Work Text:
One, two, three, four
It echoed like a chant in Sirius mind.
One
Wand in front of face.
Two
Left leg back.
Three
Wand straight up in front of yourself.
Four.
Fire-
"Wrong!" Sirius heard the stern voice right before feeling a whip to his hand. He backed of in pain and dropped his wand on the ground. "You stupid boy, you dropped it again!" I wouldn't drop it if you wouldn't harm me. "Your simple brain can't even learn to hold the wand? Is it too difficult for you?" Sirius bit his lip in frustration. "Answer me!"
"It's not" Sirius whispered bowing his head down like a good dog. "I will do better, mother."
"Don't call me mother when we are alone" Walburga snapped and he raised his head looking at her with wide eyes. "Family is a luxury that only obedient members can have."
"Sorry, ma'am." Sirius bowed his head once again praying for the lesson to be over.
"Again! One." he gritted his teeth and grabbed his wand from the floor before she could punish him for being too slow. Then wand in front of face. "Two." He straighten his arm-
"Mother" Sirius turned around to the door where Regulus was standing tall and serious. Long ago was the time when Sirius stood before his brother to protect him from their powerful and dark Family. Now everything is different. Regulus in no longer weak. But he's obedient. Sirius furrowed and looked away, listening carefully.
"Regulus, my dear. Something happened?" Walburga squeaked happily and Sirius wanted to vomit.
"I have to talk to my brother " Sirius looked back at Regulus who had a complete poker face. "I found some interesting documents about our family in the archive. I think Sirius would like them." Sirius instantly knew what this was about. His brother and their parents had this unspoken challenge that they will turn Sirius into a proper, pure-blood racist heir. So now he will have to go with his stern brother and listen to the stories of people who were ungreatful to the Black family and ended their lives miserably. He quickly stopped himself before rolling his eyes.
"Well... We have a lesson now." Walburga said kindly but not as happily as before.
There was surprise on Regulus face. "A lesson? I thought we finished for today."
"Sirius needs additional lessons, dear" she put an accent on the endearment to end the conversation which she was used to. But there was something that showed through Regulus' expression. He's brows furrowed and eyes narrowed but more in the sadness than anger. "We can make an exception for today- But only for today." Walburga decided with a final huff and without looking at Sirius she left the room.
"Brother-"
"Get away from me, Reggie."
"Don't call me that...!"
They were looking at each other with caution like the other one would attack at any moment. Sirius had enough of him. His brother is stupid, manipulative son of a bi-
"You should be thankful, you know" Regulus interrupted his track of thoughts with a grimace.
"Thankful?! For teaming up with parents? Sure, mama's boy, I'm so glad you're here" Sirius finally rolled his eyes.
"Merlin, you're so dumb sometimes."
"I'm not dumb!"
"His here" Regulus mumbled and Sirius was lost. Who's here? The confusion on his face must have been clear because Regulus added: "the guy you've been hanging out all the time. With those curls."
Sirius looked like a fish took out of the water. He was gaping at his brother in shock and for a while couldn't create a single thought. "Y-you..." he swallowed. "You knew?!"
"Of course I knew, I'm not as dumb as you" Regulus said casually but Sirius started panicking. It's bad. If Regulus knew he will tell their mother. His mother. And mother will tell father. And father will punish him. And Sirius wouldn't care about the punishment abut their family would forbid him to see the first and only friend he has ever had. They can't take this away from him.
So Regulus knew. He can't lie and say he doesn't know what he's brother meant or change the subject so... Merlin, it's so humiliating...!
"Please, don't tell parents" Sirius pleaded and felt pathetic doing so. He felt embarrassed and weak.
"Maybe I won't" Regulus huffed. "You have an hour, after that time we're meeting in the family library, understood?"
"Don't boss me around."
"I have saved your hanging out so be a bit grateful, can you?" it stung. The Black posture, the Black mind, the Black life. It's that how Regulus is right now and Sirus can't change that.
He can't change that... So Sirius nodded slightly and rushed out the room as soon as he could. Not running of course, he cannot run. But oh did he wished he could.