Work Text:
“Twenty-five years, eh?”
Sirius looked up briefly from his homework. “Twenty-five what, now?”
“Your parents,” James explained. “Married for twenty-five years and somehow they haven’t killed each other...or you.”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Where did you hear that?”
James shrugged and threw himself down into the armchair nearest the common room fire. “A little birdy told me.”
“And might this little birdy have been a certain Slytherin raven?”
“Damn it, you guessed,” James said in a voice laced with mock-hurt. “Yes, I ran into the baby Black today on my way in from Quidditch practice.”
“He was watching you again,” Sirius said, scowling.
James frowned. He had never fully understood Sirius’s protectiveness over his brother. It seemed to come and go in phases. One day Sirius would gladly hex an unsuspecting Regulus until he was running away in tears, and not a week later it would be James on the receiving end of Sirius’s wand for an unkind word he’d muttered about the younger boy.
“Stay away from him.”
James rolled his eyes. He glanced at the clock, it was nearly eight. If this was going to work, then he needed to get going soon.
“No, actually.”
Sirius’s grey eyes flashed and he looked like he might stand. James hastily held up his hands in surrender.
“No, I meant no to that other thing you said, about him watching me. That wasn’t what he was doing, he was on his way down to the village.”
Sirius reluctantly calmed down. “What?” he asked.
James put his feet up on the chair in front of him. “He had a note from McGonagall. He was on his way to meet a cousin of yours, just off school grounds. Said he was apparating back home for your parents’ anniversary party. Little brat was carrying a gift so big he almost couldn’t see over it,” James added fondly. Sirius pretended to miss the wistful tone in his voice.
“Oh yes, I forgot about that.”
“I take it you weren’t invited, eh, Padfoot?”
Sirius looked almost insulted. “Of course I was invited, you prick. I’ve just chosen not to go. Should have known Reggie would go running home at Daddy’s beck and call. Never could say no. Poor kid’s going to be bored out of his mind.”
“Well, we could always go and keep him company.”
Sirius narrowed his eyes. James had always harbored an annoying fascination with all the surface trapping of Sirius’s life: the fancy dinner parties, the crests and insignias, the house with a wine cellar bigger than most apartments…
...and also Regulus. James, an only child from a successful but far from sacred family, had no “spare”, as he liked to phrase it. Sirius knew that James envied him his “shadow”, just as surely as he knew James would tire of Regulus in about fifteen minutes should the two of them switch lives, just as he would also tire of Sirius’s fancy robes and stuffy dinner parties.
“Twenty-five years is a big landmark. I’m sure your parents are throwing a huge bash...”
“You just want to get your hands on some more of our good silver,” Sirius scoffed.
“Regulus said that the evening was split in two...that you’d be celebrating your father until midnight and your mother until dawn.”
Sirius smirked at the bewilderment that had crept up onto James’s face. “Yes, that’s how it goes,” he admitted. “A stupid tradition, really, but my family thinks it’s cute. Black family marriages happen at midnight, with the first person spouting off vows at eleven fifty-nine and the other waiting until twelve. Then there’s some nonsense about each marriage having two anniversaries. My Dad’s is tonight...Mum is tomorrow.”
“How peculiar,” James marveled. “But it sounds like fun. I never knew your family could be so unique.”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “It just means eight hours of misery instead of four and you feel like death by the end of it all.”
“Sirius...”
“No,” Sirius answered immediately. “I’m not going and I’m certainly not taking you. Go by yourself.”
“But I need you to get me through the wards.”
Sirius raised an eyebrow. “Why would you need to sneak in? Just call and ask for an invite. You’re pureblood and Regulus likes you well enough, my parents will let you in.”
Now it was James’s turn to smirk. “Maybe I don’t want them to know I’m there?”
Sirius eyed his friend carefully. There were few others in the common room, but James was lowering his voice conspiratorially, anyway, as though the two of them were planning some great heist.
“Come on, Padfoot. Let’s go have a little fun!”
“What about Remus and Peter?” Sirius asked the obligatory question.
James laughed and stood up without answering. Sirius shrugged in defeat. There were some things that the other two Marauders would not be interested in, and this was one of those things. Whenever James had something truly wicked in mind, he wanted Sirius by his side and no one else.
Sneaking off school grounds was not hard. James and Sirius didn’t even bother with the invisibility cloak. They sauntered confidently off of school grounds and—both being eighteen—they apparated as soon as they felt the restrictions lift. James had been to Grimmauld Place several times in the past. They both arrived with a loud snap.
“All right, Padfoot, lead me up to your secret entrance.”
Sirius sighed at James’s theatrics, but nonetheless led him around to the back of the house. Grimmauld Place’s true size and shape had revealed itself immediately upon sensing Sirius, and James was, as always, taken a little aback by the homely little Number 12 contorting itself into a much larger estate, complete with an enormous back lawn and garden.
Sirius hopped once and then pulled himself onto the roof of the gazebo. James was surprised no one was outside, though the half-empty cups scattered about suggested people might be returning. Hastily, he followed his friend.
Sirius pulled out his wand and tapped the siding of the house. A series of footholds appeared and the two Gryffindors effortlessly climbed two stories up to Sirius Black’s window, which opened silently after another tap of his wand.
Sirius’s bedroom was not dark. A fire was burning warmly and the lamps were lit. Sirius frowned and walked up to his bed where he noticed several books scattered about as well as the remains of a light snack on the nightstand.
“Regulus,” he muttered.
