Chapter 8: Goodbyes
Notes:
Okay, so. I've decided to post a chapter every two days, so, keep and eye out for that
Warning: mentions of past abuse/a little bit of angst bc of Walburga
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was always hard to watch Sirius go back for the holidays, but saying goodbye to both the Black brothers hurt him more than he was expecting. He knew what happened in that house, he knew how much both boys suffered, Sirius' nightmares had been enough for James to invite him over, and knowing what he knew about Regulus, the fact that his mother is the reason he can't talk, James didn't want to let them go, he wanted to drag them off the train with him and hide them in his house until they were both 17, but both boys had assured him they'd be good and they'd leave if it became truly unbearable.
He watched Regulus walk past James without even a glance, and it tore his heart apart to think of how alone the boy would feel, his friends were almost all purebloods, but Walburga had become far more strict about who could visit the house after Sirius' sorting, limiting it to only family and approved betrothed, even Teddy and Andi couldn't enter the wards.
The train ride back to Kings Cross was a subdued affair, Sirius mentally preparing himself to go back, Remus was holding his hand, squeezing it every few minutes, Peter and James made quiet conversation between themselves, but they were both worried about Sirius.
As they left the train, James, Peter, and Remus all waved goodbye to Sirius, and then Remus left to find his mum, James' dad showed up not long after, waving goodbye to Peter before being pulled into side-along apparition, appearing back at his home, giving his mum a kiss on her cheek he took his trunk up to his room and sat down to write a letter to Remus and Peter.
These holidays were going to be so long.
~
Regulus knew it was bound to happen. His parents had been talking about it for a while, and the Dark Lord would take 16-year-olds, his mother had sat them all down for dinner before saying anything about it. Their cousins were over, Narcissa and Bellatrix had already taken the mark, Narcissa because of her husband and Bellatrix because of her madness, Walburga hadn't taken the mark, but everyone knew they were allied with Him. Both his cousins' awful husbands were there as well, Lucius seemed to be constantly sneering.
"Sirius, you are to take the Mark." Walburga had been on firecall with some other Death Eaters before dinner, she knew he'd heard, but she brushed him off, he couldn't talk, so how was he supposed to tell anyone?
"No. Absolutely not." Sirius stared down his mother, his chin held high, and Narcissa inhaled sharply.
"Why not little cousin, too scared?" Bellatrix teased, her hair had gotten even messier since marrying into the Lestrange's, she kept it down and curly most days.
"Sirius, I am not asking, He will be coming after Christmas, and you will be getting the Mark." Walburga's voice was filled with ice, clearly trying to scare her eldest into doing what she'd said, and it may have worked a few years ago, but Gryffindor had taught Sirius to be unafraid of Walburga.
"No." With that, Sirius left the table, stomping up to his room. No one in the house knew what he'd be doing, but Regulus knew he'd be packing.
They would be leaving.
~
Remus came right after the moon, his mum dropping him off with some pepper up and wishing the boys a Merry Christmas.
They talked most of the time, Remus was too tired to do much else, and they helped his mum bake, she'd always liked baking with people, and that trait had been passed on to James as well.
They kept their Holidays lazy, trying to distract themselves from worrying about the Black brothers. The change in their Holidays happened on a random night, late in the night, with frantic knocking on the front door.
~
As soon as Regulus had finished his dinner, he went upstairs to check on his brother. He walked into the room, seeing that Sirius had changed and that he had a bag of clothes, his trunk missing, probably shrunken and hidden in his bag.
"Go pack, I'll come to get you when I'm ready." Sirius hurriedly whispered, Regulus nodded and went to his own room.
Once he was in his room, he knocked on his wall twice, his signal with Kreacher, the house elf popped up moments later.
"Master Regulus, is everything alright?" Kreacher asked, Regulus shook his head and started packing, Kreacher helping without being asked, once Regulus had a small bag of things he'd need, and his trunk in his bag, he sat with a piece of parchment to explain what was happening to Kreacher.
'My parents want Sirius to join the Dark Lord, so he is running away, I'm going with him before they can make me do the same.' Regulus would be sad to leave Kreacher, but he knew he couldn't free him either, the house elf had been bound to the house, not the people, he couldn't leave. Kreacher read over the short letter, before setting it alight with a snap of his fingers.
