For the second time that day, Sirius followed a toga-clad elf. This elf, who had introduced himself as Loli, was not as loquacious as Gigi, so the only sound as it led them through corridor after corridor, was the echo of the brother's footsteps against the marble floor.

The elf halted in front of a blue door, pulling a large iron key from the folds of his red toga, and turning to the boys, he explained,

'We have prepared the blue suite for your stay; your elf has brought up your trunks and the master has granted him permission to use our resources to ensure your comfort.'

As the door clicked open, Loli stepped back and bowed, gesturing for the boys to enter the room.

'Master has instructed me to return at 8'o'clock to escort you to dinner.' Said Loli, before bowing and disapparating.

The room was as richly decorated as the rest of the house, the beds hung with ultramarine brocade, and both facing a mullioned window that looked out over a rose garden.

Once he was sure they were alone, Sirius turned to his brother.

'Are you planning to ignore me forever?' He asked the younger boy, who had chosen the bed furthest from the door.

Regulus looked up at Sirius, his grey eyes unfathomable. 'I'm not ignoring you; I am merely limiting my interactions with you to what is strictly necessary.' Regulus replied while dropping his cloak on the floor so Kreacher could launder it later.

'That's exactly the same thing, you git.' Sirius said back, ignoring the slight stinging in his chest.

'No it is not,' said Regulus simply, 'If I were ignoring you, I wouldn't be speaking right now.'

'You've hardly said a word to me all summer Reg, and in my books, that's ignoring me.' Sirius shot back. As the anger that had been lurking just below the surface started to burn through him.

'Oh no,' Regulus said while tilting his head and widening his eyes in mock concern. 'Has a lack of my stimulating conversation inconvenienced you?''

'Of course not, I find you a pompous blowhard at the best of times,' said Sirius in an increasingly heated tone of voice, ' But….but… if I'm to be ignored….. I want to know why.'

Regulus snorted at this, his eyes glittering and colour rising in his face, 'As I previously stated, I'm not ignoring you.' he whispered.

'STOP SAYING THAT WHEN YOU CLEARLY ARE.' Sirius yelled, all attempts at controlling his temper lost.

'What need have I, to talk to you?' Regulus countered in a deathly calm tone, 'Since when have we sought each other's company? Enlighten me, why you are so upset dear brother?'

'BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW WHY…. TELL ME WHY.' Sirius shouted while crossing the room to loom over the younger boy.

Regulus looked up into his older brother's eyes, his gaze steady and a sneer forming on his lips, before replying, 'Just because you insist on something does not make it so, Mother and Father may acquiesce to your every whim, but I will not.'

'… YOU'RE MENTAL… WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT? …THEY HATE ME….YOU'RE THE GOOD BOY… I'M BEING FORCED TO MARRY AGAINST MY WILL….' He stared down at his brother, his face hot and his hands balling into fists.

Regulus laughed, the disdainful, humourless sound clanging through Sirius's head. 'You are…quite something…… '

'What does that mean?' Sirius demanded, tearing away and pacing the room.

Regulus arched his brow, 'It means that all they ask, is for you to fulfil your duty and honour our name.'

Regulus's face turned slightly red as he continued, 'But that seems to be too great a demand for you. ….You humiliate the family at every turn…running around with filth and blood traitors….. ' He paused and reminded Sirius forcefully of Orion. 'Yet despite that, here father and I are, having to ensure you behave yourself…..while you're….'

Regulus paused once more, controlling the volume of his voice. as it had been steadily rising. '…… being matched with one of the most eligible girls in Europe…..so I apologise if I struggle to muster sympathy for your……….so called ……….. plight.'

Sirius stopped his pacing and ran his hands through his hair while staring at his brother incredulously, ' Have you ever had an original thought in your miserable life?' Sirius spat. 'The way you parrot Father and grandfather…. IS PATHETIC…' Sirius stamped his foot. 'DO YOU HEAR ME ……… YOU LITTLE SHIT……….PATHETIC…' Sirius emphasised the last word with as much venom as he could muster.

Sirius was taken aback, as Regulus advanced towards him, his tone every bit as venomous as Sirus's had been, 'As opposed to what, exactly? Following that prat Potter around? Spending every waking moment talking to him? Allowing that blood traitor family of his to teach you to hate us. If one of us is slavishly parroting someone's views, it is not I.' Regulus's voice was now at the loudest Sirius had ever heard it, and his hands were curling into fists.

'I DON'T HATE YOU…….THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JAMES…. I'M ONLY 16…. THIS ISN'T THE 1600s…. ' Sirius was now so angry that he could no longer form sentences and could only shout incoherently at his brother. Waving his hands wildly.

Regulus regarded him, a trembling running through his arms. 'Perhaps you think you don't hate us. Perhaps you've bought into your martyrdom mythology, but your every action spits on the grave of our ancestors.'

'Our ancestors are beyond caring about what I do.' Sirius said, cutting Regulus off.

'YES BUT I AM NOT.' Yelled Regulus finally losing all control. 'Since you met that low-life, I have had to live with the humiliation of having a blood-traitor for a brother. Do you even care how your feckless and dissolute conduct affects me?

DO YOU CARE THAT YOUR DEGENERATE BEHAVIOUR, MEANS THAT THE ONLY MARRIAGE PROSPECTS I HAVE ARE THE SPINSTERS THAT NO OTHER MAN WANTS? OF COURSE, YOU DO NOT. BECAUSE THIS IS SIRIUS BLACK'S WORLD AND WE ARE ALL JUST LIVING IN IT. NOW GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME TO IGNORE YOU.'Regulus turned from his brother, crossed the room to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.

Sirius stared at the door, his anger ebbing away, and a stinging in his eyes.

'How dare Reg, talk to me about James,' thought Sirius savagely, 'When he fraternises with those jumped-up Slytherins.'

Sirius tore off his travelling cloak, rummaged through his trunk for his pyjamas. And ignoring the feeling of dried sweat on his skin, he climbed into his bed and drew the curtains.

'How dare he?' he repeated to himself as the stinging intensified. 'Pompous little git……..horrible little git….'.

An ache began in Sirius's chest and slowly started radiating towards the lump that had formed in his throat. Hot tears rolled down Sirius's face, as he buried it in the pillow that was now muffling his screams.

Sirius had not remembered falling asleep, but as he groggily regarded the elf at the end of his bed, he assumed he must have.

'It is time for dinner, my master has sent me to fetch you.' The elf announced. Panic rose in Sirius as he kicked off his sheets and leapt from the bed.

'Err…… if you can give me a few minutes.' He said to the elf while hurrying to his trunk to retrieve his dress robes. His brother, who was immaculate in black velvet, glared at him from across the room. Sirius hurriedly tugged his robes over his head and doused himself in cologne to conceal his lack of a shower.

For the third time that day, Sirius found himself following a toga-clad elf. The only sound being the footsteps of the two boys. Finally stopping at a large oak door, which the elf opened with a bow, beckoning them to enter.

The room was bathed in flickering candlelight and was empty except for a large mahogany table laid with silverware. Leone, who had been occupying the seat at the head of the table, rose as they entered.

' I trust you are both rested?' He asked, and after the brothers had murmured their assent. Leone continued, 'I am pleased, now allow me to present my sister, Aeliana Marcellus.'