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Regulus stopped talking in third year. He learned that it was better to say nothing at all than to worry too much about not saying the right thing. During winter holiday he had gotten into a big argument with his parents about his brother's misbehavior, time felt infinitely slow since then. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, hours felt like days, etc. Since then Regulus had never spoken to anyone, a few head nods and a shake here and there but nothing verbal. Sometimes he would just get up and leave if he didn’t feel needed in conversation, as time passed by more and more of his housemates and friends slowly moved past him like he was useless without his voice.

The only ones who stuck by were his roommates and a close friend from another house, but they were ready to argue with anyone and everyone who so much as looked at Regulus the wrong way. He loved them, he truly did but sometimes it was a bit embarrassing and he refused to say anything about it. Regulus once shoved Evan off his stool in potions because he made some remark about picking Barty as his partner instead of himself. 

The professors were ignorant about his sudden mutism, some more forgiving than others. Of course, they had assumed the boy had chosen to ignore them or step back from any participation. The first week back from holiday Regulus spent with his three friends writing constantly on parchment telling his friends what was ‘wrong’ with him. 

“Wait, so you’re choosing not to speak anymore because you don’t want to?”

“No! He’s stopped speaking because he’s afraid of it,”

“Of what? Not being correct?

“Wait wait so if you’re not talking does that mean no more smartass replies, judgemental remarks?”

Regulus glared at his friends. The more they talked –and wrote– about it, they soon began to understand.

It still took a bit of time, Professor Sprout had requested he visit Madam Pomfrey but it was no use. No one was able to get anything above a hum out of him. McGonagall had even spoken to his brother after noticing the younger Black‘s lack of speech in class. Typically he was always willing to share something along the topic of Transfigurations, it was his second favorite subject. After a sit down with both Regulus and his friends, the professors were kind enough to let it slide as long as it didn’t affect his grades. They didn't get too much into the specifics, allowing Regulus to answer questions they were unsure of.

Sirius had little to say about it, he felt ashamed that it was his fault he wasn’t able to hear his brother's voice. Embarrassed and angry at their mother for causing a commotion over his own actions. The nights they spent together, Sirius talked and Regulus listened. Typically you would hear a few words from the boy, a question or two but not a single peep was heard. Sirius was oblivious at the time, thinking he was just too tired to speak or maybe he just didn’t have anything to say. Oh but he did, Regulus always did.

As days passed, getting closer to the end of winter holiday Sirius became more clingy with his brother's lack of speech then completely dropping it as they stepped foot onto the platform. Putting on their fake personas as they said goodbyes and hellos to people around them. When they went back to school the brothers had stayed together in a separate compartment away from everyone else on the train. They only stayed for an hour before having to join their friends without causing any worry. They did this every train ride, letting themselves enjoy the little time they allowed. 

Summer going into his fourth year, Regulus had just come back from a weekend at Evan’s. Trailing through the house looking for his brother so he could write about the stories he had. After a while he found his mother burning Sirius’ portrait on the family tree, she looked at his name with disgust. That’s when he knew that he was the only child in that house.  

Sirius had left. Packed a trunk and went god knows where, he had talked about it briefly. Running away, the two of them together but silenced himself when Regulus put a hand on his shoulder. No goodbye, no note, nothing at all. Regulus was angry, he was sad, and he felt thousands of emotions pounding him all at once. He slept in Sirius’ bed that night, wishing he was there with him. Reminding his younger brother that everything’s okay and that he wouldn’t let anything happen. 

That autumn morning, he found himself on the train next to Pandora, a lovely Ravenclaw girl who snatched up his friendship in first-year charms class. He heard his brother's voice on the other side of the compartment, talking loudly to whoever was nearby. He flinched slightly at the sound, barely noticeable but Pandora noticed. Somehow she always did. Quickly she wrapped a comforting arm around him and distracted him by talking about whatever creature she adopted over the summer. As time passed Evan and Barty had both found their way to find them, talking about only the good parts of their holiday. 

Regulus knew Evan would sneak into his bed later to talk about the awful things, he was lucky to have Evan as one of his best mates. Regulus knew that his father and his own mother were very alike, when Evans' older sister got sorted into Ravenclaw it was just as bad as Sirius getting into Gryffindor. 

Regulus always admired his brother up close and from afar. Having to hide his fascination from his mother once Sirius was deemed a traitor, it’s not his fault his characteristics fell more in line with Gryffindor than it did Slytherin. He was always braver than most, willing to put himself first, taking the toll physically and emotionally. 

He didn’t care, it didn’t mean anything. So what? People are going to judge you based on your skills and mindset? It was stupid. Not everyone valued the same things, being in the same house, different house it doesn’t matter. Why treat everyone differently when no person is the same, blood status was another thing that pissed him off. You’re going to treat a half-blood poorly because someone in their family didn’t want to marry someone related to them? His own parents are both cousins and lovers, now that was disgusting. His body shivered just at the thought. 

Dinner that night felt strange, he couldn’t help but notice the sorrow from across the great hall. As if a certain Gryffindor was upset over a now broken tradition. Regulus didn’t eat much, moved his food around with a fork to attempt the look of a half-eaten plate.

Regulus and Barty stayed in the common room playing a few rounds of chess before having to go to bed. Just as he assumed, after hearing the quiet snore from Barty, Evan had opened the curtain to his bed and laid beside him against his pillows. Evan handed him a napkin with two dinner rolls, how thoughtful. 

“Here, I noticed you didn’t eat much during dinner so I snatched these for you.”

Time never felt slow with his friends around. Sure it still passed normally, but there’s some reason why the good times never stay too long. Evan talked about his family problems and random tangents along the way. 

Regulus found out that he and Barty are attempting to learn ESL (English Sign Language), to further advance their communication with him. It was meant to be a surprise but sometimes Evan can’t help but let certain things slip past his brain and straight to his mouth. 

“Barty wanted to do morse code instead but I thought this was easier, so we could get it done quickly but learning a new language isn’t as easy as it seems,”

Regulus quirked his eyebrow at this, grabbing a quill and writing out on the back of Evan's hand that he learned French when he was six years old. It's not that hard.

”But you’re still growing at that age, it’s easier to implant in your brain!”

 Both boys laughed quietly. Evan smiled widely at Regulus, it was the first time he heard a joyful sound from him since before the mishap.

“You know I love you Reg,”

Regulus nodded against the pillow and signed the quote back to his friend. Regulus didn’t know much ESL, but the basics weren’t difficult. 

”I’m not that skilled yet so I’m going to assume that means you love me too.

They continued to communicate until they fell asleep laying next to each other, the last thing Regulus remembers before dozing off was Evan telling him how his sister made their mother's hair turn bright pink and it took hours for the potion to wear off.

Barty had woken up in the middle of the night paying no mind to Evan’s arm hanging off Regulus’ bed. He knew they often had midnight chats together. Sometimes you’re too tired or too comfortable to move to your own bed, it’s happened to him before too. The three of them felt comfortable with each other and he loved every second he spent with them.