The Hunt for Hogwarts Heist's

So, that's the plan Regulus makes. When he goes back to Hogwarts in two days, he will ask Sirius for what he should do and or maybe his help with his plan. Does it matter that they haven't held a proper conversation in over a year? No. Maybe it does- but Regulus has no idea what to do. So he puts all the thoughts about that into this step 2 of the plan, to ask Sirius when he gets to Hogwarts.

His body moves and he turns and digs, turns and adds to the pile. Burying his friend. His shoulder protest's, his body protest's but his heart makes him carry on. So he does, he continues to lift the shovel and pour the dirt. He continues to lay down his friend gently. He continues.

The morning light is blinding as the sun hovers over the horizon. Regulus is sat next to the overturned dirt pile. A shovel lays next to him and dirt covers his clothes, his hands and his arms. It covers him but it's not the dirt that makes him feel disgusting. That makes him feel wrong. It's the fresh grave that he had just dug, the one that now house's his best friend.

His eyes move slowly, as does the rest of his body, they find the locket and a notebook laid on the grass. His eyes move past the locket quickly, focusing on the notebook. He grabs it and a quill, he sits and thinks. Staring at the page, waiting for the words to come because he needs to send a message. He breathes through his nose, his shoulders slumping as he exhales. "Just let the words live." He whisper's but they aren't his words. He takes them to his heart, even though the one he needs is no longer beating. He looks to the grave once more, finally his quill moves on the page.

'A light gone out of my life
now shadow's crawl everywhere
Daylight has now come
But the brightness will never be the same.
Your memory will forever be mine,
For which I will never part,
You were taken and lost by time,
But you'll always be in my heart.'
R.A.B

He signs with small strokes, dropping the quill with a shaking hand; he tears the page from the notebook and folds it into the grave. Buries it with the body. Regulus doesn't know what he believes in when thinking about the afterlife but he wants his message to get across. So, maybe he will believe just for now. For this small relief that his message was heard. He hopes it'll be enough, he supposes it has to for now.

He leaves the shovel leaning against a tree as he walks back into the house. With quick and light steps, he goes straight to his room. Barely noticing the walls surrounding him, barely noticing anything around him. He gets into his room and nothing is different. His bedsheets are made, the rug sit's silently in the sunlight, the furniture is unaffected, unmoving as it all stands. Surely something should be different, something should have changed. This room just lost a life, why does it look so unaffected?

Regulus leaves to the en-suite, turning on the shower he quickly steps into it. The warm water burns his shoulder, he doesn't move away from it. He stands as it attacks his skin, burning down to the bone. His head falls forwards and he is greeted with red water running down his body, it startles him out of his dissociation and he steps away from the water.

Looking around his body as he steps towards the mirror. His shoulder is red, like the rest of his skin, small beads of blood slowly show themselves from the lines of the Lichen injuries. Regulus leans his body onto the sink and sighs heavily. He grabs a towel and wipes at his shoulder, it hurts to touch but he carries on. His grip on the sink becoming harder as he stares more intensely at the wound from the mirror. Watching the blood pool plummet down his arm, his chest. He can't look away.

He shouldn't be looking, he knows this. He should be stopping the bleeding, he should be wiping away the blood and starting to disinfect the wound. That's what he should be doing. He doesn't, he watches because it doesn't feel real. But he's bleeding. He's bleeding.

'I'm bleeding..' He thinks to himself, mindlessly he drapes the towel over his shoulder and it covers him. His eyes don't leave his shoulder but he can't see anything.

His gaze travels up to his pale face, to the light freckles that dust his nose and cheek. To his light grey eyes that hold pools of blue. The pain crashes through him suddenly as it increases, his mind pulled forwards as he takes an inhaled breath. He exhales shakily before starting to check his shoulder. He takes off the towel slowly, wiping at drops of blood before they can descend. He crouches to the floor, looking under the sink in behind the spare towels and bathroom supplies to find a small box.

Regulus remembers memories of watching his brother do this, remembers seeing this exact box held by someone else. 'Maybe I am just cursed.' He thinks to himself, grabbing the box and taking out the healing salve and bandages.

The entire day Regulus wasn't interrupted. His parent's being especially busy now, he could guess why but he wont. Instead he will focus on writing. Writing in a small green book that was imprinted with black roses. Putting down every detail that he remembers from the vivid dreams, memories that he saw. In each one there was an item or place that it focused on.

The locket, in the cave that is now tucked away hidden behind his bed.

The grave that inscribes 'Marvolo', in an outstretched graveyard.

The Lady with the cup, locked away in a vault. Number:777.

Dumbledore's office that held a small black book.

The stone on the hill that was surrounded by yellow writing and the foreign language that Voldemort spoke.

'Merlin, Dumbledore's office... how do they know each other?' Regulus questioned. 'What do I do?' Is the recurring question that floats through his mind, bellowing from every direction and the answer to every question he had.

So he turned a page and started writing down a step by step plan.

Step 1 : Kreacher's plan, replace the locket with a fake.
This plan was Kreacher's and it had failed and succeeded in the same way. The locket was replaced with a fake one and now Regulus had the real one but it had cost his life. He still doesn't think it was worth it but it was done now.

Step 2 : Talk to Sirius.

Step 3 : Find out how to destroy horcruxes? (Slughorn? Restricted section?)

He carried on writing until he had 15 steps written down that he can already tell he will have to modify. They were not going to be as simple as they looked on paper but he kept thinking, ready and writing until- "Regulus." His thoughts are stomped on by his mother's grating voice. He quickly slams shut his notebook and looks up at her, his back straightening as he lifts his chin high. Her gaze slowly travelled across Regulus, she narrowed her eyes at the action.

She stood in an emerald green velvet dress with light floral prints, a twist that connected at her chest and bell sleeves that blended in with the robes she wore above it.

"Yes, mother?" He looked back at her, putting down his quill. She still narrowed her eyes at him looking at him, his room, his hair, his clothes. Everything about him was being judged by her, she sighed.

Walburga took out her wand and flicked it, a flinch shocked Regulus. His neck strained as he took in a deep breath, feeling an itch make its way down his arm and back. The curtains tied themselves, the ruffled corner of the rug straightened out and the clothes Regulus had worn that laid on his bed disappeared. Regulus looked around to see if anything else had changed, finding the furniture moving slightly to appease his mother's taste. He rolled his shoulder and tried to calm down by taking a deep breath.

It was proven impossible when he saw his mother flick her wand again and the muscles in his shoulder's tensed. He had to breathe deeply once more and focus on relaxing himself, moving his shoulder around to untense the muscles that had locked up. "Regulus, are you even listening to me?" Walburga's penetrating voice said again. No, was the answer..

"Yes, Mother." He lied effortlessly, trying to keep some of his mind clear from the fog closing in. The aching pain that seemed to sink into his bones, into himself. Making his ear's ring and his hand's tingle in a way that made his body feel weightless, like it wasn't his own and that he wasn't in control of it. He breathed in, feeling the air pass through his lips into his mouth. Feeling the pressure in his chest as it went on and sagging forward as he let it all out.

