Hiraeth | Regulus Black

Chapter Ninety One

Time, in that small little house the three of them were cramped into, seemed to pass at an impossibly slow rate. After what had felt like an eternity, it was drawing nearer dinner time and they had moved into the kitchen, where Regulus was cooking for them.

Esme had gathered all of the Daily Prophets available in the house and was slowly working her way through all of the fiendishly difficult crosswords in the hope that this world occupy her mind and help her pass the time.
Though it wasn't helped by Sirius peering over her shoulder and pointing out all of the ones he couldn't answer.

"Is that really the answer?" He asked, for what must have been verging on the twentieth time that evening. "Because I never would have known that." He admitted.

Esme put down her quill and stared directly down at the table as she calmly replied, "I could fill a library with all the stuff you 'never would have known'. Oh, wait, that would just be a normal library."

This remark was met by a snicker from Regulus, who poorly masked it with a delayed cough.

"Reg, remind me again why you put up with her?" Sirius grumbled as he finally sat down at the table opposite Esme.

The younger boy turned around to face him and replied, "Well there's a fair few reasons. I find it funny. Esme is nice to me, and I'm not sure you want to hear about the other reasons."

"Ugh." He complained, "You know, I think you deliberately bring up things like that more when I'm around."
Regulus caught sight of Esme flashing her lopsided smirk and he knew she was about to say something that would further wind up the situation.
She blurted out, "Things like what? Like sex? Like your brother having sex? Like me having sex with your brother?"

"Oh Merlin!" Sirius jumped up to his feet and clapped his hands over his ears, "If you don't shut up, I'll jinx you!"
Regulus snorted loudly and had to hold a hand over his mouth to stop from bursting out with laughter.

"Alright!" Esme held up her hands in fake surrender and giggled lightly before turning back to her crosswords.

Regulus turned back to his cooking again as Sirius took a moment to calm down before he sat back down at the table again.
"Don't think I can't get payback. I can use my animagus form to wreck havoc on you." He warned bitterly, though clearly not serious about it.
"I'll play nice." Esme stated, "I'll try, at least."

Sirius cleared his throat before turning to his brother and asking, "What are you doing at the wedding? Will you come?"

Regulus shrugged, "I assumed Esme and I were only invited to be polite and that we weren't actually wanted there."
"What?" He frowned, "They wouldn't ask you if they didn't actually want you there."
"In that case, it might be good to get out of the house for a while." The younger brother suggested.
"Perhaps." Esme nodded.

"You can just come for the reception." Sirius offered, "If that's better."

Regulus leant back against the counter and asked, "You don't think people will have complaints that we're there?"
"Why? It's not like they'll know you're Death Eaters."

"Really? You think they won't guess?" Regulus raised an eyebrow, "Given the families we're from and such."

"Well..." Sirius thought for a moment, "I'll set people straight then. Don't worry about it; I've got your back."
Sirius had been trying his best to make proper reparations with his brother, despite Regulus insisting that it really wasn't necessary.
He wanted to make up for leaving his brother behind all those years ago, and would do whatever it took to make sure that didn't happen again. Sirius really wanted Regulus in his life, and he didn't want anything to push the brothers apart again.

"You know, I'm not opposed to the idea of you shouting at people in the middle of a wedding." Esme pointed out as she set down her quill and closed the ink pot. "I'll go if you promise to do that." She smiled.

Sirius chuckled, "I tell you what we can do to liven up the wedding if it gets too dull. You and I can get Wormtail dizzily drunk and then get him dancing."

"Well that-"
"Oh!" Sirius exclaimed, "Let's make it even more interesting!"
She raised an eyebrow, "What are you thinking?"

"Who can get him to embarrass himself the most?" He suggested, "Deal?"
Snickering, Esme extended her hand to shake on it as she confirmed, "Oh, you're on."

-

a/n
i'm very tempted to write another angsty flashback chapter about esme's sorting ceremony and when her family finds out

idk if you guys would be interested in that? or if you'd rather a different flashback point?

let me know