Upside Down Mirror: Free Falling (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Sleepless

Regulus couldn't sleep.

Despite the fact, his grandfather insisted he not think about the Horcrux, particularly the fact there was more than one, he couldn't help but think about such things.

He also remembered the feel of dead hands latching onto his thin frame while one of his hands clutched onto the front of his pajamas. No matter what Regulus said to himself, sleep remained an impossibility, what with the thought of possible nightmares, vivid ones at that, lurking at the back of his head despite the fact he'd not yet slept after the Infiri pulled him into the water, nearly drowning him, or even pulling him to pieces.

"If it weren't for Lyra..."

Sitting up, Regulus let out a sigh, heading over to the desk that he and Sirius shared when they both came to visit their grandfather—though Sirius never seemed to use said desk so taking it over after he left was no momentous task. The only reminder of Sirius' presence was a picture on the desk with both of them which Regulus thought was never removed because his grandfather never entered the room, but perhaps...

Regulus shook his head, fumbling with the drawer and pulling out a piece of paper so that he might scribble down the thoughts which raised through his head, but the first thing he put down was a small circle with the letter S in it denoting the locket. He brushed the feather end of his quill against his cheek in a comforting manner.

"It's related to Slytherin, which is one of the four Hogwart houses. He voiced an interest in Hogwarts, so..." Regulus drew an even bigger circle with the locket in one corner which he then divided into four sections, but in the other four sections with an H, a G, and an R in no particular order. "So, possibly three other Horcrux."

The thought made his entire body tense up, which in turn made him flinch in pain as his body wasn't completely healed. Thoughts of the Infiri drifted through his head and he attempted brushing this aside, the thoughts of dreaming of the Infiri while he slept plaguing him before the nightmares could plague him.

"He's also interested in Grindelwald, but that part of how he drew some of us in. He promised things like Grindelwald did, a future where we didn't have to hide our powers from Muggles, but that was honestly a lie. He had me researching the symbol Grindelwald used, the Deathly Hallows, which everyone considers to be a fairytale for children, but I've seen enough to suggest otherwise."

With that, a triangle formed around the circle, making Regulus inhale a sharp breath. "There are three more then? That means there are seven—six more we have to find, and we need to figure out how to destroy him? Suddenly, I'm not thinking that such an easy task."

In the back of his mind, he registered Andromeda's voice saying, something, yet in the back of his mind, he felt as if he were imagining things given the fact she'd been disowned by the family. Yet, when he felt her touch his shoulder, he realized that she was indeed there, possibly telling him that he needed to go to bed. "Reggie."

There was of course a look of worry in her eye that made him swallow, but he decided to so that he might ease her worry, say, "I'm fine."

"No. You're not fine." The tone of voice his cousin used indicated what he said didn't make her less worried, but instead more worried. "You need to be resting." She then reached out, taking the paper he'd scribbled on, folding it, and putting it out of sight. "Come to bed."

"Can't sleep." Regulus looked away when he said that, but the fact she didn't say anything to him made him slightly worried.

He then felt her gently grab onto his arm, meaning she wasn't going to take no for an answer. Regulus knew better than to try arguing with a female member of the family, something Sirius never learned, but soon she had him sitting down on the bed, swinging his legs up. He sat their though, not wanting to go to sleep.

Watching her, he expected her to return to the other bed with the little girls, but then she moved to the other side of the bed, sitting next to him and pulling him in close. Her breath ruffled his hair, making his eyes blink in confusion. She spoke softly. "Why can't you sleep Reggie?"

"Because..."

"You're supposed to be putting whatever troubles you've gotten yourself into aside for the night, but trust that your grandfather, Ted, and I will help you. We're family."

"You were disowned."

"That doesn't stop us from being family, no matter what everyone says. You simply can't stop being a Black, any of us. It's in our Blood, shaping us from birth, regardless of whether we do something that gets us blasted off that bloody tapestry or not. More importantly, put that business out of your mind."

"I can't."

"Then let's talk about something else until you fall asleep."

Regulus' eyes blinked, understanding she meant to get him to sleep which meant the dreams of the Infiri awaited him. "I can't."

"Come now. You've more discipline than that. I know how Aunt Walburga drilled it into you and how that was something you were good at, unlike that unruly brother of yours."

"That's not..." Regulus swallowed. "I can't sleep I mean."

He felt her move slightly, her head pulling away, but then she rested her forehead on the side of his head. "Oh, Reggie."

"I can't."

"That's not what I meant." Andromeda took a deep breath. "It's understandable that you would have nightmares after dealing with Infiri of all things. That's nothing to be ashamed of, but I'll stay with you tonight. You'll be safe in my arms the entire night. I promise I won't leave you."

That sounded nice, yet... "I'm not a child. I'm not..."

"Reggie. You may not be the little boy you were when I got disowned, but that doesn't change how precious you are to me, to all of us." Andromeda swallowed, then said. "You know. I need some company tonight as well."

"Don't..."

"That was quite the fright in its own right, wondering if we'd lost you. You're quite precious. You really are. To this entire family really, but if something happened to you the entire family would fall apart, nor would we stand the chance of being together again."

"Andy..."

"What I say is true, even if you don't believe it, but put my mind at ease and let me stay with you. Let me know that my baby cousin is right here, safe and alive. We'll both sleep better for it, but if those nightmares come, I'll wake you."

Regulus swallowed, his hands suddenly clutching onto her sleepwear, his eyes closing. "Okay. Just this once. Siri would never let me live it down."

"Well, it's our secret. The only ones who'd possibly know are asleep in the bed, and Nymphadora usually isn't an early riser like Ted and I are. So go to sleep little one."

Soon, he did drift off to sleep, finding comfort and safety in the presence of his cousin.