Introductions
Sirius woke up to the front door of the house being slammed shut. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked over at his younger brother, who also appeared to be just waking up.
“Who the fuck is here?” Reg muttered sleepily.
“I don’t know. But I’m gonna murder them though.” Sirius got up and put back on his clothes. They were starting to stink after being worn for three days straight. Reg followed him down the stairs to find none other than James Potter in their living room. In his ridiculous suit and top hat. He held out a basket of muffins to the brothers with a big smile.
“I made banana muffins!” he said cheerfully. Regulus looked at James and bolted back up the stairs. “He doesn’t like bananas?” James asked sitting down at the table, he placed both his feet on the table before sliding Sirius the basket.
“He likes them fine.” Sirius muttered. “Are you able to take us to Lupin today?”
“I can take you there. But I can’t promise he’ll be enjoyable.”
“As long as he teaches us magic, I don’t really care.” Sirius said with a shrug. Sirius has been in the presence of many people who didn’t like him. What’s one more? Besides, if he learns magic then he can finally stand up to the others.
Reg came back downstairs a few moments later looking much more awake. He took a muffin and sat beside Sirius. James raised his eyebrows at him, Reg refused to look at him. Reg was going to need a lot of help if he was ever going to get a boyfriend.
“Reg! Reg!” Mary said bursting through the door. “Come try on the outfit! We just finished!”
“It’s finished!?” Reg asked as Mary dragged him away.
“Yeah, come take a look!”
“Let’s go see!” James said, twisting his rod around in the air, as he followed Mary out the door. Mary handed Reg a stack of clothing and sent him to go change behind a sunflower.
“Sirius!” Marlene yelled. “We just finished yours! And you’re gonna love it!” Marelene handed him a stack of clothing, also. Sirius walked behind a different sunflower and started going through the outfit he was given. He quickly put the outfit on and nearly gasped at the leather jacket. It was black with sunflowers embroidered onto the bottom of it creating a garden. He was also given a black crop top that said ‘Siriusly?’ in yellow. Funny. Skintight leather jeans that were a bit difficult to put on. But definitely worth it. Finally, the jewelry he was given at a dozen golden rings which placed carefully on his fingers. A sunflower hairpin, and then a black chocker. He found a puddle of water and could hardly recognize himself. He looked nothing like Sirius Orion Black. He finally just looked like Sirius.
As he walked back towards the group to show off, he had to do a double take when he saw Reg coming out. He wore a dark green sweater with black jeans. He had a belt that had small crystals scattered along it. He had on several silver rings and two silver necklaces. Reg had always worn the longer necklace underneath his clothing, it was a gift from Sirius on his fifteenth birthday. They had never given each other gifts, but Sirius had to give it to him.
Sirius had saw it in the window of a small pawn shop in town. It was a plain silver with a snake on the end of it, and at the time snakes were Reg’s favorite animal, and Reg only wore silver jewelry. The minute he laid his eyes on it, he knew his brother had to have it. So, running home he broke his piggy bank (something Sirius had always wanted to do) and bought it for his brother. It was a struggle for Sirius to not to just give it to him immediately.
“You look great Reg!” Sirius said approaching him.
“I told them nothing flashy.” Reg complained. Before Sirius could respond James approached them. He looked at Sirius first giving him a bright grin.
“You look fabulous!” James told him. Then James glanced over at Reg and his smile dropped. Sirius couldn’t figure out what was wrong. He looked between James and Reg a few times. Reg was growing restless under James’s intense stare.
“It’s not my usual style...” Reg started.
“You look beautiful little star.” James said so softly, Sirius almost blushed even though it wasn’t directed at him. Reg stared at the ground, a small smile lighting up his features. Sirius decided then it was his turn to leave. He turned around leaving behind whatever that was. He decided to go see what the flowers were up too. He made his way up the mushroom and sat across from Mary.
“Hey!” He said as he took his seat.
