September
Regulus was used to days like this, constant arguing. Walburga and Sirius going back and forth, screaming and hurling insults at each other. They had a complicated relationship and certainly not a safe one. It was the last day of summer before school so Sirius had left to stay with Alphard for the night, and Regulus would see him tomorrow anyway it wasn’t a big deal.
It was a tough night to get through though, once Sirius was gone it was Regulus who was the next best target, so he had to be quiet, stand straight, talk properly, make himself scarce until dinner. After dinner he had to stay awake in case his parents decided he shouldn’t be sleeping, he had to look like he was ready for bed in case they decided otherwise. Unpredictable parents are difficult to please, both Sirius and Regulus know that, but it isn’t something either should have to deal with.
Regulus stayed awake that night looking up at the map his brother had charmed onto his ceiling, visuals of a dark landscape with two brightly shining stars glowing down at him, the brighter star much further across the ceiling than Regulus would have liked, but he took comfort in knowing where Sirius was.
The next day went slowly, and Regulus felt as though he was purposely being kept from Sirius, he’d wanted to seek him out on the train but was too exhausted to get up and search for him, so he waited until after dinner. Everyone began to disperse from the great hall to bed as the first night was always the longest, and Regulus upped his pace to catch Sirius on his way out.
“Sirius,” he hissed as his brother rapidly turned the corner, but he went unheard as he was too far behind and trudged down to the dungeons in a foul mood.
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“What’s got your knickers in a twist?” Barty asked Regulus as he and Evan came bounding in, very late, with Pandora and Dorcas in tow.
“Nothing, where have you two been it’s past curfew?”
“Helping Dora unpack, you know how she gets.” Evan chimed in “She’s gonna stop in with us tonight yeah?”
Regulus nodded and sat up in bed, turning on his lamp.
“Not many new Slytherins, shame we have such a bad reputation I was excited to start mentoring this year” Dorcas sighed as she flopped down on her usual spot at the bottom of Regulus’ bed.
“You are literally still mentoring it’ll just be a smaller group it’s not that deep” Barty huffed, doing the same and flopping down onto his own bed, patting his lap for pandora to lie down.
“Shut up Crouch, God forbid anyone besides you be dramatic” she retorted.
“God?” Barty repeated absentmindedly while braiding Pandora’s hair.
“Muggle thing, like merlin but more…strict” Pandora said from his lap.
They spent most of the night talking until Dorcas got too tired and left for her dorm, Evan got into bed and fell asleep shortly after and Pandora followed, snoring softly from Barty’s bed. Regulus had climbed out of the window by his bed to sit on the grass and look up at the stars, when Barty hopped down to join him.
“Fag?” he offered Regulus the box while he lit his.
Regulus pushed it away “I’ll never understand why you and Sirius are obsessed with these things they fucking stink” he grimaced.
“A man of simple taste... and incorrect might I add.” Barty chuckled through the smoke he exhaled. “So, to answer my earlier question about your scandalous knickers.” He pushed.
“I hate that Dorcas is teaching you these muggle phrases, you’re becoming more and more unfunny by the day”.
“You love me, and you think I’m hilarious, now come on tell me what’s up we don’t have all night,” Barty nudged Regulus’ arm with his own.
“I just…I don’t know Sirius and my mother got into an argument and she put me in the middle and I just panicked and didn’t want to push her buttons and you know, Sirius is the lesser of two evils it’s either upset Sirius and go unharmed or upset Walburga and…” he trailed off and stared at his shoes in silence for a few minutes and Barty didn’t push it because he knows Regulus, and he knows he’ll talk when he’s ready.
“I’m just worried that I’m not good enough for him, like I let him down I suppose.” He sighed and looked back up at the stars searching for the brightest one.
“Well now you know you’re being stupid because Sirius worships the ground you walk on mate, siblings have off days all the time you just have to talk honestly, don’t overthink yourself into a panic attack over a simple problem Reggie, there’s always a solution and you know that.” He smiled and carried on smoking.
