Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count - 1381

Warning - Character Death, Murder, Phsychological themes.

Written for Sophie for GGE. Sorry this is late, love, I hope you enjoy it.

iridescent in the moonlight

The room was decorated haphazardly, so clearly the work of still semi-drunk college kids it was actually painful. Barty sneered at a piece of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. It looked seconds away from dropping pitifully to the floor.

Everything about the room was a stab in Barty's heart, and he was barely managing to keep himself together. Only the promise of what was to come held him in place as the others trailed in to the room in twos and threes.

He was here under pretence anyway. They all thought that their childhood had been forgiven and forgotten. They thought Barty had got over the teasing and the cruel jabs.

They thought he'd gotten over Regulus.

…

"Regulus, why are you hanging around with that loser?" Sirius asked, laughing as he rolled his eyes.

"Leave him alone," Regulus snapped, stepping closer to Barty. "I don't talk badly about your friends!"

"That's 'cause my friends are normal," Sirius replied, shaking his head. "Seriously, let's go. Leave the wet napkin behind."

"He's coming with us," Regulus said firmly, tugging at Barty's arm when Barty resisted. He turned around and looked at Barty. "Ignore him, he's an asshole."

"I don't want to go," Barty murmured. "They don't like me, Reg."

"Well, I like you, so it's fine. C'mon, Barty, it'll be fun."

…

"Yo, Space Cadet," Sirius said loudly, snapping his fingers in front of Barty's face to get his attention. "You with us or what?"

Barty forced himself to smile and nod. "Yeah. You know what I'm like. Head in the clouds."

Sirius snorted, and they all took their seats around the tree. Barty sat higher than the others on a barstool, undoubtedly gotten through a drunken escapade that Barty hadn't been present for.

"Where's Remus?" James asked, looking around as if he'd only just realised the quieter boy wasn't with them.

"We had a row. I'll go and find him later," Sirius replied, running a hand through his hair. "I wasn't really expecting him to be here, to be honest."

James rolled his eyes. "I swear, you two are the actual worst sometimes."

…

Remus tried to give Barty a chance, but Sirius wouldn't let him.

Hell, the only reason Sirius even let Barty be around was because Regulus argued with him long enough to ruin the entire night whenever he tried to ban him.

Barty hated to be the cause of the conflict between the brothers, but Regulus assured him that the conflict was inherent between them. They'd argued like cat and dog since they'd both been old enough to talk.

One cold evening, they sat around a campfire and played games. Truth or Dare, Spin the bottle… traditional games.

Barty even found himself having fun.

And then, he suggested they play Never Have I Ever.

Sirius had rolled his eyes and said, "Never have I ever been as lame as you!"

…

Presents were handed out slowly, one at a time, as was tradition. Barty opened his own—a generic scarf—and watched as James, Lily, Marlene and Peter each opened their own.

When only Sirius was left, Barty sat forward in his seat, eagerly waiting for the moment Sirius would open the present he'd gotten for him.

It was a special gift, one chosen with much thought and preparation.

He was sure that Sirius would just love it.

After all, Barty had gotten him the thing he loved most.

…

"Oh, god, they're so gaggy," Regulus complained, nodding his head to where Sirius and Remus were making out under the mistletoe. "I can't wait until we go to college; at least that way, we'll have other places to go so I don't have to watch that!"

Barty snorted, tugging Regulus closer so he was almost in his lap. "We have our own moments of gagginess, you know?"

"Well yeah, but we do it in private," Regulus replied, rolling his eyes. He did turn to press a brief kiss to Barty's lips though, so he took it as a win.

"Alright, lovebirds, break it up," James called from the other side of the room. "We're heading out, you're going to ruin your lipstick!"

Barty snorted while Regulus chuckled.

Barty didn't miss the glare Sirius shot their way on the way out though.

…

Silence filled the room until it was unbearable. Sirius stared at the box in horror, frozen with it between his legs.

"What the actual fuck?" James managed to whisper, even as Lily buried her face against his chest, sobbing quietly.

"I'll ring the police," Marlene muttered, as Peter retched loudly.

Remus' head stared up from the box, unseeing.

Sirius tore his gaze away to look at Barty, his eyes filled with rage and pain. "You twisted bastard!"

Barty met his gaze. "You took away the only thing that mattered to me; I just returned the favour. Merry Christmas, Sirius."

…

The prank had been intended for Barty, but Regulus had taken the bait instead. To this day, Barty didn't know what had happened, but what he did know was that a week later, he was sitting in a pew at the church, listening to a Minister talk about Regulus as if he'd known him.

The death was ruled accidental, but Barty knew better.

He saw the guilt in Sirius' eyes when he looked at the closed-lid coffin, and he knew that whatever had happened, Sirius was behind it.

Sirius had taken Regulus away from him.

…

Barty laughed as the police tugged his arms behind his back and placed the cuffs on his wrist. Sirius was kneeling on the floor by the tree, sobbing as he watched the forensics team take the box away.

He was led through the halls and down the stairs before being put in the car. Across the road, he saw Remus approaching the building. It was sooner than he'd anticipated, but… whatever.

Sirius knew the pain Barty had gone through now.

He'd done his job.

…

"Am I hallucinating?"

Regulus chuckled, shaking his head. "Of course you're not."

Barty could only stare at him, wonder and betrayal warring inside of him. He was so glad that Regulus was okay, of course, but… why would he do that to Barty?

"Why?" he asked reaching out for Regulus. When he tugged, Regulus moved willingly into his arms, stroking a soothing hand through his head.

"I wanted to be free," Regulus admitted. "Free of my family and the responsibilities, free of Sirius… just free."

"Free of me?"

"Of course not, silly."

"How did you do it?" Barty asked, clutching to Regulus' jumper as though scared he'd disappear, leaving Barty lonely and grieving once more.

"Does it matter?"

…

"It was just a prank," Barty said, throwing his hands up in the air. "Remus is fine! It wasn't a real head! Jesus, can you just let me out of here?"

He was ignored for hours, until finally, he was collected for interview.

"That head was a very real head, son," the policeman told him, frowning slightly when Barty shook his head in denial. "We found the rest of Remus' body in your apartment."

"What? No. Regulus told me it would be fine. He survived a prank, after all."

"Regulus?"

"My boyfriend, Regulus Black."

There was a shuffle of papers, and then a sigh. "Regulus Black died a little over a year ago, Mr Crouch, in a go-karting accident. I doubt he told you anything."

"No, he didn't. He faked it, he's fine!"

"Mr Crouch—"

"He's FINE!"

…

"Why haven't you told them you're fine to get me out of here, yet?" Barty asked, looking up at Regulus.

Regulus was sitting with his back to the wall, Barty's head in his lap.

"You know I can't do that," Regulus muttered softly. "Besides, I sneak in to see you every night, don't I? It's that enough?"

"Why can't you?" Barty asked, frowning up at him.

He looked iridescent in the moonlight shining through the window of the room they were keeping Barty locked up in.

"You know why," Regulus repeated, frustrated. He tugged a little on the strands of Barty's hair.

"Tell me," Barty demanded, sitting up a little.

Regulus rolled his eyes. "Because only you can see me, dumbass. I told you, I'm free of them all now."

Written for:

Attic - 19. Misfits: Write a story featuring common horror elements (monsters, murder, etc).

Marvel - 1. [Plot Point] Write about someone being betrayed. [Bonus]

Funfair, North - Wreath Making, Decorations - Poinsettias: (plot point) under the mistletoe

Funfair, East - Cocktail - 3. Hot Toddy: Tradition

Galleon - Lonely

365. 299. Conflict