Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its universe, that belongs to J.K. Rowling.

AN: What?! 2 updates? Now, we're just getting fancy. ;P

Q&A: pNo, I don't currently have an A03 account. I'm not opposed and I have read fics there, but I've noticed it is a huge shipper-iffic spot…which can be tough for gen fics like this one (and some of my other family-oriented fics) to get traffic. (I know, I know…I could go and represent…but it kinda seems like fighting with a volcano barehanded.) I'm open to others' opinions though, how well have you seen family fics fare over there?

Special thanks to: Puppyduckster, taechuu, honori, Zileracer, Lilly1127, Mel72000, DorianSS, SerenaNightlight, MeYouNThem, Watcher and other guest reviewers!

You came back! I appreciate it! And you took that extra moment to leave a comment! :DDD Thank you!

Hope you enjoy this chap!

Chapter 19: Entangled

Peter didn't comment as a fierce sort of darkness settled into Sirius's countenance.

It might have been fury or despair or vengeance.

Peter was more intrigued by the effect. While wearing such an expression, Sirius wasn't very handsome.

His lips curled back in a snarl. "He should have just…to her...to her."

Everett gave a harsh chuckle and stroked his dark brown mustache. "Yeah, Foster and Stone said that, too." He nodded at the female Curse Breaker who'd remained silent since appearing on the scene. "Still, it's those details that keep a Sparkler like him out of a Mungo's specialty room, especially with him using some variant of Fiendfyre. That kind of magic at his age has a way of making people very uncomfortable."

Sirius looked at him sharply.

"Most accidental magic is Snaps and Cracks, with the occasional Pop." The man gave a nod at Regulus. "Sparklers are a bit more exotic. Now, I'd be very surprised if you told me he never singed anything that you were aware of?"

"I never…saw him do it," Sirius noted hesitantly.

"Things got burnt though, didn't they?"

Sirius sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, a-a couple times."

"He burnt up stuff this morning before his exam," James offered. "Got mad at me and some banners ignited."

Sirius gaped. "What!? You didn't tell me-What did you do?"

"Excuse me?" James gave him an incredulous look.

"What did you do? Did you scare him?" Sirius glowered.

"I…" James ran a hand through his hair. "Talking didn't work so I tried to get him to come-"

"By what? By grabbing him? Why?" Sirius demanded.

Hazel eyes narrowed. "Pads, he was being difficult."

"I don't care. Don't grab him. I mean, you saw him get—why would you? Don't do that. Don't manhandle him. You scared him. Don't scare him."

"Sirius, I can't anticipate every little-"

"Your friend is right. You're Fleamont's boy, aren't you?" Everett asked. "Studying up to be an Auror?"

"Yes, sir," James bit out a little sharply.

"It doesn't matter how difficult a civilian is acting, you've got to be patient, especially with children. I know he might not seem that young to you right now. You're what? Seventeen? Eighteen?"

"Seventeen."

"You're young." He jerked his head at Regulus's room. "He's younger. He's fourteen. What were you worrying about at fourteen? I bet it's not what he's worrying about."

"Got it," James replied stiffly.

"Good. Now." Everett turned back to face Sirius. "We ran his school records. Before and after. No fires. No fights. Usually, head injuries like that can trigger some very…violent episodes. But he toed the line. Did he get more withdrawn?"

"Yes." Sirius swallowed uncomfortably. "He-he withdrew, socially…and from me."

"Hmm. That happens, too. Now, the healer with us did notice and remove a few lingering bone fragments that were trapped in. That's one of the problems when you take Skele Gro without a healer observing it. Pieces might be missing from where they're supposed to be—doesn't mean that they're gone—just sealed in. We'd still like him to see a specialist, just in case."

"Bone bits…in…his brain?" Peter guessed aloud.

Sirius went green.

Regulus loosed another howl that might've given Moony competition.

Peter winced. It seemed like something of a waste that that carefully crafted persona of unaffected Slytherin nobility…had shattered.

Peter remembered various instances of them leaving for Hogsmeade and Regulus begging them to smuggle him in or to take him on an adventure or include him in a prank.

