A/N:Hey guys, I'm baaaaaack! *ducks flying, sharp, pointy objects* So, do you want the exciting excuse or the actual excuse?

Okay, I was sucked into the world of Hogwarts via my HP books, and ended up attending Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Hermione and basically living through all the books and okay I'll stop right now this is just getting stupid.

So, yeah. I was lazy, I was uninspired, and I was dragged out to South Dakota for a family reunion to celebrate my mom's parents' 50th anniversary, and we literally got back an hour ago at the time of typing this up. YOU'RE WELCOME.

But WOW! 252 reviews for War Upon Us? That's outstanding! I can't say enough how much that means to me. Really. You are all the best. Have some cookies! Or whatever you like, just have some kind of reward. This is AWESOME!

To guest reviewer Swift- I'm sorry I didn't get this out until now. Anyway, if all goes well, my original story will be called Pureblades: Unintended, and it'll hopefully be published by the time I graduate college. *facedesk* Really, I have no idea when(or even if) it'll ever get out there, but I won't give up! Anywho, thanks for the review! It made me smile!

Okay, to everyone else (including Swift)- Here's part three! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters, places, spells, ext.

Datclaimer: This is a horrible pun and I should stop now.

Claimer: (Last one, I promise!) I only own the plot and the OCs.


The screams that echoed through Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, were almost loud enough to be heard by the muggles outside.

"I'm gonna get you!" Sirius yelled, chasing after Regulus. The boys tore through the house in a wild chase, Regulus fleet-footed as a deer despite his chubby toddler legs. He knocked over the hideous troll leg umbrella stand in an effort to block Sirius' path, but Sirius leapt over it and kept running.

As he raced down the stairs, Regulus' foot caught on the edge of a step and he down, his shrieks of laughter suddenly terrified.

"Keep it down!" their mother screeched, somehow making herself heard over Regulus' wails.

"Reg!" Sirius jumped down the stairs three at a time. The little boy was clutching his knee and howling, tears streaming down his face. Sirius gently pried Regulus' hands away from his knee to reveal a scraped and bleeding mess.

He winced, but he scooped up his brother and headed to the kitchen downstairs. Sirius set Regulus by the sink and turned the tap, scooping some water into his hands and letting it trickle over the injury.

It really wasn't that bad, just a shallow scrape, but from the way Regulus was crying, you might have thought his leg was being sawed off. Sirius finished rinsing the blood away and pressed a clean rag onto Regulus' knee.

"See? It's all better," Sirius said, grinning when Regulus hiccuped.

"Thanks." Regulus wiped his runny nose and gave his older brother a large smile.

Sirius looked up at the front door of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. He didn't know why he'd been expecting it to look any different; it was just as dingy and uninviting as ever. Maybe even more.

Orion Black didn't even wait for his son. He just strode past Sirius and let himself into the house, not even bothering to leave the door open.

"Good to see you too," Sirius muttered. He grabbed his trunk and began lugging it up the stairs.

Once inside, he shut the door and called, "Kreacher!"

There was a loud crack, and an ugly, hunched house-elf wearing nothing but a rag loincloth appeared next to him. Kreacher eyed him with obvious distaste.

"Young Master Sirius called?" Kreacher croaked. Under his breath, he muttered, "Nasty, ungrateful brat he is."

"Just shut up and take this to my room, will you?" Sirius snapped, kicking his trunk. Kreacher gave him a baleful look, but he took hold of the trunk's handle and disappeared with another crack.

"Home sweet home," Sirius sighed as he began climbing the stairs. He certainly hadn't missed this place.

he stopped when he reached the top of the stairs. Standing halfway down the hall, his arms crossed and his foot tapping impatiently, was Regulus.

Sirius frowned. He wasn't in the mood to get into an argument right after he got back. Unfortunately for him, Regulus was standing right in the middle of the hall. He'd have to go past him if he wanted to get to his room.

"'Scuse me," Sirius muttered as he tried to step around his brother. Regulus moved in front of him.

