"I KNOW YOU ARE mad at Regulus but you really should speak to him." Florence told her.
It was a calm evening, the stars shone brightly and there was a moody atmosphere that clung the walls of the school, no one wanted to return to school.
The Slytherin quartet, (a name which Florence called them, she was set on adding either 'iconic' or 'main' but Lucius quickly shut that idea down.) were currently studying together for their 'Surprise' Pop quiz for Potions. (Slughorn thought it was a brilliant idea to inform his students the day before about the test, so that he could see how much they all could remember from the sixth year content after finding out that none of them acutally was aware of what was happening in Potions. yay!! take in note of the sarcasm.)
None of Narcissa's friends had told her what had happened with Sirius and Regulus, however it seems that both boys were equally angry at her. Which really didn't matter because guess what? She was also extremly pissed at her cousins as well. She only knows that whatever that had happened was horrible, and no one was to utter a word about it.
Whenver Narcissa even mentioned the situation, Lucius would avoid her gaze and tell her that it really was not that important. But if it wasn't that important then why was there tension between the Slytherin purebloods?
"Absolutely not." She said firmly, "Flore, I somehow managed to convince my mother to allow me to accompany you to France so then I could escape the daily trauma she gives me. I then promised Regulus to write to him everyday if he writes back, which he does not, and then he had the audacity to be super fucking pissed at me. Then I ask Sirius what was up with his brother and the boy decides to full out ignore me."
"Right, but have you acutally tried to talk to Regulus?" Florence asks her, Narcissa winces slightly, the idea had completly slipped out of her mind.
"No.. But it really cant be that bad, I mean Sirius and Regulus fight like all the time. I just don't get why any of you guys tell me about it."
"Well I'm not a Black so really I would keep my distance away from the drama." Briare says looking up from her box of food, the girl was the only one who was not studying.
"Yeah that doesn't mean you can't tell me what happened. I deserve to know, I am a Black." Narcissa replies.
"Lets not talk about it right now, we should focus on our main priority which is passing the potions test, and most of its theory." Lucius suddenly speaks, like usual he quickly dismisses the topic.
She glowered at the platinum blond boy who didn't notice the look as he was writing something, "Fine pretend that the problem doesn't exist like you always do."
The boy looks up a red tinge in his face from anger, "Says you."
Silence fell between the four, the only sound was from the rustling of wrappers of the sweets Briare was eating. Narcissa was fully aware of what he was talking about, and she was now pissed at him for bringing it up.
"Hey guys, sorry I couldn't join earlier" Asteria interrupts oblivious to the tension, her long braids now had blonde interwieved in them, contrasting with her natural dark hair colour. "I was helping some fifth year with relationship problems."
Narcissa immediatly calms down and smiles brightly, "No problem, we just only started revising. I love your braids by the way, its different."
"I hope in a good way?"
"Yes definitly."
"Well then thanks, Dorcas Meadows helped me."
Asteria grins, she was absolutely fascinating to Narcissa who had never met someone who looked like her, she was different and that intruiged her. She also never had met an American, and was fully aware that her mother would not approve of the girl.
"Why are you so involved with some kids relationship?" Florence asked with a tone Narcissa had never heard her use.
"I accidently became Hogwarts relationship expert." Asteria replies with a laugh.
"That's kinda stupid." The burnette states, Narcissa kicks her under the table, the girl looked back at her coyly.
"I know." The girl says laughing again. "I was the new American girl who looked different to everyone and then all the sudden I become everyone's therapist."
"If you guys can't study without talking I'm going to leave." Lucius interrupts grabbing his book to move to a different table.
"Oh come on Lucy, live a little, we both know that you know everything already." Briare says snapping the box full of sweets shut.
The blond rolled his eyes and Briare stuck her tongue at him.
"I'm going to head out now, I've studied enough."
"You didn't even study B' the only thing you did was eat." Florence pointed out,
"I was watching Lucius study and that increased my iq so I'll be fine." Briare replies, tucking the box under her arm.
"I hope everyone's not leaving because of me." Asteria says, Narcissa shakes her head immediatly before remembering the question she had been meaning to ask her.
"I've noticed that lately you've been talking to Sirius a lot..."
"Don't even ask that question Cissy." Florence butted in, she ignored her and continued.
"Has he told you about anything that has happened in the summer holidays?"
Asteria looked at her with a questioning look, "No?"
"Cissy's been trying to find out why Regulus never replied to her during the summer and why when she asked Sirius what was wrong he ignored her."
"Oh... I think that's probably best if you ask one of the brothers instead of me. I honestly don't know anything that's going on in this school."
"Says the relationship therapist." Narcissa muttered causing Asteria to laugh loudly.
"Speaking of Regulus..." Florence began staring past Narcissa's head, she turned around and saw her cousin.
