Prologue
*TW for deadnaming, abuse*
The library at 12 grimmauld place was quiet, the two brothers sat side by side reading diligently in the bay window. Despite their differences and faults they had a close bond, they had to, with the amount of adversity they had to face even in their own home. The elder, Sirius was sprawled in arguably the most uncomfortable position possible, desperately trying to avoid his lower back where the reminders of his father's belt were all too prominent.
The younger, Regulus looked up from his book with a frown. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Sirius forced a smile. "Of course." He shifted uncomfortably.
"Sirius-"
"Reggie I'm fine, honest."
Before Regulus could argue with his brother, their mother swept into the room and both boys could swear all the heat disappeared and the room turned cold.
"Sirius, Ophelia, your attention please." Their mother, Walburga black had her own vision for the life of her children and would not let anything get in her way.
"His name's Regulus." Sirius shot back at once, he was tired of the lack of respect towards his brother's identity.
A sharp slap knocked the boy backwards, slamming his back into the window.
"Don't speak to me like that boy." She warned before turning to her youngest son. "Now, Ophelia we really must stop this silly business. You are to grow your hair and we are going dress shopping, I will not have you entertaining this fantasy any longer!"
"But mother-" Regulus began to stand up for himself, but she cut him off.
"Ophelia, you must consider how this looks for the family." Walburga poked at Regulus' bound chest.
"Don't touch him!" Sirius shouted, knowing how dysphoric and uncomfortable this was making his brother.
"And don't get me started on you boy!" She whirled on her eldest, Regulus stared at his brother in worry. He already knew Sirius would do nearly anything for him, he'd helped so much with his transition already. "You have a chance to redeem yourself and you throw this all away because your sister is going through a phase." She moved to grab Regulus' arm. Sirius stood up abruptly.
"You do not look at him! You do not touch him!" He shouted, desperate to get the woman away from his brother.
"You really are a stain on this family." She slapped him again, he took a deep breath.
"Reggie go to your room." He said calmly.
"But-" his brother protested.
"Go!" Seeing the look on Sirius' face Regulus did as he asked.
He raced to his room, barely closing the door as his mother screamed 'crucio' and his brother screamed in pain.
Pulling his pillow over his head to block out the noise, he wasn't sure how long he stayed there, crying over his mistreatment, the torture his brother endured for him. It wasn't fair, neither of them could meet the standards their parents set for them, even when they tried.
When he emerged from his hiding place it was dark, late at night and the house was quiet. Usually, Sirius would come and find him, to make sure he was okay, but he hadn't.
Poking his head out of the door, Regulus once again noted the house was quiet, even their house elf, Kreacher, was nowhere to be found. Being as quiet as he could, he made his way down to the library and turned on the light, his brother was lying in the center of the room.
"Sirius?" He hissed as he got closer, there was blood on the carpet, he noticed. "Sirius!"
His brother didn't move. He finally reached him and visibly recoiled from him, it had never been this bad before. Burns across his arms, blood and bruises on his face, his wand still in his back pocket. He never even tried to defend himself. Regulus shook his brother's shoulder. "Sirius wake up."
A groan left his brother's lips, but he didn't move nor open his eyes.
"We need to get help." Regulus told him, thinking desperately of where they could go to get help. "I'm going to grab our trunks, stay here.
"I'm fine." Sirius mumbled, Regulus ignored him, he knew when his brother was lying, not that he needed Sirius trying to say he was fine when he could clearly see he wasn't.
The brothers mostly kept their trunks packed, so all Regulus really had to do was drag them downstairs and shove them into the fireplace. He then returned to his brother.
"We're going to your friend's house, you've always said James would help us." Regulus told him.
"No Reggie please." Sirius muttered. "I'm fine, I just need to-" he cut himself off by trying to sit up and gasping in pain.
"We need a healer Sirius." Regulus hauled his brother up and into the fire place, holding him up with one arm and grabbing a handful of floo powder. "Potter manor."
They appeared in the fireplace, the living room of James' house was dark, Regulus hauled his brother into the room.
"Reggie we have to go back." Sirius begged as his brother hauled their trunks into the room. "We have to go home."
