Content Warning: Loss of a loved one. Don't worry it's not as bad as it sounds.

"Sirius! Sirius, wake up!"

Sirius frowned, curling up into a tighter ball against the curve of Remus' body behind him. He most certainly would not wake up…

"Sirius, mate, I need to talk to you," James hissed urgently from the other side of the curtain.

Sirius groaned and opened his eyes. It was still dark. "Prongs, go to sleep. You can tell me 'bout your new quidditch strategy at breakfast, alright?"

"It's not about Quidditch, idiot. Get up, it's important!"

Sirius looked longingly over his shoulder at his sleeping boyfriend. Remus mumbled something unintelligible and the arm he had draped over Sirius' waist tightened. Sirius whined softly in annoyance, he was far too comfortable wrapped up in bed to worry about whatever James just had to tell him at Godric knows what hour.

"Sirius, please!"

With an aggravated sigh, he caved in and carefully removed himself from Remus' grasp. He grabbed the t-shirt that he had thrown off last night and slid it over his head.

"S'rius?" Remus' half-asleep voice mumbled. "Where y'going?"

"Prongs is having some sort of mid-morning crisis, Moons." He looked over to see one of Remus' bright eyes peeking open just slightly. "Go back to sleep, babe."

"No, wait!" Before either of them could say or do anything, James ripped open the bed curtain and crawled right in. "If you're both up I need both of you!"

Sirius stared at him in confusion. "Alright, is someone dying or something? What's this important?"

"If no one's dead yet, someone's going to be…" Remus muttered, pulling the covers tightly around himself and turning back onto his side, his slightly yellow-tinged eyes glaring at James.

James sighed and reached into the pocket of his sweatshirt, chucking a piece of Honeydukes' Best Chocolate at Remus, who flinched when it hit him right in the center of his forehead.

"Asshole…" Remus mumbled. Regardless, he sat up and started unwrapping the chocolate. "Fine, we're up. What do you want?"

James waited while Sirius crawled back up the bed and made himself comfortable in Remus' lap yawning and resting his head on the werewolf's shoulder. Sirius gave James a lazy wave to continue and James heaved a sigh.

"I don't think Mary likes kissing me."

Remus stopped chewing the mouthful of chocolate he had just bitten off and blinked his large, glowing eyes at his friend. Sirius snorted loudly and hid his face in Remus' chest. Remus gave Sirius a light smack on the head as James glared at his best friend.

"It's not funny, Black!"

"What the bloody hell do you mean? You guys are constantly slipping off!" Laughed Sirius.

"But that's the thing…" James muttered.

Sirius frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Sirius," Remus interjected, his eyes still on James' humiliated face. "Let James finish."

"Mary… she thinks that I'm just doing it to make Evans jealous or something," James admitted quietly, playing with the sleeve of his shirt and avoiding his friend's eyes. "Apparently I choose 'inconvenient times' to pull her aside."

"Meaning?" Remus asked.

"When Lily's around." He groaned and took off his glasses to rub his eyes.

The curtains rustled around them and suddenly Peter's head popped in. "Oi, are we having a meeting? Why didn't anyone wake me?"

"It's not a meeting," James said firmly. "Everything's fi-"

"Prongs thinks Mary doesn't like his snogging skills," Sirius said, earning a smack from both James and Remus. "What?! It's true!"

Peter chuckled and squeezed himself between James and Remus. "You're having trouble with your girl so you went to your gay mates for help?"

"I'm panicking so I went to my best friend and now the whole bloody dorm is in on my problems," James growled in annoyance.

"Not the whole dorm," Peter remarked. "Frank's still asleep."

"He's a bloody heavy sleeper, isn't he?" Sirius asked with a slight tone of awe. "Sleeps through nearly all our shit… bloke deserves a medal for that."

Remus and Peter nodded in agreement and James made a frustrated noise. He pulled his wand out and set a silencing charm on the bed.

