Chapter Text
Somewhere in New York City, on a Friday, circa 1994
“Where the fuck is my backpack, I swear to god Sirius, if you used it to bring beer to a party again I’m going to nail your toes to the wall.”
“Jesus, Reg, graphic much? And no I didn’t steal your bag and defile it.”
“Ew, gross, why would you say it like that, and don’t call me that.”
“Reg Reg Reg Reg Reg. C’mon I’ve been calling you that since you were like 3.”
Regulus scowls at that, “Shut up you dickhead, and help me find my backpack so I don’t get late.”
“Fine.”
It’s been about 3 months since Regulus started living with Sirius and his boyfriend-not-boyfriend Remus. Sirius says it’s complicated. Regulus thinks his older brother is a dumbass for not seeing the opportunity in front of him. Remus was a good guy, very clearly in love with Sirius Orion Black for reasons Regulus will never understand. I mean it’s not like Regulus can exactly blame Sirius for not realizing what’s in front of him. After all, their parents really did a number on them. It’s honestly a blessing that the two of them didn’t turn out worse.
Speak of the devil himself.
“Good morning Padfoot and baby Black. Wait, shouldn’t you be at school by now?” Remus questions.
“I would be if I could find my bag”
“The blue Jansport one?”
Regulus eyes narrow, “Yes, do you know where it is? See Sirius? This is called being helpful.
“Hey, I can be helpful!” Sirius frowns.
“You wouldn’t know helpful if it hit you in the face.” Regulus shoots back. Sirius’s frown deepens.
“Cheer up, love.” Remus laughs while he looks at Sirius fondly.
“If you two could stop flirting and tell me where my damn bag is so I could get to school, that would be great.” Regulus said, his patience running thin.
“Oh it’s in Sirius’ room. He used it to bring beer to the party on Saturday.” Remus replies calmly. It’s like time stops and Regulus launches at his older brother.
“YOU MOTHERFUCKER. DUMB LYING BITCH.”
“REG LET GO.”
“Oh no Reg, I would never steal your backpack to transport my precious beer. I have quit the lifestyle of using my younger brothers things to promote underage drinking.” Regulus imitates
“Oh shut up I do not speak like that, and get off if you want a ride to get to school on time.”
“Y’know what, I'd rather just kill you.”
“Oh break it up, Sirius you stay here I’ll drive baby Black here to school. Let’s go Regulus.” Remus interjects. Reluctantly, Regulus detaches himself from his brother.
“You got lucky. Je te déteste. Au revoir frère!” Regulus smiles sweetly as he follows Remus out the door.
“Je t'aime aussi, petit frère.” Sirius waves, smiling. It’s taken a while, but it’s nice to have his little brother back, and be able to communicate like this again. There’s not that awkward tension anymore. Not that feeling that either of them are going to hurt each other verbally or physically. It’s weird but Sirius is oddly grateful that Regulus ran away, and came here. He’s still confused as to how Regulus found him, considering the fact that they no longer spoke until 3 months ago. He knew it was because of their parents, but he couldn’t help feeling hurt. His feelings were valid. Reg had been freakishly smart as long as he could remember, so it wasn’t completely unreasonable that he had found Sirius after the loss of constant.
Regulus was 16 and in senior year. He started school early because of the cut off. Sirius isn’t really sure how that shit works, but never questioned it. And, then when Regulus was 7 he tested out of the first grade, leaving him being one grade younger.
-
Ah, high school. What a beautiful time in the whole grand scheme of things. What bullshit that is. Regulus is what you would call a nerd. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. He’s doing fine for a 16 year old in senior year. Again, As Regulus sees it, it could be so much worse. It’s lunch time. That coming of age, indie, overdone cliché bullshit about where to sit at lunch is not relevant here. Regulus stays in his lane, doesn’t talk when he doesn’t need to, and overall doesn’t get involved in anything that doesn’t concern him. He honestly is invisible to most. Key word: most, but we’re not getting into that right now. He has own little group of friends, and it’s great. In all honesty, without them high school would be shit. Or at least more than it is now.
Evan Rosier, Barty Crouch Jr. (not to be confused with Politician Barty Crouch Sr.), Pandora Lovegood, and Dorcas Meadows. His saviors in the hell hole that is marketed as high school. Obviously Regulus would never admit he loves them, and is glad they, well, adopted him into their friend group.
