Autumn Leaves- marylily

Not a morning person

Quick apology to begin with, I haven't uploaded in ages. I've had absolutely no motivation, what with starting a new school and all, and men are arseholes!! Anyway, lots of love and I hope you enjoy this decidedly short chapter!! (P.s i apologise for any typos etc that I'm sure are there-even getting this written was difficult for me so I'll take that as a win)

We trust, as always, that you have been and will be on your absolute best behaviour. Not at all like your friend Bartemius, we hear he's already been causing a whole manner of trouble.

You shall under no circumstances become involved with his tomfoolery, or the punishments will be severe. You are aware of our feelings towards that boy, and the expectations of our family that you SHALL meet. You are our one and only heir, we expect you to act like it.

W.A.B

Regulus sighed, rubbing his eyes in frustration as he read the end of the letter his mother had sent him.

"Well that was pleasant." He mumbled with a scoff.

He sat alone on the slytherin table, having been early to breakfast. He had attempted to wake Evan up to go with him, but all he got was a grumble of sleepy curses in return.

Usually, Regulus enjoyed his alone time. Largely preferred it, even. But he didn't enjoy being alone lately. In fact, he'd been doing anything in his power to prevent being left alone. Of course this came as a shock to his friends at first, but ever since Sirius had left home, Regulus hadn't been himself.

He had never been particularly cheerful, but now that his brother's no longer around, he's downright depressed.

It had happened over the summer, Sirius and Walburga had been in one of their usual fights. But it was different this time, far more lethal than usual.

You see, no matter how much their parents yelled, Sirius refused to cry in front of them. No matter what. Though this time, Sirius broke down. He was hysterical- It sounds so small when said like that, but they didn't show emotion, they had been taught since birth not to do so- and their shouting was so much louder than usual, and it was always practically deafening .

Walburga had thrown a cruciatus curse at Sirius, which wasn't unusual. But Sirius had reached his limit. So he left- it seems so simple, though it was anything but.

Regulus couldn't forget the way his brother had sounded that night- no matter how hard he tried.

The boy was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of some particularly rowdy voices.

His head snapped upwards, he watched Sirius and his friends saunter into the hall. From what he could make out, they were talking about some prank that they had pulled. Once the gryffindors sat down across the hall, a wild spout of laughter arose from their group.

Regulus winced. "It's too damn early." He muttered, staring mindlessly down at his untouched plate.

His grey eyes flickered up to scan the hall, attempting to avoid thoughts of his brother. But in doing so, he was met with a pair of hazel eyes looking his way. James Fleamont Potter.

Regulus quickly fixed his eyes to the table, furrowing his eyebrows. After his run in with the gryffindor the other day, things had been increasingly complicated in Regulus' world.

Not to mention the awkward and decidedly painful run in with another gryffindor that followed...

The boy had been trying to the best of his abilities to avoid Sirius, and to ignore any emotions the thought of his brother may stir. Because for some reason outside his understanding, that run in had broken his heart all over again.

And as far as James goes... Regulus didn't know what that was, and quite frankly did not want to know.

Regulus had never been keen on the Potter boy, he stole his brother.

But... he wasn't bad to look at- not at all. And James wasn't necessarily a bad person, as far as Regulus was aware. Recent events proved that to be true.

But he stole Sirius away- and that couldn't be forgiven as far as he was concerned.

Shaking his head in a futile attempt to redirect his thoughts, he slowly dared a glance upwards. Again, he was met with those inquisitive hazel eyes.

Regulus, remembering who he was- or rather, who he should be - made a defiant show up throwing his chin up, raising an eyebrow.

The other boy did not look away, peering at Regulus over his glasses with a small smile. Reggie did not want to smile back, but he almost couldn't help it, the corners of his mouth flickering up ever so slightly, before he pulled his lips back into a tight scowl.

James, from his place across the room, sighed; he didn't look away, though, instead furrowing just eyebrows in silent resolve. He drummed his fingers mindlessly against the wooden surface of the table as he got lost in his own thoughts.

Regulus faltered at that, a bit confused, and more than slightly uncomfortable. The boy scrunched up his face and shook his head accusingly from side to side-as if to say 'what are you looking at?'.

James promptly realised he was staring, his hazel eyes going wide as he rushed to look away. In his rush, however, he almost knocked over Sirius' glass of pumpkin juice.

"Uh- James!" Sirius scolded. He was not a morning person.

"Oh- shit! Sorry pads..." James absentmindedly replied, his eyes flickering back to Regulus for a moment as he trailed off.

"No, it's alr- James?" Sirius turned his head to follow James' gaze, scanning the area in confusion before his eyes locked on one boy in particular. His baby brother. Or rather, his grown up, angry brother.

Regulus' accusatory expression slowly faded as he noticed Sirius' eyes on him, he looked like a deer in headlights. This was the most interaction the brothers had had in months, and neither one knew what to do.

Sirius' expression turned almost sympathetic, his eyes wide and sad.

Regulus furrowed his eyebrows, pursing his lips. He only did that when he was trying not to cry, only Sirius knew that.

But as soon as the moment came, it was over again. Regulus saw the letter from his mother in the corner of his eye, and the anger came back to join that sadness. Because, nobody can know that this affected him.

He quickly fixed his face into a grimace, feigning disgust. The face his parents had him master at a very young age, because what is a black if not superior. They had the right to look down on others, the way their parents saw things.

Sirius, quickly realising his mistake, put on the same face. You can take the boy out of the family, but you can't take the family out of the boy.

Regulus stared down at the tabletop, his eyes wide and brimming with tears, he quickly moved some of his dark curls to cover his face. He bit his lip in a resolve to hold back the tears threatening to spill, before he hastily grabbed his belongings, rushing out of the hall as quick as he could.

Sirius watched him go, there was nothing he could do.