James pressed up against Sirius’s back dramatically. “He likes to spend time in your room because it reminds him of you...how cute.”
Sirius threw him off. “Shut up,” he muttered. “Now what did you have in mind, exactly. James? James!”
Sirius yelled when he noticed that James was once again enraptured by the oil paintings on the walls, each an expensive and detailed portrait of a family member.
“Who’s this?” James asked slowly.
“Bellatrix and her husband.”
“Grown closer to her in recent years, eh?”
“Shut up. Hanging them in here definitely wasn’t my idea. Came home one summer to find my father’s handiwork all over my walls. Let’s go.”
“And who is this?”
“That’s me, you prick, now let’s go!”
A deviously unconcerned smile. “Hm, never seen you so well-groomed. Don’t remember your hair ever being that long, either.”
“The painter embellished a little, can we stop this now? I thought you wanted to have some fun.”
“Yes,” James agreed. “A little fun...” There was an almost Slytherin-esque gleam in his eyes that made Sirius feel uneasy, like he was being tricked.
Upon opening the bedroom door, they could both hear the sounds of the party.
“I can’t believe you’ve talked me into this,” Sirius muttered. James only smirked back at him. Sirius could complain all he wanted, but James knew his friend was always down for a good adventure, especially if it involved getting one over on his family.
Sirius led James through the back halls of Grimmauld Place, occasionally tugging the other boy by the arm just in time to avoid being spotted by a meandering party guest. In a few minutes they’d reached the second sitting room, which was mostly empty save for a single person asleep on the couch and the Black family house elf, Kreacher, who was worriedly offering a tray of tea to the sleeping figure.
“No thanks, Kreacher, go back to the party,” muttered the boy. He shifted and rolled over, apparently not asleep after all. James leaned further in from the doorway. It was Regulus Black on the couch, Sirius’s sixteen year-old brother.
Sirius seemed unconcerned with this revelation and tried to tug James away. James followed, reluctantly. He glanced over his shoulder once or twice while Sirius took him to the pantry.
“Why’s your brother sleeping on the sofa?” he asked, struggling to keep a nonchalant voice. It wouldn’t do to tip Sirius off to his motives too soon. “And don’t you guys have a wine cellar?”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Yes, but they’ve moved all the good wine upstairs so it’ll be easily accessible during the party,” he said, pulling two or three bottles from the nearest shelf of canned vegetables and spices.
“...and Regulus?”
Sirius shot James a look. “I don’t know. Fucker probably came down with a migraine at the party and went to lay down somewhere quiet.”
“Regulus gets migraines?”
“He has since he was little,” Sirius said, shrugging. He walked back out into the hall and after a quick look around, dashed back up towards the upper floors. “Come on. You wanted to have fun, and I reckon everyone’ll be going back outside soon. It’s drinks outside, hors d’ourves and dinner inside, and then back outside again for cigars and more drinking. We’ll have a great view from the library balcony.”
“Is someone going to bring Regulus some pain medicine?” James asked, feigning concern.
“Probably not,” Sirius admitted. “Dad always thought taking pain potions would make Regulus weak. Or at least weaker than he already is.”
“...barbaric,” James muttered, narrowing his eyes. “And I wouldn’t call Regulus weak. He’s certainly crafty at times.”
“Yeah, too crafty. And always getting himself smacked for it.”
James and Sirius had arrived at the upstairs library. Here all was quiet. No respectable Black would be caught dead reading on such a jubilant occasion, not when there were cocktails to be had.
“Perhaps we ought to steal Regulus from your parents, Padfoot.” James had never had trouble reading between the lines.
Sirius gave James an incredulous look. “And bring him where? I still live here, you prig.”
“Your family’s shoving you out into that seaside estate next year, aren’t they?”
Sirius didn’t answer. He sauntered over to the first dusty library aisle, lighting a lamp with his wand. Immediately, the rest of the lamps and all three fireplaces sprang to life as if commanded.
James wandered wistfully down the next aisle, running his fingers over the soft covers. Countless tomes of genealogy, astronomy texts, history books (undoubtedly edited with the Blacks in mind), and even the occasional Chinese manuscript that James couldn’t read.
James held up a dusty scroll, squinting in the firelight at the beautiful characters he couldn’t hope to understand. Sirius crept up next to him.
“That’s Reggie’s,” he explained. James set the scroll back down.
Sirius led James to the large balcony on the east side of the house. As soon as he opened the large glass doors, James could tell that Sirius’s earlier comment had been right. The party certainly had moved outside.
“Look at them all down there,” Sirius said snidely. “A fifth column full of pointless aristocrats ready to sell us all out to the Dark Lord.”
“Don’t get me down, Padfoot. I didn’t come here to feel bad,” James scolded his friend. He prized the cork out of a deep red wine bottle and poured a liberal amount down his throat.
Sirius smiled wickedly while he watched James down almost half a bottle of Dom Perignon in one go.
“Thought you’d want to sip that out of one of my father’s seventy-five galleon crystal wine glasses,” Sirius said smugly. James sneered back at him.
“Prig,” he muttered. Sirius reached for the bottle but James held it out of reach. “Get your own,” he insisted.
Sirius laughed like he was already drunk, a short, shrill sound. He tapped at another bottle with his wand, opening it, and joined his friend in drinking. The two of them listened to the music and conversation drifting up from the back patio. James threw himself down onto the wicker bench and sighed.
“Reckon we ought to go dance with them?” he asked, sarcasm masking a desirous tone. Sirius shook his head.
