Chapter 2
~Regina~
In the two weeks Sirius was back at Grimmauld place their mother had tried anything to keep them apart. She thought that every minute Regina would spend with her big brother, the chance she would turn out to be just like Sirius would increase. So, to fix this 'problem', she thought it a good idea to separate them every time she saw them together, much to their annoyance.
Not that this behavior of Walburga was anything new. Their mother had never liked it when they spent time together. Hence to the: 'Sirius is a bad influence'. She didn't want Regina to become like her big brother.
Which, if she thought about it, was a fair assessment. Regina looked up to her brother, his confidence, his bravery, the way he wasn't scared to let everyone know what he was thinking and maybe the way he looked, though she had no idea why she wanted to look like her brother.
Adding this by Sirius' weird talent to get people to do stupid shit, might make Walburga believe that Sirius was a big influence on Regina's decisions and opinions. Which was in fact true.
Because of their mother's need to separate them, they often hang out when their parents had returned to their chambers. Knowing exactly where to place their steps so they wouldn't make a sound. They fell asleep next to each other regularly.
You could describe the brother and sister as inseparable. Despite their differences they made it work. Where Regina was cool and collected, Sirius was proud and confident. Where Regina became quiet, harsh and terrifying, when pressed into a corner, Sirius became loud, dangerous and aggressive.
They were two sides of a coin. Completely different, yet incomplete without the other.
*
Sirius had sneak into Regina's room after both their parents had returned to their chambers. They were sitting on her bed, talking about Hogwarts. Regina wanted to know everything, even though Sirius had already told her most of it and Regina knew more about Hogwarts because of al the reading she had done. That way she could correct Sirius when he said something that was incorrect. While she had never been there in person she could describe everything with extreme detail, she sounded quite obsessed, much to Sirius' amusement.
"So, are the lessons enjoyable?" Regina asked. Sirius snorted at the posh accent.
"Well, sometimes I guess. Though we find ourselves often being bored out of our minds." Sirius replied with a small smirk.
"Ehm… We? Who is 'we'?"
"Oh right, James and I. I think Remus and Peter pay much more attention in classes." He said with a soft chuckle.
At the questioning look on Regina's face, he kept talking.
"You know, the boy I was writing you about, James. I mean I think I wrote to you about him, I must have mentioned him at some point."
"Well you mentioned a boy, I think. But never someone specific, just 'my friends' or something similar." Regina said timidly.
"Okay,-" He paused. "-Well I suppose I could tel you more about them now." He said with a bright smile on his face.
For the next twenty minutes Sirius rambled on about the friends he had made in Gryffindor.
"But honestly, James is the greatest person I've ever met. He's so much fun." Sirius informed his little sister.
And, oh.
Oh.
That hurts. That really, really hurt.
Regina knew that her big brother would make friends, he is the nicest person she knows, how couldn't he? But to have conformation that Sirius liked them better than her? That hurt.
~Sirius~
The week after Sirius returned at Grimmauld place he got a punishment he wouldn't forget easily from his mother an to his surprise his father.
Their father only got involved when it was really bad. The only other time their father had gotten involved was when he and Regina left the house while there were visitors. Apparently Walburga had called them, to show off her children or something, but had gotten no reply. The punishment that faced the two of them when they returned wasn't pleasant, to say the least. This was no better, not that he’d expected it to be.
When his mother hadn’t punished him the day he returned he had been suspicious. He didn't understand why she wouldn't just get on with it, 'cause he knew it was coming. For the first week she just right out ignored him, unless he was, in her eyes, being a bad influence on his little sister.
Since it was obvious that Walburga didn't want him to spend time with Regina, they did it in the evening when their parents hat returned to their chambers, or when there were guests and they weren't expected to be present.
This of course was Regina's doing, Sirius couldn't care less what their mother would want. But because he has had a soft spot for his little sister since the moment he saw her, he gave in. As long as I can spend time with her it's fine, I suppose. He said to himself.
However, at one unfortunate afternoon, there were guests in the house and Sirius found himself in Regina's room.
Regina was giggling at something Sirius had said. When, all of the sudden their mother stormed into the little girl's room. She immediately spotted Sirius, walked towards him and grabbed him by the arm. She dragged him off the stairs to the living room. She let go off his arm and he dropped to the floor.
In the room, Orion was waiting for them. The quest had clearly already left. If Sirius didn't know any better, he would believe his father looked uninterested and bored. But unfortunately he did know better. The fact that Orion was there was surprising. Unless something was really important, he did not interact with his children. So that he was present was already a sign that it wasn't looking good for him.
"Isn't it enough that you insulted our family, by being sorted in that house?" Walburga said. Her voice was close to yelling. "If you think you can drag your sister along, you are mistaken. I will not have you ruin her, by your crazy Gryffindor antics."
