Brother

Unbearable

The Daily Prophet 18/07/1977

"It is a sad day for all. Regulus Arcturus Black the anointed heir to the Black family dynasty, dead at fifteen. The family had not permitted the disclosure of the events that brought him to his untimely death. Born in 1961 at St Mungo's hospital, Regulus went on to do many things. Slytherin Seeker for four consecutive years earning three Quidditch cups under his belt. He got outstanding marks on his O.W.L.S. which he took a year early and when his eldest brother abandoned the Black family name Regulus took his rightfully earned place in ranks gracefully. I am certain he would have gone on to do great things if only given the chance"

Hamish McLane 

Walking through the Highgate Cemetery on a day like this is enough to break ones heart, add on the events about to follow and the only word that comes to mind is "Unbearable". 

It's cold, the summer is well over now and autumn is well on its way. The sky is grey and the sky is spitting droplets of rain. After walking the circular catacombs the two pairs of feet stopped when they arrived at their not so desired location. The black family tomb. 

Phineas Nigellus 1874-1925

Vrsula Black ne Flint 1848-1920

Elladora Black 1850-1931

Callidora Black 1915-1935

Harfang Black ne Longbottom 1900-

Cygnus Black 1889-1943

Violetta Black ne Bulstrode 1896-1952

Belvina Black 1886-1962

Druella Black ne Rosier 1938-1974

Regulus Arcturus Black 1961-1977

It's one of many, every hundred or so years once they are full the plot expands, the boys knew this was the correct one because it is the only one of the Black tombs in their aisle with flowers. Both of the boys were dressed head to toe in black and had said nothing. It took days but when Sirius finally felt ready he knew it was time to visit his brother.

Sirius felt Remus's hand graze his. "Has he been here this whole time?"

"I don't know why I don't remember," Sirius said into the wind still staring at his brother's name freshly carved into the limestone plaque. 

"I can tell you what I know?" Remus said sounding terrified. It could cause a fight, but they were over fighting now, the last few days proved as much. Sirius sat down on the damp stone path of the cemetery not taking his eyes off of where Regulus was laid to rest. Remus took a seat beside him. 

"He left a note," Remus said and Sirius felt his throat tighten. 

"Do you have it?" He managed to say and Rumus just nodded his head. 

"You had it in your hand when you came to me" Sirius finally took his eyes off of the carvings. 

"I came to you?" He said and Remus nodded. 

"You were over at mine that morning, you said you needed to go home and get some more clothes. I told you you could borrow mine but you insisted" Remus said and trailed off. 

"Keep going" Sirius urged putting a hand on his knee. 

"You left by my floo and came back about an hour later" Remus didn't want to continue, he didn't know if it would hurt him more if he knew. 

"We were supposed to meet the boys for lunch and so I was waiting for you in the living room when you fell through the fireplace and landed on your knees... You were wet from head to toe, drenched in tears and sweat. I just hugged you on the floor as you cried. I didn't understand most of what you were saying" Remus stopped again thinking he had said enough. 

"What did I say?" Sirius asked then whipped the tears that had fallen down his cheeks. 

"Regulus,

My baby brother,

Dead,

He's dead Moony"

"And you just cried. You were still holding your pocket knife and I asked why the blade was out and you said "Cut him down". We didn't meet the boys, I carried you to bed after you fell asleep. You slept for almost two days, everything must have tired you out. And then after you woke up you didn't speak or eat for a week. I only got the full story when the prophet revealed the news three days later" 

Sirius was doing his best not to cry. Remus didn't expect anything more than that. He stood with him for an hour before Sirius spoke, he would sit in silence for as long as Sirius needed him to. 

"I remember," He said and for the first time Remus looked at Sirius.

"I walked in and I was so happy because you kissed me goodbye and we were going to tell the boys when I got back, I wanted my lucky leather jacket and that's why I insisted on going back." 

Remus's mouth fell open a little as Sirius tried to remember. 

"I wasn't supposed to go home, I was banished so I had to be quiet. si instead of using the main floor in the Entrance Hall used the one in the Drawing Room. I walked out of the drawing room and crept up to my room and got my jacket. I wanted to see Reg" His voice broke and Remus put his arm around him. 

"I owed him an apology, I shouldn't have left, I was going to ask him to come with us, I was going to tell him he could live at the Potters with me. So when I crept into his room and he wasn't there it wasn't odd, the house was empty, I knew that from the minute I stepped out of the floo. Mother and father have a presence about them, they must have been out for a function and I thought Regulus was with them, or Evan or anyone. But then I saw a note on the foot of his bed" Sirius finished and he was crying again, he was shaking and closing his eyes as tight as he could. Remus was about to tell him to stop but Sirius cut him off speaking louder now to drown out the tidal wave of emotions in his head. 

"I read it as I walked. And then I remember running, the third floor, all of the rooms, the patio, and then I thought about the library to I ran through the foyer and..." He sucked in a shaken breath and it looked like it was physically paining him to talk. 

"And he was there, he was white and still in his bloody uniform!" He continued even louder now and Remus pulled him into his chest just as he did on the living room floor. 

"From the second floor balcony. He wasn't moving, he just" Sirius was sobbing now.

"The house wasn't empty" He cried and Remus had heard enough, it wasn't helping. 

"Sirius stop" 

"I had my knife in my pocket and I pulled the table and cut the rope. He fall and I caught him, he was so heavy, he is so little why was he so heavy?"