FIC: Conjunction (2/2)
Part two, as promised. Well this has been completely reconstructed and has somehow turned out to be a little darker than I had originally intended. Not so much fluff, which is a bonus for me because I really can’t write convincing fluff. Anyway, enough waffle, and here it is.
Title: Conjunction
Author: Fleshdress
Rating: R
Summary: `Conjunction - a word or group of words that connects words, phrases or clauses`
Disclaimer: Would you believe I *still* don't own them?
By the time Remus staggered out of the Transfiguration classroom he wondered if perhaps it would be easier just to chop Sirius’ hand off at the wrist and let Regulus take it rather than go through another lesson like that. James and Peter obviously felt much the same, judging from James’ wild eyes and Peter’s yellow face.
As they returned slowly to the Gryffindor tower, Regulus slid out from under the cloak and slung it to James.
"That was pretty cool with the flowers," he said as they walked in silence.
"I’m glad *somebody* noticed," Sirius replied, sounding thoroughly displeased. "That’s not an easy one to pull off, you know."
" It was showing off, Sirius and you know it, " Remus snapped.
"We’re out of it now," James cut over Sirius’ insulted response. "Lets just get back to the tower and work out what we’re going to do about tomorrow."
"I don’t want to spend another night in a Gryffindor dormitory," Regulus stated, coming to a halt and trying to fold his arms.
Sirius tugged his hand back and scowled at him.
"Stinks then, doesn’t it, that that’s where we’re going, huh?"
"I don’t want to. I want to be back in the dungeons with Slytherins."
"I don’t care what you want, " Sirius snarled. "We’re going to the tower."
"Why’s it always your way? Why can’t we do what I want?"
"Because I’m capable of cursing you to within an inch of your life. How’s that?" Sirius answered roughly, hauling Regulus along behind him.
"That’s not fair. I want to be back in the dungeons. Last night was in your dormitory, now I want to spend the night in my dormitory."
"Be reasonable Regulus," Remus implored, seeing the murderous look in Sirius’ eyes. He was still apparently smarting from the thought of his Transfiguration class believing he had an unsightly right hand. "You can hardly expect Sirius to bed down with the Slytherins."
"Why not?" Regulus persisted. "I bedded down with you scum."
"You really got Mother’s charm, didn’t you?" Sirius remarked acidly. "Put it this way, if you force me to go sleepover with your Slytherin buddies, I will outdo my performance at your tenth birthday party. Do you remember your tenth birthday party?"
"No," Regulus shot back petulantly.
"That’s because Mother Obliviated you to stop you having nightmares about it," Sirius explained viciously.
James sniggered and Sirius flashed a grin at him.
"Should have been there Prongs," he said in a nostalgic voice, "Children screaming, parental complaints, house elves in panic. Ah, that was *three months* worth of mischief managed, that was."
"You’re bluffing," Regulus said stoutly, lips set in an expression reminiscent of the time Professor McGonagall had tried to make Sirius cut his hair.
"Try me," Sirius invited.
Regulus backed down reluctantly though he continued muttering as they approached the Fat Lady.
"Just wanted my things. Toothbrush and clean underwear. Reasonable requests. But not if you’re a bloody pigheaded Gryffindor."
Rolling his eyes at Sirius over the boy’s head, James dropped the Invisibility Cloak over him and spoke the password. The portrait swung open and, moving quickly through the busy common room, they returned to their dormitory.
When James shucked off his robes and pulled out his Quidditch gear, Remus remembered with a sinking feeling what was scheduled for this evening. From the sudden look of horror that crossed Sirius’ face, he too had just remembered.
"Quidditch practice," he moaned, his face drained of all colour.
James shot him a sympathetic look.
"We’ll just have to make do without you tonight Padfoot."
"Nononono, I can’t miss Quidditch," Sirius gasped, lunging at James and almost succeeding in knocking Regulus from his feet.
"We’ll make do with one Beater," James answered with a shrug. "You can’t come in your state. The Marauders are good Sirius, but we’re not that good."
"Sirius and Regulus could fly parallel," Peter suggested helpfully.
"I don’t think… " Remus began in an exasperated voice.
"We could do that," Sirius agreed, ridiculously hopeful, looking around for someone to agree.
"Sirius, I know this is going to hurt, but you just can’t," Remus said patiently.
"I can’t miss Quidditch. Look, lets just Stupefy the kid and strap him to the back of the broom…"
"You’re mad! I’m not letting you do that!" Regulus shrieked.
"This is Quidditch we’re talking about," Sirius said in a sombre voice, turning to face his brother directly.
"No, Padfoot. You can’t go," James said firmly, picking up his broomstick and heading to the door.
Obviously realising this was not a fight he was going to win, Sirius sank down onto his bed, frowning mutinously.
"You’re taking orders from Potter?" Regulus demanded incredulously as James and Peter left the dormitory.
"Don’t talk to me," Sirius growled. "I’m missing Quidditch and it’s your fault."
"My fault? You’re the one who went crazy and started hexing everything that moved!"
"Oh, what? Completely unprovoked was it? You Slytherins were just walking innocently by, huh?" Sirius retorted as Regulus glared at him.
"Don’t give me that. Like you’ve never heard them slag off Lupin before?"
Remus looked up from his bed, where he had been reading and trying very hard not to notice the blazing row going on.
"It was about me?" he asked, dumbstruck.
"Good going Regulus," Sirius jeered. "You just open your mouth and everything falls out."
"Of course it was about you," Regulus said exasperated and completely ignoring the death-stare his brother was directing at him. "What else turns my brother into stonking moron?"
Remus could think of many things but considered it diplomatic not to mention it.
"Padfoot," he said wearily, laying his book down. "You didn’t have to get into a fight about me."
"Of course I did," Sirius protested. "I’m not having Slytherin filth badmouth you."
"It’s very kind of you to protect my… well my honour like that but it’s not necessary. They can say what they like."
"I don’t think they were waiting for your permission," Regulus observed snidely.
"So gonna gut you later," Sirius warned him.
"They can say what they like," Remus said again. "And it doesn’t matter. It honestly doesn’t bother me."
"But they’re all so… shitty. And you’re not. And I’m not going to just stand and listen to their junk."
"No, you’re going to smash Bellatrix over the head with a sculpture of Cassiopeia and make her so mad that she jinxes you and manages to glue me to you," Regulus added irritably.
"Do you mind? I was trying to have a moment there with Remus."
"And he was trying to tell you not to be such an idiot about him."
"Actually…" Remus interrupted.
"You barely know Remus. You can’t read him yet. I can just about read him, and that’s only when he helps."
"I don’t *want* to be able to read scruffy halfbloods. I prefer them to remain a mystery to me. What I want is for my brother to start acting with a little dignity."
"Regulus, you do know I can’t take you seriously when you get all red in the face and look like a hyperventilating gnome, right?" Sirius commented with a grin. "It just makes me want to…"
He pinned his brother to the bed with a shoulder and ruffled his hair vigorously.
"Stop it! Get off me you freak!" Regulus screeched between giggles.
"I take it we’re all friends again now?" Remus asked mildly. "Well if you two don’t mind I’m going to turn in."
"Bit early isn’t it Moony?" Sirius asked, glancing up from the wrestling hold in which he gripped his brother.
"Today rather took it out of me. And I feel I’m going to need my strength for tomorrow."
He stood, removed his robe and folded it carefully before laying it on the bed.
"Oh Merlin, stop drooling Sirius!" Regulus snickered. "You’re worse than Lucius that time he caught you half-dressed in his bedchamber!"
"What were you doing half-dressed in Malfoy’s bedroom?" Remus asked aghast.
"Looong story, Moony. And you Reggie, you’ve got a real death wish, you know that?" Sirius growled before tipping his brother head first over the side of the bed.
Ignoring the shrieks and choked laughter, Remus unbuttoned his shirt.
"Whose chocolate is this?" Regulus asked, retrieving a small unopened bar from under Sirius’ bed.
"It’s Moony’s. All chocolate in this dormitory is Moony’s and I’d be careful, he’s very territorial about his sweets. Bite your hand off rather than share, he would," Sirius teased, grinning at Remus.
Regulus didn’t answer. He was staring at Remus’ pale chest with narrowed eyes.
"Why are you so scarred?" he asked.
Reddening, Remus slipped on his pyjama top, almost ripping off the top button in his haste.
"Because he asked too many nosy questions," Sirius warned. "You know, I hadn’t noticed before," he said lightly, running a finger down Regulus’ nose, "but you could give Snivellus a run for his money with a nose like that."
"I have Aunt Elladora’s nose Mother says," Regulus said primly. "And why are you so against Severus Snape, is it because he’s after your halfblood?"
"Mother’s full of rubbish," Sirius answered dismissively. "I’m so against Snivellus because he’s an insufferable wanker. And Remus is no-one’s halfblood but his own. Plus I’d appreciate it if you didn’t keep bringing everyone’s heritage into the conversation."
"We *are* our heritage. We are all that have gone before. Their blood is our blood," Regulus said with the unmistakeable air of someone quoting an earlier lesson.
Sirius released him with a disgusted look and rolled away as far as their joined wrists would allow him.
"Oh what a good little pureblood you are. I think this obsession with blood is morbid and speaks of a profound psychological disorder."
"Everyone know what *you* think of blood."
"The only good pureblood is pureblood puddles on the floor," Sirius threw back ruthlessly.
Remus lowered his book and shot him a disbelieving look.
"That’s a somewhat vicious attitude isn’t it? Not to mention self-destructive."
