Chapter 1
Regulus can't think straight. He had one goal. And that is to get out.
He blindly throws all the food and water stashed up in his room into a bag. He grabs a journal and pencil and Some meaningful things he wants to keep.
He knows where he needs to go.He also knows it seemed just about impossible to get there, but he would either die here or most likely die on the way there.
His back seared in pain and he could feel the blood trickling down. His neck was bruised and his head was throbbing. He had cuts and bruises scattered all over his legs and arms.
Despite the pain, he opened his window.
10 minutes earlier
"Regulus Black! " he heard his mother scream. He knew whatever she and to say wouldn't be good but he had never expected what was coming.
She throws open the door, pointing her wand at him. He sees bellatrix trailing behind her trying to figure out what's going on. She was a nosy prick.
"Want to tell me why the pure blood families are telling me that my son was seen with another man?x She says, anger radiating through her voice.
Well shite. Regulus thought. This wouldn't be pretty.
"Well??" She spat.
"I- that- well-" he sputtered out, deciding how he would cover this up, but given the short notice, his words betrayed him. who could've told?
Walburga cuts his words short. "You weren't even good enough too be the extra heir. We have always warned you not to be like Sirius. Clearly you didn't listen. I can't believe you would do this too us."
Regulus' blood was boiling. He was terrified. But he was also angry. How could she say that? How could she say he was hurting her? After everything she'd done? She had made him and Sirius' life a living hell. He would rather have been raised in Azkaban than here.
"Maybe if you actually acted like a mother, I would be better. Or perhaps you would be able to accept me. "
Bellatrix's eyes widened and Walburga looked like she was going to start breathing fire. He hadn't even meant to say it out loud. But it was too late now. Walburga lifted her wand up and pointed it straight at him.
He threw open the window. He knew he couldn't just walk out because his mother would kill him. Litteraly. He wanted to scream but he physically could not. He wanted to scream at walburga so bad that he would die if it meant he died yelling at her, but he knew it was foolish. So instead he was here. Climbing out of his window and onto the roof.
He carefully starts climbing down the side of the house, stepping on the windows and clinging to bricks, hissing in pain for each movement and gaspin each time he slipped a bit until he heard his bedroom door fly opened.
Shite.
He gets as far down as he can before walburga perks her head out the window. He freezes for half a second and before he can think about it too much he pushes himself off the wall and prays he doesn't black out. Or die for that matter.
Thump.
He hits the ground, landing on his left arm. It definitely does not help the pain, but he knows he needs to get up. He can hear his mother screaming, but he pays her no mind (even if he did, he wouldn't be able to focus. His head feels like it's ready to burst).
Against all his bodies wishes for him to just collapse on the floor and curl into a ball and die, he pushes himself off the ground with his 'good' arm. (It's not good at all, but it's not broken at least).
He begins running. It hurts. It hurts so bad, but he has too. Walburga is throwing random curses and jinx's his way, narrowly missing him. She keeps trying until she's too far behind him to hit. He sees her bring her head back inside, most likely to run downstairs and come chase him.
Regulus runs faster. Thank god he can run fast. (usually faster, but then again most of the time he isn't in tremendous amounts of pain)
He runs. He runs for what feels like forever. He counts each mile marker and repeats the number in his head until he reaches the next.
Regulus runs until he physically cannot run. So he slows to a walk. And then tries to speed up again, but is instead met with blackness.
Regulus wakes up and quickly realized he is not in his room. Or his house. He shoots up, and then whinces and quickly regrets it as pain shoots through his body.
The memories come flooding back. He rummages through his bag for a water bottle and his journal.
He drinks about a quarter of the water bottle before forcing himself to stop in order too reserve water.
He opens the journal. How far was he again? Ah, yes. 5 miles. Out of 30. Great.
He jots down 5 tally marks and rips off the page, stuffing the paper and pencil into his pocket.
