Chapter 2
The night went by and Regulus lay awake for most of it. He managed to get downstairs without Sirius seeing him and when Sirius came to make sure he was still in bed, he always pretended to be asleep or would yell at Sirius for waking him up.
Regulus heard nothing from the attic, he knew Sirius must have put a sound charm on it, because he also knew that the school wouldn't dare expel a Black but what he didn't know was that Regulus already knew about Remus. Eventually Sirius fell asleep and slept well into the morning, while Regulus got up early and went back to the attic. When he tried the door he found it locked and no spell he used would unlock it. He tried knocking on the door and heard some chains move then footsteps coming to the door and opening it.
It opened slightly and Remus looked through the crack. 'What do you want?' Remus muttered looking at the floor as he opened the door.
'Are you okay?' Regulus asked walking into the attic and sitting down on the chair he was sitting in yesterday.
'Why wouldn't I be? And about last night, I only did that because it was the night of the full moon so it didn't mean anything.' Remus said rubbing his head and sitting with his back against the wall near the chains.
Regulus was a little hurt by this but he managed to hide it like he hid everything else. 'I don't know if that is true.'
'What?' Remus asked squinting at him.
'Both things, first of all you look like you have a bad headache and dad keeps a potion for that downstairs and second of all, last night you seemed to like it enough.' Regulus took out his wand and began to twirl it around his fingers.
'I do have a headache but I'm not taking anything YOU offer me and I didn't enjoy it.' Remus stood up. 'I have a right mind to tell Sirius what you did.'
'Ha! I'm his brother, I don't care what he thinks or does, the only interest we share is our interest in you, of course mine might be a little stronger then his.' Regulus winked at Remus who blushed and quickly looked away. 'So how about a good morning kiss for me?' Regulus sat up in his chair and looked at Remus.
'You must be joking.' Remus said getting up and making his way to the door but Regulus cut him off and held him against the wall.
'I don't joke as much as my brother you will find.' Regulus said moving so their noses almost touched, and still Remus didn't turn away from him.
'Get off me, or I will call for Sirius.' Remus growled at Regulus.
'Go ahead, but he is sleeping and this room has a sound charm on it.' Regulus then kissed Remus who tried to push Regulus off, but that only made Regulus kiss him deeper.
Poor Remus had never been this confused in his life, he almost wanted to kiss Regulus back but his better instinct told him not to. When Regulus wrapped one of his arms around Remus's waist and the other holding his head, so Remus was almost being held by Regulus, Remus couldn't help but add a little to the kiss. This was all Regulus needed to slip his tongue in Remus's mouth and begin to explore every inch of it. Remus let out a quite moan that he hoped Regulus hadn't heard. When he did Regulus broke the kiss and smiled at Remus.
'Was that just because of the full moon too?' Regulus asked letting Remus go.
Remus stood there for a second stunted then when he remembered where he was he yelled 'You….you bastard!' and stormed out of the attic leaving Regulus alone.
Regulus sighed and went down to make breakfast for them all, since he was the only one that could cook and last time Sirius tried they couldn't find the icebox for a month. Regulus couldn't even cook that much though, the best he could make was some scramble eggs and waffles from the pre-made-magic-mix. Once everything was cooked he had his breakfast and when Sirius and Remus came in he left.
'Is it just me, or did he seem moodier then usual?' Regulus heard Sirius ask Remus when he left.
'I dunno, you're the one that lives with him.' He heard Remus respond.
Regulus went back to the piano room and began to play a piece by the wizard musician Lujest. He didn't know how long he played for but well after Remus and Sirius finished eating and had gone back upstairs. Sirius never seemed to mind Regulus playing but suddenly Sirius was tapping Regulus on the shoulder, making Regulus jump.
'You do realize you've been playing that since morning, something wrong?' Sirius asked sitting next to Regulus on the stairs.
'What time is it now?' Regulus asked and he stopped playing and stretched realizing how bad his hand ached.
'About two in the afternoon.'
'…please don't tell me you made your own lunch.' Regulus groaned looking at Sirius who smiled.
They rarely had times when they actually talked to each other like normal people, but they where brothers and there were the odd moments.
'Well, you where pretending to be Mr. Piano Genius and I couldn't bother you so it is your fault that our oven is now blue and purple. So anyways what is it with the piano?'
'Where is your friend?' Regulus asked avoiding having to talk about his 'feelings' with Sirius because they weren't that close of brothers.
'Remus is having a nap, he didn't sleep well last night, the attic ghoul was keeping him awake, now stop being a prat and tell me why you wouldn't stop playing this device all morning.' Sirius said now looking almost worried about Regulus.
'Just didn't sleep well, been having problems with some person lately.' Regulus said, which was close enough to the truth.
'Some guy? You know, they think you are the perfect son, but wait tell they find out about this.' Sirius said smiling again.
'Shut-up, as long as they don't find out I will always be the perfect son while you get to blow away your days playing pranks and signing Muggle friendly petitions.'
'Well at least you don't have to put up with them always glaring at you.' Regulus shrugged at that and they sat in silence for while until Sirius suddenly said. 'I'm thinking of leaving this year.'
Regulus looked at Sirius at this. 'What do you mean?'
