Brothers ~ A Regulus Black Story

Meeting

Regulus
I'm having some serious déjà vu right now as I leave Evie and apperate to my parents house. The worst part is always leaving her behind. This time is different, she held me tighter and didn't want me to go. She was scared.

My parents house is always dark and if you are on the outside, like I am right now, it looks like a haunted building. An older build with dark bricks. A place that looks like it's been there a long time, but not broken down. The kind of house the neighbourhood kids would dare each other to go up to and knock on the door.

I've already been here more times this year than I have ever been since starting Hogwarts. Not one of those visits have been a happy one. I haven't come home because my parents miss me. They didn't wanna have a family reunion or meet my girlfriend. All they want from me is to join this army even though I don't want to.

They don't care what I want or what I believe in. As long as I keep quiet and pretend I believe in what they do, and I don't embarrass them, they don't care.

All I want is to me building that life Evie and I were talking about before I left.

I want nothing more than to live with her surrounded by Muggles and our fenced in yard and our kids. I just want that life, with her.

But instead of that, I'm here, because this person my parents speak so fondly about threatening the life of my girlfriend if I don't do what he asks.

Because I care more about her and her future than I do about myself.

Because she is all that matters to me and I will not let these monsters be the reason she dies.

I walk up the sidewalk to the door. All I can think of is what my brother would think if he knew what I was doing right now.

How he would be so disappointed in me for this.
Sirius would never forgive me, none of them would.

I push open the door and walk inside. It's too late now. I can't go back.

"Regulus, I wasn't sure if you were actually going to show up." My mother says when she notices me in the doorway.

I have to remind myself to play along and make them think this is something I want. That I'm not being forced into this because the dark lord threatened my girlfriends life.

"You doubted me? I promised that I would not embarrass our family like my brother did." I say. I have never hated myself more than I do in this moment.

My mother smiles wickedly at my response before continuing. "I'm glad to hear you say that, son."

"So.. how exactly does this work?" I ask her.

"We will enter the dining room where they are all waiting for us, you will sit with me and your father. The dark lord will say a speech and then ask you to come over to him. At that time, he will ask you to roll up your sleeve and he will give you the mark." My mother explains. She rolls up her sleeve and shows me the mark on her arm. She has it too. I bet my father has it. I bet even Bellatrix has it.

"Does it hurt?" I ask her. I can't imagine it's not painful. It's like some kind of magical tattoo? Muggle tattoos are supposed to hurt a lot. At least that's what Lily told me.

"It hurts at first, but the pain fades eventually."

I nod in response because I'm unsure what to say at this point.

"Let's go inside now, Regulus. We do not want to be late." My mother says as she gently pushes me towards the dining room. "Make sure to stand straight and look proud that you are here. This is an honour after all."