"Listen to me!" Regulus swivelled his head to the side to see her standing over him. "What has got you so distracted?" She asked, disgusted as she looked around his desk.

"Nothing." Regulus breathed out, wetting his now dry lips as he tried to move everything on his desk.

"As I was saying.." She looked expectantly at Regulus and was happy to find him listening. "There will be a dinner party tonight, many important people will be there and we might even get an opportunity to enter a meeting with Voldemort. Dress accordingly." She ordered before looking at his desk again and scoffing. "And stop with the poetry, you need to take this seriously Regulus. I don't want to see any of this behaviour tonight, you will not embarrass me like that blood traitor did." She held up an eyebrow at him as her face fell from the disgust of even mentioning his brother.

"I understand." Regulus nodded to her, keeping a tense palm on top of his book.

"Good," She breathed a sigh of relief. "Very good." She reached out and squeezed Regulus' left shoulder gently. She walked towards his wardrobe and began to move the hangers and look through the clothes. “I understand you’re having a hard time right now, it must be strange living without Sirius when you have all your life.”

He’s shocked into silence as she continues to go through his wardrobe.

“But you must understand, you might have lost your brother but we lost our son. So we need you to be better Regulus, not just us but the family.”

‘So am I.’ He wanted to shout, ‘I’m your son too.’ Even after everything she did he wanted to shout it, wanted her to acknowledge him as her son. Her family. Maybe just that she had wanted him at some point.

“Our perception is important, we can’t show weakness- especially after what he did.”

Regulus just watched and hoped that she wouldn't go into the boxes that were below, watching it and then her as she sorted threw his clothes and picked some out. "These suit you very well, put them on for me." She walked into the en-suite with a laugh and Regulus looked between the two before moving quickly.

Taking off his blazer and own shirt as the bandages moved uncomfortably as he did, the pain didn't stop him from moving quickly to undress himself and then put on the white shirt his mother had gotten out. Just in time too as the shirt covered his shoulder she walked back inside the room, holding a brush and some hair products.

His hands shook as he tried to do his buttons quickly, looking in the mirror to check his shoulder was covered. Huffing as he had to redo a button that he had missed. Once he was mostly dressed, his mother came over to him and slid a tie around his head.

He reached to the side, into a small box that lay on a shelf inside the wardrobe. He looked through the box and began to take some jewellery. He was pulled back to standing by a hand pushing his arm, "Stand still." His mother complained and Regulus did as he put on the rings and a single chain that ran from a pocket in his vest to somewhere behind his back.

"There." Walburga sighed as she tucked the tie into his vest and straightened out his shirt.

Regulus looked away from her as he turned the rings on his fingers, "Thank you." He told her but he'd rather be thankful for her absence.

An hour later Regulus stood outside a grand ballroom. It was small in size compared to an average ballroom but beautiful nonetheless. Three bay windows were open on one side of the wall, black frames that arched with the window and swirled with patterns in the middle of the large pane. Two roses on either side were made inside of the swirls and inside of the middle pane was a snake. It moved around the pane and Regulus found himself looking at it curiously, after a moment the snake turned facing him. It hissed its tongue at him and stared, Regulus had to look away from the watchful eye feeling uneasy with the attention.

He looked to the other side of the room, finding wall paper that was mostly black apart from fluorescent green and silver accents. Two similar rugs lay on the floor that lay on either end of the room.

A large black chandelier hung from the ceiling, candles floated above the spikes and brightened up the ceiling. Allowing him to see the pattern that snaked across the panels that arched from one side to another.

Regulus was mesmerised by it, the room was truly well put together and in any other situation he would have found himself glad to be there.

"Of course, I'll find you admiring the lights." A voice broke him out of his gazed daze and he looked behind him to see his parents had already started talking to someone before replying.

"It's not my fault I can appreciate the small things." He told Evan sarcastically in a quiet voice.

"Is that what the girls say?" Evan takes his hands out of his robes and pokes at Regulus' arm.

The eye roll was taken over as pain shocked through him, hiding it in a miniature flinch but it didn't stop his friend from picking it up. "What? What's wrong?" Evan pulled away his hand and looked at Regulus concerned.

Regulus remembered where he was and who was about to be here if they weren't already. "Pandora's not here is she?" Regulus asked in a whisper as he started to look around. He wasn’t focusing.

"She's not." Evan stated, growing more weary as he looked behind Regulus at his parents and then back to him. "What happened?" He asked in a more hushed tone but he just shook his head gently.

"Not here." They looked around the room separately, Evan giving Regulus a glass of something. He hoped it was wine but he was met with disappointment. "I have to ask," Regulus turned to Evan. "The hair, trying something new?" Regulus looked curiously at Evan's hair.

"Pandora. She really wants to do hair and so I am her test subject. I didn't have a choice, she's scary." He laughed, moving his hands defensively and moved his hand through some of the braids and curls.

"I'm sorry." Regulus put his hand to his chest to empathise his fake sympathy, truly Pandora could be a force to be reckoned with when she wanted to accomplish something.

"To be honest, I didn't mind it. It looks quite good, I got to do her hair too so.." Evan smiled and Regulus was glad to hear it. He knows they used to have issues getting to know each other, to be around each other. So for them to spend time willingly, doing each others hair? He's happy for them. Plus Pandora from what Regulus can see did a good job with the hair.

"THERE'S MY FAVOURITE COUSINS!" A loud voice screeched through the room, grabbing the attention of some of the people around them. The others all knew and shook their heads fondly at Bellatrix dramatics.

Her long black dress swayed with her, lace hung over the top of it and down her arms but her shoulders and chest were bare apart from a single necklace that had a circle with a bright green feather inside of it. A mess of gorgeous chaos and you could see it in her eyes. She flung herself at Regulus and Evan, crushing them both into a hug. Regulus didn't have to fake his hate for it or the shove as he pushed her away.

He ignored her completely as he had to stop himself from rubbing his shoulder, moving it in any way and instead focused on taking in the people that were there talking to his parents. Bella and her entourage that followed her and started talking with Evan.

Veles Rosier, not surprising to see him talking to his parents. His English isn't as good as his French and so he mainly sticks to anyone that speaks French rather than English. His wife Antheia isn't accompanying him tonight, it's not surprising since she has no ties to any of the families here or any of the 'important' ones.

"You chose to take Herbology?! And magic creatures?! My god, what on earth made you choose that?" Someone asked Evan, Avery Lestrange to be exact.

Looking around the room a second time he could see all the people he had never met, there were a lot of them. Five men and two women that he can tell, two men stood next to the door at the other end of the room and the rest were roaming. Luscious Malfoy stood tall next to his father, for no reason as he was constantly being ignored by his father and anyone in conversation with him.

"How do you expect to get a good job with those subjects? Like me, I'm the Chief medical examiner." Alexander Nott bragged shamelessly, Bellatrix came to a stop as she turned to him with an unimpressed glare and an eyebrow raised. Recently they have had a problem with each other, no one knows why or no one will say.

"You mean you haven't been found fondling the corpses yet?" Bellatrix asked Nott as if it was an innocent question, her dogs burst into laughter and Regulus had to try really hard to keep in his own. Instantly losing when Evan choked on his drink from laughing too much, Regulus had to turn away as he had started to laugh.

