Submitted for Round 9 of The International Wizarding School Championship.
School: Durmstrang
Year: 1
Theme: Ophiuchus
Main prompt: [Quotes] "You do care, you care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."
Optional prompts: [Action] star gazing and [Event] and [Object] Lunar Chart.
Word count: 1,501
Author's Note: Written with my classmate, Quicksilerfox, in mind. I hope you like it, whenever you get the chance to read it.
Guiding Stars
"Now Sirius, make sure to keep watch over your brother, Regulus, as we stroll through the park. None of that garking at those awful sidewalk paintings or running off to play with those dirty children like last year." Walburga Black reminded her oldest son as she magically righted his tie, hair, and coat back to order. It was mid May and the day of the Flower Moon—the day for all British Purebloods to parade their families through the parks.
"Yes ma'am," Sirius automatically answered his mother. His and his younger brother of four interests already piqued by the myriad of sounds that made up Islington Green.
"Enough worrying, Walburga. Let the boys be." Orion reprimanded his wife as he summoned three bags of nuts from the street vendor's wagon down from them. One for himself and the other two for his sons, since his wife detested nuts.
Regulus and Sirius grinned as they accepted their floating bag of nuts from their father. Both boys missing the frown and pointed look from their mother to their father.
"You spoil them," Walburga hissed as she took her husband's arm. A force smile painted on her usual harsh features.
"As if you don't spoil your Regulus. Better to spoil both brothers then just to dote on one."
Sirius frowned as he sensed the building tension between his parents. It wasn't like them to argue out in public like this, especially on such a day as today when they all were dressed up and on parade.
The two brothers shared a silent look before they both turned their attention back to eating their roasted shelled peanuts as they followed their parents through the modest park.
Later the family gathered out onto the back garden and shared a picnic in celebration of the Flower Moon. Thankfully, the sky was clear of clouds and fog allowing the family to see the moon and sprinkle of stars bright enough to shine through the glow of London's lights.
Stargazing was not just encouraged in the Black household but enforced. The stars and the constellations were required knowledge for every Black, according to Walburga. Thus, each week her sons had to recite back the constellations on display above them.
Sirius had once loved looking up and out into the stars but with each new week his passion had slowly died away. That was why he was covertly playing with a small Muggle puzzle toy he had found that day in the park while his family studied the celestial heavens above.
He grinned when he managed to separate the metal tongs-like object from the metal rings. If only stars would provide as much enjoyment.
"Gryffindor? Gryffindor! Where did I go wrong?"
"Get control of yourself, Walburga."
She whirled around, her skirts swirling around her like a cyclone. "Our, no, your son has just been sorted into Gryffindor and you dare scold me? It was your mollycoddling that did this—you have been more of a nursemaid than a father to our sons and it has finally coast this family."
Orion stiffened and straightened to his full height as he crossed the sitting room over to where his wife stood by the fireplace.
"You are raking the coals of my ire, woman."
Walburga scoffed. "Your ire? Ha! Sir, you are nothing but a milksop."
Regulus startled backwards as the ring of the slap filled the small room. His eyes widened in horror as he saw his mother's cheek begin to redden where his father had slapped it. In all of his years and in all the verbal fights between his parents Regulus had never seen it escalate to physical blows.
"How dare you!" His mother screamed as she took hold of her wand and quickly healed her face.
"I warned you, Walburga." Orion's features softened somewhat as he reached out to his wife.
"Do not touch me!" Walburga screamed as she swatted her husband's hand away. "I don't want you touching me ever again."
A tense silence filled the room as Orion and Walburga glared at one another for several minutes. The only sound was the ticking of the hall clock as Regulus worriedly watched on from his chair in the corner.
Finally, Orion lowered his hand back to his side. His dark eyes hard and his back taut.
"As you wish, my dear wife. It's the first order from you that will grant me supreme pleasure to follow." Orion hissed before storming from the room.
Regulus and Walburga both jerked as the house shuddered and shook from the loud and powerful slamming of the front door.
From that day on Orion stayed at his club and rarely came home.
Regulus comforted his mother the best he could the rest of that year.
"Better be SLYTHERIN!" announced the old Sorting Hat before Regulus stepped down from the stool and walked over to the Slytherin House table.
Regulus blinked when he saw his brother's slight smile and wave aimed at him. He reluctantly nodded back to him.
Their mother's words repeated in Regulus's mind, "You must, will, shall do the House of Black proud, my beloved son."
Tonight had been the first step for him in honoring the family name. The next seven years would be his proving grounds as he shows that, yes, he indeed has the merit to honor the Black name.
Regulus grunted as he awoke to find he was in the infirmary and that his arm was in a cast. Carefully he sat up and looked around him. Three other beds besides his own held students too. Two of which were fellow Slytherins, albeit upperclassmen from him, Snape and Nott. While the third was a Gryffindor and dorm-mate of his brother's, Lupin.
"Hello Mister Black. I see you're finally awake." Madam Pomfrey observed as she checked his vital signs. "Do you remember what happened?"
Regulus frowned and shook his head no.
Madam Pomfrey gently patted his good arm. "That's all right dear. You were victim of a prank by James Potter and your brother. Needless to say, both boys are facing detention and Gryffindor has lost many House points because of their rash behavior."
Regulus just numbly nodded a response since he was at a lost to what he should say in a matter like this.
Thankfully, she had already moved on to the next bed and patient instead of inquiring him to comment on the whole matter.
"What are you two doing here? Haven't you caused enough trouble?"
"Ma'am, Professor Dumbledore said we could see our friend Remus before going to bed." James Potter replied playing the part of the remorseful soul perfectly.
"Poor Remus."
Regulus turned and noticed that Evans was visiting her friend Snape. Apparently she had been on the other side of the bed when Regulus had awaken.
He adjusted himself further away from her. His mother's words of warning about Muggleborns ringing through his head—he could not afford any of his magic to be stolen.
"Very well but visitation ends in twenty minutes and your curfew in thirty." Madam Pomfrey stepped aside and ushered the two 'brothers' (for that was what the other students called them, the Potter-Black brothers) in.
Regulus frown deepened. Jealous thoughts threatened to surface but he successfully pushed them down, back into his subconscious. Regulus summoned his book bag from the floor beside his bed and he forced himself to pull out his Astronomy homework and the incomplete Lunar chart from its depths. Homework would be a good distraction as his brother paid more attention to his friends than to his own brother.
About ten minutes later, Regulus looked up when he felt his bed shift to find Sirius sitting beside him.
"Sorry that you got caught up in the hex backfire." Sirius apologized as he reached into his robes's pocket and retrieved a chocolate frog. "Here take this. You know as a get well soon gift."
Sirius took the box and smiled. "Thank you, Sirius."
"Get better. I got to go pull James away from Lily before he ends up another patient in here. See you around school."
Regulus nodded as he watched his brother collect James and leave. A few minutes later Lily also left, and the candles were dimmed.
The Lunar Chart glinted in the candlelight as Regulus studied it while munching on his chocolate frog.
His brother wasn't all bad.
Like their father, he cared, and again, like their father, he probably cared too much.
Regulus hummed and shrugged. A quote from some book floated through his mind: "You do care, you care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."
And, he pondered, not for the first time whether he would ever care that deeply for anyone that he would bleed from the pressure of it.
Vanishing his homework back into his bag, he laid back down. Slumber slowly overcoming his senses.
Perhaps. One day he would care for another that much.
The End