The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix - Part One

Christmas Come Early

"Now listen," James said quietly, leaning over the breakfast table and looking sternly at Sirius, "Be nice to your brother when he gets up. He's been through a lot and he doesn't need you acting like a prat to add onto it."

Sirius looked offended, "Prongs Watermelon Potter, have I ever - in my life - acted like a prat to anybody?"

A collective "yes" echoed about the table from James, Remus, Lily, and Peter all at once.

"So what exactly happened again?" Sirius asked in a low voice as Remus passed out plates of bacon and James poured pumpkin juice into tumblers.

"We're not exactly positive just yet," ceded Lily, "But whatever it was there was quite a lot to it and you're absolutely not allowed to upset him this morning. Do you understand?"

Sirius opened his mouth to ask the question but before he could James, Remus, Lily, and Peter all at once said, "Yes."

"Well ruddy hell a lad can't even ask a question 'round here anymore," Sirius grumbled.

Regulus woke up and lay staring at the ceiling, breathing in the scent of blankets that smelled like home. He turned his head to the side and saw a stuffed pink flamingo laying on the pillow next to the one his head was laying on.

"That's Miami."

Regulus turned his head in surprise, seeing Sirius sitting on the chair beside his bed.

"Mornin'," Sirius said.

Regulus stared at him, eyes wide. His face was full and his eyes were bright. His hair was shoulder length and thick, not straggly and dirty like it'd been when he had seen him in the sea. His jaw bone was pleasantly hidden by muscle and though he was thin, he wasn't gaunt and hollowed.

"Reg?" Sirius's voice pitched with concern. "You look like you're looking at a ghost," Sirius said accusingly.

Regulus was tempted to say that he felt like he was seeing one. Had it really been less than twelve hours since he'd hugged Sirius in the alley way outside the flat? It seemed like years.

"Prongs and Evans said you'd been through something... You wanna talk, little brother?" Sirius asked.

Regulus tore his gaze away from Sirius.

Sirius tilted his head, studying Regulus. "Hey. Reg. Seriously. You're alright?"

Regulus nodded.

"Can you talk?"

"Yes."

"Hey, he speaks."

"Sorry."

"It's alright." Sirius said. Then, "What happened, though? You were going back to Mother and the Safe House and the next thing I know, I'm waking up this morning to Prongs telling me to be nice to you because you've been through a lot and telling me how they had to go and fetch you from God knows where..." Sirius's eyes searched Regulus's.

Regulus wasn't sure how much he could tell Sirius.

"The Safe House was gone when I got back. I dunno where Mother is. I - I thought I heard something in the woods and I ran and I guess I slipped and fell... I fell in the sea." Regulus tried not to sound as panicked as those words made him feel.

Sirius said flatly, "You don't know how to swim."

"No." Regulus shook his head.

"You must've been... scared... or whatever?"

Regulus nodded. "Yeah. A bit."

Sirius shifted in the chair. "How'd you get out?"

"I don't know," Regulus answered honestly.