Thank you, reviewers! True and TRF-Chan . . . I am most grateful

Now everything starts to fall apart . . . muhaha . . .

I do not own Harry Potter.

The end of my third year came with little excitement. There was a gap in what would otherwise be adjacent graduations, and aside from Bellatrix's marriage, little had changed in the house aside from aging. Narcissa was going into 5th year-- though she was not made prefect as Andromeda had-- and Sirius received his OWL scores (O's in Tranfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts, A's in Charms, Care of Magical Creatures, Study of Ancient Rubes, E's in Potions, Herbology, and one D in History of Magic-- the class he didn't care much for). Father was satisfied, but Mummy pointed out there was more to prestige than grades, and it was too bad he had never tried out for Quidditch.

"That's James's realm; he'd kill me," Sirius explained.

"Then beat James at his own game and I reckon he'll keep quiet," Father chortled.

Sirius rolled his eyes. Father saw and cleared his throat.

Things went on like that as summer holiday went on. Sirius's subtle provocations were illicitingly larger responses every time. Unfortunately, Mummy seemed to only make it worse.

At dinner one evening-- more importantly, one in which Bellatrix had come, accompanied by Rodolphus, as well as my aunt and uncle and unmarried cousins-- things were really pushed to the breaking point.

"Sirius, your father and I have been considering your future . . . as we often do," Mummy started cooly, "and we do believe it is high time you started taking thought as to whom you plan to marry."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Andromeda's older than me and she's not thinking about it yet."

She stared hard back at him. "We are not referring to Andromeda. And Andromeda is not the heir; what happens to her is not as important to the entire family." She dropped her gaze coldly back to her food and went on icily, "You will, of course, consider Slytherin girls above all others. They create the best pureblooded unions, and, considering how you seem to have played around with all eligible girls in the other houses--" Sirius was notorious for his short flings "-- the most lasting relationships would be formed by those you have never encountered in that way previously." She turned to Father, "I think the Slytherin style of courtship is so much more practical . . . not this silly dating and gamboling around with each other, breaking each other's hearts and destroyed what might have been perfect if you were older. Girls remain with girls and boys with boys until they are all of an appropriate age."

Sirius snorted. "So that explains it."

Mummy glared at him. "Excuse me?"

Sirius rolled his eyes away. "Nothing. Just though Regulus was getting a little too friendly with Bartemius Crouch the other day."

My jaw dropped open and I felt myself blushing, though, of course, he lied.

Mummy's face paled and her eyes narrowed. Father snorted into his drink. Bellatrix, however, remained cool, and replied, "I find it terribly hypocritical of you to make such blatant assumptions about our House. I thought you were against that sort of thing."

Sirius sighed and tipped his head back against the velvet padding of the chair.

Mummy continued on with her point. "Sirius, instead of scoffing at the girls in Slytherin House, perhaps you would do well to associate with them. You're ruining your chances of an advantageous marriage; we may have to search at Durmstrang to give you a fresh slate. Now . . . you're going to have to make nice with those of Slytherin House. You're not above them; you're quite equal. I've heard dreadful stories of things you've said to them, and don't think their mothers haven't given me grief over it."

Sirius raised his eyebrows, arms still folded unhappily. "Like what?" His voice carried a slight hint of falter, though.

Mummy met his eyes. "You've gotten more detention slips for tormenting those you should be in favor with than I've ever heard of. Mrs. Goyle said you give him obnoxious glances to her son every time you pass. You throw impertinent comments to Mr. Macnair's son, and I heard you overturned the Travers boy's cauldron in Potions on purpose."

"And you depantsed Severus Snape," I added, recalling the terrible rumors that had been circulating the last few weeks of school.

"Oh, and none of them right well deserved it!" retorted Sirius miserably, eyebrows furrowed. "As if THEY don't slip me nasty comments about being a degenerate pureblood, a lion in snake's clothing . . . the looks they give me are nothing like the ones I give them. YOU try dealing with the lot of them--"

"The LOT OF THEM are your future society members, and you must learn to get along with them!" Mummy snapped.

"How come I have to learn to get along with your friends, but you never bother to even meet mine? Do you know that James and Remus and Peter get together all the time during holiday without me, and they think something's a bit fishy that in the five years I've known them, they've never once been invited over, and they invite me to their places just about every summer and I always have to say no, I have to go hob-nob with all the people I hate all year long, and pretend like I'm friends with them. It's awfully rude, you know, not having THEM other when they're my real friends-- and if I'm the heir, the future patriarch, with all these responsibilies and such, shouldn't I have at least enough power to say who I want to visit me in the house?"

