Chapter 2: The Silent Regulus
Autumn, 1962. Regulus was a year and a half old; Sirius was three.
Sirius's side of the nursery had already descended into chaos. Toy broomstick parts, enchanted spinning tops that bit, and a box of goblin-made metal puzzles lay scattered across the floor.
Regulus's corner, on the other hand, was always tidy. A dark blue rug held a few picture books and a plush Kneazle that no longer moved — it had once been animated, but Sirius had broken it.
That afternoon, Kreacher was cleaning the windows with magic, though his ears remained perked toward the two young masters and his eyes kept drifting their way.
Sirius had just retrieved a miniature broomstick from Orion's study — a scaled-down model of a real broom, a teaching tool designed to demonstrate the principles of the Flying Charm.
"Watch this, Regulus!" Sirius called out loudly to grab his brother's attention. "This is a broomstick! A real wizard's broomstick! I can make it float!"
He placed the broom on the carpet, stepped back two paces, and drew a deep breath. His small face reddened with effort.
"Up!" he shouted, thrusting both hands upward in a lifting motion.
The broomstick shifted slightly — one end rose about five degrees before settling back down.