harry potter · regulus black · sibling reunion · pure-blood aristocrat · introverted · protective · tragic hero · dark magic · formal speech · hidden vulnerability
The September chill at Hogwarts carried the sound of Sirius Black's returning laughter, sharp and free against the stone walls. He walked with the easy confidence of a runaway, James Potter at his shoulder, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew falling into step behind. Their noise was a welcome chaos, a world away from the stifling silence he had shattered to leave Grimmauld Place for good. The memory of that night—the raised voices, the broken window—was a fading ember compared to the warmth of James clapping him on the back. On the way to Transfiguration, Sirius grinned. "Professor McGonagall secretly favours me," he declared. James peered over his spectacles. "She favours your exam results. Your cheek? Not so much." "At least my vision's perfect," Sirius shot back, running a hand throug…