Secretkeepers

It was one of the last games of the season, Slytherin vs Gryffindor of course. The school was a chaos, the stands were completely full and students were even sitting outside of the border to watch.

Unsurprisingly most students wore red and gold, only few members of Ravenclaw and few of Hufflepuff wore green.

"Scared yet Baby Black?"

"In your dreams Potter" Regulus spits back as he glares at his brothers best friend, his face set in a familiar scowl while glaring James down just because he is his big brothers best friend. Approaching him he glares up at him angrily "and call me Baby Black once more time and I will show you just where I can stick this broom other than a broom cabinet"

Laughing warmly James winks at him when everyone is distracted before turning around and catching up with some of his friends, not looking back on the furious Black brother he left behind.

Deep down Regulus is panicking, hoping that his face isn't decorated with a blush because he could feel the heat spreading out from his tummy to his chest and then his whole body.

James' smirks and cockiness and winks always does something to him. Always without fail. His friends tease him endlessly about his desperate pining, they all know he is crushing on Potter. It wasn't very hard to notice if you actually know him. In all honesty Reg is genuinely happy that they do know that, so that he can gush about Potter without them feeling like it was weird. By now its an almost daily occurrence.

Turning around he joins his own team, though instead of listening to whatever shit Mulciber cocked up as motivational speech. Instead scanning the stands to look for his friends until he finally found them. Pandoras hair standing out like the moon in the sky.

Grinning happily he nudges Evan slightly and nods in the direction of where Barty, Pandora and slightly away Dorcas are sitting. All in Slytherin colors of course, he wasn't sure which team Dorcas would be supporting today. Since they are dating Marlene, the Gryffindor beater next to his brother.

Which is why he is even more happy that they are in green and silver to support him and Evan.

Further down he even saw his friend Severus sitting, he doesn't sit with Barty and Pandora because they are too loud for him but he is here nonetheless. Regulus hadn't been sure after asking him during their study session whether he would come and watch him play, given that Severus is much more inclined to use the quiet of the castle to read or study whenever there is a Quidditch game. He couldn't help but smile brightly, his friends were the most important thing in his life so their support meant everything to him.

"Careful Reg, your sap is showing"

Evan whispers teasingly as he lightly shoves him, while it might sound mean it was a genuine gesture. He was worried that if they did lose today and it got back to Regs parents that he was laughing and not paying attention before the game, that they might be upset and scold him. Humming quietly Regulus is quick to divert his attention back to Mulciber, much to his dismay. Schooling his expression into one of focus and indifference, the mask he usually wore and heard others call something like resting bitch face? Though he wasn't quiet sure what it meant, he knew it wasn't too nice and he could live with that.

Soon enough everyone had saddled their brooms and was in the air, it didn't take long before the teams start scoring. There is only so much Evan could do as the keeper when almost everyone else is shit on their team. He is trying his best but unfortunately James was a hell of a chaser and O'Connor wasn't half bad either. James however, James is bloody marvelous. Regulus knows that several scouts had been there during past games and that many would probably keep tabs on him, just like he knew many were keeping tabs on him. Surprisingly enough the two of them didn't really talk about Quidditch, James knew that Regulus had no intentions of going pro and Regulus knows that James doesn't want to decide anything before graduation.

Making a mental note after another amazing goal by Potter to actually ask him later on about the whole scout situation, because now that he thought about it...instead of keeping tabs on the snitch... he was curious who would try and scout him. As well as when he got the first offer because Regulus is certain James must have offers from at least two teams.

Lazily flying circles above the pitch he likes to keep out of the way of any stray bludgers as he surveys the game, aka Evan and Potter, while keeping an eye on the golden glimmer he had caught just after his thoughtvomit of his lovely boyfriend. Knowing fully well that it is too early to catch it, they needed more time and more goals because right now it wouldn't be a satisfying win for his house. So he sits and waits. Occasionally glancing at his brother, he knew Sirius didn't actually like Quidditch, he had no clue why he ever started playing it to begin with. It's not like he was bad either, but Reg knows that Sirius didn't really care about the game or sport, probably just another excuse to hang out with James and flaunt his new brother into Regulus face.

Scowling angrily he quickly looks away, watching his brother always riled him up to a point where he would love to crash their brooms together and send them tumbling to the ground in hopes of absolutely crashing Sirius ego by humiliating him.

Though he obviously couldn't do that, his own team would lose the game if he was disqualified because their reserve seeker is shit. Not because it could hurt Sirius or himself, no that was perfectly fine in his opinion.

"Another spectacular goal by James Potter!! Looks like this game has already been decided, who is surprised? Certainly not me!!" The announcer laughs as the score changes again, it's not surprising that he is biased, most of the school and professors are biased as well. It's nothing new.

