If Sirius was asked to describe his holiday in one word, he would choose miserable, or some synonym of it. His parents were being bloody awful, although there was really nothing new about that. The only good thing Sirius could see about being home again was that Regulus wasn't being a vile prat, for once. Since he'd started school more than three years ago, Regulus had been nothing but downright rude to Sirius. At least at Hogwarts. He guessed it was a part of being a Slitherin. Luckily, at home, Regulus and Sirius were just two brothers. And Regulus being civil toward him almost made up for their parents repulsion toward their eldest son.

Christmas came along mercifully fast, mostly thanks to the fact that his parents were gone on what they claimed was "family business". He wasn't completely sure the business didn't involve dark things, but he didn't dare to voice these thoughts-not in the house. Not out loud.

So he only had a day and a half to get through before the Potter family came to pick him up for the remainder of the holiday. He could make it, he was sure.

The worst part of Christmas, since he first went to Hogwarts, was presents. His parents had only gotten him one per year, and it was always Slytherin oriented. And he always discarded it in one of the seldom-used rooms upstairs.

This year wasn't much different-it was a scarf, this time. Silver, green and black stripes, with a serpent embroidered in the end. He discarded it happily. Regulus didn't get him anything this year, which didn't surprise Sirius, now that his brother was a Slytherin. He was just like the lot, unfortunately. In a feeble attempt to sustain their brotherly relationship, Sirius had gotten Regulus a book on maintaining a broomstick, as well as a cleaning kit, all to go with the top-grade broom he knew his brother was getting for Christmas from their parents. He thanked Sirius weakly upon opening it.

As soon as he was allowed, he retreated back up to the blissful haven that was his room. He plopped down onto his bed and opened the most recent letter from James. It was pretty much like the rest of them;

"Merry Christmas, mate. Sorry about your family sucking. Can't wait until Friday."

Sirius certainly wasn't expecting anyone to follow him into his room. Especially not Regulus.

"Sirius?" He said, opening the door only a crack and poking his head in.

"What d'you want, Regulus?" Sirius sighed.

"Well, I've got your Christmas gift," he said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him, "I reckon Mum and Dad would've had a fit if they'd seen it." Regulus handed thick, badly wrapped package to Sirius. It was about the size of a necklace box, except it felt heavier than any mans necklace Sirius had ever heard of. Sirius's forehead wrinkled, he was unsure how to feel. He took the present and ripped away the plain brown paper wrapping. It was a rather un-extraordinary looking little brown box. The hinges of the kid were a little rusted, and the box squeaked a little when he lifted the lid. Inside was a long, thin knife. A pen knife. On one side was carved a lion, and the other side a snake. At first, Sirius blanched, but he decided it was oddly fitting.

"It opens locks," Regulus said, suddenly interrupting the silence, "Even ones that are charmed. It'll get you into pretty much any room."

"Oh...thank you, Regulus," he said, sincerely.

"There are a lot of...of locked doors, around here. You're the only one brave enough to open them, Sirius," he continued, almost as if he hadn't stopped, "I'm sorry for being such a prat all the time, Sirius, and just-well, don't forget me, okay?" He said. Sirius stood, and approached his brother. He reached out a strong hand and put it on his shoulder.

"You don't have to be like them," Sirius said.

"Yes, I do," Regulus responded, "being a Slitherin...my friends aren't like yours. They're different than you. I'm sorry." Regulus wrenched his arm away from his brother, and left the room. Sirius felt angry and sad. Angry at the Slytherins like his parents, and sad that his brother was one of them. But there was nothing he could do.

Friday came slowly for Sirius. The Potters were to arrive by floo at one o'clock, but didn't arrive until one-oh-seven. Those seven minutes were Hell. He waited in the dank sitting room alone. His parents were out, again, and he was especially grateful for it this time. He knew they'd be far less than nice to the Potters. And he'd love to avoid that. James's father came through the floo network first, followed closely by James.

"Hello, Mr. Potter," Sirius said.

"Hello, Sirius. Are you about ready?" Sirius noted the look of distaste his friend's father have the room.