He stood staring at the three girls, grey eyes sullen and contrasted with his dark eye bags. His wavy hair greasily stuck to his head, he appeared as if he had not washed it for a while. The worst thing was that he looked complelty broken.
They made eye contact. Regulus retreated immediatly.
"Well what are you watching the poor boy for? Follow him." Asteria told her slapping the back of her back gently.
"I'll pack up your books for you if you dont return." Florence said softly, Narcissa smiled gently at the girl before following her cousin.
*
SHE ENDED UP FACE to face with Avery, much to her detest and surprise because since when did Regulus hang out in his dorm? She had to bite the inside of her cheek to refrain herself from murdering him.
"What are you doing here?" Avery asked with a smirk. "Did you just come back from hanging out with Malfoy?"
Narcissa tasted a metallic taste in her mouth.
"Yeah and I decided to visit Regulus to see how he's holding up, you know after the situation." She said carefully, praying that he doesnt ask her about the situation and that he accidently tells her about what happened.
"He's doing fine." Avery says instead of what she hoped. "He's looking a bit down since he's stressed because of that stupid little bitch."
Narcissa frowned slightly confused, before realising shes supposed to hate the 'stupid little bitch' "Of course, its all that bitches fault you know."
"I do know." He says with a shake of his head. "Makes me feel bad for the guy."
She blinked in surprise because since when did Avery have a heart?
"Right, so where is he?"
Avery stepped aside, she walked past him pressing her lips into a smile that wasn't truely genuine. He shifted slightly stepping into the room, she shot him a look and he left.
Regulus sat at his desk with his back towards Narcissa, she locked the door and casted a silencing spell so that Avery could not listen in. It quickly fell silent, she stood in the middle of the room watching the back of the boy who was staring at the wall in front of him.
"Regulus..." She spoke softly as if she was talking to a scared animal. "Are you ok?"
He turned around to face her, tears filling up his grey eyes, "Am I ok? Are you ok Narcissa? Is Malfoy ok? Is Grimrose ok? Is Sirius ok? How does one know if they are ok?"
"Are you ok Reggie?" Narcissa asks placing a hand on his shoulder, the boy hit it away immediatly and with great force it took her in surprise.
"Why do you care? You never answered my letters." Regulus said angrily.
Realisation fell upon her, she never recieved any letters through out the summer holidays. "What letters?" She whispered.
They stared at each other trying to figure out what might have happened, Narcissa crouched down to his level. "What letters Reggie?"
A loud broken sob came out as a response, she sighed softly and placed a hand on her back bringing him to a hug. She could feel that his body had shrunken, she could feel the bones that made up his spine and that destroyed her heart.
They were in that position for a while, Narcissa hummed softly while rubbing her hand up and down his back in an attempt to calm him down. He eventually ran out of tears and she allowed him to stay in the hug.
Regulus gestured for her to take a seat on his bed that was beside his desk, eyes were bloodshot and small sniffles came from him. "I wrote letters to you Cissy and you never replied, you were my only way that I could truely express my emotions, my only comfort and you never replied."
"Neither did you."
He chuckled softly, "Well if you're telling the truth that you did write then I can say that I never recieved them."
"Why though?"
"Not sure." He said running a hand through his hair. "You have no idea how bad the summer holidays were. It was a living torture and much worse then usual since Sirius ran away."
"Sirius did what?!" She exclaimed,
"You really don't know what happened do you?"
"No."
So Regulus told what happened, the story leaving both of them teary.
"I'm so sorry Reggie... If I wasn't selfish and was at home, you would've been way better then you are now." She told him, the boy shook his head slowly.
"You weren't being selfish, you needed a break to spend time with your loved ones and you got one." He replied.
"So you haven't spoken to Sirius since that night?" She asked,
"Sirius hates me now Cissy, he asked me to runaway with him and I said no. He has always told me to stand up for myself and when I had the opportunity to I didn't take it, he looked so disappointed when he heard my answer." Regulus laughed sourly.
"I'm sure he wasn't"
"The thing is Wallburga told me that he ranaway because of me. I just didn't know how to leave." He said placing his head in his hands breathing in shakily.
"Regulus, look at me." Narcissa instructed him, "You stayed because Sirius couldn't, and that takes as much strength it did to leave, he loves you still."
"We saw each other the first time after that night, and he looked so happy. The horrible thing is that I felt jealous and angry, because I'm shattering and he's just laughing, he doesn't care, he didn't even glance at me."
"I'll talk to Sirius if you want? We can clear this misconception that he doesn't care." She suggested, the boy nods slowly.
"I'm sorry Regulus, no one deserves what you went through." She whispered, and then Narcissa left him alone.
*
"SIRIUS CAN WE TALK?" Narcissa asks, her cousin was sitting with his gang. He was leaning against Remus who was reading, Peter was blowing air through a stick and round clear spheres appeared floating in the air. Sirius and Potter were passing each other a flask, the brown haired boy shoved his hand that was holding it behind a pillow and smiled at her as if nothing happened.
