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

AN: What?! Another chap? I must be trying to win back the base or something ;P

Thank you readers, old and new, that are still interested in this!

Chapter 20: Medical Mix-ups and Fashion Faux-pas

James was tired, hungry, stressed, angry, and at the end of his patience.

He wanted justice for Regulus. Really, he did.

He also really wanted the little berk to shut up.

The Curse Breakers, the Auror, his friends and James were all escorting Regulus down to the lobby to get him signed out.

Apparently, James's parents were waiting there. They had written permission from Pollux to watch over Regulus until the man returned in the evening.

Regulus was not to be on any of the Black Family properties until new safety wards were installed.

Some of the boy's clothing was charred and bits were cracking or flaking off.

It really bothered Sirius; he'd already promised Regulus they'd get him something new and more resilient; dragon leathers were popular. In style. They'd work it out.

"C'mon, this way." Sirius guided his brother to the left.

"I was really good at clearing out pixie infestations, Siri. I kept hoping we'd run into one and I'd get to show you."

He just wouldn't belt up.

"I'll remember," Sirius replied with an exhausted sort of amiability that was hurting James to hear.

Sirius was determined not to upset his brother, even when Regulus parroted the foul words of others with a casualness that made James's blood boil.

It was on the fifth time he'd said "mudblood" that James finally snapped about whether "'Muggleborn' was just too hard a word for Reggiekins to master—"

"Muggleborn is a mouthful. And it's too different. Pureblood. Halfblood. Mudblood follows the syllable convention."

"No one wants to hear 'mud' as being in their blood," James growled.

"I don't want to hear 'muggle.' They killed us, you know? In the Dark Ages."

"That was 'ages' ago."

Regulus glared back. "That doesn't make my family less dead. Muggles and Mudbloods infiltrated as servants and they killed the children of lots of old families out of fear, or ignorance, or jealousy, or hate, or greed. From then on, our family's nurseries were spelled against attacks. And that's why Maman says, you should always be vigilant on who you invite into—"

"Fat lot of good that did you against your own."

It was a petty blow and he regretted it, almost immediately. The looks of shock that crossed Sirius's and Remus's faces made James feel shame.

Regulus wasn't fazed. "I was in the hallway, stupid!"

"Regulus," Sirius scolded—harkening back to an older dynamic that James wasn't very familiar with. "Don't be rude. Mother and Father wouldn't approve of you yelling in a hospital. People are resting and recovering here."

"But, but-"

"Regulus."

"I apologize for the volume, but not for what I've said. It's the truth. Families like his dishonor their dead by forgetting them."

"Regulus, no one asked you for a history lesson," Sirius stated firmly.

"Fine. But I didn't ask for his advice either. And his is less credible than mine."

James gritted his teeth, bracing himself and his family to be insulted as "Blood Traitor filth."

"He's a thief and a bully and a self-righteous prat. He must've stolen Snape's Pensieve, right? That's how you all know about the Cleansing. Nosy. Mean. He didn't steal it to help me. He did it to be a jerk to Sev. He's no hero in this."

That rattled him.

Being viewed in…those terms…those facts…

"Regulus! Hush. Regardless of the circumstances, it is fortunate that we learned of this instance. Father would tell you-"

Sirius was starting to talk more formally, in that slightly stilted way customary in old wizarding families.

That made James frustrated.

The way Regulus responded to it, which encouraged Sirius to use it even more, made James's temper rise.

That uncanny way Regulus could rouse that in Sirius...

"But Siri, I'm not wrong. He is those things." He frowned in contemplation. "You're those things, too."

Sirius didn't scold him for that observation.

"I'd be happy to list out the things you are," James retorted.

But the Auror pulled him back then for a private word.

"Easy lad, I know. I know that it's frustrating. But he's still young enough that it can be changed out with the right questions and the right situations. Attacking him for it won't help, especially, if he has had genuinely bad experiences already. You have to work that through—acknowledge that, yes, some muggles and Muggleborns are bad people."