“Dad’ll clock me if he catches me here unannounced.”
James leaned over the balcony and with his wand shot a wine cork straight down at a man’s head. He ducked back to avoid detection, smiling at the undignified yelp. Sirius laughed into his hands, trying to be quiet.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Sirius said. He scanned the jovial crowd almost frantically until his eyes found focus on his father. He slid down to his knees and poked his wand between the balcony rails and whispered, “accio.” Soon Orion Black’s cigar, which he had temporarily sat down to refill his drink, came soaring up to the balcony. Sirius caught it and scrambled backwards, giddy at how close he’d come to detection.
“Here,” he offered the smoking cigar to James. “See what the high life is all about.”
“These things are vile,” James admitted, but he shoved the cigar in his mouth, anyway. “Do I look sophisticated?” he asked.
Sirius nodded, giving a slight shrug. “I suppose so,” he said, just as Orion Black’s confused exclamation reached their ears. “Here, pass it back to me.” They shared the cigar until it burnt down completely.
James frowned at the fast-emptying bottles of wine. “We’ll need some more,” he said when their supplies started to get dangerously low. After some time, Sirius had become bored of minor mayhem and had started to shoot some rather nasty spells down from the balcony.
“Here.” He handed James a glass of sparkling wine. James eyed it questioningly.
“Who’s is that?” he asked.
“Narcissa’s,” Sirius answered. By the time he was done speaking, the glass was empty again.
“Got anything stronger?”
“Back in the pantry,” Sirius said. “But I’m not sure you need it. Can you even stand?”
“Better than you!” James slid off the bench and landed spread eagle on the hard floor, where he stared up at the spreading stars.
“Nice,” Sirius commented.
“I can get up whenever I want,” James said. “I’m just...looking. You’re up here somewhere this time of year, right?”
Sirius sprawled out next to James, his grey eyes glinting in the light of the dancing candles and gibbous moon. “Mmhm. Somewhere thataway.” He pointed idly. “And Regulus is over there.”
Regulus. James sat up, suddenly remembering his reason for suggesting this whole charade.
“Don’t you think we should check on him?”
Sirius blinked. “Who?”
“Regulus,” James explained. “We should bring him a pain potion and damn what your father says.”
“Reg…?” Sirius asked again, not quite following the conversation. “What about him?”
“Come on, let’s go,” James said, pulling Sirius up with him. “I want to bring Reggie some painkillers.”
“Why?”
James stumbled back through the library, Sirius in tow. “Don’t you think it’ll make him appreciate me a little more?”
Sirius narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be thinking very hard, but the world was sort of spinning. It seemed an instant later that they were in the bathroom, James digging through the cabinets until he found what he was looking for. “Here we go!” he exclaimed, holding up a bright blue vial. “At least I think this is it...”
Sirius shrugged. His brain was still grinding furiously, trying to put everything together.
“He’s not here,” James said in a voice equal parts frustrated and sad. Sirius blinked. They were back in the sitting room, only this time Regulus was gone.
“I’ll bet he’s in his room,” James continued. Sirius could hear two of his cousins talking as they came down the hall—Rodolphus and Rabastan it sounded like. He bit his lip and dove behind the couch. James followed. When the Lestranges had passed, they crept out again. On their way out of the sitting room, Sirius crashed into an endtable, sending its vase clattering to the floor.
“Fuck,” he whispered, sniggering. James pulled out his wand and cast a fast repairing spell. His incantation was slurred, though, and the vase reassembled itself into what looked like a mangled ball of glass shards. Sirius laughed even harder, placing the object back on the table.
The two of them narrowly escaped being seen on their way up to the third floor where both Sirius and Regulus’s bedrooms were.
“Do you think he’s in his own room?” James asked. Sirius narrowed his eyes.
“No, he’s probably in mine,” he admitted. “He always goes in there when he’s feeling poorly.”
“Excellent,” James said, reaching for Sirius’s bedroom door. There was such a lascivious grin on his face that Sirius finally seemed to understand.
“You fucker!” he exclaimed, grabbing James by the collar. “You dragged me back to this dungeon just so you could get ahold of Regulus, didn’t you?”
James prized Sirius’s fingers free of his shirt. “Come on, Sirius, he’s sixteen now, not twelve.”
“So?” Sirius demanded. “He’s still my brother!”
“I thought you’d cast aside your name? Thrown yourself free from all your family?” James asked with a smirk. “Or were there some parts you wanted to cling to still?”
“I...well I didn’t mean they were up for the taking!”
“So you don’t want to be a part of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black anymore...but you don’t want anyone else to have them, either?” James asked incredulously. Sirius let out a defiant squeak.
“Reggie is different, okay! He’s not like them.”
“I’ve heard you proclaim a thousand times that he’s the worst of both your parents,” James countered. He folded his arms, still clutching carefully the potion vial.
“No,” Sirius insisted. “I mean yes...he tries, but he’s just so...pathetic. I mean he’s not got the heart for any of it. He’s annoying but he’s not a bad person and he doesn’t count!” Sirius pointed emphatically at his bedroom door, from where an embossed, golden nameplate bore his full title. “You’re always trying to coax him into spending more time with you but...but...well, he’s mine! You can steal my father’s Sauvingnon and my mother’s cigars, but Regulus is mine!”
James stood impassively for a moment before an enormous grin broke out over his face. “Oh, is he now?” James asked coyly. “Well then...why don’t you prove it?”
