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The Gryffindor boys’ dormitory smelled like a reckless mixture of contraband butterbeer, cheap Muggle crisps, and the faint burn of a candle that had definitely been charmed to keep from setting the tower on fire.
It was well past curfew.
Which meant, naturally, that the entire Gryffindor friend group had crammed themselves into the room like it was the only place in Hogwarts that existed.
James Potter’s four-poster bed had been turned into a sort of lounging platform. Blankets were piled everywhere. Pillows had been stolen from three separate beds. Someone—Peter, probably—had dragged in a small crate of snacks from the kitchens earlier that evening.
And Mary Macdonald had somehow smuggled in a Muggle laptop.
No one had asked how.
They had collectively decided it was better not to know.
The laptop currently sat open on the floor between the girls, glowing faintly as a grainy horror film played on the screen. Some kind of old, badly dubbed thing involving a haunted farmhouse and a girl who kept walking down dark hallways alone for no apparent reason.
Mary, Marlene, Lily, and Alice were huddled closest to it.
The boys were scattered around the room in varying states of bravado.
James sat cross-legged on the bed, leaning forward with interest.
Remus lounged against the headboard with a book open in his lap that he was very obviously not reading.
Peter was clutching a pillow.
Frank Longbottom had his arm slung around Alice’s shoulders.
Fabian and Gideon Prewett were lying on the floor like two extremely loud starfish, arguing over whether the ghost in the movie was predictable.
And Sirius Black was sprawled across the end of James’s bed, long legs hanging off the side, lazily spinning a bottle of butterbeer between his fingers.
On the screen, the girl in the movie slowly opened a creaking door.
Peter whimpered.
“Nothing’s even happened yet,” Fabian said.
Peter glared. “That’s exactly when something happens.”
“Honestly,” Marlene muttered, not taking her eyes off the screen, “if she dies it’s entirely her own fault.”
The girl stepped into a dark room.
Something slammed behind her.
Peter screamed.
The entire room erupted in laughter.
“Bloody hell!” James wheezed, clutching his stomach.
Peter threw a crisp at him.
“You jumped too!”
“I absolutely did not!”
“You did!”
Remus looked up calmly from his book.
“You did,” he said.
James looked betrayed.
Frank leaned forward, squinting at the screen.
“How do Muggles make these films anyway?” he asked. “There’s no magic. How do they do the ghost?”
Mary waved a dismissive hand.
“Special effects.”
“Which means?” Sirius asked lazily.
Mary shrugged.
“No idea.”
On the screen the ghost shrieked.
Peter hid behind the pillow again.
Gideon pointed at him.
“You’re the first one to die in a horror film.”
Peter gasped. “Why me?”
“Because,” Fabian said thoughtfully, “you’re the one who panics and runs upstairs instead of out the door.”
“That is a valid point,” Remus said.
Peter looked deeply offended.
Alice giggled into Frank’s shoulder.
Lily reached forward and paused the movie during a particularly dramatic close-up of the ghost.
“Break,” she announced.
A chorus of agreement followed.
Mary stretched.
“My eyes hurt.”
Marlene grabbed another bag of crisps.
James flopped backward dramatically.
“This is the most stressful relaxation I’ve ever experienced.”
“Speak for yourself,” Sirius said. “I’m having a lovely time watching Peter die.”
Peter kicked the side of the bed.
A comfortable lull settled over the room.
Butterbeer bottles clinked.
Someone opened another snack.
The glow from the laptop dimmed slightly as the paused frame flickered.
And that was when Mary said casually,
“You know what this reminds me of?”
“What?” Lily asked.
“When I was eight some bloke tried to scout me as a child model.”
The room went quiet.
Then everyone started talking at once.
“What?”
“No way.”
“You’re joking.”
Mary laughed, waving her hands.
“Oh it was absolutely a trafficking scam.”
James choked on his drink.
“You say that so casually!”
“Well I know that now,” Mary said. “At the time I was furious at my mum.”
“Why?” Peter asked.
“Because she wouldn’t let me sign anything!” Mary said. “The man told me I could be in magazines and earn loads of money.”
Gideon snorted.
“You were eight.”
“Yes but eight-year-old me thought I was about to become a famous supermodel.”
Lily burst out laughing.
“Oh my god.”
Marlene pointed dramatically.
“You would absolutely have become unbearable.”
“I would have been iconic,” Mary corrected.
Frank shook his head.
“What did your mum do?”
“She grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the shopping centre while the man kept yelling about ‘natural talent.’”
Fabian wheezed.
“And you were mad about that?”
“I sulked for two weeks,” Mary admitted.
The room dissolved into laughter.
Peter wiped tears from his eyes.
“That’s brilliant.”
“Honestly,” Lily said, still giggling, “parents really do save us from the most ridiculous things.”
James nodded.
“My mum once refused to let me buy a broom off a bloke in Knockturn Alley.”
Remus looked alarmed.
“You were ten.”
“I still think it would’ve been fast.”
“James,” Lily said flatly, “it was probably cursed.”
“Allegedly.”
The group chuckled again.
Then Sirius, who had been quiet for the last minute, suddenly sat up a little straighter.
The butterbeer bottle stopped spinning in his hand.
A slow grin crept across his face.
“Oh Merlin.”
James looked over.
“What?”
Sirius leaned forward, eyes bright.
“I just remembered something.”
Remus closed his book.
That tone meant trouble.
“What kind of something?” he asked.
Sirius laughed under his breath.
“You’re all going to lose your minds.”
Fabian perked up immediately.
“Well now you have to tell us.”
Sirius dragged a hand through his dark hair.
“This was years ago,” he said. “When Reg and I were still little.”
Lily tilted her head.
“Before Hogwarts?”
“Yeah.”
James leaned forward eagerly.
“Go on.”
Sirius snorted softly.
“So our parents took us out for the day.”
“That already sounds suspicious,” Gideon said.
“It gets better,” Sirius replied.
“They told us we were going to some fancy horse-racing event. You know. Wealthy pure-blood nonsense.”
