Sillymilipilikiti

Part two

Both brothers subconsciously put the blame on the other because it is much easier for them to do that then recognize they were abused. They can’t fully comprehend that the neglect they were raised with isn’t a normal family dynamic, which is why Regulus, who’s only friends are other victims of abuse, feels as betrayed and enraged as he does when his only bright spot in that house leaves him to go to another family. In his mind he doesn’t really quite realize that his parents are the problem and that James’ parents would never even think of laying an unwanted hand on those children.

Sirius, on the other hand, can’t find the patience in him to realize that Regulus truly is so accustomed to abuse that he doesn’t realize it’s not the same for everyone. He was sorted into Gryffindor, so the friends he made we’re not being abused my their parents, especially not James Potter, who’s parents—unbeknownst to Regulus—are the most kind and caring adults the boys will ever meet. He thinks Regulus just agrees with the abuse their parents put on them. He doesn’t realize that Regulus thinks the Potter’s also hit their children, so he doesn’t understand the anger behind him leaving Grimmauld.

In truth it starts at the fact that Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor, where childhood abuse is notably less common, whereas Regulus into Slytherin, where it’s more common to be abused than not.

like, regulus has it because he's engrossed by james potter

remus has it because he's fallen head over heels in love with sirius black

but james love sirius and sirius loves james

and you have remus and regulus, who are both trying to hide the flowers that they keep coughing up, but then, when they pass each other in the halls, they can smell the stench of flowers on each other. a stench they smell on themselves.

and there is no known cure for hanahaki, so they work together to try to find one, and the longer they spend together, the easier it is to breathe, and the overwhelming smell of flowers start to fade.

and they are so surprised, when they can finally breathe, and they no longer cough up flowers, because, what the heck?

when she found out what had been done to harry, sweet innocent harry, who looked up at her with those same adoring eyes of his mother when she held him in her arms, she was furious. it didn't matter how much his aunt and uncle would resent her for it, she would not let harry live in that hell any longer.

"i wouldn't do that if i were you," a voice warned from behind her. a voice she knew all too well. the voice that killed everyone she loved. mary's hand was mere inches away from the doorknob of the house. she could ignore him. but she knew better. slowly, she turned.

"what are you doing here?" she spat.

"anger is a nasty emotion, miss macdonald. i would advise you to reconsider your actions before you let your emotions get the best of you," dumbledore says, voice sweet and warm and all too fake.

"why would you put him in a place like this?" mary clutched the wand in her hand tighter.

"no one feels more sorry for the boy than I, but it had to be done, for the greater good." he replies, calmly.

mary couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

she takes one step towards him. and another.

her hand meets his face before she realises she's raised it, the sound of the slap reverberating.

"is this your grand plan? to raise him like a pig for slaughter?" she says, anger barely contained.

dumbledore merely smiles in response.

"you were always the smart one. but i am afraid i cannot let you go to the boy."

"try and stop me."

"do not force me to use extreme measures, miss macdonald."

"extreme measures? like the ones you could have used to make sure james and lily weren't killed? to make sure marlene, and dorcas, and regulus and peter and evan weren't killed? you couldnt have taken extreme measures then?"

"it is a terrible fate what happened to your friends. truly. it is even sadder that the pain was too much for you to bear, and you obliviated yourself." dumbledore says, raising his wand.

"what are you talking about?"

mary looks around the unfamiliar neighbourhood. why was she here?