Sirius was flabbergasted as James brazenly opened the door. Unlocked, because Regulus had of course expected no visitors. James threw on the lights.
At the sight in front of him, Sirius let slip from his hand the nearly empty wine bottle he’d carried all the way down from the library balcony. It rolled down the hall, spilling its contents but remaining intact.
Regulus was curled up at the edge of the bed, knees pulled to his chest and face buried in his arms. The poor boy was shaking as waves of pain rippled through his head and abdomen.
“Oh fuck,” James whispered. “What’s wrong with him?”
“Magical migraines get pretty bad sometimes,” Sirius admitted. “Mother always said it was the price Regulus pays for his ability to See.”
“Close the door,” James ordered. “Lock it...and silence it.”
Sirius regarded James suspiciously for a moment but did as he was told. Regulus didn’t seem to have noticed them yet.
“Oi...Baby Black,” James said gently. He knelt by Sirius’s bed and put a cautious hand to Regulus’s forehead. Regulus jumped as if shaken from a reverie.
“J—James?” Regulus asked in a whimper and Sirius found himself wondering when James had managed to get on a first name basis with his brother. “Are you...are you drunk?” Regulus asked. He started to sit up but groaned and fell back down again.
“Hush,” James said. “I’m here to have you—help you,” he corrected himself, giggling. “Here drink this.”
Regulus looked over to Sirius with tear-filled eyes. “Sirius?” he asked. “Why are you here tonight? Is that a pain potion?” He eyed the vial James was pressing closer to him.
“Yes,” Sirius answered.
“But you know that I’m not supposed to—”
“Father told you to take it,” Sirius said quickly, and James nodded.
“Here,” he insisted. “Drink,” he said as he tipped the vial back against Regulus’s lips.
“What’s this?” Sirius asked while Regulus drank. He plucked a dark red wine bottle off the nightstand. “Trying to self medicate? You know drinking this will just make you ill.”
Regulus nodded, sitting up a bit straighter now that his pain was receding. “I didn’t really drink any,” he admitted. “Don’t like it much and it made me feel ill. Thank you, James, for bringing me that. I...I’m feeling a lot better.”
“Well enough for a drink?” James asked. Regulus looked at him skeptically.
“I think you two have had quite enough to drink,” he said nervously. James thrust the bottle to him, anyway.
“One drink,” he insisted. “As a thank you to me?”
Regulus’s eye widened fearfully but he took the wine. After one small sip, he handed it back to James and then tried to get out of the bed. James pinned him back down, playfully climbing up next to him.
“Share with me,” he insisted, leaning down and capturing Regulus’s lips in a fumbling kiss. Regulus squealed and thrashed, but James held him down. He broke the kiss, licking at the wine clinging to his lips. “Delicious. Sirius, can I keep him?”
Regulus’s breathing became quick and panicky. He turned to his brother, wide-eyed. “Sirius,” Regulus gasped. “What is this? What are you playing at?”
But Sirius didn’t answer him. His drunken brain was working overtime, furious that James would dare to even suggest such a thing.
“I’ve told you, James, he’s mine. Back off.”
“You said he’s your brother, but you never said I couldn’t have him as something more. Please, Padfoot...I’m generous. I’ll share.”
Regulus was looking very alarmed at this point and began to thrash in earnest. “Get off of me!” he screamed. “James, let me up! This isn’t funny!”
“Sh, sh, sh...” James leaned down, nearly smothering Regulus with his weight. He slid his wand out and pressed it gently to Regulus’s throat. “Just be calm for me, okay, Baby Black? I won’t hurt you.”
“You won’t?” Regulus gasped incredulously.
“Well...” James pressed the wand a little more firmly into Regulus’s skin. “Maybe just a little. Sirius, do you want to come join me? I think we ought to tie him up.”
Sirius’s face was flushed a bright red against his pale skin. His dark hair fell halfway in his eyes. “You’re sick, Prongs. Just what are you suggesting?”
James rolled his eyes. “Oh like you don’t know.”
“No, I don’t. Enlighten me.”
“Fucking look at him,” James exclaimed. He sat up, carding one hand harshly through Regulus’s hair to keep him down. “Your own little shadow, grown and groomed to obey you, the heir and his future family leader. He’s been all yours since birth, and you’re telling me you’ve never thought to taste that power? Look at him, Padfoot...he can’t tell you no.”
“Yes I can!” Regulus yelled, scratching furiously at James, trying to break his grip. James muttered a quick spell and Regulus yelped as a sharp pain shot through him.
“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, Regulus,” James said sagely. “By this time next year, Sirius will be in almost complete control of your life. So I think it will be in your best interests to do as he says, and by extension...as I say.”
“No!” Regulus gasped. “I...”
James raised an eyebrow and released Regulus just enough for the boy to prop himself up on his elbows, glaring icy daggers at the Gryffindor above him.
“Am I wrong?” James asked. “Does your family not work like that? Don’t you have to obey your elder brother or risk losing your entire inheritance?”
Regulus cast a quick glance at Sirius, who was staring at both of them. “Yes...” Regulus admitted. “But not you! I don’t owe you anything!”
“Oh?” James asked, his hazel eyes lighting up in excitement. He was already growing hard from pinning the other boy underneath him. “And if Sirius tells you to give me what I want?”
“Shut up...it’s not like that. And Sirius isn’t allowed to hurt me!”
James raised a questioning eyebrow and Regulus’s resolve faltered. His bluff hadn’t worked.