"Tell me that after you’ve sat through a Christmas dinner with my family," Sirius offered.
"At least it’s entertaining," Regulus griped. "I thought you lot were meant to be exciting. But Potter and the other one are at Quidditch, Lupin’s gone to bed and you’re just being an idiot. Truly thrilling."
Remus knew the second that the words had left Regulus’ mouth that Sirius would see it as a challenge. He wondered if Regulus realised. Judging from the anticipatory gleam in the younger boy’s eyes as he watched his brother, he did.
"Alright, how about you give me a guided tour of the Slytherin dungeons?" Sirius asked speculatively after a moment’s thought.
Remus’ eyes widened and he shot Sirius a horrified look. Regulus appeared equally stricken.
"What? No Sirius, they’d slaughter you!"
"You wanted things from your dormitory didn’t you?" Sirius pressed. "We’ll go get them and I’ll show your Gryffindor courage."
"And they’ll show you Slytherin opportunism," Remus shot back.
"Besides, Lucius will be there," Regulus added.
Sirius gestured dismissively.
"I can beat Lucius one-handed."
"You’d have to Sirius. If it came to it, I’d *have* to be on his side," warned Regulus. He was serious as well, Remus realised grimly. But from the cocky tilt of Sirius’ head, it was obvious he didn’t think so.
"I can take Lucius, Mad Bella, Thuggy Rosier, Ice-Queen Narcissa, the Creepy Lestranges, Dumb Goyle, Dumber Crabbe *and* Dumbest Wilkes. And any other Slytherin you care to throw at me," Sirius insisted, his eyes sparkling. "Including you, brother dearest. But I was actually intending to use the Invisibility Cloak, no point in me going *looking* for trouble."
Remus refrained from pointing out that that was precisely what he was doing by walking into the home territory of the people who Sirius took daily delight in tormenting.
"It would be almost impossible not to be caught," he said instead.
"And therein lies the fun. I always like those kind of odds," Sirius agreed.
He was determined. He was going to do it and nothing Remus or Regulus could say would change his mind. Perhaps if James had been there, Remus considered, he might have been able to talk him round. Though equally there was the possibility that James would have approved and even wanted to go along too.
"Right, we go in, collect a few things for Regulus and we leave again," commanded Remus. "No side missions. No perfect opportunities that we just can’t miss. No `well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.`"
" No *we*," Sirius said sharply. "I’m not letting you walk in there. You’re not well."
"I’m perfectly well enough for this and I’m not letting *you* walk in there on your own. No offence Regulus."
"None taken, and can I just say that *this* is a moment," Regulus smirked. "I guess you’ll be less inclined to be hot-headed if your precious Lupin’s in the line of fire too," Regulus observed gleefully, watching Sirius flush a delicate pink.
"Alright," he agreed. "We’ll all go."
As they reached the entrance to the dungeons, Remus wished, not for the first time, that he’d been sorted into Ravenclaw where the height of rebelliousness would be keeping a library book past the date to which it was issued.
But no, here they were, Sirius and Remus under the Cloak, attached to a Slytherin of dubious loyalties, about to waltz uninvited into the Slytherin common room. Remus had never had a high life expectancy anyway.
"Now, don’t listen," Regulus insisted as he leant towards the portrait that covered the entrance. He hissed something almost inaudible and the portrait swung wide.
"Welcome to Slytherin," he said, bowing sardonically.
"Stop talking to us you fool, or we might as well take this cloak off," Sirius hissed, following him through the hole.
"Oh right," he mumbled, "Sorry."
Under the cloak Remus could see Sirius make a face at him and roll his eyes.
They entered the stone chamber. It was luxuriously decorated and furnished in green and silver, with dark wood settees, thick warm rugs and a blazing fire in the corner. Beside him, Remus could see Sirius glance at the surroundings, more curious than impressed. Once again he was reminded of the different social spheres from which they came.
The common room was near deserted and Regulus heaved a sigh when he saw Lucius and his friends weren’t around. Tugging Sirius with him, who in turn pulled Remus along, Regulus led them quickly and stealthily to the staircase leading down to the dormitories.
Halfway down the winding stone stones, he pushed a door open and peered inside.
"Sweet Merlin Regulus, there you are!" a voice greeted him.
Regulus edged inside and Remus was treated to his first and hopefully only sight of the interior of a Slytherin dormitory. Two fourth-year boys were inside, both looking at Regulus in a mixture of relief and annoyance.
"Where’ve you been? And why didn’t you hang around after morning lessons. Lucius Malfoy’s been looking for you all over," the tall redheaded one said. "He was even considering going to ask your brother if he’d seen you. And you know how insufferable Sirius would have been about it."
"What’s Malfoy want with me?" Regulus asked disinterestedly, moving over to one of the beds and hooking out a few toiletries.
"He wants to know what happened after the fight with Potter and Sirius night before last, of course," a blond boy answered. "You were dragged off, didn’t come back all night and then missed this afternoon’s lessons."
"Why are you collecting your things?" The redhead said suspiciously.
"You’re not staying, are you?" the other one guessed. He smirked. "Hope that’s the only way you take after Seriously-Slutty Sirius."
Remus felt Sirius bristle beside him. His grey eyes were fixed on Regulus, intent on his response. Waiting perhaps for a defence that Remus didn’t think was imminent.
It wasn’t.
"Well, just tell Lucius that I’ve been by and I’m fine. Better be off."
Regulus began to move to the door. But the redhead caught hold of his arm, thankfully not the one that he shared with Sirius.
"I think you should stay and tell him yourself. You should be flattered that he’s taking an interest in your welfare."
Regulus glared at the boy until he was released.
"I am a Black," Regulus said with great dignity. "It is of no import to me whether a Malfoy chooses to involve himself in my affairs or not."
Impressed as Remus was by Regulus’ haughty demeanour, he was apparently in the minority. The blond sniggered and the redhead raised an unconvinced eyebrow.
"I’d think, in your position, I’d be a little more careful to keep the few friends you have. Your brother has brought shame on your family. It’s up to you to repair the damage he’s done. And you’re not going to do that by disregarding powerful people like Lucius Malfoy."
Sirius’ fists were clenched and Remus wasn’t even sure he felt the restraining hand Remus laid gently on his shoulder.
"What would a near-squib such as yourself know of the workings of pureblood families?" Regulus demanded.
"My blood is a pure as yours," the redhead asserted violently.
"Oh please," Regulus sneered. "Your family’s loss of magic tells all the world just how pure your bloodline is. And as for my brother, yes he is a disgrace, but like all that is rotten, he has been cut out and discarded. You insult my family even to mention his name."
"Lear, come on, perhaps we should go to the common room. Get some homework done," the blond suggested, drawing the redhead away and glancing uncertainly at Regulus’ stormy face.
Regulus watched them leave. Once the clatter of the footsteps on the stone had died away, he turned to face the air that he believed contained Sirius.
"I hate you. Blood traitor."
Sirius shrugged the cloak off.
"And proud of it. Have you got all your stuff?" he asked coldly.
"Yes."
"Then lets give your charming friend Lear and his little buddy time to get settled and then we’ll get out of here."
Remus looked away awkwardly and glanced around the room. On the bedside table next to Regulus’ bed was a small ring, bearing the Black family crest. He remembered that Sirius had come to Hogwarts wearing one and had triumphantly pulled it from his finger when he was sorted into Gryffindor. It had been one of the first things Sirius had pawned when he had left his family home last summer. And Remus remembered the money it had settled. It had seemed a vast sum to him but Sirius had been less than impressed.
"Don’t forget your ring Regulus," he reminded the boy, reaching down for it.
"No!"
Sirius caught his wrist. Regulus turned to look at him, surprised at his urgent tone. Sirius relaxed his expression and smiled tightly.
"All us Sons of House Black are given these silly little silver rings," his large eyes darted up to Remus’ face meaningfully. "They’re ridiculous trinkets. Part of a stupid tradition. Leave it."
Remus withdrew his hand, wondering how they would have explained to Regulus the sudden smell of burning flesh. Regulus snatched the ring up.
"That stupid tradition happens to be part of our birthright. I for one am not so inclined to just throw it aside."
"Stop talking like Mother," Sirius snapped. "It’s me, remember? It *makes* me want to argue. Now, lets get out of here."
While Remus expected Regulus to suddenly decide he wanted to stay in his dormitory now he was in it, he was resolutely silent, perhaps as testament to the air of menace Sirius was exuding.
No, things went wrong when they reached the top of the stairs and saw Lear talking to a returned Lucius Malfoy, complete with hordes of admirers and supporters. Remus and Sirius instantly pulled Regulus back into the shadows.
Sirius was just about to drag his brother under the Cloak when ringing footsteps sounded and Snape rounded the corner. Remus would have liked to think that it couldn’t get any worse, but was sure that he could be proved wrong.
Snape raised his eyebrows at Regulus.
"There you are," he murmured dispassionately. "People are looking for you."
"Yeah, I…" Regulus began but Remus cut him off by removing the Cloak and fixing Snape with pleading brown eyes.
"Help us," he said, his tone wavering between an order and a request.
To his credit, Snape was apparently unshaken to see Remus and the much-loathed Sirius Black revealed before him on the stairs to the Slytherin boys’ dormitories.
"Finally making a few conquests in Slytherin are you Black? Bringing along helpers too it seems. Well, I’ll help *you* Lupin," he said coldly. "But only because I don’t want the air around here contaminated by something such as yourself."