James opened his mouth to argue, but the Auror continued speaking, "Just like Purebloods. He already knows that about Purebloods. So, you just have to work from there first. As I understand from some of the case, that the witness, the owner of the Pensieve, is a friend and a halfblood."

James struggled with the idea that Snape had any real friends. There were a group of them that sometimes hung out together or partnered up in class, but they all seemed to be more situational allies than friends.

"What I'm saying is, there's progress there. Do not discount it. When asked about his feelings regarding the witness's inaction on his behalf, he said, 'Sev' was more afraid than he was. And he couldn't find fault with him for that. 'Most people fear death more than disloyalty…as they are sensible.' He did not say it was the result of Severus's halfblood status or any such nonsense like that."

James gave an impatient, "Is that all?"

"No. It just brings us to the most important point: You can disagree with him. You can dislike him. You can go vent in a journal or to a counselor or file concerns with committees. You cannot blatantly disrespect him to his face while wearing an Auror's badge and then have the gall to demand respect for your authority because of your office and title. If you really intend this to be your career." He pointed subtly at Regulus. "That is who you are serving. Not just the people you like."

Remus wanted the day to be over.

Peter was back to minding the owl while Reggie kept barking silly orders like, "You have to tell him he's a good owl" and "ruffle his feathers gently, he likes that."

Peter humored him.

It was…very reminiscent of why they didn't invite a younger Regulus to anything and very begrudgingly endured him when they had to.

It was the sixth or seventh time he'd abruptly stopped and turned to make an owl-related request that James nearly tripped over him.

"You need to face forward or I'm going to step on you!" He snapped.

"Here, Reggie. Walk on the other side of me. Out of James's way." Sirius gently moved his brother by the shoulders.

"I don't like you, James," Regulus hissed at the hazel eyed boy.

"Reggie," Sirius sighed.

"Yeah, that's not a secret."

"James?!" Sirius squawked.

"You don't like me," Regulus muttered.

"Also not a secret."

"James, I mean it! Lay off him! That's not fair!"

"Not fair? I'm just not convinced that he's…not blatantly manipulating you."

"James," Sirius growled.

"It's perfect. He's pretty much said everything he needs to…to…to wrap you around his finger."

"If by 'perfect,' you mean everything I never wanted to hear in my life—"

Regulus appraised James coldly. "You'd hurt me if you thought you could get away with it."

James winced. "No, no, I wouldn't do that." Except he looked more earnestly at Sirius than Regulus when he said so. "Why would I do that?"

"You're mean," Regulus supplied. "You're a mean person. You think you're mean to the right people and that makes it alright."

James grew indignant, but before he could retort, they were at the lobby counter.

His very unimpressed father, who'd witnessed the exchange, stated, "He's a civilian, James. Underage. Mortal peril. Drugged. Vulnerable and he just told you he doesn't feel safe with you. What are you going to do about it, prospective Auror Potter?"

"He's a nasty spoiled brat!" James burst—tired of all the lectures. "Really, he's been insufferable the whole bloody time! I know, I've been stuck with him since morning!"

"And my son fails without even attempting civility. Good to know."

The iciness there made James flinch; that his mother said nothing in his defense made him visibly upset.

"Hello, Regulus," Fleamont greeted warmly. "Can I call you Reggie?"

"No."

The older wizard smiled gently. "Alright, Regulus."

"Can I call you, Reggie?" The Auror he'd been speaking with earlier asked. "I'm Lex B. Bones."

"…No."

The other man took the rejection in stride and shared a grin with Mr. Potter.

But even as James gave a 'See?' expression. They both stared back with a 'So? You get over it' look.

"You can call me…Reg or Regs."

Lex looked surprised and then smiled. "Alright, Regs. Glad I got to meet you."

"The pleasure was min…wait, I didn't bow or shake hands," Regulus mumbled at Sirius, as if this was going to get him scolded or lose points from Slytherin.

"I think it's alright," Sirius returned in the same hushed tone.

"Definitely. We had a great chat. All of us." Bones gave Sirius a significant look. "Very helpful. I consider us all nicely acquainted."

