Chapter Text
"Moony?"
Remus didn't look up from his novel as he moved one hand from it and onto the back of Sirius' head, letting his fingers run themselves through his boyfriend's hair in a way he knew Sirius loved. Sirius let out a soft keen and dropped his head back onto Remus' jean clad thigh, nosing the fabric. For a dog animagus he behaved inexplicably feline.
Remus was reading. Actually reading. For his actual enjoyment. The text in front of him was an actual novel, not a text book or some biography he'd taken on to study, but an actual novel Lily had let him borrow. He didn't get moments like this often enough, studying, recovering from the full and preparing for the next and prefect duties didn't offer much time for the gentle reprieve of reading in bed.
"Moony?" Sirius spoke again, voice more sure than his previous mumble.
Remus paused, both his gentle scratches of Padfoot's scalp and reading, but didn't look away from his book.
He'd assumed Sirius had just wanted some extra attention. One didn't share a dorm, school and their heart with Sirius Black and did not know it was in Sirius' nature to endlessly crave attention. Remus bit back a sigh and let out a light hum in response.
"I-I think," Sirius took a deep breath that had Remus peeking up from the pages, Sirius looked nervous. Remus took in a breath of his own, Sirius smelt nervous too, "I think I'm little."
Now that had Remus' full attention. The book fell from his hands and tumbled down onto the floor of their dorm as he surged forward.
"Really?" He asked, eyes wide.
They'd spoken about it over summer, Remus had stayed over for a full week and a half, spent the full with them in the forest behind Potter Manor, spending the rest of the time either making out with Sirius, cuddling with Sirius, smoking with Sirius, drinking with Sirius, giggling his way down the hall holding hands with Sirius, being pulled into Sirius' obscenely messy room by Sirius, tumbling into bed with Sirius, and fu-
Well. He'd done a lot with Sirius over summer. Discussing this was one of them.
"Think so," Sirius was blushing a pretty pink, eyes glued to his fingers, "Feels weird."
Remus studied him closely, he didn't sound any different. He'd expected a lisp, something high and messy, a slur of words. Sirius didn't seem too different either, a tad shy but it wasn't like Remus hadn't seen him shy before. Some may argue Remus saw him at his shyest the most.
"Bad weird?" Remus questioned, his fingers reaching for his boyfriend's hands, he didn't want Sirius to feel bad.
He'd hoped this would be good, covering up Sirius' childhood with something safer, warm. Something of their own. But if this was too much of a reminder...
"Not really," Sirius scrunched his face up, the way he did when thinking through a particularly challenging dilemma, it was endearing and familiar enough that Renus wanted to kiss that scrunch away but held himself back, "Just new."
Remus nodded, squeezing their now intertwined fingers, "Do you think you can tell how old you are?"
"Nine, I think."
Oh.
Remus had expected some sort of secret look into his boyfriend's childhood, he'd felt an equal amount of nervousness and curiosity but that started to quell. He'd known a Sirius about this young. He'd loved a Sirius about this young, in that soft innocent childhood sort of way.
"Is that okay?"
Sirius' fearful mercury eyes looked up at him, they'd both been expecting different but with something new like this it was better to not expect anything at all. Remus only smiled softly at him, "Perfectly okay, Padfoot."
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"Come on, mate," James begged, hazel eyes wide in the way that had the little gaggle of second years that had started following him around swoon. Remus, however, remained unaffected, "It's just a little one, in and out."
The prank was a revenge move. Ravenclaw had taken out the new Gryffindor Seeker, a little third year named Anvi Bakshi, in the last game by enchanting mass amounts of thumbnail sized pebbles to fly at her, causing her to fall off of her broom and tumble into the stands.
Remus had seen her afterwards when he'd delivered some potions from Slughorn to the infirmary. The girl was covered in too many welts to count and her parents had been called in as of how distressed she was.
"If he miraculously ages up in the next half hour, then yes," Remus deadpanned, eyes flickering to Sirius who was excitedly assisting Pete wrap presents for the blonde's mother, who's birthday was next week, "If not, tough luck."
James glanced over to the two, "Suppose you won't be coming either then."
