Crossroads

27/07/1976

Sirius opens the door to his bedroom and sees his mother standing on the opposite side. Funny how it feels like they are always standing against each other. And Regulus needing to choose between his mother and his brother.

Regulus had denied to run away from this hellhole and Sirius knows that his little brother isn’t ready yet.

Before Hogwarts, Regulus would have chosen Sirius’s side any day over their mother's. But in the year Sirius was away, mother had been there. And she had shown him her caring side. Sirius has seen that his mother can be motherly when she wants. But that’s what makes him even more wary of her, that somehow she knows that being a harsh parent had not worked on either of her sons and that Sirius was already a lost cause the minute he was sorted into Gryffindor. So she decided to hedge her bets by bringing her younger son on her side.

If she was not destroying their life in such way by pitting both brothers against each other, Sirius would have applauded her for a well played game. But that’s the thing, it’s not a game, it’s their life and she is playing with it. And for what? That he will never know. Why house of Black is more important to her than her sons' well being? But he had heard enough of his parents fights to know that walburga had been a career oriented woman but had been forced to marry her cousin, Orion and produce an heir. So what can they expect from a woman who been just used as a cattle to breed children for the house. Who herself had been forced to see cruelty of this family. She had not seen love to show love.

He wished that Regulus and his love for him could be enough. It was once. But now, Sirius had been trying to bury all that love to hate his family without feeling as if he is betraying them. But they were a decent family once. He and his brother had a normal childhood once. Then, suddenly something switched. He doesn’t know why or when exactly. And now here they are with Regulus as the front seat audience to the show that is the great war between Walburga Black and Sirius Black.

He knows that with Regulus denying to leave and also telling him in simple terms that he knows that if Sirius meets Voldemort, he will not come out unscathed, as he had cockily thought earlier. No, most probably he will either come out alive promising his loyalty to this madman or he will die rebelling for one last time. This is once again a proof that he is a Gryffindor thorough and thorough, without properly thinking the pros and cons, he just wants to do good and be the hero, saving the day.

That’s what he thought he will be doing in this meeting with that guest. But was he really capable to keep his mouth shut. No, just one word like mudblood Or half breed would have spooked him and he would have started to burn with righteous anger. And then what, dual a dark Lord?

But never had Sirius thought that his little brother was not much of an enthusiast as he had led himself out to be. Maybe the little shit is still a bigot and prejudiced aresehole, who just hates dirtying his blood. Thus would love to see the world brought down around him but he himself doesn’t want to sully himself. What is Sirius doing? Going to practically martyr himself for a boy whose motives and feeling and emotions he is not sure of now. Because that’s what he will be, when that murder includes the name of heir of the house of Black in the long list of people he had killed, just for spitting on his face and denying to join him in his madness.

Sirius knows that that will be the case because that that is his limit. He will never sell his own soul to that monster, not even for his brother. But what good he will be when he is dead to Regulus. At least if he is still alive, he can protect Reggie. That will be better than this suicide mission.

But he had seen Regulus lying as a corpse for a whole week this month, then waking up but still lost in his mind. And that has been enough to once again switch the big brother mode on. The persona which he had proudly wore once, since a very young age when their parents had taught a young Sirius that this is his younger brother Regulus and he should protect him. Always. Never would have that little child thought, even in his worst nightmare that he will have to protect his brother from the very people who had asked him to do so in the first place.

And just as he knows that he will never stoop low enough to join this group of crazy people, he also knows that Reg won’t resist it but he also won’t be able to live with himself if he hurts someone. The kid can’t even hurt a kitten for merlin's sake. No, Reg will either be dead from inside and fully become a puppet of their parents and dark Lord or he will do reckless things to just be out of the confines set up on him. He will feel suffocated.

And Sirius knows that he is selfish. He can just shrug his shoulder and say, 'oh well, I tried but he didn’t want to leave. Okay then, until we meet again. Goodbye’, and just leave. But that’s what he had done last time, hadn’t he. Told Regulus that he will be sorted into Slytherin and be together the next year and wreak havoc at the school. Only to end up in lion house and not sending any letter to his brother for that whole year. He choose his happiness then. And who’s to say that once he leave this hellhole, he won’t once again forget about his brother. Once again start to forget all the good about him and remember him for all the bad and wrong so that he can justify himself that he did the right thing. It will be just like false promises of the last time which were never met.

