Upside Down Mirror: A Grim Tale (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Siriusly

Sirius didn't expect any visitors, in the same manner, he didn't expect anybody to believe him that they'd switched secret keepers. Least of all, he didn't expect Regulus to visit him.

Seeing his brother dressed in non-prison garb, clothing likely picked out by their mother made the smirk at learning there was a visitor disappear, for Regulus was the last person he expected to pull the whole Sirius Black has gone mad routine on. "I didn't expect to see you out of Azkaban, of all people."

"Yes, well, I didn't expect to see you in here." Regulus didn't look him in the eye, but looking at his younger brother, Sirius could see him flinch, likely because of the Dementors. He saw how thin the boy was and the bags under his eyes.

"Well, if you're suddenly free then you've most certainly got no business being here, right?"

Regulus looked him in the eye. "Please tell me you didn't..."

"Didn't what? Didn't betray the Potters? Isn't that what everybody is saying?" Sirius heard a sniff escape from Regulus, one which reminded him of when Regulus was younger and something upset him. "Seriously, you're going..."

"I liked Lily. She was always kind to me at school."

"Even though she was a Mudblood?" Sirius laughed.

"Don't use that word! Not for her!" Regulus glared at him then, but Sirius saw some of the fire he'd seen that night Regulus turned himself into the ministry, the only Death Eater to do so to be honest, which was most certainly food for thought. "And that's not what I meant! I mean why did you betray Potter, of all people?"

"Don't you know?" Sirius laughed. "I'm mad."

"If it were me you betrayed, I would understand, but Potter?" The tone of voice his brother used sounded almost angry, but the fact Regulus implied that he would betray him. "The only thing I can think of..."

"What?"

"It's stupid."

"What's stupid?"

"You betraying the Potters to stop him from going after me, but..."

"Oh, wouldn't you like to think that?" Sirius smirked at his younger brother.

"Well, I didn't think it possible because I'd expect you to sooner betray Potter, so it must be that..."

"I've gone mad?" Sirius leaned forward, whispering into his brother's ear. "I'm the Grim, remember?" Regulus flinched at these words. "I went after the Potters to make you think I did it for you, not because I actually did it for you."

"Sirius..."

Sirius sat back down with a loud thump. "Don't come back here. Don't visit me, Reggie, not if you know what is good for you."

After all, he could see the effect the Dementors had on Regulus, and Sirius knew that nobody would ever believe him, which meant life in prison. "I..."

"Why are you struggling to understand that? Didn't you kill for him as well?"

Regulus looked up at him. "Bella didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Sirius glared at his brother. He wondered why he was doing what he was doing, chasing Regulus away so he wouldn't visit him, knowing full well that the Dementors would have a toll on the boy even if he wasn't there constantly like he was. Spending only mere moments in his human form rather than as a black dog, he knew.

James and Remus were right about him caring, even though his younger brother ended up the way he did. Regulus looked away. "Never mind."

"I don't want to see you ever again, but as I already said, I went after the Potters to make you feel like crap. That's it, Reggie. I hate you that much."

"I just had to know, for my own peace of mind."

"Well, good luck with that!" Sirius yelled after Regulus, showing his mad face even as Regulus glanced back at him, looking ever so sad and disappointed. He didn't let it falter until he was left alone in the room, waiting for the Auror to come and take him back to his cell. Letting out a sigh, "Playing a hero to your kid brother who doesn't deserve it even though the world thinks you a villain? Lovely, Sirius, lovely."