The Story of Regulus Black - Years 1-4

LXXIX. Killed the Defense Professor

Sirius Black did not come visit Regulus the following day, or any days after that.

Regulus didn't blame him. As far as he was concerned, Sirius coming to visit Regulus had just been a severe lapse of judgement caused by the stress of a near-death experience. The same could be said for why he found such a comfort in his brother's presence.

However, Gillian and Barty visited Regulus every single day.

On the morning after the ordeal, they had both burst into the hospital wing bright and early with the concern clear on their faces.

"Regulus, are you alright?!" Gillian had demanded as soon as she and Barty reached Regulus's bed.

He nodded his head. "I'm fine." But the light tremble to his hands was enough to give him away.

"What happened?!" Barty asked.

Regulus explained the whole situation to the two of them, carefully leaving out any details about the discovery which Professor Wilson had made. Francesco was sat in his bed, reading a book which Madam Pomfrey had given him upon his request. It wasn't very interesting - just a bunch of stuff about Healing Spells. But, it gave him something to do until Benji and Deacon came to visit him.

After that, they came regularly. And, every time they left, Deacon would talk to Regulus instead. Well, more specifically Deacon, Francesco, and Benjamin.

In truth, all three of them had warmed much more to Regulus since he basically saved Francesco's life. At least, Francesco and Benji were. Deacon was just glad that the three of them were getting along and that he wouldn't need to hide his want to be friends with Regulus anymore.

However, he was sad. And Deacon could see it. And he wanted to ask Regulus about it, but he didn't want him to deny that there was anything wrong just because Francesco and Benji were there. So, he had resorted to waiting until they were out of the hospital wing to ask. For, he knew that as soon as they were out, Regulus would resort to ignoring the boys, at least in public. That was just how he was. Deacon made a mental note to assure his friends that it didn't mean Regulus didn't want to be their friend, and that that was just the way he was.

So, when the day finally came that Madam Pomfrey felt the two boys were doing well enough psychologically to leave, they did so without hesitation. Regulus's hands still had a very faint trembling to them, but he knew that that likely wouldn't be going away for quite a while.

Francesco and Regulus left the hospital wing together, and they went straight for the Great Hall. It was Tuesday, 10 June, and it had just passed 8AM. The two of them were just glad to be walking and out of the ward.

"How's your ankle doing?" Regulus inquired, unsure what else to talk to the boy about. The two of them hadn't talked about the conversation that Regulus had had with Milo, and Regulus was very grateful for that. In all honesty, he didn't want to think about it.

Francesco shrugged and said, "Oh, it's doing well. It really doesn't hurt anymore."

"That's good."

They were quiet for a moment, until they got stuck on one of the rotating staircases. "How are you doing?" Asked Francesco.

"I'm doing good." Said Regulus, but both boys knew that this wasn't true.

Regulus had been having nightmares every night since the whole ordeal. He would wake up, absolutely drenched in sweat, gasping for air, completely panic-stricken. Francesco would often wake up from the sound of Regulus's panicked shouts that he gave in his sleep, and he would try to talk the boy back to sleep from his bed. Regulus was averaging two nightmares per night, and, on Saturday night, had suffered four.