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When Sirius awoke, the dregs of sleep slipping away and pushing him awake, the first thing he realized was how dark it was. The clock above his door informed him it was just past one. He sat up and hissed, the patchwork of bruises on his ribs made themselves painfully present.
Distantly, Sirius heard a crash. He wasted no time scrambling to the door of his bedroom and racing down the flight of stairs. In the kitchen, Walburga Black stood above a cornered Regulus, a shattered plate at their feet.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Her voice was shrill, angry lines on her forehead, and a fist clenched so tight it should’ve snapped her manicured nails. “Getting food for that delinquent! Trying to help your brother? How long have you been going behind my back, Regulus?”
Sirius held his breath, watching Regulus raise his steely grey eyes. His little brother’s jaw ticked, clenched tight.
Slap
“Answer me!” Regulus’ mouth fell open. Walburga had never hit him. Not ever. Not even when they were kids. Sirius always swooped in, creating a bigger mess that would make their mother forget about Regulus entirely.
Walburga raised her hand again, and Sirius lunged forwards, stumbling past and startling the woman. She turned, mouth in a sneer.
“Don’t fucking touch him.” Sirius stepped in front of Regulus, a horrible reminder of when they were kids.
“You.” His mother spat, as if the simple idea of Sirius was the bane of her existence.
“We had a deal. You promised. Hit me all you want but as soon as you hurt him I’ll make you pay.” Sirius heard a short huff of breath behind him. It was all out in the open, now. The deal Sirius had made when he was just a kid.
“And how exactly are you going to make me pay? You have no power, in this house Sirius. You’re nothing.” She whipped out a hand, wrapping bony fingers around his wrist until her nails broke the skin.
“I’m leaving.” Sirius snarled, wrenching his hand away. “Try having a legacy with no one to carry on the name.”
A flash of pain exploded on Sirius’ upper face. He felt something warm drip down from the high of his cheekbone. The silver on Walburga’s rings stained red.
“You’re a disgrace to our family. I’m glad our name will have nothing to do with you anymore.”
Sirius swallowed the rising fury in his chest. He had to ask. He needed closure, just one last time. “Did you ever love me?” It was a child’s question. He was sure James’ mother would listen to a three year old James ask a similar question and assure him that James was the most important thing in the world.
“Is this not love?” Walburga smirked raising her hand to show off the coppery stain on her fingers.
Without a word he grabbed Regulus’ hand and pulled him to the fireplace.
“Regulus, where do you think you’re going?” Sirius’ mother hissed.
“He’s coming with me.” Sirius snapped. “You won’t get to hurt either of us.”
Walburga raised her wand and in a split second Sirius shoved Regulus away. There was the muffled sound of the boy screaming but Sirius didn’t hear it. His body exploded in blinding pain and he crumpled.
Regulus pulled out his own wand, raising it at Walburga. Tonight was when Regulus would redeem himself, to pay back a sliver of what Sirius had done for him.
“We’re both leaving.” Regulus’ voice wavered. “If you try to stop us I’ll hex you.”
“You’re underage, you fool.” Walburga scoffed.
“I’m a Black,” Regulus tilted his chin up, voice no longer shaky. “They won’t even try to expel me. A few weeks of detention is worth getting out of here.”
He took a careful step back, his wand at the ready. Walburga didn’t move. Regulus slowly bent down, eyes still watching every move his mother made and hooked his arms under Sirius’ unconscious form. He hauled his brother into the fireplace and stepped in himself, casting a wandless silencing spell so their location would be hidden.
Walburga simply stared with poker face as her youngest son bent down and scooped out a handful of floo powder.
“James Potter’s house.”
*
Regulus never really thought about what the Potter’s house might look like. Perhaps a part of his subconscious assumed it would be like Grimmauld Place, but red and gold rather than green. So when he gained his bearings, Regulus felt a rush of shock (and yes, a twinge of jealousy) at how hospitable the Potter family’s living room was. It was open and bright, already juxtaposed from the dark and stuffy halls of his old home. The sofas, though they looked expensive, were well worn and plenty more comfortable than the thinly cushioned furniture at Grimmauld. Overall, well their house looked lived in.
Regulus stepped out, brushing a bit of dust from his trousers.
“Hello?”
There was no reply, and Regulus was afraid he’d made the wrong choice before he heard a series of footsteps and James Potter appeared.
