This Trying Affair • Jegulus •

I. Nobody Sees You Leave

The floorboards gave a light eerie creak under the pressure of the foot stepping carefully backwards onto it. A wince in the shoulders at the sound, a pause in movement, and a release of breath when the voices in the study continued talking in their irate tone.

Another careful step backwards, leaving the only source of light coming from the cracked study door. One step after the other felt terribly difficult and dangerous. The heel of the foot made contact with a step and Regulus sharply turned away. His back now to the study.

He tread carefully, but faster up the grand staircase, feeling more confident in his knowledge of which sections of wood creaked louder than others.

Once he stepped onto the landing, his pace sped up once again to a brisk walk. He hurried towards the closed door that he was not to enter.

With a tight grip on the knob, he froze. Fingers glistening white from the soft moonlight coming in from the hallway window. He glanced up at the name plate on the door, swallowing the tight feeling in his throat before making the decision to turn the knob.

The room was dark, the curtains closed so the figure on the bed could sleep peacefully. Dark wild hair was spread out on the red silk pillow. The occupant of the bed slept equally sprawled out on his stomach, his face turned towards the door, revealing his opened mouth.

Regulus slowly closed the door, hoping he still had time.

He crept towards the bed and whispered to his brother, "Sirius."

There was no movement.

"Sirius. Sirius, get up," he said
urgently.

The sleeping teen breathed deeply.

"Sirius... please, please get up," Regulus begged, choking on his voice. He had reached out and lightly shook Sirius's shoulder.

A relaxed face nuzzled deeper into it's pillow.

Feeling panicked at the lack of awareness, Regulus began shaking him more abruptly and raised his voice slightly.

"Sirius, please, Sirius. You have to wake up right now. Siri, wake up please," the childhood nickname slipping out as tears streamed down his face.

"Siri, wake up, wake up. You need to leave."

Sirius's eyes blinked, coming out of sleep slowly.

"Reg?" He asked hoarsely, looking up at the younger boy in front of him. "What is it? What's wrong?" He had sat up quickly. It had been years since his brother woke him up in such a terrified state, often from nightmares.

"You have to go," Regulus said, his throat tightening as he attempted to stop his tears.

"Go? Where? Why?" Sirius said, attempting to catch up with his anxious brother.

"You have to leave here, go anywhere. I heard them, Sirius. I heard what they're going to do- what they're gonna do to you," his voice dropping off at the end.

"Reg, take a deep breath and explain it to me. You're confusing me."

Regulus nodded and did as he was instructed. Sirius gripped his wrist and pulled him down to sit on his bed.

"I went down for a glass of water, I ... I couldn't sleep after your fight with mother today," he paused, his mind flashing to his mother using Crucio on Sirius for hours. "I heard her and Father in the study... they were... were talking about what to do with you. They're.... they are... they... ."

"Deep breath, Reg," Sirius instructed, rubbing his brother's back. His stomach had twisted at what could be planned for him that it made his brother like this. However, his focus remained on Regulus.