"Really?" Regulus asked uncertainly.

"Indeed. I'll be checking in with McKinnon who's heading your case. Might speak with your mother again regarding her…parenting style. Is there anything else you'd like to tell me before I head over there?"

"Hmm…"

"Go on…whatever it is."

"My legs feel funny," Regulus announced.

Lex frowned. "You said that in the chamber. Still? Walking around isn't helping?"

"No."

"Think you gave him too strong a dose?" Lex asked the Curse Breakers, all hard business in his tone again.

"No, we have him on file." The female one rapped her knuckles on the counter and traced symbols—pharmaceutical runes appeared.

"Regulus Black?" A med-witch on the other side of the counter read out.

"Regulus Arcturus Black," Sirius corrected. His eyes flitted over the runes (one of his better subjects—where he trounced them all, even James at it). His gray eyes narrowed at what he read, deciphering the symbols even though they were upside down to him. "That's our dead great uncle."

There was a heavy pause. Remus cringed.

"I said, that record is for our dead great uncle."

"I'm named after him. But not really," Regulus announced. "He died before I was born. Mother always wanted a Regulus. Always. It's the brightest star in the Leo constellation. Lion star. Siri, too. Father wanted a Sirius. He's the dog star. Our names parallel each other in that sense. They match. Isn't that neat?"

Thinking the silence was disinterest, Regulus repeated himself a bit louder, "We're both stars. Isn't that neat? It's astronomy."

"It is very neat, Reggie." Sirius set an affectionate hand on his brother's head to ruffle his hair.

He wasn't remotely as gentle with the Ministry workers as he snarled, "Have all of his prescriptions been based off of this record?!"

Regulus blinked at the sound of silverware squeaking and the dull roar of multiple conversations occurring simultaneously.

His place at the table didn't have silverware. His plate had soft finger sandwiches and there was a sturdy, wooden mug of juice instead of the glass goblets and champagne flutes that accompanied all of the other placemats.

He stared at one unfamiliar face and then another. Both smiled at him kindly but…

Didn't know him. Didn't know her.

Didn't know that house-elf. Or this house, which was comfortable enough if a bit…stale?

There was some manner of "unused-ness" to it. Could smell it in the air…see it in the aura of the place…

Sometimes his perception of auras was strong and sometimes it was weak.

Today he was on.

Was he…having a vision?

A dream?

He felt too corporeal for that but…

He wasn't wearing what he'd been wearing earlier and that was very, very odd.

He plucked at his sleeve in an effort to focus on something real and he looked around again.

It felt melodramatic to consider, but had he been abducted?!

That got him nervous. He tried to fight it down with indignation.

"Where the hell am I!?" He demanded. "I doubt I volunteered to be a dinner party hostage."

The conversations ceased.

"O Thank God! You came out of it. No one could give a good estimate on when you would!" Sirius cried out joyfully from his left side, while throwing down his knife and fork.

Regulus was then pulled sideways and nearly off of his chair into a tight embrace.

"Reggie, I'm so glad you're-"

"My clothes are different."

"Uh-Yes. You…sort of scorched what you were wearing earlier," Sirius explained. "You're borrowing some clothing from Mrs. Pettigrew's supply—"

"Not a worry, dear, we have so much in storage here. It's nice to see it in use." The woman was short and overweight and wore a little too much makeup—noticeable only because the colors were too bright. Her pearls seemed tight against her throat. She wasn't quite garish, but she lacked Mother's sense of elegance in styling herself.

He gazed down at the suit and robes he was "borrowing."

"It's…pastel." It was lilac. He hated lilac. Cissy's wedding colors were white and gray…and lilac.

There was a soft laugh near his ear that sounded almost like a sob.

It was odd—everything here was odd.

If this was really Sirius…why wasn't Sirius letting go of him?

"It doesn't have ruffles. I spared you that indignity," Sirius teased softly.

"Oh, he'd have looked nice in that one, too," Mrs. Pettigrew insisted. "A pretty thing like him looks nice in every fashion."