Frank nodded.
“That sounds about right.”
“But,” Sirius continued, grinning now, “we get there and it turns out it’s not horse racing.”
The room leaned closer.
“It’s a rodeo.”
Silence.
Then—
“A what?” Peter said.
“A rodeo,” Sirius repeated.
“A Muggle rodeo?”
“Yep.”
Marlene blinked.
“Why were your parents at a rodeo?”
“They thought it was some elite horse betting event,” Sirius said. “They were horrified when they realized what it actually was.”
James was already laughing.
“Oh this is going to be good.”
Sirius leaned back against the bedpost.
“So Reg was about… six? Maybe seven.”
Lily smiled faintly.
“He must’ve been tiny.”
“He was,” Sirius said.
Then he snorted.
“But the second we get there he’s absolutely losing his mind.”
“Why?” Peter asked.
“Because there were animals everywhere,” Sirius said.
James wheezed.
“Oh no.”
“Cows, horses, sheep, the whole thing. And Reg just goes completely feral with excitement.”
Alice laughed.
“That sounds adorable.”
“It was ridiculous,” Sirius said fondly. “He was running around pointing at everything, asking questions, bouncing up and down like he’d just discovered Christmas.”
Fabian grinned.
“I’m struggling to picture that.”
“You shouldn’t,” Sirius said. “He was a hyper little menace as a kid.”
Remus raised an eyebrow.
“That explains some things.”
Sirius continued.
“And one of the event managers noticed him.”
James leaned forward.
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes,” Sirius said.
“The bloke thought it was hilarious watching our parents stand there looking like they wanted to die while this tiny posh kid was cheering for every single event.”
Mary giggled.
“I already love this man.”
“So he decides to mess with them,” Sirius said.
Frank grinned.
“How?”
Sirius’s grin widened.
“He signs Reg up for the kids’ rodeo event.”
The entire room exploded.
“You’re kidding!”
“What?”
“No way!”
Peter nearly fell off the bed.
“They let him do it?!”
“Oh they absolutely did,” Sirius said.
“And Reg was thrilled.”
James was wheezing now.
“What was the event?”
Sirius took a long drink before answering.
“Sheep riding.”
The room lost it.
Fabian slapped the floor.
“Stop!”
“You’re lying!”
“I swear I’m not,” Sirius said through laughter. “They put him in this little helmet and vest and everything.”
Lily covered her mouth.
“That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“And then,” Sirius said, grinning wider, “they put him on the sheep.”
Peter was crying laughing.
“What happened?!”
Sirius shook his head in disbelief.
“He won.”
The room went dead silent.
“…what?” James said.
“He was weirdly good at it,” Sirius said.
Remus blinked.
“How does one become good at sheep riding?”
“No idea,” Sirius admitted.
“But he stayed on longer than all the other kids.”
Gideon stared.
“You’re serious.”
“Dead serious.”
Marlene leaned forward.
“Did he get a prize?”
“Oh yeah,” Sirius said.
“What?”
“A trophy.”
James stared at him.
“You’re telling me Regulus Black has a rodeo trophy.”
Sirius nodded.
“He has loads.”
The room erupted again.
“Loads?!”
“Loads,” Sirius confirmed.
“Because after that,” he continued, “he got obsessed.”
Alice wiped tears from her eyes.
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes,” Sirius said.
“For years he kept doing rodeo stuff.”
Frank blinked.
“Your parents allowed that?”
“They hated it,” Sirius said. “But he was really good at horse riding too, so they kept letting him compete.”
Fabian leaned back, stunned.
“So Regulus Black.”
“Yes.”
“Quiet little Slytherin Regulus Black.”
“Yes.”
“Was a child rodeo champion.”
Sirius grinned.
“Correct.”
James was howling.
“I cannot believe this.”
Lily shook her head in disbelief.
“That’s incredible.”
Peter looked amazed.
“He rode sheep.”
“Very well,” Sirius said.
Remus tilted his head thoughtfully.
“That explains the gap in his tooth.”
The room froze.
James blinked.
“…what gap?”
Sirius waved a hand.
“Oh yeah.”
Everyone leaned forward.
“What gap?” Lily repeated.
“He knocked a tooth out once,” Sirius said casually.
“How?”
“Got kicked by a pony.”
The room erupted again.
“You’re joking!”
“I’m not!”
“So he had a gap tooth?!”
“Adorable little one,” Sirius said.
Fabian wiped his eyes.
“This is the greatest story I’ve ever heard.”
Gideon leaned over.
“Does he still do it?”
Sirius hesitated.
The laughter slowly faded.
He stared down at the bottle in his hands.
“…No.”
The room quieted.
James noticed immediately.
“Why not?”
Sirius exhaled slowly.
“…Because of me.”
No one spoke.
Sirius rubbed the back of his neck.
“When I ran away… things changed.”
Remus’s expression softened.
“They needed him to be the heir,” Sirius said quietly. “Can’t exactly have the future head of the House wandering around rodeos getting trampled by cattle.”
The room was silent now.
James looked down.
“…He loved it?”
Sirius nodded.
“Yeah.”
A small smile flickered across his face.
“He used to come home with these ridiculous medals and trophies and he’d be so proud.”
Lily whispered,
“That sounds like him.”
“He’d bounce around the house telling everyone about every event,” Sirius said softly.
Peter frowned.
“And he had to stop?”
“Yeah.”
Sirius stared at the floor.
“…Pretty much right after I left.”
The dorm felt different now.
Quieter.
Frank sighed.
“That’s rough.”
Sirius shrugged, but it wasn’t convincing.
“Yeah.”
A pause.
Then James suddenly leaned forward.
“Well that settles it.”
Everyone looked at him.
“What?” Sirius asked.
James grinned.
“Next Hogsmeade trip.”
“Yes?” Sirius said cautiously.
James pointed dramatically.
“We find a sheep.”
The room exploded into laughter again.
Sirius groaned.
“Oh absolutely not.”