"We're not going anywhere." Regulus had had to let go of his brother, and was about to go back over to him when he crumpled to the floor. "Sirius? Sirius please!" He ran to him, checking he was still alive. "Help! Please someone help!" He couldn't help the tears that fell, he'd never seen his brother hurt this bad before.
James Potter ran down the stairs, wearing only a pair of boxers patterned with quidditch equipment. His mother, Euphemia and father Fleamont following close behind him.
"Regulus?" He frowned as he saw the boy kneeling and crying in his living room, clutching something he couldn't quite see. As he got nearer he realised it wasnt a something he was desperately holding onto. It was a someone. Sirius. "Oh Merlin."
"What is it Jamie?" Euphemia reached the bottom of the stairs. She entered the room. "Oh my, Fleamont fetch my medical kit."
"Of course dear." Came the man's reply.
"What did you say his name was?" She muttered to her son.
"This is Regulus, Sirius' brother." James explained.
"Hi Regulus, do you mind letting go of him, then we can see how hurt he is." She said gently. Regulus nodded and let go of his brother, eyes flicking from James to his mother and then to Sirius again.
"I think we might have to go to st mungos." She said as she examined the boy she had always treated as a son.
"No, please." Regulus begged, his eyes wide. He looked terrified.
"Alright, James would you help me get his shirt off." Euphemia or Effy as she was often called asked her son, who was staring at his best friend with a terrified expression.
"Y-yeah."
James came to the other side of his friend and helped his mother pull Sirius' shirt off. It was stuck to his torso with blood and had he been awake would have reacted to them pulling it away from his skin, however gently they did so. The burns and bruising were a lot worse on his torso, but most of the blood seemed to come from the words carved into his side. 'toujours pur'.
"What does that mean?" Effy asked.
With no expression in his voice Regulus answered. "Always pure, the black family motto"
"What the fuck!"
"James!" Effy scolded her son's language.
"Sorry, I just found out my best friend has been mutilated." James replied sarcastically. Regulus burst into tears.
"It's all my fault." He wailed. James went over to him, pulling him into a gentle hug. He has always been a hugger, Sirius often said it was his biggest fault.
"It's not your fault Regulus." He said quietly.
"He was standing up for me against mother." Regulus sniffed into James' shoulder.
"Your mother did this?" Effy asked, using a mixture of magic and potions to heal the burns.
"He always stands up for me." Regulus mumbled.
It took Effy a further five minutes to heal what she could, a few bruises remained, but she got the rest. That was except from the black motto.
"What is it?" James asked, noting the way she had paused.
"I believe Mrs Black used several curses to create... This." She gestured to the words on Sirius' side. "It'll heal eventually but never go away."
"But he'll be okay?" Regulus asked, looking like he was about to cry again. She nodded.
"Yes, he's going to be fine." She stood up, dusting off her knees. "Monty will you help me get Sirius upstairs?"
"Where are you taking him?" Regulus was on alert at once.
"Just upstairs to the guest room dear, you can go with him if you like?" Effy smiled warmly at him. Regulus nodded at once, the movement fast like he was scared she would change her mind.
It was morning when Sirius awoke, both James and Regulus sat at his bedside.
"Pads? How are you feeling?" James asked, Sirius let out a groan.
"James I'm so sorry, we'll head home later."
"Sirius you're going nowhere!" James said firmly making Sirius look at him. "I wish you'd told me. I've already written to Remus to let him know."
"No." Sirius could feel the anxiety rising. How could James had told Remus! They'd starting dating around Easter time, and Remus had mentioned the marks on his body during sex, which was a bit of a mood killer, but Sirius had always changed the subject. It was easier that way, he didn't want to seem week. After everything Remus went through, how could he tell him he couldn't handle a little discipline from his parents. "Prongs please say you're joking."
"Sirius you showed up unconscious in my living room with your brother crying his eyes out. He's your boyfriend, I had to tell him." James replied gently. Sirius glanced at Regulus, who was sleeping in the chair next to the bed.
"I told him not to." Sirius sighed, he should have been stronger, this was the first time he had let Regulus see how bad it was.
"I'm glad he did." James said firmly. "You're not a bother Sirius, you're my best friend, you'll always have a place here. No matter what happens I'm here for you. So is Remus, so is Pete."
Sirius forced a smile. "Thanks James."