Regulus stood behind the enormous sculpture of the Black family crest wishing, as he did every year, that it weren't made of ice. It wasn't particularly easy to hide behind ice, but as this ridiculous sculpture was the biggest thing in the room it would have to do.
It was a pointless narcissistic statement that while the Lestranges, the Malfoys, the Rosiers and the Macmillans might be invited to these beautiful and extravagant Yule parties, they were only here because of marriage. The Blacks were the ones with the power. The Blacks were the Most Noble and Ancient; this was their birthright.
Regulus hated it.
And this year, to make things even worse, he didn't have his brother to cause a distraction and divert attention away from him. Sirius had left just a week before, leaving fury behind in his wake. Regulus had half-expected his mother to cancel this year's party and bury herself in the shame that her eldest son had brought on the family. Instead, she had spread the invitation to even more of their sprawling extended family in order to show off the new heir.
"It's a bit much sometimes."
Regulus looked up; he hadn't heard his uncle approaching. Alphard looked at him with those kind grey eyes and patted him on the shoulder.
"You miss your brother."
"I have no brother," Regulus replied automatically. That's what mother had insisted: that Sirius was gone and was to be forgotten. As though he had never existed at all.
"He will always be your brother, Regulus, no matter what that sister of mine tries to tell you."
He stared at Alphard, trying to gauge if he knew anything of Sirius's whereabouts or not. He had always been his brother's favourite uncle; always full of interesting stories about his travels abroad, never toeing the family line. Had Sirius gone to him, after he'd left? Was he at Alphard's right now?
His eyes flickered across the room and found his mother staring intently at him, beckoning him over with an urgent hand. No doubt she wanted to show him off to yet another distant cousin.
"You are mistaken, uncle. I have no brother," Regulus repeated, and gave Alphard a brief nod. He could have sworn he saw a flicker of disappointment cross the older man's face before he turned and resumed his position at his mother's side.