Fabian jumped up.
“I support this plan.”
Gideon saluted.
“For Regulus.”
Remus sighed.
“This is going to end in detention.”
Lily smiled despite herself.
“Probably.”
James threw an arm around Sirius’s shoulders.
“But imagine his face.”
Sirius tried not to laugh.
“…He would lose his mind.”
Peter grinned.
“Worth it.”
And somewhere beneath the laughter and the chaos and the midnight mischief…
For the first time in a long while—
Sirius was smiling at the memory instead of the guilt.
The laughter from the rodeo story had only just begun to settle when Sirius suddenly straightened again.
It was the kind of sudden, electric movement that meant an idea had struck him like lightning.
His grey eyes lit up.
“Oh— wait.”
James, who had just taken another drink of butterbeer, squinted at him suspiciously.
“What?”
Sirius was already halfway off the bed.
“I have proof.”
The entire room froze.
Fabian sat up immediately.
“Proof of what?”
Sirius pointed dramatically.
“Of everything.”
Then he bolted across the dorm.
His trunk sat at the foot of his bed—large, battered, and covered in stickers from places he’d never actually been. Sirius dropped to his knees in front of it and began digging through it like a man possessed.
Clothes flew.
Books were tossed aside.
Peter leaned forward.
“What are you doing?”
“Hang on,” Sirius muttered, shoving things around.
James grinned.
“Oh this is going to be good.”
Remus leaned his chin on his hand, watching with quiet interest.
Sirius suddenly let out a victorious sound.
“Ha!”
He yanked something out of the trunk.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds the floor around him was covered in stacks of photo albums.
Not one or two.
Dozens.
Some were large leather-bound books.
Some were smaller scrapbooks.
Some were loose piles of photographs.
There were even several small boxes overflowing with them.
James stared.
“…Merlin.”
Sirius turned around, clutching an armful of albums like treasure.
“Alright,” he announced proudly, “prepare yourselves.”
He dumped the entire pile onto James’s bed.
Photographs spilled everywhere.
Peter gasped.
“Oh my god.”
Mary immediately scrambled forward.
“Are those all—?”
“Yes,” Sirius said smugly.
“Of Reg.”
The room descended into chaos.
Everyone crowded closer.
Lily carefully picked up one of the albums.
Inside was a moving photograph of a very small Regulus Black sitting on the floor surrounded by toy dragons, carefully lining them up in a row.
The little boy looked about four.
He had the same pale skin and dark curls.
The same wide grey eyes.
And when the tiny dragons toppled over he gasped dramatically and scrambled to fix them.
Alice made a soft sound.
“Oh my god.”
Marlene covered her mouth.
“He’s so tiny.”
Sirius leaned over proudly.
“Look at his hair.”
The tiny Regulus in the photo puffed his cheeks and tried to stack the dragons again.
James blinked.
“…That is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”
Fabian grabbed another photograph.
This one showed Regulus at about six years old, perched on the back of a pony.
He was wearing a riding helmet that looked slightly too big for his head.
The pony trotted forward.
Little Regulus bounced slightly in the saddle and then threw his arms up in triumph.
“LOOK!” Sirius crowed.
“The pony one!”
Gideon stared.
“He’s beaming.”
“He loved horses,” Sirius said proudly.
Mary reached for another.
“Oh my god.”
She held it up.
This photograph showed the rodeo.
Tiny Regulus sat atop a fluffy sheep that was clearly about to bolt across the arena.
He was wearing a ridiculously oversized vest and helmet.
And he looked thrilled.
The sheep launched forward.
Little Regulus clung on, laughing hysterically.
The room erupted.
“NO WAY.”
“That’s real?!”
“Look at his face!”
Peter wheezed.
“He’s having the time of his life!”
Sirius leaned over Mary’s shoulder, smug.
“Look at that balance.”
Remus raised an eyebrow.
“…He’s actually good.”
“He won that round,” Sirius said proudly.
Alice was staring at the photo with soft eyes.
“He looks so happy.”
Sirius grinned.
“He was.”
Another photograph passed around.
This one showed Regulus holding a small trophy nearly half his size.
He was bouncing on his toes while Sirius—much younger but still unmistakably Sirius—stood behind him with a hand on his shoulder.
James noticed it first.
“You’re in that one.”
Sirius leaned closer.
“Oh yeah.”
Young Sirius in the photo leaned down and said something to Regulus.
Regulus burst into laughter and nearly dropped the trophy.
The group watched the moment loop again.
Frank smiled faintly.
“You two were close.”
Sirius snorted softly.
“Yeah.”
Fabian flipped through another stack.
“Bloody hell there are loads of these.”
“Of course there are,” Sirius said.
“I took most of them.”
The room went quiet for a beat.
James looked at him.
“…You took them?”
“Yeah.”
Sirius shrugged like it was obvious.
“Someone had to.”
Mary picked up another album.
Inside were dozens of photographs of Regulus growing up.
Regulus at seven, trying to brush a horse while the animal nudged him playfully.
Regulus at eight, running through a field with a massive grin.
Regulus at nine, holding up two medals while Sirius cheered in the background.
The room filled with quiet cooing.
“He’s always been pretty,” Lily murmured.
Marlene nodded.
“That’s an unfairly cute child.”
Peter stared at one photo.
“He’s got that little gap!”
Sure enough—
In the photograph Regulus was laughing mid-sentence, revealing a tiny gap in his front teeth.
Sirius leaned over proudly.
“Told you.”
James shook his head in disbelief.
“This is incredible.”
Gideon leaned back on his elbows.
“You’ve got his entire childhood in here.”
“Obviously,” Sirius said.
Fabian smirked.
“You carry these with you?”
Sirius shrugged again.
“Yeah.”
Mary slowly looked up from the album.
“…All of them?”
Sirius gestured at the boxes.
“Most of them.”
The room exchanged looks.
Then Marlene smirked.
“Oh my god.”
Fabian grinned.
“You’re such a sap.”