Maybe it was because there was something raw and desperate in his tone as the younger boy sobbed, "I wanna go home!" that Peter took no satisfaction in how, soon enough, everyone would be gossiping about this?

Regulus would be ruined.

Again.

Time passed slowly as Sirius paced back and forth.

Remus read through pamphlets.

Peter eventually sat on the linoleum flooring beside James as Regulus screeched out demands.

Regulus wanted his parents. He wanted his brother. But he was too strung out on medical potions to recognize Sirius. And he wanted his owl.

"I can fetch that," Peter offered.

Sirius turned to him with bloodshot, teary eyes. "We'd really appreciate that, Pete."

He let Peter borrow the ornate key to Black Manor.

It wasn't that hard taking the Knight Bus or stuffing a pocket full of owl treats and bribing the bird to come with him and perch on his arm as they rode back.

It wasn't like he had anything against Regulus, personally. Yes; he'd teased and antagonized him periodically, but that was while Regulus and Sirius were at each other's throats. Naturally, he'd had to take Sirius's side then. But now things were interesting: Sirius and James were at odds.

James couldn't stand Regulus. That much was obvious. Remus was undecided. And whatever Sirius had witnessed in the pensieve had revived his fraternal devotion to a frantic degree.

Peter had been given a very short summary by Remus: the winter break after Sirius ran away, Regulus had interrupted a Cleansing, determined to safeguard his brother's place in their family and bar entrance into his older brother's room. But he crossed Bellatrix and her cronies to do it and was nearly beaten to death for his efforts via bashing his head in.

They'd seen it in Snape's pensieve, who'd been there when it happened.

That definitely made Snape and Regulus's friendship even weirder…

Unless, if the rumor mill at school was right, Snape's father had been violent before he ran out on him and his mother.

Maybe having an abusive relative was something they related over?

Peter returned with the owl and settled beside James and Remus on the floor.

Sirius was still talking to the Curse Breakers.

Regulus was still raging.

Everett noted, "Now, the healer wanted to know if it was riskier behavior that alerted you to him-"

"Yes! Yes. Yes, yes, yes." Sirius nodded emphatically. "Scared me. The-the lack of…of-"

"Fear, prudence, how swiftly he'd come to conclusions and act on them?"

Sirius forced in a breath. "The…indifference…to the idea of getting hurt…the indifference to me getting upset at the idea of him getting hurt. Not listening to me. Being s-so bullheaded. S-scaring me…"

Everett gave him a sympathetic look. "Should definitely help his impulse control."

"So you think he'll… be more…like I remember him?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"First off, I don't think he's ever properly dealt with that," he remarked pointing to the angry ball of fire that was his younger brother. "Cleansings." Everett's face contorted in disgust. "You and your parents will have to talk it through with him, maybe have a counselor and a list of extinguishing spells on hand. It's possible that once he feels safe enough, he'll act more like himself again.

"Right..."

"He is still him—the person you love. But he had something terrible done to him. Nothing save a powerful memory spell could return him to the person you think you remember and even that is dangerous. There were likely things that were missed long before this happened. And you wouldn't want them happening again, would you?"

"Happening again? What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's doubtful her abusive behavior towards him was a single night's outburst. It was probably escalating for years before it came to this point. Things that should've been reported became normalized. If this event were removed, he might even give her another chance."

Sirius went stock still as he took that in.

The wizard set a supportive hand on Sirius's shoulder. "You did the right thing, reporting it all. He'll be safer going forward. What's also helpful to know is, he doesn't dissociate. No episodic amnesia or rage breaks. I'm not a healer, but I have seen things like this. That fire is fear-based. He's just trying to protect himself."

"We can't let him loose, Everett," the Auror called over. "Against protocol. He'll tire out. He's a child. They always do."

Regulus gave another chilling shriek.

Everett scowled, but before he could make answer—

"Good God, save us from a child with a powerful set of lungs on him. He's going on two hours at least. Will we have eardrums when he's done? Who is that?" A weathered female voice inquired—she was an instructional healer, judging by the bright purple armband she was wearing and a button spelled to flash: 'Students! Ask me questions!' And 'It's better to know than to wonder!'

"Regulus Black," Everett answered.

