As Long As We Have Each Other

Prologue

Regulus was two weeks from turning sixteen when the summer breaks at Hogwarts began, but he knew what was to come once he returned to Grimmauld.

Last year his brother had ran away from their house, which ended up in their mother disowning him from the family and putting all her attention on him.

Regulus Arcturus Black. The younger son of Orion and Walburga Black. The perfect son. A perfect pureblood heir.

At least that's what they thought of him when they saw him. No one knew that he was infatuated by a Muggleborn and a blood traitor.

Oh what a laugh it would be. Both sons of the Black family ending up like this, one in love with a half-blood man, other with two people at the same time.

Perfect pureblood, yeah right.

When he had arrived at the station, Sirius and he had acted as if they were ignoring each other, for his sake. Because even after Sirius ran away he was still there protecting him. In his own way.

His father had not arrived to pick him up, he had stopped after his second year. His mother stood at the station waiting for him with her straight as always posture, her face showing no expression.

He made sure he was seen with Evan, Barty and Pandora, his friends from the "right" sort of family.

He didn't make her wait long, just spoke quick goodbyes to his friends before moving ahead to his mother, shortly bowing to her. "I apologise for making you wait mother."

"Yes, next time be quick with your goodbyes." She replied monotonous. She didn't warn him before apparating them.

He has apparated with his parents so often that he didn't feel sick anymore from it. Still, to be back at this place, without Sirius this time, made him feel slightly nauseous.

Sirius had always been there. In this house they both were dependant on each other, their sibling love was all they had. They would never be what normal siblings are like, but what they had was better than nothing.

Now he was trapped behind these walls all alone.

He didn't blame Sirius for leaving. If Regulus could possibly do that as well, he would have.

He didn't blame Sirius for leaving him either, because to be fair he really hadn't. They both knew that one of them had to stay.

Their parents needed an heir. Someone who would bend to their will, who would do as they wish. And Sirius could never bend. He would break before he could bend.

So he told him to leave, to live a happy life for both of them. To not think of him as he made good memories at Potter's. He'd rather have his brother live away than have him suffer the way they both had over the years.

Afterall, their parents disliked Sirius more. Their disappointment, the heir who did nothing but bought the family name to shame. They needed one heir who would be their perfect doll.

And Regulus would be that.

He would play the part to perfection. He would be a good pureblood son, the heir they wanted while Sirius lived a good life.

He wouldn't become what they wanted, definitely no. But he would pretend the part to perfection. After all they weren't going to die sooner than later anyways.

"Go to your room Regulus. If you want something ask Kreacher. Do not disturb your father. You may use the library if you need to, we'll speak later after dinner. There is a very important talk we need to have."

"Yes mother." He replied curtly and left for the comfort of his room.

The walls, windows and bed of his room are draped with Slytherin's trademark colours: emerald and silver. The Black family crest is painted over the bed along with the family motto: Toujours Pur.

Always Pure.

From the looks of it, neither him nor his brother are interested in following that motto.

His room was slightly smaller than his brother's, not because he was favoured by his family because he most certainly wasn't, but because he had been the heir. In their family the only thing that mattered was that there was someone left to follow their ridiculous traditions.

He couldn't wait until his parents died.

The time for their talk at the dinner came quicker than he had hoped. He had an idea of what it might be about, since they had a conversation with Sirius last year. The very same conversation that led to him running away.

In a twisted way, he had thought of all the ways to get away from it, but fate can never make life easy for him apparently.

"Regulus, son. You know of the Dark Lord," his mother spoke to him. It wasn't a question. Just a fact. "He has a great agenda, very respectful and noble; and now that you are to turn sixteen soon it is expected of you to take the take the dark mark and follow him like a good pureblood."

She was standing next to his father's chair where he seated like a king in his throne.

Regulus hesitated, raising his hand politely.

"Do you disagree with me now?" she asked dangerously. His father spoke nothing, just watched him with a calculative look.

"No, mother. I whole heartedly agree with you on the view that the dark lord's agenda is indeed extremely brilliant." He lied smoothly. "But as a proud pureblood, I find the idea to serve someone else slightly degrading. After all I am now the heir of the noble house of Black. I find the idea of serving a man who isn't even willing to tell us his actual name like a house elf to be slightly humiliating for someone of as honourable family as ours."

His mother did not seem to like his response. She was used to his silence a bit too much, the idea of him disagreeing with his wishes was not up to her liking. "Now listen you-"

But apparently his father had different ideas. "No, Walburga. The boy is right. He's our heir now, him serving someone else will be undignified for our family. He won't be joining any side; it would be better if he stayed away."

His mother just pursed her lips, she clearly disagreed with him but there was nothing she could do now. One thing about a traditional pureblood family was that they were ridiculously conservative.

Patriarchy, racism in terms of blood purity, homophobia, these all things were displayed very proudly. It was disgusting really.

"Go back to your room boy, do your homework." His father ordered him. "You've done acceptably well in your studies this year. Keep it up."

And that was how he escaped his mother's wishes of getting a death mark.