"Speak to him like that again, and you’ll regret it," Sirius replied, equally coldly.
"How, pray tell? Another oh-so-fascinating piece of advice, perhaps? Something to top your last `prank` played on me?"
Regulus glanced at his brother sharply but wisely held his tongue.
"Severus, please help us," Remus interrupted before Sirius could speak.
"Severus?" Lucius’ cultured voice called out, drawing nearer as Severus considered the three stood in front of him.
Challenging Snape with a furious glance, Sirius stuffed his brother under the Cloak.
"It’s me Lucius," he answered, ignoring Remus’ stunned expression.
"Sirius, how delightful to see you," Lucius greeted him with a pleased smile as he came into sight. "I knew you’d make your way here sooner or later. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Sirius didn’t return the smile.
"I’m looking for my brother. I’ve heard more than a few hints that you’ve lost him. Honestly Lucius, I think my mother and father expected better from you."
Lucius’ smile froze and then tightened almost imperceptibly.
"Am I your brother’s keeper?" he asked lightly. "I think not."
"They were hardly expecting *me* to look after him," Sirius shot back. "Now, I’ve checked his dormitory…"
"How enterprising of you," Lucius murmured, now looking something less than pleased. "And I also see you’ve brought a halfblood with you. How lovely."
"I’ve checked his dormitory," Sirius repeated sternly. "And he wasn’t there. Ol’ Snivelly here wasn’t much help, no surprise there, and so Lupin and I will just be on our way."
They had been so close, Remus mused distantly, as Snape pointedly removed the Cloak to reveal an ashen-faced Regulus. If Sirius had not mentioned Snape, the Potions scholar would probably have let them depart in peace. But as it was Lucius was now regarding a distinctly uncomfortable Sirius with great amusement.
"Well, we seem to have found him," Lucius remarked as Slytherins began to gather around to watch. "Truly Sirius, didn’t you think to check the end of your arm?"
"Lost property is always in the last place you’d think to look," he muttered defiantly.
"Indeed it is. Now, send away your pet and let’s discuss this latest example of your bad behaviour."
"My pet? To whom are you referring?" Sirius asked icily.
Lucius was smiling again, once more in perfect control of the situation.
"Lupin, run along now," he commanded pleasantly. "This is pureblood talk, and as such, not for your ears."
"Leave him alone. Don’t think I won’t turn this into a fight," Sirius said through gritted teeth, pushing in front of Remus.
"Always so protective. I do admire that about you Sirius," Lucius replied before his smile disappeared and his hand twitched towards his wand, "But don’t think I won’t take you on."
"I’m not leaving Sirius here," Remus stated quietly. "We don’t want to fight, but we’re going. Now."
"Oh listen, the halfblood’s trying to save Black!" Evan Rosier crowed mirthfully.
"Someone’s got to," Snape responded coldly. "Black’s mouth would have got him killed long before now if he wasn’t always being bailed out."
Lucius laughed along with the rest of them. He reached out and stroked the angry twist of Sirius’ lips.
"Poor Sirius does get in such trouble because of his pretty little mouth, don’t you Sirius dear?"
"Fuck you Malfoy."
"Now, now, language. Try and keep that famous temper of yours under control. There are children present," Lucius glanced agreeably at Regulus, who was chewing his lip nervously. "And it’s not nice to speak like that to such an old friend as myself."
"Screw this, we’re leaving," Sirius said briskly.
"No."
Remus and Sirius both turned to look at Regulus.
"Regulus, get your arse in gear and get moving," Sirus said in that oh-so-casual voice he always used when he was close to exploding.
"No Sirius." He paused and licked his lips nervously, avoiding Sirius’ eyes. "I’m not leaving. This is my place."
"And Regulus has made his choice," Lucius stated with great satisfaction. "It appears you must trespass on our hospitality this evening Sirius, as Regulus has made his wishes clear and I would not be doing my duty to his dear family if I did not do all in my power to see them done. Don’t worry though, your comfort will be my prime concern."
"Lucius, don’t…" Regulus began, following Lucius’ gaze to where it rested on his brother’s pale face.
"Silence Regulus," Lucius snapped without even turning to look at him. "This is an adult’s conversation, don’t worry yourself about it."
"Regulus," Sirius said in a strained voice. "You can’t do this… you can’t do this to me. No-one will hurt you in Gryffindor tower. I’ll look after you. But I can’t stay here. We have to leave."
"I’m staying Sirius," Regulus persisted quietly, demonstrating he was every bit as stubborn as Sirius was. "I’m not walking away from Slytherin with you. I’m really very sorry, but I’m not doing it."
"Remember what we talked about Regulus," Remus attempted, keeping the panic from his voice. He glanced pointedly at Lucius. "This isn’t a good place for Sirius to be."
" Better a whore for the Malfoys than a Gryffindor disgrace," Regulus said, swallowing hard but maintaining a resolute expression. "I *have* to do my duty, Sirius. And I have to stay here."
"What is wrong with you?" Remus cried. "This isn’t you! This isn’t you at all."
"Oh it is," Sirius snarled. "I’m just beginning to realise that it is. I was a fool to hope otherwise but he’s just the same as them. And I’m well rid of them all."
Regulus’ face drained of all colour and he looked away, but said nothing.
"He can come running back to you as soon as I’ve broken this fucking spell," Sirius declared violently to Lucius, who was watching with grim interest. Sirius snatched out his wand and levelled it at the throng of Slytherins with a steady hand. "But I’m not bedding down with goddamn snakes. I’m leaving and I’ll blow away anything that gets in my way."
"I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down," Snape said emotionlessly from where he was leant against the wall, his black eyes glittering. "Or was that the Big Bad Wolf?"
Sirius was at his throat before Remus had even understood the words. His long white fingers closed around the thin neck and bore the thinner boy to the ground, tumbling Regulus with him. To Remus’ great surprise, Lucius beat him to Sirius’ side, batting Remus away, and dragged Sirius off the struggling boy. Holding him firmly around the chest, he restrained Sirius from lunging back to where Snape was struggling to his feet and rubbing his throat.
"Calm yourself Sirius," Lucius murmured into his ear as he held him. "You’re distraught. I have a hundred witnesses who will say your attack was unprovoked. Kill him and you *will* be expelled. You don’t want that. What good will that do your halfblood? Come now, calm down."
Snape withdrew following a curt nod from Lucius. Sirius was gasping for breath, his eyes still burning with rage and violence. Gradually, Lucius loosened his hold as Sirius relaxed. Regulus placed a hesitant hand on Sirius’ forearm and Sirius’ head snapped round to him, teeth bared.
"Sirius is overwrought; poor, delicate child that he is," Lucius announced in ringing tones as he released Sirius who was still white with anger but at least pacified. "And it is time for all those below sixth-year to be in their dormitories."
They stood back as the lower years reluctantly but obediently proceeded to their rooms. When the common room was deserted by all except Lucius’ friends, the blond seventh-year turned to Sirius with a soothing smile.
"Now there’s no need to be uncivilised about this. Sit down and have a firewhiskey. Narcissa," he flicked a glance at the fragile blonde who nodded and crossed rapidly to the side of the chamber.
He led Sirius and, by extension Regulus, to the soft sofas and settled him in a seat. He sat gracefully at his side and took the glass that Narcissa had prepared from a sparkling, crystal decanter.
"Is it the non-spiked variety this time?" Sirius asked dully. From where he watched, ignored in the corner, Remus noted that he didn’t wait for an answer before he accepted the glass and drank from it.
"How ungentlemanly of you to bring that up," Lucius responded, his expression wounded.
"How ungentlemanly of you was it to try and drug me?" Sirius shot back without rancour.
"That’s a hurtful accusation. I was simply unaware of the sedative properties of Valerian."
Sirius snorted his opinion of that and took another shuddering gulp of his drink. Lucius rubbed small, soothing circles on his back, watching him intently.
"It’s such a long time since then. It was the evening after we watched Carmela Verdana perform at the Salzberg Opera House, do you remember?" Lucius asked fondly.
Sirius nodded.
"She was magnificent. Broke my heart to hear her," he muttered into his glass.
"She’s in Britain soon, for a New Year’s concert. Will I see you there?"
"I doubt it," Sirius answered with a bitter smile. "One of the downsides of walking out of the crazy house is that I’m no longer welcome in the Black family box at the opera."
"How barbaric. Well, you’re always welcome in the Malfoy box."
"No thanks," Sirius replied with a grim laugh. "I remember last time."
"I was simply looking for my scarf."
"Down the front of my trousers?"
Lucius smiled in genuine amusement.
"Lost property is always in the last place you’d think to look."
Sirius’ half-smile vanished and he mutely held his glass out to be refilled. Lucius flicked a finger at Narcissa and she poured in more of the amber liquid. Regulus was sat silently at his brother’s side but he twisted around to shoot Remus a look that could only be identified as pleading.
They sat in silence for a few minutes as Sirius drowned his sorrows and Remus considered his options. Sirius had lapsed into a brooding depression that Remus had only seen a few times previously.
"Poor boy," Lucius said sympathetically. "You’ve had such a hard time recently. But it could all be so easy, you know. I could do that for you. Let me do that for you."
"Go to hell Lucius," Sirius mumbled into his drink.
Lucius stifled a smile and stroked Sirius’ glossy black hair.
"All of this struggling and fighting. Trying so hard to deny what’s running in your very veins. If only you’d work *with* me, instead of against me. Let me make it better for you Sirius."