"Not so fast," Regulus said, his voice sounding too cold to belong to a barely- eleven year old.

Sirius closed his eyes, telling himself not to lose his temper, before looking at Regulus. "What?"

"As you know, next year, I shall be going to Hogwarts as well," Regulus began. His tone was almost devoid of emotion. It was rather unnerving.

"Then why are you wasting my time?" Sirius demanded. "Move I want to go to my room."

Regulus' expression hardened. "I'm not finished yet," he said. "If you hadn't interrupted me- but that's not the point. The point is, you might want to start watching your step when we're there."

Sirius snorted. "Are you really trying to threaten me?"

"I'm only telling you what I think you should know," Regulus said. His voice was neutral, but when he looked Sirius in the eye, Sirius could have sworn he saw a hint of... fear?

"What are you-?"

Regulus shushed him, looked over his shoulder, then leaned in. "Look, mother and father told me that they're expecting me to keep an eye on you this year," he whispered. "They're going to be double-checking with Cissy to make sure I'm not hiding anything, so I thought I should let you know..."

"But why should I bother doing anything different this year?" Sirius asked.

Regulus bit his lip, hesitating. "I-"

"C'mon, spit it out!"

Regulus took a deep breath. "Look, mother and father think we're still really close, so they think you'll be more likely to listen to me if I tell you to stop hanging out with your blood-traitor and mudblood friends."

Sirius' face contorted with anger, but Regulus quickly held up his hands and backed away. "Not my words, theirs," he said. Sirius was still irritated, but he bit back his scathing retort.

Regulus grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. "Sirius, just because we have differing opinions, it doesn't mean I don't still care about you," he said. "I don't know what they're going to tell you, but... watch out for our parents."

Regulus turned and slipped through the door behind him, leaving Sirius standing in the hall with a growing feeling of dread.


Remus let out a sigh of relief as he lay back on his bed. Home sweet home. Or, as sweet as it could get with his father's cold eyes seeming to watch him, waiting to call him out for a minor mistake.

Remus sighed again, but this time, it was one of resignation. The only reason his father hated him was because of a small, but stupid, mistake. Eight years ago, they'd been a proper family. Eight years ago, Remus had been a normal child. Eight years ago, his father still loved him.

Remus lay on the floor of the living room, his small fingers turning the pages of a massive book he'd borrowed from his mum. He glanced up at the clock. It was nearing the time when his dad would come home from work, kiss his mum, and scoop Remus up off the floor and take him outside to play.

Not a minute later, Remus heard his father's footsteps on the front porch, and then his dad was home- but there was something different, something off. Instead of the tired-but-happy expression he usually wore, his mouth was tight, and there was a crease between his eyebrows.

"Hi, honey," Mrs. Lupin said, setting down her Healer's Handbook and smiling up at her husband. When she saw his face, her smile faltered. "John? Is something wrong?"

Mr. Lupin returned her kiss, but he seemed distracted. He glanced at Remus, who had half- risen from the floor in anticipation. "i'll be with you in a moment, son," he said. Remus sighed, but his attention was quickly refocused on his book as his parents went into their room to talk. He could hear them murmuring, but he wasn't concerned. They were probably just talking about boring grown-up stuff.

Remus was startled when a fluffy orange and white striped cat pounced on his back, leapt over his head and landed on the book, pawing at the pages and mewing. "Not now, Felix! Go chase some mice or something," Remus said, half amused, half annoyed. He tried to shove the cat away, but Felix just curled up against him, purring contentedly.

Remus scratched the cat behind the ears as he kept reading.

After a while, though, he began to wonder what could possibly be keeping his parents so long, and when he checked the time, he was surprised to find that over an hour had passed. Remus gently pushed Felix off of him and made for the bedroom door, but as he was raising his fist to knock, it opened.

"Oh, Remus! We were just coming to get you," his dad said, in an unusually cheery voice. "Your mum and I were just thinking- how would you like to go away for a few days? Maybe to the sea?"

Remus' eyes widened, but something was nagging at him. "When did you decide that?" he asked.

