── Thursday 20th January 1972

SIRIUS YAWNED AS BINNS DRONED ON about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct, finding it nothing other than dreadfully boring. He'd only half attempted to listen to the monotonous lecture the first ten minutes, but Professor Cuthbert Binns had such a way with words that anyone and everyone who sat his class would want to fall asleep within moments of entering. It didn't help that it was the last period for that day.

History of Magic was the one class that Sirius — unfortunately — didn't share with any of the other boys, and really the only person that kept him going throughout it was Mary Macdonald.

He had found the brown-skinned girl was actually rather friendly, despite his concerns prior to attempting a conversation with her. The boy had been doubtful at first - after all, she was a mudblood. (Sorry, muggleborn. He was still trying to adjust to the new word.) Obviously, Sirius hadn't seen Mary as villainous or anything like so — unlike how his parents had made all muggleborns out to be, for Alphard Black had thankfully guided the young boy past all that nonsense — but he had expected her to at least be snobbish or perhaps arrogant, similar to the impression Lily Evans had left on him.

It hadn't taken Sirius that long to realise how wrong he'd been - Mary was, without a doubt, very approachable. (She was even willing to pass notes to him throughout the class, for they both knew fully well that Binns would not bother noticing as long as they were silent.) Sure, the girl was a bit arrogant, but could he blame her? So was he.

"This lesson is so boring," Sirius scribbled onto a bit of parchment, "When am I ever going to want to know about werewolves?"

"Never, if Binns is the one teaching us," Mary wrote back, causing the other to snicker.

"How long till this class ends?"

"Why, you don't enjoy my company, Mr. Black?"

As if on cue, Processor Binns snapped his book close with a flick of his wand and took a seat at his desk, wordlessly signalling to all that the period was over. The class had long ago learned that he was never quite bothered to dismiss them properly.

As soon as they'd stepped out of Classroom 4F, Sirius inhaled theatrically, "I though I'd never escape that place. I was so bored."

Mary patted his back, a smile playing on her lips, "I'm sure you were. Especially considering you don't enjoy my presence," she said, walking beside him.

However, the dark haired boy abruptly paused in his steps and turned to face her, feigning an insulted gasp, "How dare you accuse me of that? I said nothing of the sort!"

"Uh huh. I'm pretty sure you did though, grease fest," she laughed.

"It's hair gel!"

"Can confirm," James piped in as he approached the pair, Remus and Peter walking alongside the spectacled boy.

"Afternoon, Potter."

"Hey, Macdonald," he responded with a smile, right before Mary left their small group, having spotted Alice Fortescue from the year above them down the hall. "You two seem pretty close," James said, waggling his eyebrows at Sirius.

"Ew! No," Sirius snorted, smacking James' arm with the back of his hand, "We're just friends, Jamesie."

"Sure you are!"

Remus cleared his throat (noticeably a little louder than necessary), waiting a moment to make sure he had their attention before he spoke, "Are we going to do this or not?" the boy questioned simply, raising an eyebrow in an expecting manner. Not for the first time, Sirius thought that Remus would very much suit becoming a teacher.

After scaring Peeves the Poltergeist shitless with the use of Remus' voice changing spell, the boys had resorted to choosing their next victim and, of course, James had suggested none other than Severus Snape, having seemed to grown an understandable dislike for the git after their encounter in the hallway a few weeks ago. The four had gotten to work immediately — with Peter's ability to keep a low profile, and Remus' incredible magical skills, they'd managed to gather and brew almost all the ingredients needed for their potion, and after a day of letting it sit, they were finally going to test it.

── ✧ ──

Upon entering their dorm room, Sirius strut over to the set of chestnut drawers nearby Remus' bed, "Which one is it?" he asked, trying the top one which he discovered to be locked.

"Bottom drawer, back right corner," came the instant reply.

Sirius leant down and pulled open said drawer, reaching to the back and grasping the object. He then stood up, taking a quick glance at the bright pink potion stored in the vial, before he wandered to Remus' side.

"Everything alright then?" Sirius asked, watching Remus scrutinise the recipe from the book he'd borrowed from the library.

