I do not own Harry Potter

Brothers were annoying.

They never left you alone. They were constantly bugging you with their stupid questions and whiny voices. They didn't understand that the world didn't revolve around them. Sirius had a life too, and Regulus needed to stay out of it.

"Leave me alone Reg, I'm busy," Sirius said, his head bent over a magazine. It was unlikely for Sirius to read in his free time, but he was turning nine next week, which meant he would be receiving his first broomstick. The current issue of Quidditch Weekly portrayed each and every type he could ever want.

"What are you doing?" Regulus asked again, leaning over the magazine and blocking Sirius's view. "What's that?"

Sirius huffed and nudged his little brother out of the way. "It's a-" Sirius squinted at the page- "A compass thing. For brooms. You wouldn't understand." Frankly, Sirius didn't understand what exactly the golden device Regulus had pointed to was either, but he couldn't let his brother know that.

"What does it do?" Regulus asked, his gray eyes wide and innocent.

Sirius swallowed. "Um, lots of stuff. It's complicated."

"Like what?" Regulus asked eagerly.

"You're too young to know. It does a lot of things."

"Tell me!" Regulus asked loudly, stomping his foot.

"It's too hard for you to get!" Sirius shouted.

Regulus eyes filled with tears. "Tell me before I get mom!"

Sirius made a noise. "I don't know, okay? Leave me alone!" Sirius grabbed his magazine and stomped out of the room. Jeez, Regulus sure was a pain!

Brothers were a burden.

The air was hot and sticky, but Sirius was in a great mood. He was at his cousins' house for a family lunch celebrating Uncle Cygnus's new place in Wizengamot, and while the adults were talking, Sirius got to play a game of Quidditch with his cousins. He was excited to show off the new moves he had learned in the last year he'd had his broom.

As Sirius and his cousins chose teams, Regulus looked on enviously. He was only eight and too young to play. He sighed longingly before turning to his mother.

"Mother?" Regulus asked, interrupting her conversation with Aunt Druella. "Can I fly with Sirius?"

Walburga looked at him in annoyance. "I was in the middle of a conversation, Regulus; it is very rude to interrupt."

"I'm sorry, Mother," Regulus said. "But I was wondering if I could go flying."

Walburga glanced at the other children, who were preparing to take flight. "Get on the back of Sirius's broom. You can ride around for a bit."

Regulus thanked his mother and excitedly ran over to his brother. "Sirius!" He shouted, grabbing onto the tail of his broom, which was a few feet in the air. Sirius, who was still in the midst of take off, lurched back and lost control of the broomstick. He fell backwards on top of Regulus and knocked his broom on his head. "Oww," he moaned while his cousins laughed.

"Get off, Sirius!" Regulus cried from under him. "Get off!"

Sirius rolled onto the ground and slowly stood back up. He glared at Regulus as he got up from the ground.

"Why'd you do that?" He asked furiously. Regulus cowered.

"Mom said you have to take me for a ride."

Sirius eyes widened. "What? No! I was playing Quidditch with-" he looked up, and saw his cousins flying overhead, happily immersed in their game…without Sirius. He sighed. "Get on," he told Regulus reluctantly.

Brothers were disappointing.

Sirius was nervous. He didn't look it, but he was. In fact, not even his best friend, James Potter, could tell that Sirius was silently panicking. He had put on a mask of calmness, even of happiness, as he sat in the Great Hall. However, Sirius was far from happy.

Regulus was going to be sorted. Sirius, a third year, had already been sorted into Gryffindor, and had faced his parents' wrath. Over the past two years, Sirius had drifted far from his family, and even farther from his brother. He had realized that muggleborns weren't half-bad (except for that Evans, she was a nightmare), and had found out what it was like to have friends, not just acquaintances. Nevertheless, Sirius missed his annoying little brother and hoped the best for him. He was worried about the path Regulus would choose.

Sirius's stomach knotted as the parade of first years entered the Hall. He immediately spotted Regulus among them; he was still as stone, looking the exact way a Black was supposed to; indifferent and bored. However, behind Regulus's gray eyes Sirius spotted something foreign. He saw fear.

It wasn't long until Regulus's turn to be sorted. Sirius stared at his brother as he walked over the stool next to Professor McGonagall. He locked eyes with Regulus just before his brother's view was obscured by the Sorting Hat.

Regulus sat there for a long, long time. Longer than even Sirius, who had sat arguing with the Hat until his bottom was numb in his first year. He saw Regulus clutching at the stool with tight, white fingers. Sirius held his breath.

Come on Regulus, come one. Please, anything but -

"SLYTHERIN!" the Hat shouted to the Hall. Sirius's heart sank.

Regulus scampered of the stool quickly, his eyes on the floor. He did not respond when cousin Bellatrix patted him on the back at the table. He did not look up at Sirius, who was trying desperately to catch his eye.

"Glad you're not like the rest of 'em, huh?" James asked absentmindedly, once the applause had died down. Sirius did not answer, nor did he look up at Remus's sympathetic gaze.

Dinner passed in a blur, and Sirius ate without tasting. As he stood up from the Gryffindor table, he saw Regulus standing alone with wide, confused eyes. He was looking around furiously, apparently in search of a prefect or relative to guide him.

