AN: So, here's the update! Sorry it's a really short chapter, but I was busy the last few days. TRIGGER WARNING: child abuse. Swearing, obviously.

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING. OF ALL THIS STUFF. NOR DO I OWN THE WONDERFUL SHIP WOLFSTAR. JUST IN CASE YOU WONDERED. ; )

Also: Does anyone know how to do line breaks?

He loomed over Sirius. "Worthless piece of filth!"

Sirius cringed as the first blow came down. Again, again, again.

Walburga Black stood next to Orion, her wand raised, her face carved into fury. "You are not my son!"

When he cleared the blood from his eyes, they found a writhing body splayed across the ground, emitting a tortured scream that made Sirius shudder.

Regulus! No!

His brother was being whipped, over and over, the hard material drawing oozing blood from his pale skin. He shook beneath the belt, but didn't make a move to resist.

And Sirius could do nothing but watch.

He awoke with a start, heart pounding.

Stop it, stop it, stop it. They would never do that to Regulus. He's their perfect son, they would never beat him, never hurt him. Calm down, Sirius!

He closed his eyes, drawing the blanket almost all the way over his head, as though it would protect him from the nightmares. He closed his eyes, his breathing coming out in shaky gasps, unable to fall asleep.

Finally Sirius tossed away his blankets and put on his shoes, carefully heading out of the castle. He made it to the Quidditch pitch and stood for a moment, staring at the stars above him, before breaking into a run. The air was fresh and rich with the scents of September, grass squeaking below his trainers, head pounding with the beat of the earth's heart below him.

Back, forth, back, forth.To the line and back, to the line and back. The exhaustion gave him a vindictive pleasure.

After running as long as he could, most likely four miles in total, he was gasping for breath. Sirius felt a pang of anger at himself.

Weak. Pathetic.

He made his way back to the dormitory and got started on his transfiguration homework. By the time he woke his friends, Sirius had finished all of it.

"Rise and shine, Prongs!" Sirius chucked a pillow at his friend's head.

"I hate you," James mumbled and burrowed deeper into his blankets. Levitating them off his bed, Sirius grinned. "You love me. Who are you kidding?"

"Please don't do that to me," Remus moaned from across the room.

"Then don't act like Prongsie here!"

Peter yawned and got up just as Remus did, neither wanting to suffer the same fate as James.

Soon they headed down to breakfast, Sirius with the familiar dread pooling in his empty stomach.

Orion loomed over him. "Worthless piece of filth! You don't deserve to eat the food we earned, the food on our table! Do you?!

"N-No Sir," Sirius gasped out, barley able to breath as his father's hand closed around his throat.

"Remember that, scum! You're a coward, you don't deserve to eat. Eating is not for filth like you." He released Sirius, pushing him out of the dining room. "Go to your room. And no food for the rest of the summer!"

Sirius stared down at his toast. I can't eat it, I just can't!

"Sirius, why aren't you eating?" Peter squeaked from across the table.

Dammit! He took a bite, feeling sick. "What do you mean? I'm eating," he hissed coldly, casting Peter a glare. Wide eyed, his friend looked away nervously.

When the other Marauders' attention was fixed on post, he discreetly vanished the rest of his food before they could notice.

"Muggle Studies first period," Remus told Sirius, who flinched slightly. He had chosen Muggle Studies simply to annoy his parents, and had anticipated the beating that came, but it had been worse that he had expected. Bloody hell, stop thinking!

"Always on top of our schedule, Moony," he managed with a weak smirk, panic rising in him like a wave of water climbing. He was supposed to have escaped his parents. Everything was supposed to be normal. Why couldn't it just be normal? Why was he still trapped?

James laughed unknowingly, and Sirius felt the heat of guilt sweep through him. How was he lying so much already?

Attempting to control his semi-erratic breathing, Sirius took in a deep breath. Shut up, shut up, shut up. You can't let them notice.

"Mate, quit daydreaming! We're going!"

"Right," he mumbled to James, getting to his feet. For a moment the air burned around him and spots of bright, fuzzy light flashed in his vision. Remus caught him as he tripped, looking worried, hands gripping his shoulders.

"You okay, Pads?"

His mask had slipped, fallen off his face, dissolved. Sirius couldn't bring himself to smile. "It's nothing, Moony. Just a bit tired." He pretended to stifle a forced yawn.

Shaking his head, Remus let go of him, and Sirius relaxed. Stop thinking about it. You're at Hogwarts; you're safe.

I'm safe from him, yes. But from myself?

AN: and there you are! Hope you liked it. But wait, before you go - review! Just press that little button - see it? - and tell me anything. I love constructive criticism, but no flames. Thnx!