"Yep," he responded. Sirius hummed in response and took hold of Remus' free hand, placing the potion in his palm and closing it gently — just as Peter and James walked in, the two laughing amongst themselves.

"We saw Mulciber turn himself into a ferret!" Peter exclaimed, James' snorting accompanying the explanation.

"Did you get the tart though?" Remus questioned.

"Yeah, 'course," said James, holding up a plate with a strawberry tart in one hand, and a fork in the other.

Picking up a stool, Sirius placed the seat the centre of the dorm, as Remus ushered James to bring over the tart. Leaving the tart on the stool, James walked over to Sirius and slung an arm around him as Peter locked the door. The four crowded around the tart and Remus pulled off the cork sealing the vial, approaching the tart. As soon as he'd poured a few drops of the potion onto the small pastry, Remus backed away, all four pairs of eyes glued on the dessert in anticipation. They waited.

Nothing happened.

"All that effort for this?" Peter groaned after a moment, his features scrunching up in frustration.

"It's fine, Pete," James offered, walking up to it and grabbing the fork. "At least it tastes good."

"Are you really going to eat that?" asked Sirius, crinkling his nose. James grinned at him, stabbing the fork into the treat and-

SPLAT.

There was tart everywhere.

The four stood there a moment, eyes wide like saucers.

"Wow," said Remus in disbelief, "We did it." 

── ✧ ──

── Wednesday 2nd February 1972

REGULUS STIFLED A YAWN as he approached the wooden stairs of 12 Grimmauld Place, every few steps creaking as he made his way downstairs. The boy smoothed out the wrinkles of his white buttoned shirt — a habit he had picked up very early in life in order to make himself seem presentable at all times.

Nothing too exciting had occurred ever since Yule and Regulus was feeling rather indifferent regarding his activities. After spending so much of his time alone, the young boy had grown an attachment to reading. Perhaps it was cliche, but Regulus felt that every book he picked up opened a new and wondrous escape from his reality. Nowadays, you would never find the ten-year-old without a story nearby.

He stopped at the entrance to the dining room, peering in to find Druella Black and his mother conversing and his father nowhere to be seen.

Walburga had recently taken to calling over Druella whenever she could, now that Sirius' absence meant she had no one turning the place upside down, and Orion had never been too bothered about dinner with the family at all, usually opting to spend the days with his work. The house was eerily quiet and for this reason, both his parents had simply began to neglect Regulus. It had him wondering: Was the reason Sirius had been so boldly behaved because it allowed him to attract the attention he craved, which their parents would not otherwise give? Or was Regulus just sensitive and Sirius truly didn't care about their parents, exactly like what Walburga reminded her youngest son of countless times?

"Come sit, Regulus," his mother instructed, having finally noticed him (or perhaps she only hadn't been bothered enough to acknowledge him right away), "Your father won't be joining us today, he is busy." Regulus nodded, as if it were a surprise. The boy felt the two pairs of eyes trained on him as he strolled over to the table, his own eyes meeting the floor's alone.

"How are you, Regulus?" his aunt inquired as he sat down.

"I'm okay, Aunt Druella, thank you for asking."

"By the looks of you, I'm sure you are," Druella responded cooly, eying the ten-year-old, "you seem to have gained a little weight." Regulus stirred in his seat, having suddenly lost the little appetite he'd mustered for dinner. His aunt turned her gaze on Walburga, raising an eyebrow.

"Regulus has been rather disorganised recently, not to mention greedy. He doesn't do anything properly anymore," his mother muttered with a shrug.

"How disappointing. You'd think one of your sons would be acceptable, Walburga? Merlin forbid he turns out like his swine of a brother."

"Believe me," the witch replied, shooting metaphorical daggers at Regulus as she spoke, daring him to continue embarrassing her. "Regulus knows much better."

── ✧ ──

i swear ive lost all ability to write but hey new chapter woo ig hope you enjoyed

btw i was reading through the fic and realised there was an issue with ageing so if anyone notices any mistakes pls tell me because i may have missed it rip

also i meant to mention this last chapter but i forgot but anyways i made playlists for a lot of characters and their relationships on spotify so if anyone wants to hear those my spotify acc is linked in my carrd

29.03.22