Curse Breaker (or how to find answers)

Between the books, the stars and us - pt.2

Regulus walked to his meeting with Sirius tired but still curious. He had seen the progression between them, and acknowledged it. He could bet Sirius had seen it too. They still weren't talking with their hearts wide open, but for them, it was still a lot. Regulus walked down the earthy path that lead to the entrance of the Forbidden Forest. They weren't supposed to be there, but it wasn't that late, and honestly, Regulus trusted his magic skills in any case. Not getting caught wasn't even a problem to him, since he could pass as a stray cat whenever he needed.

He was soon met by Sirius, who emerged from the woods. Hagrid's cabin was right there too, and so they sat right behind the pumpkins.

"How was your day?" Sirius asked, as he fiddled with a blade of grass he had pulled out.

The snow was still cold under their robes, but somehow a bit of grass had managed to stay alive.

"Fine so far," Regulus muttered. "Yours?" He reluctantly asked. And maybe he cared a little bit about the answer.

"Good," Sirius shrugged, a smile on his lips.

They stayed silent for several minutes. At some point Sirius had stopped fiddling with grass. Regulus was looking at the white sky of December when Sirius said the following words.

"I had an idea, and hum..." He hesitated. "Why don't you come with me this summer?"

Regulus quickly turned his head to Sirius, almost shocked, definitely surprised. Why, suddenly? Somehow Regulus had expected it at some point, but he was still not expecting it now. His heart picked a different pace.

"At the Potters?"

"Yes."

They stared at each other, studying the other's expressions as to decipher anything that was happening behind those grey eyes. Regulus almost thought he could see himself. He was the first one to flinch and blink and look away.

Though it was Sirius who was the first one to the two to break the silence.

"Not just for summer."

Regulus' heart missed a beat, and his organs seemed to be all too tightly organised in his abdomen suddenly.

"What," he hoarsely let out.

"Maybe you could come live with me, at James' place," He specified. Regulus didn't meet his gaze, but he knew Sirius was looking at him expectantly. Looking at the floor, he heard Sirius add. "And stop going to their house."

Their house. Their house. Not "our", their. Not "home", not "place". House.

Sirius sounded too far from him suddenly, and Regulus felt the pressure of six planets on his shoulders. His eyes couldn't focus on one single spot at once, and he slowly clenched his hands. He felt betrayed, a familiar feeling. The same one Regulus had felt when Sirius left; why was it so easy for him? Why was it always so easy for Sirius? To forget everything, to forget all of his past, to just leave everything behind and restart as if nothing had previously happened or existed. To leave him behind. To keep going as if it didn't hurt to leave what was closest to family. As if it wasn't hard to admit they hadn't have any childhood nor family from the start. It almost sounded as if Sirius had never lived with him at their house. He sounded so disconnected, Regulus wondered how he could.

He did not answer right away, and so, Sirius leaned forward, trying to meet his eyes. "I know I shouldn't have left you there alone. I want to get you out of here."

And Regulus almost felt insulted; he knew it could be misplaced, maybe. Sirius was offering help. But Regulus didn't want it.

"I don't want you to get me out of there," He said. "I've been doing fine by myself," He added. Knowing it was half a lie, but he wanted to make Sirius realise he could get himself out of here by himself just fine. He didn't need his help. Not after all this time dealing with it all by himself, without him.