I'm gonna be honest here. If I owned these people, the story's plotline would never be recognizable as Harry Potter. Sirius needs to explain himself, I'm afraid. Moony's worried to death about him, and, this time of month, it's usually the other way around.
Chapter III- New Moons & Brownies
Remus stayed silent as Sirius began to speak. "I- it was- when-" He took a breath. "Summer. After fourth year. When I left- you know."
Remus nodded, "Yes?" The record player skipped.
"I was already leaving. He- I didn't-" Remus draped an arm over his shoulder. Sirius exhaled deeply. "Regu- I was- he- he wanted to go with me." He paused for one moment. "I couldn't. I was- and he mattered to- he was fourteen-"
"They would've charged you for kidnapping." Sirius nodded.
"I told him that, I knew- when they would have caught me, I'd be gone. He'd be sent back, and it'd worse than ever." He wiped a tear, and continued. "I couldn't. I wanted to, but- there was no way I could've-"
"And you had to leave him."
"I couldn't. He- you don't know Reg. He's not like me. He tries- he tries to- He knew as well as I did that- he just needs support. That's why he works so hard. He can't just prop himself up. He needs support- I told him I couldn't take him. I told him sorry, wished I could. He was in pieces- I told him I'd come back for him," he finished with a shudder and a sigh.
"Sirius-" Sirius collapsed into him. "A lot has changed since then. There's no way you could've known when or how to save him. He never really acted like he wanted to be saved."
"But he did. He'd look at me, the way he always used to, when the rest of his house wasn't looking. I stopped looking back at him after a while. I couldn't stand to see it. He needed me so much, and I couldn't do anything for him." Sirius just sounded frustrated and angry with himself.
"You can do something now."
"The hearing, I guess. But it's been so long- he won't let me, will he?"
"He's your brother," Remus said. "You're the one who knows him."
"Support. I'm the only one who's ever-" Sirius stopped to think. "He needs me." He added, looking at the ceiling, "I guess I'm going then."
Kreacher opened the door. Bellatrix LeStrange stood outside. Kreacher bowed low.
"Where's Regulus?" asked Bellatrix.
"Master Regulus is upstairs. Kreacher will let him know Mistress LeStrange is here."
"Do so." Kreacher apparated away, then right back about thirty seconds later.
"Master Regulus says he is getting ready for Mistress LeStrange's company. Is there anything Kreacher can do for Mistress LeStrange while she waits?"
Regulus came down the stairs. "Yes, Bella? Why do you visit?"
"I visit because this is the sort of thing that we cannot send by owl," she said darkly.
"I was afraid you'd say that."
"Yes, well, the Dark Lord has heard from associates of your efforts into the Dark Arts. He looks forward to seeing you at our meeting next new moon." Regulus nodded, and Bellatrix cracked a rare half-smile for nearly a whole second. "You could get somewhere from here, Regulus Arcturus. We're looking forward to working with you." She stared deeper. "Don't spoil this."
As she apparated away, he sank into a seat and put his head in his hands.
"Master Regulus?"
"It's- just a glass of water of be nice, thank you."
They both lay their heads down on the sheet. "You hungry too?"
Remus started a kettle brewing with a swish-and-flick, and Sirius messed around across the kitchen. "What are you doing?"
"Wait," Sirius told him.
A minute later, when Sirius' bell rang, he put a pan on the table. Remus glared at him.
"We can't have brownies for dinner."
"It's not for dinner. It's teatime," said Sirius as he pointed at the clock. Remus shook his head at his boyfriend's crazy antics, and they sat down.
"We never have teatime," he mumbled. Sirius passed two thick wedges of the chocolate with a smirk. "You spoil me too much," accused Remus.
"Because I love you, Moony," Sirius told him, moving his chair closer. Remus nearly choked when he felt his hand on his thigh.
He coughed into a napkin. "Really?!" Sirius snickered. "Are you ever not thinking of how you're getting your next shag?!"
"You know me better than that, Moons."
