The Four Interchanging Lives of Regulus Black (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Same

"Regulus?"

Sirius didn't go to class with James, concerned as he was for his brother, let alone what was happening in this world.

And there he'd found him, Regulus, in one of his nooks, crying and doing a horrible job of hiding the tears streaking his face.

"Siri?" Regulus let out a sniff and attempted to cry.

"What happened?"

"She didn't do anything!"

Sirius' eyes blinked, and then he sighed. "That girl?"

"Uh-huh," Regulus said.

"Are you sure you don't want me to do something about her?"

And then came the usual Regulus panic, his hands lifting, the color draining from his face. "No! Don't! You'll make it worse."

"Maybe." Sirius decided to squeeze into the nook Regulus found, even though he found this much more complicated than his much smaller brother. "I am allowed to worry, you know," Sirius said, feeling Regulus tense.

"Why?"

"Because I'm your brother."

"You never cared before," Regulus muttered, trying to hide his face.

"Before?"

"Back when I was sorted into," Regulus said, then his mouth snapped shut. "I—uh, never mind. I likely sound weird, as usual."

"As usual?" Sirius frowned, taking a deep breath. "Well, that isn't untrue, but..." He let his breath out, closed his eyes, and grabbed the front of Regulus' school robes so his brother couldn't run away. "By that, you mean sorted into Slytherin?"

—silence—

Sirius looked over at Regulus, watching his brother tense as if he were hiding something.

Regulus also tried pulling away.

"So you're experiencing it as well?"

"Huh?" Regulus stopped trying to pull away.

"What house are you in, Regulus?"

"I, uh," Regulus muttered.

"It's been changing?"

Regulus—more silence.

"One moment, we're in the infirmary."

"When did I end up in the infirmary!" Regulus blurted out.

Sirius looked at Regulus, watching, then remembered. "Oh. You were passed out. What was it that—Slytherin?"

Regulus closed his eyes, turning to look away. "Don't know what you're talking about, Sirius."

"But you do!" Sirius sighed.

"I don't. I mean, it isn't as if the dorms are..."

"Regulus, please."

"No."

And then Sirius reached up, pulling Regulus' ear. "Listen here, brat. I know I wasn't a wonderful brother in the past, but..."

"Understatement of the year."

Sirius sighed. "Please? What's going on? Why did—what will you do if we're in that timeline again?"

"I don't." Regulus swallowed. He then took a deep breath. "You know, I don't remember crossing the lake?"

"Very funny."

"No, I mean, I remember the time. In the where-we're-from," Regulus said. "But between getting off the train and ending up sorting." He took a deep breath. "I might have blacked out, but things are so fuzzy, and I don't understand what's happening."

"You don't understand much of anything outside of books," Sirius said softly. "Wish I'd noticed that sooner."

"It doesn't matter."

"But it does," Sirius said. "The lake's not important."

"But it is. Bodies of water?" Regulus closed his eyes, sighing. He took a deep breath. "Might as well tell you that the Slytherin dorms extend under the lake. Bodies of water."

"I—uh," Sirius' eyes blinked, then he sucked in his breath. "Regulus? Did you die by drowning?"

"Did I want?" Regulus frowned.

"By drowning?" Sirius said.

"Sirius, you're talking about death and sounding way too enthusiastic."

"No. I mean, this is a chance, isn't it?" Sirius said. "To make it up to you now that we're both dead."

Regulus' eyes snapped open, a slight sob escaping his mouth. "Sirius?"

"Yes."

"You can't be dead."

"No. I am," Sirius said. "I fell through the veil in the ministry of magic."

Regulus reached out, clutching Sirius' robes. "Sirius, what veil. Where in the ministry is it?"

"Not that it matters," Sirius said. "Department of mysteries?"

"Why? Were?"

"Doesn't matter," Sirius said, ruffling the top of Regulus' head. "I guess it was the room exploring death? The door, it goes to death, where else, but I'm going to make it up to you. It's my second chance to do so, now that we're both dead."

"But we're not."

"I know you're in denial, Regulus," Sirius said, continuing to ruffle the top of Regulus' head.

"No, Sirius," Regulus said, tears in his eyes as he pushed Sirius' hand away. "I'm not dead."