THE ARCHER. - Blog Posts
The Archer (Regulus' Version) Part Two
Part One | Part Two |
Song: The Archer by Taylor Swift
Characters: Regulus Black, Sirius Black, Walburga Black, mentions of Narcissa Black and Andromeda Black
Warning: hurting someone you love, implications of child abuse, self hate
Easy they come, easy they go
I jump from the train, I ride off alone
Aged 15
"You aren't to talk to him, Regulus. He is no longer your brother. He's just as bad as those Potters." Walburga warned her son, just as he was boarding the scarlet steam train to leave for the next term at hogwarts.
He had to listen. He didn't want to, but he had to. To protect not only himself but, more importantly, protect him.
"Regulus. I've been so worried, are you okay!? Did they hurt you?" Sirius asks, checking regulus for fresh injuries, the moment he see him on the train. Regulus stands onfront of him for a moment, frozen. He looks better, he still has a bruise around his eye. His arm has a few new scars, thin and neat, like the rest. But their are no longer black bags under his eyes, his hair isn't matted with blood, his eyes aren't red. He looks better. That's enough for Regulus. He's okay. He's going to be okay.
His big brother will be okay without him.
So, without a word, regulus walks right past him and down the train. He walks straight into the furthest Carriage from his brother, scarring a bunch of first years out and curls up on the seat and cries and cries until his eyes are dry.
I never grew up, it's getting so old
Help me hold onto you
Aged 16
Regulus had had a bad day. He was sent a howler for his mother in the Great Hall because his grades had dropped a little, but he was still top of all his classes.
Sirius had tried to talk to him about it. He had to shoot him down. He walked right past him like he was a ghost, again.
He went straight to his dorm, thanking merlin that it was empty. He took his old poetry book out his trunk and took out the picture from inside of it.
It was a picture of him and sirius. Regulus was nine, sirius had just turned eleven the day before, according to the date on the back.
They were stood in the garden. Sirius had his arm around Regulus' shoulder, a wide, happy grin on his face. Regulus was smiling too. He didn't do that often now.
Narcissa took the photo. She saved it for regulus and gave him it not long after sirius left.
Now, he would look at it any time he missed his brother. Anytime he longed to curl up his arms and cry. Whenever he wanted to simply turn back time to when this photos was taken.
It was one of his last really happy memories.
Andromeda was disowned a few weeks later.
I've been the archer
Aged 15
Regulus turned the corner in the dungeons, and right infront of the common room door, leaning against the wall, was sirius.
He stood up the moment he saw Regulus, his eyes full of hope but also hurt.
"Regulus, please. Can we talk?"
Regulus stayed quiet, staring at him with no emotion. He'd lost count of the amount of times Sirius had tried to talk to him since they'd returned to school. He needed to get him to stop, for both of their sakes.
Regulus would do anything to protect his older brother, just like Sirius had for him when they were younger.
"Reg, come on. Please. I'm your brother." He pleaded desperately.
In this moment, regulus said something he would regret until he took his last breath.
"Your not my brother. Not anymore." He walked past, bumping his brothers shoulder roughly as he moved to enter the common room. He opened the door and put one foot in the passage. He turned his head to see Sirius standing frozen, looking at him with tears rolling down his cheeks. But he still had that hope in his eyes.
"Your a Potter now. A filthy. Little. Blood traitor." Regulus spat. And the hope crumpled up and died.
Regulus hated himself. But he loved Sirius. He did what he had to do.
I've been the prey
Who could ever leave me, darling?
But who could stay?
Aged 17
"Your worthless." Walburga slammed the door, leaving regulus curled up on the floor, still shaking.
He lay there the rest of the night, waiting for Sirius to sneak into the room and help him into his bed, give him a drink of water and curl up with him as he sobbed, telling him stories of the things they'd do when they left. Or stories of things his friends had done.
But, deep down, regulus knew he wasn't coming. He hadn't come in years. He'd left.
Sirius was gone and regulus was left alone.
Left alone with his regret and his hurt. Alone with his demons.
He didnt think he could forgive Sirius for getting out, but he never would have forgiven him if he'd stayed.
This is something I've been working on for a while. I have plans for the full song, this was just getting too long. This is just the first verse.
The Archer (Regulus' Version)
Part One | Part Two |
Song: The Archer by Taylor Swift
Characters: Regulus Black, Sirius Black, Walburga Black, mentions of Bellatrix Lestrange, Remus Lupin, James Potter and Lily Evans.
Warnings: Mentions of Child Abuse, Arrange marriage, death of a child (their 17), main character dies, the Black brothers
Combat, I'm ready for combat
Aged Eight
"Shh...reg...its okay. Your okay." Sirius cradles his brother in his arms, rocking him back and forth and he sobs into his chest after a particularly bad punishment from their mother. This one sirius couldn't take the blame for.
"Don't worry reg. I'm going to get us out of here. I'll be at hogwarts in two years, you'll be with me in three. We'll spend the year running round the corridors, just us two. Maybe a few new friends too. None that Mother can control us through, though. After that, we can leave together." Sirius plans out, smiling down at his younger brother. Its his dream. Its his dream to take regulus and ran as far away as they can. Somewhere no one in the Black family can reach them.
I say I don't want that, but what if I do?
Aged 14
"I will not have another son of mine associating with blood traitors." Walburga spoke, speaking the last two words like they were poison. "You aren't to speak to him again. You are dismissed."
