swan song ━━ regulus black

𝐭𝐰𝐨. a bird less grandiose

Lyall already has half a croissant in his mouth, a flake of pastry hanging onto his moustache. "Sirius the star, eh?" he says. Fianna rolls her eyes, filling up a flask with coffee. She puts a couple of pastries into her bag, a gingham tote that's seen better days, and puts her sunglasses on the top of her head.

"Let's go," says Fianna, pulling Sirius by the arm.

They walk outside, wandering up the house's pebbled driveway to the country road. There isn't a path, but there's approximately one car that drives past a day, so it isn't really a problem. Plus, it's only a short walk before they reach the turnstile to the field, meandering towards the shack in the woods.

"A little wolfie told me you saw my brother yesterday," says Sirius, as they pass through the turnstile. Fianna goes first, and waits for him to push through.

She nods, covering her eyes with her orange sunglasses. "Yeah, he was at my work," she tells Sirius. "He goes there a lot, to be fair... But he was with some Death Eaters."

"Losers," says Sirius, and Fianna agrees. "How was he?"

"Eating death," says Fianna, like she told her brother last night. Remus didn't laugh, though, even though Fianna thought it was super funny of her. Sirius does, though, answering why he's her favourite of Remus' friends. "Haven't you spoken to him? At all?"

"Not since I left home," says Sirius. "Word of advice — he's bad news."

Fianna raises an eyebrow. "That's exactly what he said about Salome."

"Ew, as in Lestrange?" Sirius puts his hand on his chest, as if clutching invisible pearls. Fianna gives him a look. She knew he'd have this reaction — Salome's mission at Hogwarts was to make the Marauders' lives living hell. And, to be honest, if Fianna wasn't related to one of them, she'd probably find them obnoxious, too.

"She's actually really nice," says Fianna.

"You were brainwashed, it's not your fault," says Sirius. "Regulus too, only by that dickhead Malfoy — be grateful you listen to your brother, or else you could've ended up like him."

"I don't think the Death Eaters would accept me," says Fianna.

Sirius raises an eyebrow. "Why, want to join them?"

Fianna sighs. "That's not what I meant—!"

"Oh, yeah, I bet you'd love eating death, as you put it," says Sirius. Fianna starts laughing, and he shakes his head. "To be fair, we've heard of a lot of half-bloods on their side... Snape's one, if you remember that prat."

"Greasy hair?"

"That's the badger."

Fianna frowns. "Nah, I wanna help you guys once I leave school."

Sirius laughs. "Moony won't allow that."

"Tough shit," says Fianna, and she means it.

"Although, he does let you run around with a werewolf once a month..." Sirius looks over at her, and grins. "He's got some fucked up priorities."

After a while, they reach the shack. Remus has gotten himself changed into the bag of clothes he took with him, now sitting, bored, reading a book he apparently packed. He looks up, folds the corner of his page, and sets the book down. Fianna hands him a croissant, the one Sirius jammed full with chocolate spread.

"Sirius was sucking up to Mum again," says Fianna.

"He doesn't have one, be kind," says Remus.

Sirius' mouth opens in shock. "You bitch."