"BLACK WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING??"

Mulciber angrily flies up to confront him, also nothing new. It happens during almost every game and somehow the fucking idiot didn't make the connection of WHY it happens every time.

"DO YOUR FUCKING JOB OR YOU'RE OFF THE TEAM"

Another baseless threat, Mulciber couldn't kick him...he was the best on their team and everyone knows it, even if he wasn't his family name should be enough to get him a spot on the team if he really wanted it. Regulus knows Mulciber couldn't do shit to him, and Mucliber knows this as well. Which is basically the reason why he uses every chance to yell at him or reprimand him for little things and tiny mistakes. Trying to stay on that power high that he gets being the team captain.

"If I catch the snitch now, we lose. Score some goals and I will catch it. I always do"

He brushes his curls back looking completely calm and composed, the only difference is that his cheeks are tinted red from the cold and the wind and that his curls which usually frame his face get blown and ruffled by the wind, giving Reg a sense of freedom that he can only find in the water or air. His arrogance isn't even false, Regulus thus-far had caught the snitch every time, every game he had ever played. Obviously, they didn't always win because sometimes the point-difference is just too much by the time that he is actually allowed to catch it...doesn't change the fact that up till today no seeker had ever beat him to the snitch.

Sometimes Regulus catches it to do damage control, when he knows that losing too high will set them up for a fail and ruin all chances at the cup. Sometimes he catches it purely out of spite, that happens whenever the other seeker pursues the snitch first and Regulus swoops in to steal it from them. Regulus isn't a team player, maybe if his team was different...but the way it is build right now he sometimes doesn't care about losing as long as he is the one to catch the snitch and not the other seeker. Which obviously doesn't help with the team dynamic.

Today's game had already been decided in his opinion. Gryffindor would win as much as it pains him to admit, James is just too good of a chaser for Evan and their team is doing a horrendous job at preventing him from scoring, sighing depressed he lays down on the broom squishing his cheek against the wood. It's only a matter of points now, he would allow his team to try and score some more but of Gryffindors chasers make so much as 4 more scores he would catch the snitch, to at least give them a shot at the cup or second place. It's not the last game of the season but they couldn't allow themselves to allow the other team a bigger head-start than this.

Humming a little melody he watches closely, his own team did manage to score a few but in the end James scores three goals and the other chaser is set up too well not to score the shot the team set up for him. Regulus smiles weakly at his friend, trying to block the goal but in the end he flies into Avery who had been blocking his flying path causing Gryffindor to score again.

"Alright that's enough" He doesn't want the team to put everything on Evans shoulders later.

The announcer blinks surprised "Oh it looks like...Black has caught sight of the snitch?? He is no longer relaxing on his broom but instead sitting up and gripping the handle...will we finally see some action from the lazy Slytherin seeker?? His team is already buried...catching the Snitch now will make them lose...is Black once again being an egoistical tw-"

"MR SMITH" Professor McGonnagal intervenes as she smacks his shoulder "do not finish that sentence."

"Of course not professor, but Black is indeed pursuing what seems to be the snitch now"

Regulus is pressed flat to his broom, he knows that the Gryffindor Seeker isn't bad per-say but he isn't good either. His competition this year was rather sparse.

"BLACK DON'T YOU DARE" Several of his teammates are yelling at him and cursing him for pursuing the Snitch, which is truly ironic given that Mulciber reprimanded him earlier to do exactly that, which is why Regulus is soaring through the air, biting the inner of his cheek as the Snitch just so happens to fly directly into the middle of the playing field. He would have to evade other players and most importantly Bludgers now, that doesn't worry him. He would do everything to get that snitch.

Swooshing through the air he narrowly passes by his brother as the Snitch flutters near him, Regulus already knows that the universe hates him so it really is no surprise to him. He could feel his brothers intense gaze on him, he knows that Sirius must have abandoned the game to watch him. Which causes his chest to tighten painfully, his stomach flipping but he forces himself to focus on the Snitch instead of stupid feelings and stupid emotions. Just as he reaches his hand out to catch the it, the flying thing decided to fly straight towards the ground.

"will he catch it....will Black manage to catch the Snitch right in front of Sirius face??"

The announcer had said, as always he is just Black and Sirius is Sirius.

"ahh it was a close one but it looks like the lions breathe for anot- oh...apparently Black didn't give up, he is ....IS HE NOSEDIVING TOWARDS THE GROUND??"

Regulus knows what he is doing is not only stupid but borderline dangerous, for now he is still at a reasonable height to pull back, fly normal again...but obviously his ego doesn't allow that. He has to clench his teeth together and pinch his eyes, the wind is sharp and harsh on his face...it feels like tiny cuts are pinched into his cheeks but he doesn't pull up. Vaguely hearing his name called from behind him, but everything else goes quiet as he focus on the golden speck. He couldn't hear the stands or the loud and obnoxious voice of the announcer. Just the wind and a muffled call of his name.

