as the days go by
September 1971
Regulus was alone. The house felt quieter than usual. No Sirius there to be with. He started to get ready and did his morning routine. After he was done Regulus headed downstairs to have breakfast, by himself. His father usually takes it in his study and his mother doesn’t have any. Sirius who is at Hogwarts, isn’t there to join him, and he will not be for the next few months. That sent a bloom of sadness throughout Regulus at the simple thought.
He ate silently and once he was finished went outside for a walk. Watching the birds, the trees, and just enjoying the world. An hour has passed before he went back inside for a light snack, then he continued to his room to do some studying. Todays topic was charms, his parents were adamant that he be a bit knowledgeable on Hogwarts subjects before going. Lunch was ready as told by Kreacher, he headed down to eat. This time his parents joined but it was still as silent as before. If his parents did speak it was never to him, always acting as if he wasn’t there. Regulus headed back up to his room to study another subject, he chose astronomy this time because he actually likes it. He was surprised to find Kreacher appear and hold him a letter. He took it from the elf and read the contents. It was from Sirius and he was telling him all that was Hogwarts, how he’s made new friends with James, and how he misses him. Regulus quickly pulled out a scroll to reply on and called for Kreacher to take it to the Owlery. When he was done then he spent hours studying until dinner was ready, there he ate again. Afterwards he took a shower and went to bed. That was how most of Regulus' days looked now that he had no one to spend them with. He was lonely and he couldn’t wait until it was his turn to go to Hogwarts. The only good thing was his letters from Sirius.
“Kreacher!” Walburga Black called the house elf. Kreacher appeared with a slight crack of apparition heard as he stood before his Mistress. Head bowed until further spoken to.
“Tell me what has Regulus been up to.” kreacher looked up and told her that he has been studying and spent some time outside. That he received a letter from Master Sirius, and that was all.
“Hmm, very well. Tell me what was in those letters.” Kreacher told her that Master Sirius was just telling Regulus about his new house, his new friends, and how he missed Regulus. He told her how Regulus simply said he missed Sirius. Walburga nodded at the elf and instructed that if Sirius were to ever say something she did not approve of. To burn the letter so that her youngest son were to not receive it and be led astray in any way. She was not going to lose one of them and she did not care which. Kreacher went away back to cleaning the house.
December 1971
Throughout the months, Regulus’ routine became almost clinical with the way it was often the same. Sirius days were filled with laughter, joy, and some mischief as he went about his days. Soon, Sirius had to go back home for Christmas holidays. He did so with some sadness as it was only Walburga that went to fetch him at the station and he didn’t see Regulus with her. She was quiet and simply held his arm to apparate back to the manor. There Sirius was sent to his room, in the room right beside it, Regulus had heard the return of his eldest brother. After a few minutes the youngest black went out of his room to knock on the other, there Sirius opened the door, as the two brothers reunited. Sirius pulled Regulus through the door as he finished unpacking, telling him about everything he was up to while he was away. The house was filled with some warmth again as two stars were reunited. Both of them shining brightly to their highest capacity again.
Sirius returned to Hogwarts after his days were done, both of them back to before. Regulus was alone and even though Sirius was not, some days he still felt as if he was. As both brothers were missing the other part of themselves. Eventually the school year was over and Sirius was back with Regulus. Both boys spent most of their summer doing the following: studying and going over to Potter Manor. There they spent their days doing what was already expected of them but having some fun being introduced by Sirius.
However, there was a change to visiting Potter Manor that summer as two other boys were visiting as well. One was called Remus Lupin, he was slightly taller than James which Regulus found odd as James was the tallest child he knew, and the other Peter was an inch or two taller than him. He liked Peter the most as Remus seemed to take all of Sirius’ attention away. James would often spend time with them when Sirius was distracted. Regulus liked when James’ attention was on them. It felt nice as it always did. Regulus also liked Remus, he could see why Sirius liked him, he was quiet and kind. He had soft looking sweaters that seemed worn to Regulus unlike his own clothes that sometimes felt stuffy with how clean they must always look.