Thus Regulus was right in leaning on their parents while Sirius was busy enjoying his new found freedom at Hogwarts. And once again after Sirius’s departure from their home, Regulus will lean on Walburga and Orion. He will do everything to earn their love and affection. The very people who gave him this life will become the reason for its doom.

Regulus needs the constant physical reminder that you will be there for him. And Sirius leaving will be a big red sign for his brother that Sirius cannot be trusted. Sirius also knows that he has a tunnel vision. If Regulus is out if his sight he will stop thinking about him and carry on with his life.

But there has to be an option. Sirius is a marauder and for marauders, no option is the last.

Sirius's mind runs a mile a minute as he tries to come up with a solution to this nightmare of a situation.

His mother is scanning him from head to toe as if trying to find anything lacking and taunt him or curse him.

An idea stuck him suddenly and it borders on too much recklessness. His brother will never agree but Sirius is the big brother and has responsible to protect him. And that responsibility comes with an authority, a power over Regulus. This is the time to show Regulus some tough love. He should understand that sometimes things doesn’t go your way but at the end it turns out for the best. Sirius prays to all gods and stars above that his bet plays out.

After finding that nothing is amiss in his clothes and looks, his mother turns to face his brother and raises a single eyebrow.

Sirius fully expects that his brother will flush a little under her scrutiny for doing something their mother will not approve and immediately take his leave but to his pleasant surprise the boy looks their mother in the eye and doesn’t say anything.

Walburga is even more shocked than Sirius himself. But she is one to never loose so she continues to try and cower his brother just by looking intimidating. If it had been Sirius, he would want to break this silence with something even if it ends up with him being hexed but this is Regulus and the boy is a snake just like their mother and thus has no problem in continuing this game, whatever this is.

And Regulus must know that he has all the time in the world and mother has the disadvantage here. Because she is having a guest. So if she has to go then she will have to speak first.

Ohh, now he understands what this is about. This is a power struggle. Kind of. In politics lessons, his father had taught them that during negotiations, the one who speaks first, loses. But what are mother and Regulus fighting over he does not know. He also thinks that even they don’t know what are they fighting over.

But one thing is clear. This is the first time, Regulus is openly defying their mother and not cowering under her heavy gaze. Sirius is really very proud. Because even he can’t do this silent game.

Wow, Sirius thinks that he did the right thing by coming home. He would never have thought that his brother is capable of fighting. Maybe the kid can be brave when he wants to be. Or maybe bravery is more like a muscle which strengthen the more you exercise it. Why Regulus chose today will be the good day to stand up to walburga he doesn’t know. But the kid has changed since regaining his consciousness two weeks ago.

Walburga is getting angrier by each second Reggie is not backing down. And Regulus, he looks like he is once again lost in his thoughts. Before his mother looses her temper, he interrupts the silent show off,

“Mother, has our guest arrived?.”

Walburga glares at her youngest, to which Regulus doesn’t even blinks an eye. Which is again surprising. She reluctantly focuses her attention on him.

“The guest isn’t due to arrive for another hour.” She replies tersely.

“But father said to be ready before 4 in the evening.” He says.

“Well, with your habit of being disobedient at every little thing we ask of you, you shouldn’t be so surprised that your father thought it prudent to take an hour extra for margin so that you could loose all that rebellious energy and be actually ready when the guests arrive.”

Really, his parents are real scared of his antics if they are resolving to go to such extant as to keep an extra hour to keep him in check lest he embarrass the noble house of Black. He supresses a smile that is threatening to come out.

His mother now looks him in the eye as if trying to read his thoughts. But she can’t. For one pureblood children are taught occlumency even before they learn to write and for second that he is the heir and the heir ring on his right index finger will not allow any intrusion in his mind.

Shit, now he gets it. He had not fought her on anything today. She must be getting suspicious at his lack of disobedience. That’s why she has been eyeing the two brothers to know how the both of them had a personality transplant just within the span of a day. The one who always disobeys is not disobeying and the one who is always at her side is now eyeing her with distrustful looks.

“I will send for kreacher when the guest arrive to call for you, Sirius. You better behave. And you Regulus get back to your room and stay there. I want both of you to be on your best behaviour today.”

Sirius even sees a little smile on her face when she looks at him before leaving. So this is what Regulus must have felt to receive her approval. But it’s too little, in Sirius humble opinion. Just a few weeks ago he was writhing on floor under her cruciatus .

But what he hates the most about his parents and this house is that they are stifling, they do not give either of the son the freedom to be their own person. Sirius has fought for it and gained a little freedom but that had come at the cost of his brother's.