He loved Bellatrix, he really did. Alexander turned away from her and took a sip of his drink, also spitting it out and grimacing as he looked at Bella cackling again. So, maybe the problems were one-sided. "Bella!" Narcissa scolded her but she was also trying not to laugh so..

Alexander laughed at a joke he made himself, Regulus simply raised an eyebrow and everyone but Bella's dogs laughed along with him apart from Evan. Maybe Regulus was a little biassed in this drama, so what. "Stop laughing like that, your breath is fucking projecting. It stinks." Bellatrix backed up from where she was standing and covered her nose, very dramatically.

"I don't think that's my breath you're smelling, you should close your legs." He laughed again, not as boisterous and confidently this time.

"You should probably learn to stay out of certain people's." She pushed her tongue against her cheek multiple times and motioned with her hands, he understood immediately. "Is that why you got such high marks in potions?" She taunted, earning snickers from her entourage and the glaze of chaos in her eyes sparkled as she smirked proudly.

"At least I didn't try to sleep with my cousin, inbred." He seethed at her, in a whisper yell. Maybe it wasn't so one-sided, Regulus and Evan shared a wide eyed glance as they listened and drank their drinks. Gasper Avery snorted with Adam Mulciber, they were both in their sixth year at Hogwarts now. A year older than Regulus.

"I'm not surprised you can't read social cues, you obviously have a lot of issues, I didn't try and sleep with him. I could do a lot better, trust me... just ask your cousin." She argued back, smirking with delight.

"I don't have any-" Alexander boredely started, Bella looked past him and winked at a blonde girl from across the room that smiled slyly back before turning around. Alexander saw the exchange and Bellatrix laughed indifferently and uncontrollably with her group at the disgusted look she got from Alexander and even more so when he started to stomp over to his family on the other side of the room.

When he got over there he started to wave his hands aggressively and looked like he was yelling, the girl looked bored and rolled her eyes at him. They both turned to look back at Bella, she put a V with her fingers to her mouth and wiggled her tongue in-between it to the both of them. The girl laughed and it made Alexander even angrier. The Hogwarts's student's just watched the drama with amusement.

"Don't worry! We spiked the juice with something to give a good kick!" Bella whispered, it's a shame she was a terrible whisperer. It could have been louder than her shouts before and it garnered a lot of attention. Many people started to sway away from the drinks stand, giving Bella scolding looks- especially Alexander Nott. "More for us then." She shrugged and went over to get herself a drink with a maniacal grin, her dogs following behind her.

Regulus still had a smile on his face and Evan was just recovering, Regulus shook his head at his friend. Their drinks were probably from before she had done it, although he didn't see when, Bellatrix was very sneaky when she wanted to be but dramatic all the same. Narcissa chugged her drink and then went for a refill, very well knowing it was spiked.

He was stopped when his parents suddenly by his side, he quickly recovered and stood straight, chin up with relaxed shoulders. "Come, Regulus. We have a meeting." She smiled delightedly, that all present and familiar manic Black family glint in her eyes. Regulus nervously nodded and silently handed his drink to Evan, who took it with a small smile.

He saved the worried look for when they walked away, turning to the Black family and all of their cousins as they start in their new quest for chaos. He would not be bored, there's that at least.

Regulus walked with his mother out of the room, down a hallway and into a more secluded area. "Now, you have been allowed to see this meeting. You will be seen, not heard. Understand?" She spoke harshly, punctuating every word as she stomped down the hallway. No one would be able to hear Regulus anyway from how much sound her shoes were making, he wanted to punt them into the sun more with every graining click.

"Understood." He said after a deep breath before they turned and walked through an arched doorway.

He could identify most families there, most people. The Malfoy's, the Lestrange's, the Burke's, a Desco-nhecido and a Longbottom all stood in various parts of the room. There were multiple people with masks and robes on, on one-side of the room. One of the men from the ballroom was in there too, he walked past the man as his mother took him to a corner where his father was. He wore a simple black suit under his robes and had his long hair slicked back. There was hair growing from his forehead and cheeks, his neckbeard also overgrown.

His mother's disapproving side eye was the only thing that happened as they walked past the man. Regulus looked back to see the man looking back at him, he smirked and licked his bottom lip while he rotated one of his hand's with his other.

The boy quickly looked away, standing closer to his parents than he rather would. Making sure to keep an eye on the odd man by the door, something about his gaze... it didn't look human.

A string of sharp clicks were heard, Regulus looked down to see if his mother had started stomping her foot on the floor. Obviously, she was not and Regulus looked up to find that Voldemort was standing at the head of the room.

Voldemort smiled widely, looking around the room with a special glee in his eye. "Gentlemen and Ladies," He said because he's just that different.

"Thank you all for joining me, for being here for me." He sounded all too smug at it, Regulus looked around to see people smiling. He had to fight the disgusted look that wanted to morph on his face. "Our business in Manchester and Edinburgh are doing amazingly well, plans are all going accordingly. Operation Viper is about to go into its next stages." At the ominous expression many turned their glasses up, Voldemort acknowledged them with a sharp head tilt. Regulus watched it all, wondering what cult his parent's had joined and what Viper meant.

"Unfortunately," Voldemort started with fake sympathy. "There has been a Kelpie in our company." He waved his hand dramatically as he said it and an assortment of gasps were heard as people in the room turned to one other, to find comfort or for suspicion.

'A Kelpie?' Regulus thought, it was a magical water demon that was able to shapeshift. It had a bad reputation for being aggressive and would often be found hiding as something else, causing destruction. So a group of people were sent out by the old Magical Council to take care of the beast's. There have been very few citing's after that and none in the past century, so no one uses the term anymore. It died with them, so why was Voldemort using centuries old slang?

When the outrage settled Voldemort started to walk around the room, looking over everyone. Looking down at most with his head pointed high, he had to hold it very high considering he was not the tallest person in the room. Regulus felt sorry for the man's neck, he and Regulus were an inch apart but Regulus was still growing. "It is nothing to worry about, Adalbert Waffling himself has seemed to offer me guidance in these trying times." He stopped walking for a moment and Regulus wanted him to stop waffling as he mentioned another century old wizard.

"Isn't that right?” He and most others were confused by the question as Voldemort asked it to the group of people before turning back and facing- "Bertha Jorkins." He could stare down at Bertha and he did, two men that had managed to walk behind everyone pulled her to the centre of the room by her arms before throwing her onto the floor, "Wait! It wasn't me! It wasn't me!-" She shouted before her body hit the floor, Regulus wished that the man had continued to waffle about anything and everything because Regulus remembers Bertha Jorkins.

She was Andromeda's best friend, he had met her and would acknowledge her at Hogwarts. She was kind and smart and constantly wanted to prove she was nothing like how her family had been. Like Sirius. So why was she here?

"Do not lie to me, not now." Voldemort shook his head slowly as he pulled out his wand. "Does anyone know you are here?" He asked her, Regulus looked around the room to see many eyeing the girl with disgust and most with a grin. That special manic glee in their eyes.

