Resurrection
Chapter 7
Wrinkles
D: I do not own anything Harry Potter related and I am nowhere near as great a writer as JKR is.
Dinner was silent. It must've looked a very awkward scene to the other establishment guests and employees. The members of the Order were doing their best to not offend Sirius or Regulus and so no one spoke a word for nearly all of the meal. Harry kept looking up from his plate eyeing Regulus with intense curiosity. This did not go unnoticed, earning a small kick from Hermoine who was sitting next to him.
"Anyone need their tea refilled?" Came the voice of their server, she sounded quite chipper and lightened the dark cloud looming over the table at the moment. A couple grunts to indicate 'yes' came from Remus, Harry and Ron. The girl filled their glasses and was gone. Sirius, unable to take the quiet any longer stood up with his glass and began to speak.
"I know this an...unusual turn of events...but even still, let's not be like this, all quiet and such. It's nerve-wracking."
All eyes turned onto him. He began pacing the table glass in hand, stopping to stand behind Harry.
"Surely we can think of a good dinner conversation."
Hermoine piped up, sounding rather excited. "Krookshanks is going to be a father!"
Tonk's eyes lit up "Oh I just love kittens! Could I have one?"
Hermoine smiled, "Of course you can!"
There was congratulations all around the table, effectively brightening the mood. Who doesn't love kittens?
"There, see? I knew someone had some good news for us!" Sirius laughed.
For the rest of dinner things were more cheery, even Regulus joined in the jokes and good conversation. The group stayed until closing when they were essentially shooed out by the staff. Most of the group went their separate ways, leaving just Harry, Regulus and Sirius at the Black Manor. Harry went straight up to wash up for bed letting the brothers have some time alone.
… … …
"I'm impressed." Sirius began "You warmed up to them quite quickly." He smiled at Regulus, who was currently sitting down in the big comfy armchair watching the lit fire.
"Why?"
"Pardon me?" Sirius was a bit taken aback by that question. It seemed to have come from nowhere.
"You know damn well what I ask." Regulus continued. He didn't take his eyes off the fire. "I'll ask again. Why? Why bring me back here? I didn't think you'd care much that I had...gone..."
Sirius moved closer to Regulus and knelt down beside the chair. He sighed heavily and turned his gaze to the fire.
"Because you are my only brother. Because despite what you might think, I never stopped caring for you. Because..." He trailed off. Could he say it? Could he admit to himself and to Regulus the guilt that he felt? Regulus deserved to know that much after everything that had happened. "I should have taken you with me when I left home."
Regulus turned his head toward Sirius, studying his features. His mouth contorted into a crooked smile. "You're getting old Sirius. Look at those eye wrinkles!"
Sirius stopped his thoughts to face his brother. A look of confusion plastered on his face. "Don't change the subject," he said, slapping the back of Regulus's head. "I'm trying to have a moment here."
"Okay, okay!" Regulus whined, rubbing the back of his now aching head. "All jokes aside, would you really have done it?"
Sirius turned back to the now dying fire. "Yes. I would have, had things not turned out the way they did and I wasn't so self-interested."
The two brothers sat in silence for a moment when Sirius once again spoke up. "Do I really have eye wrinkles?" Regulus only answered with a snort and stood up from the chair making his way towards the stairs.
"Night, Sirius." He gave one final smile, something he'd been doing a lot more of lately. It was a nice change he thought. He received the same well wishes from his brother, who had not moved from his spot.
Sirius' mind was still on one thought. "Eye wrinkles?"
So here it is, a new chapter! I hope it is up to standards. I really do appreciate those who have stuck around and I even have gotten some new fans of the story. I really was not expecting that. I'll be updating more regularly now I think.
Thank you as always, Kelleyphant