Sirius rolled his eyes.
“Shut up.”
James leaned over and picked up another photograph.
This one was a little different.
It wasn’t a rodeo photo.
Or a childhood picture.
Regulus looked older.
Maybe thirteen.
He sat at a desk with his tongue sticking out in concentration as he worked on a drawing.
James blinked.
“What’s this?”
Sirius immediately leaned over, brightening again.
“Oh!”
He grabbed the photograph.
“That’s one of the drawings he made me.”
He rummaged through another pile.
“Hold on.”
Out came a stack of folded papers.
Sirius unfolded one carefully.
It was a childish drawing of two stick figures.
One was tall with messy hair.
The other was smaller with curls.
Above them, in wobbly handwriting, were the words:
“ME AND MY BIG BROTHER.”
Alice made a soft sound.
“Oh.”
Sirius grinned.
“He used to leave these in my room.”
He pulled out another.
This one had a crude drawing of a horse.
Underneath it said:
“LOOK WHAT I DID TODAY!!!”
Peter laughed quietly.
“He was proud of everything.”
“Yeah,” Sirius said softly.
He pulled out another folded note.
This one was written more neatly.
“GOOD LUCK AT SCHOOL SIRI. COME HOME SOON.”
The room fell quiet.
Sirius’s smile flickered.
James noticed.
“…You kept all of them.”
Sirius shrugged.
“Of course I did.”
Remus gently picked up another photograph.
This one was more recent.
Regulus looked older.
Fourteen maybe.
He stood stiffly beside Narcissa at some formal event.
He looked taller.
More reserved.
But the same soft features were still there.
Remus glanced up.
“This one’s newer.”
Sirius nodded slowly.
“…Yeah.”
“From when?” Lily asked.
“Two years ago.”
The room stilled.
James looked at him.
“…Before you left.”
Sirius nodded.
His fingers were still holding one of the photographs, but his grip had loosened slightly.
“That’s the newest one I have.”
The photograph moved.
Regulus in the image shifted his weight awkwardly and glanced away from the camera.
He looked… tired.
Sirius stared at it.
The energy that had filled the room earlier began to fade.
“…I haven’t really spoken to him since,” Sirius said quietly.
No one interrupted.
Sirius rubbed the back of his neck.
“He avoids me.”
James frowned.
“Sirius—”
“It’s fine,” Sirius said quickly.
“He probably hates me.”
The words hung in the air.
“He doesn’t hate you,” Lily said gently.
Sirius shook his head.
“I left.”
His voice was quieter now.
“I left him there.”
The photograph in his hand shifted again.
Regulus in the picture adjusted his sleeve and looked toward someone off-camera.
Sirius’s eyes stayed fixed on him.
“I left all the responsibilities to him,” Sirius continued quietly.
“He had to stop doing the rodeo stuff.”
He swallowed.
“Had to stop half the things he liked.”
The room was silent.
“I left him in that house,” Sirius finished.
His voice cracked slightly.
“And now he won’t even look at me.”
The laughter from earlier felt like it belonged to another night entirely.
James slowly reached over and placed a hand on Sirius’s shoulder.
No one said anything.
But all around the bed—
The photographs kept moving.
Little Regulus laughing.
Little Regulus riding sheep.
Little Regulus holding trophies.
Little Regulus proudly handing drawings to his big brother.
And Sirius sat there in the middle of them all—
Staring at the last photograph he had of the person he missed the most.
The dormitory had grown quiet.
Not the comfortable, sleepy quiet from earlier.
A heavier one.
Photographs were scattered across James’s bed and the floor around it, their moving images flickering softly in the low light of the room. Tiny moments of Regulus Black’s childhood looped endlessly—laughing, riding ponies, clutching trophies, running through fields with wild curls bouncing around his face.
Sirius sat in the middle of them.
One knee drawn up, one hand resting on a photograph that showed a seven-year-old Regulus trying to hug a sheep nearly twice his size.
His expression had gone distant.
The earlier bragging energy had faded.
Now he just… watched.
James glanced at Remus.
Remus gave a small, helpless shrug.
Mary carefully picked up another photograph and examined it with exaggerated seriousness.
“Well,” she declared gently, “I can confirm that baby Regulus was illegally adorable.”
Alice nodded firmly.
“Absolutely criminal levels of cute.”
Peter held up another.
“This one! Look at his face!”
In the photo, ten-year-old Regulus had somehow ended up sitting backwards on a horse. The animal looked deeply unimpressed.
The room chuckled softly.
But Sirius barely reacted.
His attention was fixed on a different photograph.
The newest one.
The fourteen-year-old version of Regulus standing stiffly beside Narcissa.
The picture shifted.
Regulus glanced away again.
Sirius’s jaw tightened slightly.
James cleared his throat.
“You know,” he said lightly, “we could always—”
He paused.
“…Where’s Frank?”
The room went still.
Everyone looked around.
Alice blinked.
“…He was right there.”
Fabian twisted around.
“Wasn’t he sitting on the floor?”
Gideon looked toward the door.
“…He’s gone.”
Peter frowned.
“When did he leave?”
Remus slowly checked the time.
“…About fifteen minutes ago, apparently.”
Mary squinted suspiciously.
“That’s weird.”
Marlene leaned back.
“Did he say anything?”
Alice shook her head.
“No.”
The group exchanged confused looks.
Then—
BANG.
The dormitory door slammed open so hard it bounced against the wall.
Everyone jumped.
Peter yelped.
And then—
Frank Longbottom walked in.
Grinning like a man who had just committed a crime and gotten away with it.
And slung over his shoulder—
Was a flailing, furious sixteen-year-old Regulus Black.
The room exploded.
“WHAT—”
“FRANK—”
“IS THAT—”
Regulus was absolutely losing it.
He was dressed in loose, baggy lounge clothes—soft grey trousers and an oversized dark sweater that swallowed his frame.
Fluffy socks.
A green face mask still smeared across his cheeks and nose.
His hair was slightly messy like he’d been lounging somewhere comfortable.
