Work Text:
—Christmas—
Regulus wasn ’t looking forward to Christmas.
He sat on the couch in the Ravenclaw standard room, knees pulled up to his chin as his arms wrapped around his legs.
—there—
He remembered how their mother reacted to Sirius being home after being sorted into Gryffindor.
And he ’d been sorted into Ravenclaw, something she didn’t like, so Christmas—
“Won’t be any better, right?”
—here—
As a Black, he wasn ’t welcome outside of Slytherin like Sirius was, outside of Maud and Mildred, who he’d met on the train and—
Regulus suspected she would blame them for his sorting.
—Christmas—
“Wait? You’re not looking forward to going home for Christmas?” Mildred said. “But it is so wonderful.”
Regulus said nothing, having already said how he felt.
“I heard,” Maud said, then her mouth snapped shut, her finger pushing up her eyeglasses.
“What?” Mildred said.
Regulus sighed. “Christmas last year,” he started saying. “We were both supposed to be sorted into Slytherin.”
“Oh,” Mildred said. Then, “Why not come spend Christmas with Mum and me then? And Maud can too?”
Regulus stiffened. “I’m not sure…”
“It will be fine. What can go wrong.”
“The Black family matriarch,” Regulus said.
“I think my mum is scarier,” Mildred said while Maud’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping.
But that did it.
Even though she ’d never met Regulus ’ mother—
It was rather brave not to be afraid of her, even if it was because Mildred didn ’t know like Regulus and Maud did.
So—
He went.
Said he was staying with a friend over the break, like Sirius was, although …
“Why are you here?”
“Do you even know what you’re getting into?” Sirius asked.
“I thought you’d be at the Potters,” Regulus said. Sirius, after all, spent most of the time there.
“I at least returned home,” Sirius said.
“And we know what happened then,” Regulus said, hating the way his mother and brother yelled at each other because—
Sirius liked causing trouble. “I also don’t stay at a Muggle home.”
“I’m educating myself about Muggles,” Regulus said. “Self-study, I said.”
Sirius stared. “Did you really say something about self-studying in your letter? ”
“Of course,” Regulus said.
“Coniving,” Sirius said, shaking his head. “No wonder they…”
“They what?”
“They’re making me supervise you and…”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Sure,” Sirius said. “Brat.”
“Well…”
“They still don’t want anything to happen to their precious, perfect little,” Sirius muttered. “They bloody think you’re at a Pureblood’s home and are self-studying magic. But you little…”
“Language in front of her mother,” Regulus snapped. “We are, after all…”
“Stop being a stuck-up little…”
“That is enough, you two,” Ms. Hubble said. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but let’s start by popping popcorn and putting on movies.”
Sirius ’ eyes went wide in horror. Regulus frowned. “Movies? What is…”
“Regulus!” Sirius turned to look at his brother. “Are you trying to get on her bad side?” Then Sirius’ eyes narrowed. “No. You’re actually trying to get away with this under her nose.”
“I’m not sure,” Regulus said as Ms. Hubble sighed. “Are you going to tell? You’re always…”
“Nobody is going to tell on anybody,” Ms. Hubble said, grabbing their ears and making them go over to sit on the couch with Mildred and Maud. There, she put on a Christmas movie, which turned out to be the Muggle form of moving pictures.
And—
Regulus had so many , many questions that the others answered.
“Why is Santa speaking multiple languages a big deal—I speak many different languages,” Regulus said.
“Says the twat…”
“Hey,” Ms. Hubble said, shaking her head.
Sirius cleared his throat. “Well, he doesn’t know how unusual that is.”
And upon seeing a Christmas Carol , Regulus pointed, “So Muggles still put their poor into the poor house.”
Mildred laughed as Ms. Hubble gave him a strange look. “That’s rather behind the times, isn’t it?”
“It is?”
And—
“That’s not what Christmas Elves look like,” Regulus said.
“Please tell me you still don’t believe in Santa,” Sirius said, looking at him in horror.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because it’s so baby-ish.”
“But he is real,” Regulus said.
“Well, magic is real,” Mildred said.
“Not the same thing,” Maud said. “It’s like, I don’t know. Hearing voices.”
“Huh?”
“I wasn’t hearing voices,” Regulus said.
And then—
“Wait,” Ms. Hubble said. “Are you saying…”
“He’s pulling your leg,” Sirius said.
“Santa actually changes every so often,” Regulus said.
“That’s because Uncle Alphard doesn’t always play him.”
“What do you mean…” Regulus frowned, then shook his head. “No. I don’t want Uncle Alphard to kill…”
“Okay!” Ms. Hubble said. “I don’t like where this conversation is going.”
“You mean my little brother was about to bring up killing Santa?” Sirius said. “And he believes in Santa?”