Regulus threw a desperate glance to his brother. Sirius looked angry, but said nothing. Regulus had a sinking feeling he was about to be handed over like a quaffle. “James,” he begged. “Why are you doing this? I thought you liked me?”
“I do,” James insisted. He leaned down to kiss Regulus again. “I left a pretty fun party to come get you your pain medicine, didn’t I? Be still, Regulus, I only want to taste you. Just lie back and I won’t hurt you.”
“Stop,” Regulus moaned desperately. “Why me?”
James didn’t speak, he was too busy fussing about with Regulus’s clothing, his drunk fingers struggling to pop buttons. Instead it was Sirius who answered, almost bitterly.
“Because Prongs here fancies himself a Black. He wants a taste of what he could have if he were me.”
Regulus tried desperately to duck away from James’s sloppy kisses. “What are you talking about? You wouldn’t do this to me! Why...why would you want to?”
Sirius shrugged. “Why not?” he said as casually as if he were caving to the demand that he try a new hors d’ourve. “Might as well get some perks out of being stuck in this damn family.”
“Sirius,” Regulus said levelly. Sensing James was beyond reason, he appealed to his brother. “You’re drunk. And you’re not thinking clearly. Whatever wine you’ve been binging has placed these bizarre ideas in your head. Made you think things that aren’t true...made you think you and your...friend are entitled to things that you’re not.”
But Sirius wasn’t listening to Regulus’s warning. Instead he was sipping more from the bottle James had forced on Regulus. Regulus groaned in frustration, striking out at James as best he could.
James had had enough by that point. He leaned back and slapped Regulus hard across the face and Regulus, conditioned from years of warning slaps from his parents and uncles, froze immediately, instinctually bracing himself.
“Come now, Reggie,” James cooed. “Haven’t you always wanted this? I’ve seen the way you look at me...follow me around...”
Regulus shrieked and thrashed. How dare James twist his actions like this!
“Sirius always tried to discourage it, but you always pined over me, anyway.”
Regulus shook his head. If he could, he would have taken back every spare glance he’d even given to James Potter. He’d known the boy had an ego, but he’d never imagined it to be this consuming. To think James thought Regulus’s innocent crush was justification to simply take him!
“I won’t make that mistake twice,” Regulus hissed. He reached for James’s face, aiming to dig out the older boy’s eyes if he had to, but James, even drunk, was too fast and too strong. He caught Regulus’s hand and leaned harder into him, his wine-stained breath wafting over Regulus’s face.
“Pass me something, will you, Prongs? I think we might need to tie him down.”
“No!” Regulus screamed. “Sirius, don’t!” But Sirius was already rummaging through his drawers, no doubt looking for a tie or something similar. Regulus began to hyperventilate. “Stop, stop!” he yelled as Sirius approached him. “Sirius, you can’t—I’ll be still, I promise!”
James laughed. He pressed Regulus’s wrists together and pulled them above his head, where Sirius bound them together tightly with a tie. Using a cord from his curtains, he attached Regulus’s wrists to the headboard. Regulus lay there in defeat, nearly naked thanks to James and willing himself to stop crying. He didn’t thrash anymore, terrified that Sirius would tie his legs up, as well. He could already feel the claustrophobia setting in.
“Tha’s better,” James whispered. “Now you can properly enjoy yourself. I’m good, Reggie,” he added. “I promise.”
“What are you going to do to him?” Sirius asked. Regulus couldn’t stand the fact that he was being spoken of like he wasn’t present.
“M’going to fuck him, of course,” James said simply. “Oh look at him, Sirius,” he added, running his hands down Regulus’s shivering torso. “He’s grown up to be so handsome, just like I knew he would.”
“And what makes you think you can have him before I have?” Sirius demanded.
“Come on, Padfoot. You don’t really want him. If you did, you’d have taken him by now.”
Sirius frowned.
“It’s just like everything else to do with your family. You don’t want any of it until someone threatens to take it away from you.”
“Reggie’s different,” Sirius whispered.
“Yes, you’ve said that,” said James. “But I suppose we could ask him. Hey, Baby Black, who do you want to be your first?” James leaned in closer and bit gently the shell of Regulus’s ear. “For the record,” he whispered. “You should choose me. I’m better at this than Sirius is.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Sirius snapped. “You’ve never even been with a bloke.”
“Sure I have,” James insisted.
“Oh really?” Sirius asked, folding his arms. James was smoothly peeling off his shirt. “Who?”
“This one,” James said smugly, licking a cold trail down Regulus’s neck. Regulus trembled. “Every night in my dreams. Come on, Regulus, say you want me first.”
Regulus closed his eyes and shook his head. “Neither,” he whispered. “Get off of me. Sirius, please.”
And for a moment, Regulus thought Sirius might be moved to action. It seemed to break through the haze of the alcohol and come to Sirius’s realization just how very betrayed Regulus felt. Here he had come into his brother’s room for safety and instead he’d found sheer terror. But after a moment, all understanding melted from Sirius’s handsome face, and the giddiness returned.
“Oh, shush, Reggie and behave yourself for once,” Sirius said. He approached the bed and climbed up (his bed was tall, after all, and with a massive headboard. Renegade or not, Sirius was still of noble blood). Sirius threw a pillow to the side and knelt next to Regulus’s bound arms. He ran a hand through his brother’s hair, as though petting a skittish animal. For a moment, Sirius seemed to lose himself.
“He is handsome, isn’t he?” he murmured. James nodded in agreement.
“You see it now, don’t you?” James asked. “What I see?”
