Mulling it Over (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Mulling it Over

"The girl I like is a Muggle."

Those words weren 't what Sirius was expecting to hear when he stepped into Effie and Fleamont's place with their son James, yet he imagined he must be pretty drunk given how his mind was sure the person he heard speaking was, in fact, his younger brother Regulus. "I—what?"

The person sitting on the stool, playing Wizard 's chess with Fleamont, turned, revealing that it was indeed his younger brother, who stared at him quite blankly, as Regulus always did.

Sirius opened his mouth, speaking slowly, his mind still wrapping around what his younger brother had just said. "The girl you like is a Muggle?"

Regulus was startled, his usually emotionless features faltering, before he stood, pulling on his gloves, and shaking his head as he did so. "I should go." Like always, he couldn't look Sirius in the eye. "I shouldn't have come."

"Regulus," Sirius said, his mind still spinning, knowing something wasn't quite right that he couldn't put his finger on.

"I'm sorry. I was being stupid," Regulus said, heading for the door to pull out his coat while continuing not to make eye contact. "It's not as if it matters. At all."

"Except it does matter," Sirius thought to himself. "Regulus wouldn't just come out here if something—and a Muggle girl? What is..."

He watched Regulus turn, nodding his head politely at Effie and Fleamont. "Thank you. For having me. Sorry for intruding."

"If Regulus walks out that door," Sirius thought to himself. He took a deep breath, knowing the chances of seeing his younger brother again were slim, what with a war going on and them being supposedly on different sides. And there were questions. As Regulus' hand reached for the doorknob to leave, Sirius reached for Regulus' arm. They latched on simultaneously, and Regulus stopped in his tracks.

"Sirius, let go."

"No. You owe me an explanation."

"I've already bothered the Potters enough, don't you think?" Regulus said, turning to look at his older brother; his eyes never made eye contact. Instead, he looked at some strange spot on the other wall.

"You've not been a bother," Effie said, hurrying over. "Please stay for a cup of hot mulled cider. Or two. Or three. I'll go make it right now, so back to the front parlor with you boys."

Sirius watched James ' mother head towards the kitchen. He heard the door click, indicating Regulus was still trying to leave, even though Sirius was still holding onto his arm. Sirius hurried forward, pushing the door shut. "You heard Effie. Stay." He tilted his head up. "Talk."

"I don't want to talk," Regulus said, looking at Sirius' chin.

"Then why the bloody hell did you come?" Sirius muttered.

"Sirius," James said, clearing his throat, which meant Sirius was starting to cross a line, yet Sirius paid him no mind.

"To talk."

Sirius stared his mouth opening, and then. "Are you kidding me? You don't want to talk, but you do?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. So can I just go?"

"No," James said, which made Regulus look at him. "I know you hate being impolite, so at least stay long enough for a cup of mulled cider, as my mum asked."

Regulus swallowed, then nodded his head, heading back into the room and standing there as if unsure of what to do next. Fleamont stood up. "Let me take that coat of yours, Regulus."