"I don't- I don't know what you're talking about." She breathed out, frantically looking around as panic was overtaking her.

"Do not lie to me!" Voldemort shouted a curse, "Crucio." Another round of gasps were heard and Regulus flinched at the mention, at the cracks that exploded from the magic travelling towards her and at the screams Bertha made. "What have you told them?" Voldemort asked, more demanding and more confident.

"Nothing! I didn't want to- please. I didn't- I didn't want to-" She sobbed on the floor as her hand spasmed, throwing up next to her before choking on it herself. Regulus looked around again, he found himself wanting to run by the amount of people that seemed to enjoy watching. At least some had the decency to look away, to try and not think about it. Regulus wanted to but he couldn't, he wanted to do something- anything to help her but he was frozen.

Narcissa stood feet away from Regulus, her hands twitched beside her where she wanted to move them. To protect her fifteen year old cousin who shouldn't be seeing this, hearing this. He should be laughing with his friends because it's winter solstice but he's here watching and listening. She wants to cover his eyes and ears, she wants to drag him away, she wants to put her arm up- she wants to do something! Anything! 'Why can't I do anything?' She asked herself, a cry inside her mind as she stared with everyone else. Doing nothing.

As she started to calm down, weeping instead of sobbing, Voldemort got closer to her. "Who sent you here?" He whispered to her, it was soft and it sounded like a genuine, harmless question.

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes as her body still convulsed. "Dumbledore." She whispered back, a small prayer to end all of this right now.

"Good," Voldemort smiled at her kindly before raising his wand once more, "Then you know who to blame your death on." Her eyes widened at the statement and she started to scramble. "Avada Kedavra-" He cast lastly, at the same time she managed to pull out her own wand.

"Protego!" She cast and they all watched as the thin blue line surrounded her, they all saw the green bolt beam past, they all heard it snap and crackle as it hit the blue shield before they heard it shatter and splinter off and lastly they all heard the body hit the floor with a thud.

Regulus stared, his breath wavered as his body threatened to double over. He had never seen a spell shatter a shield that quickly before, he stared until all the broken pieces of the barrier magic had dissipated before taking a glance at Voldemort. He thought he knew fear, but that was only an imitation of the real thing.

Voldemort had already started to leave the room, not looking tired at all. "As much as I love the idea of blind adoration and following, I am not a fool. Oaths are all well but I, for one, truly believe fear to be the greatest way of secrecy. So, I implore you all to take this as it is- a threat. I trust this will not have to happen again?" He asked the room but didn't wait for a response as he left the room, followed by many others.

The two men started to move the body- Bertha Jorkins.

“Forget putting a sheep in a lion's den-”

Regulus was made to move by his mother pulling his arm, he was forced to look away as they left the room but he saw her face for a second as she was moved. Her eyes still open.

“This was dangling a mouse over a snake nest.” They laughed.

He didn't notice the graining clicks of his mother's shoes on the cobble stone as they got further away. He stayed, standing still in the corridor as his breath quickened. His entire body paralyzed.

He didn't notice the other person in the corridor until they were in front of him, grabbing his shoulder's and holding him tightly. Grounding him so he didn't float away, more like fall to the floor. "You can't be scared." They told him and he looked up at the voice. Looked through the curls that fell forwards into his eyes and for a second, in his watery and dazed state. He swore he saw Sirius holding him up, he was so shocked by the thought that his panic stopped.

Then his eyes focused and it wasn't Sirius, it was Bella. How did he mix up the two? Why would Sirius be here? Why would he hold him?

"You can either fear it or control it, Rel." It was definitely Bella, only she called him that.

She was trying to help him and he didn't think when he replied, "Control what?" He choked out, the tightness in his throat contrasting as it just allowed him to get out the words.

"Your reaction, how you reply, how you feel. You might be scared but that’s okay, you control it. You control yourself." She held onto his shoulders with a heavier grip, he was grateful for it as she strongly told him. “If not it’ll control you, people will realise and that’ll make you vulnerable.”

"I should be dead." Regulus whisper's into the hallway, at no one in particular. He just needs to say it, acknowledge that he should very well be dead from the end of Voldemort's wand. He tries to feel anything but the tightness in his chest and the overwhelming fear but it feels impossible.

Bellatrix tries to understand what Regulus whispered into the hallway, 'I should be dead.' Like she would let that happen, her grip tightens as she thinks about it and it's only when Regulus is sucking in a breath and flinching from the grip that she lets go. She doesn't ask, she doesn't need to. “I’m not asking you to be fearless, if you can’t be calm- you pretend.”

“What if I can’t?”

“There is no can’t. We have to.” He forces himself to take deep breaths, not realising how far he let his shoulder's drop, how shallow his breathing was and how focused he was on her face until someone else was in the hallway with them. ‘Pretend.’

"If it isn't Bella-bitch and baby Black, what a lovely little family moment." Nott comments and, yea, Regulus really doesn't like him. Any emotion is lost on his face as he stands behind his cousin, he's not hiding but she is standing in front of him. Protectively, Regulus knows and it warms him. It shouldn't, people get hurt protecting him. They always do.

Bella smirks at him, forcing herself to relax as she crosses her arms. "And what do I owe this great displeasure of your company?" She asks him.

He smiles wryly at them before speaking, "You know Voldemort's looking for a second in command." He leans back, placing his hands on the back pockets of his suit bottoms. The second Regulus hears his name he's taking a large breath, it's unreal how a single name can make him feel so much fear- 'No. I can be scared but not fear it, control it.' He repeats in his head.

'Control it.'
'Control it.'
'Control it.'

"Is that so?" She questions, "If this came from one of your uncle's, I can't say it's very trustworthy information. They love their drinks, don't they?" She fired back, tilting her head mischievously as she grinned.

Nott puffed a breath out his nose, "I don't know how you're gonna compete when you act like that." He looks her up and down with disdain, an eyebrow raised. He's looking for a fight, Bella knows this.

"Compete?" She laughs, it's a small and patronising laugh as she shakes her head.

"We Black's don't compete for spots." A voice spoke up behind them, they turned to see Narcissa standing there. Her head high as she walks over to stand next to Regulus. Bella smiles, "We're given them." She tells him, speaking like it is a fact. For her it might as well be.

Nott huffs, anger drowns in his eyes. He looks at the three of them, eyeing Narcissa behind Bellatrix. She sees it, sees the malicious look he gets when he finds something. "Well, if you ask for my opinion you-" He points at her but doesn't get to finish what he is saying.

"I didn't. I have my own and I'd rather it not be tainted by your stupidity." Bellatrix is usually seen with a smile, a smirk and a mischievous glint in her eyes but she can be very serious. One thing that makes her switch so quickly is her sister.

Nott was taken aback, his head recoiling back with an angry expression. His eye brows bending upwards as they closed together and his top lip lifted to show his teeth. Regulus didn't notice him pulling his wand from behind his robes until he was swinging it in front of him screaming: "You little fucking-" He pronounced every word but was left speechless when Bellatrix gripped his wrist and twisted his hand backwards. She grabbed his wand and turned it around so it pointed at his neck. His jaw dropped and eyebrows opened as he stared.

