Harry Potter One Shots (Vol. I)

Running Messenger (Regulus Black)

It might be late in the night, but technically it's still Wednesday so I made it on time. Hope you enjoy it!

FOURTH YEAR

Were older brothers born simply for the purpose of annoying their little sisters? Or was that just the job of my brother who seemed adamant to continue treating me as a little kid? Merlin, I was a fourth year already but he still treated me like I was in my first year. But really, everyone in the entire castle knew he was the one with the mentality of a first year.

Godric, the idiotic boy - because he was a boy, no matter how fiercely he protested that he was a man - had abducted me the moment I stepped out of the toilets. I knew I made a mistake by going on my own. But I had just stepped away from my friends for a few minutes to change into my uniform and by the time I emerged from the toilet, I was grabbed and manoeuvred swiftly into a carriage with his friends.

"Honestly James," I said with a sigh, glaring at my brother as he sat in the carriage with his friends. He grinned easily at me, reaching up to fix the glasses on his nose. "Just why have you decided to abduct me?"

"You're currently acting as our alibi," Remus explained, with a sheepish smile.

"You've caused trouble on the train again?" I asked unnecessarily even as I struggled to hide a smile. "Shame on you, Remus Lupin, you're a prefect."

Colour rushed up his neck as he ducked his head, "Well -"

"So just what alibi am I supposed to be supplying you with?" I raised an eyebrow.

"We were with you the entire time," Peter suggested, "or something equivalent. We just need to be busy during the time of the crime."

"And do I want to know what the crime was?" Crossing my arms, I pinned my stare onto my brother who had suddenly become tight-lipped.

Honestly, where was this refusal to spill the details when he thought it funny to stand on the Gryffindor table in my second year, to announce to the entire hall that I had a crush on a certain Hufflepuff. And if that certain Hufflepuff so much as even looked my way, James was planning on landing him in the hospital wing. I had been mortified.

"Trust me, love," Sirius said as he rose to his feet, and came to my side, "you don't want to know. But we listened to your rules and no harm's been done to third years and below, none of your friends were targeted and," he leaned in close to my ear, "I've snuck some treats into your trunk but don't let James know. The git gets jealous."

"See," I said, linking my arm through Sirius' with a grin as I sent James a pointed look. "This is my favourite brother."

I was so focused on James' pout that I almost didn't notice the look of relief that crossed Sirius' face. Merlin, how many times did I have to tell him that I had no issue with him staying with us, until the man got it? Just as I went to comment on it, the door to the carriage was thrown open and it would have hit me in the process had Sirius not had the foresight to pull me out of the way.

"James Potter!" Lily shrieked from the doorway where she stood covered in ... purple feathers? "What the hell do you think you're playing at?"

And really, I wanted to know the answer to that question. Just who told James that this was the way to get the girl he so desperately wanted? Whoever it was had caused an unnecessary amount of stress to most of Gryffindor tower and was probably the reason that my brother sometimes acted more immature than the first years.

"I don't know what you mean Evans," James denied, rising to his feet with his hand tucked into his pockets. He was trying his best to show his innocence but the smirk curling at the corner of his lips spoke volumes. "I've been here the whole time, isn't that right sister dearest?"