Chapter 6
Remus let out a groan of pain as he sat up on the cot. This full moon wasn’t as bad as the last and for that Remus was eternally grateful.
“Now Mr Lupin, take it easy as the scab can open easily. If you need any pain potions for it pop by and I’ll give you one. As much as I would like you to stay so that you could leave pain free, I can’t.” Madam Pomfrey said a look of concern on her face as she saw Remus try and get up.
“Thank you, Madam Pomfrey.” Remus said as he got up and wobbled for a moment as a white flash of pain hit him. Inhaling sharply he looked at her and sent her a smile.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
“I am. Thank you, again.” Remus said as he began limping towards the door.
As Remus was making his way towards the doors he heard steps echoing throughout the corridor outside and let out a sigh. Soon enough the person walked through and Remus saw the familiar face of Regulus Black.
“Hullo.” Regulus said, the corners of his lips quirked up into a very small smile.
Regulus didn’t smile much, Remus found that he never fully smiled. And if he did those rare full smiles were only ever directed at Barty or Evan and Remus assumed that this had something to do with his own blood status. It didn’t bother him because he knew the internal battle that the boy was fighting. He knew that breaking rules and being disobedient was not a familiar thing to him as it was his brother.
“Hi Regulus. I assume you’re here to escort me to the Slytherin common room?” Remus asked, brow quirked up in question.
“I am. Are you ready to go?” Regulus asked as he cleared his throat slightly.
“Yeah, I am. Let's go.” Remus said, limping slightly as he walked in step with Regulus. Which, admittedly, was at a very slow pace.
If Remus was being honest, he was worried. He was worried that his friends would find out and hate him because he wasn’t proud of being a werewolf. If anything he was practically certain that if his friends found out he was a werewolf they would leave him, maybe not Lily but he was so certain that Regulus, Barty, and Evan would leave. Remus was terrified.
“Are you ok? Like mentally since I know that you aren’t doing so well physically.” Regulus said.
“Yeah. I’m just a bit lost in my thoughts.” Remus said.
“Are you sure? Because you’ve started both of your replies to me with ‘yeah’.” Regulus said.
“Yeah, I am.” Remus said. Regulus just looked back at him.
“You just proved my point.” Regulus said.
“Sorry. I just- I dunno. I’m tired.” Remus said, rubbing his face with a hand. “I’d take a nap but my roommates are so bloody loud I’ll never be able to.”
Regulus gnawed at his bottom lip for a few seconds, the words forming on his lips.
“You can stay in mine, Evan’s, and Barty’s dorm. We don’t have a fourth roommate so there’s a spare bed.” Regulus said as he looked ahead, refusing to make eye contact with Remus as they went down another flight of stairs. It was baby steps of progress that they were making.
“I wouldn’t want to be a bother.” Remus said, shaking his head before realising that Regulus couldn’t see him. “It's fine, I’ll just wait to go to sleep.”
“No, thats plain stupid. It’ll be fine and Barty and Evan will be fine with it so just take a nap in our dorm. Merlin knows you need it.” Regulus said. Remus could see the battle that Regulus was fighting with himself in offering the bed in his dorm.
Remus inhaled, ready to say that it was fine when someone ahead of them spoke up. Remus looked up and all of a sudden his mood soured even more if that was possible. Sirius Black and James Potter were the cause of this.
“Well if it isn’t good ol’ Lupin.” Sirius said, a grin on his face.
“What do you want?” Remus asked, letting out a sigh.
“What? Can’t I just say hi?” Sirius asked.
“No. We’re not friends so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t.” Remus said.
“But you’re friends with my brother and his little friends? I find that hard to believe. Either way I’m just trying to be friendly. Just because we’re not friends doesn’t mean I can’t have good manners and greet someone.” Sirius said. Remus just rolled his eyes and scoffed.
“What’re you even doing down here? I thought that the dungeons were for snakes.” Remus said.
“Oh, we’re just-” Sirius started before he paused.
“-sightseeing. Horrible these dungeons are, almost got lost in them.” James said.
Sightseeing.
Regulus furrowed his brows as he realised that they were probably trying to get into the Slytherin common room.
“Then you should probably leave.” Remus said dryly.
“And where's the fun in that?” Sirius asked. “What’re you up to Lupin? Why’re you so sick, it's a bit strange innit? How you get sick every month. Wouldn’t you say James?”
“I would. Are you actually sick Lupin? Or are you just faking it to get out of classes?” James said, a grin on his face.
“Are you stupid? It's Saturday you dolt.” Remus said, narrowing his eyes at the boy.
“Are the dungeons too cold and daft for you? Are you getting ill?” Sirius sneered. Regulus frowned and hesitated before he stepped forward.
“Lay off him Sirius.” Regulus said, glaring at his older brother.
Older brother.
“He's not doing anything to you.” Regulus said as the doubt started crawling into his mind. Should he have stood up for Remus? And yet as he looked around he realised that it was as if Sirius had just noticed him.
“Hello baby brother.” Sirius said. “You shouldn’t be hanging around him.”
“Who are you to tell me who to be friends with?” Regulus said. “You cut me off when I got sorted into Slytherin.”
“Because Lupin, here is a bloody prick and you’re hanging out with those weird kids! What's their names? The creepy Crouch kid and Rosier.” Sirius defended. He was genuinely worried for his brother, he didn’t want him to get hurt. But little did Sirius know that this exact conversation was hurting Regulus.
“Don’t call them that.” Regulus said, his tone icy. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
That was the second time he said that to someone.
“I don’t know what I’m talking about?” Sirius asked, scoffing. “I know what's good and what isn’t and your friends aren’t good.”
“They care about me and have actually bothered to look out for me which is more than you have done for the whole time I’ve been at Hogwarts.” Regulus said.
