Every word in the exchange between Bellatrix and Regulus confirms for him what he was afraid he'd realize. Regulus doesn't want this. Regulus has been doing his best not to do all of this. Regulus might not love him anymore, but he at least cares enough not to hurt him. To call him brother.
He'd failed Regulus, and then he'd misjudged him, and now Regulus was about to get himself killed because of Sirius. That's absolutely unacceptable.
Something cold and certain settles in him when Bellatrix slaps Regulus. It's familiar in the same way that expression on his brother's face is. It's the kind of feeling he'd get, right before saying something to Walburga to get her attention on him instead of his brother.
Like aunt like niece, right?
"Hey bitch," he says, fighting back to a slightly more upright position and doing his best to sound bored and unaffected even though he's terrified and still feeling weak, "As fascinating as it is to watch you try to keep such a spineless lout in line, can you not get up to your crazy dominance shit in my house?"
His gaze flickers towards Regulus, and maybe his brother will catch the apology and the warning in his eyes. Regulus needs to do something to get back into Bella's good graces, but if he isn't then at least Sirius can try to get her attention back onto him.
It's almost enough. Bellatrix turns towards him with a bright fury in her eyes and strides forward to backhand him as well. The large ring on her hand leaves a familiar cut, and Sirius can't help the sharp laugh that escapes his lips at how alike this situation feels to the days at home for all everything has changed since then.
"What, was that rude?" he asks with a feigned innocence, "I suppose I'm sorry. Sorry that he clearly doesn't have the balls to do much more than kick a puppy and you clearly don't have the influence to make him do otherwise."
And now there's a wand pressed to his throat as Bellatrix grabs his hair, tugging his head back painfully so he meets her cold, bright eyes.
"I will show you both influence, you scum of the earth," she hisses, "Imperio."
And shit, that's not what he was anticipating and he should have been. He feels a hint of rage and fury before it's smothered under this odd sense of peace. Bellatrix's voice sounds like it's coming from the other end of a tunnel: "I really do regret that you have to learn this way, Regulus, but if you won't teach him, then I'll have to make sure you both learn at once. Sirius? Make him hurt."
Getting to his feet is oddly easy, for all he was having trouble before. He's stepping towards Regulus without thought, but the orders don't sit right in his chest. Making Regulus hurt doesn't seem right. Making Regulus hurt is wrong and goes against everything he believes in--
"--No." The fog clears as he speaks the word with certainty and he rounds on Bellatrix, "No, and fuck you, Bella."
He lunges towards her, intending to knock her over, but despite her surprise at him breaking out from the Imperius curse she still flicks her wand instantly. Suddenly, he's dangling in the air, blood rushing to his head, and Bellatrix looks absolutely like she'd kill him if she were allowed.
"It seems he needs softening up, still. Last chance, dear cousin," Bellatrix says softly to Regulus, "You can take it from here, or I will, and I'll leave the bare minimum of him left so he can crawl back to our Lord when I'm finished with him."
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He'd failed Regulus, and then he'd misjudged him, and now Regulus was about to get himself killed because of Sirius. That's absolutely unacceptable.
Something cold and certain settles in him when Bellatrix slaps Regulus. It's familiar in the same way that expression on his brother's face is. It's the kind of feeling he'd get, right before saying something to Walburga to get her attention on him instead of his brother.
Like aunt like niece, right?
"Hey bitch," he says, fighting back to a slightly more upright position and doing his best to sound bored and unaffected even though he's terrified and still feeling weak, "As fascinating as it is to watch you try to keep such a spineless lout in line, can you not get up to your crazy dominance shit in my house?"
His gaze flickers towards Regulus, and maybe his brother will catch the apology and the warning in his eyes. Regulus needs to do something to get back into Bella's good graces, but if he isn't then at least Sirius can try to get her attention back onto him.
It's almost enough. Bellatrix turns towards him with a bright fury in her eyes and strides forward to backhand him as well. The large ring on her hand leaves a familiar cut, and Sirius can't help the sharp laugh that escapes his lips at how alike this situation feels to the days at home for all everything has changed since then.
"What, was that rude?" he asks with a feigned innocence, "I suppose I'm sorry. Sorry that he clearly doesn't have the balls to do much more than kick a puppy and you clearly don't have the influence to make him do otherwise."
And now there's a wand pressed to his throat as Bellatrix grabs his hair, tugging his head back painfully so he meets her cold, bright eyes.
"I will show you both influence, you scum of the earth," she hisses, "Imperio."
And shit, that's not what he was anticipating and he should have been. He feels a hint of rage and fury before it's smothered under this odd sense of peace. Bellatrix's voice sounds like it's coming from the other end of a tunnel: "I really do regret that you have to learn this way, Regulus, but if you won't teach him, then I'll have to make sure you both learn at once. Sirius? Make him hurt."
Getting to his feet is oddly easy, for all he was having trouble before. He's stepping towards Regulus without thought, but the orders don't sit right in his chest. Making Regulus hurt doesn't seem right. Making Regulus hurt is wrong and goes against everything he believes in--
"--No." The fog clears as he speaks the word with certainty and he rounds on Bellatrix, "No, and fuck you, Bella."
He lunges towards her, intending to knock her over, but despite her surprise at him breaking out from the Imperius curse she still flicks her wand instantly. Suddenly, he's dangling in the air, blood rushing to his head, and Bellatrix looks absolutely like she'd kill him if she were allowed.
"It seems he needs softening up, still. Last chance, dear cousin," Bellatrix says softly to Regulus, "You can take it from here, or I will, and I'll leave the bare minimum of him left so he can crawl back to our Lord when I'm finished with him."