"Hello! Having a problem here!" He stuffed his wand back in his pocket. "It's embarrassing and… and I think it's starting to upset Mary a bit. She thinks I'm not attracted to her because-"

"Bloody hell, Prongs not you too!" Peter practically whined. "I mean, these two are enough, but I can't be the only straight bloke-"

James shoved Peter roughly. "Lily! Because she thinks I'm still on about Lily, so I don't want her! Bloody hell you lot are annoying!"

Sirius, Remus, and Peter all sat quietly for a moment as they mulled over what James had said.

"Well," Remus started thoughtfully. "Are you?"

Again there was silence. James seemed to struggle with his answer, bringing his knees up to his chest and tugging at his hair.

"I've given up on Evans," He said finally, though not at all convincingly. "We're friends now, and I don't want to ruin that."

"That doesn't really answer the question, though," Peter deduced. "It's fine you've made a choice not to pursue Lily anymore, but that doesn't mean you're over her."

"Exactly," Remus added, taking another bite of chocolate before Sirius managed to steal it from him. "It may not be that she doesn't like kissing you, rather she thinks you don't want to kiss her."

James gaped at the others in disbelief. "But…" He sighed. "I like Mary! She's attractive and she's nice and she laughs at our pranks instead of telling us to grow up! Why wouldn't I want to?" Then he pointed to Sirius. "What about Padfoot?"

Sirius frowned. "Er… What about me?"

"You didn't have a problem snogging every other bent bloke in school even though you really wanted Remus! No one ever said anything like that to you!"

"That's different," Sirius shrugged.

"How?"

"Sirius is a slut," Remus supplied flatly, ignoring the mock hurt expression on his boyfriend's face. "He snogged Lockhart, for Merlin's sake. He hates that peacock. Don't compare yourself to him. It's not a bad thing that you don't want to go around kissing a girl you don't have feelings for-"

"Of course, I have feelings for Mary. She is-"

"A very nice, attractive girl with a great personality and all that, I'm sure." Sirius waved dismissively. "But you aren't in love with the girl, mate. And I guess you're one of those types where it shows."

James chewed at his bottom lip, looking around at his friends. "So, what should I do?"

All three of the other boys shrugged.

"That's on you, mate." Sirius sighed. "You can keep going out with Mary and hope that you eventually do love her, because she is all those things, or you can break it off and… I don't know… wait to see what happens I guess…"

—-

Breakfast was a little awkward that morning. Mostly it was because James and Mary were acting as if nothing was wrong. In fact, they seemed more like a couple than ever. They sat very close together, feeding each other off their own plates and laughing over things the other couldn't hear.

"I guess he's decided to keep going out…" Sirius muttered to Peter and Remus, who both shrugged and went about making their own plates.

The owls flew in overhead, dropping parcels and envelopes here and there. James finally pulled his attention away from Mary to receive his weekly letter from his mother.

"Pads, would you stop writing to Mum more than me? She's getting on my bloody case."

Sirius grinned. "It's not my fault she loves me more."

"You're a kiss-up." James accused, shaking his head and folding the letter back up.

"It's not kissing- up, it's gratitude," Sirius argued around a mouth full of toast. "And I'm just naturally more loveable."

"Shit," Marlene muttered from behind a copy of The Daily Prophet. "Merlin, there's been more disappearances!"

James and Sirius stopped their banter immediately and everyone else paused what they were doing to listen.

"What's happened?" Lily asked, sounding anxious as her eyes drifted across the great hall to the Slytherin table where Snape and a few others were also huddled around a copy of the paper.

Marlene hesitated, looking at Lily nervously. "Well, it's… they can't quite say for sure…"

"Here," James said as he reached across the table and took the paper from Marlene. "'A sudden rise in Muggles gone missing from their homes around Great Britain could be linked to the radical wizarding group calling themselves 'The Deatheaters' – Merlin, you'd think they'd come up with a better name, wouldn't you?"

Lily licked her lips. "Is there more?"

