𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗|| James Potter

21.

Rhea doesn't see any of the four Gryffindor boys the next day which alone concerns her greatly because you can always see at least one of them around. But she remembers last night and James telling her he and the other two have had a falling out with Sirius.

So not seeing any of the four has her extremely troubled to say the least.

In the five years they've been at Hogwarts not once have they ever fallen out, it worries her a lot more than Rhea cares to admit to herself. Even when Sirius got James and Peter two months worth of detentions for something they apparently had no clue about. Or when Peter cut off some of Sirius' hair in third year.

And Sirius, being a Black and all, was scandalised his hair had been touched nevermind cut off by someone who wasn't a family member.

Rhea might be pissed as hell at her cousin for his actions with Snape, but she doesn't want him to be alone. Sirius being left with his own thoughts is dangerous enough, but after the last few months it's even worse to leave him be.

She wraps a couple of rolls up in a napkin and picks up a few treacle tarts planning on finding her cousin and making sure he eats at least. Regulus raises his eyes from his plate looking at her strangely.

"What are you doing with them?" He asks, stirring his soup around his bowl. He hasn't eaten a single thing since sitting down. They both can feel the looming dread of going home for the first time since Sirius has been disowned. And the closer they get to the train ride, the more they feel ill.

"Going to take food to Sirius," Rhea tells him. "Want to come with me to find him?"

He nods, pushing his food away from him. She grabs an extra roll and treacle tart that she is going to attempt to force him eat on their way.

"Where is Sirius anyway?"

Rhea shrugs, not knowing the answer. Truthfully she was planning on cornering one of the four Gryffindor boys this morning to see what had happened but, again, she hadn't seen any since yesterday.

"They've fallen out with Sirius."

Regulus head snaps to face her, his brows disappearing under his hair. "Fallen out? Like an argument? With Sirius? What? Why? How-"

"I don't know, Reg," Rhea cuts him off. If she lets the poor boy continue he'd still be talking tomorrow out of mere astonishment. He looks genuinely baffled at the idea of his brother and his friends arguing.

Not that Rhea doesn't feel the same. She does and to be honest they'll probably never know what's happened with them.

The four boys keep everything so private and secluded that they'll never let Rhea and Regulus in on why they're arguing, but it doesn't hurt to try.

"They've fallen out?" Regulus blinks, not seeming to be able to wrap his head around it. Rhea sighs, "Yes, an argument has occurred and now they're not speaking. So now we need to go and find Sirius."

He nods, not saying anymore as the pair leave the Great Hall. Now here comes the problem, Rhea has no clue where to go and look for her cousin. She supposes the Gryffindor common room is a start but does she really want to go there? No, not really.

They turn and walk towards the stairs, an unspoken agreement the best bet of finding him is starting at the Gryffindor tower. They climb the stairs in silence. The only time the two cousins speak is when Rhea hands him some food and him muttering a thanks in exchange.

A few Gryffidnors are littering by the door when they round the corridor, either coming back from dinner early or leaving for a late one.

Regulus shoves his hands in his robes and strides over to them. His face blank as he talks to them and Rhea has never seen him look so much like his father until now. "Have you seen my brother?" He asks a group of sixth years Rhea vaguely recognises.