Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: This chapter is very long, I hope that doesn't bother anyone. My beta is currently on vacation, so she hasn't gotten around to reading this chapter, but I was very impatient so I decided to put it up anyway. I hope there aren't any obvious errors, and I think there aren't any, as I read it a few times. Anywho, Enjoy!

"I think we should get him to the Hospital Wing," James intoned uncertainly. His mind was still painfully numb from shock, but he unwillingly tried to force his mind into action, if only for his best friend's sake.

"I…I don't think he should be moved," Peter replied quietly, "I mean, his neck is bent in an awfully weird angle…"

James nodded, his mind frantically moving to formulate some sort of plan. He hoped that he was not too late. "Then you should…you should go and get someone, Wormtail."

"Me? Why me? You know…you know there's a werewolf out there."

"Yeah, I am aware of that." Peter winced. James's tone was much too short for his liking.

"Well then why do I have to—"

"Someone has to stay here and watch Padfoot," James interrupted, having little patience for Peter's excuses, "And I think that of the two of us, I'm the best suited for fighting off a werewolf."

Peter nodded, wishing desperately that he had a way out of this situation. Though he would be safe from werewolf bites as a rat, who could be sure that Moony wouldn't eat him or something?

"Maybe we can move him, you know? Maybe we're just…uh…overreacting."

"Go to the Hospital Wing," James repeated with irritation, "Get Madame Pomfrey. Tell her to bring a stretcher or something…and some potions and whatever the bloody hell else she'll need. Just tell her what happened."

"That means we'd have to tell her Moony's secret."

"Try to leave that out…if you can."

Peter nodded, doubting that he would be able to keep that a secret. The werewolf was loose anyway; it wasn't as if someone wasn't going to find out about it.

In an instant, Peter was gone, scurrying through the underbrush, hoping that Moony was somehow wandering in the opposite direction.

&&&

There was something moving. Something very large and fast was behind him.

Regulus could hear it coming, its footfalls echoing endlessly through the trees that rustled as it passed, their dry leaves whispering in warning.

He turned around, his pulse quickening, his eyes widening in the dark.

There was a growl.

He screamed.

His sanity was instantly lost.

&&&

It was much too bright in the room.

Sirius groaned, his brain throbbing erratically in his skull, his ribs shaking as he attempted to breathe. His eyelids, heavy and swollen, opened slowly before blinking reflexively, trying to block out the overbearing light that was too much for his bruised brain to handle.

"Mr. Black…Mr. Black…are you awake?"

He groaned again and shifted his weight onto his side before letting out a startled cry.

"No, no, don't do that…your ribs…"

He nodded subconsciously and floundered for a bit before settling down on his back once more.

"I'm surprised you're awake so soon. When Mr. Pettigrew called me out into the Forest I didn't know what to expect."

Sirius groaned at the memory which was hazy, but still ominous, in his head.

"You're a very lucky boy," the voice continued. It was closer now, but Sirius could not tell where it was. His eyes had not yet gotten used to the light.

"How…how long was I…?"

"Not nearly long enough." The voice was short and disapproving. "I would have expected someone who has sustained injuries as serious as yours to be out for days, at least."

"Perhaps…perhaps you've overestimated it?" Sirius countered insolently, "Or you're exaggerating?"

"You don't understand how seriously injured you were. If I had come a moment later I suspect things would have been very unfortunate." The voice was impatient.

"How unfortunate?"

"You were losing blood very quickly," it continued, "I suspect you would have bled to death had I not arrived when I did, or if Mr. Potter had not decided to attempt to stop the bleeding."

"James?" Sirius exclaimed weakly, his voice dry and thin from hours of being unconscious. "Where is he?" Sirius attempted to sit up.

"That is none of your concern, at the moment. Lay down."

"No. I need to see him. Is he all right?"

"Mr. Black, calm down and stop struggling."

"But I need to know…what happened, I mean…"

"Both Mr. Potter and Mr. Pettigrew are perfectly fine. They have perhaps suffered some minor scratches, but I assure you they will live."

"And Remus?"

There was silence. Sirius blinked, allowing the room to finally come into focus.

