Brothers

Regulus Black waited eagerly at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters for his brother, Sirius. This had been Sirius' first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Regulus, who would be starting the next year, wanted to hear all about it. Suddenly the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station and hundreds of students streamed off. Regulus finally caught a glimpse of Sirius, who was waving goodbye to three boys, one with messy black hair, glasses, and hazel eyes; another with brown hair and tired amber eyes; and a third with blond hair falling into his light blue eyes.

"Bye!" Sirius yelled again, before joining Regulus and their parents.

Back at 12 Grimmauld Place

"So, did you like it, Sirius?" Regulus asked at supper that night.

"Yeah, it was-"

Their mother cut Sirius off mid-sentence. "Regulus, be a dear and come help me with the dishes," she cooed. "And you," she snapped at Sirius, "go do your homework."

Later that night

Sirius and Regulus had shared a bedroom for as long as Regulus could remember. He was especially glad for that now, becaues he could finally talk to Sirius about Hogwarts.

Sirius lay on his bed, glancing through a book and occasionally scribbling something down on a piece of parchment. Regulus watched from his bed on the other side of the room.

"How was it, Sirius?" he asked, right before the door opened and their mother came in.

"Regulus, come," she told him.

"Come where?" asked Regulus, puzzled.

"You get your own room now, sweetums. Come," their mother repeated, taking Regulus's hand and pulling him out of the room.

"Can't I even talk to my own brother?" yelled Sirius as the door closed behind them.

Five years later...

"Regulus? Regulus, come here," his mother called through the house. Regulus followed the sound of her voice to the drawing room. "Regulus, Sirius is gone."

"When? Where'd he go? What did you do to him?" asked Regulus, worried for his older brother.

"I didn't do anything, dearheart. He ran to one of his friends, this morning, I believe." She laughed. Regulus went slowly back to his room.

Why? Why did you leave? Who did you go to?

But it was all too obvious why Sirius had gone. He had hated their parents, and they had hated him. And Sirius had told him less than a week ago that if he left, he had gone to a friend's house.

I'll miss you, Siri.

Godric's Hollow

"Are you sure they won't care, Padfoot?" James Potter asked his friend.

"Regulus might. He'll be the only one, though," Sirius replied.

I'm sorry, Lion.

This is one of my oldest stories; I think it's actually the second fanfic I ever wrote... :squee: The 'Lion' thing at the end is because I wanted Sirius to have a nickname for Regulus, and Lassie's a girl thing. (...don't ask about Regulus being called Lassie. Long story.) I used 'Lion' because I think there's some lion-related Regulus thing... and if there's not, ah well. It sounds cool. :3