── Wednesday 1st September 1971

SIRIUS SAUNTERED INTO THE GIGANTIC STONE HALL, alongside his newfound friends. The room was packed, the four banquet tables with their house banners above them spread out the length of the hall, the equally long benches occupied with other students all in the same uniform, with only the ties being different depending on their house. Sirius and the other boys had changed into their robes during the train ride like all the other first years and most of them were now watching Professor Mcgonagall, the same witch who had addressed Sirius his Hogwarts letter as she stood at the front, next to the old sorting hat.

Several names had been called for people to be sorted, but Sirius found himself more intrigued by Remus, who was standing a little bit behind from the three boys. He was studying the room in awe, as if he'd never seen anything so magical, much like some of the people with muggle parents. Perhaps he was a mudblood too. Sirius grinned to himself, eyes still set on the tall brunette boy - all the more reason to befriend him.

The dark-haired boy felt someone tap his shoulder and looked over at James, before realising it was his turn. Sirius heard the other boy wish him good luck as he sighed and walked towards the hat, hesitantly. He sat down on the stool, glancing at the Slytherin table. It didn't take him long to spot Andromeda smiling at him, before leaning in to talk to a girl with black hair.

"Ah, a Black." Sirius heard the sorting hat say in recognition. "A special one, aren't you?" He pressed his lips into a thin line, his hands gripping the edge of the stool, nervous as ever. However, he certainly didn't disagree that he was special. The hall was quiet in anticipation. "Gryffindor!" The hat cried out. Sirius felt his heart drop, gasps could be heard from the Slytherin table and he took a shaky breath, slipping off the stool immediately after Mcgonogall took the hat off. He walked over to his own table without sparing a glance at the Slytherins. Suddenly, Sirius had the urge to disappear.

The sorting continued, and he made room for Lily Evans as she approached the Gryffindor table, but the girl shot him a cold look, crossing her arms and turning away. The boy furrowed his brows, frowning - he hadn't even done anything! Remus joined the two a little later, sitting across from them. He smiled at Sirius and Sirius simply looked down at his lap, huffing.

Peter and James were also soon sorted into Gryffindor, the latter having been sorted much faster than the other. Peter kept glancing back as if in denial, though James strutted towards them, beaming. He sat down beside Sirius with a grin, "This is brilliant, isn't it?" James asked them.

Sirius scoffed, "No, it's not brilliant," the others turned to look at him, "I'm doomed!" he exclaimed, pushing the empty plate in front of him away and laying his face down on the table.

"At least you broke tradition." Peter said, from beside Remus, referring to their conversation on the train, though he squeaked when Sirius looked up, casting a glare his way. Bloody tradition.

James glanced at the other two, before giving him a small pat on the shoulder and a reassuring smile, "It's alright, mate. You're with us. We're all together!" Sirius sighed in response to James' enthusiasm, which made the other boy quiet down as well.

The sorting finally came to and end and after a tedious welcome speech as well as warnings from Dumbledore, the headmaster, dinner was finally served.

"So. Your name's Sirius Orion Black?" Remus asked him, for once being the first to speak, and also making Sirius blink.

"What?" He asked the other boy, puzzled now.

"I thought you were joking, on the train." he explained, shrugging.

Sirius narrowed his eyes, "Why would I be joking?"

"I don't know, but did you know your initials spell out son of a bitch?" Remus inquired, seeming genuine. A girl named Mary Macdonald, who was sitting next to Remus, snorted. Remus glanced at the doors to the Great Hall. "Uh, anyways, I'm going to find the bathroom." he said, getting up. Sirius stared after the boy, who was now making his way over to Mcgonagall. What was he supposed to make of that?

"Where's he going?" James asked, appearing just as confused as he took another bite of his chicken.

"And why?" Peter added, turning to James for an answer. James shrugged in response.

"What does bitch mean?" Sirius said finally, making Mary MacDonald laugh again, before she leant over to explain it to the bunch of perplexed pureblood boys.

── ✧ ──

── Friday 10th September 1971

REGULUS WAS IN PAIN. In addition, he was bored. Sirius had been gone, for what- a week, now? It felt like forever and the house seemed so much drearier without his brother's jaunty presence. The boy yawned, rubbing his wrists (an unfortunate habit of his that always left the skin beneath bright red). He was pretty sure it was ten o'clock now, but he couldn't muster up any sleep, no matter how hard he tried. Perhaps it was the fault of his mother's curses, or perhaps he was simply restless.

There was a gathering of some sort going on, in the room just underneath his - Regulus could still hear the murmurs and was rather interested. So when the boy was sure he wasn't going to get caught, he decided to put an end to his boredom. Regulus hopped off his bed, immediately regretting it as a jolt of pain shot up both of his legs. He bit his lip, wincing. The dark-haired boy exited his room, closing the large door as gently as possible. He tiptoed down the stairs, careful not to make a sound and approached the door to the drawing room, where the meeting was being held.

The door was open far enough for him to just manage to take a peek inside - there were several people in the room, most Regulus could recognise from the many pureblood functions he'd been to. His own parents were sat down on a sofa, both coming off as more eager than he'd ever seen them be in his life. Bella and Rodolphus were seated opposite to them, his aunt Druella perched nearby. A hooded man, that Regulus couldn't put a name to, sat comfortably in the centre of the room, speaking as the others listened intently.

"Spying, are we?" someone whispered from behind him, tutting as Regulus froze, his attention instantly wavering from the hooded man to the owner of the voice. The boy turned, eyes landing on a blonde.

