The Story of Regulus Black - Years 1-4

XLVI. The Worst Birthday

CW: mentions of child abuse

It was four days after Regulus and Sirius Black's return to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Regulus awoke in the early morning of Tuesday, 25 June with a grin plastered onto his pale face. The first thing that he did that morning was check his window. Sure enough, as soon as he opened his curtains, there was an owl perched on the outside sill with a letter tied to their leg.

Regulus excitedly opened the window and untied the letter, slipping a sickle into the pouch that was tied 'round its other leg. The owl gave a thankful hoot and took off through the alleyway, and back towards the place from whence it came. Regulus was just about to close the window when five more owls came swooping down. He furrowed his brow as the owls took their place on his windowsill, all holding out their legs - he had only been expecting one letter, and he already had it in his hand.

Though, he untied the letters nonetheless. As he was untying them, he became quite confused by the fact that they had all arrived at exactly the same time. They couldn't have all come from the same person.

As the owls flew away, he stuck his head out of the window to be sure that no others were coming. When he was sure that there were no more feathery guests, he closed his window tightly and rushed enthusiastically towards his bed. What he didn't notice was one of those very same owls swooping over and landing on Sirius Black's windowsill as well, a letter attached to their other foot that Regulus had paid absolutely no mind to. He set down the five most recent additions to his letter stack, and opened the one that he had been most excited about.

Sure enough, inside held his Hogwarts acceptance letter, and his list of needed supplies. He looked it over in excitement, reading about all of the new books that he would need and making a mental note.

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3 by Miranda Goshawk
Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newton Scamander
Spellman's Syllabary by Amina Hayes
The Essential Defense Against the Dark Arts by Arsenius Jigger

Regulus was absolutely ecstatic about all of the new books that he would be getting for his new classes. Though, most of all, he was excited for Care of Magical Creatures. He had always found Magical Creatures fascinating, ever since he was a child. Truthfully, he was only taking Divination because it seemed like an easy pass, and he was only taking Ancient Runes because it was the only other interesting sounding class available. He would have much preferred Arithmancy, but it took place at the same time as Care of Magical Creatures, and there was no way that he was giving up that class for a bunch of numbers.

He placed his Hogwarts letter onto his bedside table, excitement coursing through his veins, and he moved onto the first letter in the stack beside him. When he took out the parchment within, it was to find the familiar handwriting of his best mate.

Reg,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I know you think that I don't know when your birthday is, but I figured it out. Why have you never told us when your birthday is? It's a little odd, if you ask me, but I digress. How's everything at home? Have you gone to any meetings with the Dark Lord yet? Merlin, I hope you have a lot to tell me on the train ride back to school!
Can you believe that we're almost third years?! It's crazy! It seems like only yesterday that we met on the platform of King's Cross. Speaking of which, I already can't wait to go back! Sure, Dumbledore and all of them are ignorant and dumb, but it's still better than being in this lousy place. Though, my mum is being nice. She made me a special dinner when I came home. Dad was silent and left halfway through. Said he had "Ministry business", but I think that he just couldn't bear the thought of sitting at a table across from his practically estranged son.
Hope you're having a good summer! Let's do something for your birthday next year, yeah?