“HI!” Mary and Lily replied simultaneously. Marlene looked up from where she was drawing on her shoes and gave a small nod.
“Can I do your makeup?” Mary asked, looking over at him.
“I thought you’d never ask!” Sirius replied with a grin. Mary began picking through several different colors of different products before she got to work.
“So, I see Reg and James are getting along.” Lily said wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
“Ugh, don’t even get me started!”
“Stop moving!” Mary scolded, when Sirius turned his head to look at Lily.
“Sorry!” he said, turning back to face her.
“They look cute together!” Lily said, “I haven’t seen James this interested in anyone since me.”
“Since you?” Sirius said, starting to turn before Mary grunted at him. He gave her a sheepish smile.
“Uh huh. When I first arrived. I got here after him and Lupin.”
“He was obsessed!” Marlene imputed, “asked her out like 100 times. Though once Mary got here, I think he got the hint.” She smirked.
“I felt so bad too, he was obnoxious but so sweet. He was even so supportive when we started dating.”
“You two were pinning for like 200 years!” Marlene whined. “Everyone who witnessed it, were just glad it was over!”
“It was not that long!”
“It was that long.” Mary said. Lily had no response to that. “But you have literally no room to talk.” Mary said, pointing at Marlene.
“It’s different and you know it!”
“It’s really not.” Lily said.
“What’s different?” Sirius asked, feeling out of the conversation.
“Oh, nothing important.” Sirius shrugged it off and they talked about different things. They told each other stories and joked about what Reg and James were doing. Until Mary finished the look. Mary held up a mirror and Sirius’s eyes grew wide. She had painted his eyelids yellow with dark eyeliner ending in a wing. At the corner of her eyes, she places three gems. His lips were dark red which looked extra vibrant against his pale skin. She also painted his nails black with a sunflower painted on his ring finger.
“This looks amazing Mary!”
“I’m glad you like it! I can teach you how sometime!”
“I’d love that!” He was just about to ask her to teach him now, when he remembered her warnings from earlier. “Are you trying to waste my time.” he asked, narrowing his eyes playfully at her.
“It’s what flowers do!” She giggled. Sirius left the girls and went off to find Reg and James. He really hoped he wouldn’t find them snogging some place. To his luck he ran into them coming to find him.
“You have paint on your face.” Reg said as a greeting.
“And you look. Well, more put together than I thought you would.” James snickered while Reg made a face at him.
“We merely went through a walk in the garden. James was showing me around.”
“Right,” Sirius said glancing between the two of them.
“Don’t look at me!” James said holding his hands up with a grin. “I’m a gentleman.”
“Then be one and take us to Lupin!”
“Of course!” James said, offering one elbow to Reg and the other to Sirius. Both brothers hesitantly took his arm, before James started to skip through the garden. Sirius had to try very hard not to trip over his own feet. James was taller than both and was taking long strides. Sirius looked over and saw his brother was struggling as much as he was. He was staring at his feet, his face scrunched together in concentration. Once they made it out of the gardens James let go of their arms.
“That was fun!” he said with a grin as he started at a nice walk.
“Yeah, fun.” Reg grumbled.
“What’s the matter little star? Didn’t you enjoy that game? You can pick the next one!”
“I’m not picking a stupid game.”
“Aw, why not?” James asked, pouting.
“Yeah, Reggie why don’t you pick a game for James?” Sirius said teasingly.
“Fine I’ll pick a game. First one to speak loses.” Reg said with a smirk.
“Not this game Reg-“ Sirius whined, remembering the countless times Reg had suggested it when they were younger.
“Go!” Reg interrupted. James seemed very determined on winning this game and stayed absolutely silent. Sirius knew it had to be killing him. James took them through the forest with ease he zig zagged around and eventually stopped before a giant patch grass.
“We’re here! I guess we all win!” James said as he led them through the grass. Behind it was the giant blue house they saw in the picture last night. “Welcome to my home!”
“I thought you were taking us to Lupin’s?” Reg questioned.
