Walburga Black was not his mum the day he was born, and she immediately ordered the servants to take him away.
He had been in this world for a few minutes and no one wanted him anymore. Sirius was placed in a cradle in a large, empty and cold room.
His father came, looked into the crib and sighed, as if he had already realized that Sirius would not be a satisfactory son for him, would not be a satisfactory heir.
He would not be good enough.
The day Sirius was born, The Most Ancient and Noble House of Black's was quieter than usual. Only the baby's cry broke the silence.
Sirius Black was born into a house where there was no love.
For the last time he felt his mother's love, was when he was in her womb.
She spent nine months delicately creating him.
His eyes.
His heart.
But when she laid her eyes on him, on that little boy for the first time, she realized she could never love him.
His little eyes saw through her.
His little heart followed a different beat.
She discarded him the day she laid her eyes on him.
He was made with love.
(He didn't know that for sure, but he must have been crafted with pride because he was the heir of House Black, because he was a boy, that's the only good thing he had).
He was not made to be loved.
☆☆
Walburga Black wasn't a mum to him, not when she didn't name him until his first birthday.
As a baby, he was useless anyway, couldn't understand words and couldn't follow instructions.
Sirius was a year old when he was told he was Sirius Orion Black.
He could walk so it was better than nothing, he was already a little bigger, a little more useful.
"Although your name will make you an extraordinary wizard, you are named after the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, make use of it, make us proud of you."
Sirius reacted to these words as any baby would do, he giggled, drooling his face and hands, his mother winced.
The voice of parents is the most pleasant voice in the world for babies. Sirius was not an exception, he liked these short moments when his parents spoke to him, then he looked at them with his big gray eyes, then he looked happy.
☆☆
Walburga Black wasn't his mum when two-year-old Sirius curiously tried to look at the blanket in her hands, she was carrying something in her arms and that thing was moving from time to time.
"What's that? What's that? Show me, let me see." He was jumping up and down like the two-year-old kid he was.
His mother scolded him for his inappropriate behavior. She pushed him away from her and he became sad.
"Regulus Arcturus Black," says Orion, presenting him this thing in a blue blanket. Sirius was sitting in the armchair and suddenly this bundle was placed on his lap, he looked inside curiously, there he found a small pale face of a newborn baby, this baby had dark hair just like him but he looked so fragile... he guessed the baby couldn't play with him, he was too small for that, it's a pity but Sirius hoped that the boy would grow and together they will conquer the world "It is your brother," brother, Sirius blinked hard, he has a new job now, he's big brother now, he's smiling broadly "Don't let your incorrigibility have a bad effect on him, understand?"
What is this incorrigibility his dad is talking about? It's a hard word and Sirius doesn't know it yet, but he nods solemnly. He must always be serious with his parents.
☆☆
Walburga Black is not a mum when three-year-old Sirius receives his first punishment, he is old enough to understand things and should behave impeccably and his tantrums will not be tolerated in this house.
Sirius is three years old and wants to go outside and play with the other kids, so he asks his mum, she said no, he asks again, she got furious. She screamed at him, because how dare he defy his own mother?
Scream - The first form of abuse he was endowed with.
☆☆
Walburga Black wasn't his mom when she dressed him in sumptuous clothes and took him to banquets and demanded of him to behave.
What does that even mean?
How should he behave?
Apparently not the way he was. He thought he was polite. He smiled and greeted the others. He didn't get in the way of his parents and didn't tire them with his nonsensical needs.
Suddenly he saw another child in the distance, another boy, and he wanted to say hello. He pulled his mother's dress to get her attention and she gave him an indignant look, he pointed his finger at the boy and she slapped him on the hand, scolding him not to point the finger. He nodded.
They came home and apparently Sirius did more wrong than he thought that night because when he got home his mum slapped him then spanked and it's not all that bad or painful but it fails his little heart, because how could someone who loves him want to hurt him?
He cried.
☆☆
Walburga Black wasn't his mum by enrolling him in ridiculous amount of lessons and teaching him way too much material.
Sirius was required to know Greek, Latin and French as well as English. He was required to be able to count and read, to play the piano and to dance gracefully, he had to be able to swim and be good at fencing, and he also took classes to practice his speech and writing.
He had to be able to do it all, he attended classes he was 5 years old.
It was a consolation that his little brother, Reggie, went to all these classes with him.
☆☆
Walburga Black wasn't his mum when six-year-old Sirius was locked in a cramped dark room for a whole day without food, drink or the ability to use the toilet.
