Chapter Text
(January, 1968)
Regulus and Sirius raced all the way through the house, an unusual occurrence and definitely one deserving of punishment, but who's to say? Orion and Walburga were out at the ministry, clearing some legal case Sirius didn't quite understand yet.
"You'll never catch me! You'll too slow!" Sirius teased, as he sped up even more. Despite his soft spot for Regulus, he was still a kid, a competitive one at that so there was no way in hell he was going to let his younger brother win.
"That's not fair! You're much taller than me!" Regulus whined, a giggle escaping his throat.
It was quite beautiful, for hearing so much laughter in Griummald place was like finding a needle in hay sticks.
Regulus tried to accelerate further, before tripping on Sirius's broomstick that they had forgotten to remove when clearing the floor.
They both panicked. Regulus let out a muffled scream, and Sirius ran even faster to him.
"Are you okay?" He tried to think. How do you help someone when they fall? Orion would just tell Sirius to man up whenever he fell over during their rigorous Quidditch training sessions. But surely Regulus deserved more help? He tried to remember how his mother would help him after being hit with his father's curses. "Do you…need an icepack?"
"I-I guess." Regulus groaned in pain again.
After assisting him and calming him down, Sirius finally looked at his broomstick. The left end was almost fully cracked. In that instant, both boys lost all color in their faces. Not only was that Sirius's most prized possession, but if their parents would find out, they would be in huge trouble.
"I'm so sorry," Regulus whispered.
"Uhm," Sirius tried to shut his nerves. Everyone had always told him to be brave, and look out for his brother, but still being so young, Sirius wasn't really sure about what should be done now. Finally, it came to him.
"Bella… Bellatrix has been teaching me some magic, I think I know a repairing charm." He tried to sound confident.
Regulus paused for a moment. He almost didn't speak. "Are you mad at me?"
"I could never be mad at you," Sirius smiled, trying to clear the air. "I shouldn't have kept my broomstick there anyway."
_ (October, 1969)
It was the night of their yearly Halloween party. There had been an accident at Hogwarts, hence all students were required to visit home for that week. Good news for Sirius, as he got to see his favorite cousin, Bellatrix, and she had promised an insane costume this year.
The black sisters arrived at 7:00 sharply, Andromeda and Narcissa, only a year apart dressed in matching dresses- black silk, embroidered with three-dimensional stars, surely a work of magic. Bellatrix however, had really upped their game.
It had taken a moment for Sirius to even process who he was staring at. Instead of staring at his oldest cousin, he was staring at a near-spider. She looked terrifying, and Sirius thought it was incredible, until…he remembered Regulus's strong fear of spiders, or any legged creatures, really.
Instead of approaching the girls, he looked back at Regulus, who was practically blue. He was trying to hold a scream in. Sirius held his hand, and took him into his bedroom. His brother was shaking, and breathing harder than Sirius had ever seen, unable to talk.
Sirius finally spoke, "It's just Bellatrix. There's no giant spider."
However, Regulus wasn't calming down at all, in fact he was crying now, completely inconsolable.
After what felt like an hour, but was probably a few minutes, Regulus asked, "Did-Did anyone see?"
"No," Sirius smiled, hoping to lift the mood, "Practically Everyones' attention was on Bellatrix."
"Father said we're not to cry. If he saw me," Regulus lost it again. He started bawling, and wouldn't breathe in regular patterns. Sirius had no idea what to do, Regulus never cried.
Sometimes Sirius would quietly sob into his mother's arms at night after being punished, but it was never like this.
Yet, Sirius wasn't the only one with a soft spot for Regulus. He saw a woman's silhouette pass by, and then Narcissa entered. She didn't acknowledge Sirius, but went up to Regulus and hugged him.
"What's wrong, Regulus?" It almost seemed as if she had done it before.
"Spiders." He responded quietly, still shaken.
Eventually, his brother calmed down.
"It's just a costume," she whispered reassuringly to him.
For the next hour, Regulus had his head in Narcissa's lap. Sirius, realizing he was no longer needed, went to see Bellatrix.
"Nice costume."
"Mother absolutely freaked out when she saw me. Threatened to rip it apart, but I stood my ground," Bellatrix responded, proud of her creation. "Your impression of Hades is impressive as well."
Yes! He knew someone would get his costume reference. He admired Bellatrix beacuse, regardless of being in her fifth year, she treated Sirius like her equal.
"Regulus is scared of spiders, you know, you totally freaked him out."
"Regulus is scared of everything, whatever." She laughed it off.
This was the thing that intimidated Sirius most from Bellatrix- she never seemed to care about the repercussions her actions caused others; she was so rash.
It was a good Halloween night, minus Regulus's breakdown. They all had a family dinner that involved more wine than solid food, and then Sirius and Regulus played board games with their cousins, Sirius and Bellatrix finding creative loophole against the rules.
Before everybody left, Narcissa walked up to Sirius, even though they had just hung out as a group.
"What's up?"
"This isn't the first time your brother has freaked out like this, you know. I'm sorry, I know it must be really overwhelming for you," yet she didn't blame Bellatrix or Regulus, Narcissa always stayed neutral in every situation possible. "I know you're young," She added.
She wasn't wrong. Sirius was only nine, and quite lost.
"I can offer you some tips to help him," she added.
And so she did. But this wasn't the only important conversation he had that night.
After everyone left, Regulus spoke to him, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"What do you have to be sorry about, Regulus? You didn't do anything wrong."
"For crying?" The younger boy replied, still spiraling.
"Regulus," Sirius remembered what Narcissa told him. "You can cry, you're only eight." He didn't mention that he was also, just nine.
"But father says that's only for weak children, mudbloods below Blacks. You're so brave Sirius, I never see you cry."
Sirius didn't know how to respond. "We all need to cry sometimes."
"I'm sorry if I disappointed you."
"Regulus, you could never disappoint me."