The great hall was packed with students, new and old, and seemed to buzz with excitement as the first years were sorted one by one into their houses. Sirius black sat on the edge of his seat, James at his side. When regulus's name was called, a young lanky looking boy stepped forward. He managed to carry himself with a poise that Sirius never managed but that Mrs. Black would be proud of. He sat on the stool, his anxiety obvious in the way he bounced ever so slightly in his seat - Sirius was bouncing the same way. The great hall was silent for a moment while the sorting hat deliberated. The silence was broken by the hats voice calling out clear as a bell "Slytherin!" The table farthest from the Gryffindors began cheering loudly. James clapped Sirius on the back and leaned in to speak in his ear.
"Hey, mate. This doesn't mean that you won't ever talk to him. You go to the same school. just because you won't share a common room doesn't mean you won't share anything else " James gave him a comforting smile and Sirius tried to return it. Remus gave him a sad smile from across the table but didn't say anything. Sirius almost preferred the silence. The rest of the sorting and the feast went by in a swirl of mud conversations and Sirius choking down a few bites of food every time one of his friends stared at him, worried, for a moment too long.
When they were dismissed from the feast, Sirius was one of the first Gryffindors out if the great hall. He got three steps up the marble staircase when a hand grabbed his arm. He turned around to see regulus standing one step below him. One of the older students had already charmed his tie to be the silver and green of Slytherin.
"Hey, Reg." Sirius said, trying to keep his voice light. Regulus didn't say anything, just stared at his brother. Regulus dropped his gaze to the stone floor and muttered something Sirius didn't hear. "What?" He turned on the step to look at his brother more fully. Regulus didn't look up.
"Don't hate me." He said quietly. Sirius froze. The words echoed through his mind, both in his brother's voice and his own voice from this time last year after his own sorting. Don't hate me. Sirius didn't respond immediately and Regulus looked up at him, eyes wide and wet with tears. "Sirius, please."