Theseus (June- 1972)
Regulus spent the majority of the past month outside enjoying the fresh air Scotland had to offer. He also spent the majority of the past month alone.
Well, not exactly alone. There was always Theodore.
Despite his brother still being at school, Walburga and Orion had decided to travel to Dundee at their usual time in the month. Upon mentioning this issue, Regulus had been given a sharp look and was told when the time came Kreacher would send for him and deliver him to their summer home.
Regulus had promptly stopped talking.
The apparition was as unpleasant an experience as ever, leaving him with a sense of nausea for the rest of the afternoon. To make matters worse, he had forgotten his aunt and uncle would be joining them for dinner that night, so he couldn't even disappear to his room to sleep it off.
Wonderful.
The first few days are spent acclimating Theodore to his new environment. He sits on the floor with the door open, watching the kitten explore and find his way around.
The cat disappears under his bed, jumps along the rug, and climbs over his chair. Regulus takes one of the spare blankets from his closet and spreads it out, lifting it up into the air and letting it fall over the kitten. After he pokes up through the blanket for a few seconds, Regulus releases him and starts over.
Once he's thoroughly comfortable in the new bedroom, they venture out to some of the other rooms. It takes about another week to work their way up to heading to the ground floor.
Regulus tiptoes behind the kitten, following him through the hall. When they get to the stairs he slips in front of it, prepared to catch it in the case of an emergency. They arrive at the bottom unscathed, and Regulus picks him up to sit on his shoulder.
He enters the kitchen and stops dead in his tracks.
Orion stands at the counter, a lit cigar dangling from his fingers. He doesn't face Regulus immediately, continuing to stare out the window at seemingly nothing. When he does address him, Regulus feels his breath catch.
"Tu ne m'as pas dit ce que tu appelait le bébé."
It takes a second for Regulus to realize who he's talking about.
"Il s'apelle Laurie."
His father tilts his head back, raising his eyebrows, before taking another puff from his cigar. He begins to walk out, stopping next to Regulus to hold his hand out for Theodore to sniff.
"Accueil, Laurie." With that, he exits, leaving Regulus slightly satisfied.
Regulus eventually takes the cat out to the garden with him near the end of the month. He figures it a nice treat considering he doesn't get the chance to play in the grass at Grimmauld.
Theodore goes mental.
He runs through the grass faster than Regulus has ever seen. He covers every square inch of the yard in record time, no longer wary of being in a new location. Regulus gets dizzy just watching him go in circles.
A robin flutters to the ground, landing in front of the planting area for his fathers flowers.
Theodore slows just enough to slink through the grass undetected. In the blink of an eye, he charges forward, pouncing at the bird. It takes flight just in the nick of time, narrowly escaping the attack. It soars through the air and the kitten is left in the dust; or rather the dirt.
"Look what you've done!", Regulus laughs, rushing over to save him.
The cat twists in the dirt, coating his remaining white fur a dusty brown. He blinks up at Regulus, wrapping his paws around the boys thumbs as he's lifted up.
"I can't take you anywhere, can I? You're worse than me."
He brings the cat close, allowing it to climb across his shoulders, and looks down towards the forest.
"Speaking of...let's say you and I take a walk through the trees, yes?"
Theodore mews in approval and soon they're off.
In all the years he's visited, the forest never changes. That's something he's become increasingly grateful for.
Each year that he comes back he finds the courage to travel a bit deeper than he had before. He familiarizes himself with the scenery over the summer, and the next time June rolls around he has no problem navigating to a new terrain. Along with each summer comes an exciting addition to the forrest, whether it's an enormous tree perfect for climbing or a family of some wild animals scurrying about.
Regulus walks until he reaches the stream. He sits down on a large, moss covered rock, watching the water flow over the little cliffs. The sound of the currents rushing past overshadow any other noise going on around him.
Theodore jumps down into his lap, curling himself into a ball. He quickly falls asleep, exhausted from the excitement of frolicking out in the open for the first time.
Regulus leans back, arms propping him up from behind, and basks in the sunlight raining down on him from between the treetops. His eyes close almost involuntarily.
It's a few hours before he decides it's time to head back.
Making his way up to the house, the sun is just barely above the horizon. He stumbles in through the back door, kicking off his shoes before padding through the sunroom.
"Regulus?"
Regulus halts, the joy slowly draining out of him. An odd feeling, he reasons, considering whose voice he's just heard.
"Reggie..."
The voice is closer now. Regulus turns in his spot, facing back at the direction he came.
Sirius stands at the entryway. Regulus let's his eyes rake over him as he comes closer, stopping only a few feet away.
"You're back."
His voice sounds unnaturally cold, even to his own ears.
"You...have a cat." Sirius's tone is skeptical, unsure of how to approach the conversation. "When did you get a cat?"
"His name is Teddy", Regulus supplies after a short pause. He reaches up, taking Theodore off his shoulder.
Sirius blinks, confusion growing more and more. He raises an eyebrow and scoffs. "Since when have you been a cat person?"
Regulus feels a wave of anger crash over him. Who does Sirius think he is: lying to Regulus all those months ago, showing up here unannounced, and now the first thing out of his mouth is an insult to his pride and joy.
"Since when have you been an arrogant prat?", he bites back.
Sirius's face drops. He opens his mouth to speak but Regulus doesn't give him the chance.
He leaves in the opposite direction, climbing the stairs up to his room. The door slams behind him on it's own, resonating through the air. He sets Theodore down on the bed and begins to pace the floor.
It wasn't fair. None of it was fair. Sirius is allowed to come and go as he pleases with no real consequences? To hell with him, and to hell with all of his stupid friends who he claims are so much better than his real family. The whole lot of them are nothing but a bunch of idiotic, self righteous, muggle-loving—
His thoughts are cut off by a resound meowing coming from the bed. He stops his pacing.
The kitten lays spread out in the center, dirt scattered on the duvet around him. He lifts one leg up to scratch behind his ear.
The anger begins to dissipate from inside of him. Regulus feels his whole body loosen up, calming down from the altercation. He shakes his head, giving an exaggerated sigh as he steps forward and holds up the walking ball of dirt.
"You, my dear, are in desperate need of a bath."