Though Sirius and Regulus resembled each other so much in appearance that they never could've denied their kinship, the two of them couldn't have been more different. Starting off with their houses - the older one a Gryffindor, the younger a Slytherin - their differences became clear to anyone who talked to them.

Where Sirius was a noisy extrovert, Regulus liked to lay low and observe rather than speak. They both shared the same talent when it came to magic, but whereas Sirius didn't really care about grades - though he rarely got bad ones - Regulus held a big importance to his schoolwork.
Sirius was always to be seen with his three friends, prancing through the hallways as if the school was theirs (And to some degree it was; everyone knew the four of them).
Regulus was alone most of the time. He kept friendly contact with his classmates but never got too close with any of them. Soon books became his substitute for the non-existent group of people around him.

The two brothers barely talked at school and thus nobody seemed to know if they were on good terms or not, but Sirius and Regulus never bothered to explain themselves to people. Nobody except Sirius' closest friends had any business knowing about the Black family situation, though Sirius himself didn't care what others thought.

However, something seemed wrong lastly. Despite the fact that Sirius and Regulus didn't talk much, they usually at least exchanged a few words when they saw each other in the hallways or during meal times in the Great Hall.
But in those last few days Regulus hadn't even as much as looked at Sirius, let alone talked to him.

"He's probably just stressed," Remus said once Sirius had pointed this out to him. "If his teachers are as merciless with homework as they are with us then it's totally understandable he's in a bad mood."

Sirius wanted to believe that, but then he tried to approach Regulus and the latter promptly wheeled around and marched off into a different direction.
It went on like this for several days. Every time Sirius tried to make a move Regulus would wriggle out somehow, turning away, changing directions, slipping into bathrooms.
And when Sirius saw him turning around in a completely empty corridor, he finally got fed up with his younger brother.

The next day, he waited at the stairs which led up from the dungeons where the Slytherin's common room was. The second he saw his brother emerging, he grabbed him by the neck of his robes and dragged him into an empty classroom nearby.

"Sirius!", Regulus growled and straightened his robes as his brother let go off him. "What is this all about? I'd like to have some breakfast, thank you very much."
But Sirius stopped him as he attempted to make for the door. "Your breakfast will have to wait. First tell me why you've been avoiding me."

"I have not been avoiding you," Regulus retorted, but did not try to leave again.
"Ah yes, what else would you call turning away from me every time you see me then? It's ridiculous!"
Regulus let out a sharp laugh. "Oh, is that so? You telling me that my behavior is ridiculous? Well excuse me, Padfoot, but that is just priceless."

Sirius didn't know what to make of this. Regulus never called him by his nickname, only his three friends did. Why would Regulus bring up the marauder name now?

"Just spit it out already, what are you so pissed at?"
"It is early in the morning, I have classes and you won't let me get breakfast, you would think it is obvious why my mood is not at its peak."
Sirius crossed his arms and leaned against the door. "Well, I am not letting you leave until you snap out of it and just tell me what has turned you all grumpy pants."

"Maybe if you'd just use your brain cells for once you'd figure it out yourself," Regulus hissed. "But you'll probably never comprehend it since all you have eyes for is yourself."
"Cut the crap, Reg, could we just skip the accusatory part and talk like sensible individuals?"
"Oh, so sensible as you and your friends were when you decided to confund all the Slytherins two weeks ago? Excuse me, but since I know that the marauders were behind that childish prank I really can't take you seriously anymore."

Sirius gaped at him. "This is what all of this is about? That prank?"
"Yes, Sirius, that prank. Life must be really amusing when you live just to laugh at others and enjoy yourself." Regulus hadn't raised his voice at all, but his eyes were blazing.
"Oh come on, it was a harmless joke. I know you take school seriously, but we thought that even for you it might lead to a few laughs in the classrooms."

"Oh yeah and how we laughed," Regulus growled. "For your information, nobody in my class laughed because we weren't allowed to talk. We were taking a test that day and thanks to your ingenious idea we all failed."
This took Sirius aback for a moment. "You took... oh." He paused. "We didn't know that."
"Well it doesn't matter whether you knew or not, you did it regardless of any consequences. The teachers thought we gave those imbecile answers on purpose, Sirius. They think we were the ones responsible for your escapade and now they wrote letters to each of our parents, telling them about our bad grade and our 'outrageous behavior'."

As he said that his eyes teared up and it dawned on Sirius what damage he had done. "Oh no... Reg, I am so so sorry." He left the door and moved closer to his brother who was now, not all too successfully, choking back sobs.
"If I had known, I would've never... by Merlin, I am such an idiot." He draped his arm around Regulus' shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "We'll fix this somehow."

