Changes
Most people would be surprised to learn that Sirius Orion Black was a quiet baby. By the time he was a year old, he could typically be found toddling silently through the big empty hallways of 12 Grimmauld Place or sitting outside watching various bugs roam the garden. Sirius didn’t feel the need to talk, not when he spent so much time wandering around with no one to listen. Occasionally, his cousins would visit and chatter on about anything and everything that they could, but he just smiled and nodded, adding in a few comments here and there. He was probably the most poised and polite toddler in all of England, something that his parents took great pleasure in gloating about in front of their peers. Really, it wasn’t that he was overly polite, he just didn’t have anything to say. That all changed the summer of 1961.
. . .
Regulus Arcturus Black was born two months too early, a fact that he was greatly displeased by if his relentless wailing was any indicator. Sirius stood outside of his parents’ bedroom and listened as his mother screamed and cursed for hours on end. His father was down in his office and Kreacher kept popping in and out of rooms to fetch different things that the midwife needed. Sirius sat quietly and waited, dozing off occasionally with his head propped against his knees. At one point, Kreacher snapped at him that he should be in bed and not bothering the mistress, but Sirius ignored him.
After a full day and half a night of waiting, the nervous energy that permeated the air snapped. His mother let out one final scream and tiny cries rang through the air. Sirius shot to his feet and stood in shock as the midwife rushed out of the room with a bundle of bloody blankets clutched in her arms.
She stumbled to avoid tripping on him and cursed, sending him a faint glare but continuing down the stairs with haste. He watched as the baby’s wails faded and the woman rushed into the floo, shouting out the name of St. Mungo’s. In a flash of light, she was gone. The house was silent once again.
Regulus didn’t come home for two weeks. Walburga was back on her feet and snapping at Sirius the next day, her stomach already as flat as it was seven months ago. She had never quite reached that plump, glowing look that most mothers obtained during pregnancy, but he still thought that she must’ve used magic to shrink back down so quickly. He tried to ask about the baby, but all that she said was to go busy himself elsewhere, he’d meet Regulus when he came home from the hospital. That was how Sirius learned his new brother’s name.
Regulus, he thought, smiling softly as he traced the new name beside his on the family tapestry. Heart of the lion.
. . .
Sirius woke up to the sound of his door swinging open. He sat up and rubbed his eyes to get a better look at the stern figure stood in his doorway.
“Get dressed,” Walburga demanded. “We’re going to pick up your brother from St. Mungo’s.”
Sirius sucked in a breath and flew out of bed, stumbling over to his wardrobe and grabbing the first set of robes that he could find. He was down the stairs in record time, pausing to lace up his shoes when his mother tsked and gave the back of his head a light slap.
“Pull yourself together, Sirius. You are the Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, I won’t have you embarrassing us by looking like an overexcited puppy in public.”
“Yes, Mother,” he mumbled, lowering his head and lacing his hands together.
“Speak clearly, boy.” Orion’s deep voice rang out. He joined the two of them in front of the floo and checked his timepiece with a scowl. “Let’s make this quick, I have a meeting with Abraxas and Alphard at 10.”
Sirius tried his very best to stay still and silent as they stepped into the pediatric ward at St. Mungo’s, but he could feel his limbs practically vibrating with a fluttery excitement at the prospect of finally meeting his new baby brother. He had to jog a little to keep up with his parents’ long strides as they passed the nurse’s station and made their way down the long cream colored hall.
A witch in deep blue robes looked up at their approach and smiled tightly. “Hello Lord and Lady Black, I take it you’re here to sign out little Regulus?”
“Yes, if you could send one of your employees to fetch him, I’m afraid we’re in a bit of a hurry.” Orion said sharply, wrinkling his nose at the quill on the desk and pulling a much nicer one out of his robe to sign the paperwork. The witch’s eye twitched slightly.
“Of course, sir.” She beckoned a similarly dressed wizard over and leaned to whisper something in his ear. His gaze flicked over the Black family and his mouth grew pinched, but nonetheless he nodded and strode off.
Sirius rocked back and forth on his feet as they waited and his father signed paper after paper with his fancy green quill. I have a brother, he thought as a grin wormed its way onto his face. Walburga was too busy turning her nose up at the various other parents mingling about to notice his cheerful demeanor, but the mediwitch caught his eye and he froze. Her previously stiff smile softened into something more genuine. “Are you excited to have a new sibling?” She leaned across the counter to address him.
His parents’ eyes cut sharply to him and he gulped. Mind your words, boy. “U-um, yes? Yeah,” He nodded and looked at the floor nervously. He could feel his mother’s glare burning a hole in the top of his head.
The woman didn’t seem to mind his stutter, though. “He’s a sweet little thing, but I’m sure he’s been pretty lonely here in that room all by himself. I bet he’s excited to go home with his big brother!”
Sirius felt the air around his parents darken at her cheerful yet pointed words. He hadn’t thought about that, Regulus was all alone here while they had all stayed home over the past two weeks. Why was he even here? Walburga wouldn’t tell him why he had to be rushed off so quickly, nor why it had taken so long for him to come home.
“We’ve all been so antsy waiting for him to come home, but he arrived so early that we couldn’t help but have to stay home and get his room ready. Sirius is very much looking forward to teaching his younger brother all of the things he’s been learning as of late.” Walburga simpered to the nurse. The blue-clad woman opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by the arrival of the wizard from earlier with a light blue blanket in his arms.
Sirius pulled himself onto his tip-toes to try and catch a glimpse of the baby’s face, but found that he was still far too short. The man holding Regulus smiled and ducked down onto one knee, tipping the bundle in his direction. “Here he is.”
Sirius gave the man a wary look before stepping forward, placing his little hand on the man’s leg to balance himself as he leaned forward to look at his brother for the first time.
His breath caught in his throat. Big silver eyes a few shades lighter than his own stared up at him unblinkingly, framed by long lashes and soft pale skin. He didn’t seem to have any eyebrows yet, but there was a small tuft of dark brown hair sticking out of the blanket. The baby wriggled around a bit and a tiny arm emerged from the folds, a little hand reaching up towards Sirius.
“Hi, baby,” he whispered, moving his own hand forward. Regulus grabbed two of his fingers in a surprisingly strong grip and gurgled happily. “I’m your big brother.”
“He’s tiny.” Walburga cut in sharply. Sirius glanced up to find her glaring at the mediwitch. “Sirius was not that small.”
The woman looked like she was struggling to maintain professional decorum as she regarded his mother. “Well, Regulus was born very early. It’s a miracle that he’s as healthy as he is, but due to his premature status it’s likely that he’ll always be rather small. Most babies born this early have weaker immune systems as well, we can send you home with a pamphlet-”
“The boy is a Black, he is stronger than other children. We don’t need you to make excuses for him.” Orion proclaimed.
Sirius felt nauseous. He looked back at the baby to find those vivid eyes still looking up at him curiously, unbothered by the harsh words of their father. Regulus’s face brightened as he noticed his older brother’s attention back on him. Sirius felt his heart clench. In that moment, with his brother’s too tinyhand in his, he swore to himself that he would always take care of this baby. His baby. Sirius might only be a toddler now, but he had always been told he was advanced, his Black blood making him smarter than other kids his age. Regulus seemed so fragile compared to him, so Sirius made a silent vow.
No matter what happens, what our parents say and do, or where our lives take us, I will always be there to protect you, Regulus. I promise.
If the adults were too busy arguing to notice the thin golden thread that wrapped around the boys’ intertwined fingers, then that was something Sirius would keep to himself.