Lucius leant closer to Sirius and tilted his chin up to look in his eyes.
"Let me make it better for you," he said again, his voice silky with promise.
"I don’t want to be a Death Eater," Sirius slurred. "Silly masks. Ugly tattoos. Don’t like snakes."
"No need to make any decisions just now," Lucius suggested, smiling at him encouragingly "Just… relax for now, hmm?"
Regulus was shooting Remus another look, this one unmistakeable as a plea. Fine time to get scruples about selling your brother out, Remus cursed, when he was already surrounded by Slytherins and apparently being steadily drugged. But he needed no direction from Regulus to decide it was time to put a stop to this, he was already moving towards the knot of Slytherins gathered around Sirius. Crabbe and Goyle moved to intercept him but he shoved them aside and was surprised to see he sent them sprawling. He skidded forward and threw himself into a crouch in front of a drowsy Sirius.
"Padfoot?" he roused him. "C’mon, wake up. We need to go."
Lucius flicked an annoyed glance around.
"Can someone please remove the halfblood?" he ordered tightly.
Remus felt Rosier’s hand on his shoulder, dragging him to his feet, but that didn’t stop him from holding the sleepy grey eyes locked.
Sirius’ grey eyes. *His* grey eyes.
"Leave him alone," Sirius managed through lips that didn’t seem to want to work.
"It’s okay Sirius. Lupin wants to leave. Have a little more firewhiskey. It will settle your nerves," Lucius assured him, refilling the glass in Sirius’ unsteady hand. Sirius glanced at the liquid distastefully.
"What have you put in there this time, you snake?" he asked unenthusiastically. "Not Valerian, is it? More like, oh I don’t know, but I don’t like it. And I don’t like you pushing Moony around."
Sirius staggered to his feet and dropped the glass. It shattered on the stone floor, sending shards skittering. Regulus, rising with his brother, slipped his shoulder beneath Sirius’ arm and held him steady.
"In fact," Sirius commented, "if you don’t let go of Remus, right about now, I’m going to go into berserker mode and put a fucking crater in this floor."
He gripped his wand tightly and pointed it at Rosier, who was holding Remus. He stopped dead and glanced at Lucius for instructions.
"I know a curse," Sirius said conversationally, his words stumbling into each other in the tense silence. "It’s a good one. My Father taught me, as I sat with him in his study like the good boy I’m not. *Avada Kedavra.* Anyone know it?"
Rosier released Remus and looked again to Lucius, slightly more concerned this time. Lucius’ calm expression was gone. He watched Sirius with a strange look in his cold eyes.
"You really could, couldn’t you? But for the will of God, you could have been one of ours so long ago."
"My loss," Sirius said with a clumsy shrug. "Right, where’s that bitch of a cousin of mine? Bellatrix? Come here you old harpy and tell me what curse you hit me and the brat with."
Bellatrix eyed Sirius with unconcealed disgust from where she lounged on another sofa.
"I find it rather amusing that you have to drag such an obvious display of your heritage around with you," she said, her icy demeanour unruffled by the wand that swung round to point at her.
"And I’d find it rather amusing to show you another favourite curse of my father’s. Would you like me to demonstrate the Cruciatus curse? He spent a great deal of time teaching me that one. I’m rather good at it."
"Yes cousin," Bellatrix whispered, leaning forward, her smouldering eyes alight. "Teach me. Show me. Let me feel it."
"No Sirius," Regulus hissed urgently in his intoxicated brother’s ear.
Sirius slapped him aside.
"You want me to show you?" he asked her, stepping forward unsteadily. "I’d quite like to hurt you."
"No Sirius," Remus appealed calmly. "They’d take you to Azkaban, they‘d take you away from me."
"Right," Sirius nodded, "not that then. Sorry Bella, another time. Lucius?"
"Yes Sirius?" Lucius asked, apparently unconcerned by the crisis that was unfolding.
"Make her tell me."
Lucius smiled uncomprehendingly.
"I’m not sure how you expect me to accomplish that…" he began.
"Don’t fuck me around," Sirius snapped. "You’re the one calling the shots. Always knew you would be. Now make that hard-faced bitch wrack her twisted mind and tell me what she jinxed me with and in return I’ll tell you who your dear father’s arranged for you to marry."
*That* got Lucius’ attention, Remus observed with dark pleasure.
"How would you know something like that?" he demanded.
"I know, that’s all that matters. Now make her tell me."
Without taking his eyes from Sirius’ bloodless face, Lucius snapped a finger at Bellatrix. She glared at him ferociously but spat out the words.
"Sanguim Flamma."
"You were right, it’s a blood hex, " Remus commented, moving closer to Sirius.
"And one that only the caster can remove," Sirius added with a ghastly smile, flicking a long strand of black hair out of his sweat-sheened face. "Well, c’mon Bella, old girl. Get to work. You can keep the brat and Remus and I’ll be on our way."
"And why should I do that?" she sneered.
"Because I’m sure Lucius is eager to hear the name of his intended," Remus told her coolly.
"Lucius…?"
She turned to the blond with a displeased look.
"End the spell," Lucius snapped.
"There are other ways to find out," one of the Lestrange brothers commented, leaning close to him.
"Sirius wishes to leave. I wish him gone. We will achieve nothing by keeping him here. Release them."
With an outraged twitch of her brow, Bellatrix pointed her wand at Regulus and Sirius.
"Finite Incantatem."
The brothers staggered as the spell was lifted. Remus instantly moved to Sirius’ side and slid his arm around him as the black-haired Gryffindor swayed.
"Well thank you so much for your hospitality, your alcohol and your drugs and the near mass murder," Sirius said with a sweeping bow. "Never let it be said that Slytherins don’t know how to throw a party. But now Remus and I must retire to our dormitory."
Leaning heavily on Remus, who cast several wary glances at the shocked Slytherins behind them, Sirius stumbled to the portrait. Regulus threw an uneasy look at Lucius’ discontented expression but chased after them.
"What do you want, brat?" Sirius asked wearily.
"Just… I *am* sorry Sirius. But some things are more important than you and me, you know. There are principles at stake. And I had to make a choice."
"You made the wrong one," Sirius told him bluntly. "And if you’re any brother of mine, you’ll realise one day. And what a sorry mess you’ll be in then, hmm?"
"It’s never too late," Remus said, fixing Regulus with an even gaze.
"I’ve made my choice," Regulus replied, backing away.
"May you live to regret it. Oh and tell Lucius," Sirius called back as they lurched through the portrait hole, "that he’s been fixed up with the Ice Queen."
They stumbled through the dark halls in silence, Sirius clinging hold of Remus tightly around the neck.
"Are you okay, Padfoot?" he asked finally, painfully aware that it was hopelessly inadequate.
"I’m sorry I got you involved in that," Sirius answered, his voice so distorted it was almost incomprehensible.
"I’m always involved when you are."
"Yeah," Sirius agreed with the ghost of a grin. "It’s you and me, isn’t it?"
"Always."
Sirius’ knees buckled and Remus staggered as he tried to pull him back to his feet. But Sirius was looking mournfully at his left wrist, studying the play of bone beneath the skin as he turned it one way, then the other.
"Stupid bugger. Should have known he wouldn’t come with me, not when they were all watching."
He gave a choked sob and hid his face messily behind crookedly splayed white fingers.
"Bloody Lucius, and his bloody firewhiskey," Sirius mumbled. "Always makes me weepy."
"I must admit I’m at something of a loss to understand why you drank the damn stuff if you thought it likely to be drugged," Remus commented, giving Sirius time to cover over his temporarily lapse of self-control.
In Sirius Black’s mindset, a display of extreme anger, such as Remus had witnessed but minutes earlier, where Sirius threatened destruction of property and murder, was perfectly acceptable. But to shed tears was absolutely inexcusable.
"Didn’t want to think straight, about… what was happening. And it seemed like a good idea at the time," Sirius replied, catching hold of Remus’ hand and forcing himself to his feet.
"I seem to remember forbidding that sort of thinking at the beginning of this evening’s jaunt," Remus observed as they approached Gryffindor tower.
"That’s ‘cos you’re clever, Moony," Sirius mumbled clumsily in his ear. "*You* don’t want me to be a Death Eater, do you?" he asked as Remus hauled him past the staring students in the Gryffindor common room and up the stairs.
"Not right now, no," he answered lightly, shouldering the dormitory door open.
"I’d make a bloody terrible Death Eater," Sirius confessed as Remus deposited him on his bed and stood back to rub his cramping back. "But I do do a mean Cruciatus, you know."
"Best not brag about that in Professor McGonagall’s earshot."
"Too bloody easy for Cissa to slip a pinch of whatever it was in my drink, wasn’t it?" Sirius rambled as Remus fetched a flannel and ran it under the cold water in the bathroom. "She’s gonna be a fantastic wife for Lucius, every inch as tricksy. Just remind me never to go to one of their dinner parties. I’m going to have such a killer headache in the morning. Bloody snake."
Sirius laid still long enough for Remus to press the damp cloth to his forehead. His grey eyes roved over Remus’ face without focussing.
"I’m *not* going to be a Death Eater, you know Moony," he said resolutely.
"I should think not," Remus said primly, wiping back a few strands of damp black hair. "It’s not a reliable career path at all."
"I don’t belong to them, not anymore. See?" he asked, waving his wrist in Remus’ face and almost punching him on the nose. "I belong to you," he remarked earnestly.
Remus paused and looked at him intently. Sirius gazed back up at him and smiled sweetly.
