Title: Ready Now?
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Sirius/Regulus
Warnings: Incest
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 1,479
Summary: Ravenclaw!AU. Regulus has been sorted into Ravenclaw. But that's not all.
Notes:
The Mystery Competition: Round 3 - Write a Ravenclaw!AU about a non-Ravenclaw character, in which you will need to include the word 'mystifying' somewhere.
The Incest Competition 2: Sirius/Regulus
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Hedge Maze - Left - (word) wire
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Lazy River - Lap 2 - (color) red
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: [Writing Club!] The Word Prompt Express - Prompt Used - 208. Date
Leaving to find the Marauders, Regulus was left by himself in the aisle on the train. With how Regulus was playing with the wire around his wrist, Sirius knew he was nervous. Sirius also knew he should make sure his little brother was okay, found a compartment, and was left alone by older students, but what was the point?
Regulus would soon be sorted into Slytherin. It was for the best that Sirius distanced himself now. Once Regulus was a true snake, their parents would make sure the two boys had as little contact as possible, and if Regulus wasn't yet brainwashed by his parents to hate a Gryffindor Sirius, it was only a matter of time before he was.
He looked through the windows and saw Remus and Peter. He quickly slid open the door and blinked at Peter's bright red shirt. "Hey, Peter, that shade of red is so not your color."
Peter blushed, crossed his arms, and slid down in his seat. "It was my mom's idea," he muttered belligerently.
Sirius smirked. "Learn to tell her no."
"Not everyone knows how to be rebellious," Remus wryly remarked.
Sirius sat down and placed his hands behind his head as he leaned back against the wall. "They don't know what they're missing out on."
Remus looked over at the door. "Hey, Sirius, isn't that your brother?"
Sirius glanced over and saw Regulus looking into the compartment. Sirius deliberately turned his back to the door, knowing Regulus would take the hint. "Yeah. So?"
"Maybe we should invite him to sit with us," Remus encouraged.
"Don't bother. He'll soon be a snake."
Remus opened his mouth but didn't say anything because the door slid open and James bounced in with a jovial grin. "What's up?"
And Regulus was forgotten by everyone except Sirius. He tried to ignore the guilt he felt, but it was persistent. Sirius shook his head. 'It's for the best.'
Sirius wasn't really paying attention to the sorting through the A's, but when it got to the B's, he sat a bit straighter. And finally, McGonagall called, "Black, Regulus."
Sirius sighed, ready for the beginning of the end of their relationship. The Sorting Hat was placed on Regulus's head, and it was taking a while to make a decision. That was odd by itself. With most Blacks, the hat decided Slytherin right away. It didn't even have to think. Sirius took a bit of time, but as far as he knew, Sirius was the first Black that the hat actually had to think about.
Sirius watched his brother's rigid body in the stool. His hands were clenched like they always were when he fought with Sirius, and the older Black knew Regulus was two seconds away from losing his temper.
Finally, the Sorting Hat yelled, "Ravenclaw!"
There was silence in the Great Hall. Not one, but now two Blacks had gone against their family's history and ended up in a house that wasn't Slytherin.
The mystifying thing was that Regulus didn't seem too upset about it. In fact, he seemed rather pleased. When he stood up, he looked Sirius straight in the eye before making his way to the eagles.
"I guess Regulus isn't a snake," Remus murmured at his left.
"I guess not," Sirius muttered.
After the feast, he wanted to speak to Regulus, but the Ravenclaw prefect quickly ushered their first years away. 'Tomorrow I'll talk to him,' he resolutely thought.
The next morning, Sirius didn't have time to talk to Regulus before breakfast. He sat down and quickly consumed his meal.
When the owls swooped down, he saw the howler right away, and it was aimed at Regulus. He quickly stood up and was already walking over when it started screaming in his mother's voice. "You're such a disgrace! Another Black not in Slytherin! You were supposed to be the good one, and –"
Sirius interrupted her tirade by setting it on fire. He looked at Regulus who sat stone-faced. "We need to talk," he murmured.