Regulus is the first to make it to the circle picnic table they sit at. He pulls out a copy of Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai and an orange as he waits for his friends. Something about a coming of age book following the nuances of sexuality, diaspora, wealth, and history allows him to not only be entertained, but learn. There’s a vast amount of knowledge in the world that’s he’s just waiting to uncover. This is partly why Regulus wants to eventually double major in philosophy and english. He likes learning. He likes analyzing. It’s therapeutic to him in a way. You know what they say, to each their own. His peaceful reading time is interrupted when he hears two boys laughing walking his way.
“Hey, what’s up, Reg!” The blond one says.
“Don’t call me that, Evan.” Seriously, what is up with people calling him that?
“Fine, what’s up Regulus Arcturus Black.” Evan corrects.
“You’re insufferable.”
“Respect your elders!” The brunette one laughs.
“Oh fuck you, Crouch.” Regulus says as he rolls his eyes.
“Gladly” Barty smirks. Evan smacks his head with a binder. Ah, another boyfriend-not-boyfriend situation. How many of these does Regulus have to deal with? Except, this one’s worse, because he’s literally seen Barty and Evan flirt and make out shamelessly. It’s like they’re dating but don’t want to say it out loud, because then it’s real. But, Regulus is in no position to judge.
“Ow. Sorry.” Barty apologized as rubs his head dramatically. Evan rolls his eyes and ushers them to sit down at the table. A few minutes pass by and Pandora and Dorcas finally make it.
“Sorry, I had a question about some chemistry worksheet.” Dorcas explains. They understand and nod along to Dorcas as she explains that Slughorn is an absolute cunt for not specifying that the all the chemical equations are balanced.
All of a sudden Pandora clears her throat, pushing her platinum hair behind her ears, stands up, smiles, and announces, “My lovely friends, we have been invited to a party this weekend at NYU. My lovely boyfriend, Xenophilius, knows the guy who’s hosting. ” They were nerds, but they still had a social life. To be honest, they were just smart teenagers, they don’t know how they were classified as nerds but they didn’t care.
Regulus is a hater through and through. He does not want to go to a frat house where he has to deal with a bunch sweaty college students who can’t handle their liquor. Nevertheless, he will go. After all, it’s Pandora, there’s no way she’s not forcing him to come. Dorcas cheers. Evan claps. Barty makes some joke about how he’s going to get nailed by some college guy and then Evan proceeds to pinch his ear which leaves Barty apologizing profusely and kissing Evan’s cheeks. Seriously, how the fuck are they not dating? Dense motherfuckers. Regulus smiles to show his approval.
They eventually agree to meet, get ready, and pregame at Regulus’s apartment and then go to the party. Lunch eventually comes to end, ending with Pandora stuffing a popcorn kernel up Barty’s nose. She justified saying that he was being a dick. But, honestly, no one needs to justify bothering Barty. They all go their separate ways as the bell rings signaling their next class was about to start.
-
It’s around 5:30 when the doorbell rings. Sirius doesn’t remember inviting James or Peter over, considering the fact that him and Remus were going to go their apartment later to party. Instead, he is met with 4 high schoolers of various heights inviting themselves in with a hey, hi, yo, and regulus’s brother. He could swear the brunette one made a flirty joke about Sirius causing the blond one to laugh and then glare as if he remembered that he should be upset, but it looked like he appreciated the joke. That’s when Sirius realized that these were in fact, Regulus’s friends.
Him and Regulus never really spoke in school. It was quite disappointing knowing that him and his brother had been forced to grow apart due to their shit parents actions. Sirius is shaken from his thoughts when the girl with platinum hair starts to speak.
It’s as if she sensed his confusion. Sirius doesn’t think he’s transparent, but it’s like this girl saw right through him.
“Hi, we’re Regulus’s friends. I’m Pandora. The other blond is Evan. The one next to him is Dorcas. And the one on the end is Barty.” She smiles and gestures to the 3 other people in the room. She pauses to allow Sirius to process the introductions and the continues, “Would you mind directing us to Regulus, we are going out soon and we kind of need him.” She-Pandora is not asking for permission but simply speaking like she’s staring a fact. She’s so cool in Sirius’s eyes, and he’s known her for like a minute and a half.
