Chapter Text
Regulus Black was, its safe to say, not thriving. He was sat in his Professor's office, fixing Slughorn with a shocked glare as he rambled.
"Mr Black you are top of your class in medicine and physio therapy, it only makes sense that we place you with the sports team that has the most injuries. Our rugby team have nearly double the amount of concussions and injuries than any other team here and you are very well equipped to handle them." Slughorn continues, looking far more pleased for Regulus than he himself was feeling.
Its not that Regulus isn't pleased he's doing well. Its the fact that on said rugby team is his brother, with whom his relationship with was strained at best and James Potter. Admittedly Regulus didn't have much of a reason for his disliking of Potter, he'd never met the man really. But he knew that him and Sirius were 'brothers' and that alone made a dark feeling grow in his chest.
Snapping back to reality, he knew he had to accept this. It fit around his ballet schedule perfectly, it would help his grades considerably and give him more real experience. "Yes sir, of course." He sighs inwardly. "When do I start?"
--
In his dorm he flops onto his bed dramatically, Evan and Barty looking over at him with amused expressions. "Oh dear Reggie, what existential crisis are you having now?" Evan snickers, Barty draped across his lap like a sarcastic cat.
"The fucking rugby team Evan. Apparently i'm the new medic." He groans into his pillow. Barty grins, sitting up to speak excitedly. "Thats amazing Reg, you can look after me when I get flattened again! Oh does that mean your coming to our matches, you can finally see me play!"
Regulus sits up with a scowl on his face. "Yes that's all well and good but it means seeing my brother far too many times weekly and putting up with him and Potter at undgodly hours in the morning. Don't you train at like 5 am?"
Barty's grin widens as he explains, Evan stifling laughter. "Yes but that's just gym sessions in the morning, you just have to be there in case something happens. Our old guy just did homework in the corner." Evan openly cackles at Regulus' downtrodden face. His friends should not be enjoyjng his suffering quite so much, he decides.
"Sirius and James are such morning people as well, you're screwed Reggie dear." Evan mocks, dodging the pillow lobbed his way. "Oh come on its not that bad, just do your stretches down there or break in some new point shoes. Their being delivered today by the way, 10 each. Pandora and Dorcas said they would grab ours and bring them up."
Regulus frowns, then looks at Evan longingly. "Will you come down with me? At least we can do things together and I won't be lonely with a bunch of sweaty rugby players" He bats his lashes at Evan who shakes his head. "Hell no. I love you Reg but I love sleep more. Ask Dora, she gets up early anyway, something about the stars aligning better at dawn?" Evan says, rolling his eyes.
"Fine, she always was my favorite Rosier twin anyway." Regulus sighs accepting his fate reluctantly, already planning to complain to Dorcas later on, who would hopefully have more sympathy for him than his irritating roommates.
See, Regulus was not worried about his medical abilities to patch up idiotic rugby players. It was his brother.
Sirius Black was many things.
A rugby legend- second only to James.
A media favorite in university rugby.
And above all else, a menace to society.
If James Potter was the golden boy capitain, then Sirius was what can only be described as an annoying git on the pitch: causing more fights and scuffles than any other player. Although Regulus had been informed by Barty that all scrum halves were generally like that, Sirius took it to new levels. They were all, in Regulus entirely unprofessional opinion, entirely too comfortable with pain and didn't have enough care for their personal safety.
And Sirius never, ever shut up.
Regulus had once overheard a coach refer to him as 'a goddamn uncoachable puppy with the energy of an overcaffeinated crup'. It had been said with equal parts admiration and despair.
Harlequins fans loved him. Everyone else had less favorable feelings.
But the real problem was that Sirius and James loved rugby. They were insufferable about it and unfortunately Sirius was his older brother.
Which meant telling him about this particular disaster? Possibly could end Regulus.
So, pulling himself off of his bed, he stalked off with one goal in mind- telling his brother and getting his overdramatic celebratory reaction out of the way.
Crossing the university campus he reaches the sports centre, of which Regulus only knows the two large ballet studios and that's that. And he would have been quite happy to keep it that way thank you very much Slughorn.
Making his way into the rugby section, the largest of all Regulus makes sure to take time to judge every inch of the space.
-A massive state of the arc weight room. (Unnecessary, there are two communal gyms in the building.)
-A literal barber shop inside. (For what reason?)
-A trophy room that could be shrine to the team. (Gag-worthy.)
-And worst of all locker room equipped with LED nameplates and screens. (Was this what his tuition went towards?)
After navigating the maze of Harlequins memorabilia he finally finds the correct locker room. He hesitates breifly before heading into the crowd of players. Thankfully this seems to be a team meeting rather than training as Regulus can't stand the smell of sweaty players on a good day, let alone his state of dread and despair he's in currently.
Thankfully Sirius Black was not hard to find, mainly because he was loud as hell.
As soon as he spots Regulus he grins and announces loudly: "Reggie! Darling little brother, to what do we owe this pleasure? Or did you just miss me, wouldn't blame you."
Regulus rolls his eyes, quietly regretting his life decisions. "No, i'm here because i've been assigned this team as a medic."
"Regulus Black." Sirius grins impossibility wider. "This may be the best day of my life."
Regulus feels his soul leave his body for the second time that afternoon.
"Oi Coach Moody! My little brother's our new medic!" Sirius all but yells across the room as every player's eyes turn to him. Moody looks him over. "Good to meet ya kid. You need a run through of when we need ya?"
Sirius wanders away to grin excitedly to- oh of course James Potter. Regulus only half listens to Moody but learns he is needed at morning gym sessions as a precaution, in a med station at their training where players will come to him with injuries or needing to be checked and on pitchside on gamedays, ready to go on and help someone if needed. He also learns about Barty's diabetes needing to be monitored (but he already does that anyway) and a few asthmatic players to look out for. After he is emailed a schedule he wanders back to Sirius.
"Hey Reggie you staying for the team meeting? Oh you know James don't you? You'll be seeing a lot of Prongs here, what with his dodgy shoulder." Sirius slings an arm around his shoulder and Regulus promptly shakes him off. "No I am not staying, i'll see you tomorrow for your gym thing." He grimaces at the thought of such an early alarm. "I'm just going to check on Barty then i'm going to rehearsals."
"Bye Regulus" He hears James call after him as Sirius waves.
Jesus, trust Potter to have an injury. Regulus hoped he didn't see either of them too often. Finding Barty in the corner of the changing room he pushes a bag of sweets into his hands. "Your low again. Apparently i'm officially taking care of you now anyway."
Barty nods gratefully. "Thanks Reggie, I may literally die without you." He swoons, cackling as Regulus flips him off as he stomps out.
5 am gym tomorrow, what are these people on? He sighs, dreading the thought, settling on convincing Pandora to come with him. Regulus was not looking forward to it.