And he was yelling.
“PUT ME DOWN—”
Frank ignored him completely.
He walked into the room like this was the most normal situation in the world.
Regulus kicked violently.
“I SWEAR TO MERLIN—”
Frank reached James’s bed.
And then—
Dropped him.
Regulus landed on the mattress with a startled “oof!”
He bounced once.
Rolled.
And ended up face-down across the blankets.
For a second he just laid there.
Then he pushed himself up, scrambling onto his hands and knees.
“What the—”
He froze.
The room stared at him.
Regulus stared back.
Sixteen years old now.
Still small compared to most of them.
Still pale.
Still with those dark curls falling into his eyes.
And—
Everyone collectively realized something.
Sirius had not exaggerated.
Regulus Black was absurdly pretty.
Delicate features.
Sharp cheekbones.
Long lashes framing wide grey eyes.
The faintest ghost of the childhood gap still visible when his lips parted in shock.
For a moment the entire room just… stared.
Peter whispered hoarsely,
“…Merlin.”
Mary clapped both hands over her mouth.
Alice looked like she might combust.
Marlene’s eyes widened.
“Frank,” Fabian said slowly, “what the hell have you done.”
Frank crossed his arms proudly.
“I solved the problem.”
Regulus had finished processing the room.
And now he looked deeply, deeply suspicious.
He sat back slightly on the bed, pulling his legs under him.
His shoulders curled inward instinctively.
His gaze darted between the Gryffindors.
Gryffindors were not usually friendly to lone Slytherins.
He looked cautious.
Nervous.
Ready to bolt.
Then his eyes landed on Sirius.
The shift was immediate.
His expression hardened.
His shoulders stiffened.
And he looked away.
Completely.
Like Sirius wasn’t even there.
Sirius had gone very, very still.
Regulus turned his glare onto Frank.
“Who are you.”
Frank shrugged.
“Frank Longbottom.”
Regulus squinted at him.
“You kidnapped me.”
Frank nodded cheerfully.
“Correct.”
“I was getting snacks.”
“Also correct.”
“My friends are going to notice I’m gone.”
Frank shrugged again.
“Probably.”
Regulus’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Are you insane.”
“Possibly,” Fabian said.
Regulus startled slightly at the new voice and glanced around again.
Now that the shock had worn off, the room had descended into chaotic whispering.
“Oh my god that’s him.”
“He’s so small.”
“He’s even prettier in person.”
“Look at his socks.”
Regulus’s ears turned pink.
He pulled his legs closer.
“Why am I here,” he said flatly.
Frank gestured dramatically toward the bed.
“Because of him.”
Regulus refused to look.
His gaze stayed firmly on the opposite wall.
“I’m leaving.”
He started to stand.
James immediately panicked.
“Wait!”
Regulus froze again.
He looked at James cautiously.
James pointed helplessly at the bed.
“…We were looking at these.”
Regulus followed the gesture.
And saw them.
Photographs.
Dozens of them.
Albums.
Loose pictures.
Scrapbooks.
All scattered across the bed.
All of him.
He blinked.
Then his eyes narrowed.
Slowly.
Suspiciously.
“…What.”
Mary immediately jumped in.
“They’re adorable.”
Regulus blinked again.
“What.”
Peter held up one of the rodeo photographs.
“This one’s our favorite.”
Regulus stared at it.
His brain visibly stalled.
Then—
His entire face went bright red.
“Oh my god.”
He lunged forward and snatched the photograph.
“WHERE DID YOU GET THIS—”
He froze.
Because he knew exactly where.
His eyes flicked—very briefly—toward Sirius.
Then away again.
Sirius still hadn’t moved.
Regulus’s fingers tightened around the photo.
He set it down carefully.
His voice was tight.
“…You shouldn’t have those out.”
James winced.
Sirius finally spoke.
Quietly.
“I always have them.”
Regulus didn’t look at him.
His jaw clenched.
Silence stretched across the room.
Then—
Gideon whispered to Fabian,
“…He’s really pretty.”
Regulus heard it.
His face turned even redder.
“Shut up.”
Fabian grinned.
“Sorry.”
Regulus folded his arms defensively.
Still refusing to look at Sirius.
Still pretending he wasn’t there.
But his eyes kept drifting—
Despite himself—
To the photographs on the bed.
The little boy laughing on the sheep.
The trophies.
The drawings.
And Sirius—
Still sitting in the middle of them all—
Watching him like he hadn’t seen him in years.
For several long seconds, the room stayed perfectly still.
Regulus sat on the edge of the bed surrounded by photographs of himself he clearly hadn’t expected to ever see again.
His arms were folded tight across his chest.
His shoulders were drawn in.
And he refused—absolutely refused—to look at Sirius.
Sirius, on the other hand, had not looked away from him once.
His eyes were bright.
Too bright.
Hopeful in a way that made the others quietly exchange glances.
James shifted slightly beside him but didn’t say anything.
None of them did.
Because Sirius looked like someone standing on the edge of a cliff.
Regulus finally broke the silence first.
“…Why are there so many.”
His voice was quieter now.
Not angry.
Just wary.
Peter picked up another photograph carefully.
“Well,” he said gently, “someone’s been documenting your entire life.”
Regulus’s eyes flicked—very briefly—to Sirius again.
Then away.
His ears turned faintly pink.
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
“…Right.”
Silence stretched.
Then Regulus glanced around the room again.
There were a lot of people.
All of them watching him.
He shifted slightly.
“…I know some of you.”
James perked up.
“Oh?”
Regulus squinted at him.
“…You’re Potter.”
James beamed.
“Correct!”
Regulus nodded once.
Then pointed vaguely across the room.
“…And you’re—”
He hesitated.
“…Prewett.”
He had accidentally pointed at Remus.
Remus blinked once.
“…Yes,” he said calmly.
Fabian choked on air behind him.
Regulus nodded thoughtfully.
“Knew it.”
He pointed again.
“…And that’s Lupin.”
