The anticipation was permanently embedded in Sirius' small, twelve-year-old body. All summer he'd been missing his friends, particularly his best friends - James, Remus, and Peter - and he was desperate to get back to school. Home life had been almost unbearable and he was sick of most of his family - aside from Regulus, of course. The day after, he was to board the Hogwarts Express and Kings Cross Station and his troubles would be gone until the holidays, when his parents forced him to come back. He wanted more than anything to spend them at Hogwarts or maybe with James, but he wasn't allowed. Regulus would be going with him next year, and the thought worried him - the boy was very clingy and affectionate, and it would be horribly embarrassing to have the boy hanging on to him all the time, and squealing when he saw him in the hallways, tackling him and hugging him. It was an unbearable thought. And Sirius was Gryffindor, while Regulus would be anything but. In fact, he was sure that the boy's malicious side would land him in Slytherin. He was already the reject because he was in Gryffindor, and if Regulus was sorted into anything more embarrassing… well, Sirius wouldn't be able to take Regulus getting the same rejection as him.

Speaking of his darling little brother, Sirius realized that he hadn't seen him all day. He was currently looking for him, and he'd been doing so for a solid hour. The Black house was huge, but Sirius knew every nook and cranny and hadn't seen the smallest trace of his brother. He returned to his room and frowned when he glanced at his trunk, cocking his head; it was partially open, as if he'd over packed it. He knew he hadn't - he remembered his mother complaining about how disorganized it was and reorganizing it, however unwillingly, so it would shut completely. Maybe he'd put something extra in there? Or maybe it'd just snapped open. He approached it and began to close it, applying quite a bit of pressure to the lid, trying to squash whatever was holding it open; he stopped, however, when he heard a light, pained squeak.

"Wha-?" he lifted the lid and gasped a little as he looked into the dark eyes of his brother, who was staring up at him with a pout, his small, thin body curled up flexibly on top of his folded clothing.

"Reg," he groaned, "What're you doing in there?"

"Don't leave me again, Sirius!" the dark-haired boy pleaded. "I was so sad last year when you left. I don't want you to leave me all alone again!"

Sirius eyed his younger brother, sympathy welling up in his dark eyes. "I'm sorry, Reg - I have to go, and you're too little to go with me. But next year, you can, and we'll be together all the time."

The boy sniffed, looking on the verge of tears. Sirius quickly added, "And I'll write you every day, about everything. And I'll be home during the holidays. They'll come around before you know it."

Regulus sniffed once more, and sat up, carefully removing himself from the trunk, and sitting on the floor beside it. His head was lowered, his untidy black mane falling into his face. Like Sirius, he refused to get it cut. He wanted to be just like him. It was a pain sometimes, but it also irresistibly endearing.

"Can I sleep in your bed tonight, Sirius?" the boy pleaded. "Like we used to do when I was little and I got scared? I don't think mummy will notice."

Sirius hesitated; he felt a little too old to have his little brother in the bed with him, but he figured it wouldn't hurt. If it would make Regulus happy, he was all for it. With a short nod, the boy tugged Regulus to his feet and wrapped his arms around him; the younger boy nuzzled his head into his brother's chest like he did so often, and Sirius chuckled. He had to admit, the kid was adorable. He stroked the boy's hair and let him go, laughing again when Regulus' hands remained attached to Sirius' shirt.

"Come on, you," he said, "Let's go get ready for bed, okay?" the boy nodded and slipped his hand into Sirius', causing the older boy to grin. He really was cute, wasn't he? It almost cleared the concern he had for the following year. Almost.

----------------

It was dark in Sirius' bedroom; his large, queen-sized bed had been made by the disdainful house elf Kreacher, but had been turned back so that he and his brother could climb in. Regulus snuggled close to Sirius' slightly built body, the chill of the room blocked by the thick blankets and the body heat of his younger brother, who was clinging tightly to him. He turned on his side and gave him a kiss on the forehead, stroking his hair gently and hugging him close. He'd never let any of his friends see him like this with his little brother. He rarely was this way, anyway - just when Regulus was being adorable and pathetic. It wasn't long before the younger boy was asleep against him, and Sirius could feel the steady breathing of the ten-year-old, could feel him as he shifted every so often in his sleep like he tended to do. Things hadn't changed since they were younger and they slept together regularly. He remembered when they'd gotten caught cuddling, and his father had yelled at him, and Regulus had only been able to sit there, frightened by his father's wrath.

It was a good while before Sirius could shove the memories from his head and force himself to fall asleep.