sometimes it's easier to be invisible

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Sirius is getting strange looks in the hall. He doesn't know why, though it could be a multitude of things, really. He did manage to get attacked by a fourth-year student's cat in the common room, leaving him with scratches on every inch of his body, or it could just be his general beauty. He isn't one to brag, well, no that's not true, he is very handsome. From what other people have said, at least. So, he isn't too bothered by the staring. That is until Marlene, Mary, and Lily all approach him with solemn faces.

"Hi, there, ladies. Why the sullen looks?" He asks with his usual grin.

"You haven't heard?" Mary asks, biting her lip with a frown.

"Rumors about me again? I didn't jinx the Slytherin common room to keep them all out. I did, however, put a hair color-changing potion in their goblets last night." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"Sirius, it's about Regulus." Lily bursts out.

Sirius feels an unwanted bolt of panic run up his spine.

"Regulus? What about him?" Sirius' face turns stony immediately.

"His boggart in class earlier. It took the form of... your mother. And you. She was hitting you with the Cruciatus curse and almost the killing curse before Draynor stepped in." Lily keeps going.

Sirius suddenly feels sick. How many people had witnessed that scene? He wonders how Regulus is doing after all that.

"Oh." Is all he says.

"We're sorry, Sirius. We were sort of hoping you'd heard about it before us." Marlene says sincerely, setting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright. He's still with our parents anyway. He'll be fine." Sirius insists, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"I'm not so sure. That's his worst fear, Sirius. Your mother torturing you to death. That means something." Lily says softly, concern in her eyes.

"It doesn't mean anything. He chose them over me. End of story." Sirius snaps.

The three girls take a step back from him. He's clenching his jaw and furiously scrubbing his face with his hands.

"Sorry, guys. I need to go." He says, not looking back at them as he darts away.

What the fuck was going on? Why did Reggie see that as his Boggart? He stayed with their parents, for fuck's sake. Why did he care about Sirius being tortured by their mother?

He's thinking all of this when he bumps into Remus outside of his next class. Remus steadies Sirius and tries to meet his eyes.

"Hey, mate, you alright?" He asks gently.

"Yes. No. I don't fucking know anymore. Apparently, my little brother does care if I live or die." Sirius snarks, a humorless chuckle escaping him.

"Sirius," Remus says, concern coloring his voice.

"Remus, it's fine. I just don't know what to do with this information right now." Sirius says, walking into the classroom.

Remus follows and sits in his usual seat beside Sirius. They don't say anything sitting in silence, tension surrounding them. Remus breaks it.

"I was there, you know. In his class when it happened." Remus admits.

"What?"

"I saw it happen. And Sirius, he jumped in front of you to protect you from that curse. He was willing to get hit with any curse your mother threw at him just to save you. I think... I think he cares for you much deeper than you realize."