"Your drinking?" She questions unimpressed.
"Yes so what?" "No what are you talking about?" James and Sirius answered together before glancing at each other. "No are you drinking?" "Yes we were."
"Smooth" Remus commented.
"I can't believe you lot are in the library, actually Remus and Peter makes sense, not you two..."
"I dragged them along, we have a surprise Potions test we're trying to study for, at least I am." Remus said looking at the slightly intoxicated pair.
"Don't mind him." Sirius says, "What are you doing here?"
"We need to speak, can we go in one of the study rooms?" She asks,
"Of course anything for a cousin." James answers rolling of the couch and standing up.
"Last time I checked you aren't Sirius." Narcissa said starting to get annoyed.
A round sphere landed on her arm and popped leaving a thin ring, "Sorry 'bout that, bubbles are hard to contain when indoors." Peter said.
"Bubbles? You know what nevermind... This is serious Sirius come with me we need to talk." Narcissa said rubbing her arm in a successful attempt to get rid of the ring, a giggle came out of her cousin causing her to immediatly regret her choice of words.
"Ok sure anything for my favourite cousin."
*
SIRIUS ENDED UP HYPERVENTILATING as soon as the two stepped into one of the private study rooms in the library. He was apparently aware of what the upcoming conversation was going to be about and started freaking out.
"I recently spoke to Regulus and he told me everything-"
"Everything that is probably completly wrong." Sirius interrupted,
"Ok then how did it start?"
"I was being my usual charming self" He started.
"Well your 'usual charming self' can acutually be quite annoying but do continue." Narcissa said before seeing the boy's glare and stopped.
"My mother started yelling at me, and we got in a fight-"
"Yeah I know that part."
"I ran away to James's house like crying and shit, leaving everyone behind... Leaving Regulus behind." He paused for a while, Narcissa refrained herself from rolling her eyes.
"Alright continue."
"I asked if he wanted to join me, to leave that shithole and he refused. That just made me confused, I immediatly started believing that he wasn't leaving because he wanted to prove something to Walburga and that angered me..." Sirius trailed off.
"He hated Walburga as much as you did, maybe even more." Narcissa told him, the boy smiled sadly at her.
"I know. I then found out that Regulus was being converted into a Death Eater and that caused me to realise that me leaving probably made Walburga to shift all her negative energy onto him."
"Yeah she did."
"That night when Regulus refused to join me, I was sad because I'm leaving him in an abusive household, and that probably made me a shit older brother. "
"That doesn't make you a bad brother Sirius." Narcissa said softly, "You put yourself first for once and that is alright. You are brave and strong and that's why you were in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin."
"I'm far from strong, if anyone is strong that would be Regulus, he was strong enough to stay."
Narcissa smiled to herself disheartened because the brothers no matter what would always care for each other. " You should tell him that yourself."
Sirius shook his head slowly, "I can't look at him without remembering everything."
"At least don't ignore him, he needs to know that you're still here for him ok?"
Her cousin nodded before engulfing her into a hug, his leather jacket felt cold against her neck, his long black hair tickled her ear.
"I can't believe I was the last to know about this." She spoke softly, recieving a chuckle in response.
"Thank you for that Cissy, I honestly don't know what I could have done without you."
*
NARCISSA COLLAPSED IN FLORENCE'S arms as soon as she returned to her dorm, sobbing because the world is so unfair. The brunette rocked them back and forth slightly stroking her blonde hair.
"It's not all your fault Cissy." Florence hummed.
Narcissa separated herself from the hug so she was looking into her eyes, "But if I hadn't been selfish. If I had double checked if Regulus had sent letters, if I hadn't gone to France the entire holidays."
Florence cupped the side of her face with her silky soft hand and wiped her tears with the side of her thumb. "Then in a way if we were to blame onto us, it would be my fault as I did invite you to join me."
Narcissa blushed as she leant into the warmth of her friend's hand closing her eyes."It's not your fault."
"Then it isn't yours either."
"It's Walburga's fault"
"Never agreed less."
"That bitch."
Florence laughed softly, her voice sounded nice to Narcissa's ears, she had always loved the girls laugh, it reminded her of honey and spring days. She fluttered her eyes open to find that their faces were closer then usual. She felt her breath hitch slightly and her heartrate lifting up slightly. Oh how the girl's lips looked so soft and pink and kissable.
What the-
She could feel Florence's eyes flicker to her lips, the girl shifted her body and brought her lips to her crown. Narcissa fluttered her eyes shut, "You have a kind soul Narcissa Black." She whispered, her breath warm against her skin, pressing a chaste kiss onto her forehead.
And then the heat was gone.
Shit
authors note
sorry about the long wait, I've been really busy with school so heres a super long chapter. Its not edited so enjoy reading a grammatically incorrect piece of work.
This chapter is mostly focusing on the night Sirius ranaway, have fun.