Of Deer and Flowers

Chapter Twenty Six

Leave Taking

July 21^st

Dear Ann,

Summer this year is much better than last. Petunia of course is not speaking to me. She spends most of her time away with Vernon. I'm beginning to think she's the only girl who'll have him. Pretty smart on everybody else's part. The git is such a self-centered . . .

Well as long as they're both away I'll be fine. Christy's coming next week and Julie's cozen about the same time. So we've decided to have a huge slumber party.

July 27^th

Dear Ann,

We had so much fun last night torturing Petunia! Magic of course is not allowed outside of school, but Zonko's products aren't exactly magic. Julie's cozen, Diana, only thought we'd mail ordered them from some store and was rather disappointed when I couldn't remember the name of the place. Christy told her we'd bought them from a fellow student, and promised to mail her some as soon as we could get some more . . .

Five am Sunday morning Sirius Black slammed the lid down on his trunk and sat on his bed. He wanted out. Out of this house, out of his family, and out of their expectations. As soon as he could figure out where to go he'd be gone.

"What is that noise?" Regulus asked coming in to the room, fresh out of bed. Sirius's brother still managed to look as if he'd been up for hours. "How's a body supposed to sleep with you in here making all this racket?"

"Well I'll try to be quieter then."

"Mum's right you know, you could try to be a bit more polite. Those Muggle loving Potter's might let you get away with it, not to mention Half-Cast's parents, But you are a Pureblood Sirius and we do have standards to uphold."

"Shut it will you!" Sirius wanted nothing more than to pound Regulus's face in then and there, but his brother's words had given his the solution that he so desperately needed, (Hadn't Mrs. Potter always told him he was welcome any time?) and Regulus's words were making him angry. The madder he was the less likely he was to back out.

"What? You know it's true . . . and then there's your little Mudblood friend. Tell me, do you just let him fallow you around out of pity? Or is Pettigrew actually good for something?"

"Did you just come in here to insult my friends, or do you need something?" Sirius growled opening his trunk again, and beginning to move the last of his cloths into it.

"What are you doing?" Regulus asked ignoring the question and sitting down on Sirius's bed.

"Leaving."

"Why?"

"Because me and this family just don't fit!"

"Surly there must be a way I can get you to reconsider?" Sirius only looked at him in shock. This was Regulus he was talking to wasn't it? He should be glad to see him go.

When Sirius said nothing Regulus shrugged and walked to the door. "We might as well eat while we talk. KREATCHER!" Within seconds Regulus's yell had been answered by a wrinkled old house elf.

"Yes master?"

"Breakfast for the two of us!"

"Something I can eat quickly!" Sirius added. The house elf nodded and hurried off mumbling to itself.

"Something I can eat quickly' master says. 'Bring me something I can eat quickly!' Master eats everything quickly he does. Like a Griffin at his meals he is . . ."

Regulus scowled as he watched the elf go. "I can't wait till that old bat's head is on the wall. Then maybe we can get some decent help!"

"That," Sirius snapped, "is why I'm leaving. Or part of it . . ."

"What? Because of the elves' heads?"

"It's inhumane!"

"They're not human Sirius!"

"And what about the Muggles? Are they not human? Do they not deserve to be treated like people!"

Regulus sighed as if it was some heavy burden to listen to Sirius. "Let me explain something to you, big brother. This is not about you. Nothing is all about you! Everything you do reflects on the family. If you run away what will they say? Will they tell mother she can't handle her own children? Stanton's marring a Muggle born was bad enough. If you run off will they expect me to fallow? Will father lose his place in society because you decided to be rebellious? Think Sirius! What will your example bring to the family?"

"Nothing bad that I can see."

"This doesn't reflect only on this family Sirius, it also reflect on all of Pure-blood kind. If you run off what happens to all we have worked for?"

"Personally, I don't give a damn!" Sirius pulled out his wand and Regulus flinched. "Oh honestly I'm not going to hex you! I'm only going to shrink my trunk . . ."

"But the restrictions!"

"See if I care, its not like they can sense it in this house anyway." Sticking the shrunken trunk in his pocket, Sirius grabbed some toast off the tray Kreatcher had left on the table outside his door, and walked off. Regulus followed him down the stairs.

"Feel free to be the son Stanton and I never could be little brother, or better yet, Don't"

"Sirius . . ." Regulus was pleading now.

"And go ahead and tell Mum she can blast my name off that tapestry, because I am not coming back."

With those final words Sirius began the two-hour walk to the Potters'. He'd take the knight bus, but chances were he'd be early, and he didn't want to wake anyone up.