Narcissa screamed as she watched him. Sirius saw it in slow motion. Regulus, nine, was leaning out of the guest room window near where they were playing to watch the dogs pass by. He'd slipped trying to take in too much, and instead of hanging he was tilting forward, his laughter turning to blank shock and falling...
Sirius bounded forward and grabbed Regulus' left calf. There was a noise like a THWAP. Sirius clung to his brother's leg and he nearly slipped over too, jackknifed over the windowsill. Regulus was swearing and yelling. “Hold on Reggie! Try not to swing or move! Cissy come here and help me pull.”
Narcissa moved forward, shaken. “You almost went out the window too. How would that have looked?” She shook slightly as she said, “I'm supposed to be babysitting. You two make it look like double murder. How did you get there so fast? I barely saw him going over before you got there, halfway across the room.”
“Just shut up and help me pull?” Sirius said, exasperated.
The two managed to heave Regulus, who was bleeding on both knees, one elbow and both palms, road rash from the side of the house. “Dittany!” Narcissa said, rushing to get it, and Sirius said, “Don't be a fool! We need wet cloths first!”Unseen before, Bellatrix leered from a corner. She must have just entered for the dramatic bits. “Ickle Siwius is so bw-rave. You're bordering on Gryffindor.” Sirius turned from his little brother and faced her. “What's so stupid about keeping Reggie's neck from snapping?”
“I think stupidity in bravery is a Gryffindor trait. Well, bravery is one thing. Being snottishly noble is another.” Bellatrix dark eyes were dancing. She loved visiting her cousins, if only to put spiders down Regulus' shorts or tell Sirius that he smelled like rotting cow carcass.
Sirius grumbled and pouted. “I will not be in Gryffindor. I won't be. I''m Mum's little snake with Reggie. She said so.” Sirius walked toward Bellatrix with his hand out, waving an invisible wand. “Better go before I hex you.” His wand-hand became a fist.
“Living proof!” she crowed as Narcissa came back into the room clutching a small bottle and some cool cloths. She ran forward to Regulus who was choking himself in order to be silent and not whine.
“Rash acts, right? How come you don't call Reggie a Gryffindor? He went out the window!” Sirius snapped.
“I wasn't balanced the right way. Don't make me a Gryffindor too!” Regulus had found his voice and it was fearful. He winced as Narcissa applied the cool bits of flannel and Ditanny. She snickered though, and said to Sirius, “Don't doubt you'll be in Gryffindor. The worst people in the family end up there. Luckily we don't have many rotten apples.”
“I risk a bit to save Reggie, and you judge me for it? If that's what you are, I don't want to be in Slytherin! Damn you all!” And Sirius stormed from the room leaving a hurt and confused Regulus behind.
“I think the seed of doubt has been well planted,” Bellatrix laughed.
“That's not funny!” Regulus shouted loudly enough for the entire house to hear. “You're being mean. I don't think it matters what you say, he's always a snake to me. And he has honour and so do Andy and Cissy, and I hate you, Bella. You're make us look awful. Now go away!”
Bella strode out of her corner, out the door and out of sight. Narcissa left the room loyally with her sister, leaving Regulus holding a damp cloth to his leg, almost having been killed and now there was no one.