"Fucking what?" Bella whispered the question in his face, they stared at each other for a second. Bella held his wrist but Regulus wanted to rip away from it and push the guy away. "If you want a fight, all you have to do is ask." She dropped his wand on the floor before starting to walk away, probably back to the ballroom. Nott bent down to pick up his wand before stomping after her with a red face, embarrassment and anger written all over his body. A violent combination when given to a wizard.

Narcissa and Regulus stood in the corridor together in silence for a minute or two. Neither disturbing the peace. "Cissa.." Regulus whispered, terrified for even thinking about the things he is. An even greater fear is speaking about it.

'Control it.'
'Control it.'

"Yea, Reg?" She looked at him with the most pleasing smile she could. The most open she has ever been with anyone because she didn't do anything.

"What- what if I'm planning to do something, if I don’t then.. then someone I- I care about might get hurt.."

She looked at him once more, she really looked this time. She saw so much conflict in his young face, eyes that held too many stories for how long he's lived. “And if you do?”

He doesn’t really want to say it, with how selfish it is.

“It'll anger a lot of people- powerful people.”

She took a breath before moving to stand in front of him where Bella was before. "If they aren't in your life, then their opinion doesn't matter. Doesn't matter how they used to know you or how they think they know you. There's always going to be someone who doesn't like something you do, always. You just need to remember that as long as you know what you're doing is the best thing, that's all that matters." She tells him seriously, with as much confidence as she can.

Regulus thinks it's the best thing she could have said. 'The best thing.' She said, not the right thing. The best thing. He smiles, it's small but real and takes over his cheeks and eyes. She smiles back, "Let's go." As much as she'd like to shield him away in a safe room, it simply isn't possible.

"Regulus?" Evan asked as he got closer once they separated in the ballroom, he was stumbling a bit and had a half drank cup. He had obviously been drinking the spiked juice but Regulus didn't notice. Evan noticed the silence and how pale Regulus looked. So he reached out and grabbed one of them, "Talk to me, what happened?" He worriedly asked as he pulled them into a corner to sit at a table, away from mostly everyone there. "What happened?"

Regulus stared at the table topper for a second before shaking his head. He tried to talk but couldn't find the courage to say it. There's a lot he could say he's now realising.

"What?" Evan asked again, leaning closer.

"I can't-" He shook his head because would this count? Would Regulus suffer the same fate if he told Evan, would Evan suffer the same fate if he told him? Regulus sighed into his hand again and it felt like a sob when he wasn't even crying. He looked up and found eyes on him, Narcissa was looking at him. One soft shake of her head told him everything he needed to know, she was no longer smiling. "I can't.."

"Maybe later, just- let's calm down, yea?" He decides then that he will never be telling Evan, that he won't be telling anyone. Then a person pops into his mind, the one person that he could tell, that he could talk to about this, that would understand. A high pitched scream broke his thoughts and still on edge he instantly is looking around. Evan is unphased as he looks up, Regulus confusedly follow's his eyes. He finds Bellatrix and Nott on the ceiling of the ball room on either end. "You cheater!" Alexander shouts again as Bella crumbles to the ceiling with laughter.

"Man, I just lost so much money!" Evan cried out as he watched the two, moving forwards until his head hit the table as he groaned. Regulus just stares between them all, he takes in a breath and decides that he does not want to know what was happening. He does reach out a hand and pat Evan on the back sympathetically, which is uncomfortable because they are still holding hands and so he has to contort his body to be able to. He ends up laughing, watching Nott cry on the ceiling and Bella laughing at it. He laughs but he feels like crying, screaming but instead he laughs.

Evan gets him a drink and as he is gone he updates the small black book. Having this would put him in the same position as Bertha, he tries not to think about that. About any of that and so when Evan comes back with the drink he chugs all of it down and they definitely spiked the drinks.

"Woah!" Evan takes the drink from him, pulling it away as he gives Regulus a wild look. "Slow down you lightweight."

Regulus scoffed, "I'm not a lightweight." He mumbled before reaching over to grab his drink, Evan tried to keep it out of reach but almost fell out of his chair and gave up the cup to steady himself. Regulus raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "I'm the lightweight?" He asked Evan who just laughed and shook his head. He went to hit Regulus in the arm but put too much effort behind it and managed to spill the drink down Regulus's pants. "Evan!" Regulus cried out before a small laugh took over, he rolled his eyes at his friend. Finding him nearly on the floor with laughter and tears in his eyes.

"I lost so much money, Reg." Evan cried and laughed at the same time, Regulus was incredibly confused to say the least. He just sighed and reached a hand out to comfort his very emotional, drunk friend. Evan leaned forwards to rest his head on Regulus' shoulder, he just let it happen and stroked Evan's back as they just sat there.

Minutes later his mother came to collect him, it was time for them to leave. Regulus managed to get out of his friend's grasp and say goodbye. "I'll see you on the train?" Evan asked, a smile on his face.

"I'll see you on the train." Regulus nodded, "Bye." He walked away, oblivious once more to the worried look his friend sent after him.

The night didn't end there, as when Regulus got back to Grimmauld place he saw multiple other car's pull up and park on the street. As he got out of the car and started walking to the front door he saw many members of the black family coming out of the car's and walking over to Grimmauld place. Bellatrix and Narcissa were arguing with each other quietly as they followed the older Black's into the house. Regulus let them go in front of him and walked inside with the two sisters.

The adults all went to the back of the house, the study. Regulus knew better than to follow so he stayed standing at the front with Bellatrix and Narcissa. They both sighed, Narcissa stood closer to him than usual. He couldn't find himself to mind after what he had witnessed. "Let's go relax in the library, yeah?" Narcissa asked as she turned to him.

"Sure?" He questioned back, unsure why she was directing the question at him.

Bellatrix took one look at the two of them and started to head up the stairs. "Where are you going?" Narcissa asked, watching her walk slowly.

"Your plan is... well.. boring. I have something much better to do." She smiled at them both and continued to walk. Narcissa looked back at Regulus, he would be lying if he said he wasn't curious so he shrugged.

"Well you two look like you just saw the dead for the first time, I know something that can help." Her manic and gleeful smirk back on her face, it fit her. Regulus, curious, followed after her. She hadn't been wrong, what's the harm?

Bella walked straight into Regulus's room, making herself at home on his bed and Regulus went to his desk straight away. Moving the notebooks away, stacking them and pretending to tidy. "We don't want to read your depressing poetry, Rel." He wasn't being subtle at all then, okay. He sat on his chair and turned to her.

"It's not depressing," Regulus told her defensively. "Bel." He mimicked her tone and she smiled widely at the comeback. It wasn't his usual style, Sirius always did most of the talking. Once again he was reminding himself that Sirius wasn't here, he was doing that a lot. It didn't help the tightening in his chest, it made it worse in fact. "What have you got?"

Bella smiled triumphantly, like she knew everything that was about to happen. Like she had won and in a second you will see that to be proven right. She procured a bag from under her dress, almost traumatising Regulus from ever being able to function as a person in the process. The bag was small, it had some greenish brown little stick looking things and some dark paper. Curiously, Regulus asked. "What is it?"

