The Chain|Regulus Black

Piledriver Waltz

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*Mature scenes ahead: abuse*

It was when the sun was shining and Delilah had a paintbrush between her fingers that she saw people the most distinctly. The Slytherin's lounged near the Blake Lake, Leo sat at the base with Evelyn splayed across his legs, Zenith turned sideways, half facing the lake, half grinning in satisfaction at Delilah. Alec was there too, murderous glare prominent as ever. And Regulus, leaning leisurely against the tree in the background, isolated from the rest of the group, cigarette dangling between his lips, school shirt sleeves rolled back, he looked casual, something he found repulsed him. But when you're always disgusted with yourself you lose sight of appearances.

When Delilah dabbed on a lick more paint, she noticed the way Evelyn's eyes squinted when Leo spoke, like she was focusing so intently on his words that they might appear in front of her and she could clutch them to her chest for eternity.

Zenith's grin wasn't always a grin. The sloping lines of his lips meant if he wasn't always smiling, he'd look forever wounded. Delilah made a note that the next time he grinned like an idiot, she wouldn't roll her eyes, she would smile too. Because she knows what emptiness feels like.

Alec's glower wasn't always directed at Delilah. In fact multiple times during the painting, he looked down at his own hands and Delilah remembered seeing him stare at himself in the mirror once, the gaze more furious than ever. It wasn't anger, it was outwardly projected self-hatred.

Regulus Black was always going to be an enigma. He didn't bother to smile for the painting, he didn't even bother to make Delilah's job easier and stand with everyone else. He tested her ability, his eyes glanced over the grounds and he didn't seem to be admiring it, he seemed to be saying goodbye.

Leaning back on her heels, Delilah looked at the canvas and back at the Slytherin's and for once, they looked like real people did. She asked them to let her paint them, emphasise on the them. Delilah didn't want the facade, the smoke screens which went up under the Slytherin banner, she wanted them, and that's what she got.

"Come on Princess some of us have got N.E.W.T's to study for." Zenith called, tilting his head back further, drinking up the sun which blessed the March skies.

"Do you want me to paint you with a Hufflepuff tie? Because I will Zenith, I'll also make sure your hair looks the greasiest shade of blonde I can find."

"You're girlfriends a real bitch Black."

"Oh I know." Delilah's eyes flickered up towards him, Regulus winked before stubbing out the cigarette and loosening his tie, butterflies soaring in her stomach. N.E.W.T's were terrifyingly close and they hadn't spoken about what would happen when their perfect bubble was popped. Delilah would go to work at the Daily Prophet, but Regulus? Only Merlin knows what he would be doing.

"Come on then you rapscallions." They all bound towards her, Evelyn crouching beside her as her mouth fell open.

"Oh my Merlin."

Leo's eyes looked at nothing but Evelyn's portrait, his eyes beaming with her smile and the way she looked at him, kissing the top of her head.

"Not bad Ravenclaw," Alec remarked, shoving his hands in his pockets before grabbing his bag.

"It's all you guys really. Can't paint without inspiration."

"We're far from inspiring." Regulus scoffed, rolling down his sleeves, he felt the dazzling charm drop and the Dark Mark's ghostly appearance under his shirt.

"You are. You all are. That's what I wanted to talk about actually. I know that things have been tense, and after school, well. We don't know what will happen with all that's going on, but I know we will always have each other, I love you all dearly. I know that in the end, all will come good." Delilah smiled a toothy grin, brushing her hair from her face as she packed away the paints, the young Death Eater's all looking at each other sorrowfully.