Author's Note: Final chapter! Well, actually in a couple days I'll be posting an index of the chapters, because they don't come in order, and it isn't necessary to read all of them. Bye!
Regulus the Clever
It wasn't easy, growing up in Sirius Black's shadow.
And being only a year younger, it was even more difficult.
Their parents always focused on the older, the heir of the two boys.
Sirius was their little prince.
And Regulus was the spare.
Orion and Wallburga could never have been called caring parents, but even the cold interest they showed in Sirius could have been salvation to the younger.
No matter what he accomplished, it didn't matter, because Sirius had already done it.
Regulus had always thought his brother a fool.
He had everything, wealth, a home, their parents' attention, but what did he do with it?
Threw it away, crushed it, spat on their very name and family.
And then, to go into Gryffindor.
Traitor.
So Regulus was left alone in the grim old house with two furious parents, a library of dark magic, and no way to escape.
Sirius had never understood- Slytherin didn't mean evil.
It was a person's choices that made them who they were, not their house.
But Sirius was always too loud, too brash, too stubborn.
So he went into Gryffindor, and never looked back.
Regulus's parents never really liked the idea of their second son becoming the heir.
He was smaller, slighter, weaker than his brother.
But he would have to do.
They began building him up at ten to become a perfect little prince.
(Sirius didn't come home for Christmas).
So the little boy grew cold and distant, protecting himself from the horrors of his parents' world.
When the older son finally came home from Hogwarts at the beginning of summer, he barely recognized his brother.
(Not that he tried too hard).
Their mother was cruel and their father was distant.
One time, that summer, they got into trouble together, and Sirius was punished more than Regulus.
(For the first time in their lives).
He was angry, and accused Regulus of being their mother's favorite.
And he stormed off before Regulus could ask how being in that position could ever be considered favorable.
But the Gryffindor boy grew closer to his friends and farther from his family.
And the younger distanced himself from the older.
Regulus was in Slytherin, of course.
(What other choice did he have?).
Sirius was furious.
As the years continued, the two brothers conversed less and less, until finally Sirius walked out the door for the last time.
("Why didn't he take me with him?").
They didn't talk any more.
He was fifteen when his brother left.
And Sirius's name was taken from the family tree, so Wallburga turned her insanity-filled eyes to the younger brother.
He would be their prince.
And when his parents began worshiping the Dark Lord, he shrugged and followed along.
Soon, Regulus's parents insisted that he joined Voldemort.
(And let's not forget about dear cousin Bella).
He was sixteen!
(So young).
Sure, he could have left, but where would he go?
His friends would have turned him over, and Sirius?
Sirius would call the Aurors and watch with glee as they dragged him away.
(No, Sirius could not be trusted).
So Regulus allowed the madman to tattoo his arm, and fell in line with the worshipers.
He never really believed in their mantra, but it always seemed better to the alternative.
Sirius had always accused Regulus as never being passionate enough.
That he never had anything he was so supportive of that they trumped everything else.
Sirius told Regulus that he was too cold, too removed, too Slytherin.
Regulus didn't understand why that was a problem.
But he freaked when he got in deep.
This was not at all what he had expected.
Regulus had hoped to stay in the background, to avoid the death, the torture, the murder.
He should have known that as a Black, he could never fade into the background.
So Regulus, repulsed by the sights that tainted his dreams and tattooed the inside of his eyelids, worked against Voldemort.
He had always been a smart fellow, despite what Sirius liked to proclaim.
And because of his, Regulus discovered Voldemort's secret.
The horcrux.
He was ready, he was tired of the Dark Lord, and he had found a way to bring him down.
But there was no one he could ask for help.
It was a difficult choice.
Regulus wasn't ready to die...
But he had finally found something to die for.