Sirius lay on his bed, staring mindlessly up at the bare white ceiling above. His thoughts were clouded as his mind whirled with ideas.
"Siri?" Sirius flinched, the voice of his little brother breaking him out of his trance.
"Aye?" His voice was weak, as he was still recovering from his beating just 5 days prior.
"Mum wants you..." Regulus' head was bowed low, and his eyes were puffy, signaling that either he had been crying or was about to currently cry. Neither choice of which Sirius wanted.
"Reg? Are you crying?" He stood in front of his brother and lifted his head up, hissing when he saw a fine line of red painted onto Regulus' fair skin.
"I-I'm fine Siri...Go downstairs and talk with mum..." Regulus said harshly, pulling away from Sirius and turned around, heading out of the room in a fit. Sirius shook his head sadly and walked down the stairs, seeing his mother standing beside his father, quietly talking to him, seemingly begging.
"Regulus informed me you wanted me. Why?" His voice was ruff with his parents, he could not show the pair who had hurt Regulus any respect.
"Don't talk to me so ungratefully!" His father boomed, smacking Sirius, his ring sliding across Sirius's cheek. He flinched as he felt it pierce the skin, probably leaving the same cut as he brother wore.
"You, boy, are going to spend the rest of your summer with the Potters, I refuse to look at your ugly, disgraceful face any longer!" His father exclaimed. Sirius looked down, but he could see his father's arm reach to yank his head up, before his mother reached out and placed her hand on Orion's arm, stopping him.
"Orion stop, leave the boy alone. Sirius, go up and pack your things, i'll apparate you there afterwards." Sirius nodded and ran up the stairs, desperate to get away from his parents.
He opened up the wardrobe and grabbed a few of his shirts and jeans he had gotten from muggle stores on his trips with the Potters and shoved then into his bag, while packing his school supplies in a separate bag. His owl hooted in the corner and he smiled, ruffling his feathers affectionately.
"Its okay Legolas, I'm taking you with me." He whispered, rubbing his head before shutting the cage and placing it on the bed.
He looked up when he heard a knock on his door. Regulus was standing there, tears trailing down his face.
"Reg? Please don't-" His brother ran up to him and wrapped his arms around Sirius' thin frame, burying his face in Sirius' oversized tan wool jumper.
"Please don't leave Siri!" He cried, wetting the shirt and he sobbed into his older brother's torso.
"Why Reg?" He sat down on the bed, his brother sitting on his lap, now crying into his collarbone.
"Reg, please stop crying...Talk to Siri." He pulled his hair into a loose ponytail then wrapped his arms around his brother, rubbing his back, trying to make him stop crying.
"I-I-I don't want you to leave..." He whispered, tears still flowing down his cheeks.
"Reggy, I have too. You'll be safe here. I'm not gonna let Mum and Dad hurt you." He whispered gently, pressing a small kiss to the younger's forehead.
"But I'm not gonna get to see you..." He cried, rubbing his eyes sadly, his eyes wide as he looked at his brother. Sirius sighed, he looked so innocent, so pure...How was he at all related to the monsters that were their parents?
"You'll get to see me at Summer Break, I'll be coming back at break." He said, running his fingers through Regulus' fine black hair.
"You're not coming back for Christmas?!" Regulus exclaimed, tears again pouring over his cheeks.
"Reggy, you know Mother and Father, they won't allow me to come home." Sirius sighed, rocking his brother back and forth.
"Will you write to me?" Regulus asked quietly, looking at his lap. Sirius smiled.
"Of course Reg, as much as you want me to..." He said, sighing as his door opened once more, the sight of his mother slightly alarming.
"Sirius, it's time to go. Regulus? Why on Earth are you crying?" His mother asked, walking over to her two sons.
"I don't want Siri to leave..." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes tearfully.
"Oh Reggy, I don't necessarily want Sirius to leave either-" She looked up into Sirius' eyes, who turned to face the wall. He couldn't look at his mother.
"-But father will not let him stay. I certainly did beg him, but he listened not." Walburga murmured, hugging Regulus, her fingers tangled into his into raven locks.
"Regulus? Would you like to come with us to say bye to Sirius?" Regulus shook his head, pulling away from his mum to wipe his eyes.
"N-No...I'll stay here..." He said, turning around to hug Sirius.
"Bye Siri...I love you..." Regulus whispered, hugging Sirius tightly. Sirius smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Bye Reggy, i love you too, I'll see you over summer."
Walburga and Sirius stood in front of the Potters' house, both of them standing there silently.
"Well, goodbye son...Have a good time at school..." They stood awkwardly, neither knowing what to do. Sirius sighed, and walked up to his mother, hugging her suddenly.
