Are You Sirius? (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Wonderfully Peggy

"Is Peggy like Regulus?" Sirius wasn't sure, mainly since the Muggle word autistic was foreign to him. Yet, "It would explain why Serenity thinks I don't like Regulus, given her reaction to her own sister. It doesn't seem she likes Peggy, but what is there not to like?"

He couldn't help but positively respond to her, following after her and her teddy bear down the stairs—which did remind him of what Regulus was like when he was younger, and—

"That smile," Sirius thought as he followed after Peggy. "I miss seeing him smile like that."

Peggy turned at that moment. "This is..." She frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

"I—no." Sirius smiled at her, not wanting her to think anything was wrong. "I was just remembering."

"What were you remembering?" Peggy asked.

"That Regulus used to smile like that."

"Your younger brother, you mean?" Peggy asked, making Sirius remember she thought he was pretending to be Sirius Black, and not actually Sirius Black, or at least he felt she would know the difference. Regulus certainly did when he was younger.

"Yeah."

"He doesn't smile anymore."

"No."

"I'm sorry I reminded you of that."

"Don't be." Sirius turned his head and saw Serenity glaring at him. She definitely—yup, she didn't like him at all and probably didn't like him interacting with Peggy. "So, this is the kitchen?"

"Yeah. I can't reach the cereal just yet." She pointed at one of the cupboards.

"It's not organized very well."

"It's that way, so she doesn't get into the sweet cereal whenever she wants," Serenity said, her tone of voice—it reminded him of—

"I spoke to Regulus like that sometimes. When I..." Sirius frowned again, looking at the ground, hating that he had to remember that—that he tended to take his anger at the family out on Regulus simply because he was an easy target. "And we don't have the best relationship. Which, if that's in the books, somehow, would also explain why she thinks I hate Regulus."

"Not that it matters given the fact I'm supposed just to give her the cereal when she wants to eat it," Serenity said.

Sirius looked at her, not liking how she acted towards her younger sister, and she flinched. "Good. She doesn't have the excuse of having an uncontrollable temper. Though, I guess I could apologize to Reg more often than I do." He turned to Peggy. "How about I lift you up so you can get the box you want?"

And she beamed at him, just like Regulus did when he was younger and did something simple, something silly that others would take for granted. And sometimes—

Sometimes Regulus still gave him that look, though ever since he'd left the house—

"It's not just a smile on his face that's missing. It's as if his eyes match. Which, I got not smiling, given the fact that bitch wants him to be an emotionless little doll she can..."

"Really?" Peggy said, smiling, but then frowned. "You okay?"

"Ah!" Sirius found himself drawn from his thoughts. "Just thinking of a good memory I almost forgot. Ready?"

"Ready!" Peggy said while Serenity glared.

With ease, he lifted her, feeling that ache as she opened the cupboard and took the box out that she wanted. Two packages, almost as if she wanted to mix the two flavors of cereal as he set her down. "I guess that brat suggesting I hate Regulus is reminding me of all that crap I thought I left behind. She really doesn't get it, her and her stupid books."