Regulus Black- Drowning

Crucio

Burning, screaming, crying and drowning. Regulus had never felt such a sordid sensation in his life. His skin felt as though it was melting away and he could do nothing but writhe on the floor in unwilling submission.

Walburga stood above him, cold and unflinching.

Regulus could hardly think of anything other than the excruciating pain tearing through him. His muscles twitched and shook uncontrollably. He truly did not know what was happening, moments prior he had been expecting to talk to his mum, what had he done wrong? Why was he feeling this? Sirius's screams of protest had long since stopped and Regulus felt as though he was dreaming but this was no dream it was a waking nightmare.

Seconds felt like minutes and minutes felt like hours and soon the part of Regulus that had managed to piece together rational thoughts started to slip away.
There were moments when the pain seemed to recede but like clockwork, the second he felt at some sort of disturbed ease the feeling came back tenfold.

"M-mu-mum?" He choked out each word setting his vocal chords ablaze.
"Mummy! Wha-t are you d-doing?" He sobbed trying his best to keep his eyes open and look at her.

"Regulus, you've been reckless for far to long. It's time you learn that actions have consequences." She spoke in a voice that hardly seemed the appropriate level of concern for her son given the task at hand.

"St-stop. P-please stop!" He begged. He was struggling to even comprehend the pain as it flowed freely through his veins. And soon his ability to speak had failed him.

"This Regulus is discipline." She hissed at his losing her calm demeanor if not for a second.

"Right, I believe you have learned your lesson Regulus." She coldly spat showing no care for the crumpled form of her son.

"So-sorry". He stuttered before his eyes rolled to the back of his head. He hit the cold floor of Walburga's library. Murals of blood and bruises painted his face from Walburga's hexes and jinxes.

"Pathetic..." She muttered as she left rolling her dull grey eyes. She kicked him on her way out for good measure.

She had hardly left before Sirius came barrelling down the stairs and into the ghastly library. He stopped, paralyzed with concern as he stared at his little brother. Regulus was in the corner of the grand and gaudy room, huddled into a protective ball on the cobble floor. Sirius seemed to awaken from his trance when Reg let out a pained groan.

Sirius observed how every part of his body seemed to tremble and his muscles tensed with every movement.
Cautiously Sirius walked closer.

"Reggie?" He quietly inquired. He paused. He didn't want to but he knew he would have to wake him. But alas he needed to, he needed to know if Regulus was still sane, He needed to know if Regulus was still Regulus.

Carefully Sirius reached out to tap his brother's shoulder.
"Regulus, please Reg. Just-just open your eyes for me." He softly asked.

Regulus seemed to gain consciousness as Sirius gently nudged him. And soon to Sirius's relief those ocean eyes, identical to his own, stared back at him.

All Regulus saw however was a looming figure with black hair and a sharp jaw towering over him. Adrenaline rushed through him and his eyes widened with unmistakable fear. He scrambled to get away but it was to no avail. His body dragged slowly in disobedience.

"N-no.. Please no m-more.. I'm sor-sorry." He sobbed despite the pain it sent through him.

Sirius watched for a moment in horror as his brother begged and writhed for mercy. All the things he had tried so hard to protect Regulus from had now caught up to him. Guilt flooded him.

"No...no Reggie! It's-its me!" Sirius said as he made a move to get closer to his brother.
Much to Sirius' dismay Regulus flinched away.

In his hastened movement Regulus wiped his eyes and relief consumed his when he saw his worried brother attempt to soothe him.

"S-siri?" He choked out in his haze. "It.. It hurts."

Sirius Black truly did not think he could hate his mother more if he tried but unfortunately he had been proven wrong. His mind filled with an utter disdain for the vile women he'd been unlucky enough to be born to.

"I know, I know it does Reggie. Just-just please keep your eyes open okay" he requested firmly yet lovingly. "It's okay Reg, you're okay." He said trying in vain to ignore his own tears.

"I'm sorry!" He sobbed " I didn't mean to do anything wr-wrong Siri!" He begged for forgiveness.

"You didn't do anything wrong Regulus! You're okay." He paused once again. "Can-can you stand?" He asked calmly, he knew he would have to get Reggie to his bed.

Regulus merely let out a cry in response he raised his hand and looked at the blood on them.

"I'm so so sorry... So sorry...sor-sorry" he repeated as a mantra, his eyes now looked straight through Sirius as though he were nothing but a mere figment of imagination.

"I'll get you upstairs Reggie, just... Take a minute... Catch your breath?" He offered. " Are you hurt badly physically? Is it Serious?"

Regulus muttered a reply.

"What was that Reg?"

"No. Your Sirius." He smiled in spite of himself.

How Sirius managed to get Reg upstairs is quite frankly a miracle. A miracle with lots of stumbles and tears unfortunately. Somehow Sirius had managed it and he was now washing Regulus's face as he slept.

Luckily yet sadly Sirius was rather good at tending to wound due to own experiences with his temperamental parents. The cruciatus was much harder to treat as after its effect had worn off the only scars it left were on the inside. They were deep nevertheless.

Sirius watched as his brother trembled in his nightmarish sleep. Sirius truly could not believe Walburga had hurt Regulus. Regulus had always been obedient and docile little thing, he impressed his parents willfully.

A part of Sirius felt extremely guilty, he was to turn eleven soon. Now he knew his parents had crossed a boundary with Regulus he was reluctant to leave. He knew Hogwarts was safer than here but he hated to imagine what could become of Reg with him gone.

What Regulus didn't know is that day would soon pale in comparison to the pain he would one day face.