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"How is he?"
Althea wasn't sure what to say. The whole winter break had been a rollercoaster, for Regulus especially. He was still adjusting to having a family that actually cared about him and treated him with respect. He would flinch whenever her father got up too fast and cried whenever her mother showed him any affection. The fact that he was suffered for so long was beyond her. She and Jace spent most of their time with the boy, reassuring him that he was safe but it didn't help the nightmares.
"It's a working progress and he's still struggling with a lot but he's slowly opening up to me and Jace. Luckily he's only lost a few friends, most choosing to stick by him, I guess they had an idea of what was happening. I think he prefers only having a few friends anyway. I just worry that it might not be enough." Althea explained. In the short time, she had become friends with Regulus, he had become like a brother to her. She had seen first hand what his family had done to him and it wasn't fair for a child to suffer so much for other people's beliefs.
Kazz hugged her close, "I know you're worried about him but you are doing all you can. This is a process that he has to go through himself. If he needs you, you're there but until then, there is only so much you can do. He has suffered so much, sometimes it helps putting yourself in his shoes, what would you need?" He knew Althea identified with him in a way, in a way that most people never would but as much as he knew she worried about Regulus, it was about what he needed and she couldn't stress herself out trying to help him.
Althea thought about it, "I could made him a Sleeping Draught, at least that will help with the nightmares."
"There you, that's something you can do for him."
And that's exactly what she did. The next day, she gathered the ingredients, stealing a few from Slughorn but she knew he wouldn't mind and made the potion. It was late afternoon when she was finally done and made her way to the Slytherin common room.
"Althea, what are you doing here?"
The young witch smiled at her friend before presenting him with the potion, "Here you go."
"What's this?" Regulus asked confused.
"A Sleeping Draught. I know you're still struggling but you're not ready to talk and thats fine so I made you a Sleeping Draught and hopefully that helps with the nightmares." Althea explained.
Regulus became overcome with emotions and hugged her, "Thank you. You have no idea how much this mean to me." He wasn't sure where to start but knowing she was willing to wait until he was ready to talk meant a lot to him and he couldn't have asked for a better friend.
"Don't mention it, I'm here for you."
"I know, you have no idea how grateful I am."
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On the way back to her dorm, Althea was not expecting to run into Sirius. He, of course, had a few choice words to say but when he brought up Regulus, she was not going to keep quiet. How dare he talk about the brother that he abandoned? He made the choice to leave him behind and he had to suffer so much more at the hands of their parents.
"You do not get to talk about Regulus." Althea spat.
Sirius glared at her, "He's still my brother."
"Not anymore. He is now my brother, in blood and legally." She shot back. When the guardianship had been finalised, the family adopted Regulus through blood, making him their son and brother in the eyes of everyone and no one could take him away from them.
His eyes widened in shock, "What did you do?"
"I did what you were too cowardly to do. You abandoned him and left him to suffer at the hands of your parents, with no regard to what would happen to him. My family took him in. We protected him, loved him and showed him the meaning of family. You chose to abandon the only person that stood by you your whole life but no anymore. Regulus is a sweet, kind and smart boy. I will make sure nothing happens to him or endures anymore suffering, especially from the likes of you." Althea explained as she glared at him. She was not about to let him hurt Regulus anymore than he already has.
"You don't know anything." Sirius sneered. He knew that she had no idea what she was talking about. She didn't know how bad his parents were or what they put him through. She didn't understand why he had to leave.
Althea shook her head, "I do. I was the scars on Regulus. I heard what he was screaming in his sleep. I know what they did to you and Regulus but when you left, he suffered so much more. The tortured him for days at a time, starved him and left him in a pool of his own blood and tears. You think you had it bad, at least they didn't use an unforgivable curse on you when you didn't comply with their demands. You left, good for you but you left him behind. How could you?"
"No, they wouldn't. Regulus was their favourite. They wouldn't hurt him." Sirius kept denying.
Althea wanted nothing more than to slap him, "You were wrong, you were so wrong. They made him suffer because you left. Because they couldn't look weak in the eyes of you-know-who. You left him behind and he had to suffer for it. I hope it was worth it."
"They wouldn't hurt him, not Regulus."
"I guess you underestimate the hatred they have in their hearts."