His eye twitched, but he held in his complaints.

He wasn't "pretty," he was handsome. Boyishly handsome and not mannishly handsome. Not yet. And he tried not to feel put out that Sirius had easily qualified for the latter kind by the time he'd made Fourth Year—immediately taking after their father.

Father and Mother had been rather pleased with that. Their Heir would be strong and tall and handsome. And all of their relatives would make over his brother each time they saw him and comment on his swiftly increasing height and breadth.

No one gave him compliments like that.

It was always manners for him.

But Regulus seemed to be some sort of guest here? So being sour wouldn't really help him.

"I can't stifle my envy." Mrs. Pettigrew sighed. "O Sirius, your lucky mother got two pretty babies in a row. Some of us don't get any."

The unfamiliar woman gasped and Mrs. Potter tutted in disapproval.

Peter sighed, like this was a complaint he heard often.

"You love your children of course. Of course! It's only right. But if I had someone like little Regulus here…what a comfort he'd be. I wondered why your mother didn't let him tag along with you boys over the years. But now that I see him... Oh! She was probably anxious that he'd be snatched away."

He blinked. What the hell was going on?

"You hear about that happening. You read it in the news. Terrible thing. Always the pretty ones. They post pictures of them. Tragic." There was a certain shark-like relish there.

The faint tingling of a vision came over him. With it came the certainty that this woman eagerly read through obituaries, finding comfort in others' losses and measuring them obsessively against her own.

He stared.

"Oh bless him…Just look at those eyes. It's so obvious you're brothers. But I swear, he's a doll. He's like a little porcelain doll," the woman cooed.

He cringed back a little, not liking the intensity of her interest.

His brother held him tighter. And if he was reading his brother's aura right…he didn't like it either.

Mr. Potter was seated at Mrs. Pettigrew's right hand side.

Auror McKinnon was also present. She looked tired and her aura said "sad." Her hair was in a messy bun. "Hello Regulus, glad to have you truly back among us. Now, earlier today, Auror Bones told me you brought some very concerning details to light."

Mr. Potter took that moment to set a sneak-o-scope on the table.

McKinnon sighed. "I realize the timing of this is problematic and will feel like an ambush of sorts. I deeply apologize for that. But if all of the people here are in danger from your cousin, I must ask you directly. Is Bellatrix a Death Eater?"

Regulus froze. If he said yes…there was no telling what Bella would do to retaliate. If he said no, the sneak-o-scope would light up.

His brother's arms tightened around him. "It's alright, Reggie. She can't get you here. We all just need to know. Then, we can plan and be safer."

He turned and looked up at his brother.

Sirius's eyes were bloodshot and his clothing was very sloppy, but he smiled gently and he assured him again, "You're safe with me. You're safe with us." Sirius believed what he was saying but…

"..."

He looked around at a room full of people that weren't…his people: Potter whose aura was dark and his parents whose auras said 'caution,' Pettigrew and his mother who were both morbidly curious, Lupin and…his parents all shared a similar feeling of dread?

Auror McKinnon…was weary and overworked…

And he was just supposed to trust in them?

"The woman asked you a question, Regulus."

He jolted and craned his head to look beyond Sirius and watched, dumbfounded, as his grandfather entered the dining room and took off his traveling cloak to hand it to a house-elf.

Grandfather's energy said he was in no mood to be trifled with.

"I realize you've been drugged all day, but do keep up and try to be the halfwit I'm accustomed to."

Regulus was weighing his options when he noticed a large clock face over the mantle.

"It's a quarter 'til 9! Dammit, I need an owl. I have to let Salem know Potter didn't murder me."

"That is not an appropriate response, boy," Pollux drawled.

"Isn't it though? I've dodged a few tries now."

"As in, that is not an answer to the question you were just asked. What do you remember of today?" Pollux came over—breaking all kinds of seating protocol by summoning a chair and sitting on Regulus's other side and not beyond Sirius, nearer to the host.