Father opened his mouth to argue, but Mummy stepped in first, her voice sleek and calculating.

"You want to invite them over? Your friends . . . Potter, Lupin, Pettigrew . . . " she turned to look to Father. "I see no reason why not. Not the best families in the world, but at least pure. Yes, all right. Invite them over sometime this week."

Sirius looked astounded at this. He raised his eyebrows and didn't say another word, eating his dinner with renewed satisfaction.

James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew came over through Floo the following Thursday. As my company typically stayed far away from Sirius's foursome, I had never seen all of them up close. I watched one of them as he talked to Sirius animatedly about the dark style of the house, unaware of my gaze. He had a thin face, dark, spikey hair, and glasses, and he had a compulsion to brush his hair back every few minutes. I wasn't very impressed; I had heard girls were crazy about him, but it had to come solely from his Quidditch abilities, as there was nothing attractive about him. I had trouble watching Sirius's second companion, who was taller than the first friend but shorter than Sirius, with sandy brown hair, large bags under his eyes, a five 'o-clock shadow, and a very melancholy air. He noticed every time I began to watch him, so I could not keep my eyes on him for long. He was quieter, observing the room without speaking. The last friend was the shortest, chubby and positively disgusting. His hair was a dirty blond, and his eyes were small and watery and when he saw me looking at him, he shot me a devilish, malevolent grin, sniggered, and cut into Sirius's conversation. He struck me more as a minion than a friend; the type we Slytherin types would take advantage of, not befriend.

The four of them disappeared with Sirius. He did not show them around the house, or have them in for tea in the parlor, but hustled them off to his room so they could be alone. It was not the type of treatment I was used to, and I could see Mummy flinch at the social faux pas. She had not even been introduced.

"Sirius knows formalities better than that," she scoffed.

"I don't think he wants to be formal," I sighed.

"Yes; it would probably be a waste on those Gryffindors; they don't appreciate it like we do."

I spent the afternoon in the library, curiously waiting for some show of the others. It did not come until dinner.

Father, Mummy, and I sat on one side of the table, leaving the other four in a lineup across from us. The sandy-haired boy sat on one side of Sirius, the dark-haired boy on the other, with the chubby one on the other side of him. Sirius finally introduced them as Remus, James, and Peter. Remus nodded his head with a polite, "Pleased to meet you," but James grinned and waved cheekily at all of us and Peter did nothing at all-- except snigger, which he had been doing since he sat down. Kreacher served the meal, and James nearly had a heart attack. "Merlin! What IS that thing?"

"It's a House Elf," I explained, my voice impatient.

James looked at me with raised eyebrows, as if daring me to use that tone with him again. He didn't seem to realize that this was my house, not school, and though he was older than me, there were many more ways in which I was superior.

"It's ugly as hell," he whispered to Sirius. "How can you eat with that thing standing around?"

Sirius sniffed, "Would you rather serve yourself?"

James laughed, "You have a point. Luxury, with a price. I guess I could get used to this."

Father began to talk dully about a new Ministry bill on regulated Muggle-Wizard trade, something impotent that would not inflame-- or interest-- the guests. I thought I felt something brushing against my bare leg, just below my shorts. I reached down to brush it aside, thinking it a loose piece of fabric from the underside of the ancient chairs, but my finger came into contact with something rubbery-- and then a pair tiny, sharp, razor-like teeth sunk into my flesh.

I screamed and withdrew my hand, shaking it in the air. There was a doxy firmly attached to it. My legs knocked against the chair legs, and more doxies flew out from underneath my seat, latching on to wherever there was bare skin-- which was nearly everywhere as I was in summer clothes.

One side of the table burst into laughter. Mummy saw me and duly chanted a charm to freeze the doxies, then she dashed off to get a vial of anti-venom from somewhere in Father's stores.

Squeezing my injured finger, where the venom was spreading faster, I glared at James, Peter, and Remus. Remus had a napkin to his mouth and I didn't think he was laughing, but there was a concentrated flush of pink in his cheeks. James and Peter, however, were nearly crying with mirth. Sirius bit his cheek and met my eyes.

I felt my heart rate speed up-- which was dangerous, considering the poison in my system. "You did that!" I cried. "You did that on purpose! You put those doxies there! Sirius, your friends put doxies under my chair so they'd bite me!"

Sirius snorted, "Did you figure that out yourself, Reg?"

James's and Peter's laughter renewed, James slapping the table. Sirius grinned with them, satisfied, and turned his head slowly away from me.

His eyes rested on Father and all the color rushed from his face.

