What You Can't See (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Brother of a Mess

"I don't get it."

"Hello to you as well, Reggie," Sirius said, watching his younger brother walk into his flat, noting he could see him. In contrast, usually, Regulus' presence tended to go unnoticed until he almost accidentally sat on the young wizard. "Your spellwork isn't failing today as well, is it?"

The response Sirius got was Regulus looking at him wide-eyed, horrified, as if—

And then his younger brother plopped onto the couch, face first, for once actually acting like a teenager rather than a prim and proper young Pureblood, letting out a groan of frustration as the young wizard shoved his fingers in his black locks while Sirius frowned. "What now? Did I say something wrong?"

Regulus turned his head. "Did you have to bring up my spellwork, Siri?"

"Yes, well, I can see you very clearly, so what happened?" Sirius asked.

"A Muggle sat on me."

A laugh escaped because Sirius found what his younger brother had just said to be the most hilarious thing in the world. "A Muggle sat on you?"

Regulus turned his head, still lying on the couch face first, a frown on his face. "It's not funny!"

"Yes, it is," Sirius said. "And that's what you get for casting invisibility spells while riding Muggle transit! Muggles are bound to sit on you." He moved over, drink in hand. "Sit up."

Regulus sighed and sat up so Sirius could sit on the couch. "It really isn't funny."

"Yes, Reggie, it is," Sirius said. "I mean, your plan wasn't foolproof."

"Actually, it should have been," Regulus said, holding his book back to his chest. Sirius frowned, not sure what to think now that he noticed Regulus clutching the worn-out bag, yet he was confident the book bag was the same one their parents got Regulus when he first started school.

So he pointed. "Hey. Your book bag. Why haven't they bought you a new one?"

Regulus looked down at his bag. "Why? You retrieved it so they didn't have to?"

"I mean, why are you still lugging that worn-out thing around?" Sirius said. "You know they'd get you a new one if they asked."

Regulus' eyes widened, focused on the bag, before saying, "Don't change the subject. And for your information, I'd be pissed if they replaced my bag. I like this one a lot. It's familiar."

"It's familiar," Sirius sighed, mentally wondering what he'd missed regarding the way Regulus thought simply because he'd chosen to ignore his brother while they were both attending Hogwarts. "Yes, well," Sirius thought, "Definitely didn't think this idiot here would join the Death Eaters because he believes they're the route to world peace, did I?"

"Yes," Regulus said. "And my plan was foolproof. Only that one girl saw."

Sirius frowned. "No. I'm quite sure that Muggle girl didn't see you if she sat on you. Kind of like how I sat on you when you snuck into my apartment using magic before I gave you a key."

"I didn't use magic. I waited for you to show and followed you in."

"Alright," Sirius said, letting out a deep sigh. "Now that's creepy."

"Well, pardon me for being a creepy younger brother," Regulus muttered, his chin resting on his bag. "I get you don't like me. I don't know why I took papa upon coming to see you."

"Because I think you know I'm quite the shit head and when I say those awful things to you that I do, that I don't mean them," Sirius said, only to get a confused look from his younger brother. "Or not. But come on. Going around creeping out Muggles like that, Reggie? Not good."