Chapter 1- Just another summer
Hogwarts was over for the summer, and as Sirius and his friends boarded the Hogwarts express once more, the feeling of well being and peace was set into everyone, except one person; Regulus Black. Sirius looked at his brother in a strange way, one of those looks that confess worry and agitation.
Walking along the rows and rows of cabins, the Marauders finally found an empty one, and piled in through the door. Sirius sat quietly, deep in thought. His plan was to run, to run from all the pain and terror he faced at home.
James came to sit next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder in reassurance. "Go and tell him, Sirius, go and tell Regulus, tell him that you won't be coming home." He smiled at him, saying this quietly and stood up to play exploding snap with Remus.
Sirius stood up, and mumbled something, just as the train jogged forward to begin the run home. Sirius wobbled for a second, before making his way to the door, and sliding it open. He looked back at James and his friend smiled back, refreshing the memory of safety for Sirius. He walked out into the crowded corridor.
Pushing his way through the massed bodies, he reached the cabin he had watched Regulus make his way into. He slid open the door, to find Regulus alone, as usual. He walked in slowly, sliding the door shut behind him.
Regulus looked up at Sirius with an inquiring look on his face. "What do you want? Can't you wait to begin your taunting when we get home?!" He sighed annoyingly.
"Regulus, I came to see you, to tell you something." Sirius said, sitting opposite Regulus on the bench, running his hands through his long hair.
Regulus did the same mockingly. His handsome face looking to Sirius' more handsome and mature face, they looked so alike, you would have mistaken them for twins, except for the noticeable age difference, but this likeness just proved they were brothers. "Get on with it then." He said angrily.
"Regulus, you have to understand this, and understand why I won't be coming home." Sirius finished quickly. He looked across at his young brother. His face a contortion of sadness and anger.
Regulus looked upset yet thankful, he understood why his brother had to go, and was happy he was going, but he also felt like he would miss him. He stared unbelievably at Sirius, his black eyes conveying more than they meant to.
Sirius looked back at Regulus, their eyes locking together. He held out his hand, not knowing why he did so. Maybe to make it seem easier to leave, a final goodbye, makes it easier. He had always believed this.
Regulus looked down at his brother's hand, and down at his, he moved it slowly, closer and closer to Sirius'. His grip twined into his brothers, and after shaking nicely, he couldn't seem to move his hand away. He looked up at his brother, eyes full of despair and gloom. "You…won't leave me, will you Sirius?" He asked, before looking down at the floor crossly.
"What do you mean?" Sirius said quietly, watching his brother.
"I don't want to be...alone, I don't. I don't want to face the end alone. I don't Sirius. You've always…always been the closest to me, I don't understand." Regulus broke off, allowing by accident a small tear to run down his cheek and to fall off the end of his chin.
Sirius looked at his brother, cupping his hand round his little brothers. "Regulus, you'll never be alone, if you need out, just call, you have Tornado still. Just send me a note. I'll bring you out." Sirius smiled weakly.
Regulus' tears came more frequent now, coursing down his bony face to his chin, as a row boat pulls its way through a storm. The room darkened for a second, as beyond the window, the train went through a tunnel. The brothers looked up at the window and looked back at each other again. "Sirius, please." Regulus pleaded with his brother to stay with him.
"Be strong, little brother. I will see you again, and I'll write, I promise. Don't tell them, I'll never live it down. Please Regulus, little brother, be strong." Sirius stood, pulling Regulus up with him. "Be strong, for your big brother." He loosened his grip, and watched Regulus' hand fall slowly to his side.
"I will, just please, stay with me a while longer, for the last time." Regulus pleaded again.
Sirius smiled, and pulled a pack of exploding snap cards from his pocket. He looked down at them, and then to his brother, who smiled back, looking perfectly happy, except for the tears that rolled freely down his pale skin.
