The Dark Mark (Drabble)

Regulus Arcturus Black. Son of Orion and Walburga Black. Brother to one rebellious disowned Sirius Black. Hearing the two talk about each other now you would assume that there wasn’t a time that these two were close. Closer than they were to the rest of the family. But they had been. They had been as close as the Narcissa, Bellatrix and Andromeda. Sirius would protect Regulus from their mother's wrath. But that hadd all changed when Sirius attended his first year in Hogwarts and was assigned to Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. Then he befriended a blood traitor and from there Regulus and Sirius’ extremely close relationship soured rather quickly. Sirius had always been rebellious while Regulus the good child: the one who believed their ideals, who followed directions to a T, did not talk back and held himself in high regards. All traits the young Regulus Black did not realize was him being brainwashed until it was too late. Regulus was always treated better then Sirius but once he started school himself and was proudly put into Slytherin it became worse.

Now that Regulus truly thought about it, it would probably have to do with the rising power of one Lord Voldemort. Sirius thought him a pompous arse while Regulus idolized him because he followed his family ideals and was willing to do something about it. He was in the words of one Walburga Black, a true Dark Wizard who was destined for absolute greatness. It wasn’t a surprise to Regulus when he was pulled out of a potions class at the age of sixteen because his parents had a surprise that needed him back at home. That announcement earned a glare and a snort from Sirius before he chimed out something about a kiss ass. Regulus’ gaze flickered to Sirius before he was turned on his heels and moving out the door. Normally he would have a comeback of his own but Sirius hated to be ignored with a fiery passion: he always wanted a fight so refusing to give him one was more satisfying then actually giving him what he wanted. He knew what awaited him when he stepped off of the grounds of Hogwarts. And he was excited.

The process of gaining the Dark Mark hurt and he had fallen slightly ill afterwards so it had taken him a moment to get back to Hogarts. A whole week had passed since Regulus had been summoned back to his parent’s home. When he arrived back to Hogwarts for morning breakfast he was met with whispers. Most likely trying to figure out where the youngest Black had gone for a whole week. He ignored them and headed towards his usual spot at the Slytherin table instead. Let them speak. He was above it. Above them. He was met with hushed whispers which he did not engage in. His arm still hurt…not in the painful way but more in the ‘Notice me. I am here’ way. A reminder of what he had been summoned for. He didn’t notice the harsh gaze on his back because he was too busy catching up with what he had missed while he was gone. He would need to gather what work the teachers had given the students and do them but he wasn't worried about it. He was smart and talented so a week off wouldn't hurt him in the least. He wouldn’t notice the harsh gaze until he would have it locked onto his own gaze when he left the Great Hall. A grasp around his arm was the only warning he got before he was being dragged down the hallway. “What do you think you are doing?” Regulus hissed, glaring at the person who dared to touch him. He was spun around and slammed into the wall, his gaze finally locking onto one Sirius Black. “Get your hands off of me, blood traitor.” Regulus tried shoving him but Sirius stood there like a damn wall. He grabbed Regulus arm and jerked the sleeve upwards, his fingers tightening at the glaring mark in front of him. Staring straight ahead, Regulus watched many emotion cross over Sirius face. Anger. Hurt. Disbelief. Once upon a time Regulus would be shifting uncomfortably under the gaze but instead he was standing straight, gaze locked on Sirius': ready for his reply.

“You idiot.” Sirius hissed. “You absolute brainwashed pain in the ass idiot.” Regulus growled, “Don’t act as if you care now, brother dearest. Besides you knew this day would happen. Now get your filthy hands off of me.” This time when he shoved Sirius away from him, the man stumbled backwards, and Regulus was able to fix his robes. They now stood there across from each other, brothers by blood now enemies by a single action. Standing a few feet from them was the ever watching eyes of Sirius’ best mates. Regulus could feel their eyes on him as the mark was glaringly there for all in the hallway to see. Luckily it was only them.  “Reg.” His old nickname, something he hadn’t heard in years. The sound of it had him for a single second flinching before he was schooling his features into one of indifference. “You’re a bloody fool.” Regulus took a step forward, getting into Sirius’ face. “I am on the winning side.” With that he shoved past his brother and kept on walking: ignoring the thump of a fist meeting the wall that Regulus had been leaning against just moments before. He glared at James Potter, daring him to say something while he fixed his sleeve over the mark. That was the last time Regulus spoke with his brother in any sort of capacity. The last time he ever fought with him. The last time he would ever hear his voice directed at him. Eventually the school year ended and Sirius was done with Hogwarts. It wouldn’t be until a couple of years later that the Black family would lose a member: no one would know how or why but one single house elf named Kreacher. Until years later when every member of the Black family was gone in one way or another and the story of Regulus Arcturus Black was told to three teens destined to save the world despite only being so damn young.