"Scared you, didn't I?" Evan Rosier smirked at him, "I wanna spy too, move up a little," he instructed, keeping his tone low.

Regulus frowned, taking a small step to the side to make room for him. "It's not spying," he murmured to the other boy.

"Yes it is." Evan countered, peering into the room with interest.

Regulus huffed, doing the same. "It's not."

"Is," he argued.

"Not," he corrected.

"Uh huh, sure." Regulus' frown deepened. If everything else had changed, Evan's ability to dismiss everyone he met had not. "I wish we were allowed in. Even my brother's in there, you know? And he's three!" Scanning the room once more, Regulus could indeed see Aelius and Endora Rosier sat inside, not too far from Druella. A small child was fast asleep in Endora's lap.

"I think he's cute," Regulus told the other boy.

"I didn't say he wasn't cute. Celaeno is adorable."

"What are they doing in there anyways?" he asked, though not really expecting the other boy to know either.

Evan paused his eavesdropping, turning to look at Regulus as if he'd grown a second head, "You don't know?" he asked, incredulously, raising his voice. "No way. You're joking, right? There's no way!" Regulus glared at him, putting his hands over Evan's mouth and ultimately pushing them both into the wall.

"Shush! Someone will hear you, idiot!" he hissed, slowly removing his hands. Just because Evan's parents were slightly more lenient with what he did didn't mean Regulus would receive no punishment for snooping around, and Regulus truly didn't want that.

"Get off me," Evan hissed back, he, too, glaring at him. After Regulus had done so, the boy glanced at the door, warily, before abruptly grabbing his hand, causing Regulus to jump. "Let's go to your room. I hate having to be quiet anyways," he stated, leading the dark-haired boy upstairs. Regulus rolled his eyes and followed, the blonde not having left him much a choice. He'd known Evan Rosier most of his life and he'd always been the pushy type.

"Have you heard of the dark lord?" Evan asked once they'd both settled down in his room. Regulus shook his head and Evan gaped at him. "Do your parents not tell you anything?" he said, a moment later, "The dark lord! He's called Voldemort, but we're not supposed to say that so don't say it, yeah? Yeah. He's going to save us - not that I'd ever need saving. He's just going to stop all the mudbloods from ruining our world."

Regulus was intrigued now, he'd get rid of all the mudbloods? And then Sirius wouldn't be pulled away from what was right, he would no longer become brainwashed and they'd both be okay. "What about the blood traitors?" he asked.

"He'll fix them. Obviously." Evan responded, smiling.

Regulus stared at him, eyes wide. "He'll really fix them?" The blonde nodded, "How?"

"Well, uh- I don't know." he admitted, "Mother wouldn't tell me. She said I'll know soon though. But, I asked Rabastan and he said his brother got a mark to join him. Isn't that cool?"

"It sounds cool. Cissy said Bella was given a mark too. She said, 'Ever since she got that mark-' and then she stopped. I thought it was strange." Regulus explained.

"Bella got it too? I didn't know that."

"Well... maybe it's not the same one," he suggested.

"I bet it is," Evan responded, now grinning. "Do you think we can get it?"

"I don't know. What happens if you get the mark?'

"You get to be called death eaters! And do stuff to help, I think. But the name is great."

"Is that what they're doing downstairs?" Regulus questioned. "They're doing stuff to help get rid of mudbloods?"

"I think so. I heard they need more people though."

"Oh."

"How come you don't know anything about all this?" Evan inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Regulus shrugged, "Maybe if it's a secret, they didn't want Sirius to find out. Uncle Alphard convinced him that mudbloods aren't really bad. It's all he really talks about, remember? Mother and father get so angry."

The boy made a face of disapproval, "I always forget he's a blood traitor." Regulus narrowed his eyes at that - Sirius wasn't a blood traitor. He was just confused. "Hey, why didn't your uncle brainwash you too?"

"Mother didn't let him. I kind of like him though, even if he's a blood traitor - he's funny."

Evan seemed to consider this for a second before he studied him once more. "Is it true Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor too?" the boy asked, leaning in.

They'd all been certain Sirius would be sorted into Slytherin. It was a given. Sirius Black was, well, a Black and the best Blacks were always Slytherins. That was just how it worked. But as Walburga had said the boy always came with the most disappointing news. Sirius hadn't ended up in Ravenclaw, not even Hufflepuff. No, Sirius Black had ended up in Gryffindor and Regulus had endured the worst of his unfortunate placing.

The news had miraculously managed to avoid the ears and eyes of Walburga for a week. A week of what was normal for the Black family had gone by and then just merely hours ago, Bellatrix had strolled into the house going on and on about Sirius' placement to all who would hear it, malice clear in her tone whilst Rodolphus had sighed deeply not far from her. He'd likely heard Bella's rant more than anyone else.

Walburga had stood silent however, even when the two had retreated to the other room for the meeting. The woman had said no words. Nothing. Regulus had been in the room and naturally, stupidly, a small "Mother?" had left him out of both concern and the curiosity of any nine year old, especially when their older sibling had managed something so majorly embarrassing. Making his presence known at that point was an unfortunate mistake considering Walburga's mood and she had made it known to him severely.

Regulus took in a deep breath, shivering at the memory. "Um," he gulped, his hands finding their place on his wrists, "Yes. He's a Gryffindor."

"Bloody hell," said Evan, straightening up, "Now that's just pathetic."

── ✧ ──

and on this episode of bad 2am writing you get this

can you lot believe i started this back in february and it's halloween now but we're only on chapter four like me when im lazy help

so evan rosier is my baby i love him idc he's so<33

and yeah idk that's that woo

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