"Exams. That brute." He pointed at James. "Him showing up and-and-the Ministry. Had to drink a potion to make the extraction easier. Um. Everyone talking down to me rudely like a stupid child-"

Pollux made a "hmm" sound at that.

Regulus shot him a dirty look. "Then, they brought me to that mirrored room. Fizzing sound in my ears. Walls began rippling like water. My insides and my mind felt whooshy-ness?"

"Because that's a word in the dictionary," the elderly Pureblood drawled. "Anything else?"

No, it would sound too odd.

"Anything more? Go on."

"Archimedes was there? I don't know. Why would my owl be there?"

"Your owl was there. I brought it," Peter spoke. "Sirius thought it would calm you?"

"My owl?"

"You did ask for it," Remus seconded.

"Did… I talk a lot?"

"YES" was the emphatic answer of three marauders.

"The non-mystery of that question," Pollux muttered.

His brother stayed quiet.

"What am I even going to write to Salem? Brain on holiday for eight plus hours?"

Sirius chuckled softly and rested his head against Regulus's, which wasn't really something he did since Regulus was little.

"What the devil is going on with you?" He mumbled.

"I'm so glad you're alive," Sirius choked out.

He knew. Of course. Potter had known. That morning.

Sirius made a sound of grief and pulled him in closer.

They knew as well. Everyone in this room knew then.

And it wouldn't just be a topic of conversation at this table, but ones all over.

He could now have it thrown at him from anywhere.

He shivered.

"Reggie? Reggie, what's wrong?" Sirius asked, voice thick with emotion.

He turned to look at him. "You…you told everyone here?"

That he stole Snape's pensieve, that he'd witnessed the…cleansing…

Was he being trotted out as some type of 'See? This is the Pure Blood mania I detest?'

"Am I…entertainment?" Because it seemed very much like…

"What?! Of course not! I'm giving you allies. Everyone here is someone I trust to keep you safe. I've filed an injunction against Bella! Against Malfoy, Rudolphus, and everyone I could see. If you can remember more, I'll sign more. I need to talk to Mum and Dad and get a defender to make sure we have enough cause and evidence to block Alphard and Cygnus and Cissy."

"Wha…?" He felt numb. "But…how would I…attend Cissy's wedding if—?"

Sirius looked at him like he was mental. "Why would you go?! Reggie!? Why would you even consider—"

"They're family, why wouldn't I go?"

Sirius gripped him by his shoulders. Not tight enough to cause pain. He seemed deathly scared of causing him pain, but he wouldn't let go either.

"They hurt you! They let others hurt you! They didn't keep you safe! They left you bleeding! And they knew it! Didn't take you to hospital! Didn't send anyone! Didn't bloody check on you and Mum?!"

"But they didn't hurt me. Cissy didn't hurt me. Our uncles didn't-"

"Didn't help you either," he hissed. "And-and-Mum!"

"We didn't stand aside, like we're supposed to. And why are you so angry at Alphard? You like him. You're his favorite. He's so fond of you."

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say.

"HE HAD THE AUDACITY TO LOOK ME IN THE FACE AFTER LEAVING YOU LIKE THAT!"

Well, at least his brother's rage was more reminiscent of Mum's than Bella's.

"HOW COULD THEY LIVE WITH THEMSELVES?!" Sirius demanded.

He repeated that several times, sounding more unhinged with each exclamation.

"Treacherous scum! They're treacherous scum and you would suffer them for a wedding?!"

"You sound like Mum with all that screeching." That should've scandalized him into defensiveness or silence.

Instead…

"You think Mum would want you there!? Would give her blessing? You must've been planning to go alone? Alone? Regulus? Fourteen? At a wedding? Among people who have NO regard for your safety and copious amounts of alcohol? You know damn well, Father wouldn't want you attending public events by yourself! It's dangerous. Even if our relatives weren't homicidal or apathetic, our family has enemies! Could be followed! Could be drugged! Could be taken and ransomed!"

Regulus looked to Pollux, who seemed dreadfully amused.

