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[Regulus Black]

Regulus stalked up and down the corridor, his hands clenched at his sides. If anyone were to walk past the Black heir, they would have run the other way instantly. He looked as though he was about to burst with anger. His tie was held in a tight grip and half his shirt was undone, his robes lying on the ground by his bag.

Moving to the wall, Regulus sat down, looking at the green and silver tie in his hands with an unwilling sadness. He couldn't do it right. He just couldn't. Throwing the tie across the hall he glared at it as though it was some Gryffindor that had come to him for the express purpose of irritating him. Turning to his bag, Regulus grabbed it, pulling out parchment and quill with shaking hands.

What was wrong with him? This anger, this... obsession had come over him slowly, he knew that, but he couldn't control it. It made him shake and frustrated, and none of his "friends" knew why. He didn't dare tell his parents - imagine another failure as an heir!

Regulus put the quill down and buried his face in his hands.

[Lily Evans]

Lily pulled her slipping bag back up onto her shoulder. The damn thing was so heavy anymore. Lily had always loved Potions, but lately she had been going down to the dank dungeons inher spare time and messing around with different igredients, and that's where she was headed now. Lily turned a corner in the twisting maze and came upon a sight she had never thought she would see.

Regulus Black sitting on the floor with his head in his hands and his Slytherin colored tie across the hall from him. Lily surveyed the situation for a few heart pounding moments then went and picked up Reg's tie.

"Regulus," she said softly, walking up to him. She stood there for a few seconds then slid down the wall and sat next to him. She had never been friends with the boy, but she was a caring person, which would probably come to a bad end one day.

"What's the matter, dear," she asked fiddling with his tie in her hands.

[Regulus Black]

Regulus heard Lily come before he saw he, but he didn't look up. He didn't know who it was but he was sure of one thing - he didn't care. He had to hide away this stupid obsession with perfection from the prying eyes of students and teachers alike. If his parents found out... The thought taunted him as did everything to do with the perfection expected of him.

Regulus Black sitting on the floor with his head in his hands and his Slytherin colored tie across the hall from him. Lily surveyed the situation for a few heart pounding moments then went and picked up Reg's tie.

He heard the soft wisp of material being picked up from the floor and he dared move his hands away from his face for a moment. He caught a flash of red hair and automatically thought Gryffindor. That wasn't good. He looked up at her, and then watched her move to sit beside him.

"What's the matter?" Regulus asked softly. "I.. I cannot tie that tie! It is impossible! It doesn't... Look right. And the buttons won't go up right, they won't!" Regulus seemed insane with frustration and he kicked his bag, hoping to pass out some of his frustration into the inanimate object.

[Lily Evans]

Lily frowned and looked at the tie in her hands. She wasn't sure what was with him and she jumped slightly when he kicked his bad. Lily sighed softly then turned to him.

"Okay," she said and grabbed his shoulders then forced him to face her, "Let me do it for you." Lily didn't wait for him to agree, instead she lifted his chin. Lily looked into his eyes with a soft look then lifted his white collar and put the tie around his neck, "I hope you like Windsor knots, because those are the only ones I know."

Lily tied his tie then rubbed her hand down it to flatten it. She didn't see it as a romantic thing, though if it were anyone else she was sure they would. She could feel his rippling muscles beneath his shirt. Lily looked down at the buttons and saw that they were only messed up on the bottom. She looked up at him then shrugged and unbuttoned the bottom five buttons of his shirt. She buttoned them quickly then smiled at him.

"There, all better honey," she patted his cheek in a loving and weird way. For never having spoken to him she was sure being close, but he reminded her of Petunia. Petunia tended to have little freak outs when something was "dirty." Lily was a paitent person and was stuck having to clean with her for hours even though nothing appeared dirty.

"Are you alright?"

[Regulus Black]

Regulus watched her tie his tie for him and he stared at her in a mix of wonder and self-pity. She was so patient and understanding... It shook him to the core, and he wanted to rip the perfect tie from around his neck and throw it away from him once more, but... It was correct, it was a right knot and he finally relaxed, tension seeping from his body.

