Chapter 52

                                    

                                          
From the James' birthday till now time went very fast. It was now time for the summer holidays. Regulus sighed. This was going to be a long summer holidays. Exams had finished a couple days ago and now they were getting ready to go home. Tomorrow they will be on their way home. He did not want to be any where near that hell hole that he had to call home. He much preferred the Potter's home. Right now he was in the common room looking into the fireplace which was going right now. Deep in his thought.
"REGULUS!" a voice screamed right next to him causing him to jump out of his skin. 
Looking to his side he sees that it was Sirius who screamed his name "What do you want Siri?" 
Sirius plopped down onto the couch beside Regulus, his wide grin betraying a mix of mischief and genuine excitement. "What do I want? To wake you up, obviously! You've been sitting here staring into the fire like it owes you money. What's on your mind, little brother?"
Regulus rolled his eyes, pulling his knees up to his chest. "Nothing. Just thinking about... summer." He said the word as if it were something unpleasant he had to chew and swallow.
Sirius's grin faltered for a moment, replaced by a knowing look. "Ah, the House of Horrors. Yeah, I get it." He leaned back, his arms stretching across the back of the couch. "You could always come stay with me, you know. James's parents love having guests. Euphemia's practically adopted me at this point."
Regulus let out a small laugh. "Yeah, because that would go down well with Mother. 'Where's Regulus?' Oh, he's just hanging out with the Potters—your favorite family, right after the Muggle-borns.'" His voice was tinged with mockery, but the weight of his words hung in the air.
Sirius frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "You don't have to stay there if you hate it so much. You've got options, Reg."
Regulus turned to look at his brother, his expression unreadable. "I appreciate it, Sirius, but it's not that simple. Besides... someone has to keep an eye on things."
Sirius's eyebrows shot up. "Keep an eye on what? Mother's obsession with pureblood society? Father's perpetual brooding? Kreacher polishing the same bloody staircase for hours?"
Regulus hesitated, his gaze dropping back to the fire. "On them, Sirius. The people who are... watching. Waiting for me to prove my loyalty. It's not like I can just disappear without consequences."
Sirius's face darkened. "The Death Eaters," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Regulus gave a short nod, still not meeting his brother's eyes. "It's not safe for either of us if I just vanish. They'd come after me—and they'd come after you, too. I need to stay ahead of them."
There was a long silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire. Finally, Sirius sighed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "You shouldn't have to deal with this. None of us should. You're better than them, Reg."
Regulus smiled faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "You don't know that."
"I do," Sirius said firmly. "I see it every time you stand up to them. Every time you show that you're not like them, no matter what they say or do. You're my brother, Reg. And you're good."
Regulus glanced at Sirius, his resolve flickering for a moment. "You don't understand, Sirius. They're not just people we can walk away from. They're everywhere. And if I mess up... well, let's just say I won't be the only one who pays for it."
Sirius's jaw tightened. "Then let me help you. I'm not letting you fight this on your own."
Regulus stood, brushing off his robes. "You can't fix this, Sirius. No one can. I just need to get through the summer and figure out my next move."