"The little one!?" The old witch's eyes shined with intrigue. "O he's a Sparkler? Didn't happen to sign a waiver for educational-"

"No, you cannot parade your students to see him," the Auror cut across their conversation.

The elderly witch made a face. "Pity, those are rare. Especially if he's never been in for it. Usually, we find them out as toddlers. Didn't get the juice box they wanted and fwoosh! Flames! He must usually be very well behaved. Or very spoiled and gets everything he wants." She snickered.

"I'll thank you not to talk about my brother that way," Sirius replied coldly.

"No disrespect." She swiftly pasted on a smile as she moved nearer. "Goodness, what has the poor dear so upset?"

"Hex removals," Everett replied.

"Multiple?"

"Yep. Took it like a champ."

"Really?" She seemed skeptical.

Sirius glared.

"Be nice, Dahlia," Everett warned. "He got roused early. I tell you, it's being strapped down. That's what's getting him so out of shape." He frowned at the Auror and barked, "At least let me get the neck restraint off of him!"

The auror walked closer. "Tell me why and I'll consider it."

The Curse Breaker eyed Sirius and the rest of them, and there was a sudden sense that he'd been "babysitting" the whole lot of them, not just Regulus. That explained why he was so calm and informative.

"Tell me why," the Auror repeated. "I'm sure whatever you learned will be common knowledge by dinner."

Everett glanced at the teenagers in the hall and sighed as he faced the Auror.

"Held down. Strangled."

The Auror swore. "Do it. I'll sign off."

"Thank you!" Everett pulled out his wand and muttered several spells in succession.

The screaming stopped and the flames in the other room immediately extinguished.

The Auror swore again and massaged the bridge of his nose. "You send me your report. I will have the name of the arsehole in my department that made the slab mandatory for him." He took a composing breath and then called in softer tones than he'd used with any of the rest of them. "Regulus? Are you alright in there?"

"…I want…to go home…" was the high-keening whine.

"I know!" The Auror responded. "I know you do." He approached the doorframe of the room.

"I want…I want…"

"Want to see a trick?" The man asked.

"…I dunno…the good kind or…?"

"Yes, yes, the good kind! The good kind, I promise." He sounded sad as he answered.

The man performed a color charm that sent patterns of greens and golds and blues around the room and spilled out into the hall—likely as a means of happy distraction.

"I can do that," was the soft, snobby observation.

"Oho? You'll have to show me once they return your wand. I'll vouch for it, so they'll let you perform a little underage magic-"

"Pffft. I don't need my wand."

Abruptly, a kaleidoscope of light and color erupted. Scattered prisms were everywhere—more robust and colorful and intricate than the previous display.

"You're…quite good."

"Yes."

"How did you get so good?"

"…Practice."

"Without your wand?"

"She'd steal it from me sometimes. Or Mum and Dad would say no more tonight…or you're out and about. If you don't use a wand, it's hard for them to trace it to you. It gets dismissed as accidental magic, usually."

"Clever boy. Where did you practice, mostly?"

"…At home…"

"Only at home?"

"Where else would I be? Father is…gone and Mother is…unwell."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Do you have anyone to help you?"

"…No…no, there's no one. No one but Kreacher…house elf."

"No? What about your brother, he seems very-"

"I don't have a brother."

Sirius's frame went very tense.

"Pretty certain you do, young man."

"No. He hates us. Lots of people do. They all hope we die in here."

Sirius's breathing went ragged.

"In Grimmauld Place?" The man clarified.

"Yeah."

"Now, now, I can't believe that. I know I don't want you or your mother to die in Grimmauld. That would be terrible. That's why Alastor and I are working so hard there."

"Mother wouldn't want you there, going through our-"

"We have your mother's express permission as of this morning."

Sirius gasped and he shuffled forward to better eavesdrop.

"Is she… better?" There was so much cautious hope in Regulus's voice.

"I dare say she is. At last."

"Does she…wonder where I am?"

"You were the first subject she wanted to discuss."

"I'm her favorite," Regulus purred. "Father likes Siri, but Mother likes me best."

"I'm sure they love you both."

"Can I see her? If I'm good? If I, um, if…no fires?"