"Weed." Bella smiled widely, Narcissa came to sit beside her on his bed.

"What's that?" Narcissa asked as they both watched Bella open it and take out a piece of the coloured paper. "It's a drug, muggle drug. It helps you relax." Bella said, Regulus felt like he wasn't being given the entire truth about this 'drug.'

"Drugs?!" Narcissa squawked, "We are not doing drugs! Where did you even get muggle drugs from?!" She whispered as she stared at her sister, no one could hear them so she didn't need to whisper.

"I know people." Bella shrugged as she answered it ominously with a grin. "Look, you don't have to but it'll help the edge, help you relax a bit. You deserve to relax for a bit." Bella told her sister compassionately, her speech was working. It was working on Regulus too until she moved so she could use the desk and a winning grin took over her features once more. 'What a manipulative person.' Regulus thought.

"I agree with Bella, don't we deserve to relax every now and again?" He asked Narcissa, looking up at her innocently with wide eyes. She was crumbling, he should probably feel bad. Right?

"I-" Narcissa looked at the door of Regulus's room, contemplating. 'It couldn't be that bad, right?' She asked herself.

"Cissa, we just watched someone get tortured and killed." Both of the others winced at the reminder, "It won't hurt." Bella looked at them both with a small smile, it was sad. The kind of smile that guilty people wore and Regulus couldn't figure out why she would feel guilty, Narcissa sighed at her sister. "Okay.."

"Okay, listen up virgins!" Her mood changed in an instant, they both choked at the names.

"What-"
"Bella!-"

She waved them off as she licked a strip of the paper, curling it around itself to make a circular shape. "So, this is a joint. You smoke it, you relax and you just float in bliss until it wears off." Bella explained, pulling out a lighter from a pocket she had attached to her thigh and as she lit it she explained. "So you breathe it in from the blunt, breathe in again and then breathe out. Watch." They both watched as she breathed from the joint, took it away from her lips and then breathed in dramatically again before breathing out. Smoke coming out of her mouth and nose in the process, Regulus was of course curious.

"That doesn't seem hard." He commented as a mumble, Bella stared at the boy with amusement.

"Go on then." She passed over the joint and Regulus pinched it with a careful hand, he looked at her again and she nodded at him encouragingly. He looked at Narcissa behind her and she looked curious, she shrugged before nodding as well so he brought it to his lips and breathed in. It was a weird feeling, having something invade his chest and making it feel restricted. As soon as it was away from his mouth he breathed out and began to cough, forgetting the second step gracefully as he choked. Bella laughed before taking another hit from the blunt, watching the youngest hit his own chest. "I told you," she breathed out the smoke again. "You gotta breathe in after." She shook her head.

"I got it!" Narcissa said triumphantly as she held her hand out for the joint, it was given to her by a smiling Bella. She swallowed before staring at it with determination. Breathing in the smoke, taking it away from her lips and breathing in dramatically again. So much so that she couldn't breathe in anymore if she tried and so she breathed out again, the smoke coming from her mouth as her eyes widened in surprise. She didn't quite mind the feeling.

Regulus was of course now just as determined, "I can do it!" He said as he went to sit besides Narcissa. "Just do exactly as Bella did." She told him as she handed him the small thing and he did exactly as told. Grinning widely as the smoke left his lips without a coughing fit, "I did it!" He cheered and Narcissa clapped next to him. It was nice, he can't remember the last time he had actually let himself hang out with family before. Allowed himself to be himself. As he looked at Narcissa as she smiled back to him, he handed her the joint again before he could get emotional.

"Good job, Rel!" Bella said as she blew smoke out in front of her face, from an entirely new blunt. "You two can share that one," She nodded at the one Narcissa just took another drag from.

"Why do you have your own?" Narcissa asked as she handed it to Regulus next.

"I have a higher tolerance," she shrugged before taking another breath from the joint. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, "I can't believe you duelled someone, in a Feng Cruul, on the ceiling," Narcissa shook her head as she scolded. "Drunk no less!" She exclaimed.

"Tipsy," Bella corrected as she smoked out the window. Curious eyes dragging over Regulus's desk. "I'm not feeling anything?" Regulus questioned as he choked once more on a hit. Bella snickered at him to which he held up his middle finger at her. She gasped dramatically, "Relly!" She shouted as she clutched her chest.

"Yes, Belly?" He asked her innocently, keeping the slight nausea he feels in his stomach to himself. He hasn't acted like this around them before, around anyone really. Could anyone blame him for being nervous? Hesitant even.

"You- Roi des cons!" She switched the French with a grin.

"LITERALLY!" Narcissa shouted out, surprising the both of them as they turned to her with surprised laughter.

Regulus sputtered for a bit, taking a hit from the joint before replying. "What do you mean? And what do you mean, 'Literally'?" He turned to poke Narcissa.

Narcissa thought for a second before speaking, "Well your name, it does mean little King. So Roi des cons is accurate." She nodded to herself, Bellatrix burst out with laughter.

"So you think I'm the king of idiots?" He asked her with narrowed eyes but the smile remained on his face.

Narcissa's eyes widened as she realised what she had said, "No! No! No. That's not what I meant, Bella! Stop laughing!" She turned to her sister as she fell off the chair and grabbed her waist on the floor as she laughed. Narcissa and Regulus sharing the joint back and forth as they watched Bellatrix roll on the floor, barely breathing with concern before Regulus fell backwards onto the bed with a whispered, "Fuck.."

Narcissa giggled next to him and Bella hummed happily as she turned to lay on her stomach. "Wha'cha feeling, Rel?"

"Shut up, Bel." He replied back, not lifting from the bed where he lay as he turned to Narcissa.

"You feeling alright?" She asked him, curiously. Her own mind was beginning to fill with cotton and her body didn't entirely feel real. "You know..." Regulus started before sighing to the ceiling. "You know when you're flying and you get just high enough that you can feel the clouds around you but also kinda get light headed?" He asked her, eyes closed and breathing deeply.

Narcissa and Bellatrix shared a confused expression but she agreed as she tried to think about it. "Yea?"

"It's like that, just nice." He said and Narcissa found herself smiling at him, "That's good." She whispered because he deserved to feel nice. To be relaxed and not have to deal with everything he is, things she probably didn't even know about. No, he didn't deserve anything he had been given. She understood that down to her core, so she reached over and gently scratched his scalp, massaging his head as he relaxed more. S

He just let him relax, helping him in the process as he moved his head to her lap. A traitorous voice spoke up, 'So you're helping him now?' It asked her and she was thankful for the drugs that clouded her mind and emotions. It stopped the sob that was surely building up since she had left that room.

Bella watched them relax and cuddle fondly, letting them have their moment and knowing they needed it. This idea for relaxation was more selfish then they will ever know, as she watched them with a fond but sad smile. She selfishly took it in and inhaled from her own joint, blowing out the smoke and letting herself fall into her own high.

'Selfish, selfish, selfish,' They stayed like that for a couple of minutes, relaxing in a comfortable silence.