"Yes, maman. I apologise." Regulus turned and walked out of the room, making sure his mother wasn't watching when he slouched against the wall at the top of the stairs.
"Remember Reg, remember our plans. I haven't forgot, I hope you haven't either." Sirius appeared at his room door, watching Regulus with sympathy.
Regulus can't lie, those words helped. He felt warmth fill his chest, the corners of his lips twitched up.
He imagined, him and sirius, a tiny two bedroom flat in muggle London. He'd work in a bookshop or a small cafe, Sirius in a record shop or maybe even a hair salon. Theyd have a cat. A grumpy one. They would be friends with whoever they wanted and they'd have them over whenever they felt like it.
Then reality hit.
They couldn't both leave. Only one could cause then there would still be an heir. Their family would hunt them both down. Only one would escape. And Regulus would make sure it wasn't him.
"I dont know what your talking about." He said coldly, pushing off the wall and locking himself in his bedroom, forcing himself not to look at his brothers face.
'Cause cruelty wins in the movies
Aged 15
Regulus listened to the screams through the floor. He listened as his brother called out to him for help. Cried in pain. Regulus cried along with him, cause there was nothing he could do.
He heard his mother's yelling. He sobbed at the sound of Bellatrix, who he'd once considered his favourite cousin, laugh at his brothers pain.
Then their was nothing, just silence.
He watched as the minutes ticked by. Waiting. It was late. The house in silence. When he was sure no one was awake, Regulus got up. He snuck across the room and into the hall, avoiding the creaky boards like Sirius had taught him. Slowly, he pushed open his brothers door.
"Siri?" He peered in and saw sirius, barely able to stand by himself, blood coating his usually perfect hair and his pale face. His eyes were blood-shot, his arms bruised and his clothes ripped. Onfront of him was his trunk and he was throwing things in it.
"Reggie." He sighed, looking up at his brother with relief. "I thought they'd hurt you too." He gave a small smile, wincing when he moved his face.
"Your leaving?" Regulus bit the inside of his cheek to stop the tears. He wanted to reach out and take all the pain from his brother, then help him escape. He wanted him to get out, he deserved to get away from this bullshit. But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt.
"We have to, Reg. We can't stay here. Go, get your trunk. Pack what you need. Nothing more."
Regulus shook his head. "Where are you going to go?"
Siruis let out a shaky breath. "I'm going to James'. But I'm coming back for you, Reg. Even if it means I have to drag you out myself." He said, he didn't have the energy or strength to force him right now but he would get him out. Soon.
"I love you, Reggie." Sirius said, stepping into the fireplace and throwing down the floo powder, muttering his destination under his breath so no one heard.
Regulus let out a sob when the flames disappeared before running to his room before his parents found him. That night, he cried himself to sleep with Sirius' pillow in his arms.
I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you
Dear Siri,
I miss you. Its awful here without you. We aren't even allowed to say your name. Your rooms been locked.
Everything is much more bearable when your here. You make everything better.
I love you,
Reggie
Dear Sirius,
Come back, please. I hate it here without you. Please come back to me. Please.
I love you, brother
Reg
Come back for me. I want to leave. I can't do this anymore, Sirius. Please, I need you. I can't take this anymore.
I love you
Regulus
Dear Sirius
I got it. I'm so so sorry sirius. I swear I didn't want to. But they didn't give me a choice. It hurt like hell. I passed out. It hurts even more than the C-Curse. I know you probably hate me now. Don't worry, I hate me too.
I love you, Siri
R.A.B
Dear Sirius,
I seen you the other day. On a mission in diagon Alley. You didn't see me, but I saw you. I wanted to run to you so badly when you almost got hit. I'm happy that Remus saved you. I'm happy for the both of you. Your good for each other.
I love you
R.A.B
Sirius,
I need your help. Mother has found me a wife. I'm getting married in March, 1980. I never imagined have to get married without you at my side. Marrying Amaryllis Yaxley would be much more bearable with you there.
I love you
R.A.B
Sirius,
I saw in the prophet that James and Lily got married. I hope they have a good life together. I saw you in the photos. You look happy. I'm glad your happy. Although, you could do with a hair cut.
R.A.B
I found a way, brother. A way out. A way to end this war. I'm going to get rid of him, Siri. For you.
R.A.B
Aged 17
Regulus wiped a tear from his cheek before he put all the letters back into the old box, all besides one. He climbed off his bed and placed the box under a floor board, were it wouldn't be found for years to come.
He stood up, wiping away another tear. He grabbed his wand, a piece of parchment and a locket that was an exact replica of the locket of slytherin.
Regulus looked down at the note in his hand one more time before sealing it to his owls leg and opened the window. He took one last look around his bedroom. At all the things he'd ever owned, the only place that was ever truly his.
Then he turned around and walked out.
Regulus was already dead by the time sirius got the letter. He looked at the letter once and knew. He knew his worse fear had come true and sunk to his knees, sobs ripping through him.
When Remus came home to find his boyfriend on the floor in tears, he only had to look at the parchment on the counter once to know what had happened.
I'm sorry. I remember, I never forgot. You were always my brother.
I love you
Goodbye, Siri.
R.A.B
Repeated lyrics my beloveds ☆
This makes me think of when she hits the bullseye for track 5 🎯
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