UDM: Granger Christmas Yet - Black Mulling (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Black Mulling

"Are you drinking?"

Sirius turned his head to see Regulus wrinkling up his nose at him. He held out the mulled wine, grinning from ear to ear. "Want some?"

Regulus looked down his nose at Sirius, yet said nothing.

Sirius didn't give him a chance. "Of course not! You're just as much of a goodie-two-shoes as you were growing up, aren't you Reggie?"

"You're drunk," Regulus responded, glaring at Sirius.

Sirius tensed up, recognizing that particular look. He'd seen it on his mother most of the time whenever he did something inappropriate. That dark look he saw on his father's face the few times he stepped in and told both Walburga Black and himself to stop arguing. He saw it in Bellatrix's eyes, though it was slightly different—a madness so to speak. It was the look Narcissa got whenever he poked fun of Lucius.

Even Andromeda had that look like every member of the Black family had a way of their silver eyes going dark, letting the person in front of them know not to mess with them. Sirius himself used it to his advantage many times at school, getting his friends to back off when he didn't want to talk, or turning that look on obnoxious lower years.

That was a look every Black could easily pull off, except of course one Regulus Arcturus Black.

Yet, here he was giving him that dark look of displeasure, of utter disdain. "I don't want my kids to see you like this. So for their sake and the sake of Christmas could you please cut back on the drinking?

Sirius mulled over what Regulus said. "I'm not that drunk."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm in a good mood, so I'm not drunk."

"It's Christmas time. You're always in a good mood regardless of whether you're drunk or not." Regulus walked over, taking the bottle from Sirius.

"Oh, you're going to take my spirits away, Reggie? How cruel?" Sirius mockingly placed his hand on his forehead, grinning from ear to ear.

Instead, Regulus conjured a cup with his wand before pouring him a glass of mulled wine. He then capped the bottle and sat down, crossing his legs—as much of a prick as he was when he was younger. He swished the mulled wine around before taking a sip and then held his cup in his hand, watching Sirius carefully.

Sirius let out a sigh. "Okay. What are you getting at?"

"I'm not saying you can't drink," Regulus said. "And I want to make that clear."

"What do you want?"

"For my kids not to think that their uncle is a drunk." Regulus watched him and as Sirius opened his mouth to protest—the words stung, he then said. "I know you're not the type of person to care what others think, but I'd think that my kids—and your godson for that matter, would be an exception to that rule."

"You think I'm doing me a favor?"

"We didn't have a good relationship growing up. Hell. You were a horrible older brother. I don't want that to be the relationship you have with my kids, Sirius. So, for Christmas, can you be the cool uncle who drinks socially like everyone else, but not the drunk, uncool uncle?"

Sirius watched Regulus, saw that the darkness that was there—Regulus' darkness also held an unsaid pain. A pain that, unlike Sirius, Regulus didn't drown in alcohol. "If I do that, do you promise not to be a stick in the mud and drink sociably with me over the holidays?"

"No promises. I'll try, but if I get drunk—" Regulus' mouth frowned.

"What are you like when you're drunk?" Sirius was curious. "Now I want to know." He watched a blush spread across Regulus' face. "Okay. Now you're making me want to get you drunk! You do realize that!"

"Please don't. Let's just both behave for the holidays."

"Regulus..."

"You know I have communication issues."

Sirius stared, then suddenly laughed. "Oh. I see. With me, you mean don't get drunk to the point I'm being tipsy, but with you—you mean you're afraid of saying something because you're not in control like you are normally. Isn't the fact you're not holding back though a good thing?"

"Not when the things you say do in fact embarrass your kids."

Sirius laughed. "Reg. You may embarrass your kids from time to time, but they adore you. That I know for sure."

"Please stop encouraging me to get drunk," Regulus took another sip of his drink, slowly savoring it. "And I'm always embarrassing my kids, saying the wrong thing without drinking."

"Says the man who's drinking the mulled wine now!" Sirius laughed. "And I think Molly Weasley will have a word to say if either of us goes too far. As will your wife. So don't worry about it." He saw Regulus look at him, skeptically. "And yeah. I'll try to be the cool uncle rather than the uncool one. I like that idea."

The corner of Regulus' mouth twisted. "I knew you would."

"And maybe, just maybe, you're not such the uncool dad you think."

"That..." Regulus shook his head in disbelief.

"Promise! No uncool, drunk uncle! Not unless everyone else is getting inebriated, in which case you're joining in!"

"Sirius!"

Regulus honestly should have known better to even bring the topic up.