"You and me. Is that okay?" he asked groggily.
"That’s perfect," Remus agreed, dropping a light kiss on Sirius’ forehead.
Title: Conjunction
Author: Fleshdress
Rating: R
Summary: `Conjunction - a word or group of words that connects words, phrases or clauses`
Disclaimer: Would you believe I *still* don't own them?
By the time Remus staggered out of the Transfiguration classroom he wondered if perhaps it would be easier just to chop Sirius’ hand off at the wrist and let Regulus take it rather than go through another lesson like that. James and Peter obviously felt much the same, judging from James’ wild eyes and Peter’s yellow face.
As they returned slowly to the Gryffindor tower, Regulus slid out from under the cloak and slung it to James.
"That was pretty cool with the flowers," he said as they walked in silence.
"I’m glad *somebody* noticed," Sirius replied, sounding thoroughly displeased. "That’s not an easy one to pull off, you know."
" It was showing off, Sirius and you know it, " Remus snapped.
"We’re out of it now," James cut over Sirius’ insulted response. "Lets just get back to the tower and work out what we’re going to do about tomorrow."
"I don’t want to spend another night in a Gryffindor dormitory," Regulus stated, coming to a halt and trying to fold his arms.
Sirius tugged his hand back and scowled at him.
"Stinks then, doesn’t it, that that’s where we’re going, huh?"
"I don’t want to. I want to be back in the dungeons with Slytherins."
"I don’t care what you want, " Sirius snarled. "We’re going to the tower."
"Why’s it always your way? Why can’t we do what I want?"
"Because I’m capable of cursing you to within an inch of your life. How’s that?" Sirius answered roughly, hauling Regulus along behind him.
"That’s not fair. I want to be back in the dungeons. Last night was in your dormitory, now I want to spend the night in my dormitory."
"Be reasonable Regulus," Remus implored, seeing the murderous look in Sirius’ eyes. He was still apparently smarting from the thought of his Transfiguration class believing he had an unsightly right hand. "You can hardly expect Sirius to bed down with the Slytherins."
"Why not?" Regulus persisted. "I bedded down with you scum."
"You really got Mother’s charm, didn’t you?" Sirius remarked acidly. "Put it this way, if you force me to go sleepover with your Slytherin buddies, I will outdo my performance at your tenth birthday party. Do you remember your tenth birthday party?"
"No," Regulus shot back petulantly.
"That’s because Mother Obliviated you to stop you having nightmares about it," Sirius explained viciously.
James sniggered and Sirius flashed a grin at him.
"Should have been there Prongs," he said in a nostalgic voice, "Children screaming, parental complaints, house elves in panic. Ah, that was *three months* worth of mischief managed, that was."
"You’re bluffing," Regulus said stoutly, lips set in an expression reminiscent of the time Professor McGonagall had tried to make Sirius cut his hair.
"Try me," Sirius invited.
Regulus backed down reluctantly though he continued muttering as they approached the Fat Lady.
"Just wanted my things. Toothbrush and clean underwear. Reasonable requests. But not if you’re a bloody pigheaded Gryffindor."
Rolling his eyes at Sirius over the boy’s head, James dropped the Invisibility Cloak over him and spoke the password. The portrait swung open and, moving quickly through the busy common room, they returned to their dormitory.
When James shucked off his robes and pulled out his Quidditch gear, Remus remembered with a sinking feeling what was scheduled for this evening. From the sudden look of horror that crossed Sirius’ face, he too had just remembered.
"Quidditch practice," he moaned, his face drained of all colour.
James shot him a sympathetic look.
"We’ll just have to make do without you tonight Padfoot."
"Nononono, I can’t miss Quidditch," Sirius gasped, lunging at James and almost succeeding in knocking Regulus from his feet.
"We’ll make do with one Beater," James answered with a shrug. "You can’t come in your state. The Marauders are good Sirius, but we’re not that good."
"Sirius and Regulus could fly parallel," Peter suggested helpfully.
"I don’t think… " Remus began in an exasperated voice.
"We could do that," Sirius agreed, ridiculously hopeful, looking around for someone to agree.
"Sirius, I know this is going to hurt, but you just can’t," Remus said patiently.
"I can’t miss Quidditch. Look, lets just Stupefy the kid and strap him to the back of the broom…"
"You’re mad! I’m not letting you do that!" Regulus shrieked.
"This is Quidditch we’re talking about," Sirius said in a sombre voice, turning to face his brother directly.
"No, Padfoot. You can’t go," James said firmly, picking up his broomstick and heading to the door.
Obviously realising this was not a fight he was going to win, Sirius sank down onto his bed, frowning mutinously.
"You’re taking orders from Potter?" Regulus demanded incredulously as James and Peter left the dormitory.
"Don’t talk to me," Sirius growled. "I’m missing Quidditch and it’s your fault."
"My fault? You’re the one who went crazy and started hexing everything that moved!"
"Oh, what? Completely unprovoked was it? You Slytherins were just walking innocently by, huh?" Sirius retorted as Regulus glared at him.
"Don’t give me that. Like you’ve never heard them slag off Lupin before?"
Remus looked up from his bed, where he had been reading and trying very hard not to notice the blazing row going on.
"It was about me?" he asked, dumbstruck.
"Good going Regulus," Sirius jeered. "You just open your mouth and everything falls out."
"Of course it was about you," Regulus said exasperated and completely ignoring the death-stare his brother was directing at him. "What else turns my brother into stonking moron?"
Remus could think of many things but considered it diplomatic not to mention it.
"Padfoot," he said wearily, laying his book down. "You didn’t have to get into a fight about me."
"Of course I did," Sirius protested. "I’m not having Slytherin filth badmouth you."
"It’s very kind of you to protect my… well my honour like that but it’s not necessary. They can say what they like."
"I don’t think they were waiting for your permission," Regulus observed snidely.
"So gonna gut you later," Sirius warned him.
"They can say what they like," Remus said again. "And it doesn’t matter. It honestly doesn’t bother me."
"But they’re all so… shitty. And you’re not. And I’m not going to just stand and listen to their junk."
"No, you’re going to smash Bellatrix over the head with a sculpture of Cassiopeia and make her so mad that she jinxes you and manages to glue me to you," Regulus added irritably.
"Do you mind? I was trying to have a moment there with Remus."
"And he was trying to tell you not to be such an idiot about him."
"Actually…" Remus interrupted.
"You barely know Remus. You can’t read him yet. I can just about read him, and that’s only when he helps."
"I don’t *want* to be able to read scruffy halfbloods. I prefer them to remain a mystery to me. What I want is for my brother to start acting with a little dignity."
"Regulus, you do know I can’t take you seriously when you get all red in the face and look like a hyperventilating gnome, right?" Sirius commented with a grin. "It just makes me want to…"
He pinned his brother to the bed with a shoulder and ruffled his hair vigorously.
"Stop it! Get off me you freak!" Regulus screeched between giggles.
"I take it we’re all friends again now?" Remus asked mildly. "Well if you two don’t mind I’m going to turn in."
"Bit early isn’t it Moony?" Sirius asked, glancing up from the wrestling hold in which he gripped his brother.
"Today rather took it out of me. And I feel I’m going to need my strength for tomorrow."
He stood, removed his robe and folded it carefully before laying it on the bed.
"Oh Merlin, stop drooling Sirius!" Regulus snickered. "You’re worse than Lucius that time he caught you half-dressed in his bedchamber!"
"What were you doing half-dressed in Malfoy’s bedroom?" Remus asked aghast.
"Looong story, Moony. And you Reggie, you’ve got a real death wish, you know that?" Sirius growled before tipping his brother head first over the side of the bed.
Ignoring the shrieks and choked laughter, Remus unbuttoned his shirt.
"Whose chocolate is this?" Regulus asked, retrieving a small unopened bar from under Sirius’ bed.
"It’s Moony’s. All chocolate in this dormitory is Moony’s and I’d be careful, he’s very territorial about his sweets. Bite your hand off rather than share, he would," Sirius teased, grinning at Remus.
Regulus didn’t answer. He was staring at Remus’ pale chest with narrowed eyes.
"Why are you so scarred?" he asked.
Reddening, Remus slipped on his pyjama top, almost ripping off the top button in his haste.
"Because he asked too many nosy questions," Sirius warned. "You know, I hadn’t noticed before," he said lightly, running a finger down Regulus’ nose, "but you could give Snivellus a run for his money with a nose like that."
"I have Aunt Elladora’s nose Mother says," Regulus said primly. "And why are you so against Severus Snape, is it because he’s after your halfblood?"
"Mother’s full of rubbish," Sirius answered dismissively. "I’m so against Snivellus because he’s an insufferable wanker. And Remus is no-one’s halfblood but his own. Plus I’d appreciate it if you didn’t keep bringing everyone’s heritage into the conversation."
"We *are* our heritage. We are all that have gone before. Their blood is our blood," Regulus said with the unmistakeable air of someone quoting an earlier lesson.
Sirius released him with a disgusted look and rolled away as far as their joined wrists would allow him.
"Oh what a good little pureblood you are. I think this obsession with blood is morbid and speaks of a profound psychological disorder."
"Everyone know what *you* think of blood."
"The only good pureblood is pureblood puddles on the floor," Sirius threw back ruthlessly.
Remus lowered his book and shot him a disbelieving look.
"That’s a somewhat vicious attitude isn’t it? Not to mention self-destructive."
"Tell me that after you’ve sat through a Christmas dinner with my family," Sirius offered.
