Regulus Black - The marauders era

Chapter 6 - The dark mark

Regulus was sixteen when his life completely fell apart. He had experienced many losses in his life, for example Sirius left when he was 14 and his parents had been harsh on him ever since urging him to get right in with the dark arts whether he liked it or not. Now he had the dark mark burned into his arm never to go away and he sat in a dark corner of the library crying and clutching at the wrist desperate to make it go away. It didn't and neither did the pain he felt about getting it. What was even worse was that Sirius had left hogwarts last year and now he was completely alone and it wasn't as if friends exactly threw themselves at him. Even though Sirius and Regulus had a rocky relationship with him being in Slytherin and all he still wanted his brother around just for comfort. But now with his brother doing bigger and better things Regulus had never felt more alone and curled into himself even more, rarely speaking to anyone other than the teachers and his health had been rapidly declining. Regulus had gone up to madam pomfrey one afternoon feeling light headed and dizzy and had to grab onto the steel bed frames in the hospital wing to keep himself upright. Madam pomfrey did and examination of the boy and didn't like what she saw. He was skinnier than what he should've been and his skin never seemed to blow anymore instead favouring a waxy white colour.
Madam pomfrey shared these concerns with Minerva Mcgonagall and Albus Dumbledore. They both thoughts that it would be in Regulus' best interests to contact Sirius. Sirius was contacted instead of his parents because after all it was Regulus' parents insistent dark arts behaviour that had made him this way now.
Sirius came immediately the next day via madam pomfrey's request. He came with his cloak done up, after it it was winter, and his hair tucked under a hat.
"Nice to see you again pomfrey," Said Sirius giving her his signature mischievous smirk to which she rolled her eyes.
"Morning, Mr Black and as nice as it is to see you I am glad that you and your marauders have left as you really did take up a lot of bed space most of the time," She said and Sirius gave her a sheepish smile.
"Yeah many pranks gone wrong now whatever is the matter with Regulus that you feel the need to bring me in?" Sirius questioned concern lacing his features as madam pomfrey gave a small shake of her head and led him to Regulus' bed.
"Oh Reggie," Sirius murmured gazing at his younger brother with sad eyes.
Madam pomfrey hovered near them a sad look on her face as well as she wondered how to go about the topic of the dark mark.
"Sirius there is something you must know," Madam Pomfrey spoke up and Sirius looked at her brows knotted together.
"What?"
"Your brother has the dark mark and since that his condition has unfortunately been deteriorating," She said and Sirius' eyes filled with hurt, rage and guilt.
"I should've taken him with me when I ran so that this would've all been avoided," Sirius whispered looking down at his shoes before sitting heavily in a chair next to his brothers bed and holding his hand.
Regulus awoke to a hand being in his hand and he jerked it away making the person who was on a chair next to his bed stir.
"Sirius!" Regulus exclaimed and his face lit up slightly knowing that his brother really did care about him.
"It's me Reggie," Sirius muttered his voice still laced with sleep and he brushed the hair out of his eyes before glancing at Regulus.
The boy looked so much more alive now that Sirius was there and it warmed his heart to see Regulus like that but it also pained him because he wasn't at hogwarts anymore. Sirius didn't miss the fact that Regulus occasionally glanced down at his wrist in disgust. The fifth time Regulus did that Sirius decided to speak up.
"Reg look I know about the dark mark but what are your thoughts on it?" He questioned and saw Regulus' eyes widen in shock and shame.
"I hate it god I hate it so much make it go away Sirius," Regulus pleaded in a pitiful voice and his eyes filled with tears while staring at the ugly mark on his wrist.
"I'm sorry Reggie I don't know how," Sirius whispered and this was the tipping point for Regulus.
Tears streamed down his face and he cursed his mother and father and all the gods in the universe. Sirius just held him through this outburst letting his cry and curse and occasionally he wiped the hair out of Regulus' eyes.
"I WANT IT GONE!" Regulus cried and madam pomfrey rushed In to find the two brothers one trying to calm the other down whilst the other lashed out and sobbed.
It was a truly heartbreaking scene to see a young boy go through so much pain and the oldest one was helpless.
"Madam pomfrey isn't there anything you could do," Sirius cried his own eyes filling with tears as Regulus started sobbing into his shirt again.
"I'll get dumbledore for you," She murmured and quickly left to go get him.
Sirius desperately tried to get Regulus to calm and it worked in the end. Regulus was curled up in Sirius' lap asleep but that didn't erase the tear marks that streaked his face and Sirius was sat there absentmindedly stroking Regulus' hair while staring off into space and thinking about god knows what. Madam pomfrey returned 5 minutes later with both Minerva Mcgonagall and Albus Dumbledore in her wake. The 3 adults surveyed the scene in front of them with sad eyes. Mcgonagall wondered how on earth she had been so blind to Regulus' struggles and bit her lip in guilt. Noticing their presence Sirius looked up and the 3 teachers could feel the weight of his gaze on them.
"Is there anything you can do to get rid of it?" Sirius asked gesturing helplessly at the mark that marred his brothers skin.
"Unfortunately I don't think there is any getting rid of it completely but I may be able to conceal it from the rest of the world," Minerva muttered a thoughtful look on her features.
Sirius' eyes lit up at the information and gently shook Regulus awake to try and get his attention. Regulus opened his eyes groggily before muttering something incoherent and burying his head back in Sirius' chest.
"Come on Reggie up you get we might be able to get rid of it," Sirius said taking ahold of Regulus' wrist in his hand and this made Regulus jerk awake with astonished look on his face.
"Really?" He breathed looking stunned and Sirius gave him a small smile and a nod.
"Well Minnie is doing the spell so of course," Sirius said chuckling at the glare Mcgonagall gave him.
"I have the charm," Mcgonagall said striding forward so she was closer to the boys.
Regulus had his wrist out and it shook slightly and he glanced at Sirius for reassurance.
"Obscurefacio," Mcgonagall muttered waving her wand at Regulus' wrist and soon the ugly mark was nowhere to be seen and ivory skin was all that was there.
Regulus gasped and looked at Mcgonagall a thankful expression on his face and the looked at Sirius who had a joyful expression n his face.
"Thank you," He breathed out.
"Reg if you don't mind would you like to stay at mind for the school breaks now instead of at Grimmauld?" Sirius asked and if it was possible Regulus' face lit up even more and he nodded.
"Thanks Sirius," he murmured and yawned stretching out like a cat and leaning into Sirius again.
"No problem," Sirius murmured also being to get sleepy as he laid back in the large armchair.
The 3 adults left the boys alone and all the could hear was some peaceful snores.
Regulus was glad his life had started looking up again and a content smile stayed on his face all throughout the night.
This isn't as good as my other ones but oh well. I won't be posting nearly as much when I go back to school next week so yeah.
~ Hazel