All the Young Dudes ( Sirius' Perspective )

Second Year : Regulus Black

Cry baby

Cry baby

Cry baby

Honey, welcome back home

I know she told you

Hon’, I know she told you that she loved you

Much more than I did...

Sirius returned from his summer with the Potters refreshed and in high spirits, ready to make amends. His anger towards his brother had cooled considerably—after all, it wasn’t like Regulus was entirely to blame. The real problem was their parents, and once Reg was away from them at Hogwarts Sirius was sure things could go back to normal.

Unfortunately, Regulus was not in an equally forgiving mood. He greeted Sirius with stony silence and sullen stares, resentment firmly back in place. This time around, Reg refused to let go of his grudge no matter how Sirius cajoled, obstinately angry.

Luckily, when it came to a battle of wills, Sirius would always win. So on the night before they left for Platform 9 and ¾, he marched stubbornly into his brother’s room, even though Regulus had ignored him all day.

“Sirius?” he whispered furiously, “What are you doing?”

“Is it not obvious?”

“Get out!”

Sirius was, at this point, clambering onto his brother’s bed, and he paused to stick out his tongue.

“No.”

“You’re going to get me in trouble!”

“Not if you shut up,” Sirius rolled his eyes, making himself comfortable. Reg was sitting up to glare at him.

“This is my room,” He said, petulantly.

“Yep.”

There was a moment of silence, during which Regulus continued to glare at him. It was clear that there was nothing he could do about the situation, unless he wanted to try and physically push his brother off the bed—but Sirius was bigger, and stronger, and not afraid to draw their parents’ attention.

He let the silence marinate, waiting. Finally, Reg settled back and muttered,

“I’m still angry with you.” 

“Yeah,” Sirius smiled, “I’m angry at you, too.”

They lay side by side, as they had so many nights before, breathing in tandem. Sirius was quiet, allowing some of the tension between them to bleed away.

“D’you remember when we used to talk about running away?” He whispered. A smile ghosted Reggie’s face.

“Yeah. To live in a cave.”

“The one out in the woods behind Uncle Cygnus’s place, remember?”

Regulus nodded. Sirius could feel the blankets shifting under both their heads.