This time he pointed at Gideon.
Gideon didn’t miss a beat.
“That’s me.”
Fabian wheezed louder.
Regulus looked proud.
“I thought so.”
He pointed at Peter.
“…Macdonald.”
Peter froze.
Mary slowly turned toward him.
Peter panicked.
“…Yes.”
Mary stared at him in betrayal.
Regulus nodded again, pleased.
“Right.”
He pointed again.
“…And you’re Longbottom.”
This time he pointed at Fabian.
Fabian saluted.
“Correct.”
Frank snorted.
Regulus sat back slightly, looking faintly impressed with himself.
“…Good.”
Mary buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking.
James was silently crying.
But no one corrected him.
Not a single one.
Regulus noticed their expressions.
“…What.”
James wiped his eyes quickly.
“Nothing.”
Remus nodded seriously.
“Excellent memory.”
Regulus looked slightly smug.
“Obviously.”
Across the bed—
Sirius shifted.
Just slightly.
Closer.
Regulus didn’t notice.
The others did.
James went very still.
Sirius shifted again.
Another inch.
His eyes hadn’t left Regulus once.
Regulus was now examining another photograph suspiciously.
“This one is embarrassing.”
Sirius moved again.
Closer.
Regulus still didn’t notice.
“…Why do I have a sheep,” Regulus muttered.
Sirius moved again.
Now he was right beside him.
Regulus reached for another photo.
And then—
Two arms suddenly wrapped around him.
Regulus yelped.
“What the—!”
Sirius had grabbed him.
Pulled him in.
Held him tight.
Really tight.
Regulus froze.
Completely.
Sirius buried his face against his shoulder.
And then—
He started crying.
Not quiet sniffing.
Not subtle.
Actual sobbing.
“I’m sorry—”
His voice broke.
“I’m so— I’m so sorry—”
Regulus sat there stiffly in his arms like someone had replaced him with a statue.
The room had gone silent.
Sirius held him tighter.
“I shouldn’t have left like that— I should’ve— Merlin I should’ve—”
He was rambling now.
Words tumbling over each other.
“I’m sorry, Reg, I’m sorry I left you there, I’m sorry about the rodeo stuff and the horses and everything, I didn’t mean to—”
Regulus blinked.
Slowly.
He looked deeply confused.
Sirius kept talking.
“I didn’t mean to make you give up everything, I just— I couldn’t stay there, but I should’ve—”
He tightened his arms again.
“I miss you.”
Regulus stared at the wall.
Still frozen.
Still being hugged.
His brain clearly attempting to process this situation.
“…You’re crying,” he said eventually.
Sirius nodded miserably against his shoulder.
“Yes.”
“…Why.”
Sirius made a broken noise.
“Because I miss my little brother!”
Regulus’s face scrunched up.
He looked… uncomfortable.
Very uncomfortable.
He awkwardly patted Sirius’s arm once.
Like someone trying to calm a large emotional dog.
“…Okay.”
Sirius clung tighter.
“I’m sorry, Reg—”
Regulus groaned quietly.
He shifted slightly in the hug.
He did not hug back.
Mostly because he clearly didn’t know what to do with his arms.
Or Sirius’s face currently buried in his shoulder.
Or the crying.
Or the fact that everyone in the room was watching.
“…Fine.”
Sirius sniffed.
“…Fine?”
Regulus sighed.
“Yes.”
Sirius lifted his head slightly.
“…You forgive me?”
Regulus grimaced.
“…Sure.”
Sirius’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Really?!”
“Yes.”
Sirius squeezed him tighter.
“Oh thank Merlin—”
Regulus gagged slightly.
“Okay that’s enough.”
Sirius ignored him completely and started nuzzling his hair.
“Thank you thank you thank you—”
Regulus squirmed violently.
“This is disgusting.”
Sirius clung harder.
“You forgave me!”
“Yes because I wanted you to stop touching me!”
That… did not work.
Because Sirius now looked even happier.
Regulus groaned.
“Why is this worse.”
James had turned bright red trying not to laugh.
Mary had buried her face in a pillow.
Finally Regulus shoved Sirius away.
“Alright!”
Sirius blinked at him hopefully.
Regulus rubbed his face.
“…I forgive you.”
Sirius’s face lit up again.
“But.”
Sirius froze.
“…But?”
Regulus pointed a finger at him.
“Conditions.”
Sirius nodded immediately.
“Anything.”
Regulus narrowed his eyes.
“…Anything?”
“Yes.”
“Anything anything?”
“Yes.”
Regulus studied him carefully.
Then—
Slowly—
He leaned forward.
Reached over.
And grabbed Sirius’s hoodie sleeve.
“…This is mine now.”
Sirius didn’t hesitate.
“Okay.”
Regulus blinked.
“…What.”
“You can have it.”
Regulus slowly pulled the hoodie off Sirius.
The others stared.
Regulus put it on.
It was huge.
“…Okay,” he said slowly.
Then he spotted Sirius’s snack pile.
He reached over.
Grabbed a chocolate bar.
“…This too.”
“Sure.”
Regulus blinked again.
“…Really.”
“Yes.”
Regulus reached for another.
“…And this.”
“Yes.”
Another.
“…And this.”
“Yes.”
Regulus paused.
He was now holding three snacks and wearing Sirius’s hoodie.
He squinted suspiciously.
“…You usually yell at people for touching your stuff.”
James snorted.
“He absolutely does.”
Regulus tested the theory again.
He leaned over.
Opened Sirius’s trunk.
Pulled out another hoodie.
“…Also mine.”
Sirius smiled.
“Okay.”
Regulus stared at him.
Then slowly—
A smug grin spread across his face.
“Oh.”
He grabbed another snack.
“And this.”
“Yes.”
Regulus leaned back on the bed, now wrapped in Sirius’s hoodie, surrounded by stolen snacks.
Looking extremely pleased with himself.
“…I like this arrangement.”
Sirius looked like the happiest person alive.