"I... Yes, thank you," Regulus said softly. "I'm sorry, sometimes I just can't do it right no matter how many times I do it, and it just rubs me the wrong way. Thank you for being patient with me... Miss Evans." Another secret he would have to keep from his parents. Neglecting to call her mudblood was a punishable offense in the Black household.

"You might want to leave now," Regulus said carefully. "If anyone sees you with me, acting so casual, they might get the wrong idea. I do thank you, and I do not want my house after you merely due to the kindness you have shown me. I wouldn't be able to live with that, Miss Evans."

[Lily Evans]

Lily smiled sadly and shook her head at him, "I'm not going anywhere Regulus, and don't call me Ms. Evans, I'm Lily to you, if you don't mind. I'm not afraid of a little Slytherin pursuit, I've been through it remember? I don't think you are as dark as everyone thinks."

Lily was silent for a while, unsure of what to say. She could ask him about what she thought was wrong with him, but really she wasn't sure if she was right in her assumption. He had a few teeling qualities of the disease, but some people were just like that and were called anal. Except the way he got so frustrated suggested it was more than that.

"So how long have you had it," she asked finally. She decided that comig right out with it might be better than just assuming. Besides, OCD wasn't very common in the wizarding world. Lily didn't blush or look embarrassed by her frankness. She just stared into his eyes and waited. Maybe she could help? Damn she cared too much about everyone.

[Regulus Black]

"... Thank you, Lily. But you should be careful. If anyone asks, you can say I tripped you, if you wish. It will save you more bullying than if you were to say you were trying to help me.." Regulus' lips twisted into a frown. This house rivalry was getting worse and worse every year.

For once, the silence was unnerving for poor Regulus. He wondered if she was testing him, trying to see if he got frustrated, or was she just thinking? He knew that Lily was one of those girls that tended to think a lot, and he didn't mind that. He was startled slightly when she spoke again and turned to face her, his dark eyes wide at her question.

"Since I was young," Regulus replied. "Mother would get angry when I didn't do something right, so I suppose I just started to get angry with myself. It seemed natural that this frustration should come when all I wanted was to.." Regulus paused, and then shook his head. He wasn't ready to admit something like that. "I don't know why I do it, it just happens. I've gotten used to it, though... Sometimes it makes me want to hurt myself in anger, and it scares me."

[Lily Evans]

Lily rolled her eyes upward then looked back to him, "I'm not going to say you tripped me! Do you think I really care what people say about me? I know they call me a mudblood, for heaven's sake, and I don't care. Sure, it pisses me off, but I know I'm a better witch than half of those Slytherin hags," Lily tended to get worked up about this subject and it was amazing to herself how much of a temper she actually had. She liked to keep it hidden.

"Sorry," she muttered and looked away, "Well, it's obvious," she began looking back it him with a soft look on her face, "See, my sister has it too, OCD I mean, Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Petunia, my sister, didn't always have it. She just sort of developed it when I found out I was a witch and she was refused. I think I was the cause of it. She has to have everything in order and spotlessly clean. At first it was really weird, but after a while I got used to it and was able to help her when she got frustrated."

Lily put a hand on Regulus' knee and smiled, "So I understand what you're going through. It can be a challenge, but if you stick to a schedule then it isn't so bad. That's what Tuney does anyway. When you get frustrated try counting from 100 to 1. It gives you time to calm done before you try again."

[Sirius Black]

Sirius loosened his tie even more that it usually was. He did this when he was angry or just plain bored. At the moment he was a little of both. Slughorn, the old coot, decided that Sirius could use a little more practice in the Potions area, thus he was traipsing through the dungeons and shooting little winks at the younger Slytherin girls. It was funny, Slytherins hated Gryffindors, but the female sector didn't hate Sirius one iota, that was for sure.

Sirius turned the final corner and spotted the most unusal and stomach turning sight. Lily Evans, James' perpetual soul mate, was touching Regulus' knee in a loveing manner...who the hell could love Regulus? He was the worst Black known to man.

