Authors Note: I felt it was time that dear Regulus was given his light, for I believe he is neglected despite the rumors milling around with R.A.B and how similar his own initials (RAB) are to it. The title of this story is taken from a Razorlight song, and thusly due right is given towards them for the beautiful lyrics that didn't necessiarly inspire the work, but was playing when I originally began writing. Please leave plenty of comments and suggestions and I will be forever grateful.
A winter wind curled in between the crack of the door and the threshold below, a slight whistling escaping through the din of the evening, fluttering down the darkened hallway, lit only by a few sporadic candles upon the wall. Eventually though the wind was forced to lurch to the left, leading into a brightly lit ballroom, the hard wooden floors glistening beneath the chandeliers that hung low from the ceiling that gapes above them, giving the room a look of a Roman temple. Despite it's attempts, the wind would soon be disrupted by the rapid movement of feet sliding across the dance floor, shuffling to and fro as the band played their instruments with increased speed upon the small stage in the far corner.
Around the room were circular tables, lining the edges, roses centered upon the linens dispersing a romantic vibrancy to the guests. Crystal glasses shimmered in the light, clinking together in praise for the magnificent party, but nothing less would be expected of the Blacks. Considered royalty amongst the pureblood elite, if one was invited to a party hosted by the Blacks, it would be your introduction to a life full of wealth, merriment, deceit and power.
But the focus is not upon the adults, as they maneuvered about attempting to create connections with others where they could be forged, it was with the children off in the side room that was void of all fragile antiques that were normally displayed upon the bookshelves. Cowering in the back was Narcissa Black, six years old and already the spitting image of her angelic mother. Beside her was the darker Bellatrix Black, her arms over her chest giving her a ghastly haunted appearance as her eyes flickered beneath the candlelight, for she was already seven. Standing the oldest was Andromeda Black, ten years old with an aura about her that wreaked of energy and exuberance for life that wasn't shared by her companions. Various other children were scattered about the floor, as though placed into a confined prison for the remainder of the evening.
"Sirius, give that back." Said a squeaky voice, raised over the pitch of the echoing chatter in the room, as a small hand grasped outwards to lock around the object, which appeared to be a golden coin.
"Reggie, you'll have to fight me for it." Muttered the elder one, eyebrow quirking up with intrigue as he merely ripped it out of his younger brother's hand.
"Sirius, just give it back to him." Mumbled Andromeda, eyeing her cousin with mal-intent.
"Fine." Muttered Sirius, his eyes flickering over his younger brother Regulus for a moment, before opening the palm of his hand and letting the small boy snatch the gold right back into his tiny fingers. Already reaching the bonny age of seven, Sirius rolled his eyes at his brother's infatuation with the gold coin as though it were mere child's play to him. With a squeal of excitement, the five year old Regulus let himself spin around and hop merely back towards the corner were he had been residing conveniently until Sirius disrupted his quite rapture.
As soon as he reached the corner, he put his back to the smooth wooden wall and slid downwards so that his bottom touched the ground, his knees up against his chest as he fumbled with the gold coin, his eyes widening at the twinge of glittering on the side as the metal reflected the light coming from the candle above. The boy would have remained in his serene corner, had he not hear the screech of another child coming from the center of the room.
"Give it back." Pouted a small girl, and Regulus watched as her bottom lip curled outwards in displeasure, her hand forcing itself forward as he saw his older brother standing there with a snide grin upon his face. Shaking his head, Sirius' shaggy hair fell in front of his ears as he pocketed whatever he had stolen from the girl.
For now, Regulus and his brother were on the best of terms – as all brothers are when this young. They had little to fight over, perhaps who would be able to play with a particular toy, but despite that they were best friends, but something boiled deep inside Regulus at the site of the girl standing there with her head bent forward, and his brother proud and pompous, chin in the air as though he'd stolen the music from the air. Even from this distance, Reggie distinctly heard the sniffling of the girl, a small tear drop forming beneath her eye as it lazily slid down her face and fell to the floor, landing as though in slow emotion upon the wooden floors with a 'splat'. As though an old man, Regulus fumbled his way to his feet, stretching out his small arms as his legs moved robotically towards his brother, who glanced over only momentarily, expecting this smaller version of himself to merely ask what he'd stolen. "Give it back Sirius."
Although it hadn't been what the eldest brother expected, he merely gave the younger a smirk and shook his head negatively. "It's mine now, finders keepers."
"But you stole it." Cried the little girl as she quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes, though they streaked her cheeks leaving lines of moisture through her rosy cheeks, flushed from shouting and breathing so heavily. Regulus couldn't keep his eyes off her. Staring, he watched as her small chest rose and fell with each breath, her fingers curling into little fists at the side of her body as though prepared to punch his brother. Nobody else seemed to notice Reggie's immediate infatuation with her, except Sirius.
"What will you do, fight me for it." At that Regulus' head snapped backwards, staring his small eyes into his brother's, who watched as the pupils narrowed into a thin black line amidst a sea of green.
"Yes." Mumbled Reggie, and despite the lack of size and strength, fit his hands into balls and began to swing them at Sirius, who looked taken aback as his eyes grew wide and he took a giant leap backwards to escape the first few swings. Eventually he lifted his hand and put it to Regulus' head, preventing the arms from swinging their full length to shove into his stomach. He couldn't believe it – Never once had his brother taken him so seriously to actually fight him for something, he should have known he'd have given it back eventually.
"Reg, REG!" Shouted Sirius attempting to stop the little boy from hitting his flailing arms into the lamps that were almost swaying with the prospect of it. "Here here, take it back." He muttered, and turned over his palm to reveal a small plastic ring that glowed a fail pink the light of the room. At once, Regulus stopped his fighting, and turned his eyes down towards the ring, and had Sirius not held his hand to his head still, the boy would have tumbled forward to the floor. Tentatively, Regulus lifted his fingers and began to take away the ring, but cautiously, as though Sirius were trapping him, but with a flash of lightning he snatched it away and back up from his elder brother. The look upon his face was disbelief, echoing into the way his hand shook as he finally turned to the girl about his age and held out his open palm to her tear stained face.
The entire room continued with the bustling, Bellatrix screeching to Narcissa for attempting to cut her hair with a pair of scissors that had been left upon a mahogany bench, and Andromeda was moving towards Bella's mouth with her and to clamp it shut physically. As Regulus lifted his head and finally met the small girl eye to eye, only Sirius saw the glimmer that was split between the pair as the ring was transferred between their palms and the little girl pocketed it immediately. "Thank… thank you." Stuttered the female, her head bowing gently as she smiled softly towards the ground, and a distinct blush curled upon her cheeks, emulating itself on Reggie's face as he dug the toe of his shoe into the carpet, watching as it turned shades of colors depending on which way he wished it to turn.
"It was no big deal."
"What's… what's your name?" Asked the girl, her eyes finally moving up to him, devoid of tears, though clouded from the sobbing that had ensued earlier.
"Regulus Black." It was said timidly, particularly when her face dropped, her mouth agape slightly as she finally managed to gain her bearings. "And you are?"
A pause came between them, and the thin air that pushed the two children apart, seemed to crackle with friendship. "Julie Bradford."
And with that, Sirius witnessed the beginning to a new era.