MINOR EDITS IN PROGRESS - The Forgotten Heir | Sirius Black (Marauders Era)

Chapter 11: Shadows and Silence

Regulus Black walked through the dimly lit corridors of Hogwarts, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone floor. The castle, though ancient and often cloaked in shadow, felt strangely comforting to him—more so than the place he called home. Grimmauld Place, the Black family manor, was grand and imposing, but its walls were suffocating, filled with the oppressive weight of generations of Black family history and expectations.

Here at Hogwarts, the darkness was different. It was alive with whispers of the past, with secrets hidden in every corner, yet it didn't crush him under its weight. In this castle, there was room to breathe, to be something other than the heir to the House of Black.

But even as he found solace within these walls, the impending holidays cast a shadow over his thoughts. The end of the term meant returning to Grimmauld Place, to the cold, unforgiving embrace of his parents, and to the silence that had settled over the house since his brother, Sirius, had been disowned.

Regulus sighed as he continued down the corridor, his hands tucked into the pockets of his robes. The thought of going home without Sirius twisted a knife in his chest. Sirius had always been the one to defy their parents, to stand up to them with a fiery courage that Regulus could never muster. Sirius had been the rock, the one who bore the brunt of their mother's wrath, shielding Regulus from the worst of it, even if Sirius never knew it.

Without Sirius, the weight of their parents' expectations fell squarely on Regulus's shoulders. He was the heir now, the one who had to uphold the family's honour, to fulfil the destiny that had been laid out for him since birth. But the truth was, he didn't want it. He didn't want to carry the burden of the Black name alone.

He wished, desperately, that he was as brave as Sirius. But he wasn't. Regulus had always been the quieter one, the one who followed the rules, who did what was expected of him. He had never had the courage to stand up to their parents, to walk away from the life they had planned for him. And now, with Sirius gone, he felt more trapped than ever.

As he walked, lost in his thoughts, Regulus glanced out of one of the many windows that lined the corridor. His gaze fell upon the courtyard below, where students were milling about, enjoying the crisp winter air. But it wasn't the crowd that caught his attention—it was the sight of his brother, Sirius, being dragged by someone.

Regulus narrowed his eyes, focusing on the scene below. The girl pulling Sirius along was none other than Lamia Wool, a fellow Slytherin. Lamia was someone Regulus knew well, though few others were aware of it. To the outside world, they were mere acquaintances, passing each other in the common room with little more than a nod or a brief greeting. But in reality, Lamia was much more to him than that.

In his first year, Regulus had been overwhelmed by the expectations placed upon him, by the suffocating pressure of living up to the Black family name. It was Lamia who had offered him a refuge, who had listened to him when he needed to talk, who had comforted him when he felt like he was drowning. She had become a confidante, someone he could trust with his fears and insecurities, and she had kept his secrets without question.

Late at night, when the castle was quiet and the common room empty, Regulus would sneak into Lamia's dormitory. They would sit together, speaking in hushed tones, and he would pour out his heart to her—his fears about the future, his resentment toward his parents, his longing for freedom. Lamia had never judged him, never pushed him away, and in those moments, she had felt like the sister he had never had.

But they had always kept their friendship hidden. Lamia had her own reputation to maintain, and Regulus knew that if anyone found out about their late-night conversations, it could jeopardize both of them. So they kept up the pretence, pretending to be nothing more than casual acquaintances in public, while their true friendship remained a secret.