They eventually went back inside, Regulus tucking into his bed and Barty quietly sliding in next to Pandora who was curled up like a cat under the covers.
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Regulus hates the first full day back after summer, no lessons, no routine, and if you aren’t a first or last year there’s essentially nothing to do. He tried seeking out his brother again but when Sirius spotted him, he abruptly turned on his heel and walked away with his head down.
Regulus needed a distraction, and he knew the library would be full today, so he went back to his dorm to pick up his new book – Dorcas brings him one back from her local muggle library each term – and left the castle to walk around the grounds and find a quiet place to read.
He came across a clearing through the trees and was about to get comfortable when he heard an animal crying or some other sort of noise he couldn’t quite make out, so he got up, tucking his book back into his satchel and slowly made his way towards the noise, wand in hand.
A small prickly creature stumbled out from underneath a bush Regulus was stood next to and sort of collapsed in front of Regulus’ shoe.
“Hi there” Regulus whispered as he bent down to scoop up the animal, certainly not a magical creature, he thought to himself as he carried it back to his reading spot to look at it. It appeared to be fine just famished so Regulus pulled out his sandwich from his bag and broke off some bread for the animal to eat.
He sat and played with it for what must have been hours before someone approached him from behind. The gruff deep Scottish voice startled him.
“Hello young man y’alright down there? Aven’t fell over I ‘ope?” the man bellowed.
“No, I’m fine sorry I just came across this…well I don’t exactly know what it is, is It your pet? I apologise Hagrid I shouldn’t have fed it”.
“Nonsense this poor fella woulda been a gonner if you and’t of fed him, Hedgehog he is, muggle creature. Proper cute things ent they” the man chuckled as Regulus stood and brushed the grass off his trousers.
“And your name is?” Hagrid asked.
“Regulus sir, Regulus Black”
Hagrid looked startled for a moment and quickly fixed his expression, “Blimey ain’t never known a Black to be so kind in none of my years, especially not to animals”.
“Well, my brother and I don’t particularly share the views of our family, pardon my tone” Regulus snapped.
“I didn’t mean nothin’ bad by it,” Hagrid sighed then continued “Infact I could use a lad like you to help me out, dumbledore suggested I find a student with an interest in magical creatures, but I’d say you seem fine enough to look after any sort of animal aye?”
Regulus just nodded, slightly confused but curious, and after all Hagrid did work at the school, he was obviously harmless enough. Hagrid gestured Regulus to follow him and they walked up to what looked like a small cottage or hut, Regulus followed Hagrid inside to see a very pregnant cat, a small black puppy and a few other muggle creatures which he didn’t know the names of. Hagrid explained that his cat Muffin was supposed to be having kittens over the next few days, but he couldn’t check on her much due to his keeping duties and offered Regulus the ‘job’.
Regulus agreed to give him something to do during free lessons and lunch, and so he didn’t have to see Sirius avoiding him and so over the next few days he did exactly that. He mostly just sat in Hagrid’s abnormally large chair to read while Muffin curled up on his lap or next to his feet.
By Saturday, Muffin looked like she was about to burst, and Regulus was hoping to Merlin that the kittens wouldn’t come until Hagrid returned from his work. His wishful thinking paid off and he and Hagrid helped Muffin deliver her kittens together. Once each kitten was delivered Hagrid made a suggestion.
“Very relaxin creatures cats, you could do with one lad, take yer pick.”
Regulus scoured the litter and decided on the smallest kitten, he was weak and ill looking, and had one leg shorter than the other three which Hagrid suspected would cause him to walk crooked. But Regulus wanted him, he reminded him of Sirius, a bad start in life, but with the right amount of love and care he could grow up to be perfect just the way he is, crooked leg and all.
“I’ll have that one” Regulus pointed to it and Hagrid gave a somewhat disapproving look.
“If yer sure” He sighed, “he’ll have to stay here until he gets a bit bigger but he’s all yours, got a name?”
“Crookshanks” Regulus smiled.