Fixing Old Traditions | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒘𝒐

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summer 1977,
everyone has a choice
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An empty bed was what he woke up to, Sirius glanced around, he couldn't hear the shower running, she must have been in the kitchen, making something to eat. He walked downstairs, he didn't find Aimee he looked around, notice that she had prepared breakfast for him, leave it in the fridge on top was a note for him.

Morning lover, I didn't want to wake you, but I left you breakfast. I decided to go and visit Reg, I shouldn't be too long, I'll see you later. Love you. xx

She arrived at Grimmauld Place unannounced it was strange for Regulus to answer the door, he dragged her inside. He warned her to be quiet, as he took her upstairs, he instructed her to go into his wardrobe. Just as she was about to protest, she heard the footsteps of Walburga walking to his room.

"Who was that at the door?" she asked

"No one, I thought I heard the door, but there was no one there," he quickly stated,

"Keep it down, we have an important guest here,"

"Yes, mother, I know," he waited for her to leave, before letting Aimee out of the wardrobe, she eyed him cautiously

"Are you going to tell why you dragged me up here and hid me from your mother?" 

"Everything's been a little complicated lately," he rubbed the back of his neck, Aimee noticed his wrist appeared a little inflamed.

"Reg, what happened to your wrist?" she asked,

"Nothing," she grabbed his hand lifting his sleeve, she gasped at the figure-eight like mark on his arm.

"Why Regulus, why would you-" she could even finish her sentence

"It's not that bad, it'll calm down soon,"

"I don't care about the mark, I care that you joined him," she said, he looked down at his feet, "Reg, his followers are responsible for killing my brother, I can't believe you would join him,"

"It's not like I had a choice,"

"That is bullshit, everyone has a choice and you were just not strong enough to defy your parents,"

"Like Sirius did? When he left everything went to hell, it was put on me to make my family proud,"

"I get that more than anyone-

"I know, that's why I didn't want to tell you,"

"I've got to get out of here, I can't look at you right now," she said, realising she couldn't leave out of the front door,

"Aimee, wait let's talk about this,"

"What is there to talk about, you chose your side,"

She stood on his window ledge, jumping out of the window, morphing into a dog just before she hit the ground. The white dog ran as fast it could, away from the London street, once she reached a clear area, away from Grimmauld Place and her parents home, the dog turned back to herself.

Aimee made it back home, she could hear laughter from outside the house, she peeked inside, James had paid a visit. She quietly snuck around the back, she carefully tiptoed through the hallway, trying desperately not to make a sound.

"Aimee?" Sirius said, she closed her eyes, "babe is that you?" she wiped her eyes, smiling brightly as walked into the room.

"Yeah, I heard James and didn't want to disturb you,"

"Don't be silly, this is your home, you're more welcome here than he is," she laughed sitting down on his lap, he rested his hand on her thigh,

"What have you been talking about?" she asked

"Well, James said, you're helping him with Lily,"

"Yeah, I told him, I would, how've you been?" she asked him

"Okay, I felt strange not sending her a letter at first," he admitted, "but like you said, I need to cut back on the flirting, and grow up a bit," Sirius place the back of his hand on James' forehead.

"Merlin's beard he really means it,"

***

In the weeks leading up to their final year at Hogwarts, Sirius noticed Aimee had been really quiet since she returned from Grimmauld Place. They pulled their trunks through King's Cross Station, she spotted a brown fox out of the corner of her eye, as she turned around to get a better look however, the fox ran away.

"Aims, you alright?" Sirius asked, pulling her attention back to him,

"Yeah, I'm fine, race you to the barrier," she said, shoving him as she ran through the barrier before he could.

"You cheated that's not fair,"

"It's not my fault you can't keep up," she said, her smile fell, he turned around to see that she had seen Regulus.

"What happened at Grimmauld Place?"

"Nothing, just let me go talk to him," she said, excusing herself

She had no idea what she was going to say. However, avoiding telling Sirius now was a must, she wanted to tell him once they were alone and away from other students. She would have told him the night she returned, however, James ended up staying for the weekend.

"Hey,"

"I thought you weren't talking to me,"

"I'm shouldn't have spoken to you like that, I don't know what's happening at home, and I shouldn't have said you weren't strong enough, I couldn't imagine how your mother has been since Sirius left-

"It's alright, you don't need to explain yourself, I thought you'd react that way, I just don't want to lose you,"

"What do you mean?"

"I know his follower are the reason your brother isn't here, I just don't want you to think, that I don't care about you, cause I do, it's why I never told you,"

"Reg, you're my best friend, yes I was mad at you, but you aren't going to get rid of me that's for sure," she said, he opened his arms for her, she glanced down at his wrist, it wasn't inflamed anymore, she smiled at him wrapping her arms around him, she eyed him

"What?"

"You've got taller," she commented, "I guess I'm the short one now,"

"Weren't you always," she slapped his arm,

She hoped that Regulus knew what he was getting himself into, becoming one of the Dark Lords followers, wasn't going to be easy. She knew he would be asked to do unspeakable things to prove his loyalty, she worried what the Dark Lord would do if he was to defy him.