They were lucky Anvi had suggested a simple dungbomb assault, something they'd pulled an unfathomable amount of times, when James had visited her. With James' fierce protectiveness for his team, Remus was sure they'd be pulling something considerably more intricate if James had been left to his devices.
"No," Remus replied, "I won't."
James' scent spiked with anxiousness that Remus understood. With Sirius out of action it'd be hard enough, the dungbombs were timed, giving them only fifteen minutes after planting the first to do so with the rest and get out. Sirius was the fastest out of all of them but with Remus out, it'd be virtually impossible.
He'd been tasked with solving the riddle and getting them and then being look out with his heightened senses. Without him they'd most likely have to wait until after dinner and stay under the cloak the entire time.
Suddenly Sirius was up and scrambling around the room. Picking up strung out clothes and looking under beds, Pete snickered as he did so.
"What is it, Love?" Remus was quick to help, Sirius lost things often, "What're you looking for?"
"My docs," Sirius huffed, not looking up, "So, we can go."
The mood in the room immediately shifted. Peter ceased his sniggering, eyes avoiding the two.
"Padfoot," Remus spoke slow, "We're not."
"Huh?" Sirius stopped his scurrying.
"Well, you're small," Remus spoke slowly.
Sirius looked up, wide silver eyes meeting his. Remus could practically feel him trying to decipher if he'd get away with lying.
"I don't want to stay," He blinked, "I've done this before, it's easy."
"I'm staying too," Remus offered, a sinking feeling making itself known in his stomach, "We'll find something to do."
"I'm not a baby," Sirius flushed, eyes darting between them all, "I can do this."
"No one thinks you're a baby, Pads," James stepped in and Remus let out a relieved sigh, the weight of Sirius' disapproval was heavy, "Moony just sa-"
Oh no.
"Moony?!" Sirius yelped, looking back at him, "So what? I'm in time out? On the bench?"
"Padfoot, no-"
"I did this the first time just fine!" Sirius' voice grew higher and pitchier with each word, "I-It's not fair!"
James and Pete were sharing wide eyed looks.
"Should we- uh," Peter started, "Should me and Prongs wait downstairs?"
Remus met James' eyes, seeing how distressed he was becoming. James hated fighting, unused to the tension and aggression of it all. Yet Remus knew if he asked him to, James would stay.
"You can go down." Remus offered a tight smile.
Sirius had other ideas, surging forward, "No! No, ple-please don't! Don't leave me, I'll be good! Please, please."
James froze, and Remus got it. All eyes were glued on an alarmingly distraught Sirius and for a moment no one spoke, it felt like no one even breathed.
"Sirius, it's not-" Remus allowed himself a deep breath, "It's not like that. You're already good, you haven't done anything wrong."
"You're leaving me out," Sirius' voice was small now, eyes wide and lips wobbly.
"I'm not leaving you," Remus rebuked, but Sirius' outburst only made light of the fact that he wasn't enough.
"B-but you're leaving me out, still," Sirius was crying now, tears burbling out from mercury eyes, "Because you think I'm not good at this anymore but I am, really, I am ."
Merlin, Sirius looked small, under all that body language Remus found himself forgetting Sirius didn't magically morph into a nine year old just because he felt like one.
"No one wants to exclude you, especially not me," He tried to explain, how could he do so without pushing Sirius further into his upset, "It's just- you're so small and I'm trying to keep you safe. You asked me to keep you safe."
Sirius sobs quelled, eyes blinking out spare tears. He still seemed distraught but less like he was going to collapse into a tantrum on the floor.
"I'm not trying to underestimate you," Remus breathed, "I'm sorry you feel that way, I'm sorry I've made you feel that way."
Remus ached. He felt himself incapable. He was new to this, this heightened protectiveness. Where was too far? What was too little? In all their tentative excitement, boundaries and understandings hadn’t been made, how was Remus meant to step upon rocks unsure whether they'd crumble underneath the weight of him?
"I-I can do less," Sirius spoke, his voice shaky in a way Remus hated that he'd caused, "Less dungbombs?"
Remus blinked. He hadn't considered compromise. Sirius had been allocated six as of his speed, two more than James and Peter.
"Just four?"
