meeting of the brothers
Regulus had been sitting on the step for almost an hour. What was taking them so long?
The stairs were cold and hard, it hurt to sit on them and a dull ache had started up in his back, now spreading to his neck as well, but Regulus would not move until they came back. Number twelve Grimmauld place had been absent of the eldest Black brother for too long.
It was too quiet without him, too weird, too lonely.
And although Kreacher liked Regulus more than others and Regulus him, he had been a pretty poor replacement for his brother, his best friend. He hadn't seen him in a year, hadn’t even spoken properly to him. A year with only his cruel parents for company. A year without someone to talk to, play games with, build fortresses with, most of all to laugh with. A year full of lectures and lessons on the family values without Sirius mocking it all behind their mother’s back, attempting to make Regulus cheer up whenever her bitter words picked away at his brain and heart. They needed to hurry up, or otherwise he was going to go insane. This past year had been exhaustingly hard since he’d had to learn very quickly and flawlessly what it meant and what it had to take to successfully manage it all on his own - success meaning not getting into trouble just like Sirius had made him promise.
Regulus wasn’t even waiting for the front door to open, oh no, he was waiting to actually see and talk to his brother. They had arrived fairly quickly, but Regulus hadn’t had a chance to even catch a glimpse of Sirius as he had been immediately snuck away into the nearest room to have some sort of urgent conversation with their parents.
Regulus sighed, twisting his body around to crack his back. The pain was starting to remind him of all the posture correction lessons that he’d had to take about three years ago when Orion had gotten quite sick of Walburga constantly criticising their son on his poor posture, and so had gone ahead and hired a special person to sort his back out once and for all.
He jumped.
There was the sound of a door slamming shut.
He then stood up and sprinted down the stairs to the corridor where he came face to face with his Mother and Father lined up next to each other, creating some sort of wall to block Sirius from view.
"Regulus!” Walburga Black's cold voice rang out and was paired with an even colder glare ”Do not run inside the house like an insolent child” Regulus instantly looked down at the floor, showing his remorse , and obviously satisfied with this his Mother and Father pushed their way past him and walked into the kitchen, slamming the door shut.
He didn’t have time to even look up because then, a whirl of black-hair smothered him in the face as Sirius catapulted himself into Regulus with a hug.
And Regulus, still aware of his parent’s just in the room behind them, hesitantly hugged him back.
Took you long enough. Merlin.
He broke away and finally looked at the person standing before him
It was Sirius. But he had grown, his hair was a little longer, and he looked... weird. Sort of happy, well rested, fuller.
Regulus cocked an eyebrow, keeping a blank face, still wary of the fact their parents could interrupt any minute, but as Sirius beamed he felt the mask slowly slip away
“Merlin I missed you!" the older boy exclaimed in a rush of words "You won't believe what Hogwarts is like, it's so much better than I had ever even expected"
He couldn't help but match his brothers energy, and so he couldn’t resist the eager smile that broke out on his face “Tell me everything!” and suddenly he felt like he had an older brother again to restore the balance within himself that hadn't existed for about a year.
Sirius grinned and bolted past him to run up the stairs, making his way to the landing that both of their rooms were on. Regulus followed at a normal walking pace to follow Mother's wishes
As he reached the fourth floor, Regulus caught a flash of silky black hair dart into his room and so of course he hurriedly followed him into the room and sat cross legged on the green chintz armchair next to the window. Sirius was smiling and sitting on the floor like a child, eager to divulge every detail, every happening that had occurred in the last year in which they had not yet had the chance to discuss.
“Regulus I really can’t wait for you to come to Hogwarts!” Sirius took no time to begin and start animatedly describing every detail possible in one breath “It is honestly like the best thing I’ve experienced” the other boy grinned, elated, while Regulus could feel his own eyes widen in anticipation “and everything is just as everyone says its like but a hundred times better when you actually experience it, the sorting hat, the moving staircases, all the portraits, professors, ghosts, secret passageways, big feasts, floating candles, enchanted ceilings, flying, the forbidden forest" Sirius stopped to take a breath before continuing on to start babbling like a little boy again "but thing is that’s not even the best part!”
“Is it learning magic?” he asked, his mouth slightly open in awe
“I mean it’s not the best part” Sirius scoffed “All of it’s quite easy to learn really, so I guess parts of the lessons are fun but they can get a bit boring at times, depends on the subject really, History of Magic comes to mind”
“Oh” Regulus frowned a little, wasn’t going to school all about learning and actually going to lessons?
