Chapter 1
Jinx (Noun) is a Person or thing that brings bad luck.
One should never wish luck to someone about to start Hogwarts, as it is seen as a Jinx. Those words echoed from house to house in the wizarding world. Since a Malfoy heir was sorted into Hufflepuff in 1672, Pureblood families created the rumour years ago. Not much was heard of him since he was written from the family and erased from history. It was September 1st, 1971. The platform was a hub of activity. The most Nobel house, Black, was finally in attendance. Their eldest and heir apparent was about to start his education at Hogwarts; the family was practically royalty to the wizarding world. All eyes were on them. Sirius wanted to scream; he hated how everyone looked at him like the sun shined out his arse. If only the rich pricks knew what went on behind closed doors. Sirius squirmed under the gaze of the Malfoy family; Orion, his father, noticed. He always sees the slightest shift or snicker but never cares; he would rather drown in alcohol than deal with his 'family'. Their mother, Walburga, would dish out the punishment and then scold Orion for being a terrible father and a waste of a man. Deep down, Sirius felt sorry for his father, who was trapped in a loveless marriage. Sirius was lucky to spend time with a sober, more caring father once, even though it ended faster than it started when he tried to suffocate Sirius and his brother Regulus. Since then, Walburga kept the boys close to her, and Orion was full of enough alcohol to pickle his organs; it wouldn't stop his wrath, but it was better than being dead.
Walburga was chatting with her sister-in-law, taking her much-needed attention from the boys as Orion shifted closer to his sons. Orion was pissed. But he was sobering up. He hadn't had a drop since Seven this morning. Orion's grip on Sirius's shoulder was rugged, and the pressure caused Sirius to inhale sharply. Regulus found a spot on the floor more entertaining than what was about to happen. Regulus gave Sirius's Pinky finger a reassuring squeeze. 'I'm here', the gesture said.
"I suggest you board the train, boy", Orion growled. Sirius could taste the whiskey on his father's breath.
"Yes, Sir." Sirius turned to Regulus, his brother or maybe shadow? Their relationship was strange; people thought they were twins because they were identical. If you found one brother, the other was indeed close by. Sirius looked Regulus up and down. His eyes were sunken in (they went to bed without dinner again) and still a little red from where he was crying in Sirius's room, begging him not to leave him alone. Sirius pulled Regulus into a tight hug, muffling the sob, leaving Regulus. "You will be okay. Just remember what I told you, okay?" Sirius Pulled away using the sleeve of his blazer to wipe the tears from Regulus' face.
"Stay in my room and stay out of Father’s way," Regulus choked. "And if I need food, ask Kreachur." The conductor Blows his whistle, and the kids, still clinging to their parents, start to peel away.
"Yeah, I have to go now. I love you, Reggie." Sirius embraced his brother again. "I'll see you at Yule in a few months." Regulus grips Sirius a little tighter.
"Promise?" Sirius chuckles, ruffling his brother's hair as he looks up at him, eyes watery and faces a little snotty.
"I promise." Sirius planted a kiss on Regulus' forehead and left for the train. Regulus ran after him, stopping at the window of the compartment Sirius had commandeered from two other boys, one with unruly black hair and thick glasses, the other a sandy blond with his face stuck in a book. The train let out a huff of steam, causing the wheels to turn. Regulus forgot all the etiquette lessons beaten into him, but it was worth it.
"Bye, Sirius! Good Luck at school!" he screamed over the chugging of the trains. Sirius's eyes widened at the words that left Regulus, and the platform was hushed into whispers. The last thing Sirius saw of his family was the souring of his mother's face as she pulled Regulus to her and the flash of white-hot rage on Orion's face. Sirius Black had just been cursed with the worst possible jinx, and it was Regulus's fault.
Sirius dropped to the ground, head in his hands. Fuck. Everything is ruined. His life is cursed, but he can't blame his little brother; he just can't. If he were to blame anyone, it would be his horrible family.
"I'm sure it will be okay, mate-" Sirius turned to look at the boy talking to him. Perfect clothes full of colour and life, glasses as thick as jam jars, and hair so unruly he could only be a—
"Shut it, Potter! All of you Potters are so perfect you know nothing about me or my family!" Sirius stormed out of the compartment where he thought Andromeda was sitting. Remus puts his book down.
"Well, that's an entertaining yet dramatic introduction, Remus Lupin, you?" Remus held out a scared hand. Perhaps one ally– a friend would be lovely. James ran a hand through his hair, sighing and taking Remus's in a firm shake.
"Y’telling me! Those pureblood families are bonkers with all their rituals and junk... Names James Potter"
Sirius was too numb to feel any emotion; he just shut down and retreated to his mind. Andromeda, the sanest of the Black sisters, held Sirius's hands in hers, not saying anything but acting as a calming presence. Bellatrix was cackling further down the carriage with the Lestranges, and Narcissa was busing her hands with needlecraft. They were each a marvel of their own. Three witches born a year apart, Bellatrix, the eldest, resembled the crone; Andromeda, the middle child, was always forgotten but acted as a mother to anyone who needed one. And finally, the beauty and youngest, Narcissa. "I don't understand why you're getting so worked up over it, Siri." Narcissa sighed.
"It's not like they can hurt you whilst you're at school." Sirius's leg stopped bouncing; it was true they couldn't hurt him, but they could still hurt Regulus.