That was wrong to say.
Wrong.
Sirius had always looked out for him at home, always. He would always step in front of his little brother, he would always protect him, always cared about him. But it seemed like it had just stopped once they got to Hogwarts. It seemed like everything they went through together didn’t matter anymore because of the fact that Regulus got sorted into Slytherin. At least that's what it seemed like to Regulus.
“You would really choose them over me?” Sirius asked.
“I’m not choosing anyone over anyone!” Regulus exclaimed, where in Merlins green earth had Sirius gotten that from?
The two brothers were both too stubborn and came to conclusions too quickly. The way that they understood things was the same but the way they dealt with it was different.
“I don’t even know where you got that from. But if you want to know, you already chose him over me!” Regulus exclaimed as he pointed a finger in James’ direction. “See you at home Sirius.”
That was wrong to say.
Wrong.
“I’m not going home.” Sirius said.
“Oh. Thanks for proving my point.” Regulus said coldly as he scoffed. And Regulus knew that almost everyone in that corridor could see the disappointment flicker in his eyes and on his face, no matter how much Regulus tried to disguise it. “Happy holidays Potter. Goodbye, Sirius.”
“Goodbye, Regulus.” Sirius said.
And while the two brothers didn’t want to acknowledge it deep down they knew that that was another crack to their already broken relationship. They knew that there was only so much their relationship could take before it broke to the point where neither would know how to fix it. But neither one knew what to do.
Regulus sniffed slightly as they walked down another flight of stairs, his mood having been soured by the small interaction with his brother. Regulus wanted to fix his relationship with him; he just didn’t know how.
“I do hope you take a short sleep in our dorm.” Regulus said, as he looked ahead. He felt empty and he didn't know why. “It's not up for discussion anymore, you will.”
Remus just smiled.
Sirius wasn’t going home.
He wasn’t going home.
Regulus would be alone.
Alone.
Alone in that cold house.
Alone.
As the pair arrived at the door, Regulus was about to mutter the password under his breath but he looked over his shoulder. He could’ve sworn he heard footsteps and muttering.
“Is everything alright?” Remus asked, brows furrowed.
“Yes. I just thought I heard footsteps.” Regulus said before turning to face the door. “Felix Felicis.”
The lock clicked open and Regulus let Remus slip through the door before turning his back to the door and narrowing his eyes as he looked around. Frowning, his eyes stood glued on one place. He stood looking at the place for a few seconds.
“Regulus?” Remus called.
“Sorry. I’m going.” Regulus said before he rubbed his eyes with a hand and stepped into the short corridor, closing the door behind him. The prickling sensation of being watched stopped.
“Are you okay?” Remus asked, brows furrowed.
“That's a question that I should be asking you. ’m fine, just thought I saw someone.” Regulus said as they moved towards the end of the corridor. The pair stopped in front of the familiar portrait and stepped through it, walking in comfortable silence.
“C’mon let's follow them.” Sirius hissed. “If we want to get into the Slytherin common room then we have to know the password.”
Sirius didn’t know how to feel.
James just blinked dumbly as he pulled out his cloak. Sirius just had a fight with his little brother and now all he wanted was to get into the Slytherin common room? Sirius’ mood switched quicker than someone could mutter ‘lumos’,
“Yeah, let's go.” James said, as he draped the invisibility cloak over the two of them.
The two boys quietly padded down the staircase and followed the two boys. Hearing them talk about having Remus take a nap in Regulus’ dorm.
After a few more seconds of walking and taking random turns that made it seem like they were going in circles the two boys stopped in front of a door.
“Felix Felicis.” Regulus said as he let Remus go through the door first. It was as if the cloak wasn’t working, what with how Regulus’ silver eyes were boring into James. There was a frown planted on Regulus’ face and it was as if he was being hypnotised. James couldn’t tear his gaze away from Regulus’ silver eyes.
“Regulus?” Remus called from somewhere inside.
“Sorry, I’m going.” Regulus said, before the boy rubbed his eyes with his hand and stepped into the room.
“Do we go now?” James asked.
“No. We have to wait for them to get into their common room. Or however it works, it’d be a bit suspicious if the door opened and no one is seen.” Sirius said.
“It would.” James said.
The two boys waited a few minutes before they repeated the password and stepped through. Pausing once they entered the corridor.
“Bloody hell.” Sirius breathed as he looked at all the portraits lining the walls.
“This is mental.” James said.
“Okay. Well which one do we start with?” Sirius asked.
“Best we go in order.” James said and the pair walked towards the first portrait. A hill overlooking a pond. They opened the portrait and expected to see a wall but instead saw a corridor.
“Oh. That was easy.” Sirius said. Though he couldn't help but feel a sliver of doubt.
With that they entered the corridor and began walking down it.
“This is a bit drab and cold isn’t it?” Sirius asked.
“It is. It's really… creepy.” James said. “Oh look! A door. This must be it.”
“We have to approach this with a bit of caution. What if there are Slytherins on the other side?” Sirius said.
“It’ll be fine. C’mon, let's go.” James said, and he opened the door and they both stepped through ready to see the Slytherin common room. But were met with a dungeon and the door slamming shut behind them.
“What?” Sirius said, before turning and opening the door they just exited from. They were then met with the sight of a broom closet.
“This is going to be a lot harder than we thought.” James said, letting out a sigh.
“It is.” Sirius said.
By the time they found their way out of the dungeons and back to the door that was the entrance to the corridor full of paintings there were students crowded around it.
“We’re going to have to wait until later.” James said, frowning as he tried to look through the door while it was cracked open but he didn’t see anything. Once the last student was in, it promptly shut by itself.
“Well that was a total bust.” Sirius said as he let out a puff of air.
“It was.” James said.