"I know you're a good lad, but I think she needs a few more days. As I understand it, she'll need to undergo the same procedure you had. Well? Any words of warning? Does she light up a room as you do?"

"…Don't tell Father. You can tell Mother—it'll amuse her. But don't tell him about me."

"Why, Regulus? You manage it well. Pardon the expression, but you seem more flash than bang. I don't think you hurt people unless they're hurting you. Right? Why would he be angry?"

"…H-he'll get scared. I'm so different from Siri. Siri is like him."

"You favor your mother?"

"She says to humor him until he leaves and then she teaches me useful things."

"What about Brother? Does she teach him, too?"

"No. Siri's like Father. They don't have the disposition for it."

Dark Arts.

They were all thinking it.

James moved closer to better hear.

Sirius trembled, nostrils flaring with instinctive hate for the ancestral Dark Magic and lore that his mother adored. How often had the marauders heard him vent about it?

"For what?" the Auror pressed.

"Beast extermination."

Sirius gave a flat, "Wot?"

"…That's right. That's right. I read that. Your mother is a specialist—a reserve exterminator-"

"Expert! Witch Weekly said she's practically an artist and a role model!" Regulus gushed. "Even the veterans put her on par with Grandfather! Not that he'll admit it because he's an old goat-"

"And your father wouldn't be alright with what she's teaching you?"

"…You can't tell him. You mustn't. He worries about me playing Quidditch. It's the limit of strenuous activity he wants for me. S'not fair. I want to go thestral-riding, like Maman and Grandfather. He'd let Siri do it," he noted sourly. "If he asked. I know it. He always lets Siri do things and then when I'm the same age as Siri was, he reneges-"

"Yes, well, you might want to rest up a bit more before signing up for…thestral riding."

"I'm stronger than I seem."

"Of that, I have no doubt. But why would he be displeased with your mother for sharing her knowledge?"

"He wouldn't like… that Mother takes me along sometimes."

"To?"

"Her job."

"Her…office?"

"I'm not squeamish. I'm not stupid. I'm not clumsy. I'm not defiant. I listen and I obey so I get to come. It's fine. Her father took her and she takes me. It's tradition."

Sirius had chewed the insides of his cheeks raw by the time the Auror eventually led Regulus out (who'd been complaining that his legs felt funny and the Auror suggested walking a little).

He was happily chatting about missions their mother had taken him on.

"And she was very firm. She said, 'Reggie, you hold this tail where I tell you or you will suffer and die horribly. And if that comes to pass, you will have no dessert this evening.'"

"…Manticore hunt?" The Auror guessed, looking rather gray.

"Yes! It was quite educational."

"I understand your father's reservations about this."

Regulus frowned. "Why? We had to do something fun. Siri was at school and I was still too little to go and he wasn't writing me much…anymore. Derek was sick that autumn and Father was far away on business. It was the perfect time."

Too young to go to Hogwarts, but old enough to be dangled in front of a manticore?

Sirius's hands clenched.

How did that seem reasonable?! And how could Mum keep that from Dad? Or ask Reggie to hide it…from his father and his brother?

For a moment, he stared numbly at the stonework of the hallway trying to remember being a second-year Hogwarts student and the kinds of kiddie letters he'd received from Reggie. His mates had teased him over it and had read some aloud in the Great Hall chuckling over all the "Maman took me here," and "Maman took me there," and there was "good ice cream" or "big grassy hills" or "marshlands that were icky."

The tone of the letters were usually somewhere between boasting and 'See, Siri? I can be interesting, too…even if I'm not telling you exactly what I'm up to.'

Was secrecy something he'd been forced to learn from Mother first?

Was that one of the hexes they'd removed?

If his little brother had told him bluntly: "Maman made me carry a manticore's tail today," he'd have written Dad. Immediately.

If only to make absolutely sure Reggie was exaggerating. Like he was carrying an old pickled jar with a fragment in it or a frightening looking plaster of one that had been long dead.

That his baby brother had been given leave to handle something that could kill him…

"Be honest. How dangerous is he?" James asked. "How often will he just… combust like that? What kind of risks are involved being around him?"

