Je suis le petit Roi.

You can’t quit the Death Eaters, which is something young wizards throughout the multiverse have come to realise very unfortunately. It all starts with learning pureblood supremacy before you can even pronounce the words properly and suddenly all the cool kids are doing it and, look, you even get a free tattoo.

Regulus Black is dead. His name is freshly engraved within the family tomb, next to his father who died only days before him. His mother howls at the loss of her beloved son and husband, slowly being driven towards her own lonely end. His cousins cry tears not wholly sincere, their husbands and his school friends grim faced and solemn.

In the meantime, the newlywed Potters make plans for a nursery and the world goes on. This is how the story goes.

This story went slightly differently, set veering off course by Nexuses and certain best-selling books. This story saw proof given to Bellatrix Lestrange on how her leader was a half-blood who did more damage for purebloods than good. This story saw Orion Black take a Polyjuice potion before passing away, removed from the family tomb in order to pass as his only recognized son’s body. This story saw Regulus Black’s vault secretly emptied over the months, the details of the Horcruxes given to the Order of the Phoenix and a young man with a trunk, house elf and cat en tow hug his brother and sail off into the sunset.

Well, for now. Despite sustaining injuries, the first few days of Regulus’ death are looking promising for him, as far as he can tell, and he’s planning to live them to the full.

If Dominik is paying close attention, he'll notice the mirror Sirius dropped into his pocket has heated up. Strange behaviour for a compact mirror indeed! If he opens it up he will notice the very worried face of a familiar young man. Hopefully any queries he's had will soon be answered.

There's a reason why I've not been present of late, and it's not just my father's illness. I'm going to be lying low for the better part of the rest of the month. The less anyone sees me, the better. 

It's only really Dominik and Kaa who read this anyway yet you've both become such good friends of mine. More, in the case of Dominik. And I love you, Dominik. I love you so much. And I'll never forget everything you've done for me, Kaa. I'm so indebted to you. I think you've inadvertantly saved my life.

I love you. I'll try to see you at some point, I need to. And I will be fine, I promise, my brother will make sure of it. You've made me want to become a better person than I was when I first met you and now I'm going to prove it. 

I'm so bloody tired of having to be a good little boy all the time.

( I was bored travelling back to school... )

I find that very unfair. And I love back rubs. And I want a stable relationship, I do. It's very hard to find a decent one in the environment I'm originally from that's why one-night stands are a wonderful thing --otherwise I'd end up killing most of them in their sleep.

It's very serious. And I hope father doesn't become critical. Because I'm really not ready yet. Not for any of this.

I'm going back to school soon, although I'll be alerted at the slightest hint of things taking a turn for the worse. Oh Merlin, I want to be back at school. At the Nexus. Anywhere. I feel trapped here by everything. 

And sometimes I amaze myself because here I am still in one piece. I've survived my family falling apart twice, no, three times. I can survive a fourth, maybe. But being the head of my family? I don't know. I can't afford to be weak. And all the time I can see Lucius, and even Rodolphus to an extent, sniggering at me because they think they're so bloody better at it. 

Bastards.

I swear, Sirius, I hope your genitals shrivel up and die for this.

My father's health has taken a turn for the worst and I've been called home from school. 

I'll try to keep in touch as best as I can but I can't make any promises. I'm sorry if I'm letting anyone down but it's family.

I think that was singularly the most humilaiting experience of my life. My entire life. It beats every prank I was subjected to, along with the rest of Slytherin House, at the hands of my brother. Even that time in third year when that wrongly cast charm--

No need to mention that.

Any dreams of me playing Quidditch this term have died.

Dominik, I have something important to tell you. Before anyone says anything no I am not pregnant or subject to any kind of abnormal bodily function.

why are their hands always so cold

You are now looking at the latest Head Boy for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Blob the kitten is fitting in rather nicely, I might add. And my last school year is certainly off to a promising start.