“Don’t be disappointed though!” his brother burst out “Some lessons might be boring but you finally get to do proper magic and everything so the excitement of that balances it all out really”
Regulus nodded happily at his brother now even more excited for September to come
“So what’s the best part then?”
“My best friends Regulus!” Sirius’ face was practically radiating light “I met them all on the train, the Hogwarts express you know, and I didn’t even know I could ever have friends like that, there’s Peter who I’d think you’d like but would pretend not to and then there’s Remus and he is so cool Regulus I think you’d get on with him like really super well actually, it’s impossible to hate that boy, and then there’s James who’s my best mate, and we literally do everything together, and we’ve done so much it’s insane and I know that you’d love him as well because he's also impossible to hate even if he is an idiot but you know he's a loveable idiot so you know you'd love him, you’d love all my friends reallylet’s just leave it at that”
“Oh” Regulus replied, feeling slightly overwhelmed “That’s… good, and are they all in Gryffindor?”
“Of course they are Regulus! And let me tell you being in Gryffindor is definitely the best, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else”
"So it’s good then?”
“Better than good, Slytherin’s are full of sods, Ravenclaw’s are fine I guess but some of them are proper show off’s and Hufflepuff’s can be really nice but everyone sees it as a flimsy house, so you know as I said Gryffindor’s the best”
“Ok, aren’t you a bit biased though?”
Sirius shrugged “I’m only telling the truth”
Regulus furrowed his brow, looking at his brother, a little confused “You do know that I’ll probably be in Slytherin?”
Sirius’ face fell just enough to be noticeable, but not enough to stop smiling.
“Well you never know Regulus” he shook his head a little “I’m living proof that family legacy is a bunch of shit”
Since when did Sirius swear?!
“Right, ok” he nodded putting on a smile, but on the inside he wasn’t so sure. Regulus was nothing like Sirius, and he had always done what he’s been told by his family, this past year more than ever, and so realistically it was best for him to go with the expectation.
Maybe it was better and safer for him to go along with it all - to be the perfect son. But was his safety worth it if he was separated from his brother? A hidden away piece of mind wanted nothing more than to follow in Sirius’ footsteps - the thought probably crafted from a child-like dream.
How was he supposed to know what he wanted?
Sirius fidgeted, his grin slowly crept away, Regulus looked at him.
Deafening silence had now settled in his room. Sirius picked at his sleeve, Regulus watched.
A bird chirped outside. Someone shouted something. Walburga and Orion were talking in heated voices downstairs. In actuality they agreed on a lot of things, but somehow arguments were still a common occurrence.
The bird chirped again. He swore he even heard one of those weird muggle contraptions drive past. Another shout.
And then a sinking feeling. Had the two of them been this naïve as to think that everything would stay the same after such a long time? Sirius had gone and lived another life entirely, a life that Regulus was about to join apparently by his brother’s side, but that he wasn’t so sure about. How was he supposed to know which choice to make? What made him happier? Or what protected him? Because actually in this equation Sirius didn’t matter - either way he’d be doing it in line with what Sirius wanted for Regulus. Right?
It was all so confusing for him.
Regulus had changed too, so of course it was going to be different.
Regulus watched.
Then, Sirius smiled, in a soft way, a way that melted all the tension and the anxieties Regulus was now having. A confident sort of smile, telling him everything was going to be alright.
And it was.
His naivety had not come from what he’d described before, but it came from his brief doubt, how could he have even thought that things could change between them, what had Regulus been so worried about? Sure, people change all the time, but he and Sirius would always be brothers and they would always be close and so Regulus relaxed, leaning comfortably in to the arm rest of the chair, listening to Sirius attentively.
“It will be great Reggie, I promise”
and he nodded, looking at his brother in awe, happy that he had used his nickname - even if he did kind of hate it.
“I believe you”
And then Sirius' smile turned to a face of concern “And what about you?”
Sirius chewed his fingernails, Regulus inwardly scoffed - disgusting habit.
“What about me?” Regulus asked “You’re the one who’s been away
“What’s living here been like?”
Regulus thought of his answer, not that he really needed to think about it “ A bit weird” Regulus nodded, not quite looking Sirius in the eye, but then he looked up, and he did. “Not the same without all the shouting" he smirked down at the older boy
"Course it isn't" Sirius laughed lying back on the carpet, stretching out his arms and legs "Our dear parents must have been bored out of their minds." then, after a small pause, he craned his head up, face once again turning solemn "No shouting, does that mean they were ok?"