"At least it’s entertaining," Regulus griped. "I thought you lot were meant to be exciting. But Potter and the other one are at Quidditch, Lupin’s gone to bed and you’re just being an idiot. Truly thrilling."
Remus knew the second that the words had left Regulus’ mouth that Sirius would see it as a challenge. He wondered if Regulus realised. Judging from the anticipatory gleam in the younger boy’s eyes as he watched his brother, he did.
"Alright, how about you give me a guided tour of the Slytherin dungeons?" Sirius asked speculatively after a moment’s thought.
Remus’ eyes widened and he shot Sirius a horrified look. Regulus appeared equally stricken.
"What? No Sirius, they’d slaughter you!"
"You wanted things from your dormitory didn’t you?" Sirius pressed. "We’ll go get them and I’ll show your Gryffindor courage."
"And they’ll show you Slytherin opportunism," Remus shot back.
"Besides, Lucius will be there," Regulus added.
Sirius gestured dismissively.
"I can beat Lucius one-handed."
"You’d have to Sirius. If it came to it, I’d *have* to be on his side," warned Regulus. He was serious as well, Remus realised grimly. But from the cocky tilt of Sirius’ head, it was obvious he didn’t think so.
"I can take Lucius, Mad Bella, Thuggy Rosier, Ice-Queen Narcissa, the Creepy Lestranges, Dumb Goyle, Dumber Crabbe *and* Dumbest Wilkes. And any other Slytherin you care to throw at me," Sirius insisted, his eyes sparkling. "Including you, brother dearest. But I was actually intending to use the Invisibility Cloak, no point in me going *looking* for trouble."
Remus refrained from pointing out that that was precisely what he was doing by walking into the home territory of the people who Sirius took daily delight in tormenting.
"It would be almost impossible not to be caught," he said instead.
"And therein lies the fun. I always like those kind of odds," Sirius agreed.
He was determined. He was going to do it and nothing Remus or Regulus could say would change his mind. Perhaps if James had been there, Remus considered, he might have been able to talk him round. Though equally there was the possibility that James would have approved and even wanted to go along too.
"Right, we go in, collect a few things for Regulus and we leave again," commanded Remus. "No side missions. No perfect opportunities that we just can’t miss. No `well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.`"
" No *we*," Sirius said sharply. "I’m not letting you walk in there. You’re not well."
"I’m perfectly well enough for this and I’m not letting *you* walk in there on your own. No offence Regulus."
"None taken, and can I just say that *this* is a moment," Regulus smirked. "I guess you’ll be less inclined to be hot-headed if your precious Lupin’s in the line of fire too," Regulus observed gleefully, watching Sirius flush a delicate pink.
"Alright," he agreed. "We’ll all go."
As they reached the entrance to the dungeons, Remus wished, not for the first time, that he’d been sorted into Ravenclaw where the height of rebelliousness would be keeping a library book past the date to which it was issued.
But no, here they were, Sirius and Remus under the Cloak, attached to a Slytherin of dubious loyalties, about to waltz uninvited into the Slytherin common room. Remus had never had a high life expectancy anyway.
"Now, don’t listen," Regulus insisted as he leant towards the portrait that covered the entrance. He hissed something almost inaudible and the portrait swung wide.
"Welcome to Slytherin," he said, bowing sardonically.
"Stop talking to us you fool, or we might as well take this cloak off," Sirius hissed, following him through the hole.
"Oh right," he mumbled, "Sorry."
Under the cloak Remus could see Sirius make a face at him and roll his eyes.
They entered the stone chamber. It was luxuriously decorated and furnished in green and silver, with dark wood settees, thick warm rugs and a blazing fire in the corner. Beside him, Remus could see Sirius glance at the surroundings, more curious than impressed. Once again he was reminded of the different social spheres from which they came.
The common room was near deserted and Regulus heaved a sigh when he saw Lucius and his friends weren’t around. Tugging Sirius with him, who in turn pulled Remus along, Regulus led them quickly and stealthily to the staircase leading down to the dormitories.
Halfway down the winding stone stones, he pushed a door open and peered inside.
"Sweet Merlin Regulus, there you are!" a voice greeted him.
Regulus edged inside and Remus was treated to his first and hopefully only sight of the interior of a Slytherin dormitory. Two fourth-year boys were inside, both looking at Regulus in a mixture of relief and annoyance.
"Where’ve you been? And why didn’t you hang around after morning lessons. Lucius Malfoy’s been looking for you all over," the tall redheaded one said. "He was even considering going to ask your brother if he’d seen you. And you know how insufferable Sirius would have been about it."
"What’s Malfoy want with me?" Regulus asked disinterestedly, moving over to one of the beds and hooking out a few toiletries.
"He wants to know what happened after the fight with Potter and Sirius night before last, of course," a blond boy answered. "You were dragged off, didn’t come back all night and then missed this afternoon’s lessons."
"Why are you collecting your things?" The redhead said suspiciously.
"You’re not staying, are you?" the other one guessed. He smirked. "Hope that’s the only way you take after Seriously-Slutty Sirius."
Remus felt Sirius bristle beside him. His grey eyes were fixed on Regulus, intent on his response. Waiting perhaps for a defence that Remus didn’t think was imminent.
It wasn’t.
"Well, just tell Lucius that I’ve been by and I’m fine. Better be off."
Regulus began to move to the door. But the redhead caught hold of his arm, thankfully not the one that he shared with Sirius.
"I think you should stay and tell him yourself. You should be flattered that he’s taking an interest in your welfare."
Regulus glared at the boy until he was released.
"I am a Black," Regulus said with great dignity. "It is of no import to me whether a Malfoy chooses to involve himself in my affairs or not."
Impressed as Remus was by Regulus’ haughty demeanour, he was apparently in the minority. The blond sniggered and the redhead raised an unconvinced eyebrow.
"I’d think, in your position, I’d be a little more careful to keep the few friends you have. Your brother has brought shame on your family. It’s up to you to repair the damage he’s done. And you’re not going to do that by disregarding powerful people like Lucius Malfoy."
Sirius’ fists were clenched and Remus wasn’t even sure he felt the restraining hand Remus laid gently on his shoulder.
"What would a near-squib such as yourself know of the workings of pureblood families?" Regulus demanded.
"My blood is a pure as yours," the redhead asserted violently.
"Oh please," Regulus sneered. "Your family’s loss of magic tells all the world just how pure your bloodline is. And as for my brother, yes he is a disgrace, but like all that is rotten, he has been cut out and discarded. You insult my family even to mention his name."
"Lear, come on, perhaps we should go to the common room. Get some homework done," the blond suggested, drawing the redhead away and glancing uncertainly at Regulus’ stormy face.
Regulus watched them leave. Once the clatter of the footsteps on the stone had died away, he turned to face the air that he believed contained Sirius.
"I hate you. Blood traitor."
Sirius shrugged the cloak off.
"And proud of it. Have you got all your stuff?" he asked coldly.
"Yes."
"Then lets give your charming friend Lear and his little buddy time to get settled and then we’ll get out of here."
Remus looked away awkwardly and glanced around the room. On the bedside table next to Regulus’ bed was a small ring, bearing the Black family crest. He remembered that Sirius had come to Hogwarts wearing one and had triumphantly pulled it from his finger when he was sorted into Gryffindor. It had been one of the first things Sirius had pawned when he had left his family home last summer. And Remus remembered the money it had settled. It had seemed a vast sum to him but Sirius had been less than impressed.
"Don’t forget your ring Regulus," he reminded the boy, reaching down for it.
"No!"
Sirius caught his wrist. Regulus turned to look at him, surprised at his urgent tone. Sirius relaxed his expression and smiled tightly.
"All us Sons of House Black are given these silly little silver rings," his large eyes darted up to Remus’ face meaningfully. "They’re ridiculous trinkets. Part of a stupid tradition. Leave it."
Remus withdrew his hand, wondering how they would have explained to Regulus the sudden smell of burning flesh. Regulus snatched the ring up.
"That stupid tradition happens to be part of our birthright. I for one am not so inclined to just throw it aside."
"Stop talking like Mother," Sirius snapped. "It’s me, remember? It *makes* me want to argue. Now, lets get out of here."
While Remus expected Regulus to suddenly decide he wanted to stay in his dormitory now he was in it, he was resolutely silent, perhaps as testament to the air of menace Sirius was exuding.
No, things went wrong when they reached the top of the stairs and saw Lear talking to a returned Lucius Malfoy, complete with hordes of admirers and supporters. Remus and Sirius instantly pulled Regulus back into the shadows.
Sirius was just about to drag his brother under the Cloak when ringing footsteps sounded and Snape rounded the corner. Remus would have liked to think that it couldn’t get any worse, but was sure that he could be proved wrong.
Snape raised his eyebrows at Regulus.
"There you are," he murmured dispassionately. "People are looking for you."
"Yeah, I…" Regulus began but Remus cut him off by removing the Cloak and fixing Snape with pleading brown eyes.
"Help us," he said, his tone wavering between an order and a request.
To his credit, Snape was apparently unshaken to see Remus and the much-loathed Sirius Black revealed before him on the stairs to the Slytherin boys’ dormitories.
"Finally making a few conquests in Slytherin are you Black? Bringing along helpers too it seems. Well, I’ll help *you* Lupin," he said coldly. "But only because I don’t want the air around here contaminated by something such as yourself."
"Speak to him like that again, and you’ll regret it," Sirius replied, equally coldly.