"Bloody Hell, mate, this place is musty!" James said loudly, coughing. Sirius cracked a smile. He wasn't wrong, "I hope you're ready because I think I'm allergic!"

"Yeah, I'm about ready," Sirius responded, sticking his hand in his trouser pockets. But his hand was met with something hard. The pen knife. "Actually, I forgot something. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Take your time, Sirius," Mr. Potter responded, smiling at the boy.

"Thanks," he said, and nearly disappeared from the room. He ran up two sets of stairs and came upon a black door. He knocked quickly and loudly.

"Whaddyou want?" Regulus called, wrenching the door open.

"Just wanted to say 'bye," said Sirius. There was a silent moment, but Regulus responded after a second of thought.

"G'bye. Have fun," he said.

"And um," Sirius continued, "thank you. Y'know, for my gift." Regulus shifted.

"It was nothing," he said, "don't mention it." Sirius knew he would probably never bring it up again. It was silent for a few more seconds. "Is that all you needed?" Regulus said.

There were several things Sirius could have said-should have said.

'Thank you' or 'sorry'. Even 'I'll miss you'. Sirius knew things would be different after this. He didn't know how he knew, but he did.

"No, that's it I guess. I'll see you," he said.

"Bye," said Regulus, shutting his door almost hesitantly. Sirius returned to the Potters who were still in the sitting room.

"I'm ready," he said, "sorry about that."

"Alright, let's go then. You remember the way, Sirius?" Mr. Potter asked. Sirius nodded.

"Let's go."

If Sirius was asked to describe his holiday in one word, he would choose miserable, or some synonym of it. His parents were being bloody awful, although there was really nothing new about that. The only good thing Sirius could see about being home again was that Regulus wasn't being a vile prat, for once. Since he'd started school more than three years ago, Regulus had been nothing but downright rude to Sirius. At least at Hogwarts. He guessed it was a part of being a Slitherin. Luckily, at home, Regulus and Sirius were just two brothers. And Regulus being civil toward him almost made up for their parents repulsion toward their eldest son.

Christmas came along mercifully fast, mostly thanks to the fact that his parents were gone on what they claimed was "family business". He wasn't completely sure the business didn't involve dark things, but he didn't dare to voice these thoughts-not in the house. Not out loud.

So he only had a day and a half to get through before the Potter family came to pick him up for the remainder of the holiday. He could make it, he was sure.

The worst part of Christmas, since he first went to Hogwarts, was presents. His parents had only gotten him one per year, and it was always Slytherin oriented. And he always discarded it in one of the seldom-used rooms upstairs.

This year wasn't much different-it was a scarf, this time. Silver, green and black stripes, with a serpent embroidered in the end. He discarded it happily. Regulus didn't get him anything this year, which didn't surprise Sirius, now that his brother was a Slytherin. He was just like the lot, unfortunately. In a feeble attempt to sustain their brotherly relationship, Sirius had gotten Regulus a book on maintaining a broomstick, as well as a cleaning kit, all to go with the top-grade broom he knew his brother was getting for Christmas from their parents. He thanked Sirius weakly upon opening it.

As soon as he was allowed, he retreated back up to the blissful haven that was his room. He plopped down onto his bed and opened the most recent letter from James. It was pretty much like the rest of them;

"Merry Christmas, mate. Sorry about your family sucking. Can't wait until Friday."

Sirius certainly wasn't expecting anyone to follow him into his room. Especially not Regulus.

"Sirius?" He said, opening the door only a crack and poking his head in.

"What d'you want, Regulus?" Sirius sighed.

"Well, I've got your Christmas gift," he said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him, "I reckon Mum and Dad would've had a fit if they'd seen it." Regulus handed thick, badly wrapped package to Sirius. It was about the size of a necklace box, except it felt heavier than any mans necklace Sirius had ever heard of. Sirius's forehead wrinkled, he was unsure how to feel. He took the present and ripped away the plain brown paper wrapping. It was a rather un-extraordinary looking little brown box. The hinges of the kid were a little rusted, and the box squeaked a little when he lifted the lid. Inside was a long, thin knife. A pen knife. On one side was carved a lion, and the other side a snake. At first, Sirius blanched, but he decided it was oddly fitting.

