Paint It... Potter?

The new Blacks.

James stood leaning in the doorway, mouth open, glasses half off his face.

"James Fleamont Potter." Mrs. Potter said, shooting him a look. He closed his mouth. He smoothed his hair down and fixed glasses. Regulus was entirely too focused on him.

He needed to leave. It was bad enough that he had somehow left. Even worse that he found himself at the potter family manor, and it was completely infuriating that James was stood there staring at him.

"James. Leave us be. " He nodded and left without another word. Mrs. Potter examined him,

"Well, you've got a nasty cut." She said, turning to grab potions out of the cabinets. "And your arm is a bruised up pretty good." She filled a kettle and set it on the stove.

"Those should heal pretty quick, but your ankle is broken." She wiped he hands dry on a small cloth.

"I did my best to heal the fracture. It shouldn't be too bad, but you should try not to walk much." She offered him a kind smile

"But Regulus, that burn on your arm. It's- Regulus that's dark magic." He was holding the blanket like it was armor pressing himself into the chair. He pulled his arm to his chest.

"You're a healer." He said, the only thing he could think clearly.  She smiled at him. It was James's smile. He hated it.

"I was, I retired when I had James." The two were older than Walburga and Orion. Being in their late 60s if Regulus had to guess.

"Now, I'd expect you have story to tell, but I'll leave that up to you." His jaw clenched he didn't want to remember the Dark Lord.

"And I don't know if you want to talk to your brother, but I assume he is already eves dropping." She sat a cup of tea in front of him. Regulus heard cursing and watched as Sirius slowly turned around the corner.

"James," Mrs Potter said, "I know you're back there too. Don't sneak. That's a Slytherins game. " She looked apologetically down at Regulus. But he didn't care she wasn't all wrong.

"You two need to go to bed. It's getting quite late." The two looked as though they were going to protest, Sirius even had his mouth open. Mrs. Potter cut him off "bed now." they both stopped any objection and turned heading up the stairs with their heads hung in defeat.

"Do you need help getting upstairs?" He shook his head. They were already doing too much for him. The least he could do was bloody walk by himself. She nodded smiling, and she reached to set a hand on his shoulder. Regulus flinched at it. She simply withdrew, smiling.

"I'll leave you to bed, upstairs two doors to the left." Regulus stood shakey on his own feet, not fully being able to step on his left, he hobbled up the stairs.

He needed to leave. He assumed that aurors would be there soon if they weren't already in the house. That eliminated the front door and windows. Their wards probably didn't allow aparation, but then again, the Blacks weren't supposed to either.

On the bedside table, he found a pain potion and let himself for the first time all night realize the extent of the pain being felt. His face throbbed, and he could feel the seam where his skin split. His side ached, and he pulled up his shirt to see the bruised black and purple splotches across his ribs. And his ankle was blistering with pain. His left arm was the worst. A small black mark sat under angry red gashes from his mother's nails. It burned. The mark felt like an iron brand searing his skin. He downed the potion and fell into the bed hissing with pain.

He could wait until tomorrow for his escape.

Regulus felt the corner of the bed sink down with the weight of a person. He had been in and out of sleep for the past few hours. He opened his eyes to see his brother sat at the edge of the bed.

"Merlin Reg," he said, hand hovering over his leg. He didn't quite dare to touch him. "Merlin your-" he shook his head.

"I'm?" Regulus asked, tilting his head to the side.

"I'm so bloody proud of you, Reg." He finally sat his hand on his leg. Regulus felt a stab to his heart at that.

"Yes, well, I didn't exactly do it for you." Lies. Sirius huffed a laugh and crossed his arms. "Didn't really want to do it myself either. I don't know what happened." He wondered where the sudden honesty came from. He choked it up to heavy painkillers.

"I assume we're off the tapestry?" Asked business like.

"Yes." Regulus answered

"Good bloody hated that thing. Showed relation much too close."

"Awful bit of decoration. Did nothing for the room." Sirius smiled at him.

"Well," said Sirius, stretching an arm over Regulus's shoulder. "Guess we can't be Blacks anymore."

Regulus choked at that. He didn't know what he was if not a black. A Black was all he had ever been. His eyes grew hot. Sirius continued.

"Well, I propose we get Andy and Alphard and say to hell with the rest of them. We're the new Blacks, yeah?" Sirius asked, squeezing Regulus's shoulder. Regulus turned his head and looked down

"Yeah." And Regulus never knew why, but that was the moment he finally broke. He began to shake, sobs wracking his body. Sirius hesitated a moment before he crashed into him. He hugged him. Held him together, really.

Sirius pulled regulus into his lap and held him like he was a child again. And really he was. Regulus was six months away from sixteen, and at the moment, it was too much to handle

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I never -" sirius cut him off hand running through his hair soothingly

"Shh, Shh, you're fine Reg, it's okay. You're okay," Sirius muttered, soothing words to him

"But I never help you, I-I just let them."

"I know Reg, It's over now." It was not over. It was far from over, but Regulus didn't know that. Sirius slept in his bed that night, just like when they were children.

Regulus woke up  he felt someone behind him, and unconscientiously, he settled back into them. Then he heard snores from the other side of the bed. His eyes snapped open

Sirius lay in front of him, hand over his face, snoring his hair spread like a halo around his head. He turned slowly. By the time he rolled over, James already had his eyes open, and he was pulling away.

"I promise you I fell asleep by Sirius." He said.

"Get the fuck out." James was already out of the bed

"Let me explain-"  Reg sat up scowling at James. Because why the fuck was James there.

"Out." He fucking hated James. Couldn't he take a hint. He had quite litterally him that to hus face on multiple occasions. It didn't matter how incredibly fit he was.

"Sirius was having a nightmare." Oh, how did Regulus sleep through that? "He was screaming, and I came in, and I just sat by him, and I must have fallen asleep. I don't know how I got over here." James's hands were flying through the air as he explained himself. Regulus just shook his head.

"Just get out, James." Regulus sighed as James left he rubbed a hand over his face. The potion seemed to wear off, and Regulus found his body aching. He reached over to the bedside table for his glass of water. He touched a piece of cool metal.

Glasses. James Potter was a dirty liar.