Untreated Wounds | Sirius Black

Chapter 36 (!)

Voldemort must have noticed my escape yet he still hadn't sent for any attacks on the ministry or the Order – even two weeks after. But he had been sending attacks all across Sweden in attempts to find my mother. He'd blown up my mormor's old cottage in West Sweden, I saw that in the Daily Prophet as everyone became aware of the hunt for Freja Gaunt.

Not that Mehen and I weren't planning to hunt her down too.

Who'd get to her first?

Her daughter, her cousin or the dementors?

But she was a snake, extremely hard to catch. I was just lucky eagles hunted snakes with ease. And I couldn't let Voldemort kill her, even if she'd let him kill me. But that didn't matter, I knew what Voldemort would do to her and I couldn't let it happen.

"Hey, Reggie," I whispered, placing my flowers before taking a seat in front of his headstone... Now with Evan's headstone right beside it. "I know it's been a while, I've been busy," I glanced down at Mehen who slithered beside me, "You're probably wondering why there's a snake on your grave, it's okay, his name is Mehen... Voldemort gave him to me." I paused, glancing up at the bright sun and trying to imagine it to be Regulus but he just had never been bright enough to be the sun...

"That's why I haven't been around... And Ev's probably told you what happened already. What I did to him..." I sniffed, "And I wish I could tell him I'm sorry but... Some people don't get a choice, hey? You would understand – you never got a choice either. Maybe that's why it was always you and me – the pathetic cowards. You're a coward, you died protecting Voldemort – that's the most cowardly death I've ever heard of. But don't worry... I'm just as much of a coward." I picked at my nails, letting the silence dwell, waiting for Regulus to say something.

But then of course, I remembered I was sitting at a grave. A headstone.

I'd like to think he was still alive. They never found his body – just a suicide note. Maybe he faked his death like me, maybe he was out there, living a beautiful life as a muggle with no memory of me or Ev or Wren or Luci.

Maybe he was finally happy.

Because he never got to be happy in this world. So, he deserved to be happy in the next.

Maybe he's a sun in his other life.

Not a star hidden by brighter ones – but in fact a beaming sun.

I didn't look for Regulus every night anymore. I didn't spot him in the night sky and star at him anymore. I didn't think about Regulus every day either. I used to spend every moment thinking about him... But now... Now I could go days without him coming to mind. I didn't want to admit his hand had slipped from mine but I could barely see him in the abyss anymore.

I stood up slowly and pressed my fingers to my lips before placing them on his grave, "I'll love you forever, Reggie."

Mehen bowed his head, poised beside me.

I was by Trafalgar Square in London, smoking a cigarette while I tried to find a nice restaurant for myself but with a McDonald's nearby for Sirius if I was willing to spend money on him.

I chose not to buy him something – I'd just give him a surprise.

I walked into his tattoo parlour that was in Soho and very busy. Sirius wasn't tattooing anyone, meaning he was most likely in the piercing rooms. I walked up to the front desk, glad that Marlene was still on the mission since she would've told Sirius my plan.

"Good morning, ma'am, how can I help you?" The polite man asked,

"Good morning," I said, glancing around the room, "Do you have any free bookings today?"