James nodded and adjusted his glasses. "Er… 'The Deatheaters are followers of the man calling himself The Dark Lord Voldemort, who believes that Muggles and those born to non-magical families are tainting the Wizarding world, and wishes to cleanse the bloodlines of Wizarding families once more.' Impossible, what are we meant to do? Just keep marrying each other?"

Sirius shrugged. "That's how it works with the Black Family."

James continued to read. "'In the last week, there have been several new reports of missing Muggles, as well as sightings of an eerie skull-shaped cloud that appears within miles of where said Muggles lived.'" He put the paper down. "There isn't much as far as details, just more about what this nutter Voldemort thinks he'll be able to accomplish." He rolled his eyes.

"If he gathers enough followers, why not?" Mary said quietly.

James shook his head. "Nah. There aren't enough idiots who will blindly follow some jackass on his mission to wipe out an entire race of people… basically just the Blacks and the Malfoys, right Sirius?"

"And the Averys, and the Notts, and the Carrows…" Sirius muttered, ticking off his father's friends in his head. James kicked him under the table and jerked his head toward Lily and Mary who were both looking quite shaken. Sirius cleared his throat. "But there's plenty more families out there that don't think that way, yeah?"

"It doesn't matter," Remus said darkly. "If this man knows how to frighten people into joining up, you'd be surprised how quickly he gains followers… it sounds like some sort of Wizard Holocaust."

"A what?" Sirius asked.

"This Muggle man back in the 40s, Hitler, tried to create this superior race by killing millions and millions of people. It all started a lot like this, actually."

"That… that couldn't happen in the Wizarding World, right?" Mary asked, looking at James for confirmation.

James and Sirius exchanged a look. James turned back to Mary, trying to come up with something comforting to say when they were interrupted.

"Mr. Black," said Professor McGonagall, who had appeared behind them. "Headmaster Dumbledore would like to see you in his office immediately."

James, Remus, and Peter all turned to look at him in surprise and he shrugged before facing the Deputy Headmistress, flashing a charming grin.

"Whatever it is, I can honestly say this time, I didn't do it."

McGonagall pursed her lips and sighed. "Somehow, Sirius, when you say those words, I am less than comforted. Regardless, the Headmaster does need to see you and it's quite important."

He stood slowly, picking up his bag and giving his friends a confused look. "Er… I'll see you in Defense, then?"

The others nodded and watched as he followed McGonagall out of the Great Hall.

—-

Sirius was silent as he walked through the empty corridors. The only sound was the echoing click click click of McGonagall's heels on the stone floor. He racked his brain, trying to figure out what he had done recently to warrant a trip to the Headmaster's office. He and James had already served their detentions for charming Flitwick's grading quills to give all of the Slytherins failing marks on their exams the week before, and both he and Remus had gotten a lecture on how a Prefect's ability to enter the teachers' lounge did not mean they were permitted to use it as a place to make out after curfew.

"Professor." Sirius finally spoke up as they approached the statue of the Griffin that sealed the entrance to Dumbledore's office. "I know I've said this a million times over the last six years, but I honestly didn't do whatever it is I'm in trouble for."

"You know Sirius." The older witch didn't look at him as she spoke. "No one ever said anything about you being in any sort of trouble. But if you've got a guilty conscience that you'd like to save me the time of figuring it out and confessing…" She gave him a sideways glance and he put his hands up innocently. She smiled wryly and stopped in front of the Griffin. "Widdershins."

The stature began to turn, revealing a spiral staircase that Sirius followed his professor up. He had been in the Headmaster's

office countless times before for pranks and fights he had gotten himself into. He was always fascinated by all of the books and artifacts that the old wizard had around, especially the Pensieve in the far corner of the room. It was the only one Sirius had ever seen in person, though he was pretty sure his great grandfather had had one that was hidden somewhere in his Aunt and Uncle's attic. His least favorite thing in the office was the portrait of his great uncle Phineas, who always had something negative to say.

This time, however, Phineas didn't say anything as Sirius passed by his portrait. He just stared down at him with an unreadable expression that actually made Sirius even more uncomfortable and he had to look away.