It was an automatic movement, a repeated one she always did when she was floating. Bella took out the dagger from her thigh strap, sat up from the floor and twirled it around her hand. A gasp sounded and she turned quickly to see Narcissa gaping at her, Regulus moved to open one eye and look at her. "Why do you have a knife?" She asked, watching curiously as she threw it into the air and caught it effortlessly.

"It's not a knife.. It's a dagger." She corrected as she showed them the front and back.

"What's the difference?" Regulus asked as he sat up with Narcissa staring at the dagger with shock and some horror mixing in her eyes.

"Well you see how this has two sharp sides?" Bellatrix traced the two sides with her finger, showing the sharp edges. "Knives only have one sharp side but daggers have two, better for close combat." She explained.

"Like Feng Cruul?" Narcissa asked with folded arms and a raised eyebrow.

"I have used it for that, yes," Bella boasted with a grin as Narcissa shook her head.

"You used that in a Cruul round?" Regulus asked as he got up to sit next to her but she stood from the floor before he could. "I did yea, threw it at him last second and I won." She handed over the dagger to him and he looked over it tentatively.

The hilt was a marble of silver and black, there was leather tightly wound down it but it didn't cover the whole hilt. Letting the marble show underneath it, at the end was a hole. Regulus knew it was a finger ring but he hadn't seen a dagger like this, it had a finger ring like a throwing knife but a guard like a dagger. The guard was the same marble as the hilt and held a simple swirl pattern. But the pattern swirled with the green from the blade, which was black. Now that Regulus was closer to it he could see the green that mixed with the black, how it glowed as if trapped inside of it and it was trying to escape.

Bella watched him as he inspected the dagger, "Come here." She beckoned him over to where she was now standing.

"Why?" Regulus questioned as he swayed slightly, his mind drifting from his body as he tried to hold onto it and focus on this conversation because he was, actually, really interested in this.

She pulled on his shoulders and stood behind him before speaking, "I am going to teach you how to throw it." She grabbed his hand and began to move it and she confusedly looked towards her sister who she thought would be screaming at the plan but instead was found with her laying on the bed watching the ceiling with wide eyes.

She couldn't help but laugh at the sight, the prim and proper Narcissa Black, high off her ass and staring at the ceiling like it was Merlin himself. It was a sight, she turned away with a humoured head shake.

"Okay, so-" She pulled him in front of her, changing his hold on the dagger so three fingers held under the hilt and his thumb was on the other side. "Hold it like this. We can try different techniques later but for now let's start simple." He nodded, his head moved much more than he expected and he nearly fell to the ground. Bella held the other arm's elbow to stop him from doing so with a laugh. "Try not to fall over." She laughed.

"I just need to get used to it." It was true, it was strange. Foreign and relaxing all at the same time, he just stood there for a minute. Breathing in the changes with deep breaths until he was sure he wasn't going to topple over. "Okay, let's do this." He said enthusiastically.

She pulled his elbow up, "So, you're going to swing your elbow out to the side slightly as you lift your hand back." She showed him the movement by moving his arm for him. "Make sure your elbow is at the height of where you want your dagger to land. Then you're going to straighten your arm." She straightened his arm, "Make sure to keep your wrist tense, otherwise you will over rotate it. Then once it's straight you release the dagger." She showed him the movements once more before stepping back and motioning for him to do it for himself.

So, he did. He aimed for one of the decorations painted on his walls and then threw it. It went very high up on the wall, Bella shook her head slightly. "You didn't release it when it was straight and you over rotated your wrist, again!" She clapped and when she grabbed the dagger, she made an impression on the wall. "Try and get it to land near here."

He tried again, pulling his elbow back and then straightening his arm. Keeping his wrist tight and then releasing the dagger, it didn't land on the mark but it was closely to the left. Bella whistled, "Damn, not bad. Keep practising and you'll be great at it in no time. You get all your skills from me." So he did. He picked up the dagger and then walked back to where he was standing. He threw it again and again. The thump, when it hit the wall, was such a satisfying sound. He just had to keep doing it, it just felt so right. His mind clouded and his body relaxed in such a way that this is the happiest he's been the past two weeks.

"Also, you're not taking money from my friend." He mentions randomly, Bella looks confused as she thinks.

"Well, the only way I'd be taking their money is if he bet against me." She points a look at him, "I think I deserve that money, I did win after all." She teases as she watches him throw the dagger.

Regulus simply rolls his eyes, "Doesn't matter." He mumbles as he focuses on throwing the dagger once more.

"Then what will I get for my win, Relly?" She asked with a fake frown that pulls at her cheeks.

"Is my love not enough, Belly?" He replies back, looking at her with big eyes and slightly turned down lips. It takes a second before she's scoffing at him and turning away. Regulus throws the dagger again with a smirk.

"No." She shakes her head, standing her ground. "That is not working." She crosses her arms and gives him a stern look.

It makes him sigh as he turns to her, "Fine. What do you want?" He asked as he turned to her.

"I wanna teach you to fight," She smirks, mischief overtaking her eyes as they widen in the intensity.

"I know how to fight?" He questions back, unknowing of the glint in her eye.

She shakes her head, "Right.” She’s completely unconvinced as she stands up. Really? Now?

"We are high, you cannot possibly think I can fight you now." Regulus complained as she took off the small lace cardigan that was draped on her shoulders.

"I mean, we both are so it's pretty even." She shrugged as she lifted her hands up. "If you win, then your friend is debt free. If I win though," She paced for dramatics and Regulus put down the dagger on his desk. "Then you will do something for me." She stopped in front of him again, 'Dramatic bitch.'

"And what's that?" He questioned, hopefully he has lifted his arms like he wanted too.

"That is yet to be determined." Bella said before stalking forwards.

Seconds after Regulus found himself on the floor as he choked out a breath. "What the fuck." He coughed as he tried to breathe.

"Language!" Bella scolded as she moved to help him up, "See?" She flicked her hands dramatically over herself.

"I don't think I can anymore." Regulus grumbled as he moved away from her, Bella laughed as she got ready again. "Ready?" She asked, a smirk playfully dancing on her face as she brushed some hair to the side. "No.." He answered honestly but stood his ground either way.

The dinner was uneventful, for the first half. Regulus was stuck trying to figure out how to chew with the top half of his jaw, it wasn't moving and he was freaking out.

Narcissa hadn't touched her food yet, her focus was on the cutlery. 'Why are there so many forks?' She asked, staring and poking at each fork. Willing them to give her the answer's.

Bellatrix was having the time of her life, staring at the two of them from across the table. Going from Regulus holding his face as he tried to chew and then to Narcissa as she held a spoon to her face so close that it touched her nose. So to say it took a lot in Bellatrix to hold in her laughter would be an understatement. She deserved a prize for how unbothered by it she looked.

The door opens and then immediately is slammed, Regulus flinches at the sound and turns to the doorway that leads to the front door.

Walburga stands quickly and makes her way to the door, there's shouting and Regulus watches as his uncle walks into the room. He zero'd in onto Druella and Walburga, the fighting started immediately. Insults and jabs at each other thrown carelessly, not so carelessly by Alphard. He was angry, he was swaying as well. Regulus could tell the man was drunk, it was a matter of minutes before the situation got volatile.