Walburga picked up her wand and pointed it at him. He felt his muscles tense. She opened her mouth to cast the spell but was cut off by a soft voice.
"Please mother. Please it wasn't his fault."
Walburga turned to the direction of the voice, as did Sirius.
And there was his little sister, standing in the doorway, looking utterly terrified.
"Please don't punish him, we were just talking."
Sirius was shocked and terrified at the same time. Regina never really stood up for him, not that he'd let her. He didn't want Regina to get hurt, ever. But he was surprised that she did it now. She always listen to mother, so it was a surprise that she was now speaking back to Walburga.
"Reggie, don't. Please." He said. As much as he always told Regina she shouldn’t listen to their mother, he needed to make sure she wouldn't get hurt.
The little girl's eyes turned from their mother to Sirius. She looked afraid, unsure and almost desperate. Her eyes were basically begging him to be careful and to not upset mother any further. She is worried about me. If the situation wasn't so messed up, he would think it was sweet a comforting. But the situation was messed up, so he didn't think that.
Walburga stared at the girl for a few moment before turning back to Sirius, completely ignoring the wishes of her daughter. She raised her wand and…
"Crusio!" Her voice echoed through the house.
"No!" Regina cried out.
The pain, so familiar yet so unbearable. It doesn't matter how many times she cursed him it'd still feel the same.
"No mother, please, stop! I'm begging you!" Sirius could hear in the distance. He assumed it was Regina, but he couldn't be sure. The pain was so bad, he couldn't really focus on anything else.
Het also heard a scream, but he was about as able to focus on that. Sirius of course had no way of knowing that it was him who was screaming.
Eventually Walburga stopped, Sirius opened his eyes and saw that his little sister was making an attempt to make her way to her older brother.
Orion grabbed her arm hard enough to bruise to pull her back and Regina let out a yelp of pain. Walburga turned her cold eyes away from Sirius to her daughter.
"Keep you're mouth shut, you silly girl. You're brother is being punished and if you do not like it, you are welcome to share his fate." Walburga spat. She raised her wand at Regina, who started trembling.
"Crusio!" Again their mother's voice echoed through the house, only this time the pain didn't come. What did come is the scream and the worst part of it, it was Regina who was screaming.
Orion let go of Regina and she fell to the floor, squirming in agony. For a second Sirius just sat there and watched in horror, though that didn't last long. Sirius jumped to his feet, ignoring the protest his body gave him. He made his way towards Regina and pulled her away from Orion and Walburga. He placed himself above his whimpering sister, so that Walburga couldn't hit her with any more curses.
That didn't stop Walburga. As soon as her mind catched up with what just happened, she aimed another curse at them.
"Crusio!"
Since Sirius used himself effectively as a human shield, the curse was only directed at him.
"No, no, stop." Regina tried. But her voice was too soft to be heard over sirius' scream, not that Walburga would have listened otherwise. Sirius leaned on top of Regina so she couldn't pull him away. She just had to watch with a horror struck face as her brother was being punished.
When their mother stopped, Sirius' body went limp. Their parents walked right past them and didn't even look at them.
He felt Regina gently pushing him off her so she could sit up. She rested his head on her lap and started stroking his hair.
After a while she got him to his feet and let him lean on her. She spoke soft encouraging words while she led him to his bedroom. She placed him in his bed and only when she was sure he was comfortable ~as comfortable as one can be after a 'punishment' of Walburga~ she left the room, only to return quickly with a bowl of water and a piece of fabric. She dampened the fabric and reached out to place it on his forehead. All her movements were slow and gentle, to make sure she wouldn't startle her older brother.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, with a warm, soft voice.
"Marvelous." He said, with a weak voice.
She raised one eyebrow, as though to show that she wasn't impressed.
Tough crowd ;).
He grinned at the expression. In return she huffed a laugh and gave him a smile.
Regina started checking him over. Looking if there was anything she could do to make the pain more bearable. After a while she spoke again.
"You shouldn't have done that."
Sirius was silent for a moment.
"What shouldn't I have done?" He asked.
"You shouldn't have pulled me away, you were already hurt." She said, like it was the most obvious thing ever.
Sirius was silent again.
"But if I wouldn't have done that, I wouldn't have anyone to take care of me. Now would I?" He replied with a playful grin on his face.
"I'm being serious."
"No, I'm Sirius." He replied with a smirk on his face.
Regina looked at him, annoyance written across her face.
"Hi Reg, I'm just kidding." He said, not joking around anymore.
"Why did you do it?" She asked with a sad voice.
Sirius didn’t have to think about his reply. He said it confidently and without hesitation. Because why would he?
He looked her in the eyes with determination all across his face.
"My sister, my responsibility."