Sirius nodded. Cautiously, experimentally, he leaned down. For a brief moment, his eyes met Regulus’s, and Regulus saw a person he’d never seen before. It were as though Sirius had torn free a mask. When his lips connected with his brother’s, Regulus thought he might vomit. It was hot and urgent, and Sirius was biting him. Regulus saw stars and tasted his own blood.
“J—James,” he finally whimpered. “Please. Let it be you.” Because Regulus knew that Sirius would have him eventually, but he thought he truly might not be able to survive if his older brother went first. If Sirius were his first lover, Regulus knew he wouldn’t be able to stand it.
James grinned like a maniac. “Well you heard him, Padfoot. Move over, I don’t want to wait any longer.”
Sirius leaned back against the headboard, almost lounging. He was still right next to Regulus. He reached out and ran his fingers down Regulus’s cheek. Regulus didn’t look at his brother, scared to see anger or hurt in his eyes as a result of Regulus’s rejection.
James freed Regulus of his boxers and the younger boy immediately flushed a deep red. He’d never been naked in front of anyone before, not since early childhood.
“Look at you, little one, I’ve never seen tomatoes so red,” James laughed. “Don’t be shy. You’re gorgeous. I wouldn’t want you if you weren’t.”
Regulus trembled uncontrollably as James worked his way up and down his body, licking, kissing and (to Regulus’s horror) biting. He left red bruises all down Regulus’s abdomen. At first, Regulus thought James would never tire of mauling him like this, but minutes later the older boy was sitting up again and fondling Regulus’s cock.
“Don’t be so difficult,” James scolded Regulus as he stroked and pulled. “You have to be at least a little bit excited, or else it makes me look bad.”
Regulus closed his eyes and tried to ignore the two Gryffindors. And for a brief while, he succeeded. But then James was probing at his entrance with warm fingers and Regulus kicked out, yelling incoherently.
James caught his legs and smacked him again, this time on the thigh. “I want to flip him over. Padfoot, lend me a hand?”
Sirius helped James haul Regulus onto his stomach, twisting the bindings even tighter in the process.
“There we go,” James said. “This is perfect, actually. You can have him suck you, Sirius. Give you something to do while I pound him into the mattress.”
Regulus sobbed, gasping for breath. He’d never heard such language before, and certainly never in this context. He turned his watery eyes to Sirius, hoping once again to see some compassion there, but Sirius had leaned over him again and grabbed the last of the wine. He downed it swiftly and chucked the bottle to the carpet. James nodded curtly.
“What should I use on him?” James asked. “Do you have any lube?”
“In my childhood bedroom?” Sirius asked sardonically. “No. But...I think there’s a spell. Hold on.” He fussed about with his wand for a moment before he got it right. “Try now.”
James slid one, then two fingers into Regulus with ease. “Perfect,” he said. “You should thank your big brother, Regulus. If he hadn’t stepped in, I was just going to take you dry.”
Regulus felt the weight of his own sobs constrict on his throat. “I—I can’t breath,” he gasped. James ignored him.
“Sirius,” he said, kneading at the soft flesh of Regulus’s thighs. “Let me mark him up.”
Sirius cocked an eyebrow. James leaned over to the pile of clothes on the floor and pulled out a belt. “And dress down a bit, mate, you look so out of place.”
Sirius was still fully clothed, and next to a naked Regulus and a mostly naked James, it did look a bit strange. Sirius shrugged and shirked his sweater.
“That’s better,” said James. Then without warning, he folded the belt over once and brought it down on Regulus’s backside. Regulus yelped at the sting.
“D—don’t!” he demanded. “James, this isn’t funny.”
But James wasn’t listening. He was marveling at the red streak marking Regulus’s ivory skin. He ran is fingers gently over the beaten flesh, feeling the warmth of newly-marred skin.
“Don’t, don’t don’t don’t—” Regulus chanted, stopping abruptly when James brought the faux leather own again, this time across his lower back.
“Keep him quiet, won’t you?” James asked his friend. “I’d hate to have to punish him.”
Regulus shuddered. If this beating wasn’t punishment enough in James’s eyes, then just what else was the other boy willing to do to him?
Sirius placed a hand over Regulus’s mouth, but James shook his head.
“That won’t work. Shut his mouth good. Fill it with your cock, Padfoot. Make him gag.”
Regulus felt his blood run cold. It was strange to him to see Sirius so...complacent. Normally he and James were co-ringleaders of their little Gryffindor gang, and when it came down to it, James would usually yield to Sirius’s lead. But tonight James seemed high off some inexorable power. Regulus wondered briefly if James wasn’t really usurping Sirius’s place as the Black family heir. He certainly wielded power like he was.
Sirius freed himself from his pants and an instant later he was probing at Regulus’s lips. Regulus nearly fainted right there. He’d never seen Sirius’s cock before, at least not since they’d bathed together as very small children. The overwhelming wrongness of it all would have made him cry if he weren’t already out of tears.
Smack. The belt came down hard on his backside again. “If you don’t open your mouth, Regulus, then I’ll paint your arse black and blue.”
Regulus had a horrible feeling James intended to do that anyway, but he opened his trembling lips in a desperate bid to stave off this awful treatment.
“Good boy,” Sirius said kindly. He guided his cock into Regulus’s mouth and then further back...into his throat...too far into his throat. Regulus instantly gagged and sputtered. When Sirius didn’t back off in time, he tossed his head as far as he could, freeing his mouth, but only barely.