“I am! Remus and I live together!” Reg scrunched his eyebrows together.
“You never mentioned that before.” James just shrugged nonchalantly and led them into his house. Sirius was instantly amazed when he stepped through the door. It looked way bigger inside than it did on the outside. Everything was white and gold, which seemed so dull compared to the rest of Wonderland.
“Come on! He’s usually in the library!” James said, leading them up a massive gold winding staircase. They went up three flights of stairs before James headed down a hallway. He stopped by a mahogany door with wolf heads for doorknobs. James turned to them with a massive grin. Before Sirius could question him, James started disappearing. He gave a wink, before his orange beady eyes left. The last thing gone was his smile. Freak!
“What the fuck was that?” Reg asked, pushing the door open to the biggest library Sirus had ever seen. He had thought the black’s library was massive, but this one put it to shame. There were rows and rows of bookshelves that went for two stories. His eyes landed on James standing behind the man that he was with in the picture. Sirius should’ve connected the dots a lot sooner. He was reading a book, with a cigarette in one hand sitting in a dark red chair in front of a wooden desk. He was trying very hard to ignore the person behind him but failing miserably as James kept leaning further forward.
“Remus! I feel as if it had been ages since I’ve last seen you!” James said, kissing Remus right on the cheek.
“I just saw you this morning! Drama queen.” Remus responded with a small smile.
“I know but it feels so much longer!” James said, collapsing in Remus’s lap.
“James!” Remus hollered when James knocked the book out of his hand. Startled wide eyes, looked up and landed right on Sirius and his brother. And oh-OH. Remus was fiiine. He had wavy sandy blonde hair that fell right above his eyebrows. Beautiful green eyes that Sirius was just itching to paint. He had never seen a more perfect green in his life. He suddenly feared he could never create a color that would match it. Though, Sirius would spend the majority of his life trying. The closest match he could think of was emerald, but he couldn’t help but feel like the comparison didn’t give his eyes the justice they deserved. Freckles, Sirius loves freckles, were scattered across his nose and cheeks. A few rugged scars that were turning white with age marked his perfect face. Making him, if it was possible, even more perfect. Sirius couldn’t recall ever seeing a more handsome man. He was wearing a dark blue jumper with constellations on it. His pants were also dark blue with a few lost stars on them. And on his right, ring finger he wore a ring with a wolf on it.
“Who are you?” Sirius eyes snapped back up to Remus’s face at the question. He had been busy trying to find his star on the man’s shirt.
“What?” Sirius asked stupidly. James, who had been sprawled on Remus’s lap stood back up and went back to his original place behind Remus’s chair.
“Do I need to spell it out for you?” Remus questioned he took a long drawl from his cigarette before continuing, “Who” the letters W, H, O started coming out of his mouth in a cloud of smoke. “Are” Sirius watched in awe as the letters A, R, E floated past him “you?” The letters kept getting closer and closer to them, the more Remus spoke. The question mark got a little too close to Reg and popped right in his face, in a burst of smoke. Sirius laughed, but he couldn’t help feeling slightly jealous.
“Need some water little star?” James asked, chuckling softly as Reg waved the smoke away from his face trying to stop coughing. James offered him a glass which Reg took gratefully.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Remus said rolling his eyes. Reg gained his breath and murmured a quiet ‘thank you,’ to James.
“Anything for you.” James said with a wink.
“Red looks awful on you.” Sirius whispered to his blushing brother.
“And I’m sure a bruise will look great on your ashy face.” Reg grumbled back.
“Don’t you dare touch my face!” Sirius exclaimed, taking a step backwards. Sirius looked back forward and found James and Remus whispering to each other. Remus looked mildly irritated. James on the other hand, looked cheerful as always.
“Will you answer my question now?” Remus asked, turning his attention back at them.
“I’m Sirius and this is my brother Regulus. We wanted you to teach us magic!” Sirius said smiling. He tried to look charming, but Remus was making him feel weak.