That had him even, Remus glanced at the other two. Peter was as close as to the door as he could without phasing through it. James hadn't moved at all, loyal to an unravelled Sirius' begging.
"Me and Pete can do more," James offered, "Or not, s'not like a few less would ruin the prank. It's still going to reak."
Pete nodded.
"Three," Remus conceded, waiting for Sirius to spew complaints, "And then you come and wait with me on lookout."
Sirius didn't complain. He simply blinked up at Remus before nodding and stumbling forward into his chest, ducking his head there and taking in deep breaths. Remus let out a soft noise of surprise, Sirius hadn't initiated much contact or affection when regressed. Remus tentatively wrapped his arms around the boy in return.
"I'm sorry for yelling," Sirius mumbled into his shirt, and without his heightened hearing Remus was quite sure he wouldn't have heard the apology.
"I'm sorry I made you upset," Remus murmured back, pressing a firm kiss into Sirius' inky curls, "I love you, Pads. I'm sorry I upset you."
"It's okay, Moony," Sirius nuzzled his nose into Remus, "Love you too."
Sirius was near flawless with pulling pranks, bar a few giggles and glances over to Remus. Seeing him in action certainly settled Remus' concerns, there really wasn't a world where Sirius Black wasn't a little mischievous shit.
He'd obediently stuck himself to Remus' side after completing his task, telling him about a rabbit he'd chased and terrorised last time he was Padfoot. Remus found himself getting distracted in it, the way Sirius' eyes gleamed, the way he waved his hands around considerably more. So distracted he almost found himself slacking on his own duties.
Almost.
"Someone's coming," He announced, a frown forming as he listened closer, "Two, two people."
"Dinner's not over," Sirius whined his complaint but he inched closer to Remus all the same, "Not even halfway through."
There was a squeak and Remus saw Wormtail shift and scatter away. He took this as an evident excuse to start pulling out the invisibility cloak.
"Prongs, come on," He hissed, clutching Sirius closer, readying the cloak.
James' eyes darted between them and at the staircase, "I've got one more."
"Doesn't matter, mate," Remus replied, "Let's go."
"You go," James offered, "I'll do this, get Pads out."
Sirius made an audible huff.
"You're a f-" Remus caught himself, one didn't curse in front of children, "You're an idiot , James."
James grinned and offered a mock salute, spinning back to the stairs.
"C'mon, Love," Remus murmured, hand rubbing Sirius' side as he pulled the cloak over the both of them.
It'd been difficult in the cloak after a thorough growth spurt from Remus two or so years ago, causing him to need to duck down to prevent their shoes being seen but he found it much easier when it was just him and Padfoot and he couldn't pretend it wasn't lovely to have him tucked so closely. Sirius' opposition to physical affection during his regressed headspace had Remus realising just how clingy he was in return.
They were near the end of the corridor when the two someone's Remus had heard swung around the corner.
Sirius froze. Remus clutched him a tad tighter because one half of those two was no other than Regulus Black.
The other was a willowy Ravenclaw student who Remus thought was called Pandora, her last name escaping him.
Regulus paused also, as if he knew they were there, which would be impossible because they were quite invisible. Regulus tilted his head to the side, almost listening. Sirius turned his head to press it into Remus' chest.
"You probably don't want to go in there, Baby Black," James announced, Remus turned to see him striding down the corridor, informing the two with a wide smile, "A rendezvous better suited for the Slytherin Commons, don't you think?"
Regulus glared up at James, sneering out, "What have you done, Potter?"
"Me? I'm innocent," James exclaimed, eyes wide in mock horror, "I've done nothing. Go in if you'd like, truly. I've done all I can."
Regulus scoffed, turning his nose up and shaking his head, "I'll have you know I'm quite tempted to end your life-"
James only grinned wider at this, head tilting towards the Slytherin.
"But it'd be a pathetical kill, truthfully. Much like stepping on an ant," He taunted, lips curling.
"Awh, Reggie, I love ants," James cooed, and Remus wanted to smack him in the head and tell him to hurry up and leave, "Did you kn-"
Regulus suddenly looked head onto their direction, near locking eyes with Remus under the cloak.
"Where is my blood traitor brother?" Regulus suddenly asked.
