Red Roses2: I'm sorry I haven't updated the Fullmetal Alchemist fan fiction. But this is a one-shot idea that I got that's linked to a whole bunch of other ideas I have that I just don't have the time to write down.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K. Rowling. I wouldn't have it any other way.

One last thing: who else is excited about the theme park?

Poor Confused Brother

Regulus went to Hogsmeade to have a good time. He went so he could finally see the village that his brother and cousins held in such high regard. This was his first Hogsmeade visit. It was supposed to be a good experience.

His jaw wasn't supposed to drop as soon as he opened the Three Broomsticks door, turning his mouth into a flycatcher. He wasn't supposed to come to a complete stop, unable to believe what he saw. His brain wasn't supposed to freeze. The image of his brother being groped by another boy wasn't supposed to be burned into his retinas.

Regulus blinked, but the image was still there. Sirius was still being kissed and nuzzled by the boy, the boy's hand rubbing against Sirius's lower back and trailing into inappropriate territory. Regulus couldn't grasp the boy's name from memory, but he knew who he was. Regulus slowly closed his mouth and swallowed.

Yes, Sirius was rebellious. Yes, Sirius was a part of different circles – the Gryffindors, the pranksters, the Mudblood lovers, Potter's Gang of Lonely Misfits (a.k.a. the Marauders). Yes, Regulus felt like he didn't know who Sirius was anymore.

But . . . .

Potter shoved the boy playfully.

"That's enough, Moony. I don't think there's a soul in the pub who doesn't know he's yours!"

Said as a joke.

Lupin flashed a smirk at Potter, then pressed his lips against Sirius's neck.

"Sorry. You know that time of year is coming up. . . ."

"And I'll have to beat you off with a stick," Sirius said, turning Lupin's face upward and planting a kiss on his lips.

Pettigrew snorted into his butterbeer, the small traces of discomfort in his face disappearing.

Regulus's hands balled into fists. His eyes flickered over Lupin's shabby robes and the scars and bandages on his hands and face. Lupin couldn't even afford decent clothes! Sirius was a member of the prestigious Black family! Sure, Mother and Sirius argued constantly, and Father was starting to ignore him altogether, and Kreacher was pretty nasty to him, but he was still Sirius Orion Black, the only brother Regulus had, and he deserved better than some beat-up, Galleon-less, anti-pureblood! And - !

. . . . "That time of year?"

Regulus's brain went into hyper-drive as he thought of all the humanoid magical creatures with mating seasons. He quickly reduced it to a handful, and only one of them could blend in so well with witches and wizards.

Regulus's eyes widened as he realized what Lupin was: a werewolf.

"Come on, you two, I'm serious. Cut it out!" Potter said, shoving Lupin one more time.

Sirius scooted his chair farther from Lupin, giving the werewolf an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, James."

Sirius Orion Black, Regulus's older – and only – brother, was snogging – or worse, dating – a beat-up, Galleon-less, anti-pureblood werewolf.

A werewolf!

Without thinking, Regulus walked right up to the Marauders and tapped Lupin on the shoulder. Lupin turned around and –

BAM!

Lupin fell to the floor, Potter whipped out his wand, Pettigrew squeaked and toppled out of his chair in fright, and Sirius stared, startled, at Regulus. Regulus lunged at Lupin just as Potter raised his wand and Pettigrew knelt next to Lupin, but Sirius sprung into action by grabbing onto the back of his robes.

In the back of Regulus's mind, he knew the only reason Potter didn't hex him was because he might have accidently hit Sirius. In the back of his mind, he knew Sirius had made Potter promise to ignore Regulus in favor of hexing and pranking any other Slytherin as long as it wasn't Regulus, and that attacking Lupin put that security at risk. He knew Lupin was a prefect and he could get into a load of trouble for this. Regulus could sense the pleading look Sirius shot Potter as his older brother drug him out of the Three Broomsticks. Regulus knew that Sirius was still trying to be a good older brother, and that Regulus was just making it harder for him. But all he could see was red, and all he could hear was "Make the Werewolf pay!" All he could think about was protecting Sirius, protecting his family.

Sirius didn't let go of him until they were halfway back to Hogwarts, standing ankle-deep in the snow.

"What the hell did you hit him for?" Sirius asked.

Despite the cold, Regulus's blood was boiling and his face felt hot.

"Why were you snogging a were - !?"

Sirius shushed him and looked wildly around, but it was only them on the grounds. He shot Regulus a tense look.

"Reggie, you can't tell anyone!"

"Why not? He's dangerous! The curse is transferred through spit, Sirius! Which you two were swapping, by the way!"

Sirius blushed.

"We've been careful! And how'd you find out?"

"Doesn't matter! You're in danger!" As he always was when he consorted with people like Potter.

"I'll be the judge of that!"

"He's a monster!"

The word "monster" echoed through the grounds, and the look in Sirius's eyes was darker than Regulus had ever seen. The silence was more deafening than Regulus's scream.

Sirius's glare reminded him of Mother when he or Sirius did something unforgivable.

The older Black spoke slowly and firmly, though the words trembled with powerful emotions.

"I love him. He's one of the most kind and thoughtful people I know. And the most forgiving. More so than James." Regulus would have argued Potter's righteousness on a normal occasion, but interrupting an angry Black was never a good idea. "Remus is the last person to be a monster, werewolf or not. Don't you dare tell anyone otherwise." Sirius rose to his full height, truly reminding Regulus of Mother. "His lycanthropy remains a secret, understood?"

Regulus nodded. He knew better than to test Sirius. A small part of his brain wondered if Sirius and Mother knew how much alike they were.

But that day, he knew that Sirius couldn't look after himself properly, no matter how many times he insisted he didn't need their family. Regulus needed to find a way to protect Sirius from the dangers of the world.

The Dark Lord promised Regulus could protect Sirius from the big bad werewolf if he joined him. But it was working under the Dark Lord when he began to realize there were worse things than egomaniac Potters and brother-stealing werewolves.