Father's eyes were bugging, and his face was cold and completely mask-like. He raised his wand without a word, and Sirius was flung backwards into the wall, his chair flipping backwards with a heavy clatter to land on the flagstone floor.

James's and Peter's laughter stopped immediately.

Shocked and frightened, Sirius stared, wide-eyed and open-mouthed, as Father held him magically against the wall, so angry his wand arm was trembling. Remus averted his eyes and snapped his head down to look at his food. James stared at Father. Peter stared at Sirius.

"You," Father said coldly, word by word, through clenched teeth. "Do. Not. Hurt. Your. Brother."

Suddenly, Sirius's face contorted and he let out a short, painful groan, his eyes squeezing shut. Father was not speaking, but it was obvious he was still performing curses on his son.

I felt chills run up and down my skin. He was doing this because of me. Mummy returned with the anti-venom and handed a rag soaked with it to me. I rubbed it gently on my wounds, but kept my eyes on Sirius, just as she did.

Father still spoke firmly. "Even Regulus knows this. He and I had a chat the time he insulted you. However, he has stopped, and you continue on. You asked me last time why it was always you and never Regulus in our sessions in my office? Well, there's your answer. You're the heir, and I demand greater things from you . . . but, most importantly, Regulus never seems to misbehave, does he?"
With all of his contortions and painful yelps, I couldn't see how Sirius could even hear Father. Though horrified, part of me welled up in pride at this revelation.

"I have always given you the courtesy of privacy, Sirius," Father went on, his face still as immobile as ever. "Yet that seems to be doing you no good, as you emerge haughty and unmarked around these friends of yours. Perhaps you are due for some humiliation."

Father's wand tip raised and Sirius fell forward to the floor. Remus sucked in a deep breath, still not daring to look. James looked from Father to Sirius, his teeth gritted in compassionate pain. Peter squirmed in his seat. I held my breath.

"I would never disgrace you in front of our friends and neighbors; I would not want to admit in front of them the shameful acts you commit. Yet you have given me the perfect opportunity, in front of your own friends."

"Sir--" James started up. It was a perfect study in Gryffindor character; he defended Sirius, "Er, erm . . . we were all responsible . . . so, please, don't punish Sirius for all of us. It was . . . it was my idea." Remus looked up for a moment in agreement, his eyes bright.

Father jerked his gaze towards James. James jumped back, a bit startled by the terrible expression. Yet he spoke mildly. "I am not responsible for the rest of you, or what your parents may do to you. I am, however, in charge of Sirius, and my own son knows better than this and knows he will be severely punished for it."

James clenched his jaw again, looking hopeless. He did not speak again.

Father stood up so that he could reach the fallen Sirius, and soon his wand was up, pointed to the crumpled figure on the floor that I could no longer see. James and Peter stared at him, their faces lined with shock, but Remus buried his head in his hands, and I saw several wrinkles appear on his forehead.

A vein throbbed in Father's temple, but he was still silent. I held the cool, wet rag between my wounded finger and leg, staring at the gap between Remus's and James's chairs, trying to hide from them how truly shocked I was. The only noises were those of Sirius's shuffling about on the stone floor in convulsion of pain, and the occasional yelp. He did not sceam outright; his noises were quiet and animal-like, like a dog in pain. He whined through his throat and gave little yips. It sent shivers through me. Father couldn't have been using the Cruciatus, but whatever it was was coming close. After all, there were so many painful options: Stinging Hexes, burning curses, muscle-tensing jinxes, even spells to recreate the feeling of being flogged.

Finally, the scuffle subsided. Father lowered his wand. James looked meekly to him, then kneeled on the floor besides Sirius, ducking out of sight behind the table. Remus leaned over, too. Peter rubbernecked to watch.

"Sirius, mate, you alright?" I heard one of them coo.

"Leave him alone, boys," Father directed. "Regulus, will you please show them the way to the Floo?"

The three companions jerked their heads up to stare at me. Peter's gaze was slightly accusatory, noting it my fault their prank had gone so awry. James and Remus, however, appeared very ashamed; they knew where the blame really laid.

I got up and went out, and they followed without a word, casting sympathetic glances to Sirius, who still lied--probably unconscious-- on the floor. I heard them whispering to one another as we entered the parlor, out of earshot of the others.

"Moony, did you have any idea? Merlin . . . " James breathed, drawing the others up close to him.

"He said he didn't like his dad much," offered Peter.

"Yeah, and I'm not too keen on my dad all the time, either, but he doesn't do THAT to me."

"He's been hiding it from us all along," sighed Remus, wiping his sweaty forehead. "I think he's ashamed."