That rankled the female Curse Breaker who had hair cropped so short it seemed like peach fuzz. She had piercings engraved with spells of good fortune and a tattoo around one eye that had been jinxed and had a milky green tint to it.

"Oi, no one and nothing caught. Hell, even in the thick of it back then—he didn't burn his house down. And look at him, his clothes are barely charred."

Sirius swallowed and tried not to imagine his little brother burning the place down with his family? His attackers? Inside it with him.

"That could've been messy to cover up. A London neighborhood burning down like that," Peter mused.

"Pete!" Sirius took notice of his mates again and was grateful for the distraction. "Thank you, Pete!" He eagerly accepted the owl who tried to nip at his fingers. "Archimedes only does that to me. Remember? Reggie? Look!"

It was something that Sirius stifled an oath and let an owl bite him to prove a point.

But it was worth it when Regulus began reaching for his owl and looking at Sirius in curiosity. "Archi…Archimedes…only does that to…"

"Only to me," Sirius agreed. "Only to Siri."

He'd made the mistake years ago to prank Reggie while he was handing off a letter to Archimedes and the bird never forgave him.

Regulus stared at him. "You're…?"

"Yes! Yes! It's me, Reggie."

He frowned. "You're…you're not…how I remember."

"Yeah, you've been real vocal on that," James muttered.

"James!" Sirius growled. "Leave off." He turned to Reggie again and set the owl into his brother's outstretched arms. "My hair's longer. I'm taller. Older. But I am still me. And I will never ever hate you so—"

"But you said-"

"I'm very sorry. Sometimes you…you say awfully stupid things because you want to win an argument. Want to win it instead of resolving it. You want it to-to hurt because you feel hurt and you think sharing it will lessen it. But it doesn't." He took a shaky breath. "And you get lazy and you forget about it or you try to forget about it or you lie and you tell yourself: O they know I don't really mean it and—I-I'm sorry."

Regulus mulled that over but his eyes narrowed. "You said it a lot."

Sirius nodded and choked, "Yes. I'm sorry for all of it. For each one."

The look of mistrust turned to open curiosity and hurt. "Why would you say it so much, if you didn't mean it?"

"Like you say, I'm 'The Prat,' right? I heard a rumor at school that…that's your nickname for me, now." And that contempt really hurt when a younger Regulus had held him in such esteem…

When it wasn't just Pureblood societal disapproval using his brother as a mouthpiece…

When he really had fallen in his brother's eyes…

Regulus nodded as if this was an acceptable fact.

Sirius braced himself and scrubbed his nose on his sleeve. "I'm sorry I earned that. Must be…must be really scary being in so much danger. Not having Mum and Dad for help and thinking…" He forced in a breath. "Thinking you can't go to your big brother."

Regulus's mouth trembled and he stayed quiet, petting Archimedes.

Sirius continued, "That home isn't safe. And you have to pretend like everything's okay or things might get worse."

Regulus sniffled and continued focusing on his bird. The owl leaned into the touch.

"You're a good owl, Archimedes," his brother murmured assuringly.

That an owl might've been the only source of affection his brother had since everything crumbled…

"I want this to be perfectly clear. Can you listen, real close? Can you do that for me, Little Brother."

His brother fidgeted a little uncomfortably. "…Alright…"

"Look at me, please? Thanks. I don't want you or Mum or Dad to die, okay? I promise. I don't want that."

Regulus gave him a shrewd look. "On your magic?"

"On my magic. On our blood. Still listening?"

"Yes." And he'd straightened up a bit.

"Good. Because this is important. This is the most important part. So pay attention." He'd talk like that before a prank when they were little and the world was simple.

And Regulus faced him earnestly, looking so painfully like the baby brother who'd hang off his every word again.

"Little brothers aren't allowed to die before older brothers do. It's a rule. So you have to do everything you can to be smart and stay safe. Can you do that for Big Brother?"

Regulus frowned and pouted. "Why is everything on me? Why aren't you-"

Sirius set his hands on his brother's shoulders. "I will do absolutely all I can to make you safe. But that won't matter if we aren't working together. We have to be a team about it. Promise Big Brother."

But the time of Regulus blindly following his lead was over.

"Don't want to."

"Regulus," he scolded. "You listen to your elder brother."