Estimating the distance he knows if he doesn't pull up soon, he will crash...but the Snitch is right there. Scowling angrily he leans forward just a smudge, a tiny smudge really before he could finally close his fingers around the cold metal. Despite the imminent threat of the ground right in front of him, his face lights up brilliantly. It always does whenever he catches the Snitch, its a feeling indescribable to him greater than anything. A panicked shout of his name finally breaks through his focus

"REGGIE?!!"

He blinks startled before harshly tugging on his broom, he knew it was too late so he pulls it up harshly...he is still going too fast but at least somewhat parallel to the ground before he loses control and simply throws himself off of his broom. It hadn't been that high, only a meter...or so. Rolling over the field, he rolls off the speed, his hands and head tucked into his body before he finally comes to a stop. Regulus registers the silence as he groans quietly, something is definitely not right with his shoulder and his knee felt wrong ...

Blinking lazily he stares at the clouds for a moment, there is a small dog he thinks..it looks like one a dog..or maybe a lion? He's not sure but despite the pain in his shoulder he lifts the hand showing off the golden ball, grasped between his fingers. Though the wings were flapping rather pathetically, they looked mangled and broken due to the fall.

The stands erupt in chaos and cheers, even the Slytherins despite the loss. Regulus knows that he is the unbeaten pride of the house so they cheer as if they had won. Another team that couldn't defeat their Regulus Black.

Before he could attempt pushing himself up two hands were pushing him back down "Don't move Reg" humming softly Regulus blinks as he tries to put a face to the voice. Evan. "You hurt your shoulder, Madam Pomfrey is already on the way" he could feel fingers gently prying his own open to get to the Snitch so he instinctively closes his fingers "Just me Reg, let go before the shards mess up your hand you little shit" Evan scolds him before finally loosening his fingers and throwing the Snitch carelessly away.

"o-our teams shit" Regulus scoffs through clenched teeth, the pain finally having caught up with him as he groans and stares at the little cloud he noticed earlier. Evan only laughs, he knows it's Evan because Evan doesn't laugh often in public but when he does he laughs unashamed and bright "you'll train a better one when you're captain...if you're still in one piece by then I guess"

"Prick"

"twat"

"Suicidal Mania-"

"Gentlemen if you could stop your childish display and let me get to the patient that would be much appreciated, move out of the way Mr Rosier...Mr Black " Regulus tilts his head a little until he could see the familiar face of the Healer, wondering how he should move out of the way. "Its just my shoulder miss, maybe my knee? I think I'm good...I rolled" he couldn't help but grin cheekily, it's not unusual for him to have one or two, usually minor, injuries after a Quidditch match. "I can see that Mr Black now hold still"

Humming he looks back up at the sky as she performs a few spells on him and makes him drink two potions "He's fine" she finally sighs with a scowl "he has some symptoms of a concussion but the spells don't indicate that he has one, keep an eye on him today and make him come to me if there are any difficulties. Mr Rosier I expect you to be responsible while he is in this state, he should come and see me before breakfast tomorrow"

"he is right here" Regulus pouts as he finally pushes himself up, the hand on his shoulder suddenly leaving him as he grasps his head with a small groan "I'm dizzy" Pomfrey scoffs as she tuts "you're lucky it's only that, now hush go and rest for the remaining day. It's normal Regulus just take it slow and you will be fine, I feel like I'm talking to a wall whenever we have a talk about your recklessness"

There is a booming laugh behind them at her words, undoubtedly Barty. "That's just how talking to Reg is in general Miss, talking to a Brick really" he loops his arm under Regulus shoulder and hoists him up, startling Regulus whose legs buckle shortly and he would have probably face-planted if Barty and Evan weren't holding him up.

"I caught the Snitch!" The Seeker was grinning proudly, his face sparkle in joy and his eyes crinkling happily because of the real smile he was presenting. This expression alone is enough to shut everyone up. Even Madam Pomfrey was staring at the youngest member of the Black family, guilt and affection pooling in her chest as she watches the unguarded almost childlike joy on his face. It's so rare that any scolding she had prepared just dissolve into thin air. "oh run along before I change my mind and keep you for the rest of the weekend" she makes a shooing motion with her hands as she watches the group leave.

Shaking her head with a small sigh, she collects the empty flasks and gathers her things. She reassures the professors that it was nothing more than dislocated shoulder and some bruising before heading back towards the castle, stopping as she passes the changing room and noticing a lingering shadow behind the stands.

"He will be perfectly fine by tomorrow...I can assure you it's nothing to worry about Mr Black."