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Regulus was never fond of mornings or nights, he thrived in the late afternoons. They were something close to his cold heart, back home it was the time where maman would go on her walks, leaving the entire house a little bit brighter. Papa would sit in his office and pretend he didn’t live in a house full of bitterness and sorrow.
Right now, he couldn’t understand what he was seeing. What was this? Why was Evan on the floor? Why did it smell so much like blood? Why was he trembling?
What was happening?
When reality caught up with Regulus everyone in Hogwarts felt it. The hatred, the fear, the desperation, the pain.
He was trying to put Evan's blood inside his body, like that would make him wake up. “Don’t worry. Don’t worry. I’ll fix it. It 's okay. It’s okay”
His hands were shaking, spilling even more of Evan's blood on the floor and into himself. If Regulus was honest he doesn’t know when the professors came in, he only knows that he didn’t want anyone seeing Evan. This was his and only his to see. When he heard steps he quickly cursed an illusion, he guessed it didn’t really translate to that because he still heard the gasps.
He involuntarily cornered himself with Evan's body on top of him, he was bracing Evan as if that would protect him.
He shut his eyes, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze or to listen to them. He kept a rocking back and forth with Evan on top of him whispering “I’ll fix it. It 's fine. I’ll fix it”
Then he felt how someone was trying to talk to him but he didn’t want to understand. He kept doing his small ritual. Begging the Gods to bring him back. He couldn’t lose another one.
Barty was gone. Murder. And now Evan?
Was this his punishment? Was this some twisted reality where everyone died except him? Regulus couldn’t breath, didn’t want to.
He felt the way people took him away, taking Evan away from his hands. He screamed, at least he thinks he did, to let him go. To let Evan but the reality presented to the professors was just a boy with tears spilling from his eyes without saying a word.
“No! No! Let me go! Let me-!” The words that bubbled from his throat stopped coming out, replaced by sobs.
Then, just as fast as the sobs came, they went. Leaving him numb with tears on his face and blood all over him. It was like a switch.
He walked behind the professors since Evans' body was long away. He felt the gaze of all Slytherin on him, he felt the pity, the disgust. He knew Dumbledore tried to talk to him but it was just background noise in his head.
They walked him over to the grand hall, not even to where he was going to be held. He sat down with no intention of standing up, how could he?
He was left alone and Regulus felt, finally felt, the numbness slipping away letting the interminable guilt consume his heart. He hoped, wished this was a nightmare. That he will wake up and Barty will be flirting with Evan and poor Evan would be flustered with the tip of his ears red. Regulus didn’t wish for anything more than to wake up.
It could have been hours or mere minutes before the door of the hall opened again, he didn’t bother to look who it was. No one was important.
“Reggie”
A voice he hadn’t heard in centuries talks and a horrible laugh comes out of his mouth. Of course, that fucking cenile man would call the only person in the world that he didn’t want to see.
“What do you want?” He said.
Sirius didn’t talk right away.
“I’m sorry”
And-and that was the worst thing to say.
“For what” regulus now looked at him, he knew the sight he presented to his brother. Tears, blood and an unnatural pale face.
“Rosier. I know he was your friend- I’m sorry” Regulus could see the way he was playing with his sleeves.
“I don’t give a fuck if you feel sorry”
“I know” he sighed.
“If that was everything you can go” regulus said. Panic setting down in his stomach.
“I don’t think you should be alone” Sirius at least was honest.
Regulus stand up abruptly and faced his brother “I’m not going to fucking kill myself if you think that. I have a duty. Duty you don’t understand, that Evan didn’t understand that NO ONE! Understands. I’m not a coward” he spat. Ugly word to describe Evan but he couldn’t help it.
“No one thinks you’re a coward, regulus” Sirius said, calm.
“Go to hell, Sirius” because how dare he say such a thing when he was the first one to tell him that.
“Go to fucking hell. Of course they think I’m a coward! Everyone thinks it! My house, father, Cissy, Belatrix, Barty, you, Evan! All of you. And maybe you are right maybe I am because who let-who let their friends do what Evan did, hm?”
Regulus is rambling and shouting like a mad man. But he can’t stop, not now that he opened his mouth.
“He’s gone. He’s gone and we all were supposed to-he swallows the last part. I’m never going to see him again.” He finishes.
“I’m sorry” that’s all Sirius says.
Regulus cries. He cries. Then he screams, screams and screams until he feels his brother's arms around him shushing him and holding him.
This was the last time Sirius held Regulus. This was the last time Regulus let himself grieve for his friends.
One year later Remus would be the one holding Sirius after he learned his brother died. Cissy suspected that he was murdered by you know who.
Barty Crouch Jr.
Evan Rosier
Regulus Arcturus Black
All dead from different reasons, but at the end, all of them dead.
The end.