He decided to asses some of the damage. It's mostly just small cuts, but he has a gash on his left leg that's bleeding. Hopefully he wasn't out for too long.
He rips off the sleeve of his shirt, wrapping it around the wound and securing it tightly with a knot. He sits there for a few minutes before deciding he'll have to start moving st some point.
"Okay. Keep going. " He whispers into the night. He gives himself directions to keep himself from giving up. Now pick up your bag, Regulus. Now start walking, Regulus.
He takes a deep breath and walks some more, adding a tally for each mile marker.
Six miles. Seven miles. Eight miles.
He takes a break at 10 miles. He feels like he is on fire. He is debating giving up right then and there. The only thing motivating him right now is the thought of Sirius. Anxiety fills him. What if Sirius doesn't care? What if they don't even let him in? What if they laugh in his face? He tries his best not to think about it. Walking all that way just to be left to die on the potters porch.
By the time he's reached halfway, the moon is showing it's probably around midnight. Regulus is convinced he is going to die. His body is screaming in pain, the fabric of his shirt and jeans rubbing against the cuts.
When he was in primary school he had been assigned to read a book about some boys who had to walk 96 miles in 3 days. Good thing he doesn't have to walk that far.
But then again, they weren't in excruciating pain the whole time, were they? He thought bitterly.
His legs wobble as he tries to catch himself, but fails, as his knees give in. No, do not pass out again.
He brings his knees up to his chest and looks up at the stars. He finds the pain is better but worse at the same time when he's not moving. His legs aren't burning as much, but he's not distracted anymore.
He searches the sky for Sirius. He is nervous to see him, but he missed him. If Sirius didn't hate him before, he definitely hated him after he was disowned. He seems to think that Regulus is some sort of perfect child and that their parents adore him or something. He can't bring himself to be mad about it at the moment, though.
He's also a bit excited to see James. Regulus had never liked him for stealing his brother from him, but ever since he saved him, Regulus has grown a fondness for him. It was also hard to hate him when he was just about the sweetest person in the planet. He sent Regulus letters checking up on him. Regulus loved them, but rarely ever responded.James was truly very attractive and pretty, but he would never tell anyone he thought that.
Once again, Regulus forces himself to stand up and begins walking some more.
5 more miles. Just 5 more. Regulus was shocked he'd made it this far. He's collapsed 3 times and the pain is excruciating. He feels like he can't walk another step. But he knows he has too. Every part of him hurts and he wants to curl up like a baby. Regulus is filled with a surge of sadness. He just wants someone to take care of him. He'd never gotten to experience any sort of motherly love. He had Sirius, but then he went and left him. Regulus just wished someone could be next to him, tending to his wounds and telling him he would be alright.
4 miles.
He feels the tears filling his eyes. Regulus blinks and a tear slides down his cheek. He tries his hardest to not cry. He knows it will just cause a headache, but he can't help it.
He let's out a quiet sob. Then another. And before he knows it he's crying like he's 5 again. He hasn't cried like this in years and all he wants is to be there. To see Sirius.
He speeds up even though every part of his body is telling him not too.
3 miles.
The tears blur his vision. He's seen a total of maybe 10 cars this whole time and he's been walking in the shadows so hopefully no one notices him. He knows that it's not likely someone would call the police. He's 16. But the last thing he needs is being brought back to his mothers house. He would definitely be dead if that happened.
He walks. And walks. And walks. And cries. And does everything in his power to not collapse and die right there on the side of the road.
2 miles.
Regulus breaks into a run. It hurts. More than anything he's ever experienced (that's a bit of an exaggeration, he was crucciod 7 hours ago.)
He runs. And he doesn't stop until he sees the potters house at the end of the road. He's gasping for breath by then. He feels like he's going to pass out. Or vomit. Or die. Or all of those things.
He practically crawls up the steps and gives 3 weak knocks.
"I'll get it! " he hears a muffled voice say from inside.
The door opens and the last thing Regulus sees is James worried face, and then he has blacked out again.