"Do you even know where your daughter is right now?" Alphard questions Druella.

She points her nose up at him as she attempts to look down at him, "My two daughters are right here." She replied coldly. Bellatrix pushing away the arm that had wrapped around her and Narcissa froze with saddened eyes.

"You don't know anything about her, do you? Do you know she's married? Pregnant?!" He shouted to his sister, anger burning his throat as he yelled. Druella stayed silent, trying to act aloof and cold but her widened, searching eyes showed the shock.

"She's a blood traitor!" She spat out, a mantra and a non-stop word that was constantly thrown around in the Black family.

"And what of it!?" He questioned angrily, hurt. "I thought family was everything, no matter what. That's what that means. I guess family isn't everything, not to you." He told her condescendingly.

Druella huffed angrily as she started to push her daughters out the room, "We are leaving." She seethed as she pushed and pulled her 'family' out of the room. Bella tore herself from the woman, 'falling' into a decorative podium on the wall and making eye contact with Regulus as she dropped the bag of weed she had into the vase. She winked at him as she turned to leave, "Bellatrix!"

"What?"

Druella's face contorted at her casual tone, "For once I wish you'd act respectful and do as I say." She grabbed her arm once more.

"And I often wish for a less overbearing mother, so I don't think you should hold out on yours coming true. Mine hasn't."

"Bellatrix Black!"

Another Uncle spoke up, "That is not how a young lady should speak to their mother-"

"Oh- you'd know all about how young ladies should act, don't you?" Regulus believed that was his wife talking, he leaned across the table to look at them. Druella took the change in subject to force Bella and Narcissa out of the room.

"Running away? Is that the only thing you know how to do!?" He questioned harshly as he watched them.

"Alphard, leave it be." Ignatius stood from the table.

"And who the fuck are you?" Alphard questioned as he turned on the man, he had just married into the family.

"Ignatius Black," The man ground out, as if it physically hurt him that Alphard didn't know his name. But why would he have known the man?

"Ah," Alphard nodded with recognition. "The Prewett runt. I am surprised to see you here and not your brother. He is the more successful one, no? Where is he again?" The man stood taller and made his way toward Alphard. "You bastard!-" Easy to anger, like most of the Black family, but his brother was also dead so fair enough.

‘Sirius would love this.' Regulus thought to himself. Like he was watching a magical picture move and speak, he didn’t really feel present. From an outside perspective, it was quite amusing, he could kind of understand his brothers amusement from these fights for a second.

"Honey!" His wife, Lucretia, stood in front of him. "He is family, Alphard." She stated as she pushed him further away.

"It seems that doesn't mean much anymore, Lucretia." He told her, widely shaking his hands as a laugh escaped him. Alphard was supposed to be the collected one, even Walburga was stunned into silence by the display.

"Don't start." She whispered back, just as Alphard was about to reply he was interrupted.

"You should leave," Orion spoke up. Regulus, who had stayed in his seat, turned to his father. Although Regulus had usually left by this time, he never would have thought his father one for standing during a family fight. From the stares from everyone else they didn't expect it either.

Walburga, who was always in control, stood next to him. Not wanting to relinquish it. "You should." She repeated his words.

Alphard looked at the two with disgust. "Or what? You gonna force me out? Can you even walk Orion?" He gestured to the empty wine bottle and whiskey bottle that sat at his end of the table.

"You- you mouthy, filthy bloody bastard!-" Orion pushed past the chairs and grabbed Alphard by the front of his shirt. "Infuriating fucking HYPOCRITE!" Orion roared as he swung his wand messily.

Alphard had his out in seconds and it was a disaster more than a fight. It held a lot of emotion but there was no skill, curses and hexes flying in all directions. Lucretia was screaming, Ignatius was trying to get Alphard in the back. Walburga was attempting to stop it all, Orion was actively trying to kill his brother.

Every few seconds Regulus moved his head to stop something from hitting him, watching everyone scream and fight with an odd sense of calm. Of course it didn’t last long as one spell from Alphard sent Orion spinning through the air.

Regulus didn't know what to focus on, his fathers unconscious body, his mothers screams, Alphard's rage, the screams of everyone else or the slight joy it all brought. It was a while until everyone left the house with one final slam of the door, Regulus tried to get looks at his father on the floor but everyone else was in the way.

Walburga walked back into the dining room. She barely acknowledged Regulus who stood against the wall, staring at him for a second. Calculating, confused before looking away with an unknowing look. "What's wrong with you?" She asked with a shake of her head.

Regulus didn't realise this was a rhetorical question and so he hummed and tried to think. Really think about what was wrong with him, until an answer came to him. "My shoulder hurts pretty bad."
.
.
.

They were both stunned, Walburga turned to him with... Regulus doesn't know what look she was giving him. He really didn't know why he said that, he wasn't even thinking that. He didn't even realise his shoulder was hurting until he had said it. The clouds that filled his head quickly transformed into layers of brick, encasing his head like a helmet that's too small to wear. One comment and he sobered up entirely.

She squinted at him, looking at him closely. "Why are your eyes so red?" He swallowed as she asked.

"Um-" He had to force his hand not to touch his face and rub his eyes. Had to force himself from trying to hide from her gaze, instead he needed to tell a lie. It couldn't be just any lie, no, it had to be a good one. One that could get him out of what he had just thrown himself into. "I... was... smelling onions." Or he could say that. He barely registered his mouth moving, he was definitely still high. Was he more high than before? It doesn't feel like it... he doesn't really feel anything. He's already started this lie, he might as well double down.

"You know, there's red onions and brown onions and I was- of course, curious to know if they smelled different..." He said, nodding his head because now he thought about it. He is curious and so when the question surfaced in his mind he couldn't stop it from coming out of his mouth. "Do you think they taste different?.."

"Sirius!" His mother yelled, "I don't have fucking time for this." She scolded as she flicked her wand, a wordless spell barrelling towards him. He barely felt it, the numbness in his soul acting like a shield.

He stared at the place she used to be, staring at the wall instead. He couldn't stop repeating it in his head.

'Sirius!'
'Sirius!'
'Sirius.'

He should probably be upset that she had gotten his name wrong. Mad or angry for getting him mixed up with the child that she wants. He's anything but that, in fact all that he's feeling has nothing to do with Walburga. The only thing he knows is that he misses his brother. Sirius. For the first time that day the tear finally fell down his cheek, just at the mention of his name.

That night Regulus didn't sleep, he spent all night either writing or reading. Learning and trying multiple spells until he was sweating and exhausted, reading until the words started to contort together and writing until his hand started to cramp. He worked until the sun came up, as it did he looked up at the sunset. 'Just one more day at Grimmauld Place,' Regulus told himself, a prayer he told and intended to make sure came true. He looked over at his black notebook, reading what he had heard and saw about Dumbledore. He doesn't know if Hogwarts is that safe anymore, he doesn't know where is safe anymore. He sighed and closed the book with a hard thud before moving from the desk. It was the last day before going back to Hogwarts tomorrow, Regulus can't decide whether he wants to go back or not.

The one thing he does know is that he doesn't want to be here and Dumbledore, good or bad, is not to be trusted.

And he really misses his brother.