What happened?
-August 3rd, two days after accident
He hadn’t meant for it to happen. It just did. And the fact that he maybe had been planning it for a few weeks didn’t make it less of an accident. Sure it did for the most part go as he had planned except for the fact that he had been caught by his parents in the middle of it all. The situation isn’t ideal, but the fact that he was also laying in a hospital bed and wasn’t the only one not hurt helped him look less suspicious. He had just woken up from being unconscious for who knows how long, but it couldn’t have been only a few hours because when the nurse came in to the room he was currently in he looked outright surprised to see Regulus’ eyes looking back at him. He thinks the nurse was saying something to him based on the movement on his blurry lips but everything sounded muffled. As if he was underwater. Now that he actually thought about it his lungs were burning, badly.
He imagined this is what drowning felt like, he had never actually experienced breathing in water but this was probably not far from it. He started coughing, his faced scrunched up in a painful expression and he clutched his chest in panic. He tried to breathe but it came out as wheezes. His eyes watered, his mouth felt like sandpaper, and his throat felt closed off. The nurse had rushed to his side in seconds, he poured something in his mouth, it tasted strange. He figured it was probably some kind of potion, was this supposed to help? It didn’t. It still felt like he was drowning in the desert. The nurse did something, he wasn’t sure what. But right before he passed out some people in ugly green clothing rushed through the door and started to, hopefully, help him.
Ah, perhaps the potion was sleeping draught?
- August 4th
The second time Regulus woke up it wasn’t to an empty room. He had a weird taste in his mouth and the same nurse from earlier stood beside his bed with an empty vial in his hand. Honestly, Regulus wasn’t bad at potions, really he was top of his year, but at this moment he had no clue what he had just been given. “How are you?” the nurse asked with a heavy accent, Scottish. Regulus’ hearing was perfectly fine now. As much as this should have pleased Regulus it only made him irritated to be having to hear everyone's annoying questions. Perhaps he should just pretend he can’t hear? But that wouldn’t make any sense would it? Nothing that happened would have damaged his hearing. Annoying.
“‘m fine-” horrified with how rough his voice sounded Regulus quickly cleared his throat. What would be the best way to go about this? Should he pretend he can’t remember what had happened, or should he lie and say his mother had gone mad and done it or maybe that he had no clue what had happened. He definitely could not tell the truth, hopefully no-one had figured it out. How would they even be able to? His parents were dead, surely? Oh no, what if they hadn’t died. Would they tell on him? Probably not, they would probably want to punish him themselves. But, did Kreacher make it out? Did he tell him to get out before it happened? He must’ve, right? No no no, did he kill Kreacher?! The nurse suddenly looked concerned. Did he look horrified? “Are you sure you’re okay?” Yes, Regulus did look horrified. “Do you remember what happened?” Regulus could only shake his head. “Okay, I will bring someone that will tell you what happened and then perhaps you will remember something,” Regulus was alone with his thoughts. Kreacher.
- August 6th, Midnight
James was sleeping when Sirius rushed in through his door. Not bothering opening his eyes James just open his duvet and let the shorter boy slip under. “James” Sirius croaked. James eyes shot up, looking at his best friend and seeing a broken boy. James’ eyebrows furrowed. “What’s happened? Are you hurt? Is someone else hurt?” he rushed out, eyeing the red-eyed boy. What time was it even? Quickly shooting a glance at the clock on the wall James saw that it was midnight. “Sirius? What’s going on?” The other boy just sighed, closed his eyes. “It’s-” his voiced hitched, “something happened, I just got the letter. Regulus is at St. Mungos.” Sirius’ eyes were still closed but James could see his tears running down his cheeks. “Oh” was all he could say. The brother you claim to hate but secretly care about and love, the brother they are strictly forbidden to talk about because whenever they do you flare up with rage and leave, the brother you say has the same believes as your awful parents, the brother with the colder eyes, paler skin and shorter hair, the brother they were supposed to hate because you said so is in the hospital clearly in bad condition considering your reaction. What is he supposed to say? ‘You clearly don’t hate your brother as much as you say’? “I don’t know what to say Sirius,” because he didn’t. But his friend only clutched his arms around James’ waist and cried silently into his chest. So they laid there, hugging each other in silence until they both fell asleep.
- August 6th, 07.00am
“Morning mum!” James greeted his mother when he entered the kitchen. The smell of newly baked muffins surrounded him. “Morning sweetie,” his mom turned her eyes toward her son, “sleep well?” her eyes filled with questions. Those two words asked more than what was heard. “Yeah, I guess. Do you perhaps know what has happened with Sirius’ brother?” Just jumping directly on topic seemed like the best idea. James had left Sirius in bed since the former was a morning person while the latter was not. His mother didn’t say anything so he continued, “it’s only, he came into my bed last night crying his eyes out, saying something about Regulus,” She continued to just stare, then she sighed and but down her cup of tea. “There was an accident, we’re going to visit Regulus when Sirius wakes up.” Okay that didn’t answer his questions at all. “What kind of accident?” he asked. “James,” she sighs once more, “it is rather complicated.” She looked at him with that face that says ‘stop asking questions, I won’t answer them’. But he acted like he didn’t notice. “But Sirius is my best mate and I should know so that I can be there for him,” he continued stubbornly, “it’s my duty, just try to explain, please?”
