Chapter 11
Remus had dealt with enough panic and chaos in his life to be accustomed to it. When Sirius came whirling into his life he welcomed the boy with open arms. Chaos, unpredictability which were troubling to most felt like comfort to him.
Growing up in and out of hospitals would do that.
Despite his inclination to disarray he never got used to the initial panic that came with it. When James called him, dazed and terrified, every bone in Remus’ body went into fight or flight mode.
“Remember the boy we met that morning.”
“Sirius’ brother?”
“Well I know for sure they're related now.”
“What did you do?”
“That’s something for you to lecture me on later.”
“Did you hurt the boy James?”
James turned to Regulus, the younger was now on the bed, curled up and silent. Glass still lay scattered on the floor and James was willing to bed some of it was in his hands.
“He’s hurt but it wasn’t me.”
“Then why are you so bothered.”
That question received only silence as a reply. Why was he so bothered? Was it because he saw something familiar in those exhausted eyes? Or was it because he was simply too weak to turn away from anyone that showed the slightest ounce of hurt.
“I just am Remus.” James sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “If you saw him you would be bothered too.”
“Sirius told us to stay away from him,” The voice on the phone was growing more hesitant, James knew that the boy couldn’t stay away from those who were injured for too long.
“Leave him James, or I’ll tell Siri.”
As James turned around from the door, facing Regulus, the dial tone still echoed in his ear. The boy hadn’t moved, lost in some spiraling thought. He wore an expression that James had seen countless times before on Sirius’ face.
“Sirius probably told us to stay away for a reason.”
“But-”
“Has he noticed you? Asked for any help?”
James shook his head, and despite there being no video Remus still understood from the silence.
“Then leave Jamie.”
The dial tone sounded out, an alarm to James’ worried mind and his hand sunk, phone held limply from the fingers. He turned on his heel, ignoring his screaming conscience and before he knew it he was back in the empty hallway. Trying to forget the feeling of hands around his wrists, trying to ignore the question forming in his mind.
Would it be different if the roles were reversed?
—-------
Ever since her hunch had been slightly confirmed Dorcas Meadows has made it her sub goal in life to get rid of Regulus. So the last 20 minutes was spent in intense planning and mental scheduling till she devised the ideal timings she could swing by and ‘accidentally’ bump into Regulus.
She spent the rest of her day at Lily’s snooping around until she found the younger boy's logbook and memorized his notes left on the fridge. She slyly pulled up the topic in most of the conversation, delving out what little information the redhead had about Regulus.
She knew that he followed instructions to some degree, and perhaps if the odd brainwashing kicked in once more she could use it to her advantage.
Because no matter the method she had to remove the unstable variable from the equation. Not only was the younger boy disturbing he also appeared to be fraternizing with the enemy,
James Potter and he had shown no interest in the boy until Lily had tossed him aside.
Which begged the question, Was Regulus plotting something here?
To any person Dorcas may seem incredibly paranoid and horribly cruel but all the deep-rooted hatred stemmed from a very rational reason. The day she and Mary had returned from the welcome dinner with the new roommate her girlfriend had spent an hour burrowed in pillows, tears trickling down her cheeks.
Lily had called up 20 minutes later, ‘I’m sorry darlings I really didn’t think he’d be like that. He called me so desperate and arrived looking so pathetic I had to give him something. I can kick him out tomorrow if you want. This was all so sudden anyways, I’m so sorry.’
And despite all the apologies and tears Dorcas had told Lily that the boy could stay, because firstly she understood being desperate for a place to live and secondly she wanted to extract her own method of hell onto the boy.
But with the chaotic joy and the constant outings and the various parties that followed Regulus’ impromptu arrival, Dorcas completely lost focus on her goal. Lost track on the boy altogether. With the group broken Dorcas needed a new project to distract herself.
Standing close to the door, glancing at her watch, the curly haired girl waited for the boy to walk through the apartment. No one was home at the moment, and it would be the perfect opportunity to discuss things as loudly as Dorcas wanted.
“You're late.” She said, as the door clicked open.
“Well Dorky darlin I didn’t know you were expecting me at all.”
Her eyes widened, “Sirius? I’m not expecting any idiots to walk through the door right now.”
“You wound me sweetheart, I cannot say the same because I was looking to walk into an apartment full of dimwits. You seem to be a couple short though.”
“We’ll call if we’re looking for more.” she deadpanned, “What are you here for.”
“Just dropping off this paper for dear brother of mine, important to keep enemies close and all y’know?”
“He’s not here but I can pass it on.”
Sirius wrinkled his nose, leaning against the doorframe, “Please don’t, just dump it into the neat freak’s room. He’ll walk in and notice that something is out of place.”
Dorcas smirked, an important document, a reason to enter Regulus’ room. Maybe James Potter’s friends were more useful than they seemed.
—---
Slowly she went into that psycho’s room once more, eyeing the bare walls with a grimace and hoping that there would be some item of substance hidden in the countless drawers and the looming gray cupboard in the corner.
She didn’t so much as glance at the paper in her hand, knowing Sirius it would likely be some cheesy joke or a scribbled out horrible drawing to torture his sibling. She’d known Sirius long enough to see how he treated James, a brother in all ways but blood.
She paused suddenly, thinking of James and Sirius and the countless talks and the permanent love they seemed to have for each other. The two could barely be separated for more than a day, constantly wound up and overly affectionate. But yet Sirius had never even mentioned Regulus to the rest of the group.
The only indication he had ever shown was the cold hard line his mouth set into with Regulus’ name came into the conversation, or the unnatural scowl that crept its way into his face, and the most important acknowledgement was the paper, one that Dorcas currently held in her hands.
Dear Parent/Guardian
This is to confirm …….. will be allowed to participate in any function, event and competition hosted in and from Sparrow National Ballet.
Your decision may be withdrawn at any point of time and no injuries will be treated or blamed upon the school.
Thanking you,
Acting Director,
Lucius Malfoy
Sirius’ untidy scrawl of a signature was scratched onto the bottom and there was a blot of ink at the end. As if he’d hesitated or regretted doing it at all.
“What do you want?” Regulus sounded tired, and surely was because Dorcas had been in the apartment for nearly six hours and Regulus had been home for none of them. His schedule on the fridge had said he’d be back almost two hours ago.
“Sirius came by, said to keep this in your room.” The girl didn’t miss the way Regulus seized up at the name but instantly brightened when his eyes fell upon the paper.
He immediately snatched it away eyes settling at the bottom corner, transfixed at the signature.
“Thank you.” And it was the most sincere, genuine thing that he had ever said, no snarky undertone and no biting remarks for the first time he sounded excited and childish, a natural joy dripping from his words.
Dorcas was momentarily taken aback by the sparkle in his eyes before remembering her original goal, she snatched the paper back folding it neatly, “I have my own conditions, considering that I’ve basically been entrusted with this paper.”
Looking at the exhausted eyes and determined stance Dorcas had a small inkling of pity for the boy, and deep inside she wondered if it was truly fair to kick him out based solely on his odd personality and then she recalled Marlene’s quiet sobbing and her hesitant demeanour and she said the next words with certainty.
“You move out in one month and I give you the paper.”