All because he sneaked into the family library (nothing wrong with that, he was encouraged to do it, his father praised him when he asked for books to read, serious books of course), Sirius found a book of fairy tales, with stories for children, and smuggled it to his room with the intention of reading to Regulus, he thought it was nice of him, he wanted to put a smile on his baby brother's face.
When his mother discovered this, she was furious, locked him in a tiny room and left him there alone.
☆☆
Walburga Black wasn't his mum when seven-year-old Sirius had nightmares.
When he was crying and screaming at night. She wasn't there to comfort him, to hold him and sing a lullaby to sleep with him, she wasn't there.
But she was there when Sirius wet his bed, it was an accident and it was because of those terrible dreams and he wanted to defend himself but all he could do was cry, he was afraid.
His mother had an angry expression on her face, she screamed at him, this woke Regulus, the little boy stood at his door with a cuddly toy in his hand and rubbing his eyes with his fists. Walburga told him to leave but he disobeyed, oh little Reggie, how little he know.
Not only was Sirius forced to wash his own sheets and sleep on a bare mattress that day, he was physically punished.
His mother told him to take off his pants, pointed her wand at his calf with a force in her voice saying the spell.
Sirius screamed in pain, a bright straight line forming on his calf.
"May it remind you that you should behave better," his mother said as she left his room, Sirius was alone with pain.
Reggie peeked around the corner where he had hidden from their mother's eyes and ran over to Sirius.
"Does it hurt a lot? Will you feel better if I give you something sweet? I still have some sweets from Christmas," Reggie suggested and Sirius was holding back tears of pain, he was brave and didn't want to worry his brother.
Sometimes Sirius thinks the universe gave him Regulus on purpose. So he would have an anchor.
Something to love that wasn't violent or cruel. Sometimes he thinks being Regulus's brother is the most human thing about him.
Regulus was the only good thing about their house, he wasn't cruel, he was gentle and that's the kind of love Sirius needed, sincere. So he did his best to keep Reggie safe.
Sirius needed him, he needed his little brother.
☆☆
Walburga Black was not his mum when she forbade eight-year-old Sirius from eating. When she starved him because he made some little mistake, like not learning a melody to play the piano perfectly or stuttering while reading.
Sirius didn't do his homework on time and was punished.
At dinner his plate was empty and all he could do was sit and watch the rest of his family finish their meal, his favorite dish specially prepared to make the punishment more severe.
Regulus knocked on the door of his room moments after the meal was over and handed him a plate with a faint smile.
"Reggie, if mother finds out," Sirius starts terrified.
"She won't," Regulus assures calmly "please eat," he encouraged "I asked Creature for more, I won the competition today so I was allowed," he explains, his hands still aching from holding the bow.
"Thank you Reggie," Sirius smiles.
Sirius was 8 years old when he was diagnosed with strawberry allergies.
Walburga Black wasn't his mum forcing him to eat a whole bowl of these fruits that same day because, as she kept saying, there was no room for imperfections in Blacks, and she wanted to get rid of that flaw in Sirius.
Sirius did as instructed, his throat burned and his face went numb, he couldn't feel his mouth but it was worse because Sirius started to choke from the excess of the allergen, it wasn't just a rash anymore, he was choking and no one was going to help him.
Reggie stole from thier parents bathroom potion to help his big brother for which he was punished after.
Walburga confidently repeated that if only they had left him like this a little longer, his body would have fought off this ridiculous allergy.
She wasn't a mum to him.
☆☆
Walburga Black was not his mum when she called him disgrace and disappointment on every occasion, when she pointed out his mistakes saying that he did not deserve his name.
Sirius was nine years old and he was trying to be enough, he was trying to live up to the expectations of his parents, his mother especially.
But he never made it.
Sirius was 9 years old when his mother told him "everyone gets their wings clipped at some point."
Sirius thought about it for a long time and finally dared to ask:
"Did you get your wings clipped?"
She answered him almost immediately.
"Oh yes, the day you were born."
Sirius was 9 years old and already nitorically reminded him that he is unwanted and unnecessary, that all he is is a problem.
He was just a little kid looking for love.
☆☆
Walburga Black wasn't a mum to Sirius when she broke his arm for embarrassing her at the party.
He played the piano as best as he could, at some point he made a mistake, someone burst out laughing and Sirius got stressed, the rest of the performance was tragic for him. Walburga couldn't forgive him for that.