"Just now." Mrs. Lupin picked him up, even though he was starting to get a bit big to be held. "Just think about it- a whole week, just us, the ocean, and the wide- open sky!"

Maybe he was just being silly. "Can Felix come, too?" he asked.

"Of course he can," Mr. Lupin said. He took Remus from his mother and tossed him once in the air before setting him down. "Now, run along and pack a bag." He gave Remus a small nudge, but Remus didn't move.

"Now? Like, right now?" he asked. "When are we leaving?"

"As soon as we're all ready. Now scoot." Mrs. Lupin ruffled his hair and Remus dashed off, excited about the impromptu vacation.

That was the last time they'd been together as a real family. After Remus had been bitten, his mum dropped out of Healer training to look after him, and his father had started working overtime, both to try to make up the expenses of hospital bills and cure attempts, and to avoid his son as much as possible. Younger Remus had accepted his mum's excuse of 'daddy's working' whenever he asked why his dad never seemed to be home anymore, but as he got older, Remus realized it wasn't just his grandparents and old friends who hated and/or feared him. His own father was ashamed of having a werewolf for a son.

Remus was startled out of his reverie when his mum knocked on the doorframe

"Would you like something to eat?"

He shrugged. "I can wait until dinner-" he cut himself off when she gave him a look. "What did you make?"

"Just some of those sweet buns I know you like," she said, laughing as Remus jumped up and headed to the kitchen.

As Remus tore into the sweet buns, Mrs. Lupin interrogated him about everything he hadn't written in his letters. At one point, she patted him on the back, but quickly withdrew her hand when he flinched.

"Sorry, sweetie," she said, carefully placing a hand over the bandages. "That reminds me, I should probably take a look at that."

Remus only stopped eating long enough to pull his shirt over his head, being careful not to agitate the wound. It had been healing for over two weeks, but the scab covering it cracked and oozed if it moved too much.

Mrs. Lupin inspected it for several minutes, but she must have decided it was healed enough, as she refrained from dressing it with a new bandage. Either that, or her attention had been diverted by-

Please don't let it be the ribs, please don't let it be the ribs, please don't-

"Remus?" Mrs. Lupin gently placed a finger on the knotted pink scar that cut across his ribcage.

Remus shrugged her off and reached for his shirt. "It's nothing, mum. It healed back in February. besides, it's not like I haven't had worse."

She flinched at his harsh tone. Remus immediately felt guilty, but he was tired of having to deal with his stupid lycanthropy, tired of his mother's constant worrying over him, tired of his father's attitude, tired of everything that he could have prevented.

If only he'd heeded their words. "Don't go into the woods," his father had said.

But why shouldn't he go into the woods anymore? He'd spent loads of time out there, both alone and with his friend, Benjamin. He could probably find his way around blindfolded, and no dangerous animals lived in that part of the country, so what was the problem?

Several times, though, Remus could have sworn he felt a looming presence watching him, but never revealing itself. Whenever he sensed it, he would dash back to the house, but once the initial fright passed, he'd be back outside.

Remus did notice, several times, that his parents seemed to become especially anxious on some days, but such days were few and far between, so he didn't think much of it. And, a few months after their sudden holiday, they were much more relaxed. Remus was allowed back outside again, though he was under strict orders to be back an hour before nightfall.

Remus didn't remember much of his early childhood. To him, his life was broken into two parts: the time before he was bitten, and the time after. He had a few memories of happiness, of playing games with his parents, of being hugged by his mum and dad, but that's all they were: memories.

He decided to get a head start on his summer work to avoid having to face him mum's worried looks, so he went back to his room and retrieved some books rom his trunk.

Two hours later, he was blowing on his completed potions essay to dry it when he heard the front door open. Mr. Lupin was home.

Remus quickly bent over his parchment, pretending to work in the hope that it would dissuade his father from disturbing him. He heard the footsteps pause just outside the room, but he kept his head down, feigning concentration. After a while, he heard his father move further into the house.

