A Pureblood's Guide to Dating The Brothers Black

Chapter Twenty-Two: I Hate You

Regulus wanted to scream bloody murder. He was far too fearful to ask Lette if she thought that of him. And especially after the events of last weekend... fuck.

The three of them when they were just children were inseparable. Him and Lette always the closest, but Sirius and her always had a sort of tethered bond. But once Sirius had been sorted into Gryffindor, the two of them drifted apart. Even his relationship with his brother was never the same and it all happened the day he left for Hogwarts.

Regulus closed his eyes, remembering the memory.

He clutched onto Walburga's obsidian skirts as he felt his chin wobble. He didn't want to cry. He was a Black and they were taught to be obedient, never shed a tear and serve their elders.

But this was his older brother— Sirius.

They had been attached at the hip, alongside Colette, and the thought of him just leaving for an entire year was far too much to bare.

Walburga narrowed her eyes at her son. "You belong to the Noble and Most Honorable House of Black, Sirius. If you dare disgrace or disobey me, you will regret the day you were born!" Her words were like venom. "You tend to want to disgrace this family with your obedience issues. I will not be submitted to having to explain your antics to the rest of the families."

Sirius only smirked up at Walburga, challenging her in a way. "I promise to only serve, Mother."

Regulus knew that it pained him to even say that simple familial term. Walburga's lip coiled up into a sneer. Nervously, Regulus glanced around, afraid that his mother would strike with her wicked back hand right here. She was not beyond public displays of violence. The two Black brothers had become used to such aggression over the years.

And Regulus could only assume that it would become worse now that his eldest brother was gone.

"Please don't leave," Regulus practically begged, releasing his mother's skirt.

Sirius sighed, pulling his younger brother into a tight hug. The two stayed like that for a long while, before Sirius whispered into his ear. "I will be back before you even notice that I'm gone. I give you full permission to raid my room, I believe I have a box of chocolate frogs stashed somewhere." Sirius gave Regulus a wink, before adding, "Christmas holiday is only a few months away."

Walburga bristled, running a hand over Regulus's curls. "He will be far better off without your—" But her words trailed off as she spotted the Rosier family. She stood up a tad bit straighter, running a hand over the bodice of her dark gown. "Cressida— Felix—"

The Rosier family, with Evan, Joséphine, Bastien and Colette in toe, strode up gracefully to the platform. The train screamed its high pitched whistle in the background, signaling that it was nearly time to leave.

Leave... Sirius would be leaving.

He couldn't help but wonder if Colette was feeling the same way. Her bright grey eyes were locked on Sirius, milky with hours of crying not only her older brothers and sister, but also for his own.

"Walburga— Orion—" Cressida dipped her chin in acknowledgment. With a soft motherly grasp, she placed her delicate hands on Joséphine's shoulders. "It is always such a bittersweet time seeing our children off. And this is your first, correct?"

"Yes, Sirius here will do great honor to our noble household. Slytherin is the best house after all and a long line of Blacks before him."

"Yes," Cressida smiled demurely. "It is Joséphines third year and Bastien's seventh But Evans first year. Of course we would prefer all of our children in Slytherin, but whichever house they so choose will be perfectly fine."