“A few days ago- we only found out last night with Sirius, a few days ago there was a situation at Grimmauld place involving a fire. We don’t know a lot, only that Regulus was the only surviving one excluding their houseelf that is nowhere to be found.” “Kreacher”, “Excuse me?” his mother looked offended, “Oh! No, their houseelf, his name is Kreacher,” he explained. “Oh, okay, well Kreacher is missing,” Huh. OH. “Did Kreacher do it? Did Kreacher rebel against them by setting their house on fire!” But James immediately felt like an idiot when he saw how his mother was looking at him. “I am not saying that it’s impossible, but that isn’t what the aurors say.” James stared, “Soo, what does-” cut of by his mothers voice, “No, I will not tell you what they think, if, and that is if Sirius finds out it will be his decision to tell you.” Then she picked up her cup and showed that the conversation was over. James finished his breakfast in unusual silence and then went to wake Sirius.
- August 6th, 01.00pm
He’d only been at St. Mungos a few times. It’s bigger than he remembered. They’d taken the car, dad had insisted, ‘just in case’ he had said. In case of what exactly? What in the bloody hell was he on about. “Hello, we are here to see Regulus Black,” his mother said. She didn’t want James to come at first, ‘it could be upsetting for Regulus’, ‘yeah well I’m not here for Regulus am I, I’m here for moral support for Sirius’. And maybe he’d been just a little curious. Realizing James had missed the entire interaction with the receptionist when everyone had already started walking he rushed to keep up. It wasn’t very cold here, the walls weren’t ghostly white as in the muggle hospitals he’d seen in movies. Instead they were a nice, warm, beige. James felt very proud when he’d noticed the difference. Although the waiting room had been grey? Maybe they were just colors as close to white as possible without actually being called white. What did they have against the color white? James liked white, he preferred red and yellow, but a light yellow isn’t very nice is it. Especially not as a wall color. “Oughf-” James walked into his mums back. “What- Oh, sorry,” He’d been too busy inspecting the walls that he didn’t notice they’d stopped.
“It’s in here, are you ready Sirius?” his mother said. Sirius only nodded and pushed open the door. James walked in last, the room wasn’t very big, but enough for one 15 year old boy. Or was he 16 now? The walls were a pale yellow in here, James was correct, it wasn’t very nice. In the middle of the left wall stood a bed, with a black haired boy in. Sleeping with his back turned to the door. He looked rough from what they could see. James looked at Sirius and saw only a cold face, a façade. Anyone else would think that Sirius didn’t care, but James knew him, James knew Sirius was trying his best to not cry. “Is he sleeping?” James whispered. “No.” Came an answer, but the voice was small, raspy, and it definitely wasn’t anyone he’d arrived here with. Regulus turned around and sat up slowly, carefully. James could tell he was in pain. “Regulus,” Sirius croaked, and then he broke. Tears started streaming down his face just like last night. He walked towards the bed and just stood beside it, crying.
“Hello Sirius,” Regulus answered, very formal, “how are you?” he asked. “How am I? I should ask you that, what happened?” Sirius snapped. He always had a hard time controlling his emotions, very emotionally unstable that boy is. Regulus didn’t answer, he studied his hands laying in his lap. They still looked pristine as always. James couldn’t figure out how, they were both quidditch players and James’ were rough with calluses. “Hello Regulus,” his mother said softly. Her eyes were kind, and she had her warmest smile plastered on her face, James could tell it wasn’t fake. “Hello Mrs. Potter, Mr. Potter. How are you?” Regulus looked up, James didn’t think it was possible but he sounded even more formal. Regulus gave a small smile to James’ parents. “Oh, we’re just fine. But that’s not important, how are you feeling Regulus?” His mother continued softly. Regulus looked carefully at the parents in the room, and very quickly at James. He almost missed it. Regulus cleared his throat and looked at Sirius. James wasn’t sure but his eyes looked wet. “‘m fine, ‘v been better. I’m really glad you came Sirius,” he whispered the last part, but James didn’t miss it. Regulus apparently decided to drop the formality, and then he did the most shocking thing, he took Sirius hand. And Sirius lost it again. Full on sobbing now.
“Regulus- I- I was so scared when I got the letter, I’ve missed you so much, I’m so sorry for leaving you there, I- I don’t know what to do, are you okay, are you going to come home with us? What happened?” he rushed out in unstable whispers. His forehead was resting on the side of the bed as he clutched his little brothers hand. “I- I’m not sure. Some people came and told me what had happened but they left out a lot of information.” Regulus suddenly looked nervous. “What kind of information?” The older one asked. Regulus looked down at his hands again. “Did they die?” it came out in a whisper. The room suddenly fell quiet. Sirius looked unsure, glanced back at James’ mom who nodded, then back at Regulus. “Yeah,” he whispered, “you were the only one still alive when they arrived.” Regulus said something, but only Sirius seemed to hear. “Uhm, I don’t know actually,” he turned around and looked at the parents. “What happened to Kreacher?” Sirius asked. Regulus head was still hung low. Soft sniffles could be heard from him, James’ heart suddenly clenched. He looked so fragile. “The aurors looked through the entire house but he wasn’t there, we’re not sure where he is,” his mother answered. A relieved breath left the youngest boy, as if he’d held his breath. Then his head was in his hands and Regulus was now the brother with tears streaming down his face. Small sobs were heard from him as Sirius sat down on the bed, hugging his brother for the first time in possibly years. And Regulus let him.