And Regulus—
For the first time since entering the room—
Actually looked relaxed.
The chaos had settled again.
Sort of.
Regulus sat comfortably on James’s bed now, drowning inside one of Sirius’s oversized hoodies and surrounded by an increasingly impressive pile of snacks he had absolutely no intention of returning.
His fluffy socks were tucked beneath him.
One sleeve of the hoodie hung so long it nearly swallowed his hand.
And he looked…
Comfortable.
Annoyingly comfortable.
Sirius hovered nearby like an overexcited shadow.
Not quite touching him.
But definitely very close.
James watched the situation with deep amusement.
“Mate,” he murmured, “you’re hovering.”
“I am not,” Sirius said.
“You absolutely are.”
“I’m sitting.”
“You’re leaning.”
Sirius scooted half an inch closer to Regulus.
“I’m sitting.”
Regulus didn’t react.
He was busy inspecting a chocolate bar he had stolen three minutes ago.
He unwrapped it carefully.
Took a bite.
Then blinked.
“…This is good.”
Sirius beamed.
“I know.”
Regulus took another bite.
Then Sirius suddenly started talking again.
It came out in a rush.
“I still feel bad about everything though,” he said.
Regulus paused mid-chew.
Sirius continued rambling nervously.
“About leaving and making you deal with everything and the rodeo stuff and the horses and the heir responsibilities and—”
Regulus slowly turned his head.
“…What.”
Sirius blinked.
“…What.”
Regulus stared at him like he had just said something deeply confusing.
“…That’s not why I was mad.”
Sirius blinked again.
“…It isn’t?”
“No.”
Sirius looked deeply confused.
“But— you stopped talking to me after I left.”
Regulus shrugged slightly.
“…Yeah.”
“…Because I left.”
“No.”
The room had gone quiet again.
Everyone watched.
Sirius leaned closer.
“…Then why?”
Regulus glared at him.
Like this should be obvious.
“…You threatened to eat my sheep.”
The silence that followed could have shattered glass.
Sirius stared at him.
“…What.”
Regulus sat up straighter, clearly offended.
“My sheep.”
Sirius blinked.
“…Your—”
“My sheep,” Regulus repeated firmly.
James looked like he was about to explode.
Sirius blinked again.
“…Reg.”
Regulus crossed his arms.
“You used to constantly threaten to turn them into dinner.”
The room began to shake with suppressed laughter.
Sirius stared at him in disbelief.
“…Are you serious.”
Regulus looked deeply offended.
“You called Daisy bacon.”
James choked.
“You called Clover lambchop.”
Fabian collapsed onto the floor.
“You used to walk around the fence circling them and saying you were going to eat them!”
Gideon was crying.
Sirius’s brain finally caught up.
A memory surfaced.
A very small Regulus standing protectively in front of a sheep.
Young Sirius dramatically licking his lips and announcing that “lambchops sound delicious.”
And Regulus gasping in horror.
“…Oh.”
Regulus pointed accusingly.
“You made me cry!”
The room lost it.
Peter slid halfway off the bed laughing.
Sirius tried very hard—
Very, very hard—
Not to laugh.
He failed.
Just slightly.
A tiny snort escaped him.
Regulus’s eyes widened.
“ARE YOU LAUGHING?!”
Sirius clapped a hand over his mouth.
“No!”
Regulus shoved him.
“YOU ARE!”
Sirius doubled over slightly trying to contain himself.
“Reg I’m sorry—”
“YOU TRAUMATIZED MY SHEEP!”
James wheezed loudly.
Sirius tried to recover.
“I was joking!”
“You were circling them like a predator!”
Fabian was rolling on the floor now.
“I was six!”
“You were evil!”
Sirius lost the battle completely and laughed.
Regulus shoved him again.
“STOP!”
“I’m sorry—!”
“You said Daisy looked like a Sunday roast!”
Mary collapsed against Marlene.
Remus had buried his face in his hands.
Sirius wheezed.
“I forgot about that!”
“You made me hide them!”
Sirius tried to breathe.
“I was teasing!”
“You used to lick your lips at them!”
That did it.
James howled.
Sirius bent over laughing helplessly.
Regulus shoved him hard.
“THIS IS NOT FUNNY!”
Sirius immediately snapped upright.
“Oh Merlin— no— Reg I’m sorry—”
He grabbed Regulus again.
Pulled him into another hug.
“I’m sorry!”
Regulus groaned instantly.
“Oh my god not again—”
Sirius clung tighter.
“I didn’t realize that’s why you were mad!”
Regulus squirmed violently.
“GET OFF—”
“I’m sorry about the sheep!”
“I HATE THIS—”
“I’ll apologize to them too!”
“STOP TOUCHING ME!”
Regulus shoved at his arms desperately.
Sirius only clung harder.
“I’m sorry Daisy!”
“THEY CAN’T HEAR YOU!”
“I’M SORRY CLOVER!”
Regulus gagged dramatically.
“This is disgusting!”
Everyone in the room was staring.
Completely stunned.
Frank whispered slowly,
“…His entire grudge.”
Remus nodded faintly.
“…Was about sheep.”
Peter wiped tears from his eyes.
“…This might be the best thing I’ve ever witnessed.”
Meanwhile Regulus was trying to pry Sirius’s arms off him.
“I DON’T LIKE HUGGING!”
Sirius clung tighter.
“I’M SORRY!”
Regulus groaned loudly.
“You’re suffocating me!”
“I’M REPENTING!”
“YOU’RE HEAVY!”
Sirius finally loosened his grip slightly.
Regulus shoved him away again.
Hard.
He scrambled backward across the bed.
“…No touching!”
Sirius raised both hands quickly.
“Okay!”
Regulus glared.
“…You traumatized my sheep.”
Sirius nodded solemnly.
“I regret everything.”
Regulus narrowed his eyes.
“…You’d better.”
Sirius nodded again.
“I’ll never threaten livestock again.”
Regulus crossed his arms.
“…Good.”
The room was still staring in complete disbelief.