Then he wished he hadn't because sitting at Dumbledore's desk were two people he really was not prepared to face, and they weren't trapped in a portrait on the wall.

Bellatrix and Regulus both looked at him with disdain as he sat in the unoccupied chair from the Headmaster. Sirius felt his stomach drop as he tried his best not to let it show that his hands were trembling slightly. He felt cold and sweaty at the same time as his cousin's sharp grey eyes glared at him.

"Ah, Sirius," Dumbledore said, smiling despite the looming dreadful vibe that seemed to fill the room. "Good, now that we have all three of you present, we can get this over with. I'm sorry to have pulled you away from breakfast as it is of course the most important meal of the day. So please, feel free to have some biscuits." He motioned with his hand to the plate of biscuits on his desk, which Bellatrix turned her pointed nose up to, Regulus simply dropped his gaze to his lap and Sirius mumbled a quiet, "No thank you, Professor."

"Very well," Dumbledore continued, folding his long hands on top of the desk and peering over his half-moon glasses at the three students before him. "I'm afraid I've called you all here with some bad tidings."

For the first time in over a year, Sirius and Regulus made eye contact around their cousin, who was seated between them with her arms folded, completely stone-faced. Regulus gave a small shrug and they both looked back to the older wizard.

"It seems that your Great Uncle Alphard has passed away."

Again, Bellatrix hardly made any reaction. Regulus shifted uncomfortably in his seat and took in a sharp breath. Sirius' mouth fell open slightly.

"O-oh…" he said softly, staring ahead at the Headmaster. Something in his chest tightened, a feeling he didn't think he was capable of having for any family member. But Alphard had always been kind to him when he was young, often scolding his parents for their unfair treatment and expectations. It saddened Sirius to know that the man was gone. "Er… h-how did he-?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly and shook his head. "Alphard was an old man who lived a full life, Sirius. His death was timely and natural. All affairs were in order and he was prepared for it." With that, his long fingers began to sift through some papers on his desk. "And on that note, we do have some legal matters to attend to. Of course, most of it is being dealt with by your family, but I do have to discuss some of Alphard's last wishes for his estates, which does include his great nieces and nephews."

At this, Bellatrix finally stirred. Her eyes grew nearly twice in size and she leaned forward, her lips twitching up into a greedy smile that made Sirius want to kick her.

"Ah, here we are," Dumbledore said as he found the long scroll of parchment that must have been Alphard Black's last Will and Testament. "Let's see then…" His crystal blue eyes scanned the document as he quietly muttered to himself. Sirius caught a few of his family members' names and some other words about valuables. "To my nephew Regulus, who was always fascinated by my extensive collection of armory and weaponry, I leave my most prized dagger. I hope he uses it well if the time were to come, with such dark times ahead."

Regulus' eyes widened in awe, a look that made him seem five years younger and far more innocent like the boy Sirius remembered playing hide and seek with around Grimmauld Place. Regulus had always loved their uncle's collection of swords and daggers, often begging the old man to tell him stories of how he had acquired them and by whom they had been used to fight. The dagger in question had always been a favorite of Regulus'. It was Goblin made, silver ornate, with carefully etched designs through it and emeralds along the handle. According to their uncle's stories, it had been used by Merlin himself in assistance to the great King Arthur. Alphard told them that story nearly every time they visited, always ending in the two brothers heading out to the gardens and finding sticks to sword fight with. Sirius had always let Regulus be Merlin in those games. He couldn't help but smile at that memory as he watched Regulus' momentary excitement. Perhaps his brother wasn't as far gone as he thought… he was still there, somewhere.

