When Lemon Meets Smoke

mend the unchangeable

*Songs I listened to while writing this chapter were Twin Size Mattress by The Front Bottoms, Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens, Brother by Kodaline, Two Birds by Regina Spektor, and Trauma by NF*

January 10th, 1977

-Sirius-

Sirius had concluded that Regulus Arcturus Black is an expert avoider and would be unbeatable in the muggle game of Hide and Seek.

Normally, being avoided by someone wouldn't be an issue due to a certain nosey piece of parchment but Adelaide Tanelter had decided to invoke her revenge. The blonde had hidden the map away with no plans on giving it back until he talked to his brother, leaving the boy to embark on a wild snake chase. 

For the past four days, the eldest Black son has spent every waking moment in an attempt to talk to his brother. The corridors were searched with precision, the courtyard was scanned thoroughly, the library was turned inside out, and the tiles outside of the Slytherin common room have been worn down from the Gryffindor's constant pacing.

But if Sirius Orion Black is anything, it would be persistent.

Sirius had put off the conversation for years, not wanting to admit his faults. He put 12 Grimmuald Palace behind him, he did not look back.

Despite knowing a pair of steely blue eyes would be watching him leave, wishing he'd turn back around.

Sirius felt sick, he had spent the last five years pushing thoughts of his brother to the back of his mind. Too scared to face them, too scared to find out what he had caused.

He missed his brother, always had and always will, but his pride had gotten in the way and he hurt him.

A boy that used to look at him as if he was a hero from a novel.

A boy that used to spend hours next to him, staring up at the stars as if it would solve all their problems.

A boy that would sneak into his room and help clean his wounds after their mother chose to punish him.

A boy that clutched his sleeve as they boarded the train to Hogwarts together for the first time.

A boy he had neglected to watch grow up.

A boy that could barely even be classified as a boy anymore.

How could I have let it go this far... let it get so bad.

Sirius could still remember the moment he realized his mistake.

*FLASHBACK TO THIRD-YEAR*

The five marauders were walking on the banks of the Black Lake, laughing with one another without a care in the world when suddenly Adelaide took off, sprinting away from them.

The boys had frozen in confusion until they saw what she had raced to, or rather who.

Regulus Black.

He had been peacefully reading, his back against a tree, completely oblivious to the small blonde that was coming towards him at an alarming speed. Adelaide did not slow down, instead launched herself at the unsuspecting Slytherin.

Sirius led the three others towards the scene, though chose to stop at a safe distance, one where they could hear and see everything but draw no attention to themselves.

His stomach tied itself in knots at the sight of his brother. It certainly did not help that the girl he was convinced he would marry someday now sat on his brother's chest with her hands squeezing the sides of his face.