Regulus just shook his head and Sirius noticed that suddenly he looked so much younger. Better said, he looked more like his age now. Hell, his brother was still a child after all, even if his prous posture and fancy way of talking concealed that pretty well most of the time.
"I think it's too late for that. I got a letter from Mom and Dad already."
A twisting feeling appeared in Sirius' stomach region. "What did they say?"
"That they are disappointed in me." Regulus looked down and sniffed. "They say I have to come home during Easter break."

"What?" Alarmed Sirius spun his brother around to look him straight into the eye. "Why?"
Regulus only shrugged. "So I don't get distracted from studying, I suppose? So I can't plan any more pranks with my classmates?"

"But you didn't..." Sirius leaned back, shaking his head. "No. This is my fault, I'm not gonna let them blame you for it. I'll write to them, Reg. I'll explain what happened."
"No." Regulus' voice seemed to grow steadier again and he wiped the few tears that had emerged away. "They might not even believe you, they'll think you're making it up so I don't get in trouble. And even if they do believe you, you argue enough with them as it is."

"They don't expect anything else from me, Reg, of course they'd rather believe that I did it since they've given up their hopes for me ages ago. And we'll always argue, it doesn't matter if I give them another reason or not."

But Regulus continued shaking his head. "Maybe you don't mind arguing with them, but did you ever think about the fact that maybe it sucks sitting in my room, hearing the three of you shouting and thrashing the whole place while I have to wonder when they'll finally snap and throw you out?"
Sirius scoffed. "To be honest, I wouldn't even care at this point."

As if he had been burned Regulus recoiled from his hug. "Well how good for you that you don't care, then all is perfectly marvelous I suppose."
"Reg, all I meant is..."
"Damn it, Sirius," Regulus interrupted him. "Don't you even care just a little bit that there are people that you mean something to? Are you really so self-centered to think that you are living just for yourself? I would care, okay? I would care very much if they threw you out or hurt you."

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. All I meant is that I don't want them to punish you for something that's my fault."
"They won't punish me," Regulus replied, but there was some amount of uncertainty in his voice. However, he shook that off quickly. "They won't change their minds anyways. I will go home for easter break, no matter what. You know them, once they have made a decision they don't take it back. So don't provoke them even more."

For some moments silence fell between them. Then Sirius said softly: "I am so sorry, Reg." Regulus sighed and hugged his brother. "It's okay. Just... try not to be such an idiot next time, okay?"
Sirius chuckled. "Well, I can try not to act stupidly, but I can't guarantee the not being an idiot part."
Now Regulus had to grin too. "True, you never managed that."

They let go of each other. "So, does this mean I can finally go and eat breakfast then?", Regulus asked whereupon Sirius strode to the door, swung it open and beckoned Regulus through with a dramatic bow. "After you, gentleman." Chuckling Regulus passed him, not missing the chance to rap his older brother over the head and then speeding off before a wrestling fight could hinder him from getting his long-awaited breakfast.

Three weeks later Regulus wrenched his trunk onto the train. The Hogwarts Express stood steaming and huffing at the station as always at this time of the year. Most students stayed at Hogwarts during Easter break and Regulus didn't know anyone at the station by name.

He didn't really look forward to the long lonely journey, but what he dreaded more was the arrival so the journey could take forever for all he cared. Sighing he opened the door to an empty compartment and sat down. The weather didn't resemble his mood at all, the sun was shining bright and beautiful in a cloudless sky. He leaned against the window and awaited the departure of the train, trying not to think about what awaited him at home.

The sound of the compartment door opening made him jump and he turned around, startled, just to see his brother sticking his head in. "Wow. You really would've left without saying goodbye. I am distraught." Sirius flung himself into the seat across from Regulus. "Er... what are you doing? The train is leaving every moment."
"I certainly do hope so, you know how Mom and Dad despise unpunctuality."

And then finally it dawned on Regulus. "No way! You're not really...?"
Sirius looked him straight in the eye, the joking spark leaving his eyes. "I might be an idiot, but you certainly are too if you think I'm letting you go back there alone."

It was as if he had lifted something heavy off Regulus' chest. All of a sudden it was much easier to breathe. "That... I mean... Thank you."
Sirius smiled softly. "Don't you worry, little brother. I won't let them hurt you."

And then the train gave a jerk and started moving, moving towards that was Regulus dreaded. But now, with Sirius at his side, the whole thing seemed only half as scary. Because no matter how much of an idiot he was, Regulus loved his brother and as long as they were together he was sure that nothing could ever shake them.