Money's not a problem (Rosekiller Fic)

⟦7⟧

~Barty~

As soon as Regulus walked back into the hospital wing, I could tell the conversation had been rough. He looked like he was carrying an extra ton of weight on his shoulders, his face hard to read, but it was clear that whatever had happened with Sirius had left its mark.

Evan, who had come in a little while before, sat in the chair next to my bed. He raised an eyebrow at Regulus, but didn't say anything. Pandora, who had been sitting quietly across the room, watching over me like a worried mother hen, looked up with those concerned eyes of hers. I hated how much everyone looked so tense—like they were waiting for something to break.

Regulus leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as if to hold himself together. His eyes flickered toward me for just a second, then away, like he didn't want me to see something in them.

"Well?" I said, breaking the silence. "How'd it go?"

He didn't answer at first, just let out a long, deep breath like he'd been holding it in ever since he left to see Sirius. When he finally spoke, his voice was flat, almost resigned.

"It went about as well as you'd expect," he muttered. "Sirius is... well, he's not going to change. Thinks I'm blind, following the wrong people." His eyes met mine briefly, before shifting to the floor.

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. I knew that look. He was hurt—more than he was letting on. And despite everything, despite knowing Sirius was an arrogant git who never knew when to shut up, it still stung to hear that he'd dismissed Reg like that. No matter how much they pretended otherwise, they were brothers, and a part of Reg always held onto that.

"Yeah, well... Sirius is an idiot," I said, trying to sound casual, but my voice came out more bitter than I intended. "You're better off without him."

Regulus didn't respond, just shrugged, and for a moment, I wanted to say something more. Something to fix the crack that was widening between the two of them. But what could I say? I wasn't exactly the poster child for healthy family relationships either.

Evan, sensing the tension, leaned forward in his chair. "You alright, mate?" His voice was softer than usual, not probing but just... there.

Regulus nodded, but it was one of those nods that told you he wasn't fine at all. "I'll be fine," he said, and I could tell he was trying to brush it off, like always. "It's nothing new."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't suck," I mumbled, still frustrated, but mostly for him. I knew what it felt like to have someone you cared about treat you like you were on the wrong side of things, like your decisions didn't matter. But with Reg and Sirius, it was different. They had history, real history, the kind that I could never understand.

Regulus' gaze shifted back to me, and for a second, I thought I saw something soften in his eyes. "Thanks, Barty," he said, quieter this time. "But it's done. He's made his choice, and I've made mine."

I didn't push it. As much as I wanted to punch Sirius in his smug face, this wasn't my fight. It never had been. This was between the two Black brothers, and no amount of witty insults or threats from me was going to change that.

Still, the fact that Regulus had gone to talk to Sirius at all—after everything—meant something. It meant that deep down, he still cared. Even if Sirius didn't deserve it.

"Anyway," Reg said, standing up straight, as if trying to shake off the whole thing. "Enough about that. How's your head?"

"Feels like I've been hit by the Hogwarts Express," I said, leaning back against the pillows. "Pomfrey says I'm stuck here until tomorrow, maybe longer. She's not letting me play."