"Why?" Regulus crossed his arms. "You're not being smart or safe. You're being thick. Don't you get it? Haven't you figured it out?"

Usually, that smug superior look ignited instinctive sibling rivalry, but Sirius only felt weary now.

"No. Tell me…please."

"If Bella's after me, then she isn't after you. Isn't that better for you?"

Remus felt his stomach churning.

The sickening feeling of sinking…sinking…sinking right through the floor and then going deeper.

There was no silence or artifice obscuring the truth.

Hadn't they wanted that? For Regulus to come clean and explain things?

But the more he shared…

It was clear that the truth was vile and twisted and sick.

"Never." Sirius inhaled and exhaled and repeated, "Never."

Regulus stared, jaw slacking at being caught off guard for a moment, before he rallied, "But she knows where you go. All of your internships, dates, grocery shopping, quidditch, everything. She and her friends know everything about you and your mates and your routines. They make a point to know about everyone who wants to be an Auror. And she hates you and your mudblood-loving mates."

"Oh."

A collective shudder ran through the marauders.

"Is that…how she says it?" Sirius asked tightly.

"No."

"Worse?"

"Yeah."

To have someone like Bellatrix actively plotting against them…all of them…

Regulus stroked Archimedes's feathers once more before setting a hand on one of Sirius's wrists. "But don't worry. Since she can only kill you once, she knows better than to play that right off. I know how to deal with her. As long as I don't make her really angry, you should be safe. But you should probably go. If you keep hovering, she won't buy that we're estranged and she'll probably do something."

A strong urge to vomit was creeping up on Remus.

Because while much of Regulus's ire seemed founded rather sensibly by rivalry, betrayals, miscommunication and philosophical differences…as the two grew up and grew apart…

The reality that the steadfast determination to drive Sirius away and keep him away with cruel remarks and a refusal to reconcile might have also sprang up from a well-intentioned…sort of…madness…

"Wow… my little brother is so… brave," Sirius complimented, though it looked like he swallowed a bucket of acid as he said it. His hand shook while he brushed dark strands of hair out of his younger brother's overbright eyes.

"Yes," Regulus agreed simply.

He was too deeply entangled to even realize…

"Reggie…" Sirius shook his head at a loss, mouth opening and closing and opening again as he struggled to find the right thing to say.

Regulus assured him, "It's alright. I know she's a better duelist than you are. She's faster-"

"Reggie-"

"But I won't let her hurt you. I'll hold her back while you get awa—"

"NO! Nonono…no, Reggie. That's-no-that's not alright. That will never—I will NEVER agree to that."

Regulus looked surprised and pulled his hand back.

Sirius grabbed it and tugged him closer. "We will find another way. That's what Aurors and Ministry workers, like them, are for. To help us. To help us when we're in peril like this."

"But-"

He took his brother by the shoulders—half-shaking him. "No. No, I love you too much to lose you like that."

Regulus's brows furrowed. "Mum and Dad would be safe, too, I-"

"NO. We'd never want that from you. None of us. Would never ask for it. Never want it. In fact, I can tell you… I…can tell you that you are probably the ONE thing we can all agree on. Mum, Dad, me—we all want you to be with us. Us. Not them. And safe. Much better than for us to be safe but without you."

"…"

Sirius pulled his brother into an embrace. Disliking the proximity, Archimedes flew back to Peter, who gave the owl another treat as he watched the drama unfolding.

"So…So, Bella…talks to you a lot, huh? When she sees you? When she can?" Sirius asked quietly as he rested his head on his brother's.

Regulus nodded.

"Does she…and Cissy…do they…do they make you…" His voice cracked twice. "Do they make you be around the bad people who broke into our house?"

There was a hitching breath and another miserable nod.

"And she probably talks like everything's 'all or nothing,' huh?"

Another nod.

"That's why you're confused." He carded his fingers through his brother's hair. "That's why…I'm going to get Mum and Dad back for you and we won't let the baddies around you anymore. Okay?"

Regulus leaned away from Sirius to look him carefully in the face and then, satisfied by what he found there, moved back in to embrace his brother.

"I missed you, Siri."

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Because…finally there's some fluff. XD