"Yeah they were okay, Mother mostly lectured me on how to be a proper Black, lectured me more than usual I mean, and how to steer away from what they call your 'dishonourable manners' and then as usual Father just stayed in his study and if he felt like it he’d come and quiz me on family history to make sure there were no mistakes in their teachings”
"Huh, well they should know that I intend to keep up my so called dishonourable manners"
"I figured”
“But you know, they don’t want you to end up like me”
“You couldn’t tell?”
“I’m just saying, that’s what we were having a pleasant chat about, they were telling me not to influence you and there would be consequences if there was even a trace that I was”
“That’s what you talked about for forty minutes?”
“Well no” Sirius smiled a little oddly “They reminded me of the rules of course, and said that they prohibit my traitorous personality from showing up, mother even casually called me vile at one point”
“And what did you say back?”
“Nothing, I just nodded along, I didn’t want to start arguing the minute I stepped into the house, otherwise they probably would’ve hidden me away from your sight”
“Just because you’re in Gryffindor”
Sirius looked stuck “I mean… I guess it’s more than that, more complicated and stuff, honestly I’m not one hundred percent sure but I also guess they’re angry because they saw me step off the train with James next to me”
“James who?”
“Potter”
“Oh”
The Potter family used to be a prominent member of the sacred twenty eight and whenever Orion decided to come out of his study and make a presence he loved to complain about how the Potter’s had wasted their perfect blood status to fall down to the same level as muggle-borns themselves - it was a subject his parents could rant about for days on end.
“Yeah Mother was fuming, Father kept a blank face but I could tell he wasn’t happy”
“Well, the Potters are blood-traitors aren’t they?”
Sirius furrowed his brow “Yeah…but it doesn’t matter Regulus”
Regulus replied “I’m just saying that is why they are angry”
“Yeah” Sirius sighed, still looking at Regulus weirdly, and then he relaxed “I promised I’d write to him once I arrived, so I need to go and do that”
And then he got up, smiling “Can I borrow your owl? They’ve taken mine away from me”
He nodded, feeling weirdly small “Don’t let mother see you though”
“Don’t you worry” Sirius winked at him, grinning and turned to make his way toward the bedroom door.
But then he stopped, and turned around looking at Regulus almost angrily.
“You know how stupid you were? Writing to me?”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Mother could’ve easily caught you Regulus”
“I had Kreacher’s help” Regulus shrugged, Sirius was right, it had been very risky and he was for sure not going to do anything like it again, it had been a one off thing. Regulus suddenly felt that it was urgent to justify his actions to his brother "It's a pretty big house to be lonely in, I missed you and I wanted to at least say something"
Sirius narrowed his eyes “Right” and then he grinned “I missed you too Reg” a moment passed between them, and then Sirius abruptly turned around walked out the door and called out “Well I’m off to contact Potter”
Dear James
I've been at Grimmauld Place. Wait. Just realised. Grim Old Place. Yeah that makes sense. So I've been at Grim Old Place for about an hour and I've been told I'm a disgrace about a hundred times already.
I’ve already had to have a forty minute lecture from them, so you know it already feels like home.
Talked to Reg for a little bit and he seems ok, told him all about Hogwarts and of course I couldn’t leave you and the other two marauders out, I think he was impressed, I just don’t think he really knew what to say but he looked excited so I’m taking that as a positive.
Going to be a crap summer. I need to start bracing myself for the shouting bound to come for when I have to ask to come to yours. Might just say your Lucius Malfoy. Father likes his family a lot. Narcissa would probably rat me out though. I found out they were dating and of course everyone except me approves. He’s a slimy creep.
Darling Mother has just summoned me. Not excited. Will update.
Sirius Orion Black
* * *
Sirius
Of course your brother is going to be impressed by Hogwarts! I can’t wait to meet him, I bet he’s a mini you.
And summer-wise, we can make a countdown until we go back to Hogwarts. We’ll be on the train before you know it I promise, plus if you are able to come over then it will be even quicker. Stay the whole summer if you can, my parents won’t mind they absolutely loved you at Christmas.
The whole thing will go quicker for me as well. I’m already dying of boredom - although dad did promise he’d let me in his shed at some point to do a bit of potion tinkering so I’m looking forward to that.
Plus Peter is coming round at some point, hopefully tomorrow and then we can get started on practising for Quidditch trials! We’ve got to stay ahead of the game!
Speaking of Peter, his birthday is on the 26th. Now his family can't have us over for a birthday celebration. But that won’t stop the marauders from giving him a proper birthday - I’ll need to owl Remus as well. Pete lives five minutes down the road and so at like 3 in the morning we’ll go round.
Anyway that’s pretty much it so far.
Be careful Sirius.
Let me know what your mother ‘summoned’ you for
James