Regulus nodded and followed Sirius out of the Great Hall. "I asked the hat to put me anyone but Slytherin."
Regulus's quiet declaration made Sirius stop short. "Really? Why?" he asked, facing his brother.
"I didn't want you to hate me," Regulus admitted.
Sirius pulled Regulus in his arms. "I was ready for you to hate me when you became a snake, but I'm not sure I could ever hate you."
Regulus returned the embrace. "I don't think I could ever hate you either. And believe me, our mother tried to get me to."
"I'm sure," Sirius answered, feeling content in a way he only felt when Regulus was in his arms. He finally pulled away. "I know you'll make a lot of Ravenclaw friends, but if you need me, don't hesitate to ask."
Regulus nodded, and they went back to the Great Hall. After all, they still had to get their timetables.
It was five years later, and Regulus leaned against Sirius as he talked animatedly with the Marauders. During his first year, Regulus had become an honorary Marauder, and he was often found in the company of the four boys. And now that he was a fifth year, everyone expected Regulus to be with the Gryffindors when they were all free. Although he didn't really like Peter, and he had trouble overcoming the prejudices he was taught when it came to Remus, he did like James's company and had grown to really like Remus's quiet, introspective personality, despite his werewolf status.
Right now, Regulus was simply relaxing, enjoying the sunny day and the breeze. His eyes were closed, but as James loudly teasd Sirius, he opened them and looked between the two boys. "Did I miss something?"
James smirked. "When you were sleeping, I was simply taunting Sirius about his Hogsmeade date with Marlene."
Regulus felt cold. "Date? I didn't know you had a date."
Sirius's eyes were shadowed when they met Regulus's steady gaze. "Just this Saturday at Hogsmeade. No big deal."
Regulus knew his brother would have shrugged if Regulus wasn't currently leaning on him. "No big deal. Right. Um…" He stood up and brushed imaginary dirt off of his robe. "I have to go. See you guys later." He hurried away, refusing to think about his brother in the arms of another person.
Regulus avoided Sirius for the next couple of days and when Saturday came along, instead of going to Hogsmeade, he hid out in the Ravenclaw Common Room.
He studied the whole day and when night fell, he didn't going to the Great Hall for dinner. He had no desire to hear about how great Sirius's date with Marlene went. The thought made him sick.
At about seven, a younger Ravenclaw girl came up to him. "Um, your brother's outside."
"Tell him I'm busy," Regulus ordered.
She cringed. "I don't think that will work with him. He seemed pretty insistent that he see you, said he wasn't leaving until he saw you.
Regulus would love to call Sirius on his bluff, but Sirius was crazy enough to actually follow through on it. He sighed and stood up. He walked towards the door and stepped outside, crossing his arms and impatiently waiting for Sirius to say his piece.
"What's up with you?" Sirius demanded. "Where have you been?"
Regulus glared. "I'm sorry I wasn't at your beck and call. I didn't want to listen to you go on and on about Marlene."
Sirius furrowed his eyebrows. "Go on and on? What are you talking about? I don't even like Marlene. She has been asking me out for months. I finally said yes in the hopes she would leave me alone if she got one date."
"You don't like her?" Regulus asked.
"No, and why does the idea of me liking her bother you so much?"
Regulus looked around and saw the area was deserted. He knew someone could show up at any second though, so he had to be quick. He stepped forward and quickly kissed Sirius.
The older Black moaned and returned it with eager lips. When they separated, Sirius smirked. "I was hoping you would get jealous enough to do that."
"I don't like being played with," Regulus retorted.
"Well, I don't like you kissing me, and then telling me it never happened, actually acting as if you forgot about it."
Regulus thought back to that night nearly six months ago and knew he had done just that. "I wasn't ready to accept my feelings for you, yet."
"Are you ready now?" Sirius huskily whispered.
"I don't want to lose you, so I guess I have to be. I love you."
Sirius wrapped his arms around Regulus. To anyone else, it would seem like an innocent hug between brothers. The two boys knew better, though. "I love you, too."