Sirius cried and apologized, assured her that he would never let her down again, that this was the only and last time, that he would never again—
"You're right, never again," says Walburga in that cold voice of her.
The next thing Sirius hears is a crack, it's his bone. His arm is broken.
He was never a mum to him.
☆☆
Walburga Black hadn't been his mum when he was eleven, and she hadn't even taken him to Diagon Alley to pick up his school stuff.
Hadn't been his mum when she walked him off to the train and bid him a cold farewell.
She wasn't his mum even more so when Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor.
Oh she was furious then.
When Sirius returned for the holidays, he was severely punished. The letters and howlers he received in September were not enough.
His body was blue, his ribs were broken, and there were more and more scars on his calves.
She didin't love him.
And that was the first time Sirius noticed it. He saw all those other kids and how happy and excited they were about going home, he saw them smile, they wrote to their parents, they received letters, he heard stories from their friends and he noticed that something was wrong with him, that there is something wrong with his family.
Sirius didn't bake cookies with his mum like James, didn't drink tea with his mum on cold days like Peter did, didn't tell her about the books he read like Remus did. He didn't sing songs with her like Mary did, he didn't help her cook like Marlene did, he didn't hug her like Lilly did with her mum.
☆☆
Walburga Black was not his mum.
Sirius was twelve and together with Regulus gave her flowers, she started yelling at them and exchanging insults towards them.
"Hey Reg, I have an idea, I know what to do to make our mother happy," Sirius informs proudly, Regulus listens to him with interest.
Sirius was talking to James and James told him that he liked giving his mum flowers because that makes her happy.
Sirius thought that maybe when his mother was happy she would love him.
She definitely wasn't happy.
☆☆
Walburga wasn't his mum when Sirius was thirteen and he tried new things when he read Muggle books, have Muggle things and posters in his room and wore Muggle clothes, when he listen to Muggle music. He teased her because he understood she would hate him no matter what he did so he might as well have given her a reason.
She screamed, cursed, called names, beat and punished and cast spells.
Sirius just clenched his teeth and waited.
His little foolish heart still held hope.
He thinks he literally craved love and the more his mother withdrew, the more frantic he became.
He became a troublemaker, because he knew she would pay attention to him, even if it meant punishment.
It sounds weird, but that's what he did.
Attention was attention and he had craved her attention throughout his entire childhood.
Since he couldn't get her love, he settled for her anger. At least in those moments, she was there for him.
☆☆
Walburga wasn't his mum when Sirius, at fourteen, he accidentally confessed that he found boys attractive.
Some male celebrity was mentioned and it just slipped out of his mouth.
He was punished, and more, with a two-hour lecture on purity and hatred of deviations from the norm, where it was drilled into his head that he must marry a pureblood girl. He was also beaten up.
They made sure he never even thought about being anything other than normal.
☆☆
Walburga was not his mum not showing up at school after finding out her son was hospitalized.
She didn't care, Sirius' life wasn't very important to her.
She repeated that it would be even better if something happened to him, she didn't want such an incorrigible heir, while her other son, the spare, was a perfect heir to the Blacks.
She was not a mum to him humiliating and screaming and beating.
He was just a kid.
☆☆
She wasn't his mum when he was sixteen.
When Sirius was sixteen, when his eyes were covered with eyeliner, when a leather jacket adorned his shoulders, when a star-shaped earring and a moon-shaped earring hung from one ear, when his hair reached his shoulders and he argued with his parents about the purity of blood Walburga was not his mum. She yelled and screamed. Sirius was screaming too, he had had enough.
"When my best friend is Potter and my boyfriend is half blood there's not much you can do!" Sirius burst out.
Oh.
Oh.
Regulus, listening from the top of the stairs, was horrified.
Seconds - that's how much Walburga black need to shake off the shock and explode. The spells fell, she didn't care if they hit Sirius, she was furious.
Well, Walburga Black was never his mum. He never called her 'mum', mother and Mrs, yes, but not mum.
She didn't deserve it.
It's actually a lie, he did it once.
Once in his life Sirius had called her 'mum' instead of mother.
It was when he begged her for mercy. Walburga Black didn't know such a word, even for her own son (let's face it, it meant very little to her) she wouldn't make an exception even for her hier.
It was the day he first tasted the spells of the unforgivable, the first time he faced such immense pain. It was when his mother kept him under the cruciatus curse, when she cast the crucio on him.
All because he tell her the truth.