“He’s been getting ready, just go down the hall and to the left, but might I ask where are you going?
This time the one who made a flirty joke- Barty answers smoothly. “We’re going to NYU for a party.”
“I thought you guys were like nerds or whatever” Sirius blurts.
Evan, the other blond laughs while Dorcas raises her eyebrow, opening her mouth to say, “We still have social lives y’know plus drinking and dancing is fun, so if you don’t mind we’re just going to grab Regulus and go.” She says with a soft smile.
“Oh yeah, is it the one at Potter and Pettigrew’s apartment? Because we’re friends. We could all just go together then.” Sirius suggests and at that same time it dawns in him his brother is 16. Yeah, he’s mentally matured because he literally spends time with people two years older than him and is two grades above but still.
“Oh my god I can’t believe i’m taking my 16 year old brother and his grade-consistent friends to a party at my college” he thinks out loud.
“Oh chill out Sirius. They’re your friends, you should be happier I will be in the company of people you trust.” Regulus smirks as he appears from his room looking like he’s ready to go.
“Fuck off”
Dorcas and Barty laugh while Evan watched in amusement and Pandora smiles at the two bickering.
-
See, when James told Sirius to come early so they could chill before hand, he didn’t expect him to bring five teenagers, one of whom looked ever so slightly younger and was definitely shorter. Maybe he shouldn’t call them teenagers in a slightly judgey way. He technically is a teen, nineteen to be exact. But you know what, five extra kids didn’t matter as long as they could hold their liquor. James really did not feel like cleaning vomit. I mean it’s not an unreasonable request.
He blows out a small cloud of smoke and puts out the cigarette, “What’s with the entourage, huh?”
“Ah you know these kids were just blown away by my coolness and decided to follow me. What can I say Prongs, I’m a natural born wonder.” Sirius smiles, earning him a punch from the shortest teenager who looks slightly younger than the rest. To the side James’s sees Remus let out a quiet, breathy laugh.
He’s about to respond, but a girl with platinum blonde hair speaks instead, “We are not Sirius’s entourage, but we were invited.” The brunette guy adds, “By Xenophilius.” Then the girl in the micro braids interjects, “Still can’t believe that’s a real name or person.”
“Can someone please explain who these people are?” James sighs desperately.
Remus speaks up this time, “Pandora, the platinum haired one is Xenophilius’s girlfriend, the brunette one is Barty, the one who has he arm around his waist is Evan, the one with braids is Dorcas, and the short curly haired one is Regulus.”
“I am not short.” he sneers.
“Sorry to tell you little brother, you most definitely are.” Sirius smirks. Regulus looks furious but leaves it. Wait, hold up did he just say little brother. What the fuck.
“You have a brother?”
“Yes, you dickwad.”
Regulus has been at this apartment for a total of 4 minutes and he already wants climb in a hole and die.
“Oh, my apologies dear Reggie. If I knew you existed I would’ve spoken to you earlier” James smirks at him and Regulus notices the tattoo on James left arm: a small deer. He doesn’t know why but it suddenly feels hot in here. He couldn’t help but feel something tighten in his chest when he first saw James smoking a cigarette earlier, or his perfectly fluffed up hair. But a tattoo. Regulus could not handle that. He most definitely did not have it in him to contain a blush. Wait, since when did men get so attractive. Oh shit.
“I—Uh, Huh, yeah” he blurts rather incoherently. From the corner of his eyes he sees Evan suppressing a laugh, and a weird look from Sirius.
“So you let James call you nicknames but not your dear own brother. Some relationship we have, Reg.” Sirius says with a scoff.
“Huh, what? What did he call me?” Regulus is literally short-circuiting. Did he really let a random man he met for the first time give him a nickname with no restraint? What the fuck?
“He literally just called you Reggie.” Sirius counters.
“Sirius, leave Regulus alone. He seems a little… confused or blank. Just look at him he’s twitching.” Remus cuts in. Regulus slips away getting a cup and filling it with whatever trash alcohol there is and downs it.
“Prongs what the fuck did you do to my brother?”