𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆, regulus black

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝟒: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫

He was playing Quidditch. 

His shoulder needed at least two more months to recoup before he even thought about lifting a broomstick, but he was soaring, and jerking and actually playing a rather vile game of Quidditch. 

Every time a bludger or quaffle narrowly missed his shoulder, she felt a part of herself shrivel up and die.

He was meant to be intelligent. 

She could not fathom which part of his intellect decided it was a good idea to strain his shoulder like that. 

Her hand was completely over her mouth when a quaffle sliced past him brushing against his injured arm. Since James Potter had scored a goal, everyone missed the way Regulus winced in pain as he rolled his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" asked Sylvia Sallow who was seated on Rune's left.

Rune nodded; her eyes still locked on Regulus. 

"You're going to fall off your seat if you move any more, sit back. You're making me uncomfortable." 

Rune pushed back and slumped down in her seat as she anxiously waited for the match to end. 

At long last, the snitch was captured by Regulus and while the rest of the Slytherin's ran onto the pitch to celebrate, Rune followed the direction he rushed away in until she found herself in the change rooms. 

When she walked in, there was complete silence for a minute until she heard the fast running of water. 

It was definitely a shower. 

Rune turned to leave but then she heard a grunt of pain followed by a clang as something clambered to the ground. 

Help me, God, she begged. 

Then, she turned around and walked until she stopped in front of the only cubicle which had the curtains drawn. 

There were no signs of his clothes being discarded anywhere so she hoped he was still fully dressed as she took a deep breath and said, "Regulus." 

She got no reply for several seconds, until there was a muffled, "Hmm?" 

"Can I come in?" she asked quietly. 

He seemed to have expulsed all the air in his lungs before he answered, "Yes." 

Rune pulled the curtain enough to slip in. She found him slumped against the wall, wand in his hand and completely soaked by ice-cold water. 

He was bleeding through his bandages and robes and was frowning as though he was being burdened by intense pain.

"Just how dumb are you?!" she demanded frowning as the icy water hit her. Immediate shivers ran down her spine and she reached forward and turned off the tap. 

Regulus shivered as he murmured, "I thought the cold with numb the pain." 

"You are bleeding. You don't need to be numbed. You need to be healed." 

She used a severing charm to cut through his robes and get it off his body. Once she saw the state of his shoulder, she audibly gasped. 

The bandages were nearly in ruins and completely tattered. 

"How often have you been changing your bandages?" she asked angrily.

"Once a week." 

"Once a week? I told you once a day!"

"You told Rabastan once a day. You told me to get out of your room." 

Rune stared at him. 

He sounded bitter about it.