Different paths of the brothers Black
A Saturday afternoon October no different than any other Sirius and James walked through the castle courtyard and found a small second year Ravenclaw girl crying into her friends shoulder. They soon were informed she was upset because Regulus Black had called her a Mud-blood.
"He did WHAT?" Sirius roared furiously he hadn't though his brother, idiot though he was, would stoop so low.
"Hey, Padfoot you ok?" James asked nervously he'd never seen him this angry.
"James hold my books and keep that girl here!" he threw his shoulder bag at his friend and turned on his heel without another word.
Sirius's pace practically left a vapor trail as he made his way down to the dungeons to where he knew the entrance to the Slytherin common room to be. "I belong to noble and most ancient house of Black," he said firmly to the bare wall. "And if that's not good enough for you I have absolutely no problem blasting through." The barrier melted away into the stone archway a fraction of a second later and a quick survey around the green tinted dimly lit room found Regulus playing gobstones by the fireplace. "Brother,"
"Hey this is the Slytherin common room, you can't be in here," a tall brawny seventh year with a Head Boy badge stepped in front of him. "Try Gryffindor tower."
"Get out of my way," Sirius's voice was low cold and threatening, honestly not caring if he had to fight every Slytherin Hogwarts possessed. Never before had he felt less like a person and more like an enraged dog. "Regulus Arcturus Black, on your feet NOW!"
"Sirius," Regulus was rooted to the spot a mix of shock and terror washed all over his face. "What are you doing here?"
"I said GET UP!" Sirius yanked up him out of the armchair. "YOU CALLED A SECOND YEAR GIRL A MUD-BLOOD! What the Hell is wrong with you? Move, you're coming with me, right now," he held him by the scruff of the neck, as they walked to the gateway he spoke to the frozen crowd of onlookers. "Go ahead someone try to stop me."
The entire way back to the courtyard Sirius dragged Regulus through the corridors, anyone who saw the expression on the elder Black's face dared not question or halt them. When they reached the cool autumn air the young Ravenclaw girl was still there with her friend and James and now Remus and Peter. "S'cuse me is this the prat who insulted you?"
"Yes sir," the girl nodded timidly.
"Don't mind him he's an idiot," Sirius threw him down on to the grass and snarled nearly identical to his Canine form. "Now apologize!" Regulus stared at the ground muttering the word sorry. "What was that? We didn't hear you."
"I apologize," he raised his head to look at her.
"That's better," He glared down at his brother in disgust, before addressing the two Ravenclaw girls. "Now if he ever bothers you or anyone else again you just let me know, eh? Now run along."
"Mr. Black," Professor McGonagall's voice rang out as she appeared behind them the two girls darting away as quickly as they could. "What do you think you are doing?"
"Nothing Professor, just imparting some much needed wisdom to my little brother here," Sirius gave his best attempt at an expression of innocence pulling Regulus up off the ground. "Just because we're Blacks doesn't give you license to be a Death Eater. Now get out of here."
"Mr. Black," McGonagall sighed when Regulus was out of earshot. "You cannot just break into the Slytherin common room."
"Er, single point of contention Professor, I think I just clearly demonstrated that I can," even when he was so obviously in trouble it did make him pretty pleased with himself. "Wild guess, detention?"
"In my office seven o'clock for a week," Professor McGonagall's severe lip got even thinner. "And five points from Gryffindor."
"Professor,"
"He was defending her,"
"That's not fair,"
"So your actions will only earn fifteen points instead of twenty," McGonagall raised a hand to silence them nodding and giving as close to a smile as any marauder had ever seen. "I don't like bullies either Sirius, off the record of course well done."
"What just happened?"
"Did she just award you points for doing that?"
"Which makes this the best day ever," James grinned clapping Sirius on the shoulder. "Thought she was gonna throw the book at you?"
"Truth be told Prongs, even if she did it would be worth it," he let out a disappointed kind of groan to the friends who were more like brothers than his blood had ever been. "I'm not going back home and if I can take a last chance to keep Regulus from ending up like our parent or worse, I will and damn the consequences."
What Sirius didn't know and what nobody ever found out was that Regulus was hiding in the shadow's listening. Words his big brother snarled in his ear followed him until his death after retrieving the locket horcrux. "Just because we're Blacks doesn't give you license to be a Death Eater."
His last thoughts before drowning in the inferi-lake were to Sirius. "I finally made the right choice Brother, I wish you were here to see it."