"We were unable to locate Mr. Lupin," said Madame Pomfrey dismally at the foot of the bed.

Sirius once again made to get up.

"Lay down. Please. You're still very weak."

"No. I need to go. I need to go find…"

"You've caused Mr. Lupin enough trouble already. I highly doubt that you, an overly reckless irresponsible seventeen year old boy, would be able to locate to him when the entire Hogwarts staff could not. You and Mr. Potter may think yourselves to be cleverer than the rest of us, but I assure you that regardless of whatever "complex magic" you two were able to pull of you are in no way capable to watch over a practically full grown werewolf, and you are in no way qualified to throw caution to the wind and go werewolf hunting."

Sirius blinked, taken aback by the nurse's sudden violent accusation, unsure as to how he should respond. She was entirely right, and Sirius knew she was, but he was stubborn and as always, loathed admitting that he was wrong. There was nothing irresponsible and presumptuous about attempting to help a friend. There was nothing purposefully harmful in what he and James had tried to do, and Sirius couldn't stand to be yelled at for it. He knew, of course, that it was his fault that Moony had gotten loose, but he was certain that she had no right to throw accusations at him when it was obvious that he was already feeling tremendously guilty.

"I notice you aren't including Peter in your little tirade," Sirius countered coldly.

"You and I both know that Mr. Pettigrew would never have attempted something like that on his own."

"Where did you learn about all of this?" Sirius continued maliciously.

"I'm not stupid, Mr. Black. I knew what kind of bites there were on your arm. When I asked Mr. Potter about the situation he was forced to tell me the whole story."

"You must think you know everything, then. We've told you our little secret and now you think you have the right to condemn us. You must think that you're a much better person than we are, now that you know all about what risks we took to help a friend."

"It was irresponsible and dangerous," she continued, nonplussed, "not to mention illegal. I know that you and Mr. Potter aren't responsible and rule-abiding in the least, but I am shocked that you would put Mr. Lupin's life in danger just because the both of you are arrogant enough to assume that you are above the law."

"We were trying to help him," Sirius countered viciously.

"Yes and now look what you've done. You've lost him! You've practically sentenced him to an early death! Do you have any idea what would happen if the wrong sort of people managed to find him? What would happen if the Ministry runs into him or catches wind of this? Do you have any idea what you've done?"

The expression on Sirius's face showed that he knew exactly what he had done.

Madame Pomfrey's expression softened. "It's morning now. Maybe he'll come back of his own accord."

Sirius remained motionless and did not say a word.

With one last glance at Sirius, she went to move away from his bed before pausing, as if considering something.

"Mr. Black?" She began tentatively.

Sirius made no indication that he heard her.

"I…I unfortunately have more bad news."

"More?" Sirius intoned with a desperate laugh. "There's nothing else you could say to make this situation worse than it already is."

"Mr. Black," She continued carefully, "It's about your brother. We found him this morning…in the Forest."

Sirius turned, watching Madame Pomfrey incredulously.

"I'm afraid…he's been bitten."

&&&

Regulus is having a nightmare.

Something is coming after him, but it is invisible in the darkness. He can hear it growling, and he can feel its heavy panting over his head.

He wants to scream, and tries to run away, but his legs do not seem to be responding.

He pleads with it. It growls again, before its mouth opens and closes on the soft flesh of his leg.

In bed, Regulus is flailing. Sweat is pouring down his face, and he is mumbling to himself, whimpering and crying out while he fitfully sleeps.

Madame Pomfrey pours a few drops of Potion into his mouth, wipes his forehead, and magically secures him to his bed.

Regulus groans, and continues to flail, his body electrified with movement and sound. He cannot keep still. His blood is changing much too quickly, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it.

Tomorrow night, he will transform for the first time.

&&&

"Reg?"

Regulus looks up slowly, his eyes wide and unblinking as he registers his brother standing a few feet away from his bed.

"Go away."

"Regulus. I want to help you."

"There is nothing you can do."

"Not to stop it, but there are ways of dealing with it."

"I don't want to deal with it."

"You have to."

"I'll do whatever I want to."

Sirius sighs, and moves closer to his brother's bed. Regulus turns, pretending not to notice.

