Two boys approach each other against a background of grass. One boy visibly takes heart in the wave of cheers that accompany them, while the other looks as though he would rather the spectators disappeared. One believes he is a man already, and he is wrong; the other thinks he may never become one, and he, too, is wrong. One boy wears green robes, the other red, and though the names stitched on the back in gold and silver thread, respectively, are identical, the two know that they are brothers in name alone.
They glare at each other as they draw nearer, dreading the inevitable handshake, Regulus muttering something about touching a blood traitor. Sirius knows they are beyond the point where one cares what the other thinks, but he nontheless tells Regulus exactly where he can stick the latter's Pureblood agenda.
"Captains, shake hands," Madam Hooch says. Sirius remembers the last time he touched his brother clearly, remembers the metallic taste of blood and the feeling of bone crunching beneath his fist. Regulus sneers, and if Sirius cared he might have told him that he looks ridiculous, that the common expression worn by the likes of Severus Snape fits unevenly over aristocratic features. Sirius does not care, so he says nothing, only grasps the other boy's hand and tries to convey as much hatred as possible in the space of a second.
"I'll bet you three mudblood lives that we win this match," Regulus says, and Sirius resolves to punch him later, after Gryffindor has won and the celebration party is over.
"Lily Evans is worth a million of you," he replies, and Regulus doesn't have time to respond because already they are walking away from each other and mounting their brooms and the whistle is blowing and Sirius has no time to think about the disgusting, bigoted coward that he used to consider his brother.
Slytherin wins the match by twenty points. Regulus snatches the Snitch out of the air, shoving the Gryffindor Seeker out of the way and technically committing a foul. Cheating is as much a part of Quidditch as Bludgers are, and Sirius is yet to play a single game without playing at least one illegal move, but this knowledge doesn't stop him from cursing "dirty Slytherins" as he aims his broom downward in a spiral. He can't help but glance at Regulus, and the victorious expression on the other boy's face makes Sirius want to hit him. Regulus catches him looking, and Sirius gives him the birdie before landing amongst his teammates.
James is angry, but Sirius is angrier, and for once there are no celebrations in Gryffindor Tower. Remus thinks that it is ridiculous getting so upset over a game, but it's not just a game, it's their last game at Hogwarts, and Sirius can't believe they lost.
It takes him a while to fall asleep that night, and when he does he dreams of red and green and brothers that are not, and a war that's fought on a Quidditch pitch.