This plan better work or else both brothers will be doomed.

As soon as the door closes behind him he turns to his little brother. Regulus is about to say something but Sirius cuts him of. He takes out his wand and body binds his brother. Regulus’s eyes widen and he can see hurt and betrayal displayed in them but he carries on.

His belonging are already packed in his trunk from earlier when he thought that Regulus had agreed to run away with him. At that time Sirius had happily thought that he will take Regulus to the Potters. There his brother can see for himself how real loving parents are. But practically he knows that his brother is not ready for that big of a jump. His brother is still attached to this house and this family. That he will always care for them even when they hurt him. His animagus might be a dog but Padfoot is loyal to those who had earned his loyalty but Regulus is loyal to the house he has been born. That his loyalty is more of his attachment to his roots. And Sirius can never convince Regulus to cut off all ties with their family because without his roots Regulus will not survive for long. He needs them to ground himself. The very base of him is that Regulus is a Black.

So, Sirius only plans to cut a few branches on which weed has grown and is infecting his brother. He will still have the rest of the tree.

Some hidden part of himself is also happy at the idea of not completely abandoning the people he had called family for all his life. He latched onto Gryffindor house and his friends because he could not feel that connection between his family’s value and his personal values but in his rebellious streak he forgot that there are other Blacks who are not as rigid as their parents in their views. In in his decision to leave alone, he would have abandon all the Blacks. He himself does not want to leave the shed of Black family if some things get his ways.

Regulus needs family’s support and he will get one. Just not from the people who think of their own benefit before their child's.

“Trust me Reg.” saying this he exits the door to his bedroom and goes to his brother’s room which he has become reacquainted in the last three weeks. He sends his brother’s belonging in the trunk and checks all the drawers and shelf to check that nothing is left here.

He goes to the window sill to collect the owl. The owl had been a common owl that their parents had bought them when Sirius was starting the school. Sirius had named him Alden. Later on the owl became only Regulus’s because Sirius did not have anyone he wanted to send letters to. Most of the time he was with his friends, even during summer and if not then James used to send his owl, Twinkle and they used to send letters to and from by using her. Alden was now Regulus’s personal owl. But the big guy did recognise his first friend as it chirped at seeing him.

When he returns back to his own room with Alden on his shoulder and a trunk and an owl cage levitating behind him, Regulus is still standing where he had placed body bind curse on him.

His eyes widens when he sees Sirius carrying his belonging.

Sirius thanks all the heavens that his father had called him early. So now he has time to pack both their belonging and leave silently instead of running in emergency with nothing.

Also he does wants to give his parents time to learn that their sons have left so that they can see for themselves as to what they want to tell their precious dark Lord. Sirius despises his parents but he is not heartless enough to want them dead. And this Voldemort person is lunatic enough to kill people like toys if things doesn’t goes his way.

Sirius can see that whatever little Regulus had understood about Sirius’s plan, he does not want to partake in it but Sirius is done asking. He knows he is being like their parents, a little cruel, but after this Regulus can do whatever he wants. Yes he is kidnapping his brother but this kidnap is for the kid's betterment. And after all they do say in muggle world that everything is fair in love and war and this is both. War will soon come on the outside. And both of them love each other, even though neither of them will agree to it even at wand point.

So, Sirius now, levitating two trunks, an owl cage, a brother whose body is still bonded moves slowly towards the library. Library has a fireplace from where they can floo travel. His mother is most definitely in her room getting ready and father is in his study. So his way should be clear except for that rached elf.

He quickly enters the library and settles his brother carefully in the fireplace. Then all the luggage. After taking a handful of floo powder from the mantle, then he stands in the little space remaining in the fireplace.

He ignores how stiff his brother is standing and how he is glaring daggers at him. He throws the floo powder after double checking everything and says clearly, ‘Casa Del Sol'.

He just hopes that great aunt Cassiopeia is the right choice of the one relative who can help them.

She is Regulus’s god mother. Both of them have a good godparent and a bad one.

Regulus’s godfather is uncle Cygnus. The man is as terrible godfather as terrible he is as a father to Meda, Trixy and Cissy.

Sirius’s god mother is their Aunt Lucretia who is the elder sister of their father Orion. The woman does not has any child of her own. Thus she avoids all the children in the family because it hurts to see them all. So she and her husband, uncle Ignatius are a sort of recluse and distant relative that they rarely see. Aunt Lucretia can be said to be an absent godmother.

