Both Regulus and Pandora are sixth-year prefects and good friends are walking through the castle late at night. Between them, they jokingly call it the witching hour. When all the younger years are asleep and when all the real magic happened.
They both come across a room they both never recall seeing before. Pandora nudges Regulus gently as if to ask if they should go in.
He shrugs “Shouldn’t be anything dangerous”. It’s not like they actually need to do their duties as prefects.
She nods her head. Pushes the door open, and comes to an abrupt stop in front of an object in the room.
There is bright refraction of moonlight from the mirror on the classroom floor. Regulus glances and sees it to be an enchanted object of sorts.
Regulus has read about enchanted objects, dangerous artefacts and all so much soul-stealing magical books in the Black family library. Warned by his mother, father and brother multiple times. Almost by instinct, he pushes Pandora out of the way of the mirror.
“It's the mirror of Erised, it’s rumoured to tell us our deepest desire. I saw both of my parents hugging me and telling me they’re proud of my potions work ”
In this action, he’s placed in front of the mirror. He looks directly at it and is mesmerised. The small ghost of a smile appears on his face. The emotion looks slightly eerie on a face that presents itself in masks and facades.
“What do you see Regulus?” It’s barely above a whisper. She doesn’t mean to ask it aloud.
“I did it. I Jumped, right off the edge of the astronomy tower without a broom”
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Sirius can’t sleep so he wanders through the castle.
He stumbles at hearing the voice of his brother. One he’s grown so distant from but yearns to talk to and get to know better again.
This is not what he expects to hear from his younger brother. This is everything but what he’s meant to hear. Sirius intuitively believes that he’s the older reckless brother and that gives his younger meticulous and cunning brother more time by every right. The brother that he remembers planning to eat all his vegetables in a certain order to get all the yucky ones out the way at the dinner table when he was seven.
He thought his heart shattered the first time he left his brother with their bastard parents. But, now he believes someone gathered up all the pieces, put them in a bag and beat it all to dust. He wants the world to stop so he can help his brother. He wants to wrap him in a hundred layers of bubble wrap and lock him in a room. He can’t do that so he will do what he can to help him. Damn his parents.
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“Regulus!” It's a small quiet exclamation from Pandora but doesn’t stop him from continuing as if he’s in a trance. She notices Sirius and nods to him. They move closer to Regulus but keep their eyes averted from the mirror.
“I looked over the edge and saw the view, something I could never do”
“And no part of me knew how but the moment came and it had to be now.”
“So, I did it. I did. I jumped, and stepped right off the astronomy tower without a broom.”
“Oh, Regulus…” Pandora sighs.
“Is that true Reggie?” Sirius questions as they both lead him away from the mirror, a gentle hand on each shoulder.
After they’re far enough away so no one is at risk. Pandora magics a cover so the mirror cannot tempt anyone else that night. She leaves, to let the two brothers talk and hopefully repair what they had.
“Sirius” Regulus has broken out of his trance. He feels ashamed and embarrassed. Ashamed of sharing his deepest desire and fear, his moments of cowardice and his moment of true exposure. Sharing his emotions almost against his will. Something drilled into him from a young age that it is wrong to show. He knows he can still trust Sirius.
Sirius looks at his younger brother and doesn’t know what to say. He wants to say something that will help his brother.
Regulus does, “It's been so much harder without you”. Tears well up in his eyes.
“I’ve missed you too”, he pulls Regulus in for a gentle embrace. He wraps his arms around his brother gently, knowing he has an aversion to touch.
The younger brother hugs back, the grip much tighter, like Sirius is a lifeline.
The tears start flowing between them and they don’t know how long they cry. Brothers in arms. Apart for too long.
The sun starts to rise, vibrant oranges and yellows lighting up the room through the windows. The beginning of a new day.
They both break apart. Untangling their limbs. Searching looks on their faces but an understanding between them. The bond they have between them begins anew. The trust will build over time.
“I promise. I don’t care how or what means but I’m getting you out of there”
“What if mother and father try to stop you?”
“To hell with them both. I’ll get you out of there even if it's the last thing I do”
“Thank you”. There’s more Regulus wants to say but can’t bring himself. He knows Sirius will understand.
Regulus begins the day with new hope and a different means of freedom.
One day he hopes to look into the mirror of desire and a completely different ending.
For now, he has enough.
He has hope and he has his brother.