“Regulus?” His glasses were hastily shoved on, balancing on the tip of his nose. James’ hair was stuck up on one side. The younger Black watched as the other’s eyes drifted from him to the body behind him.
“Merlin. What did they do? Is he okay? Are you okay? Shit.” James rambled as he stumbled forwards, reaching his hands out as if to reach for Sirius. Regulus was always spiteful of his older brother’s friendship with James. He felt replaced. Shoved away to the dark corners of their house while James and Sirius pranced around this cushy, loving home. But now, seeing James’ reaction, how much he cared, it was hard to hate him. It was simple. Sirius protected Regulus, James protected Sirius.
“I didn’t know where else to go.” Regulus whispered, biting red marks into his bottom lip.
Another voice, sleepy and interrupted by a yawn made its presence known. Remus padded in, rubbing his eyes.
“Prongs what are you…” His face dropped. “What the fuck happened?” Remus rushed forwards, immediately dropping to his knees and cupping Sirius’ face.
“I’m going to go get my parents.” James blinked for a moment, seemingly gaining his bearings before quickly moving out of the room.
*
It was quite the adjustment. After the initial adrenaline wore off and Sirius was brought back to a healthier state there was a lingering morbidness in every room. There was a long interrogation. Regulus forcing out words.
“They used Crucio.”
“No it’s not the first time.”
“I don’t think my mother knows where we went.”
Remus hadn’t let Sirius out of his sight, and Sirius hadn’t let go of Remus. The two were constantly touching each other. Brief shoulder squeezes, brushing hands, arms touching as they sat next to each other on the couch. Regulus remembers one particular night, Sirius’ mind was fuzzy with pain and the younger Black only meant to slip a plate of food into his room and slip back out. He didn’t expect Sirius to be awake, slurring his words and mumbling.
*
“Reg? Is that you?” Sirius’ words were slurred and his eyes still closed.
“Go to sleep.”
“You’re a good brother,” The words were quiet and Sirius fumbled over the words.
“You can’t think straight right now Sirius. Get some rest.” Regulus walked towards the door.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Sirius yawned.
Regulus paused, curiosity taking hold of him.
“I love Remus.” Sirius shout-whispered, and dissolved into a burst of giggles before they turned into violent coughs, one hand pressing against his ribs where Walburga had kicked him.
*
Regulus never told Sirius about that night. He doubted his brother remembered it happened.
They were a few days into their stay at the Potters. Though Regulus assumed it couldn’t be called a “stay” seeing as it was unlikely they were ever going back to Grimmauld Place if they valued their lives.
Regulus still kept to himself, doing everything with utmost perfection. Tensing up when Sirius said something stupid and expecting Mr or Mrs. Potter to lash out. Everyone got a guest bedroom, though they all collectively chose to ignore the very conspicuous sounds of Sirius creeping into Remus’ room every night.
It was late, and Regulus was wide awake in bed. There was a soft knock and Sirius crept in. Without a word Regulus sat up and lifted up the corner of his blanket. The two of them sat like that, legs hidden under the covers without speaking for an unknown amount of time.
“You’re a good brother,” Sirius whispered. Painfully reminiscent of that one night.
“Compared to you? I’m a coward.” Regulus let his inner thoughts, the ones that had been brewing in his mind every night surface- finally saying them outloud.
“You tried. You cared. You brought me food and you healed me when it got bad.” Sirius nudged his shoulder.
“You made a deal with her. Why did you protect me? Sirius, you didn’t have to do that. She did so much to you, and for what? A reckless deal.” Regulus huffed out an exasperated laugh.
“It wasn’t a reckless decision. It was easy. You’re my brother, Reg. I care about you and I knew the severity of the deal but I did it because I love you.” Sirius’ words came out light and quick, like there was no trouble producing the response.
“You’re a good brother too.”
They fell quiet again, before Sirius spoke. “It gets easier. The first few times I came here I didn’t let my guard down at all. I flinched at everything. But it goes away.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“You know what this reminds me of?” Regulus let a sideways grin grow across his face. He watched Sirius’ face grow red as Regulus recounted his brother’s delirious love confession.
“Shut up,” Sirius mumbled, tugging the blanket higher up his body. “Don’t ever tell Remus that, Merlin.”
“No promises,” Regulus laughed.
*
Regulus did end up telling Remus, who teased Sirius about it constantly for the rest of their stay. And when they all went back to Hogwarts, instead of glaring like past years, the two brothers waved at each other across the Great Hall.