Was having friends or being with Remus worth it?
"Mum!" Sirius screamed begging her to stop. He was choking on tears. His whole body ached. It hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts. He couldn't hear his own screams, couldn't hear anything but the maddening beating of his heart. Every muscle in his body was on fire, it was pain, pain, pain, pain "Mum," he begged faintly.
She wasn't listening.
So no. She was never 'mum' for him.
Sirius never had a mum, he had a mother. Always until now.
When Euphemia Potter took him in her arms, he felt something dangerous - safety. He felt care and love and every other thing that mums gave their children. It terrified him. He cries.
He cries some more in her arms.
It feels childish to cling onto her, sobbing into her scrubs but he cannot do anything else. He just holds her, or she holds him, and they stay there silently well into the night and the cold wind and the sound of hammering hearts and strained sobbing, and the comfort of the sadness.
But before that...
When Walburga decided that was punishment enough for now (she didn't want her son to go mad and even crazier than he was now), when she left him unconscious on the living room floor...
Horrified Regulus ran down the stairs, terrified, kneeling beside his brother. He tried to wake him up, he was sobbing desperately, there was blood on his hands, his brother's blood.
He was begging, shaking Sirius, begging him to wake up. He was trembling with fear, he knew that their parents could afford a lot but he did not expect ... when he heard that word, when he heard that spell, when the crucio fell from his mother's mouth, he made a decision, he already knew.
Regulus was an intelligent boy, that's what Sirius always told him. Regulus knew how to live to survive, knew what to say to please his parents and what to do to live up to their expectations.
He obeyed because it was a smart move, it was the right decision, why would he want to risk the pain? What they were doing to Sirius was warning enough, Regulus didn't like the pain so he was always the perfect child.
Except that he wasn't, he was a good actor but that's all.
Regulus knew from childhood that something was wrong, something was very wrong in his life, as he grew older, he understood what.
Because no, his brother shouldn't be the only person in their house who loves him. It shouldn't be Sirius who read him to sleep, protect him and cuddle him, it shouldn't be Sirius who sing him lullabies and take care of him when he was sick, Sirius shouldn't be the one to do his homework with him and bring him his meals. It shouldn't be Sirius who protect him, care for him and love him.
Sirius was the only reason Regulus described his childhood as happy.
So he was going to make it up to him, Regulus had built a plan.
When Sirius goes to Hogwarts and Reggie stays in home alone, he had plenty of time to think.
He built the perfect plan, thought through every possibility.
But his plan needed a change. The moment his brother found himself under the unforgivable spell, Regulus had to change his plan. Sirius couldn't stay in that house any longer.
Regulus' plan assumed they would wait until Sirius came of age, right after that they could both run away from this house and never come back.
He put aside money and collected the necessary things and information.
It was all planned out, but they should last one more year, wait one more year.
One year and that's it, they'd be safe, they'd be happy.
Andromeda had already been written out of the family, she would help them. Sirius had a large inheritance from uncle Alphard, they would buy an apartment or a house with that money and it would be fine, they would have each other and they would finally be happy and safe.
But that would be in a year.
And Regulus needed a plan for now.
Regulus adjusted the backpack on his shoulders, lit the fireplace. He moved as quietly as he could, his parents were upstairs, he had hours before they noticed their absence, before they started looking for them, so he couldn't get their attention through the noise.
He reached for the floo powder.
"Young master Regulus, what's going on here?" the house elf croaked to him.
"Shhh," Regulus begs him "you didn't see anything, please promise you didn't see anything," he begs him in horror, his hands shaking.
Creature's eyes jump from Sirius to Regulus and to the fireplace.
"Where is Master Regulus? It's time for his evening classes, I must notify him," Creature says and walks away looking around the hause as if he didn't see him in the living room.
"Thank you," Regulus whispers gratefully. "Potter's Massion," It's the only thing that makes sense in his head.
The fire brightens. Regulus swallows, once or never. He lifts Sirius off the ground with great difficulty, supporting his brother and making sure he's still breathing, takes a step forward and disappears into the fire.
Thus, the Potters' peaceful evening is interrupted.
Regulus was not used to this means of transport, much less with the weight of another man on him, he staggered and fell to his knees straight on the soft carpet. He cried.
Euphemia Potter appeared first in the place, she looked at the two boys with a panicked look, both in crumpled clothes with messy hair and bloodstains, one of them unconscious, the other terrified. It's not the image you want to see when you're making tea.
