Paint It... Potter?

Lord.

"Well, who's going to do it?" Barty said, staring at the closed door of his own dorm.

Nearly an hour ago, Regulus had walked all too calmly out of the great hall and shut himself in his dorm. Since then, a considerable sized party had gathered outside the door.

"Fucking Salazar, I'll do it." Narcissa said. Suddenly emerging from behind the group. She made her way forward,  pushing past the Gryffindors.

Regulus jumped as the door opened. He didn't know how long he had been sitting in the spot. That's just where he had stopped. Right there, in the middle of the cold wood floor.

It was strangly comforting the cool wood pushing against his skin just ad it would at home. Just as it would if Sirius was downstairs getting yelled at by Father. A voice that he would never hear again.

His eyes followed her as she moved across the room. She ducked under Crouch's bed and pulled out a small trunk. She opened it and carefully selected a bottle.

Her healed boots clicked across the floor as she made her way to him she offered him the glass bottle filled with clear liquid.

"Why?" Regulus asked, looking up at her tiredly.

"Because." She said, unscrewing the top and taking a short swig. "  Sirius would yell at you. Potter would coddle you. Rosier and Crouch would probably end up fighting with you, but me? I'll drink with you."He understood now why it had been her. She was the only one, save for Sirius, who had lost a parent.

It went without saying.there was a mutual understanding as he pushed himself off of the ground into a seated postion. They had both lost parents. Abusive parents, albeit. But parents none the less.

He drank.

"I'll see you at the, the-" his voice broke after a long moment of silence.

"Of course." She said with a sincere tone.

"I'd ask Evan or Barty, but they wouldn't get it." Regulus explained. " I mean, they would, but, you know." He said, taking the bottle from her. The burn of the alcohol was a strange comfort to him as it slid down his throat.

"It's a family thing." Narcissa confirmed.

"Alright. That's enough for you. " She said, cutting off Regulus from the drink. "Can I send in the reinforcements?" She asked, turning back to him before opening the door.

He froze like a deer in headlights. Who were reinforcements?

"I'll take that as a no." UT the crowd didn't take it ad one. As soon as the door opened, the flood gates holding back the sea of people broke, allowing the group of nearly ten people to spill into his dorm.

"Godric Black, you're in a right state. Shat happened?"doracas asked. steadying him on his feet.

"My dad died." He said

"So you can't stand?" She asked

"Cissa git me drunk" he explained.

"Christ, does your family know any healthy coping mechanisms?" Mary asked, looking at the small bottle

"Nope." Regulus said, with extra emphasis on the p.

"Why don't you ever take from your own supply?" Barty asked, lifting up the nearly empty bottle.

"Yours is better." Regulus said, shrugging.

"Buy your own damn liquor. You're a lord." Barty said exasperated

"Yes, because my father died. Lucky me."Regulus said throwing up jazz hands for special affect.

" I'd say,"  Sirius snorted.