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[Regulus Black]

Regulus shook slightly and wrapped his arms around his brother, though his bright black eyes were searching the corridor... Just to make sure no one decided it would be funny to attack either of them. It had been so long since he had been this close - since he had felt this close - to his older brother.

He remembered the last time he had hugged Sirius. It was the day that Sirius had started school and they had been standing before the train, and Regulus had tears in his eyes. His older brother had just smiled and patted his head, telling him that next year it'd be his turn. Back then, Sirius had always been the one to reassure Regulus, be it on a girl who lived down the road or about something that mother had said.

He remembered that a few weeks later, Mother had come to him and said that Sirius was a very bad boy and that he shouldn't play with him anymore. Regulus had been totally confused - Sirius wasn't a friend of his, they were brothers... He had no idea what was going on until Sirius came back from school. Even though Sirius had been a bit of a disappointment to his mother, Regulus had never expected him to be ignored like he had. Regulus had snuck into his brother's room the night he returned.

"Siri? Why does Mother say you're bad?" Regulus had asked innocently, and Sirius had given his brother his trademark grin, laying back on his bed, arms crossed under his head.
"'Cause I was sorted into Gryffindor. She wanted me to be a Slytherin." Regulus was a little puzzled.
"Well, why does that make you bad? Mother always didn't like the way you act sometimes, but what's wrong with Gryffindor?" Sirius had looked at his brother as though he hadn't believed him, and then shook his head, replying with a simple "Nothing."

it wasn't until he had started to be treated as he was treated now that Regulus really understood. Their Mother was scared of him turning out like Sirius, rebellious and Gryffindor, and since he was barely eleven she had been training him to be her perfect heir. And he had blamed Sirius for it all.

"I.. I think I understand now," Regulus said in a soft, controlled voice, taking a step back from his brother. "And I want to be friends with you. But... This sounds terrible, but we can't tell Mother. If she finds out I'm being... friendly with you, she'll... She will punish me, Siri, and I don't want that. So, it's our little secret, right?" Regulus grinned, a younger, more collected version of Sirius' smirk.

[Sirius Black]

Sirius smiled broadly and ruffled Reg's hair, "Oh, I understand. Walburga is a cow, Regulus. If she knew she'd probably toss you out too, and really, you don't need that."

Sirius ran a hand through his hair and looked over at Lily who was crying. Sirius rolled his eyes and muttered, "Girls..." then looked over at Regulus again, "Just...promise me you won't fall into this blood purity thing, okay? She tried to do it to me because she was too afraid to go join up herself. I don't want you to lose your soul, Reg, and that's all those Death Eaters want, your soul."

Sirius reached down and picked up his bag, which had been lost for a while and he hadn't noticed, "I have to go see Slughorn, the old coot...says I need some 'help' with Potions," Sirius rolled his eyes and patted Reg's arm, "and of coruse it's our secret."

Sirius turned and walked off down the corridor to the Potions classroom feeling a little better, but a little worse at the same time.

Lily stayed back for a few seconds watching Sirius go then stepped back towards Regulus, "I guess that means I don't have to worry about being near you now."

Lily smiled at him and gave him a one armed hug, "That wasn't so bad, really."