Through countryside, and small rural areas, the train travelled along its rusty tracks, past cows in the field and birds in the trees. The noise was a deafening roar, steam filling the air in a pungent cloud, before floating upwards to join the heavens. A gold tint in the last of the days light, as the sun sank finally behind the mountains and over the seas, creeping out of sight from any onlookers. Darkness crept across the lands, the night creatures waking and crawling out from their little homes and coming out from under their little shelters, to spend the night just as the day creatures had done. Little rabbits closed their weary eyes and sleep hit them like a giant wave, soon the countryside slept, and soon, the train would stop, once again, not to move for another two months, to rust away happily in it's little home, before it would be disturbed again for a paint and more clumsy students to pile onto it's decks. It sounded fitfully as it pulled into the station, glad for the journey to come to its end.
The Marauders, minus Sirius, just as the way they had got on, piled out onto the station, until every student littered the platform.
Sirius stood with Regulus, in silence. The platform stood as if empty around them, until the silence was broken with a small, "Goodbye brother." Regulus looked up at Sirius.
Sirius looked down on him, smiling. His fist clenched at something in his pocket and he took Regulus' hand in his, lying the pack of cards into his palm. "For you, always believe in a second chance, and always be strong."
Regulus' tears came again, however much he protested against them. He looked at the cards, and without a second thought, flung his arms around Sirius' middle, burying his face in his chest.
Sirius smiled weakly and wrapped his arms around Regulus, for a second only, before pushing him away to stand back a little. He put his hands onto Regulus' shoulder, bending slightly to look him in the eyes. "Thank you Regulus, little brother." He smiled and stood up. "I will see you again, one day." He turned and walked away slowly. He stopped and looked at his brother from a distance.
Regulus stood on the platform, unable to stop the tears that were creating a small puddle at his feet. He raised his hand in a final salute to his brother, ashamed of his behaviour towards him over the past few years. He smiled weakly and watched Sirius turn, and be joined by his friends, James, Remus and Peter. James put his arm around his shoulders. The boys looked back at him for a second and in turn saluted a goodbye to the young boy, who smiled and saluted back.
Regulus looked around him, he stood alone, everyone had moved on, hugging their parents and laughing and joking as they moved off the platform and into the station. The platform emptied, and Regulus stood alone, staring at the pack of cards that he clasped tightly to his chest in despair. A tear fell, landing softly onto the pack, dampening the cardboard. Regulus wiped a tear away with his sleeve, sniffing quietly to the silent train.
He looked up, the clouds forming the shape of his brother's face, before being whisked away by the particularly strong draft breezing down the platform. Regulus shivered and watched the steam rise and join the dark sky, until it was finally out of sight. He looked into the sky, absentmindedly counting and joining the little dots that were stars, far off in the distance.
He turned on his heels as he heard someone call out his name. It wasn't Sirius, but an old man, withered and slightly evil looking. He smiled at Regulus, kindly, a smile only shared between grandfather and grandson. Regulus ran up to him, throwing his arms around his grandfather, smelling the all familiar smell of tobacco and pepper imps, his grandfathers favourite wizarding sweet.
"Regulus, where is he?" The Black family were not proud of Sirius, he should be a proud pureblood and a Slytherin. They were disappointed in his will of wanting goodness and freedom, and they were all sick of his smile and jokes.
Regulus shrugged, he wanted to keep his promise to Sirius, to not tell their family of his absence, an unexplained absence to the full.
His grandfather just shrugged and turned around, walking away, off the platform.
Regulus walked after him, pausing for a second to look behind him, to where Sirius had left. And there he stood, watching his brother, smiling.
Sirius raised his hand and held it in the air, a salute the same as his brothers. He watched Regulus wave and then turn to run after their grandfather. He smiled again.
James walked slowly towards Sirius and put an arm around his shoulders. "He's gone, but not forever, remember what you said to him, you will see him again. Remember that Padfoot, you will see him again." James smiled and patted Sirius' shoulder. "Now come on, mum and dad will be waiting, and Remus." He smiled and turned back, beginning to walk towards the gate leading back into the station. He turned to face his friend, who was still looking along the platform to where Regulus had stood. "Come on mate, let's go home."
Sirius looked away and towards his friend. "I'm coming." He turned and walked to James. James put his arm around his shoulders again.
Together they walked from the platform, together they left the station, and together, they left behind the one thing, that even though Sirius did not know, meant the most to him, his little brother, but as we all say, not forever.