Chapter 2: The House of Black
A young boy of about 11 with black hair that fell into his fathomless grey eyes with a sort of casual elegance was lounging in a chair, tilting it back on two legs. He had a letter in his hand. Just then an even younger boy, this one only about nine or ten with similar hair, cut short, and green eyes walked in.
"What do you have there, Sirius?" the young boy said.
"I think it is a Hogwarts letter, Regulus," said Sirius.
"Really? Cool! I wonder which house you'll be in," replied Regulus.
"Dunno," Sirius replied, "probably Slytherin, like the rest of the Black family line." He gave these last three words a fake air of importance.
"I don't know Sirius," his little brother replied, "you aren't really like the rest of us." After a look from is brother he hastily added, "In the best way possible, of course."
"Oh shut it, Regulus," Sirius replied. "I know you always agree with anything mom or dad says, you're their little servant."
"You're just jealous that they like me better," Regulus replied indignantly.
"Jealous? Of a little midget who refuses to think for himself? Hardly," Sirius replied casually. "Personally I hope that I get put into Gryffindor just to spite this whole family."
"Don't say that," Regulus said a hint of fear in his voice. "What if mother hears? She might put your head next to our old house elves."
"Whatever," Sirius said. This type of argument was common between the two brothers, but they were still friends. "I'm gonna go to Diagon Alley to get my stuff," Sirius continued. "If mum asks, just tell her where I went. I don't want to go with her because she will probably order Slytherin robes for me. I don't even know what house I'll be in. Okay?" His brother didn't respond so Sirius just said, "Great, knew I could count on you."
"Wait," Regulus said finally. "You can't go by yourself, it's too dangerous."
"Where's your sense of adventure?" was all Sirius said before he bolted through the doorway into the kitchen. The kitchen had the Floo powder supply and was the only room in the house connected to the Floo Network.
"Oh, for your sake I hope mother doesn't find out," Regulus said, a hint of worry in his voice.
"She won't know unless you tell her, which you won't do. And besides, like she would care. As long as precious little Regulus is okay, who cares about Sirius?"
"But—," Regulus started to say, but decided not to say anything. Sirius had a point, but Regulus couldn't bring himself to admit it.
"Wanna help me get some money from the jar on top of the fridge?" Sirius asked. But before Regulus could respond, Sirius had already answered for him. "Of course you do," Sirius said.
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By the time they had gotten the jar down from the fridge it was much too late to go to Diagon Alley, even for Sirius. The two brothers decided to just play a game of exploding snap until their parents returned. Sirius knew he had nothing to worry about; their parents would be gone the next day, too.