Remus set down his quill and flexed his fingers, which were still stiff from the rough treatment he'd given them during the last full moon. A little belatedly, he realized his mum had been calling that dinner was ready.


"Come in."

Sirius begrudgingly pushed open the door to his father's study, resigning himself to a long,. torturous, one-sided conversation.

Without even looking up from his papers, Orion Black motioned to the chair in front of his desk. "Sit."

Sirius sat, waiting for the inevitable lecture. He couldn't help but ask, "Where's mother?" Not because he was concerned about her- never in a million years- he just wanted to know how long he'd be free of her insanity.

"She's feeling unwell, or else she'd be here, too. Now." Orion finally set down his quill and pushed his papers aside. "Regulus will be going to Hogwarts with you next year."

Sirius was tempted to make a smart remark, but, not wanting to get punished so soon after getting back, he stayed silent. He contented himself with a brief nod.

"You will do nothing to interfere with his studies."

Sirius nodded again. Like I would ever want anything to do with those slimy snakes,he thought.

"You will not cause any trouble this year."

Sirius crossed his fingers under the desk and nodded.

"After all, we don't need the family name to be tarnished by any more displays of your shameful behaviour."

Sirius crossed the fingers of his other hand.

"And one more thing. We've been lenient about your choice of... friends... for your first two years, but we expect you to start acquainting yourself with those who are more worthy of being associated with the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black."

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that," Sirius said slowly. Regulus hadn't been lying, then.

"You need to distance yourself from your housemates. Your mother and I have discussed it, and we have agreed that your transgression of being Sorted into gryffindor will be overlooked if you decide where your loyalties truly lie."

Sirius had been expecting this, but he still felt a surge of anger. "You're telling me to ditch my friends and join a bunch of pureblood fanatics?" he snapped. "Why the hell do you think I would ever do that?"

Orion Black's eyes were cold and calculating as he answered. "Because, if you do not sever ties with them, we will find them. And we will hurt them. Starting with the mudblood brat, Auberey, and ending with the Potters if we must."

Sirius had gone still, hardly daring to breathe.

"We would hate to have to spill pure blood, but we have no such qualms about the mudblood and her family or the half-blood Lupin."

Sirius managed to find his voice. "Liz isn't a mudblood," he spat. "Her mum is a witch-"

"A mudblood witch. The brat and her brother are no better." Orion stared hard at Sirius. "We know where to find them. Don't think even the Potters are safe. They're of pure blood, but their tolerance of inferiors has marked them as blood traitors. One wrong move on your part, son, and your friends die."


A/N: Holy. Crap. That was totally unexpected. I was just scribbling away in mah notebook, writing mah story, and then Regulus just started talking and Sirius kind of reacted, then next thing I knew... woah. I guess I'll have to wait and see where the story goes, huh?

That's not to say I have no plan at all for this one. *evil grin* I've been plotting this one for even longer than I plotted for War Upon Us. I have to say, I really like how this is going so far.

Updates will hopefully be every Sunday. And if I get complacent, the spam my inbox with flames or something, because I am REALLY bad about sticking to a schedule. Speaking of schedules, I got my 11th grade schedule today. Journalism AND AP English Composition, one right after the other? BOO-yah! *happy dance*

In other news, the Boyfriend is now just the Friend. We've been in regular contact, and nothing much has changed between us... except we're no longer official. :'( That's another reason I've been slacking. I didn't go and pull a Bella- I'd never sink that low- but I've been pretty upset. I just didn't want to whine about it in the top author's note and bore you all. Eh, I shouldn't even be boring you all now. But...I think it's gonna work out. We text almost daily, and the conversations aren't awkward or anything. Call me foolish, but I've got high hopes for the future.

ANYWAY! Enough of my wangst. Chapter two will be featuring James, Liz, and Peter- not sure if Sirius and Remus (less than three) will show up, I haven't gotten that far. But yeah! The writing's coming along great, and I hope you guys remember to review, favorite, and just generally be totally awesome!

Until next time,

-Dndchk