Night Light, Star Bright

A/N: This is for my sister. Ro, I wrote a happy marauders fic just for you. Seriously, I was in the middle of a sad exploration of the Black brothers' relationship, and I stopped working on that to write this instead because it's your finals week and you deserve it. You're welcome. Kick ass, you academic weapon, you.

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Night Light, Star Bright

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Regulus Black waited patiently in the shadows, just out of sight of the nosy portrait that guarded Gryffindor's common room. Though it was nearing curfew, students sporting red and gold striped ties continued to stream in and out of the entrance hole, giggling over something that had happened during the third year Potions class earlier in the day and talking about the upcoming break.

The sun had already gone down outside, making it easier for the Slytherin to go unnoticed. Eventually, the hall emptied out, leaving only the soft rustles of paintings shifting about in their frames to fill the quiet. Regulus was used to finding private ways to entertain himself, as his mother had always told him that children were best seen but not heard, so he was perfectly content to watch a rather large spider spin a complex web on the other side of the alcove until the familiar scuffling strides of someone who had not quite gotten used to their most recent growth spurt hit his ears.

"You're late," Regulus said dryly as he stepped into the corridor, not bothering to glance at his companion as the pair quickly made their way towards the third floor.

"Yes, well, your brother caused a small fire in the common room, so I had to deal with that before I could leave," Remus Lupin responded, exasperation evident in his tone.

Now that Regulus thought about it, Remus did smell more of the charred sort of smoke that occurs when things that should not be burnt are set ablaze rather than his usual cigarette smoke. A subtle glance at the taller boy revealed that there was a dusting of ash coating his hair, giving it a sort of salt-and-pepper look that wasn't wholly out of place on the exhausted Gryffindor.

"Small?" The Slytherin repeated, doubtfully enough that he knew Remus would take it as his cue to rant if he wanted to. He hid a grin in the air opposite of the other boy as Remus immediately let out a growly sort of noise that Regulus knew meant he was frustrated.

"Yeah, you're right, that's complete shit," Remus sighed, thankfully starting his tirade just before they reached the stairs, which meant Regulus would probably get away with climbing more slowly than usual without earning a suspicious look from the older boy. "He lit half of the bloody sofa on fire before I could even begin to put it out."

Regulus couldn't help the way his shoulders dropped from their usual guarded place around his ears as the pair made their way through the empty corridors, Remus's accent especially thick as he moved on to complaining about the way that Sirius left his socks lying around the dorm and never remembered to bring a quill.

"So things are good between you two?" The younger boy asked softly as they finally reached the third floor. He risked a quick look at his companion as Remus slid a ring onto the middle finger of his right hand, which immediately lit up and filled the hallway with a warm glow.

Pale brown eyes flicked sideways to meet his, and Regulus caught the crooked smile on Remus's lips before he ducked his head to slide his own ring on.

"Things are good. He's an idiot, mind, but he's my idiot."

"Gross," The Slytherin muttered, hating that there was no mistaking the fondness behind the word.

Remus let out a soft huff of laughter, holding his hand aloft slightly as they began their rounds. The wooden rings that they wore kept the shadows at bay as the two moved in companionable silence.