"What do you mean the library is closed?” Regulus demanded. “You’re having me on. This is a bloody joke and you’re not funny.” He just really needed to get in there to study.

     "Did you, now?" Regulus hummed, though there was something almost playful in his eye. Something that was rare for him. "I hear Blacks are particularly good at that skill - lying."

     Regulus ran up the steps just in front of Severus. They hadn’t been paying enough attention, had been toying with a potion together just to see if they could change its properties. Now, they were missing dinner for it. And Regulus, for one, had realized he was absolutely starving. “We’ll make it! I swear it.”

     “Funny. Should probably take a whiff of yourself before you put that last but out there.” Regulus shot before he considered his words. Although honestly, he probably would have said it anyway. “I was up all night studying.”

     Regulus ran through the great hall at dinner, disrupting people’s meals but not seeming to care as he practically hyperventilated. Rushing up to the Gryffindor table, he looked frantically for his brother, but he didn’t seem to be there. “Where’s Sirius?” He demanded of Peter, who just looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. “Where’s my brother, rat?” Regulus tried again, only to growl and give up. Peter was useless. But Lily. Lily wasn’t useless. Scanning the table again, he saw the mane of red hair and moved further down the table and grabbed her hand. Across from her, James rose quickly. “It’s fine, I’m not… I just… Lily, please. I need your help.”

     Regulus groaned. Audibly. Loudly. He rubbed a hand over his face. “Well you know… it’s been a while since I’ve been in my own time, with people who give a damn about me.” He said curtly, looking away from Harry. “Everyone who cared for me is gone. Everyone I cared for is gone. I put my life on the line for them intending to either go back to them, or die. I did neither. I didn’t plan for this.”