"Regulus Arcturus Black, don't you look away from me whilst I am talking to you!"

It was a risky move, but Regulus went for it: "I don't think you have the authority to be making this speech to me."

"WHAT?!"

"I will vouch for him," Pollux replied simply. "In the absence of your parents, your older brother is your most immediate family member. Take your scolding, you've earned it."

"But he's a Blood Traitor!" He refuted, shocked that their grandfather was siding with Sirius.

"How do you even rationalize that?!" Sirius raged, letting go of him to gesture wildly.

His proximity and volume was making Regulus's ears ring.

"How do you suppose that I am the blood traitor and Bella is not when she's the one who'd gleefully murder her own flesh and blood! You're being stupid! Obtuse! Nonsensical!"

Regulus rallied, "Y-you need to drop the charges or you'll make everything worse—a thousand times worse for us. You want to be free to frolic with your mudblood friends and sympathizers—Fine! But you don't get to do this! You don't get to waffle back and forth. Go to them! We don't need you! You're not painting a target on us again!"

Sirius turned white with fury. "Don't. Say. That. Word. In this company!"

"Oh, I'll say it! I'll say it as loud and as often as I want! As much as I have to, so they won't bother us again!"

"Regulus, I swear to God-"

"-Not listening! They will kill us, you idiot!" He started shaking even more and the silverware began clattering in response as his magic got away from him.

Sirius pulled him into an embrace again, even as he resisted.

Regulus hissed, "It'll be graphic and horrible and they'll leave us in a very public spot as a warning to other Purebloods! I mean, if our House is going to fail, it can at least be done in privacy!"

"You'd rather starve to death in Grimmauld Place than make an alliance with everyone here?" Sirius demanded.

"Versus what? Watching Maman get ripped apart in a public square! No one gets to bear two blood traitors! No one!"

"I wouldn't let that happen!"

"You-you stupid git!" He slapped at his brother's shoulder, but the prat wouldn't let him go. "The overture already has!"

"I won't let it happen again!"

He stopped struggling to stare at him in disbelief. "You're delusional! You think because your little clique rules the school that the world at large will fall in line? You're not powerful enough to take on that many enemies. All you'll manage to do is widen the scope! Like anyone here needs that. Those are the Lupins, right? Like, they don't have enough to deal with already? And Pettigrew, isn't it? A widow with her only child? Oh yes, I'm sure they want to be part of a murderous conspiracy plot. Then, there's the oldest Auror I've ever seen. He's going to take his evening medical potions and sleep through our being killed! That'll be helpful!"

"Regulus, that is enough! You apologize—"

"God, do I have to spell things out for you?!"

"Yeah! Spell it out because I don't get it."

"YES! She's a Death Eater. Bloody hell, you don't need my crystal ball to see that one coming!"

"And?"

"The best thing you can do for yourself and for them is to lay low and NOT get her attention. Leave it be. At present she's more fixated on me and my not being like you, so consider yourself-"

"Lucky? You think I should…" Sirius started laughing darkly. "Feel lucky?"

"Better me than you or your mates, right?" He tried to sneer. "I'm sure Potter can convince you if given half a chance. And by next week, this bout of conscience will ebb. I've always been awfully forgettable to you. Why change what works for you?"

"That's enough. Auror, what else do you need to know?" Pollux asked. "Oh, don't look at me that way, Sirius. You gave and you got. You can also let him go. I doubt he has the energy to storm off."

Regulus hated that he was right.

His brother didn't release him from his hold.

And he didn't want to remember that time they climbed a tree and the branch broke and Sirius was all that kept him from falling. How Siri screamed at the top of his lungs for Father to come save them…

It felt similar, somehow.

It made him feel guilty to hate that arm now…

Especially when, Sirius spoke with a softness that was somehow worse than him screaming:

"…I don't want him to disappear."

"…"

"You haven't seen what-"

"I have," Pollux replied.

"We still haven't shown you the Pensieve, sir," James stated.

"No, the Curse-Breakers shared the memory with me. This early evening, I got it in its entirety."