A slap to the back of the head from James and a warning to behave himself. Regulus buried his face in the mattress.
“Oh no, you don’t,” Sirius scolded him, pulling his head back up by his hair. “Open up for me, now.”
“Okay,” Regulus promised, trying to seem cooperative. “James, please don’t hit me anymore.”
“Aw,” James cooed. He leaned forward to kiss the corner of Regulus’s mouth. “Okay my sweet thing. No more for now.”
Regulus opened his mouth again and tried to take a bit more control from Sirius, hoping to avoid choking again, but without the use of his arms, it was difficult. Sirius’s hot flesh tasted sour in his mouth, unclean, but he held it between his lips all the same. He heard Sirius moan in delight. Regulus thought his brother must have been getting off on sheer power and control, because he certainly wasn’t doing an amazing job blowing him.
James’s fingers were back again, three of them this time feeling for entrance. Slowly Regulus felt himself widened. It was a sensation he was unfamiliar with.
Then Regulus felt James’s erection press heavily into his thigh and he resigned himself completely. Part of him had been holding out hope that with how much James and Sirius had drunk, neither one of them would be able to get it up, but he’d been miserably wrong. James was as hard as granite, and Regulus shivered with fear. Lubrication spell or no, he was certain he’d be torn up. The thought sent him into a brief panic which Sirius noticed.
“No one’s going to hurt you, Reggie,” he said kindly, withdrawing from Regulus’s mouth and leaning down to kiss him, cradling Regulus’s trembling head in his arms. Regulus glared up at him.
“Don’t lie to me on top of everything else,” he said bitterly. “Don’t patronize me.”
“No, really,” Sirius insisted. He threw James’s belt from the bed for good measure. “James is going to be gentle from here on out, Reggie. And I’ll be oh-so sweet to you.” He kissed Regulus again. “So sweet that you’ll never wander from me again.”
Regulus was breathing heavily. “You’re delusional,” he whispered. “I never left you. I was never yours. Stop acting like you’re both fighting over my affections like this.”
But neither James nor Sirius was listening to him. James gave Sirius an evil grin. “We’ll see who the Baby Black prefers when the night is over. And regardless, he’s going to be mine.”
Sirius scoffed. “Blood always wins out,” he insisted. “I might let you borrow him now and then, but Reggie is mine.”
Regulus couldn’t believe his ears. “What have you both been drinking tonight?” he demanded. “Liquor or love potions? You’re both talking insanity. I’ve never seen such...” his eyes widened and Sirius and James continued to argue over him.
“You’ve dipped into Father’s party cigars, haven’t you. Oh, Sirius, you know those are rolled with khat leaves. And if you’ve drunk half the wine stores on top of that...”
James stopped Regulus’s voice abruptly by thrusting into him hard. Regulus screamed as he was pushed forward, his head striking the headboard. He felt James place a warm hand on his shoulder, holding him still while he worked deeper into him, further and further until he finally bottomed out.
“Fuck,” James cried. “Bloody hell, he’s tight. Damn.”
“Careful, don’t hurt him,” said Sirius with worry. Regulus almost retched at the kind words, certain they were insincere.
James was thinking along the same lines. “Don’t worry,” he muttered breathlessly. “I won’t break your precious toy before you’ve even had him.”
Regulus cried and panted, trying to get used to the feel of James inside him. He was vaguely aware that some people did this for fun, but if that was the case, then James was doing something very wrong, because all Regulus felt was a cresting pain. James’s thrusts were not smooth at all, he jackhammered into Regulus erratically, seeming to have lost all his composure. Regulus lost his breath and his vision blurred.
Sirius was pressing against Regulus’s mouth again, hot flesh demanding attention. Regulus was too scared to refuse him. Normally he wasn’t shy about going toe to toe with his brother, but that was when he’d understood there to be limits. It seemed now that the limits of their relationship were gone. And with James here to feed off of Sirius’s anger, Regulus didn’t like his odds of winning out in an argument. Timidly he parted his lips and let Sirius fill his mouth again. At least with his brother bracing him from the front, his face wasn’t smacking into the headboard anymore. On the other hand, this set up was only forcing James deeper with each jerky thrust.
Regulus groaned as he felt James’s nails dig deeper into the flesh of his hips. James’s pace became more and more demanding until it became so consuming that Sirius actually backed off, slipping free of Regulus’s mouth and kneeling down next to his side, bracing him with gentle hands. Regulus felt Sirius gently palm his numbing wrists.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” James babbled. Regulus felt his teeth vibrate. Every part of him was shaking. He was surely going to break. James seemed to grow hotter within him. Regulus swore his arms were about to snap—
And then it was over. James twitched and gasped, clambering up Regulus’s back as he climaxed. He continued to mutter a string of embarrassingly filthy smut against Regulus’s skin, words that would have made the Slytherin blush if he’d had the capacity to do so.
Then James was lying heavy on Regulus’s back, pressing him deep into the sheets, pulling his bound arms taught. Regulus shrieked as he felt his arms twist. Sirius seemed to jump out of a reverie and moved quickly to untie his brother.
Regulus couldn’t move. James was flush against his back, sweaty and warm. “Oh Sirius,” he crooned, pulling Regulus’s head up and licking a trail down his neck. “Sirius, can I keep him?”
Regulus spat his hair out of his mouth and twisted to see Sirius. His brother was glaring at James but not answering.
“Come on, Sirius,” James pressed. He shifted about and Regulus flinched as he felt James’s limbering cock move inside him. “I’ll take good care of him.”