"What the hell is this all about," he shouted stomping over to them, "You won't date James but you'll sit here with this bastard?"

Sirius crossed his arms over his broad chest and raised an eyebrow at the two. He hadn't ever really hated Regulus, he just thought the boy was a moron for following their mother and father without hesitation. Funny that he was sitting here with Lily, who was a muggleborn.

[Regulus Black]

Regulus saw Sirius coming and turned to Lily with a tired, 'I don't want to do this' look. "I don't think counting to 100 will work with Sirius. Sorry Lily," Rising, Regulus pushed himself to his feet gracefully, looking over at his brother with a mixture of contempt and hate, yet his eyes were soft, as though the emotions were merely forced.

"I'd rather be a bastard than you, Sirius," Regulus said coolly. "At least I'm not just a black mark on the wall." Regulus wished he was a Black Mark, he wished he was Sirius. "What are you doing down here, Sirry-poo? Come to check up on Miss Evans? Such a nice boy you are, hmm? It's no wonder mother disowned you..." Regulus seemed to shake for a minute. He hated this! He hated it! Giving an apologetic look to Lily, his heart shimmering in his eyes, he returned to look at his brother.

"Though I'm not surprised, the way that you... No... Christ!" Regulus drifted off and turned, punching the wall. He couldn't do it anymore! It wasn't right, it didn't work, and he couldn't stand it! He was shaking, his youthful body acting as though he was lost in the middle of the blizzard.

"Lily.." He muttered brokenly. "I can't do it! I can't lie to him like this!"

[Sirius Black]

Lily stood up and walked over to Regulus, putting a hand on his lower back, "It's okay," she whispered. She knew where he was going with that, but she was glad he stopped.

Sirius, on the other hand, dropped his hands to his sides and cocked his head to the right. He had no idea what the hell was going on, but he truly didn't like it.

"I'd rather be bruned off that cursed tapestry then be a lapdog, Reg," he started, ignoring the look Lily was giving him. Sirius raised his eyebrows as Regulus punched the wall and gave Lily a questioning look. Sirius still had some brotherly insticnts left in him, though he had begun to use them for James and Remus rather than his own little brother.

Sirius grabbed Regulus' arm and then proceeded to wrap his arms around Regulus' middle, "I don't know what your deal is, but I don't see how hurting yourself is going to help. Why don't you just calm down and tell me whatever it is that you need to tell me. How are you lying to me?"

[Regulus Black]

Regulus clenched his fists and had to fight the urge to punch the wall over and over until he broke his fingers. This was so frustrating for him, and he could hardly count to one hundred, not with Sirius standing right behind him. A lapdog? Is that how his brother really saw him?

Then he was pulled into arms, arms he hadn't felt since he was far too young to realise that one day he would be forced to hate them and their owner or be punished. Moving quickly, Regulus pushed Sirius away, anger burning like fire in his eyes.

"You never cared before," The younger boy said bitterly. "Why start caring now? You don't understand, Sirius. Ever since you were burned, I have been put into a mold. I haven't been able to be free just because you were a little rebellious. I was forced to be the perfect heir that you weren't, and it's driven me insane, and I don't mean that metaphorically!" Regulus stared his brother down until he couldn't take the pressure any longer and turned away, gazing behind Lily.

"I wasn't allowed to do anything. Oh, Regulus can't go to Hogsmede, what if he meets Sirius? Can't have that. Oh, he can't go around a friends at Summer, what happens if he gets a bad influence? Regulus, dear, do your tie perfect, like this. Make sure it's right next time, Regulus. If you see Sirius, Regulus, make sure you keep away from him. He's bad, and we don't want you mixing with his sort. It never ended!" Regulus turned back to his brother.

"And you never cared. You were off having fun with your band of merry men and I was sat there, and I wanted to be you. I wanted to be a Black Mark on the stupid family tree and I wanted to be able to tell my mother to shove it without be terrified of going... absolutely... insane!" Regulus was going crazy and he kicked his bag again, turning to Lily with a desperate shimmer in his eyes.

