James Potter to witness everything.
He didn’t want his old crush to think that he is pathetic.
He won’t understand.
He’ll side with Sirius and they will laugh.
He started to retreat, closing his eyes, breathing a little faster, despite wanting to demonstrate that he was in control of the situation.
That he was okay.
"Regulus tell me-" but the words came to him muffled, he made the mistake of looking into eyes that were too similar to those of his entire family.
A blue ice with a tidal wave inside it, ready to unleash.
Proud.
Rebel.
Implacable.
Just like Sirius.
Just like their mother.
And perhaps this was precisely the beauty of the Black’s.
Which he has obviously not inherited.
His opaque gray eyes represented more of a storm, an ill omen, something that brought despondency.
The quiet before the storm it was said.
And maybe this was him.
Something to hide from.
To search repair.
To escape.
But right now he was not feeling well.
Falling under that steady gaze.
Maybe he was the one who needed to escape from such look.
The look that is mother used to give him when she was angry and ready to punish him, to throw him in the broom closet and forget about him for days.
"Nono, I'm fin- please- I swear-" choke out.
Regulus raised his hands as if to ward off the oncoming figure.
He knew he was not with his mother.
He knew it, but still.. he couldn’t stop himself from trying to dodge the hit that never came.
So he closed his eyes and tried to understand his surroundings.
Why was the light so bright?
Grimmauld never had light. It was cold and dark.
No, Barty drove him to the Potters.
Potters Potters Potters.
Safe safe safe.
"Reggie what-?" Sirius stopped abruptly, meanwhile James reached for his shoulder.
"Hey Sirius, let's calm down a moment okay? Reggie do you want to eat something? there are pancakes and.. fruit, muffins.. well wathever you want okay? Breathe with me? Can you tell me what do you see on the table? Is something appetizing ?"
Back to the present his attention shifted to the table, it did not seem as elegantly set as the one at home, but it was certainly cozier.
They were in five. Five plates, five glasses, ten cutlery, a handful of napkins. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
There were seven napkins.
Counting had always helped him to calm down.
He closed his eyes.
In and out.
In and out.
In and out.
Muffins.. he did not have one in a long time..
Some fruit..
His heartbeat returned to normal and he even managed to smile at James and Sirius, even though the last one was still upset.
Fuck. What will Sirius think now? And James?
But before he could phrase some excuse, his brother gave him his back.
"I’ll go to the bathroom" Sirius stiffly said before leaving the room and once again Regulus couldn't tell what he did to make Sirius so mad.
James gave him one last smile before disappearing behind him.
"Here dear, take what you want" he froze as Euphemia took seat near him.
He did not expect that. He has not been called dear from anyone.
He watched the table as he did not want to upset her by not taking anything.
The food was a pretty good effort and he did not want to waste it.
"Thank you Mrs. Potter” he replied politely.
"Oh please call me Effie, like everyone else"
Regulus simply nodded, knowing very well that at most he would call her Euphemia.