"To my niece, Bellatrix." Bella leaned in further, nearly on the edge of her seat and jittering with anticipation. Uncle Alphard, like the rest of their family, was a very wealthy man with many rare and expensive items and no wife or children of his own to hand them down to. One could only imagine what he would leave to Bellatrix. "I leave my collection of commemorative tea cups." His cousin's face immediately fell and a strangled whine escaped from her throat as one of her eyes twitched and her long nails scraped the chair beneath her. "Used in such royal ceremonies such as coronations and weddings by the Queen of England herself. Bellatrix had always fancied herself royal-"

"A royal pain in the ass…" Sirius mumbled.

"And it is my hope that these will suit her well."

Between Sirius and Regulus, Bellatrix was visibly shaking with anger and muttering things like "Filthy muggle items," and "No respect."

"And finally, to my eldest nephew, Sirius Orion Black III," continued Dumbledore, clearly ignoring Bellatrix's minor seizure she was having. "I leave the remains of my Gringotts account, a lump sum of 908,955 Galleons, 6 sickles, and 11 knuts."

Sirius nearly choked on air, Bellatrix screeched, and Regulus gasped.

"What!?" All three of them gaped at the Headmaster, whose twinkling blue eyes rested happily on Sirius.

"He left all of that money," Bellatrix snarled, not getting to her feet. "Money that belongs to our family, to him?!" She pointed a long, shaking finger at Sirius, who was in far too much shock to move.

"That is, indeed, what is written in the will, Miss Black," Dumbledore responded calmly, still smiling in a way that Sirius knew was driving his cousin mad. "Now then, I'm sure you would all like some time to grieve the passing of your late uncle. You are of course excused from classes today if you so wish."

He dismissed the three of them.

Bellatrix let out a ringing cry of anguish as she spun on her heel and stormed out of the office. Regulus and Sirius stood still for a few moments, looking at each other.

There was something Sirius wanted to say, but he wasn't quite sure what it was, and he had a distinct feeling that Regulus was suffering the same struggle. They both slowly made their way out of the office and into the corridor.

The awkward silence between them became quite painful, and Sirius cleared his throat. "Merlin's dagger, eh?"

Regulus laughed softly and nodded, his eyes firmly on the floor.

Smirking a little, Sirius reached into his back pocket and whipped his wand out like a sword. "Ah, but your dagger is nothing against the great Excalibur!"

There was a moment of hesitation where Sirius' heartbeat was the only thing he could hear as he waited for his brother's reaction. He was about to give up when he saw the faintest smile tug at Regulus' lips. The younger boy wielded his own wand, pointing it at his older brother.

"Excalibur belongs in the hands of King Arthur, you rogue! And I will not give up until I have returned it to him!"

Their wands hit against each other in a mock sword fight, both boys laughing so hard their cheeks were red. Sirius lunged forward, jabbing his wand and accidentally prodding his brother's forearm.

"Ah!" Regulus hissed and stumbled back, dropping his wand and grabbing his arm as if something had actually burned him.

Sirius frowned. "Regulus? A-are you-?"

"I'm fine," Regulus muttered. He shook himself slightly and picked up his wand and straightened out, brushing himself off. When he looked back at Sirius, the fun and youthfulness were gone, leaving nothing but an icy glare that matched their cousin's. "I'm fine," he repeated, his voice more stern, and he started to walk away.

Sirius stared after him, confused. "Reg! Regulus, wait!" He ran ahead to catch up and tried to grab his brother's wrist, but Regulus yanked away. "Regulus, what is going on with you? You're hanging around Mulciber and Bella and Snape of all people. You haven't spoken to me since-"

"And why should I?" Snapped Regulus, coldly.

"I'm your brother!"

"You have made it perfectly clear that you're Potter's brother," Regulus spat, shaking his head. "You left, Sirius. You betrayed your whole family. Bellatrix is right. That money Uncle Alphard left belongs in the family, not with some filthy blood traitor like you."

Without another word, Regulus sped off towards the dungeons, leaving Sirius alone, confused, and hurt.

hey hey hey, we all love a Black brothers reunion...

You can check me out on Instagram at Via889 . Fanfiction and my podcast The Marauders (Olivias' Version) where I read this fic to my friend on Spotify and Instagram at themaraudersoliviasversion.