"I do." Sirius gave him a wistful look. "Let me finish. And keep your hands off of me." Sirius sighed.
"I'm not looking forward to being harassed by the council Friday." Remus asked with his eyes for an elaboration. "When James' folks took me in, it was insane for his dad. They're gonna want every single detail, from our landlord to the bedroom curtains. As if knowing everything there is to know about someone's sex life isn't enough."
"That sucks. Wouldn't want to go through that alone." Sirius nodded and took another drink. "I'd join you if I could."
"You could. Friday's third-quarter."
"I'm not connected to the case, Padfoot."
"We have both our names on the lease. Legally, we're roommates. That makes it enough to consider. We're involved, so we just write that down next to the roommate thing, and that should be good."
"Will they even recognize that?"
"Our relationship probably not so much, but the fact that we live together, yeah."
"Are you sure they'd even let me in?"
"Wizard's Basic Decree of Privacy. The council wizards that will make the decision won't know about your problem, Sir Moons-a-Lot."
"Don't call me that."
"Are you coming with me?"
"Yup. Don't have anything better to do Friday."
"Thanks, Moony. You gotta let me love you tonight." Sirius leaned on him.
"Don't be like that. You'd go if it was me."
"No, really, Remus, thank you. I love you."
"I love you too, Sirius. Thanks for always doing the same for me."
"Now move your hand." Sirius humphed.
The next three days went by pretty fast; it was Thursday. They were with James at the Leaky Cauldron; Lily was searching for a wedding planner just down a couple blocks.
"Three butterbeers." The handful of sickles clinked together
"So, how are things going, Prongs? Having any second thoughts?" Sirius asked him.
"What?! No! Of course not! How could you say that?"
"Chill, man. I'm joking." Sirius nudged James with his mug. "You can how jittery you are. You need this."
"Has it been going alright?" Remus asked him.
"Lily wants to have it soon as possible, but we have to wait until spring when the meadow is in bloom," James said. "Lily's already stressing about the kind of flowers for the bouquet."
"Um, lilies, perhaps?" Sirius asked.
"That's what I thought. And she liked it, but she says she really likes orchids and roses."
"Your colours are red and gold, right? Roses are red," Sirius said.
"Congrats, Pads." James faked a toast.
"Orchids are a nice wedding flower. And they would go well with lilies, and roses," Remus said.
"You want be on the Decorations committee, Moonhead?" James asked. "You understand Lils a lot more than I do."
"Yeah, since when were you the floral arrangements expert, Remus? I had no idea you were that queer." James groaned at that.
After a few more minutes, Lily came in and walked up to the three.
"I knew I'd find you here," she said to James. "Good morning, Remus, Sirius."
"Lils, we were talking about the planning, and Remus said something about the flowers."
"Really? What?"
"Well, James said what you were thinking, and I told him how I think that those three would go pretty well together," Remus said, glaring at James. "Maybe mostly white, with the orchids, and a handful of roses."
"Maybe, because roses are a bit cliché, you don't want too many."
"I always thought white lilies looked best," Sirius added.
"White symbolizes purity and elegance."
"See! That perfectly represents you, Lily!" Lily chuckled, shaking her head.
"Keep my roses and orchids, I guess…"
Across the room, someone shuffled awkwardly in the door and through the crowd, head low. Remus couldn't help but notice.
Regulus Black looked up and saw Remus' eyes on him. His own silver-grey ones widened.
Remus turned to put a hand on Sirius' shoulder.
"What is it, Moony?"
"It's your brother." Sirius looked where Remus was directing, but Regulus wasn't there anymore.
"He saw me looking at him."
"Then he left so we wouldn't have to talk."
"We should find him," Remus said.
"I don't think so. He doesn't wanna talk. He wouldn't have left if he had." He stared out towards the door. "Besides, we'll see him tomorrow anyways."
"I guess."
This took DOUBLE my usual time to update, and I'm so sorry for that! I won't sleep until I have at least 200 words down in my next chapter, promise!
I love you, and thanks for reading!