"How, pray tell? Another oh-so-fascinating piece of advice, perhaps? Something to top your last `prank` played on me?"
Regulus glanced at his brother sharply but wisely held his tongue.
"Severus, please help us," Remus interrupted before Sirius could speak.
"Severus?" Lucius’ cultured voice called out, drawing nearer as Severus considered the three stood in front of him.
Challenging Snape with a furious glance, Sirius stuffed his brother under the Cloak.
"It’s me Lucius," he answered, ignoring Remus’ stunned expression.
"Sirius, how delightful to see you," Lucius greeted him with a pleased smile as he came into sight. "I knew you’d make your way here sooner or later. To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Sirius didn’t return the smile.
"I’m looking for my brother. I’ve heard more than a few hints that you’ve lost him. Honestly Lucius, I think my mother and father expected better from you."
Lucius’ smile froze and then tightened almost imperceptibly.
"Am I your brother’s keeper?" he asked lightly. "I think not."
"They were hardly expecting *me* to look after him," Sirius shot back. "Now, I’ve checked his dormitory…"
"How enterprising of you," Lucius murmured, now looking something less than pleased. "And I also see you’ve brought a halfblood with you. How lovely."
"I’ve checked his dormitory," Sirius repeated sternly. "And he wasn’t there. Ol’ Snivelly here wasn’t much help, no surprise there, and so Lupin and I will just be on our way."
They had been so close, Remus mused distantly, as Snape pointedly removed the Cloak to reveal an ashen-faced Regulus. If Sirius had not mentioned Snape, the Potions scholar would probably have let them depart in peace. But as it was Lucius was now regarding a distinctly uncomfortable Sirius with great amusement.
"Well, we seem to have found him," Lucius remarked as Slytherins began to gather around to watch. "Truly Sirius, didn’t you think to check the end of your arm?"
"Lost property is always in the last place you’d think to look," he muttered defiantly.
"Indeed it is. Now, send away your pet and let’s discuss this latest example of your bad behaviour."
"My pet? To whom are you referring?" Sirius asked icily.
Lucius was smiling again, once more in perfect control of the situation.
"Lupin, run along now," he commanded pleasantly. "This is pureblood talk, and as such, not for your ears."
"Leave him alone. Don’t think I won’t turn this into a fight," Sirius said through gritted teeth, pushing in front of Remus.
"Always so protective. I do admire that about you Sirius," Lucius replied before his smile disappeared and his hand twitched towards his wand, "But don’t think I won’t take you on."
"I’m not leaving Sirius here," Remus stated quietly. "We don’t want to fight, but we’re going. Now."
"Oh listen, the halfblood’s trying to save Black!" Evan Rosier crowed mirthfully.
"Someone’s got to," Snape responded coldly. "Black’s mouth would have got him killed long before now if he wasn’t always being bailed out."
Lucius laughed along with the rest of them. He reached out and stroked the angry twist of Sirius’ lips.
"Poor Sirius does get in such trouble because of his pretty little mouth, don’t you Sirius dear?"
"Fuck you Malfoy."
"Now, now, language. Try and keep that famous temper of yours under control. There are children present," Lucius glanced agreeably at Regulus, who was chewing his lip nervously. "And it’s not nice to speak like that to such an old friend as myself."
"Screw this, we’re leaving," Sirius said briskly.
"No."
Remus and Sirius both turned to look at Regulus.
"Regulus, get your arse in gear and get moving," Sirus said in that oh-so-casual voice he always used when he was close to exploding.
"No Sirius." He paused and licked his lips nervously, avoiding Sirius’ eyes. "I’m not leaving. This is my place."
"And Regulus has made his choice," Lucius stated with great satisfaction. "It appears you must trespass on our hospitality this evening Sirius, as Regulus has made his wishes clear and I would not be doing my duty to his dear family if I did not do all in my power to see them done. Don’t worry though, your comfort will be my prime concern."
"Lucius, don’t…" Regulus began, following Lucius’ gaze to where it rested on his brother’s pale face.
"Silence Regulus," Lucius snapped without even turning to look at him. "This is an adult’s conversation, don’t worry yourself about it."
"Regulus," Sirius said in a strained voice. "You can’t do this… you can’t do this to me. No-one will hurt you in Gryffindor tower. I’ll look after you. But I can’t stay here. We have to leave."
"I’m staying Sirius," Regulus persisted quietly, demonstrating he was every bit as stubborn as Sirius was. "I’m not walking away from Slytherin with you. I’m really very sorry, but I’m not doing it."
"Remember what we talked about Regulus," Remus attempted, keeping the panic from his voice. He glanced pointedly at Lucius. "This isn’t a good place for Sirius to be."
" Better a whore for the Malfoys than a Gryffindor disgrace," Regulus said, swallowing hard but maintaining a resolute expression. "I *have* to do my duty, Sirius. And I have to stay here."
"What is wrong with you?" Remus cried. "This isn’t you! This isn’t you at all."
"Oh it is," Sirius snarled. "I’m just beginning to realise that it is. I was a fool to hope otherwise but he’s just the same as them. And I’m well rid of them all."
Regulus’ face drained of all colour and he looked away, but said nothing.
"He can come running back to you as soon as I’ve broken this fucking spell," Sirius declared violently to Lucius, who was watching with grim interest. Sirius snatched out his wand and levelled it at the throng of Slytherins with a steady hand. "But I’m not bedding down with goddamn snakes. I’m leaving and I’ll blow away anything that gets in my way."
"I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down," Snape said emotionlessly from where he was leant against the wall, his black eyes glittering. "Or was that the Big Bad Wolf?"
Sirius was at his throat before Remus had even understood the words. His long white fingers closed around the thin neck and bore the thinner boy to the ground, tumbling Regulus with him. To Remus’ great surprise, Lucius beat him to Sirius’ side, batting Remus away, and dragged Sirius off the struggling boy. Holding him firmly around the chest, he restrained Sirius from lunging back to where Snape was struggling to his feet and rubbing his throat.
"Calm yourself Sirius," Lucius murmured into his ear as he held him. "You’re distraught. I have a hundred witnesses who will say your attack was unprovoked. Kill him and you *will* be expelled. You don’t want that. What good will that do your halfblood? Come now, calm down."
Snape withdrew following a curt nod from Lucius. Sirius was gasping for breath, his eyes still burning with rage and violence. Gradually, Lucius loosened his hold as Sirius relaxed. Regulus placed a hesitant hand on Sirius’ forearm and Sirius’ head snapped round to him, teeth bared.
"Sirius is overwrought; poor, delicate child that he is," Lucius announced in ringing tones as he released Sirius who was still white with anger but at least pacified. "And it is time for all those below sixth-year to be in their dormitories."
They stood back as the lower years reluctantly but obediently proceeded to their rooms. When the common room was deserted by all except Lucius’ friends, the blond seventh-year turned to Sirius with a soothing smile.
"Now there’s no need to be uncivilised about this. Sit down and have a firewhiskey. Narcissa," he flicked a glance at the fragile blonde who nodded and crossed rapidly to the side of the chamber.
He led Sirius and, by extension Regulus, to the soft sofas and settled him in a seat. He sat gracefully at his side and took the glass that Narcissa had prepared from a sparkling, crystal decanter.
"Is it the non-spiked variety this time?" Sirius asked dully. From where he watched, ignored in the corner, Remus noted that he didn’t wait for an answer before he accepted the glass and drank from it.
"How ungentlemanly of you to bring that up," Lucius responded, his expression wounded.
"How ungentlemanly of you was it to try and drug me?" Sirius shot back without rancour.
"That’s a hurtful accusation. I was simply unaware of the sedative properties of Valerian."
Sirius snorted his opinion of that and took another shuddering gulp of his drink. Lucius rubbed small, soothing circles on his back, watching him intently.
"It’s such a long time since then. It was the evening after we watched Carmela Verdana perform at the Salzberg Opera House, do you remember?" Lucius asked fondly.
Sirius nodded.
"She was magnificent. Broke my heart to hear her," he muttered into his glass.
"She’s in Britain soon, for a New Year’s concert. Will I see you there?"
"I doubt it," Sirius answered with a bitter smile. "One of the downsides of walking out of the crazy house is that I’m no longer welcome in the Black family box at the opera."
"How barbaric. Well, you’re always welcome in the Malfoy box."
"No thanks," Sirius replied with a grim laugh. "I remember last time."
"I was simply looking for my scarf."
"Down the front of my trousers?"
Lucius smiled in genuine amusement.
"Lost property is always in the last place you’d think to look."
Sirius’ half-smile vanished and he mutely held his glass out to be refilled. Lucius flicked a finger at Narcissa and she poured in more of the amber liquid. Regulus was sat silently at his brother’s side but he twisted around to shoot Remus a look that could only be identified as pleading.
They sat in silence for a few minutes as Sirius drowned his sorrows and Remus considered his options. Sirius had lapsed into a brooding depression that Remus had only seen a few times previously.
"Poor boy," Lucius said sympathetically. "You’ve had such a hard time recently. But it could all be so easy, you know. I could do that for you. Let me do that for you."
"Go to hell Lucius," Sirius mumbled into his drink.
Lucius stifled a smile and stroked Sirius’ glossy black hair.
"All of this struggling and fighting. Trying so hard to deny what’s running in your very veins. If only you’d work *with* me, instead of against me. Let me make it better for you Sirius."
Lucius leant closer to Sirius and tilted his chin up to look in his eyes.
"Let me make it better for you," he said again, his voice silky with promise.