"The tie, Lily, it came undone. Can you fix it, please!?"

[Sirius Black]

Lily blinked a few times, glanced at Sirius, then rushed forward and grabbed Regulus' face in her hands, "Calm down, darling," she whispered so Sirius couldn't hear her, "Just...look at me, come on now," she urged, "Ignore him," Lily waited a few seconds then let go of his face and began to fix his tie again.

Sirius didn't know what to say. He knew his mother was a world class bitch, but she had done this to Regulus. Sirius hadn't, his stupid mother did. Sirius ran his hand through his hair and felt tears well in his eyes. He didn't think he could feel this horrible.

Sirius looked at Regulus and Lily then walked over there slowly and moved Lily out of the way. Lily tried to protest, but Sirius held up his hand, basically saying shut up.

"Reg," he said softly, "I never knew she did that to you. I thought that you hated me because I wasn't the perfect little bastard. I didn't know," he shouted angrily, "You're my brother, Reg. You always have been and always will be. I do care. I didn't think you did. I love you Reg, and I do mean that."

Sirius looked down at the ground and shut his eyes for a second then looked back up, "What's with the tie thing, Reg?"

[Regulus Black]

Regulus shook his head for a moment, looking away. How could his brother not know? Wasn't he given the same treatment? Wasn't he brought up the same way Regulus was? Of course he wasn't. He was born to be the heir, and it was due to him that his parents because stupidly obsessed with making Regulus perfect, and... Making Regulus obsessed with being that perfection.

"I always thought you knew," Regulus said softly. "I always thought that you knew that I was being tortured by then, that.... That I wanted to be you. Every time I saw you laughing with Potter or Lupin I wanted to be you, free and having friends, but I couldn't... And slowly, this thing, this desire for perfection came and I just could not stop!" Regulus pulled his tie off and was tempted to throw it out the window, but he stopped himself. That would make him worse.

"The tie... It's not just the tie. It's the way I speak, my clothes - the way I fold my freaking shirts! If I don't do the buttons right, if I don't make sure the tie is perfect... I just freak. I can't help it! Miss Ev-Lily said it was a muggle thing. 'Obsessive-compulsive disorder', because she knows, her sister has it too. You'll have to ask her to explain but please..." Regulus handed Sirius his tie. It was an act of desperate trust between one brother and an the other. Sirius had to do the tie right, he was the perfect one, not Regulus. Regulus was just lost, broken and insane, left in his own world of self-hate.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius nodded slowly and looked at the Slytherin tie in his hands. Imagine...he could have been wearing that thing if everything turned out differently. Sirius grinned a little, unable to hlep himself.

"I can't tie a tie Reg...look at me! Haven't you ever wondered why mine is always undone," Sirius looked over at Lily and motioned her forward, "I have Lily tie mine in the mornings, but by the afternoon it's undone again and I can't fix it." For some reason this made Sirius laugh. They were alike in a way...and that made him happier than he could put into words. Sirius handed Lily the tie and waited for her to fix it before dimissing her. This probably made her upset, but really, he was glad she was there.

"Reg, I'm so sorry. I wish I'd have known all of this a long time ago. I would have stayed at home and made it work if I had to, really. Because you're my brother and I feel the urge to protect you from danger, it's just...the instinct, you know?"

Sirius looked around and felt slightly awkward. When Sirius was awkward he did only one thing...and that was lighten the mood. Sirius grinned broadly and spread his arms, "How about we hug it out, little brother," without waiting for an answer Sirius closed the gap and wrapped his arms around Regulus. The famous Sirius Black hug...nothing was better than that.

Sirius looked shiftiliy up and down the corridor whilst hugging Regulus, "I don't know what this 'Obsessive-compulsive disorder' is, but there has to be a way we can fix it. It seems like torture to you and you don't deserve that Reg, you really don't. Lily can help you...she's gotten good practice while dealing with me for so many years. Maybe...we can be friends? Or brothers atleast?"