Chapter 1
He escaped into the guest room as quickly as he could.
First he sat through a lunch between the two families, listening as his mother sings his praises and his father talks business with the young Lord Lupin.
Regulus sent him supportive smiles, but he will never understand.
Lord Lupin had asked him a couple of questions that he had responded to with rehearsed answers.
After lunch, he excused himself saying he needed to lie down after a long day of travel.
He will be expected back for dinner but until then he is free.
Well, as free as he can be while still being stuck in a corset and layers of skirts.
He heard a patterned knock before Regulus entered, their symbol to each other that it is them who is at the door.
“I brought you some clothes,”Regulus said, passing a small bundle over to him, “I know it’s not much but it’s what I could pack.”
“Thank you,”He responded, “Help me get this off?”
He let out a sigh as his brother unlaced the corset, finally able to breathe as he changed into the new clothes.
“Sirius,”Regulus asked.
He turned around to face his brother, the only one who knows who he truly is.
“Are you really going to go through with this,”Regulus asked.
“Course not, Reg,”Sirius answered, “Just haven’t figured out an escape plan yet. Plus the longer I wait, the closer I’ll be to 18.”
“Mother is planning the wedding for a week after your birthday, Sirius,”Regulus said.
“I know,”Sirius said, “I’ll figure it out before then, promise. You can still come with me, you know?”
“If we both disappear they won’t stop until they find us,”Regulus said, “It’s better if I stay behind and assume Lordship.”
“I don’t want to leave you with them,”Sirius said, “What if they start hurting you because they think you helped me escape.”
“I’ll be fine, once I have taken over you can come back and be my right hand,”Regulus said, “You have to get out Sirius. Once you’re married you’ll be trapped.”
Sirius nodded, fiddling with the hem of the shirt Regulus had loaned him.
“I’ll be okay,”Regulus said, “And if anything happens, I’ll get out and come find you.”
“Promise,”Sirius asked.
“Promise,”Regulus responded.
A soft knock on the door interrupted them.
“Shit,”Sirius cursed, motioning to his attire.
“Hide in the bathroom, I’ll answer it,”Regulus said.
Sirius nodded, grabbing the clothes he had discarded and running into the ensuite.
Regulus opened the door to find Lord Lupin standing there.
“Oh, hello,”He greeted, “I am looking for your sister.”
“She’s cleaning up before dinner,”Regulus said, “I can relay a message.”
“I was wondering if she would like to join me for a walk through our garden before dinner,”He said, “Say, quarter til?”
“I’ll ask her,”Regulus said.
“Thank you, Lord Regulus,”He said.
“Please, just call me Regulus,”Regulus said.
“Then you can call me Remus,”Remus responded, “Oh, and I brought these for her.”
He held up a bouquet of roses.
“She hates roses, thinks they’re too cliche,”Regulus said, “She prefers daisies.”
“Oh,”Remus said, dropping his arm, “Thanks.”
Regulus nodded before Remus walked away, shutting the door.
“Who was it,”Sirius asked, poking his head out of the bathroom before seeing it was clear and walking out.
“It was Lord Lupin,”Regulus said, “He was wondering if you would join him for a walk before dinner?”
“When,”Sirius asked.
“Quarter til,”Regulus said, “Are you going to go?”
“Mother would kill me if she found out I didn’t,”Sirius responded, “I should play nice so as to not draw attention. I feel bad for stringing Lord Lupin along, he seems nice.”
“He’s definitely your type,”Regulus commented.
“How do you know what my type is,”Sirius asked.
“The stable boy from our summer house, the Diggory’s son, that one delivery boy who you saw once when we were little and claimed was-,”Regulus said before being interrupted by a hand over his mouth.
“Alright, I get your point,”Sirius said, “Now are you gonna help me get ready or not?”