Sirius sighed and almost fell off the bench as he leaned back. 'Well, you can't pretend it is nice around here, so I might as well leave. I mean, they will always hate me and nothing is going to change that. I was thinking of going to James' place during the summer and holidays.'
'So you are just going to leave?' Regulus asked shocked, he knew his brother hated his parents but he never thought he would run away.
'Got a better idea? I just plan on not coming back from Hogwarts this year.' Sirius shrugged his shoulder and said; 'I will still see you around, at Hogwarts or whenever, but just not at home.'
'Yeah sure, like you ever talk to me at Hogwarts. So you are going to be this great brother then and leave your younger brother at home with these parents that are going to go mental when they find out.'
'I talk to you, sometimes, plus you could come too, I'm sure the Potters wouldn't mind. It would be cool to have a brother on the same side as me for once.'
'You know I can't, I'm the perfect son, I can't just leave. They would track me down and kill me.'
Sirius sighed again. 'I guess you are right. But you know, you can always talk to me, I am your big brother after all. When we aren't fighting, you can be pretty cool sometimes.'
Just then a voice from the hall called; 'Sirius?'
'Remus is awake, so how about tomorrow we go to Diagon Alley for our school stuff?'
'Whatever, when is he going home?' Regulus asked jerking his head towards the hallway.
'We are taking him to the platform with us; dad and mom won't be back in time to see us off so they will never know I had a friend over.' Sirius said getting up and heading for the hall.
'I'll cover for you if they ask.' Regulus said but Sirius was already out the door.
For the rest of the day Regulus stayed out of the way. Whenever he did end up around Sirius or Remus it was quick and he always made his get away. He thought he could see the hatred radiating off Remus for him. Regulus didn't know why the boy interested him so much, or why he kept thinking of him as a boy, after all he was in sixth year while he was still in his fifth. Everything about that day confused Regulus, the only relief he felt was when he discovered that the kitchen oven was not purple but instead its normal black colour.
Late that night, while Sirius was outside, Regulus ran into Remus when he was alone. At first he was tempted to corner the boy again, but decided it wasn't the best approach. Instead he walked up to Remus and smiled at him, while Remus just glared at him as if he really was the scum that Purebloods usually are.
'Hey, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been cornering you and stuff.' Regulus said making a lame attempt at a apology.
'What was I supposed to expect from a Black?' Remus muttered still glaring at Regulus.
'You know, Sirius is a Black too, even though he may not like it.' Regulus pointed out getting the feeling that maybe he shouldn't be trying to talk to Remus at all.
'At least he doesn't act like a Slytherin scum, but I guess you are in Slytherin so you have an excuse.' Remus made to move past him but Regulus quickly moved in front of him.
'I said I was sorry, I just like you that's all, I mean, I live in this house with a brother who is a disappointment to the family so the parents are always after me, so that is the only way I know how to get boyfriends. Believe it or not it usually works for other Slytherins and some Ravenclaws.' Regulus made an attempt at a smile again.
'Why don't you stick to them then and just leave me the hell alone?' Remus was almost shouting now, so Regulus quickly covered up his mouth so that Sirius wouldn't hear.
'Because I've never felt this way about any of them.' Regulus said, and until he said it he had never realized that, that was the real reason he was going after Remus.
Remus said something and then smacked Regulus's hand away from his mouth. 'If you think I'm going to fall for that then you are severally mental, probably worse then James around Evans.'
That made Regulus think for a second, trying to remember how the blood-traitor acted around Evans. 'Oh yeah, she hates him but he still dog tags around after her.' He said out loud half to himself, half to Remus.
'Yeah, whatever, now I need to use the washroom or are you planning to rape me or something while Sirius is gone?'
Ignoring what Remus had said Regulus still blocked the way for him to pass. 'Maybe that is how I feel then, I like you enough to keep trying to get even though I know you hate me.'
Remus looked up at him, at that. 'You do realize I am one of your brother's best friends right?'
Regulus smiled; at least he didn't seem too mad anymore. 'Like I said earlier, maybe we do have something in common, me and him.'
They stood there for a second, Remus lost in his thoughts and Regulus lost in his gaze at Remus. Finally Remus spoke. 'I never said I hate you, you where nice to me at the piano.'
Regulus was so pleased at this he could have kissed the house elf that just walked by. 'The offer for me to teach you some is still open.'
Remus sighed, 'I guess I wouldn't mind that, I would really like to learn, just don't try to rape me anymore, please?'
Regulus laughed at that because he was so pleased that Remus didn't seem to hate him as much anymore. 'I didn't actually try to rape you, I only kissed you because you are so tempting, like Butterbeer on a cold day.'
Remus raised an eyebrow at that, unsure if he liked that reference or not. 'Right, well could you also try not to talk like that, it is only piano lessons after all.'
Regulus smiled slyly at Remus and leaned close to him. 'You won't be able to resist my Black charm forever.' Then Regulus laughed and let Remus pass, who almost ran to the washroom because he really had to go.
Just then Sirius came back in from putting away the Quidditch gear and saw Regulus standing in the hall looking happier then he had ever seen him.
'What did you do to Remus?' He asked Regulus half joking and half serious.
Regulus chuckled. 'Nothing, but I finally get to use my talents and pass them on to some one else.' Regulus turned on his heel and walked away leaving his brother to try and figure out what he meant.
