Gryffindor Black brothers

Chapter 37

The morning of November 3rd dawned cold and crisp, the frost lightly dusting the windows of Gryffindor Tower. It was early, too early by most students' standards, but the dormitory was already stirring with excitement. Sirius Black, lying in bed, stared up at the canopy as the realization hit him—he was seventeen.

Seventeen was supposed to mean freedom, independence, the start of adulthood. But for Sirius, the day felt more complicated. His family—his real family—was now his friends. And yet, the weight of his past still hung over him.

"Sirius! Wake up, mate!" James's voice cut through the quiet, followed by a pillow aimed squarely at Sirius's head. "How does it feel to finally be a free man?"

Sirius grinned, sitting up and shaking his head. "I've been free ever since I moved in with you lot." He ran a hand through his messy hair. "But yeah, not being tied to the Trace anymore feels... pretty good."

James, already bounding around the room, laughed. "No more sneaking around doing magic outside of school, and no more letters from the Ministry."

Peter, still half-asleep, muttered from his bed, "Happy birthday, Sirius..." before rolling back over, clearly not ready to fully wake up yet. Remus, already dressed, gave Sirius a smile from across the room.

"Happy birthday, Sirius. Seventeen—it's a big deal," Remus said, his tone softer, knowing what this milestone meant for Sirius beyond the usual freedom it gave wizards.

Sirius shrugged but smiled. "Yeah, I suppose it is."

Regulus burst into the room just as this was happening.

"Happy Birthday Siri!!" Regulus shouts as he rushed forward to give his brother a big hug

Sirius chuckled. This was exactly what Regulus used to do when they were younger but it stopped for a few years. Especially in the few years that they were at Hogwarts despite both of them being in Gryffindor. Regulus was busy this year but Sirius was glad.

Sirius blinked in surprise but returned the hug without hesitation, squeezing his younger brother tightly. For a brief moment, the weight of their complicated family history disappeared, and it was just like when they were kids, before all the darkness crept in.

"Thanks, Reg," Sirius said, pulling back to look at him. "You're up early. Everything alright?"

Regulus shrugged, a grin playing on his lips. "I wasn't going to miss my big brother's seventeenth, was I?"

James, who had been watching the exchange with a raised eyebrow, cleared his throat dramatically. "Regulus Black, showing a soft side? Blimey, someone fetch the Daily Prophet."

"Shut it, Potter," Regulus shot back, though there was no malice in his voice. The banter was familiar, almost comforting, even if there was still tension between the group and Regulus from time to time.

Sirius laughed, standing up and stretching. "Alright, enough of this sappy nonsense. Who's ready for the best birthday breakfast Hogwarts has ever seen? I expect bacon, eggs, sausages—"

"And a big heap of freedom on the side!" James added, grabbing his wand from the nightstand. He flicked it towards Sirius's bed, causing a set of robes to fly into Sirius's arms. "Come on, birthday boy, let's go make the house elves work their magic."

As the boys started getting ready, Sirius couldn't help but feel a twinge of something more than just excitement. Regulus, standing there with that familiar smile, reminded him of the tightrope they were both walking. They had escaped their parents' home, the expectations, the legacy—but Regulus was still deep in the mess that Sirius had left behind. And even though Regulus had joined him in Gryffindor, there was always that undercurrent of tension, as if they were both waiting for something to snap.