He maintained eye contact with Regulus as he said it.

"My…my side of it," Regulus deduced.

"It gets…worse?" Sirius held him tighter. "Doesn't it?"

Pollux was blunt, "Stop feeling sorry for him. Regulus made a choice and there were consequences."

Oddly enough, the callousness made Regulus feel a bit better.

Sirius? Not so much.

"GRANDFATHER!?" And the glasses everywhere shattered.

"Control yourself!" Their grandfather demanded.

"He did not deserve that!" The room shuddered and vases exploded.

"Did I say that? Did I say your brother deserved it?" The elder man snapped. "If I believed that, would I be aiding in this investigation?"

"Naturally," Regulus scoffed, "you need all the facts before you confront Bella." He put on a mocking voice in imitation of Pollux. "'Honestly girl, attempted murder—that's the sort of half-arsed performance and lack of follow-through that plagued your N.E.W.T.s, too. It's a relief for the House of Black that you're a Lestrange now. We have certain standards of evil here.'"

There was was a hard beat of silence before—

Pollux roared with laughter. And at the horrified looks of the other attendees, laughed harder until he was nearly wheezing.

On recovering, he set a hand on Regulus's head.

"See? That's why you're my favorite grandchild and I just can't have you dying so easily."

Regulus's eyes narrowed at his brother.

He was doing everything wrong.

He carefully handed him a stack of folded pajamas, more clothes, from Mrs. Pettigrew's storage closet.

He should've thrown them at his face or tried to set them on his head while dodging a retaliatory swat.

The adults were still talking downstairs when it was deemed "bedtime" for the rest of them.

And when it was time to turn in, Sirius physically led him to the guest room—keeping a hand on his shoulder to steer him like he was ten years old again.

There were two large bunk beds.

He was going to laugh his arse off if Grandfather had to make use of these.

Sirius motioned to the bottom bunk.

Exhausted, he flopped onto it.

"No, you don't. Move over." Sirius gave him a gentle shove so he could sit down. "We're sharing."

"What? Why?"

The marauders.

Of course. This was their room when they all stayed over.

"Uh, Pads, think we need to vote on…the sleeping arrangements," James muttered. "Don't know if we want to share a room with a…Sparkler. Unless we have some sort of plan in place to-"

Regulus rolled his eyes. "You can sleep outside, Potter. I won't object."

James glared. "For someone in a bad way, you don't make caring easy."

Without another word, Sirius got up and led Regulus away to an attic guest room that wasn't nearly as spacious or comfortable as the previous room.

It had elements that suggested it used to be a playroom with certain hooks and cubby spaces. There was a neat window seat.

Sirius left as he was inspecting it.

That was just as well.

He released a breath and focused.

A vision fizzed at the edges of his mind that there were lots of feelings fluttering through the space—

He startled when the door shut.

Sirius had returned. His brother used his wand to magic out the rollaway mattress from beneath the bed and sorted the bedding in his arms between both mattresses.

"You don't have to…I can-"

"Be all alone up here in a creepy attic thinking about our evil cousin who tried to kill you? No."

There was a staleness to the sheets and coverlets, but they seemed surprisingly thick for springtime.

"Umm?"

"If I remember right, there was a bit of a draft. If it gets too cold, let me know and we'll head back down. James can deal with it."

"O-okay... Do you need a pillow?

"Sure."

He handed one over.

"Oh, I get the one with ruffles, huh?"

"Yes."

Sirius chuckled a bit as he set it under his head. "Lights on or off?"

"Off."

Sirius stared. "You sure?"

He felt a sting of embarrassment because, yes, when Sirius had jumped ship the Third-Year-Regulus he'd left behind still hadn't liked the dark very much.

"Yes."

The room plunged into darkness until Sirius enchanted some bubbles to glow.

"You don't…have to do that…anymore."

Not having enough candles to waste or energy to cast lighting spells had made him familiar, if not comfortable with the dark.

"It's self-preservation so you don't trample me on your way to the loo at 3AM."