"Or worried they'll punish him for saying something."

"His dad didn't even have to say the spells!" squeaked Peter in amazement.

"They're very powerful wizards, the Blacks," whispered Remus. "They don't have to."

"I feel bloody awful."

"Me too."

None of them looked at me, so I cleared my throat and gestured to the mantle, where the Floo powder lay in a small silver case.

James swallowed and took a fistful. "We'll go to my place for a while, eh, mates?"

The other two nodded. They took their powder and went into the fireplace, one at a time.

I came back into the dining room, this time from an angle that I could see Sirius at. He still lay shivering on the floor at Father's feet; Father leaned over just as I came in and yanked him upright. Sirius stood before him, eyes lowered, shoulders shuddering violently.

"Let us hope that had some desirable effect," Father said, lifting Sirius's chin with his hand and forcing his eyes into his son's. "You are excused now." Sirius slipped away without a word, overflowing with shame, pain, humiliation, and perhaps even a bit of pure hatred.

Mummy came up behind me from where I stood in the doorway and took my hand into hers. She scanned my finger, upon which there was a large purple welt. I felt terribly guilty, witnessing Sirius's severe punishment for my injury and yet taking no great pains to remedy it myself.

"You don't think they'll tell anyone, do you?" Mummy asked Father.

Father smirked, "Oh no. They're Gryffindors. They're too ashamed to say anything at all to anyone else. They think it's part of their own punishment. Besides," he scoffed, "they have no connections."

"I only worry. Our own heir . . . " she sighed and broke off. Then she turned to me and smiled, "At least we don't have to worry about our little Regulus, right?"

I went up to bed not soon after. Sirius's door was locked. However, I sensed he was not asleep. I still retained the old power of being able to tell when my brother was awake or not. Sure enough, only a few hours after I had crawled into my own bed, kept awake by the knowledge that he was not yet asleep, I heard rustling from within his room.

I crept to the door and peered out of it, only opening it a crack. Sirius was still fully dressed, his Hogwarts coat on his back. He dragged his footlocker silently along the green carpeted floor. I knew what was going on at once.

"You're running away?" I gasped from within my doorway. The door swung open, out of my hands.

Sirius's panic-stricken eyes jerked up to meet mine. He dropped the handle of his suitcase. "Going to tell on me, Regulus? Go on ahead," he sighed in defeat.

I pursed my lips, scanning the situation. If I screamed for Mummy, she and Father would rush up here and in a matter of seconds have Sirius writhing on the floor again, making the same piteous animal noises he had at dinner. Yet if I let him go, he would no longer be a stain on our family. I wouldn't have to worry about his shaming us in front of our friends. I, I would be the heir. Sirius would be safe.

"Why?" was all I could say.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "You saw that in there! That's not the first time it's happened."

"I know," I whispered, bending to scratch one of the welts on my leg. "He's done it to me, too, you know."

He shook his head. "It's madness, Regulus, madness. In front of my friends . . . not that they'll hate me for it; they'll probably feel sorry for me," his voice carried a bitter edge, "But, it just goes to show . . . " he faded off, sighing and and running his hand back through his long hair, letting it fall back into his eyes. "You might be able to stand for it. You've always been able to take it. You obey them. I just . . . I just can't. I don't know if you think it's right or what, but I'm not going to stay in a place where I'm forced to believe something I know isn't true. Blood purity, elitism, the Dark Arts . . . it doesn't MEAN anything to me. I can't make it. In fact, I disagree entirely with it. Now, I find being the heir the worst punishment in the world, but you, you seem like you might be able to work with it." He smiled slightly. "Just be careful, okay? You don't have to obey everything they say, you know? You have to have some conscience of your own, too."

I folded my arms, pretending to be cold when I in fact felt remarkably tender, so different from that day in which he had almost smothered me. Yet I still brought it up. "Stop trying to subvert me, Sirius," I said mildly, "and just get out before I change my mind."

Sirius's eyes seemed to fill with a little more life as he smiled back. "As long as you wait until I'm out the door, I'll be fine."

He lugged up his suitcase and was gone.

I watched out the window, but never saw him leave. I thought I saw a shadow creeping through the bushes, but it didn't look human. Sirius must have taken the back way out.

I realized something, something that explained why I suddenly felt so tender now that my greatest enemy was gone. All of my life, Sirius had everything I always wanted. He was the heir, Bella's best companion, Mummy's favorite. Yet all of his life, he had done everything in his power to change that, to switch places with me. I had helped him along, thinking him the enemy, never realizing the entire transition was intended-- and in my favor.

The switch was complete.