From Beginning to End

Chapter 16: Shattered

Regulus woke up on June twenty-fifth, nineteen seventy-two and smiled. Sirius had returned home a few days ago, just in time to celebrate his eleventh birthday. He was happy to have his brother back, to have someone to bear the grief their parents poured out on them with.

Even more, today was the day he'd be receiving his letter, his letter to Hogwarts. There would be a large celebration with all his family and friends. Most of them anyhow. It was enough to get Regulus out of bed and dressed in his finest dress-robes.

He tip-toed downstairs, careful to not hit the step that always creaked. He entered the kitchen and felt relieved to not see his mother. Only his father was sitting at the dark oak table, reading the Daily Profit, sipping on still-steaming black coffee. Regulus joined him but dared not to speak until spoken to.

      "Good morning son," Orion Black greeted him as House Elves were scurrying about getting things ready for the day.

"Good morning father." Regulus' eyes darted around, taking in the visible parts of the household. "Where's mother?"

Orion put the Daily Prophet down to take a proper look at his son. He adjusted his glasses, waiting for the steam that had collected on them to clear.

"She's getting everything in tip-top shape. Probably punishing any of the House Elves who step out of line. You know how she is."

Regulus nodded, he did know how much of a perfectionist his mother was. He just wished she cared about him more, and about guests and appearances a little less. Hopefully she wasn't treating Kreacher too poorly. He was Regulus' favorite.

      The party started at five sharp. Everyone dressed as if it was the most important day of the year, which in the Black family's eyes, it was. Soft laughter from adults reverberated around the large, echoey ballroom.

Although the party was technically for Regulus, it did not seem that way. The only other people there that were even remotely close to his age were Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy who now were both of age.

He wondered where Lucius' younger sister, Stella, was. He had yet to see her. Though perhaps she was with Sirius. The two of them always seemed to disappear during the night. Regulus wished he'd been invited. Of course there were other Pureblood families with kids closer in age to Regulus, but none were in attendance that night, all having various work excuses and whatnot.

Regulus tried to be friendly with Narcissa and Lucius but the two had escaped somewhere, and based on the lustful look in the couple's eyes, they would not be re-emerging anytime soon.

      "Hey birthday boy, thought I forgot about you?"

Regulus looked up and a smile lit his face as he saw his older brother and Stella.

"Sirius, where were you? I thought you'd snuck off again."

He shrugged and Stella laughed lightly. "Well we did, but I figured I could be present for one night."

The two brothers hugged, and Sirius handed Regulus a very poorly wrapped present, "Here. Wrapped it myself."

"I can tell," Regulus retorted, "Thanks. I'll go tell Mother that you're here."

      Sirius watched as his younger brother sunk into the crowd. He really didn't want to have any sort of discussion with either of his parents but he supposed it was unavoidable at this point.

Stella had snorted at Sirius' expression before disappearing to be with her own family.

A moment later his mother approached him looking as if she had swallowed something extremely distasteful.