He didn't expect to laugh, but did. "Wise."

There was silence until he heard sniffling.

"Wot?"

There was breathing that kept hitching.

"Woooot?"

"…She broke your face," Sirius sounded wounded.

"Huh?"

"She broke your face."

"Err." Yes. She did.

There was a shaky inhalation. "I've known your face my whole life. She broke it—to…to something unrecognizable—no one...no one is allowed to…to…do that to you…"

"Sirius?"

"You called for me and I wasn't there."

He knew something of this feeling: shock, horror, shame, grief.

There were differences though.

Regulus had known despair—as his whole concept of home in its every incarnation and angle shattered.

He hadn't known guilt.

Helplessness, oh yes…

And there'd been more humiliation and ruin than he knew what to do with, but not guilt.

Sirius felt guilt.

"I wasn't there to protect you."

That seemed to be the crux of what was darkening his aura.

Yes, he was and wasn't responsible for the Cleansing.

Maybe there was some vindication in hearing that? But it didn't feel as good as a thirteen-year-old him had thought it would.

"When…Mum realized what was happening, she told me to stay in my room," Regulus offered. "I didn't."

He wouldn't say that he'd brought it on himself, but…"I shouldn't have gone into the hall."

Grandfather had made a valid point: he'd made a choice.

"If I hadn't-"

"That's our house."

"Yes, but-"

"No. That's our house. You can be wherever you goddamn please in it because it's our house. They broke in and they hurt you."

"…Yeah." But there really wasn't anything that could be done about it now. And getting this angry…

"Could've died."

"But I didn't. You know, lots of things could go wrong and they don't. And sometimes they do and you just have to keep going. You can't…get stuck on—"

"He was wrong. Later. Snape. Stopping you getting to me. I'd have helped. You were bleeding. You were bleeding so much. Then and even after. 'Won't stay together,' you said."

Or maybe there was something to the perspective? Of being outside of time and helpless? That watching it through a pensieve wasn't...safer, like one would think it'd be?

"You wanted Big Brother. You knew Big Brother would've carried you to the Hospital Wing. You were so hurt. He let you fall while you were so hurt. Could've-could've…worsened. Just left you there? Couldn't tell me!? Knows where our dorm is. I know he knows! Could say it was a bludger. A bludger got your little brother. I'd have gone. To check on you. Got him in the face? Right then that minute. His jaw won't stay on? I'd have ran there!"

"Siri…are you alright?"

"No. No. Noo. You don't get it. They said, 'Siri, here's your baby brother! This is Reggie! Careful, hold him careful, love. Look how he smiles for his big brother. He loves you.' And you were with me. You were there with me from then on. With me. Just like you're supposed to be. Yes, I get angry sometimes. You break things, you do stupid things, and I say things. But I never mean it, I never do! But you said, 'Maybe I will.'"

Regulus had no idea precisely what he was on about or what to do. "Wot?"

"And you can't mean it either. You can't. Ever. You can't ever disappear. How will I be your Big Brother without you!?"

"Siri?"

"You're part of my life and you're supposed to stay in it. No one is allowed to take you away!"

It felt weird having to comfort the person whose familial defection was the whole reason he'd gotten assaulted in the first place but…

That was where he found himself, sitting on the flat lumpy roll out mattress awkwardly patting his older brother's back while the latter bawled into his shoulder.

"You can't die. You can't die. You can't."

But he would.

He didn't have the heart to tell him— he'd already foreseen it. Not all of the specifics, but enough.

Still couldn't quite pin the year—it'd be 1978 or 1979.

Just enough time to try and arrange things as best he could, to pay enough dues and be owed enough favors that his family members would be safe on whichever side of the impending war they wound up on.

"Promise your Big Brother!"

Regulus embraced him consolingly.

"Promise me!"

"I love you, Big Brother. Everything will be alright…"

Sirius slumped in relief.

For you.

Read & Review Please! : D

BOOM! And now the title FINALLY makes sense, right? XDDD

O, it only took us a couple years to get here. Thanks for reading! XDDDD