"Not here," James chirped.
Regulus didn't look very convinced, glancing back from James and them before turning to the girl beside him, speaking softer than Remus had ever heard.
"Dora, did you need anything from inside?" He asked.
"No," She responded, "James, when can I go back in?"
James shrugged lightly, "Usually only takes a few hours, three or four."
Pandora nodded, but Regulus grew angry again, "That's after curfew," Regulus hissed, "She'll have to spend the night," His voice softened again, "Which is absolutely fine, Dora."
"It's settled then!" James near cheered, "Well, I'll be off then!"
James began to stride past them, his step heavier than usual and Remus couldn't help the quirk of his lips. James began to whistle, quite loudly. He was attempting a diversion even when he couldn't be sure they were still there.
Remus gave Sirius a soft squeeze, a signal it was time to go. They kept close to James but Remus couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, even with the cloak, they were still being watched.
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No.
Sirius tucked his knees into his chest, pressing his face into them.
His Moony wasn't getting it!
"He's a- a leg-legil-uh- "
Ugh, none of his words were working. Seeing Regulus, having Regulus obviously notice him, had left him all scattered and rattled.
"Take your time, Cariad-bach," Moony hummed, his voice all soft and soothing, Sirius glanced up.
His Moony held a bar of chocolate towards him in offering, which Sirius reached for with shaky hands.
"Can read minds," Sirius huffed, hoping that expressed enough for Moony to figure it out himself.
Moony blinked, "Legilimency? He's a legilimens?"
Sirius nodded, chewing down on his chocolate, "Always has been. He used to do it by accident."
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Love," Moony sighed, Sirius snapped his mouth shut, "Do you think he performed legilimency on you? In the corridor?"
Sirius shrugged, swallowing his chocolate before answering, "No, I-that's not-he can feel people."
"Feel people?" Moony frowned.
"Like how they feel," Sirius near whined, begging his Moony to just understand, "Like you."
"Like me?"
Sirius let out disgruntled noise, shoving his face back into his knees, "He knows what my brain feels like, he used to find me when Mother-when mother-"
"He can sense you?" Moony sounded surprised.
Sirius frowned against his knees, was that not usual? He knew natural inclinations were uncommon but not uncommon enough not to be documented. Moony probably knew far more than him really.
"Mhm," Sirius hummed his reply.
"So. He knew we were there, in the hall?"
Sirius looked up and nodded quickly before ducking back down.
Regulus wasn't stupid, he'd always been smarter than Sirius, always leaving him feeling useless. Regulus could sort through the environment around him so quickly to solve whatever situation arose while Sirius struggled to sort through his own thoughts everyday. Regulus would quickly figure out about the cloak, at least suspect it, maybe even have it confiscated from them.
Prongs would never forgive him.
"We had no reason to think he would be there, for anyone to be there," His Moony assured, "We had no control over that."
Sirius took a deep breath in. If Moony said it wasn't his fault he had to believe him, even if the little voice in the back of his mind urged him the opposite.
"Padfoot?"
Sirius made a small noise of affirmation.
"We need to have a chat about what you're comfortable with while small."
Sirius looked up, eyes wide, "What?"
His Moony's eyes softened, "I upset you earlier, I overstepped. We needed to have a conversation about boundaries and understanding what you're capable and wanting of while regressed, and we haven't yet."
Sirius grimaced, "Sounds like a big Sirius talk."
Moony sucked in a breathy laugh.
"Should've guessed that," He chuckled, "Yeah. It can wait until you're big, Pads."
Sirius nodded before being overtaken by a yawn.
"Time for bed?"
Sirius nodded, reaching out for his Moony, letting himself be taken into the other's arms. It was late. Prongs and Wormtail were already asleep, he was sure. They had Quidditch practice in the morning.
"I miss you," Moony mumbled into his neck, he'd taken his usual position of big spoon.
"I'm right here?" Sirius muttered back.
"Do you-" Moony let out a huffy breath, "Do you not like being touched much, while regressed."
"Big Sirius," Sirius grumbled.
His Moony didn't respond for a moment before squeezing him lightly, "Alright. G'night, Pads, I love you."
"I love you," Sirius echoed before letting himself drift off.