The Art of Living - R. Black

twelve

April 7th, 1996

While we don't actually celebrate Easter, it's still nice to be around family. Atlas and Elio are home for the Easter holiday, each of them taller than when I saw them at Christmas. They're growing up so fast it makes me sad at times.

The boys are in the living room of Grimmauld Place, playing exploding snap, while I'm in the kitchen with Regulus, Sirius, and Remus.

Out of the spirit of the holiday, some of the other Order members are coming around later for dinner.

"I swear to Merlin I never took it!" Regulus exclaimed.

Sirius crossed his arms. "You totally did! I haven't been able to find it since I came back here," He said.

"I'm sorry, what did Regulus take?" I asked, walking over to the stove to put the kettle on.

"I didn't take anything," Regulus said.

I glanced over at Remus, who just sighed. "Sirius thinks Regulus took his Ziggy Stardust record," He explained.

"But you don't even like Bowie?" I said, looking over at Regulus.

"Exactly," He agreed, looking back at Sirius and crossing his arms.

Sirius pinched the bridge of his nose. "See, that is even worse. Who doesn't like Bowie?"

"It's not that I don't-"

"Why don't you just go look in his room?" I asked.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Oh, I've tried. He's got that sign that says 'Do Not Enter Without the Express Permission of Regulus Arcturus Black', and some charm on the door that won't let me in."

Regulus laughed, "Merlin, I forgot about that."

"You were such a prick in school," Sirius muttered.

I stifled a laugh. "That's true."

"I was not," Regulus defended.

Remus watched the whole encounter, looking extremely amused. It's fun to watch Sirius and Regulus act like brothers. They spent most of their lives disliking and ignoring each other and now they bicker like children at times.

It makes me miss Marlene.

"If you're so sure that you didn't steal it then why don't you give me your 'expression permission' and we can go look for it?" Sirius suggested.

Regulus sighed, "Fine."

Sirius grinned and left the kitchen, Regulus trailing behind him with an annoyed look on his face.

I heard both of them stop to talk to Atlas and Elio briefly, but the younger boys were too engrossed in their game to uphold a conversation. Their shoes echoed on the stairs as they went up to the top floor.

"Want to hear a secret?" Remus asked.

I took the kettle off of the stove and poured the boiling water into two mugs. "Of course," I said.

"I took his Ziggy Stardust vinyl," Remus admitted. "I took it at the end of sixth year because we got into a row about something. I forgot I had it until about a week ago when he started rambling on about his missing record."

I clapped my hand over my mouth, trying to hide the laughter that was escaping my mouth.

"Remus," I said, "You didn't!"

"I did," Remus replied, taking a mug from the counter and sitting down at the table.

"Merlin, I need a drink after that whole ordeal," I said, reaching for the bottle of firewhiskey on the kitchen table.