“Well, they don’t intentionally kill the previous Santa, but when an accident happens…”
“This is getting interesting,” Mildred said.
“Mildred,” Ms. Hubble said. “Don’t encourage…”
“There’s only one Santa,” Maud said.
“So you believe he’s…”
“I mean, if he is real,” Maud said. “I mean…”
“Never imagined,” Sirius said.
“That I believe in Santa?” Regulus said, shaking their head.
“No. That you’re making up, well, this.” His brother looked somewhat concerned.
“Not making it up. Bernard told me.”
“Who?”
“Bernard Elfbright,” Regulus said. “The Arch elf, Santa’s head elf, his number one.”
And then—
Sirius touched his forehead, then let out a deep breath. “You’re not running a fever.”
“I’m not making this up,” Regulus said. “Not my fault you stopped believing.”
“Excuse me?”
“Isn’t that why he always comes when you’re asleep?”
“Wait?” Mildred frowned. “He’s not supposed to come while you’re sleeping.”
“He does all the time.”
“You mean,” Sirius said, “That you manage to be sneaky enough to see Uncle Alphard.”
“No. I always wake up when he shows,” Regulus said. “He’s got a distinct feel to his magic, as does Bernard. And Uncle Alphard’s magic feels different, looks different.”
“What?” Sirius asked. “You can’t see magic.”
“Oh.” Regulus paused. “Oh yeah. Not supposed to…”
“Supposed to what?”
“Phineas Nigellus says it’s not normal to see the flow of magic, to sense it,” Regulus said.
“Why do you,” Sirius said, “Have to be so abnormal?”
“I…” Regulus paused.
And then—
“Regulus Arcturus Black!”
“And that,” Sirius said, “Is what we had to worry about, that I tried warning you about.”
Regulus slunk down.
“You didn’t think I’d find out?”
“Excuse me,” Ms. Hubble said.
“This is none of your business,” Walburga said.
“Well, actually, it is.”
Regulus turned to look at her and saw a woman stand up to Walburga despite the difference in power regarding magic. Walburga fumed. “Excuse me?”
“I mean, it’s rather obvious why your son would rather be here for Christmas if this is how you act.”
“Woah!” Sirius said, quickly getting up and stepping between Ms. Hubble and Walburga.
“No worry, Sirius.”
“Papa!” Regulus said, smiling upon seeing the man.
“We’ll be leaving, Ms. …” Orion paused.
“Ms. Hubble,” she said, holding out her hand.
“Let’s go. Sirius, Regulus,” Walburga said, looking as if…
“No, Walburga,” Orion said. “While I do expect the boys home for Christmas Eve and the family gatherings, there is nothing wrong with them spending time with friends.”
“Orion!”
“Regulus has actually managed to make friends, but I’d rather you not squash that, given…”
“How weird he is?” Sirius piped up.
“Sirius,” Orion said, turning his head.
“Well, he still believes in Santa.”
“Excuse me?” Walburga said while Orion’s eyes widened.
“I’ve met him. Well, them, as…” Regulus paused. “I probably shouldn’t mention the fact if a person accidentally kills Santa they have to take their place?”
Walburga and Orion looked at each other, then Walburga turned. “What are you putting…”
“It wasn’t her,” Sirius said. “Regulus really believes that.”
“Said he’s met Santa’s head elf as well,” Mildred said.
“Bet he’s ugly like Kreacher,” Sirius muttered.
“Bernard is not!” Regulus said, frowning.
Maud frowned, then raised her hand.
“What?” Orion asked.
“Regulus says he’s able to see the flow of magic?”
And then—
Walburga looked at Orion, her jaw-dropping.
“Well, yes,” Orion said. “Ancient magic. Not everyone is able to see it,”
“Why didn’t you…” Walburga said. “You never said!”
“Phineus Nigellus,” Regulus said. His head tilted. “Is it because Santa’s magic is ancient magic I can sense when he and Bernard arrive.”
—silence—
“Orion…” Walburga said, turning to look at him.
Orion stared, then said, “Well, with that logic, Santa is likely real.”
“Bloody Merlin,” Sirius said.
“But I think it’s best we not talk about this. What Regulus had told you?”
“Zip my mouth and throw the key away,” Mildred said.
“Yes. That. Whatever it means.”
“Good.”
Sirius ’ jaw dropped, then, “Weirdo.”
“Sirius!” Orion said.
“Well, he’s my little weirdo. Nobody else’s,” Sirius said, muttering something about capturing Bernard for some reason.
“Are you trying to stay on the naughty list?” Regulus said, which—
Sirius looked at him in horror.
“How about we watch another Christmas movie?”
“Movies?”
“Let’s go, Walburga,” Orion said, apparating away with their mother, leaving them to the holiday movies.