And Sirius—
Looked like someone who had just survived the strangest emotional reconciliation in history.
The room had not recovered.
It was still vibrating with the shock of discovering that the long-standing feud between the Black brothers had apparently been fueled entirely by livestock-related emotional trauma.
Regulus sat cross-legged in the center of the bed, wrapped in Sirius’s hoodie like he owned the place.
Which—based on the pile of stolen snacks beside him—he apparently did now.
Sirius stood in front of him looking like a man who had just survived an interrogation.
Regulus narrowed his eyes.
“…I’m still not completely satisfied.”
Sirius straightened immediately.
“What else do I need to do.”
Regulus leaned forward slightly.
His tone was cool.
“…You have to go vegan.”
The room went dead silent.
Sirius blinked.
“…What.”
“You heard me.”
Sirius looked like someone had just told him to give up oxygen.
“…Reg.”
Regulus stared back at him.
Completely serious.
“…You threatened my animals.”
Sirius opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
“…Reg I—”
“You’re going vegan.”
The room waited.
James leaned toward Remus.
“He’s not going to—”
Sirius sighed deeply.
“…Fine.”
The room exploded.
“WHAT?”
“NO WAY!”
“YOU AGREED?!”
Sirius looked deeply pained.
“But only because I traumatized Daisy.”
Regulus leaned back smugly.
“Good.”
Fabian clutched his chest.
“I can’t believe that worked.”
Mary blinked.
“Wait.”
She turned toward Regulus.
“…Are you vegan?”
Regulus looked at her.
Deadpan.
“…No.”
Silence.
“I fucking love meat.”
The room blinked.
“…What.”
Regulus shrugged casually and grabbed another snack.
“I mean I am gay,” he added calmly, “but that’s not a euphemism. I do eat steak and shit.”
The dorm exploded.
James nearly fell off the bed laughing.
Peter shrieked.
Marlene clapped both hands over her mouth.
Fabian collapsed into Gideon wheezing.
Remus was shaking silently with laughter.
“REGULUS BLACK JUST SAID—”
“I DID NOT EXPECT THAT—”
“I DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS FUNNY—”
Regulus blinked at them.
“…What.”
Frank pointed at him.
“Where has this been hiding.”
Regulus shrugged.
“You never asked.”
James wiped tears from his eyes.
“We’ve been avoiding you for years!”
Regulus popped another piece of chocolate into his mouth.
“Sounds like a you problem.”
The room lost it again.
Fabian leaned back on his hands.
“…We should kidnap him more often.”
Gideon nodded seriously.
“Agreed.”
Mary pointed dramatically.
“We’re claiming him.”
Regulus squinted at them.
“…You kidnapped me.”
“Yes.”
“…Against my will.”
“Correct.”
“…And now you’re keeping me.”
“Also correct.”
Regulus shrugged.
“…Fine.”
James suddenly slid across the bed.
Smooth.
Slow.
Smug.
He leaned closer to Regulus with a grin.
“Well well well,” he said lightly.
“Look who we’ve been missing out on.”
Regulus squinted at him.
James leaned on the bed with one arm, towering over him.
“I must say,” he added, voice lowering slightly, “this is the first time you’ve willingly been on my bed.”
Regulus stared at him.
James smiled charmingly.
“You look very comfortable there.”
Regulus took another bite of chocolate.
“…I am.”
James leaned closer.
“Think you should share the snacks though.”
Regulus blinked.
Then calmly lifted his foot.
And planted it squarely against James’s chest.
James froze.
The room froze.
Regulus pushed him back slightly.
“…No.”
James stared down at the foot on his chest.
“…Excuse me.”
Regulus pushed harder.
“…Back.”
James lunged.
Regulus shoved him again with the same foot.
James bounced backward.
“…WHAT.”
The room exploded again.
“NO WAY—”
“HOW IS HE DOING THAT—”
James tried again.
Another lunge.
Regulus pushed him back again.
Effortlessly.
James stumbled.
“…WHAT THE HELL.”
Regulus looked mildly annoyed.
“I said back.”
James tried again.
This time he grabbed Regulus’s ankle.
Regulus twisted his leg and shoved him harder.
James staggered backward.
“HOW ARE YOU THIS STRONG.”
Regulus looked confused.
“…I did rodeo stuff.”
James stared at him.
“You rode sheep!”
“I wrestled sheep.”
James blinked.
“…That’s not better.”
Regulus shrugged.
“And I’m Slytherin’s Seeker.”
The room screamed.
“OH MY GOD—”
“I FORGOT—”
“HE’S THE ONE THAT KEEPS BEATING US—”
James looked betrayed.
“…You’re the reason we lost last month.”
Regulus nodded calmly.
“Skill issue.”
The room howled.
James lunged again.
Regulus shoved him back again with his foot.
Still eating chocolate.
James looked like he might cry.
“You’re half my size!”
Regulus shrugged.
“I wrestle livestock.”
James pointed accusingly.
“That’s cheating!”
Regulus studied him thoughtfully.
“…You are hot though.”
James froze.
The room froze.
James straightened slowly.
“…Go on.”
Regulus tilted his head slightly.
“The muscles are nice.”
James grinned smugly.
“I knew it.”
Regulus popped another chocolate piece into his mouth.
“But I will admire them from a distance.”
James blinked.
“…Why.”
Regulus looked him up and down critically.
“…You look like someone who doesn’t aim when he pisses.”
The dorm erupted.
Peter fell onto the floor screaming.
Mary choked on air.
Fabian slammed his head against Gideon’s shoulder laughing.
James looked mortally offended.
“I DO AIM!”
Regulus raised an eyebrow.
“…Do you though.”
The room was shaking with laughter now.
Remus wiped tears from his eyes.
“…We really should’ve kidnapped him sooner.”
James pointed at Regulus.
“You’re banned from my bathroom.”
Regulus leaned back smugly in Sirius’s hoodie.
“…Good.”
And around him—
The Gryffindor dormitory had completely lost control of itself.