Bookish-Remus lupin

23

The children arrived home, "We've got company coming children, Walburga get Kreature to clean!" Orion's voice called from the parlor. Syd shrugged before going upstairs to unpack their shopping spree. The dust on the railing seemed to have been wiped clean, the pictures looked more solemn and the families vase of roses had wilted into brown shreds of the bright red roses they once were. Regulus had noticed too as he picked up a rose similarly to how one would pick up a wineglass. He was delicate with it and inspected it three times over. "What the hell happened when we were gone?" His voice asked the smaller girl next to him. Syd looked around the landing, looking for other evidence that might suggest what happened. Nothing, nothing as far as the eye could see. "Do you feel weird too?" She asked her younger brother. He replied with a nod before going to turn the handle on his bedroom door.

As soon as Regulus' hand made contact with the brass door handle, the landing was filled with the scent of burning flesh. He turned the handle quickly whilst gritting his teeth in pain. Once Regulus had let go, Syd could see his arm shaking. "What the actual fuck..." She said as the burn across her brother's hand instantly began to blister. Regulus wore an expression of pure hatred, hatred of the house, hatred of his parents and frankly hatred of whoever had cursed his door knob. Sydra quickly pushed her brother into his room and wedged the door with a thin book. She cradled his hand before going into his small bathroom. She was frantic, tears in her eyes. She knew her family was deranged but deranged enough to intentionally burn their children? Surely not. Syd searched the medical cabinet that seemed barren compared to her own, she was constantly stocking up her cabinet yet there was hardly any need to refill Regulus'. Then she went to the draws under the sink, everything was neatly tucked in its own designated place. Typical Reggie. Her hands scraped a packet of bandages and her fingers wrapped round them like a snake with its prey. Regulus was inspecting the damage to his right hand. The blisters seemed to have formed already, he looked up at Syd from his seat on his bed.

Syd had always been there for her brothers and yet Regulus often felt like him and Sirius weren't there for her as much as she was them. They knew she'd always be there if it was to patch them up or a middle of the night chat, Syd was the best sister both boys could have asked for and yet they felt helpless in return.

She wrapped the gauze round Regulus hand after applying a generous amount of antibacterial. "Keep looking at it, don't touch the door knob with your bare hand, put a sock or something round it. Just do NOT touch it." She said sternly before removing the book from the gap in the door to let herself out and quickly replaced the book when she was in the hallway. She walked as calmly as possible to her own door and took off her cardigan, those letters stared up at her from their comfortable position in her flesh. She wrapped the material round the doorknob and turned it quickly, the heat coming from the metal was ridiculous. Entering her room with all of their bags she placed them by her door as well as the burnt cardigan.

Once she was in the peace of her room she let some stubborn tears fall, she was used to cruelty. She wanted her big brother, Sirius was probably off doing something amazing she told herself. Sirius... Where was he when she needed him? Where was Remus, James and even Peter? Where were her boys? She loved them so much, each and every one of them, she believed their problems and quirks to make then who they are. She missed Sirius' protection, James' morning bad mood, Peter's following footsteps, Remus' books, Remus' words of wisdom, Remus' hands, Remus' smell...

She let the tears stream down her porcelain face before finally moving forward to her bedside table, there laid one of her most prized possessions. She picked up the picture in its frame and held it close to her chest, she watched as Remus' canines caught his lip as he smiled and laughed with her beside him, the picture seemed to taunt her.

"Sydra, Regulus, change into something nice and meet your father and I downstairs in ten minutes please." Walburga's voice rang across the hallway. Sydra wanted to howl, howl with pain and misery, hours ago she was so happy. She'd seen her big brother -her protector-and his dorky best friend who she loved like a third sibling. And now the world around her seemed to want to strike her down. Every day was a constant battle in 12 Grimmauld Place even if nothing major had happened.