"I will be sad to see you go, Master Regulus, but glad you will not join Dark Lord." Kreacher hugged him for a brief moment, before disappearing, seconds later, Sirius walked through his door. Regulus shoulders his bag, ready to leave 12 Grimmauld Place and never come back.
They snuck out through the windows, such a muggle way of doing things Walburga would never think of it. They continued to walk until they got past the wards when Sirius grabbed ahold of him, and then they were apperating away.
Regulus stumbled out of his brother's arms once they'd appeared, dry heaving and almost falling on shaking legs, when he saw his brother, he must have splinched himself, because he was covered in small cuts slowly leaking blood, and then Regulus noticed that Sirius' leg was broken, he quickly lifted his brother up, with Sirius' arm slung over his shoulders. Sirius muttered his thanks, and then pointed in a direction, Regulus started walking.
They eventually made it to their destination, Sirius had been here before, he'd snuck out with James, and had told Regulus all about the Potter House, so Regulus had a basic idea of what he was looking for. He walked, slower than he usually would be because of his brother's broken leg, and once he was at the door, he started knocking, loud and frantic, Regulus could see how late it was, and he knew the house would most likely be asleep.
Suddenly, the door opened, a disgruntled James on the other side, Remus just behind him. They both froze at the sight of the boys at their doorstep, and Sirius looked up, offering a smile that looked more like a grimace,
"Heya Moony, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." At Sirius' words, both boys jumped into action, James pulling them both in and holding Sirius up, while Remus looked over his boyfriend's form taking in all the damage. A gasp from up the stairs bought the boys' attention away from Sirius, to a woman with dark skin like James' and greying hair pulled up into a bun, she'd clearly just woken up, and she was holding her wand, she quickly ran down the stairs, instructing James and Regulus to deposit Sirius onto the lounge. She quickly scanned him for damages and started healing him, Regulus sighed in relief, and almost fell over when his legs gave out under him, the only thing keeping him up was James, he walked them both over to another lounge, sitting next to Regulus, watching the woman and Remus fuss over Sirius.
"Are you okay? Uninjured?" James asked, looking him over, Regulus nodded.
"Did Walburga do this?" Remus asked, worry and anger clear on his face, Regulus thought he saw his eyes glow a little, and Regulus shook his head, opening his bag and pulling out some parchment, James passed him a quill from the coffee table, and Regulus started writing.
'My mother didn't do this, he splinched when we apparated. We decided to leave after Mother told Sirius he would be getting the Dark Mark. I had no idea he could even apparate, but he took me with him, the stupid boy.' Regulus showed it to James, who read it out.
"Regulus dear, are you sure you're alright? Can you talk?" The woman looked towards him, she was petting Sirius' hair. Regulus looked at James, pleading with his eyes for James to explain it, James nodded.
"No mum, he can't talk, an accident when he was a baby left him mute." James pulled Regulus closer to himself, squeezing his arm.
"Oh you poor thing, James, will you take him up to your room? I'll bring Sirius." The woman, Mrs Potter, looked at Regulus with pity, but Regulus was far too tired to care at this moment, letting James pull him up and following close behind, a bed sounded nice.
James' room was nice, it wasn't the red and gold mini-common-room Regulus had been imagining, but he was clearly proud of his house, and he had a large bed in the middle of the back wall, it wouldn't fit all four of them though, and that's where Regulus started to become confused, he turned around to look at James, and saw his brother walking past the door with some help from Remus.
"Remus and Sirius will share tonight, we'll get separate rooms sorted tomorrow, but right now I just want to sleep." James said, reading the look on Regulus' face perfectly, Regulus nodded, and followed James to the bed somewhat awkwardly. As James climbed into the bed, Regulus stood, picking at the edge of his dinner robes, he hadn't changed before they left, and he felt awkward getting undressed in front of James, he didn't want him to see his words.
"Do you want me to turn around while you get dressed? I don't mind." James said, placing his glasses on the bedside table, Regulus nodded, and James rolled over so he wasn't facing Regulus anymore.
Regulus got changed as fast as possible, his face flushing the whole time, and he climbed into the bed beside James. James rolled over and smiled sleepily.
"G'night Reg." He muttered, his eyes drifting closed and his breathing slowing, Regulus swallowed, it sounded so different coming out of James' mouth, Regulus could feel his face was hot, but couldn't do much about it, instead, he rolled over and tried to force himself to sleep.
Notes:
Only one bed troupe, my favorite, I couldn't write anything without it.