Sirius sighed and walked over to him. "C'mon," he said shortly. "Slytherin's this way." He started walking forward without waiting for a response.

"Sirius?" Regulus said, slightly behind him. "I know you're mad at me."

"Not mad," Sirius said shortly.

"I can't help it. I belong in Slytherin. With the family."

Sirius stopped short. "You really think that?" he asked, not turning around.

Regulus hesitated. "I-I know that."

Sirius shook his head slowly as he turned to face his brother. "You know that, huh? Well you know what I know? I know that you'll never change. You're just like the rest of them."

Regulus's chin quivered.

"Slytherin's over there," Sirius finished, pointing vaguely to the left. "See you around."

And Sirius left his brother standing alone, the dark corridors swallowing him whole.

Brothers were cowardly.

Sirius breathed heavily. His face was slick with sweat, and his eyes were moist with unshed tears. He would not cry. He would not let that bitch get a reaction. Swallowing hard, Sirius shrunk his already packed trunk, and, grabbing his broomstick, stumbled over to his bedroom window. As he lifted the latch, Sirius heard footsteps approach his room.

"So you're really leaving, huh?" Regulus calmly asked from the doorway.

"Yes," Sirius said darkly. He did not turn around, he did not want to face his brother.

"Where do you suppose you'll go? No one in their right mind would take in a traitor."

Sirius's clenched his fists. "Shut up. Just shut up. You don't know what you're talking about."

Regulus walked towards the sixteen year old. "Oh don't I?" his eyes started to betray his calm. "You betrayed the family, Sirius! You betrayed me."

"No!" Sirius cried, whipping his head around. "You don't get it! I didn't betray any of you! I never agreed with this! I was always different! I can't stand it anymore!" He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Did you hear what Mommy said to me down there? She hates me. She doesn't want me. I'm doing her a favor by leaving."

Regulus stared at his brother. "So you're just going to leave me here? With her?" Regulus's voice broke.

Sirius's raised his eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"Sirius, you can't leave! I can't live here alone."

"Please. You're just like the rest of them. A slimy Snake."

Regulus locked eyes with his brother. "No," he said softly. "I'm worse than that. I'm a coward. I was never brave enough to question the family. I begged that blasted Hat for Slytherin. I was afraid." He bowed his head.

Sirius shook his head slowly. Where was this coming from? "You've always been this way…"

"Because I knew I could never make it without an army of Blacks backing me up. I'm not like you, Sirius."

Sirius slowly, cautiously, lifted his hand. He gently grabbed Regulus's hand and squeezed. "Come with me."

He had said it.

Regulus's breath hitched. "I-I can't."

"Regulus, please," Sirius voice became desperate.

"N-no."

The two brothers looked at each other for a long time. Then, without warning, Sirius nodded sadly and grabbed his broom. With one last glance at his brother, Sirius flew out the window and into the night.

Brothers were naïve.

Seventh year had started like any other for Sirius, he laughed, joked, studied (a bit, at least), and fainted when Lily said yes to James. It was near to impossible to tell that Sirius was still upset about his final encounter with his brother. Since he had left, He and Regulus had avoided each other like the plague. It was therefore very awkward when Sirius found his brother sitting alone by the lake.

He tried to turn and walk away, but his brother's content expression sparked Sirius's curiosity. Regulus had never been happy lately, it seemed.

"Um, hi," Regulus said awkwardly as his brother took a seat next to him. "What do you want?"

"Wanted to sit," Sirius said simply. "What's got you so smiley?"

Regulus stiffened. "Oh, um, nothing. Let's just say that…I'm set."

"Set for what?"

Regulus shrugged. "Set for life, I guess."

Sirius turned to his brother slowly. "Regulus…what exactly do you mean?"

Regulus licked his lips. "I've been accepted."

Sirius widened his eyes. "You don't mean…?"

"It's a good thing, Sirius. I'll be safe.'

Sirius stood up furiously. "Safe? safe? You think that Voldemort will protect you?"

Regulus flinched. "Be quiet Sirius!"

But Sirius did not lower his voice. "How can you be so stupid? You're fifteen years old!"

"Well it's not official yet. But it will be after I graduate."

Sirius shook his head rapidly. "How can you be okay with this?"

Regulus averted his eyes. "I have no choice, Sirius. I have to do this. It's the only place I belong."

"You belong in a mental hospital, you bastard!" Sirius shouted. "He will kill you."

"No he won't! I'll be safe!" Regulus yelled back. Then, quieter, he said, "Look Sirius, you've chosen your side and I've chosen mine. I can't go back."

"Well then good luck with your disgusting, insane, murderous side. Hope you don't die." Sirius gave him one last disappointed look before swiftly walking away from his brother.

Brothers were always right.

Regulus stared at the basin before him, the gold locket glittering in it's depths. As he gazed, he remember his brother. Sirius was right after all, about everything he had ever said. If only Regulus had listened.

Oh well, Regulus thought, as he filled his goblet with potion. I'm going to start listening now.

A/N Reviews are appreciated.