Regulus' summer was significantly better than the months he spent alone. One of Regulus' favorite moments with them all was when they were outside in James' yard and he could hear Remus and Sirius arguing about something a few feet away. While he was standing beside Peter who was making a flower crown out of daises he found growing together. Regulus was watching as Peter explained to him that his older sister taught him how to make one so he was teaching Regulus too. James had been standing on Peters other side, just listening in, and when Regulus looked at him, he had found James staring at him until he was caught and looked away. That made him want to giggle and so he noticed every time James glanced at him without making it obvious that he, well, knew.
September 1972
It was Regulus’ first year at Hogwarts. He knew Sirius was in Gryffindor, an odd occurrence in his family as every generation had been in Slytherin so far. Regulus was okay with either choice, his parents didn’t tell him anything about Sirius joining Gryffindor but they never tell him anything any way.
He was waiting in line as others, this chatty boy in front with fluffy hair and dark eyes talking to a blonde curly headed boy who seemed to think he was annoying, which made him slightly less nervous. He also noticed that there was a curly blonde haired girl next to the blonde boy, he wondered if they were siblings as they seemed to have similar features.
Regulus saw as both boys were called before him and got sorted into slytherin. The girl however was sorted into Ravenclaw. Soon after Regulus' turn was next, he walked up to the sorting hat. As everyone became quiet once again, Regulus saw as the material covered his eyes. He was shrouded in darkness as a voice seemed to whisper in his mind. He was hearing the hats thoughts. After the hat asked for his input in questions he didn’t quite understand, he heard mumblings about Ravenclaw or Slytherin. He was getting quite anxious in the way the hat wasn’t just choosing a house, Regulus decided to ask the hat for a small favor, to place him in the same house as the boys from before. A bit after that and some mumbling later, the hat shouted for everyone to hear the house “Slytherin!”
Regulus' heart lept up in happiness as the hat was pulled off his head. applause could be heard from the green decorated table. As he made his way over he spotted the two boys from before, both clapping for him, he looked away towards the red table for Gryffindor and found his brother and his friends watching him. Sirius had a smile for him and they all seemed to be the only ones who were actually happy for him from that table. He didn’t let the confusion sit for long as he sat beside the boys from his own table.
“Barty Crouch Jr,” said the brunette boy from before, the one sat next to him, as he held out his hand for Regulus to shake. He did shake it as he introduced himself, the blonde boy watching. “Evan Rosier,” said the blonde and Regulus nodded to him as the he had simply stated that.
They all continued to watch the sorting until it was finished until the Headmaster said that they could now eat. Food appeared on their tables and they chose what they wanted until their Head of House led them to the common room telling them the password in the process. They were all pretty ecstatic to find out that they shared a dorm together, almost as if the castle knew that they were all newly friends.
Throughout the school year Regulus would see Sirius and the rest of his friends. He found out that someone created a name for their group, calling them the “Marauders” for the way that they all behave. He was quite unsure what they meant by that until he witnessed it one morning.
Regulus was sitting at breakfast with his friends when Hufflepuffs table's goblets all began to shake, then Ravenclaws, after that was Slytherins, and lastly was Gryffindors. What intrigued Regulus was how his cup, James, Sirius, Peter, and Remus’ cups all didn’t shake. People tried holding down the goblets to no avail until a few seconds later, simultaneously spurts of water erupted from each cup, drenching each and every student in water. The fact that his cup and the “Marauders” cups didn't shake, it had made no difference in getting every single one of them wet any way. There Regulus found out what exactly the Marauders tended to get up to in school. Regulus knew that was impressive magic especially since they the whole group were just second years, but thought that the extra magic that he and Sirius learned at home is what probably made that prank successful. Here and there, Regulus would chat to Sirius when he’d have the time until break rolled around and they both went home for the holidays. Soon, the school year was over.