“Get off and let him come to me,” Sirius commanded, but he didn’t answer James’s request, and that was troubling.
James pulled out of Regulus none too gently. Regulus groaned and rolled onto his side, trying to bring his numb arms down to his chest. His wrists cracked as he moved them.
James was lounging at the foot of the bed now, and Sirius was still at the headboard. For a moment, Regulus considered making a break for it. James must have seen his eyes dart towards the door, because in an instant, the Gryffindor had placed a harsh hand on Regulus’s leg. His fingers tightened into a vice-like grip and he said in a low and dangerous voice, “You wouldn’t be thinking of dashing off anywhere, would you, Baby Black?”
Regulus wanted dearly to kick James Potter in the face, but out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of the belt on the floor and swiftly abandoned the idea.
“Come here, Reggie,” Sirius said softly. “Come to me. Just for a moment.”
Trembling, Regulus crawled into Sirius’s open arms. To his horror he could feel something slick running down his leg. Whether blood or the remains of James Potter, he couldn’t bear to look.
“Oh dear,” James muttered. “We might have been a bit too rough.”
Regulus closed his eyes tightly and felt Sirius’s arms pull him closer. “We?” Sirius demanded. “You said you were going to be gentle.”
Sensing weakness, Regulus let his breath hitch loudly. “He hurt me, Sirius,” Regulus whimpered. “You let him tear me up.”
To Regulus’s disappointment, a smile was spreading over Sirius’s flushed features. Sirius pulled Regulus into yet another kiss, gentle and warm, like his others had been. “I’ve got you now,” he promised. “It’s okay. Here, sit with me.”
And Sirius positioned Regulus on his lap. He slid Regulus’s legs around his waist and pulled him close, letting his fingers dance up Regulus’s trembling back. Regulus could feel Sirius’s rock hard cock between his thighs. He pawed pitifully at Sirius’s shoulder, wordlessly begging for a reprieve he knew he wouldn’t get.
Sirius guided Regulus down onto his stiff cock. “Here, hold my shoulders,” he suggested. Regulus obeyed him, more out of reflex than anything else. Desperately, he tried to brace himself against Sirius’s shoulders, keeping his weight from forcing him to sink down on his brother’s cock.
Sirius rubbed gently up and down Regulus’s abdomen. He kissed his brother’s chest. “Take a moment and breath,” he said. “Take me deeper when you’re ready.”
And Regulus, with his hair shamefully mussed and beads of sweat rolling down his neck, felt oddly compelled to obey Sirius. Had Sirius asked him to, Regulus would have thrown himself from the balcony window. All he knew was how badly he wanted to be away from James. James Potter was violence and pain. Sirius was something a little softer.
“Will you ride me, Reggie? Bounce up and down on my cock like a good boy?”
Regulus nodded and followed Sirius’s lead as best he could. Sirius gave him gentle cues and Regulus obeyed, drawing gasps and moans from his brother. Whether James was watching in the background or not, Regulus couldn’t fathom and didn’t care to guess.
“Gods, Reggie. Just like that. Faster, baby.”
Panting, Regulus ground his hips into Sirius’s lap.
Sirius took one of Regulus’s nipples into his mouth and sucked. Regulus screamed and arched his back. He involuntarily tightened around his brother’s cock and a buzzing pain assaulted his lower body. It seemed to be an eternity before the pain subsided to a gentle and not unpleasant twinge. Regulus could feel Sirius flagging inside him.
“So good...” Sirius said.
“Sirius,” Regulus whimpered. “Please...I’m...”
Sirius gently untangled himself from his brother and let Regulus fall slowly onto his side. Regulus closed his eyes, unsure if he wanted comfort or not. All he was sure of was that he wanted James Potter to leave.
Regulus felt Sirius gently stroking his face. He opened his eyes to look up at him. There was an odd look on Sirius’s face. A guilt was weighing heavily on the older Black, but drunkeness and sleep were starting to win out.
Sirius knew that when he returned to his senses, the guilt would crush him. He had hurt Regulus—and while Sirius was no stranger to knocking his brother about, this was on a whole new level. But the worst of his shame wasn’t from letting James hurt Regulus, it wasn’t even from joining in.
Sirius felt guilty because he knew this would be happening again. And by the stirring in his stomach, possibly quite soon. Sirius lay down next to his brother, staring deep into his eyes. He saw resignation there and his mind began to race, pleasantly conjuring images of the future. James’s previous suggestion was starting to appeal to Sirius—bringing Regulus with him when he moved out, keeping the boy close always. Regulus would have to put up with James, but Sirius knew he would learn to love Sirius back. Sirius wouldn’t let James steal Regulus from him. Regulus was his. He was gentle with his Reggie, kind and patient. Regulus would not refuse him. Regulus was gifted with Sight. He would see his future and he would accept it.
“My, my Padfoot, look at the time.”
“Hm?”
James grinned and slid back up next to Regulus. He placed small kisses against Regulus’s shoulder. “11:59, my sweet.”
Regulus glared reproachfully at James, shifting to try to avoid his touches. “So what?” he growled.
The clock on the wall struck midnight, quietly but surely. James took Regulus’s soft cock into his mouth. Sirius’s eyes flared, but he didn’t say anything. James licked a trail down Regulus’s inner thigh, humming against his pale skin.
“It’s a Black family tradition, no? I’ve had my fun, but now, my Reggie, let me celebrate you until the dawn breaks.”