"You must," Regulus starts, he looks up, takes deep breaths but can't seem to calm down. Fleamont appears on his wife's shoulder. "Close the floo, close the floo, close the floo. You need to close the floo," he repeats panicked.
"Are you in danger? Darling is someone following you?" Euphemia asks.
"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't–" he panics a little more.
"All right, I close the floo," Fleamont nods, not wanting to scare the boy any further.
"Raise the barriers, create gates, please make the house non-applicable, please, please, please," Regulus begs, trembles all over, his lip quivers, he wipes his watery eyes.
"Why? Do you need to hide? Honey, tell us what's going on," Effie tries.
"Help him please help," Regulus begs, placing his hand on Sirius' chest, hoping his heart won't stop beating "Can you help him? I've got the money, I'll pay, I'll pay whatever you want, just please–" they can bearly understand him.
"All right, calm down Regulus, explain to us what happened, what's going on?" Mr. Potter asks, Euphemia kneeling beside Sirius, checking his vitals. James enters the living room.
"What's going on?" he akses cheerfully "I heard some-" he blinked confused "oh, Regulus? What are you doing here?" he frowns and then spotted Sirius "Sirius? What this is about? What's going on?" he asks coming closer.
"Regulus, what spell is this?" Effie frowns, not wanting to show her horror, she keeps her voice calm.
"What happened to Sirius?" Fleamont tried, He placed a hand on Regulus's shoulder, he flinched at that "Calm down, breathe, you're safe now" he assures calmly.
Effie is still examining Sirius' body, James is holding his hand. Regulus shudders as he tried to collect his thoughts.
"Cruciatus curse," he whispered.
"What? You're joking, right?" James looks at him terrified, Regulus purses his lips and shakes his head in denial.
"Monty, we need a potion to relax the muscles, analgesic and cooling, the one for sleep too," she ordered and Fleamont nods. "Who did that?" Euphemia smooths Sirius' hair, Fleamont already disappeared upstairs in search of potions and making the ones he didn't have.
"My parents," he swallowed hard "our mother," he left out a sob "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't stop it, I'm so sorry–" he assures with tears in his eyes and apologizes completely as if it was his fault, as if now someone was going to yell on him because he let it happen.
"What why?" James asks, his mum has no words, it's frozen her.
What right did any parent have to hurt their child to such an extent? Use an unforgivable spell? On your own child?
"He mentioned something about you and his relationship with Lupin, my parents aren't very... tolerant," Regulus doesn't look at James, his hand clenched in Sirius' shirt.
"Honey, I need your help," Effie turns to James, he nodded "make Regulus some tea with drops and try to calm him down, okay?" the boy was terrified, he looked so weak, he was only fourteen, he needed help. Regulus was not going to move, he would not leave Sirius. James wasn't going to leave either "I asked you something, Jammie," Effie looked at him.
"Okay Reg, come on, Sirius is in good hands. Everything will be okay," he assures him, giving Regulus his hand to help him up.
In any other circumstance, Regulus would have jumped for joy at the thought of holding James Potter's hand, after all, he'd had an embarrassingly large crusch on James since he was 11, since he first met him.
"No," he shakes his head.
"I'll get it for you, I'll be right back," James just assures quietly.
He came back, Regulus didn't accept the cup from him, James didn't seem offended by it.
Fleamont returned a moment later. Now Sirius was lying on the couch, his eyes still closed, his wounds already tended by Euphemia.
"Can you help him?" Regulus asks suddenly very panicked again "Can you heal him?" He begged "I have to, I have to say goodbye to him, " he stutter "can you wake him up? I have to say goodbye," he's trembling all over, tears in his eyes, Effie has never seen someone be such a mess. It was so sad.
"Say goodbye?" James frowned.
"Yes, yes goodbye," Regulus nodded quickly "I have to go back, I have to go home, I have to–" his panicked mumbling is interrupted.
"Come back home? After what happened?" Effie's eyes widened.
"Regulus, we won't let you go home, it's dangerous," Monty decided.
"Isn't punishment waiting for you?" James points out "You ran away Reg, do you think they'll let you off?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Sirius run away," Regulus points out "I don't," he sniffs "if I come back soon enough they don't realize I was involved in this at all," he assures
He can't be here, he can't run away. He'll come back, hide in his room, pretend he's been there the whole time, and be surprised when Sirius doesn't show up for breakfast, he can do it.