“Magic? Why do you need me? James could teach you?” All eyes suddenly landed on James who just grinned back. “James?” Remus asked, narrowing his eyes at him.
“Oh, come on Remus! When was the last time you meant someone new?”
“James. You know how I feel about your little games.” Remus muttered, still eyeing him.
“I’m sorry! I can’t help it!” James defended, not sounding sorry at all. Remus glared at him, before letting out a long sigh.
“Ok, you had your fun James. Now take them away.”
“Remus! That’s not how we treat our guests!” Sirius was sort of getting Deja Vu from this conversation. We could’ve sworn he had to tell Reg this exact same thing before.
“I like him.” Reg whispered to Sirius.
“Hands off.” Sirius mumbled back, before realizing what he said. “I mean you would.”
“Why Sirius? Do you perhaps have a crush on James’ roommate?” Reg asked smirking.
“No.” Sirius said trying to be firm. Knowing his brother could read him like an open book.
“You do!” Reg snickered.
“I’ve just meant him! I couldn’t possibly!”
“But you think he’s cute.”
“No. Maybe? Listen-“
“I’ve got a grand idea!” James yelled, gaining both their attention. Sirius was very thankful for the intrusion.
“Oh, no.” Remus muttered.
“Since there’s two of you. I’ll teach one of you magic and Remus will teach the other one.”
“We didn’t agree on this-“
“Dibs on Reg!” James said looking over at his flustered brother.
“Fine.” Regulus muttered back refusing to meet James eyes.
“James. I am not teaching anyone magic. Now, take them back to wherever you found them. And leave me alone.” Remus demanded. Sirius’s heart sank, but he tried to ignore it.
“Will you do it for your favorite chocolate?” James asked with a knowing grin. Remus faltered for a moment.
“Why do you even want to learn magic?” Remus asked, turning to look at Sirius. Sirius swallowed thickly as he made eye contact with Remus’s piercing green eyes.
“For protection. When we go home.” Sirius said automatically, cringing at how accurate that statement was.
“Protection?” Remus asked.
“When you go home? James said smile dropping a little.
“Mary said the Queen can get us home,” Reg said looking a little sad himself. “And for protection? Just trust we need it.”
Regulus tried to catch his eye, but Sirius refused to meet it. He and his brother never discuss the abuse they received back at home. It was sort of an unspoken rule they had. They would help each other with their wounds, then forget it ever happened. As they got older, the punishments had gotten worse and left more physical marks. In order to keep rumors from spreading about the Black family. His mother was constantly replacing the staff and making sure that the only scars were under their clothing. He was very thankful for the leather jacket as it hid the whip marks on his back, from where the crop top ended. Now physical punishment was not the only thing his mother was an expert on. She was also very manipulative. The only way she could control Sirius was by threatening Regulus, and vice versa. Constantly, saying she was going to hurt one of them if the other didn’t do this.
Sirius wanted to learn magic to protect himself and Reg from her. To be able to finally be strong enough so he could keep his younger brother safe. He has failed over and over again in doing so. If he could master this, he and Reg would be safe forever.
“How much chocolate?” Remus said, looking at James.
“As much as you want.” James replied, smile coming back in full force.
“I’ll do it. But the coronation is in two days. You won’t have time to learn a lot.”
“That’s alright we will learn whatever we can.” Sirius said, Reg nodded beside him.
“We better get started then!” James said excitedly. He walked over to them both before offering Reg his elbow again. Regulus looked at it hesitantly.
“You’re not gonna skip again?” he asked, still eyeing the arm.
“Only if you want to little star.” James said, eyes twinkling.
“Let’s get this stupid thing over with.” Reg muttered quickly, taking James’ arm. Sirius really needed to give his brother some pointers. James barked out a laugh and pulled Reg through the door they came from. Sirius turned back to Remus, finding him already staring. Sirius squirmed feeling as if Remus was seeing right through him.
“So. Magic?” Sirius said, trying to fill the silence.
“Magic.” Remus said nodding his head.