Debate Exposes Doubt
(Four Times Regulus Didn't Say Anything, and the One Time He Did)
L'amoureuse
Word Count- 424, yes it's short.
Rating- Very light M just for the themes and the darkness.
Summary- Four times, Regulus kept his mouth shut. Four times, Regulus regretted it. But the fifth time, when he did speak, made him regret it even more.
I
'You vile ungrateful little cockroach!'
Six year old Regulus Black sighed; another day in the Black household. This time, his mother was screaming at his older brother for asking for a new broom.
Regulus turned over, sighed again, and went back to his book.
Even when he heard the screams.
II
'I'm so sick of it, Reg. I'm going to get out of here one day, I swear.'
Now nine, with Sirius at ten and a half, both waiting on tenterhooks for the day that Sirius would get his Hogwarts letter.
Regulus grunted and went back to his porridge, and listened to his brother complain all through breakfast.
His mouth stayed shut, cemented with the disgusting oatmeal the house-elf made.
That was fine by Regulus.
III
The thing that Regulus understood now that he was fourteen was that he didn't speak up because he didn't like being put on the spot. He didn't think what he had to say was all that important.
So when Bellatrix announced, 'Let's ambush Evans and her friends after Potions- she stepped on my foot the other day.' And when she smiled viciously, he just looked back at her and nodded.
Later, in the hospital wing, in front of Lily's body, he cried.
IV
He never wanted to be a Death Eater, but because of his chronic inability to speak up, he became one.
He said nothing when Voldemort laughed at his brother's name.
He said nothing when Voldemort rolled up his sleeve and branded him, like a cow.
He said nothing when Voldemort ordered him to torture the Muggle, and eventually kill him.
He said nothing.
V
When Sirius came back that afternoon to pick up his stuff, Regulus was still pretty raw from the experience. That must have been why he spoke, so quietly, and said, 'Don't go. I can't stand them when you aren't here, Si. I need you here.'
Sirius just looked at him harshly and said, 'You think I don't know where you went and what you did today? You're past the point of no return now, Regulus. I'm going and I'm not letting myself get anymore involved in your little dramas.'
After that, Regulus did what he was told, and tortured and killed many.
His parents were proud, his brother disgusted.
And never again did Regulus speak up.