Gingerly, Sirius takes a seat on the foot of his brother's bed. The mattress bends with his weight, and Regulus is forced to look up. He notices the bandage wrapped cautiously around his older brother's head, sees that Sirius's grey eyes are swollen, and observes how stiffly he is holding himself upright, as if it is painful to lay his weight on his bones. He has been injured as well. Regulus notices this, but says nothing. He is sure his injury is worse.

They have not spoken to each other in two years. They know that affection is still there; it is impossible to erase thirteen years of fraternity and love, and Regulus cannot deny that he has always looked up to his brother. He has forced himself to forget about Sirius, and is doing a perfect job acting as if he has. Regulus has always found it easy to pretend he has hated his brother. Years of living among his mother has fashioned him into a model liar. His emotions were always so easy to hide and manipulate, and he was always the opposite of his brother in that respect. Regulus was the master liar and Sirius was painfully honest, often without meaning to be, his expression and tone always broadcasting his emotions helplessly to the world.

"How…how are you feeling?"

Regulus shrugs. "I imagine you know, then?"

Sirius nods.

"I don't need your sympathy."

"But you do need my help."

"I need nothing from you." The words are cold, and Regulus spits them out callously, his eyes glinting angrily.

The resentment is obvious. Regulus has always felt abandoned by his brother, and it hurts Sirius to realize that.

"You can't hold a grudge forever," Sirius comments, "It's been two years, Reg."

"You have no right to talk about holding grudges," Regulus counters, "You've spent your entire life holding one."

"I'm trying to help you." Sirius's voice hardens. "Why can't you be grateful?"

"I don't want your help. This is all your fault."

Sirius winces. He wonders how much Regulus knows.

"I wouldn't have been out in the forest if it wasn't for you."

"What are you talking about?"

"If hadn't decided to run off and play blood traitor with your little friends, I would never have had to make up for it."

Sirius let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Regulus didn't know the whole story. "No one ever told you you had to."

"I didn't, who else would? Our family has enough blemishes on its reputation, and I wasn't about to sit by and let everyone think the worst of us."

"What does it matter?"

"That's the sort of attitude I've come to expect from you."

"What does 'upholding the long lost Black reputation' have to do with this?"

Regulus is silent. Spending the night in the Forest, regardless of the reason, seems foolish to him now, but he is a Black, and Blacks never admit they are wrong. Sirius does not feel like pressing the issue and watches Regulus pityingly in the silence. The younger boy turns away. He does not want his brother to see his emotions, which are uncharacteristically written plainly on his face. Sirius slowly attempts to place his arm around his brother's shoulder, but Regulus shifts, avoiding his reach.

"Mother is going to kill me," Regulus whispers, his words faltering.

Sirius says nothing. He wants to comfort his brother, but he cannot bring himself to lie to him. He wraps his younger brother in a hug, and this time Regulus does not resist. Despite the cold façade he has spent years cultivating; Regulus instinctively buries his face deep into Sirius's shoulder, shaking as he silently begins to cry. His breathing is shallow, and Sirius can feel his fragile form withering in his arms. It pains Sirius to know that there is nothing he can do, and that his own irresponsibility is the reason why his brother is like this.

"Don't worry, Reg, I'm here, I promise. I'll help you." Sirius is reminded of his childhood, when he often spent nights holding his brother this way, whispering calm words into his ear while his parents fought on the floor below. Sirius reflexively strokes his brother's back, not bothered by the fact that they are both much too old to be embracing in this manner. In Sirius's mind, Regulus is still five years old, vulnerable and in need of protection.

Regulus wants to tell Sirius that it is impossible to try and help him. He has been bitten, and there is no changing that. Sirius cannot take the infection out of his blood and make it disappear. He cannot hide Regulus from his mother and prevent her from discovering the abomination her son has become. He knows that Sirius is not as strong as he thinks he is. He also knows, in the quiet depths of his heart, why Sirius had to leave two years ago, and in this moment of vulnerability and comfort Regulus forgives him. He knows that in reality, Sirius's affection and comfort will not solve anything, but for a moment it seems possible to go back in time and change the horrific events of the night before. In that moment, Regulus feels that his brother can make anything possible.