His godfather is uncle Alphard, their mother's younger brother. The man is a good person and a decent godfather. But Sirius decided against seeking his help for three reasons. Firstly because he is younger to walburga, the woman knows how to boss him around. Secondly, he may be the cool uncle Alphard but he won’t know what to do when suddenly he has responsibility of two teenage boys out of whom one is kidnapped to be there and can try to return back to Grimmauld place, If such a thing happens uncle Alphard would just shrug his shoulders and say good riddance. That is the exact opposite of what Sirius wants. Lastly, though Regulus likes Alphard enough, the teenager is a little jealous that the cool uncle Alphard is always favouring his elder brother. It would be just like taking Regulus to the Potters. He won’t feel comfortable in their company.

Regulus, Lord bless him, is an old soul in a young body. Thus he would want someone who is just like him. A snake, someone serious. Someone he trust. No nonsense person who will chose Regulus’s well being before anyone else’s.

That’s why Sirius has selected to go to Regulus’s godmother, great aunt Cassiopeia's home.

The woman is cousin of his grandfather, Arcturus Black, in her early sixties. She is a dedicated godmother. The most good at the job out of all the four godparents. He just has to hope for the best that this kidnap plan works.

They land in the fireplace in the library of her home, Casa Del Sol. House of sun.

A house elf immediately pops. Sirius remembers her name is Tinker. She bows her head seeing him, as he is the heir to the house of Black and the future Lord Black.

“Tinker, is aunt Cassy at home?.”

“yes, Tinker's mistress is here.”

“okay, can you help me with these trunks.” The elf takes them out and snaps her fingers. The trunks are gone, most probably in the guest bedroom.

Regulus stiff posture has also relaxed a lot now that he knows where they are. Still Sirius will not risk freeing his brother until he has had his talk with aunt Cassy. So he levitates his brother out of the fireplace and then turns to Tinker who is still standing there.

“Will you tell her that Sirius and Regulus are here to meet her. Say, it’s urgent.”

The elf pops and Sirius turns to his brother.

“Reg, I know you are livid but this is the best I could think of which help the both of us. I won’t have to become a death eater today and you won’t have to take my place to make up for my leaving. I just want to ask for one think and please be honest. Okay.” He asks him seriously.

Regulus exhales in exasperation and blinks once in affirmation.

“Do you want to become the heir?”

Regulus’s expression turns to confused first and then when he understands what Sirius is asking, he looks like he has never seen a bigger idiot person before in his life, then he moves his eyes left and right as if saying no.

Sirius releases the breath he didn’t even realise he has been holding.

“Okay. Right. For a while I thought that is what you wanted because you were always so angry at me for the last few years. Right.”

Regulus looks like he wants to say something so Sirius removes the curse only from his mouth.

“I never wanted to be the heir, you idiot. Hell, if you had left alone I would have to be one but that’s because of being the only male child remaining I would have to take up the mantle. Not because I want this. I am not capable of this role, that I know. It suits better to you. I just want to be the right hand man. Why I was angry I will tell you later in great details because the list is too long but you tell me why we have come here. Asshole.”

Sirius sputters at hearing his brother curse. When did little Reggie grew up. Who had taught him this kind of expletive terms. As far as he knew his brother was a prim proper proud pureblood royalty. Regulus rolls his eyes at his reaction.

Sirius smiles and teases, “so, when were you going to tell me that you wanted to be my right hand man.”

“Shut up. That was what I wanted but I rarely get what I want from you, so better not voice it. ”

That hurts. But he knows that he had let down his brother enough times that his accusations are justified.

He is about to ask his brother what does he wants when tinker pops back to inform that aunt Cassy is waiting for them in the drawing room.

Sirius levitates his brother, still not taking chances and walks to the drawing room.

The women is sitting there on a long backed seat regally. Her salt and pepper hair adds to her intimidating persona. She is wearing dark cream colour robes and hair done in a bun.

As soon as she sees him she gives him a small smile, she opens her mouth to most probably greet him but then sees Regulus levitating in the air behind him. The little smile is gone from her face and she raises her eyebrow. Silently asking him to answer her unasked question before she looses her temper.

Sirius is prepared for it. He had thought a little about it. So he calmly replies, “We are here to seek sanctuary, aunt Cassy.”

Now both her eyebrows rises in surprise.

Sirius smiles inwardly. It’s not every day you get to shock a member of house of Black. That also a qualified player like his great aunt.

He just hopes that at the end of all of this, they are not dumbed back at Grimmauld place. Only time will tell.