MAROON

XXV. Fourth Year: Why Do People Love Cornering Him So Much?

November 14, 1975 (Friday)

REGULUS ARCTURUS BLACK

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Regulus was quickly trying to get changed after Quidditch practice. He really just wanted to get the hell out of there. Practices had been torture lately for multiple reasons. The first was that Frank had gone insane with Quidditch this year cause it was his last year and he wanted to win. The second reason was that he was forced to be in the same area as Sirius and James for hours. The third was that Hezekiah was really fucking hot when he played Quidditch.

"Fawley and baby Black can you stay back real quick?" Frank asked them. Frank always referred to the team by their last names and since there were two Blacks, Frank had started calling Regulus baby Black. He didn't even bother to correct him.

"Of course," Hezekiah responded. Regulus really wanted to kill Frank in that moment.

The rest of their team all cleared out of the locker room until only the three boys remained. "I just wanted to say that you have been playing extraordinarily lately, Fawley. Meanwhile, Potter has been slacking so I'm going to have to rely on you scoring us goals. I can't help you as much now since I'm keeper this year and this will be McKinnon's first game so the team is basically counting on you. Baby Black can help you with that by catching the snitch though. You better not hold back on Rosier just because you guys are mates now, baby Black," Frank told them.

Delina had injured herself over the summer so Marlene had took her spot on the team. They had learned Marlene wasn't a very good keeper, but she was a good chaser so she took Franks spot instead and Frank became keeper. "I wouldn't dream of it," he reassured the older boy.

"Good," Frank stated before he left them alone.

Regulus tried to leave, but Hezekiah caught his arm. "Not so fast, Regulus."

Regulus tried to shake Hez off him. "Let go."

"Not until you stop fucking ignoring me."

"I haven't been ignoring you," he lied.

"That's bullshit and you know it! Look I don't know what I did wrong, but whatever it is I'm sorry for it, okay? I just want my best friend back," Hezekiah apologized.

Best friend. The words stung, but he didn't let it show. "Sorry I've just been.... stressed and pissed off with everyone. It's just been hard after this summer."

"It's alright just please don't shut me out, okay?"

"Okay," Regulus agreed with a nod.

⭑ ⭑ ⭑

December 10, 1975 (Wednesday)

Regulus was just walking an empty corridor when someone suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him into the corner of the hall. He watched as his brother pulled off James's invisibility cloak. Great, just great. "Fuck off, I don't want to talk to you and you know that."

He tried to leave, but Sirius blocked him. "Just please wait, Regulus. I- I need to talk to you."

Regulus just stared at him for awhile. He wanted to deny Sirius's request, but their was something in his brothers expression that told him he really shouldn't. "About what?"

"Last year. It's about why I didn't come home."

Regulus rolled his eyes. "I don't want to hear your shitty explanation. You chose James, it's fine. I don't care, I'm over it now."

"I didn't- that's not what- please just let me explain to you what happened."

"Then explain."

"I can't here," Sirius said.

"Why do you mean you can't explain here? This is fucking stupid. Can I just leave now?"

"Please just follow me, Reg."

Regulus caved in eventually and he followed his older brother down some random hallway. A door appeared out of nowhere. "What the fuck..."

"It's the room of requirement. I accidentally found it last year. Now follow me."

Of course Regulus knew what the room of requirement was he just didn't know it actually existed. He followed Sirius into the room. "Can you explain now?"

Sirius nodded before gesturing to the couch. "You might want to sit down for this. Trust me."

But that's the thing, I don't trust you anymore Sirius. He gave him a skeptical look before sitting down. Sirius handed him a letter and Regulus read it. He felt his stomach drop to the floor as he read it. "Is this some kind of joke?! This isn't fucking funny, Sirius!"

His brother shook his head with a sad look on his face. "I wish I was joking. I- I should have told you when I recieved it, but I didn't want to put you in danger which sounds stupid because that's literally what I just did, but I just couldn't keep it a secret from you anymore."

"Who else knows?"

"Just the Potters and Remus. James was absolutely pissed. Effie and Monty wanted to take it to the ministry, but I told them I couldn't. Not with you in that house."

Regulus suddenly realized why Sirius was telling him this now. "So that's what this is about? You want me to stay at the Potters over break."

"Is that something so bad to want? They are murders, Reg. You can't stay there anymore."

"Well I'm not staying at the Potters. And even- even if I wanted to... they would never let me, Sirius. Mother and father wouldn't allow it."

"Then I'm coming home with you," Sirius announced. "I should have come home this summer. I broke your promise."

Regulus shook his head. "Sirius you can't."

"It's either you come with me to the Potters or I go home with you. Which one will it be, Regulus?"

Regulus frowned and looked away. "I can't stop you from coming home." Sirius frowned at him and he stepped forward to wrap his arms around him. "So he's really dead then?"

"Yeah, he is," Sirius rasped. They both stood their crying in their arms and Regulus wondered how many times this same moment would happen. They kept hating each other and then ending up back like this.

He was scared. He was really scared. He knew the comment at the end of the letter was directed at Sirius, but he knew it could very well be the same for him too.

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This chapter is lowkey shit, but it's alright 😀

Words: 1,047