Don’t Forget About Me
Friday came around too quickly for Regulus’ liking, he lugged his trunk up the stairs to the grounds and through the snow to the greenhouse, with crookshanks snuggled in his satchel on his arm. James was already there waiting for him, wrapped in a deep red knitted scarf that matched his cold nose.
“Hey Reg,” James smiled.
“Hello.” Regulus said stiffly, pulling crookshanks out of his bag and handing him to James, who removed his scarf and wrapped him up in it. Regulus watched with sunken eyes, and moved closer to the other boy.
“I’m going to miss you crooks, very much so, James is going to take care of you until we come back okay, please don’t forget me.” he sighed very seriously, then cleared his throat and stepped back.
“Please take care of him, i know this is.. just take care of him please.” Regulus pleaded, and it was the first time James had seen the boy show any emotion other than boredom.
“I will, i pinky promise.” James smiled gently.
“You what?” Regulus snapped.
“Pinky promise, it’s a thing muggles do, it’s like their version of an unbreakable vow, but without magic!” James said excitedly.
“But then how does it work without magic, it can easily be broken?” he asked confused.
“They trust eachother,” James whispered. “Isn’t that beautiful, they just have enough trust that it won’t be broken, trust IS the magic.” James said, offering his pinky finger to Regulus. “You just interlock your pinky with mine to make it an official promise.”
Regulus hesitantly linked their pinkies and immediately felt quite sick, the gentleness of the touch, the sincerity, the fingers. James had very soft fingers, he’d never felt a touch like this before.
“Well, see ya January!” james smiled pulling back and waving as he trudged off in the snow.
When the train pulled into the station he already wanted to go right back in time to laying in bed with his cat. he and sirius quietly fell into step with eachother and followed their mother holding her arm to apparate home. already this touch was different to james, it was cruel, harsh and cold.
He hated coming home. A large house with few to fill it, a house full of anger and hatred.
“to your rooms” Their mother said, barely passing them a glance as she waved her hands, sending them away immediately upon entry.
Regulus had been in his room for a while, just lying there, staring at his map on the ceiling, Sirius twinkling next to him, just a wall between the two.
“Sirius, Downstairs please” His mother’s voice cut through the silence from the landing.
Sirius’ footsteps could be heard, slowly making their way down to see his mother. All Regulus could hear for hours was screaming, he knew what his mother was doing down there, and he didn’t dare get involved, it was easier to stay out of it, to not give her a reason like Sirius did. Instead he rolled over to nap.
Kreacher had come to summon him for dinner, and as he made his way to the dining room he could sense something was wrong, more wrong than usual. He took his seat at the table, opposite Sirius, and it was only then he noticed what was wrong. Sirius was tied to his chair with rope, his mouth hexed shut.
“Maman,” Regulus’ voice wavered slightly, “how is Sirius to eat?”
“He will eat when he deserves to eat. Do not compromise yourself for the sake of nosiness Regulus.” she scalded and pointed to his plate, gesturing for him to be quiet and eat.
It was torture to sit and eat infront of Sirius, this went on for days until Sirius got physically unwell and was unable to even open his eyes properly, Walburga unspelled his mouth hex, sent for kreacher to make Sirius some food and bring him a pepper up, and felt that was generous as is.
Regulus stayed out of it, he knew Sirius had somehow provoked her, he always had.
“Regulus.” Walburga said
“Oui Maman?” Regulus asked.
“I received a letter today, from Mr Selwyn. He is under the impression that you have been harbouring an animal at hogwarts, or so his son says. Is this true?”
Regulus thought for a moment of his possible outcomes, if he lies she may use legilemency and then punish him for lying, she may not care enough to do so and punish him lightly, if he tells the truth she will absolutely punish him.
“It was an assignment for extra credit mother, professor grimmelt expressed my excellence in magical creatures and offered me a project for a higher grade.” He said, not breaking eye contact.
the room was silent for a while. his father did not move an inch in his chair and sirius was still in his room recovering.
“Incancarcerous” his mother shouted, lashing her wand at her son, Whips leaving the tip of it, slashing his back as he turned away.
“You will drop this project or i will have you pulled from that class do you understand?”
“Yes mother.” Regulus whispered.
“Your room.” she snarled, looking away from him and sending him away.
He couldn’t sleep that night, his back was covered in gashes blooming red and some oozing blood. His only relief was that tomorrow he went back to school.