"I don’t want to be a Death Eater," Sirius slurred. "Silly masks. Ugly tattoos. Don’t like snakes."
"No need to make any decisions just now," Lucius suggested, smiling at him encouragingly "Just… relax for now, hmm?"
Regulus was shooting Remus another look, this one unmistakeable as a plea. Fine time to get scruples about selling your brother out, Remus cursed, when he was already surrounded by Slytherins and apparently being steadily drugged. But he needed no direction from Regulus to decide it was time to put a stop to this, he was already moving towards the knot of Slytherins gathered around Sirius. Crabbe and Goyle moved to intercept him but he shoved them aside and was surprised to see he sent them sprawling. He skidded forward and threw himself into a crouch in front of a drowsy Sirius.
"Padfoot?" he roused him. "C’mon, wake up. We need to go."
Lucius flicked an annoyed glance around.
"Can someone please remove the halfblood?" he ordered tightly.
Remus felt Rosier’s hand on his shoulder, dragging him to his feet, but that didn’t stop him from holding the sleepy grey eyes locked.
Sirius’ grey eyes. *His* grey eyes.
"Leave him alone," Sirius managed through lips that didn’t seem to want to work.
"It’s okay Sirius. Lupin wants to leave. Have a little more firewhiskey. It will settle your nerves," Lucius assured him, refilling the glass in Sirius’ unsteady hand. Sirius glanced at the liquid distastefully.
"What have you put in there this time, you snake?" he asked unenthusiastically. "Not Valerian, is it? More like, oh I don’t know, but I don’t like it. And I don’t like you pushing Moony around."
Sirius staggered to his feet and dropped the glass. It shattered on the stone floor, sending shards skittering. Regulus, rising with his brother, slipped his shoulder beneath Sirius’ arm and held him steady.
"In fact," Sirius commented, "if you don’t let go of Remus, right about now, I’m going to go into berserker mode and put a fucking crater in this floor."
He gripped his wand tightly and pointed it at Rosier, who was holding Remus. He stopped dead and glanced at Lucius for instructions.
"I know a curse," Sirius said conversationally, his words stumbling into each other in the tense silence. "It’s a good one. My Father taught me, as I sat with him in his study like the good boy I’m not. *Avada Kedavra.* Anyone know it?"
Rosier released Remus and looked again to Lucius, slightly more concerned this time. Lucius’ calm expression was gone. He watched Sirius with a strange look in his cold eyes.
"You really could, couldn’t you? But for the will of God, you could have been one of ours so long ago."
"My loss," Sirius said with a clumsy shrug. "Right, where’s that bitch of a cousin of mine? Bellatrix? Come here you old harpy and tell me what curse you hit me and the brat with."
Bellatrix eyed Sirius with unconcealed disgust from where she lounged on another sofa.
"I find it rather amusing that you have to drag such an obvious display of your heritage around with you," she said, her icy demeanour unruffled by the wand that swung round to point at her.
"And I’d find it rather amusing to show you another favourite curse of my father’s. Would you like me to demonstrate the Cruciatus curse? He spent a great deal of time teaching me that one. I’m rather good at it."
"Yes cousin," Bellatrix whispered, leaning forward, her smouldering eyes alight. "Teach me. Show me. Let me feel it."
"No Sirius," Regulus hissed urgently in his intoxicated brother’s ear.
Sirius slapped him aside.
"You want me to show you?" he asked her, stepping forward unsteadily. "I’d quite like to hurt you."
"No Sirius," Remus appealed calmly. "They’d take you to Azkaban, they‘d take you away from me."
"Right," Sirius nodded, "not that then. Sorry Bella, another time. Lucius?"
"Yes Sirius?" Lucius asked, apparently unconcerned by the crisis that was unfolding.
"Make her tell me."
Lucius smiled uncomprehendingly.
"I’m not sure how you expect me to accomplish that…" he began.
"Don’t fuck me around," Sirius snapped. "You’re the one calling the shots. Always knew you would be. Now make that hard-faced bitch wrack her twisted mind and tell me what she jinxed me with and in return I’ll tell you who your dear father’s arranged for you to marry."
*That* got Lucius’ attention, Remus observed with dark pleasure.
"How would you know something like that?" he demanded.
"I know, that’s all that matters. Now make her tell me."
Without taking his eyes from Sirius’ bloodless face, Lucius snapped a finger at Bellatrix. She glared at him ferociously but spat out the words.
"Sanguim Flamma."
"You were right, it’s a blood hex, " Remus commented, moving closer to Sirius.
"And one that only the caster can remove," Sirius added with a ghastly smile, flicking a long strand of black hair out of his sweat-sheened face. "Well, c’mon Bella, old girl. Get to work. You can keep the brat and Remus and I’ll be on our way."
"And why should I do that?" she sneered.
"Because I’m sure Lucius is eager to hear the name of his intended," Remus told her coolly.
"Lucius…?"
She turned to the blond with a displeased look.
"End the spell," Lucius snapped.
"There are other ways to find out," one of the Lestrange brothers commented, leaning close to him.
"Sirius wishes to leave. I wish him gone. We will achieve nothing by keeping him here. Release them."
With an outraged twitch of her brow, Bellatrix pointed her wand at Regulus and Sirius.
"Finite Incantatem."
The brothers staggered as the spell was lifted. Remus instantly moved to Sirius’ side and slid his arm around him as the black-haired Gryffindor swayed.
"Well thank you so much for your hospitality, your alcohol and your drugs and the near mass murder," Sirius said with a sweeping bow. "Never let it be said that Slytherins don’t know how to throw a party. But now Remus and I must retire to our dormitory."
Leaning heavily on Remus, who cast several wary glances at the shocked Slytherins behind them, Sirius stumbled to the portrait. Regulus threw an uneasy look at Lucius’ discontented expression but chased after them.
"What do you want, brat?" Sirius asked wearily.
"Just… I *am* sorry Sirius. But some things are more important than you and me, you know. There are principles at stake. And I had to make a choice."
"You made the wrong one," Sirius told him bluntly. "And if you’re any brother of mine, you’ll realise one day. And what a sorry mess you’ll be in then, hmm?"
"It’s never too late," Remus said, fixing Regulus with an even gaze.
"I’ve made my choice," Regulus replied, backing away.
"May you live to regret it. Oh and tell Lucius," Sirius called back as they lurched through the portrait hole, "that he’s been fixed up with the Ice Queen."
They stumbled through the dark halls in silence, Sirius clinging hold of Remus tightly around the neck.
"Are you okay, Padfoot?" he asked finally, painfully aware that it was hopelessly inadequate.
"I’m sorry I got you involved in that," Sirius answered, his voice so distorted it was almost incomprehensible.
"I’m always involved when you are."
"Yeah," Sirius agreed with the ghost of a grin. "It’s you and me, isn’t it?"
"Always."
Sirius’ knees buckled and Remus staggered as he tried to pull him back to his feet. But Sirius was looking mournfully at his left wrist, studying the play of bone beneath the skin as he turned it one way, then the other.
"Stupid bugger. Should have known he wouldn’t come with me, not when they were all watching."
He gave a choked sob and hid his face messily behind crookedly splayed white fingers.
"Bloody Lucius, and his bloody firewhiskey," Sirius mumbled. "Always makes me weepy."
"I must admit I’m at something of a loss to understand why you drank the damn stuff if you thought it likely to be drugged," Remus commented, giving Sirius time to cover over his temporarily lapse of self-control.
In Sirius Black’s mindset, a display of extreme anger, such as Remus had witnessed but minutes earlier, where Sirius threatened destruction of property and murder, was perfectly acceptable. But to shed tears was absolutely inexcusable.
"Didn’t want to think straight, about… what was happening. And it seemed like a good idea at the time," Sirius replied, catching hold of Remus’ hand and forcing himself to his feet.
"I seem to remember forbidding that sort of thinking at the beginning of this evening’s jaunt," Remus observed as they approached Gryffindor tower.
"That’s ‘cos you’re clever, Moony," Sirius mumbled clumsily in his ear. "*You* don’t want me to be a Death Eater, do you?" he asked as Remus hauled him past the staring students in the Gryffindor common room and up the stairs.
"Not right now, no," he answered lightly, shouldering the dormitory door open.
"I’d make a bloody terrible Death Eater," Sirius confessed as Remus deposited him on his bed and stood back to rub his cramping back. "But I do do a mean Cruciatus, you know."
"Best not brag about that in Professor McGonagall’s earshot."
"Too bloody easy for Cissa to slip a pinch of whatever it was in my drink, wasn’t it?" Sirius rambled as Remus fetched a flannel and ran it under the cold water in the bathroom. "She’s gonna be a fantastic wife for Lucius, every inch as tricksy. Just remind me never to go to one of their dinner parties. I’m going to have such a killer headache in the morning. Bloody snake."
Sirius laid still long enough for Remus to press the damp cloth to his forehead. His grey eyes roved over Remus’ face without focussing.
"I’m *not* going to be a Death Eater, you know Moony," he said resolutely.
"I should think not," Remus said primly, wiping back a few strands of damp black hair. "It’s not a reliable career path at all."
"I don’t belong to them, not anymore. See?" he asked, waving his wrist in Remus’ face and almost punching him on the nose. "I belong to you," he remarked earnestly.
Remus paused and looked at him intently. Sirius gazed back up at him and smiled sweetly.
"You and me. Is that okay?" he asked groggily.
"That’s perfect," Remus agreed, dropping a light kiss on Sirius’ forehead.