"It opens locks," Regulus said, suddenly interrupting the silence, "Even ones that are charmed. It'll get you into pretty much any room."

"Oh...thank you, Regulus," he said, sincerely.

"There are a lot of...of locked doors, around here. You're the only one brave enough to open them, Sirius," he continued, almost as if he hadn't stopped, "I'm sorry for being such a prat all the time, Sirius, and just-well, don't forget me, okay?" He said. Sirius stood, and approached his brother. He reached out a strong hand and put it on his shoulder.

"You don't have to be like them," Sirius said.

"Yes, I do," Regulus responded, "being a Slitherin...my friends aren't like yours. They're different than you. I'm sorry." Regulus wrenched his arm away from his brother, and left the room. Sirius felt angry and sad. Angry at the Slytherins like his parents, and sad that his brother was one of them. But there was nothing he could do.

Friday came slowly for Sirius. The Potters were to arrive by floo at one o'clock, but didn't arrive until one-oh-seven. Those seven minutes were Hell. He waited in the dank sitting room alone. His parents were out, again, and he was especially grateful for it this time. He knew they'd be far less than nice to the Potters. And he'd love to avoid that. James's father came through the floo network first, followed closely by James.

"Hello, Mr. Potter," Sirius said.

"Hello, Sirius. Are you about ready?" Sirius noted the look of distaste his friend's father have the room.

"Bloody Hell, mate, this place is musty!" James said loudly, coughing. Sirius cracked a smile. He wasn't wrong, "I hope you're ready because I think I'm allergic!"

"Yeah, I'm about ready," Sirius responded, sticking his hand in his trouser pockets. But his hand was met with something hard. The pen knife. "Actually, I forgot something. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Take your time, Sirius," Mr. Potter responded, smiling at the boy.

"Thanks," he said, and nearly disappeared from the room. He ran up two sets of stairs and came upon a black door. He knocked quickly and loudly.

"Whaddyou want?" Regulus called, wrenching the door open.

"Just wanted to say 'bye," said Sirius. There was a silent moment, but Regulus responded after a second of thought.

"G'bye. Have fun," he said.

"And um," Sirius continued, "thank you. Y'know, for my gift." Regulus shifted.

"It was nothing," he said, "don't mention it." Sirius knew he would probably never bring it up again. It was silent for a few more seconds. "Is that all you needed?" Regulus said.

There were several things Sirius could have said-should have said.

'Thank you' or 'sorry'. Even 'I'll miss you'. Sirius knew things would be different after this. He didn't know how he knew, but he did.

"No, that's it I guess. I'll see you," he said.

"Bye," said Regulus, shutting his door almost hesitantly. Sirius returned to the Potters who were still in the sitting room.

"I'm ready," he said, "sorry about that."

"Alright, let's go then. You remember the way, Sirius?" Mr. Potter asked. Sirius nodded.

"Let's go."

Well, Merry Christmas, everyone(that is reading this right now). This one-shot was a bit hard to write. I intended it to be a bit more sentimental, but I realized for two estranged brothers, it would be a bit hard to get more emotional. I also feel I should address the subject of OOC behavior. While I know Sirius hates his family, you've got to remember that Regulus wasn't always bad. For a while, he was just his kid brother. And while he doesn't exactly approve of the goings-on of the Slytherins, he still loves his brother. Also, you've got to factor in the Loyalty of the Gryffindors. As for Regulus, keep in mind that Sirius is still his brother, and he did turn out good, in the end. And don't get me started on Slytherin psyche. I also know that it kind of leaves it hanging between Sirius and Regulus, but I think that's how it would feel to them as well. Sorry if it disappoints anyone.

Well, I hope all readers liked it, but if you didn't, or if you want to debate something, send me a message and let me know. Also, if you want some Harry Potter gaps filled, I can try to do my best to fill them for you. (Requests Welcome).