He can replace his brother in the family position and give him a quiet life, with the Potters, Sirius will be safe, he will be happy. Regulus wanted his brother to be happy like nothing else.
"You can stay with us darling," Effie assures "we will inform the Ministry, we will take care of you, everything will be fine, we will manage, we will help you," she promises.
"My parents won't let that happen, they need an heir, they won't leave us alone," he's breathing heavily "if I come back Sirius can stay," he mumbles, tears streaming down his cheeks "I can do it, really," he sniffs "just wanted to make sure Sirius is safe," he whispered.
"Regulus," Effie begins quietly. She offers him a hug. "Darling, I swear, you're safe with us, you can stay, I'll take care of everything else," she assures, she can't let these boys suffer any longer, she knew the Blacks had a strong hand with parenting but she didn't expect it to be this bad, Sirius was treated with unforgivable, Effie would make sure nothing bad ever happened to that boy again "I'll do anything to keep you and Sirius safe," she asures "James' friends are part of the family anyway".
"I'm not James' friend," Regulus snapped.
"Too bad, you are now," James smiles at him.
"I'm Slytherin," he points out.
"And what?" James shrugged.
"In the last month you made all my clothes red gold," Reg reminds.
"Sorry about that," he smiled innocently.
"I really can't stay" Regulus whispers defeated. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't.
"You can if you want to darling," Effie smiled "you have a backpack with you, you planned to run away, that must mean something," she guessed.
"Yes, but when Sirius comes of age," Reg mumbles "he can't take care over me now," he points out "I will wait, I can," he assured quietly "just a year," he tries to convince himself.
"Oh darling," Effie starts crying.
"Regulus, stay with us until morning, you'll talk to Sirius and then we'll figure out what's next, okay?" Fleamont proposed, Regulus nodded. He can do it.
Effie chases James and Regulus to sleep, promising to take care of Sirius and wake them up when he regains consciousness.
Regulus was given his own room in the Potter mansion.
He couldn't sleep, and apparently neither did James, because he sneaked into his room at night.
"Can I stay?" he asks quietly "I don't want to be alone and my parents are busy," he explains "do you want to talk?" He asks "That must have been a terrible experience, I'm so sorry Reggie," Regulus huffs. "But if you don't want to, we can talk about something more cheerful," he assures quickly.
"Like what?" Reg asked unconvinced.
"Do you like ABBA?" James asks, Regulus laughed at that.
They talk until late at night and eventually fall asleep.
When Effie calls them for breakfast, she finds them in one bed, Regulus blushing and James laughing.
Fleamont comes down to the kitchen with a worried expression on his face.
"What is it about?" the rest are worried.
"I have no idea how to keep Sirius in place," he shakes his head amused "he's good as new now," he assures "boys, will you keep him company? He shouldn't be getting out of bed for now," of course they agreed.
Sirius woke up in a strange place in a strange room and didn't know what was going on, he looked to the side and saw Fleamont Potter's worried face, what was he doing in the Potter house?
His first question, however, wasn't what happened or where he was, it was "where is Regulus?".
Fleamont asked him to calm down and assured him that everything was fine, he explained the situation to him. Sirius didn't have a moment to be mad at his parents because he was proud of Reggie and happy that they both finally had a chance to be free and safe. They had a chance with the Potters, didn't they? Honestly, Sirius had been planning to ask them for help a long time ago.
The first thing Sirius did was greeting with James. Regulus stood aside, as he always did when Sirius' friends were involved, Regulus stood aside, like a second choice he was. But as soon as Sirius saw his brother he hugged him tight and started talking and talking and talking and Reg listened to him.
Sirius made plans, he told about beautiful future and Regulus revealed to him the plan he had.
It was an exciting and exhausting day for them, but when it came to an end, another important decision was made.
Regulus think that maybe he should actually give it a chance.
Maybe Regulus just got a chance to have a good family, how could he turn it away? He can't.
He will stay with Sirius.
Regulus never had a mum either, but he had Sirius and that was enough for him. Enough until he knew what a mother's love was, and when Effie gave it to him, he was overjoyed.
Neither brother had to worry about their mother anymore if Effie promised to always be there for them.
The next Christmas they spent together at Potter's Massion, too, and it was one of the best holidays ever.
They took a family photo together, which was hung above the fireplace. Effie was hugging all three of her boys, kissing their foreheads.
Sirius planted flowers in the garden with her and Regulus baked cake with her.
It took some time but...
they finally have a mum