"Cissy, don't say things like that! You know how vile Aunt Wally can be when she is in one of her moods," Andromeda hissed; Narcissa just rolled her eyes, unbothered.
"I'm sure Reggie will be okay, Sirius." Andromeda gave Sirius's hands a firm squeeze of reassurance even though, deep down, she knew Regulus was in danger. Sirius was still silent.
******
Regulus paced in his room, wringing his hands and muffling his sobs; he needed to calm down. He was so scared when they all got home from King's Cross that he ran to his room before any of his parents could register anything. It was 4 p.m., and Regulus only knew by the ringing of the bell in the grandfather clock on the stairs. It chimed four times, which meant dinner wouldn't be long, and the thought of food made Regulus' stomach growl. Sirius swiped some bread rolls early this morning, and they ate them like little Victorian orphans. But the stress of the day and the emotional toll it took on Regulus meant that now he was hungry again, and he had no idea if he would be summoned to dinner. Regulus had run out of energy to continue pacing and decided to sit at his desk and pull out one of the leather-bound journals Sirius got him for his birthday. He flicked through the pages, some wrinkled by the tears he silently shed when he got a beating or worse. When Sirius took losses for him, Regulus flicked to a clean and pristine page and started to write. He didn't write just anything; he wrote his feelings down in poems so dark and moody they could rival Edgar Allen Poe, which was funny because he loved his work. Regulus had managed to calm down a lot more; his breathing was less erratic, and he wasn't choking on every other breath. His hands had stopped shaking enough that he decided to switch to his sketchbook and draw more schematics of devices that would never be made.
Another hour had passed, and a shallow knock sounded at Regulus' door; he opened it slightly, noticing it was the greyed skin of Kreachur. His gravelly voice echoed."Lord Black has Requested that the young Master is to attend dinner."
Regulus was stunned; why was he allowed dinner? He licked his chapped lips and thanked Kreature for telling him; the house elf disregarded the thanks and continued his chores. Regulus closed his door and turned to his mirror, ensuring his clothes looked pristine and ready for dinner. Regulus made his way down to the grand dining room; Orion, his father, sat at the head of the table. He was slumped in his chair, his head propped on his fist, and his other hand swirled a goblet of what could only be red wine. His mother sat next to him fiercely, staring at the covered table. If Regulus didn't know any better, he would assume her steely gaze kept the roast potatoes under the silver cover warm, not the centuries-old enchantments. Oppersit, his mother, was an unexpected guest. It was his Great Uncle Alphard—the current head of and Lord of House Black. Though Alphard was slowly losing his memory, he was adamant not to give up his title until Sirius came of age or, worse, he died; even though Orion had taken on most of the House's duties, Alphard still held significant sway in the matters that revolved around the family and finances.
Alphard smiled at Regulus, winking at his nephew with a mischievous twinkle in his kind grey eyes, the same sparkle that Sirius had. Regulus took up his seat at the end of the table.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting", his voice was quiet; if Alphard weren't here, Orion would be shouting at him to speak up and stop mumbling. Orion let out a growl, uninterested in the dinner before him; Walburga looked down on Regulus through her nose.
"No need for apologies, Regulus. Must be so nice to have the house and attention of your parents to yourself for a change." Alphard smiled, waiving his hand, causing the silver covers on the food to vanish. "I can't say for certain, Uncle, it's only been a few hours", Regulus said; he kept his voice steady and focused on one of the painted figures in China. Orion set his goblet down with force, causing a drop of the wine to splatter the cream tablecloth. Walburga tutted as she chose the smallest broccoli from the tray.
Growing up in such a family, Walburga refused to eat many foods. The best way to describe the woman was that she was an almond mum. She took the tiniest amount of food and refused to let her children eat anything with an ounce of flavour and spice.
"Why have you paid us a visit, Alphard?" Walburga drawled, grimacing at the three potatoes Regulus had piled onto his plate.
"I have brought news of my heir, Sirius. It seems his sorting was quite the spectacle," Alphard boasted, causing Regulus to stiffen; this was it. The moment that would seal their fate. Regulus prayed to any deity that would listen that Alphard would say his brother was sorted into Slytherin like everyone else in his wretched family. "It appears my heir apparent is a lot braver than most has been sorted into Gryffindor." Alphard seemed to be happy, much to Walburga and Orion's faces.
Sirius Orion Black, the First of his name and Heir to the most recent and Nobel house of Black, had been sorted into Gryffindor.
Walburga snapped her head to Regulus, her nostrils flaring with rage, but it wasn't what Regulus was afraid of. His father sat up from his chair, gripped his goblet tight, and launched it at Regulus. "You Fucking little JINX", Orion Roared. "You have made your brother disgrace our family," Orion lunged out his chair towards Regulus, who flinched, fear stinging his face; Alphard quickly launched towards his Brother-in-Law, restraining him, his face grave as Orion flaid about in Alphard's grip.
"I think you should head to your room, Regulus," Alphard said, restraining Orion.
Regulus didn't get a mouthful of the roast potatoes as he ran from the dining room and up to his bedroom. It was his fault. Sirius is going to get disinherited, and it was his fault. Regulus wants something other than the title or the house or anything. He was a spare! Regulus tried to suffocate himself under his duvet but failed and cried to sleep again.