I turned from the window, fighting tears, not willing to watch my brother look away.
When I looked back, he was gone.
Gone.
He said he would never leave.
"*****!" Came the harsh call from beside me.
"Yes, mother?"
"Stop with the weakness, *****, be a woman and get over it."
Be a woman.
That's me. ***** Black, your standard woman.
Mhm.
"Yes, mother."
God, she's annoying.
My response seemed to please her enough, however, as she turned and walked away.
As I heard her footsteps get farther away from me, I pondered further on Sirius' absence.
Just, how could he?
He had to.
I know, but why?
How could he leave me here with her?
Walburga Black was dangerous to me on a good day, but with her eldest punching bag gone, I was practically dead.
What do I do now?
Barty, my brain supplied.
How helpful.
As if cue, the boy climbed up onto the railing of the shack I was in.
"Reggi," he whispered, voice scratchy and tired. God, my brain was helpful.
————————
"Alright,"
"Reg, don't ruin the moment."
I muttered an insulted apology before my boyfriend rolled over to look at me.
"Go on," he drawled.
"What?"
"Let it out," he grinned, sadly. "Let everything off that chest of yours."
He poked at the makeshift binder that I had slipped on once my mother left.
I looked back at him, feeling the rejected tears from earlier flood my eyes instantly.
I fucking hate emotions.
"I just, I just don't know what to do now."
He shrugged at me, as if I had asked him a question, "You do whatever you want to do."
"I don't know what that is."
"I'll help you find out."
I was defenseless against the teardrop that decided to slide away from my eyes at that moment, and more fell when Barty tenderly reached up to brush it away with his thumb.
Fuck, I just felt so protected with him.
More so than Sirius.
Does that make me horrible, feeling safer with my juvenile boyfriend than my own brother?
Who is admittedly juvenile as well.
Whatever.
I looked down and then back at Barty.
"What do you want to do?" I croaked.
"I wanna be a pirate."
I let out a choked laugh.
He giggled almost hysterically, "What?! You don't like pirates?"
"Okay then," I kissed him, "let's run away and be pirates."
"Okay," his hands dove into my hair as he pulled me in again, tugging on my curls, "let's be a crew."