"Bye mum...I love you..." It hurt him to say that, he didn't know if he believed it even.
"Bye Sirius. I love you too my son..." She hugged him back before pulling away, apparating back to their house.
Sirius sighed and began to walk up the the Potters' door, knocking with tears in his eyes.
"Coming!" He heard Mrs. Potter yell, and he smiled, he always loved Mrs. Potter. She was so sweet and caring.
"Oh! Sirius! How nice is it to see you again!" She said happily, engulfing him into a warm hug. She was a slightly plump woman, and he blushed as he head was pushed into her exposed cleavage.
"Hello Mrs. Potter. Is-" He smiled as James ran to him, burying his face into his neck.
"I missed you so much Sirius!" James exclaimed, pushing away and planting his hands on Sirius' shoulders.
"Oh my Merlin! Sirius?! Do you remember the apple tree we planted last summer?! It's grown and the apples taste so sweet! Come on! Let's go see it!" He grabbed Sirius' wrist and began to drag Sirius towards the bad of the house.
"Gosh James! The poor thing just got here, don't pull him apart just yet." Mrs. Potter laughed, walking past the pair.
"I'll begin dinner, what would you like Sirius?" She asked sweetly, staring at him.
Sirius flushed, he hadn't been treated with that amount of kindness since the last time he had come to the Potters' home. He didn't know how to reply so he just let out a weak, "It's up to you...I don't want to be bothersome."
James stared at him incredulously, before breaking out into laughter along with Mrs. Potter. Sirius didn't understand why, he was greatly confused. The laughter died down and Mrs. Potter smiled at him.
"You could never be a bother, i'd much rather have you as a son than that creature as a child. You should've seen him last night after I told him you were coming, he was bouncing off the walls, that child." She shook her head and chuckled, before asking again what he would like.
"Actually, would you and James like to go pick some apples? I'll make some apple pie for you boys while your father is off at work." James nodded and continued dragging Sirius outside, both boys doubled over laughing by the time they reached the tree.
Sirius sighed happily, it had been a long time since he had felt this happy and carefree. Not having to worry about having to keep up his calm demeanor to avoid a beating from his father or worrying over Regulus and making sure he was safe. He was in a state of pure bliss as he and James climbed up the ladder to the apples, picking out the firmest, sweetest ones for Mrs. Potter's apple pie.
The sweet smell of the baking pie was almost intoxicating as Sirius and James sat on the rug playing wizard's chess, the tune James was humming setting peacefully in Sirius's ears.
"Boys! The pie is ready!" Mrs. Potter called out, sticking her head into the living area, smiling at the two. James nodded and stood up, giving Sirius a smile as he reached out to help him too.
"Here you go, and here you go!" He cut them both a slice and put it on a plate, handing it to them sweetly.
"You two can go eat that outside, but James, don't venture out past the river without your father here, you know how he gets." She sighed and chuckled as the boys ran outside and up the tree, settling on two incredibly wide branches.
"So how have you been?" James asked as he shoved a piece of pie into his mouth, a dripping of red sauce pooling on the side of his lip. Sirius smiled and wiped it away before sighed heavily.
"I've been...okay...I mean, I'm still alive, that's something, right?" He chuckled bitterly at the end, stabbing his pie.
James sighed, "I know your home life isn't the best...and by the way...Why are you staying with us?" He was curious, and that bugged Sirius.
"My dad didn't want to have to deal with me I guess..." Sirius muttered, placing a bite of pie in his mouth. It was sweet, almost too sweet. He wanted to gag as the sugary substance ran down his throat. It had been a long time since he had had something that sweet.
"Oh..." They said no more as they ate in silence, the only noise coming from the birds and forest creatures below.
James lead him upstairs, into James' bedroom, which was adorned with Quidditch posters and Gryffindor flags. Of course Sirius knew the house, his parents despised it, why, he knew not. All he knew is that every Black family member was a Slytherin, expect for a very distant uncle who was a Ravenclaw, whom his parents had blasted off the family tapestry.
"You can sleep on the bed." James said, already pulling blankets out of the closet to put on the floor. Sirius vigorously shook his head. He would sleep on the floor, he was the guest, James could sleep on the bed.
"No no, I insist Siri, you may have the bed." James said, giving Sirius a smile. Sirius again shook his head and James laughed.
"Then lets just both sleep on the bed, it's big enough for us both you think?" Sirius nodded and James smiled, laying down, which Sirius did rather hesitantly as well.
"Goodnight Siri." James said, closing his eyes as he rolled over to face Sirius.
"Night Jamesy-Poo." He smirked, closing his eyes as well.
Goodnight indeed.
