Glass Houses

Chapter sixteen

TW for mentions of child abuse, a little panic attack, strong violence and death, and a very vague mention to self harm/suicide (very very brief).

I hope I make up for it with some Wolfstar fluff :) (also very brief) lol

Sirius stayed in the corridor for a long while after Regulus left, staring at the place he had stood, thinking about everything he should've said, everything he should've asked his brother.

How was Erudite initiation going?

Was he sleeping enough?

Did he regret his decision?

Was their mother-

Sirius shook his head, raising his hands up to rub his eyes and just leaving them there, blocking out the dim light and just breathing. He hadn't been prepared to see his brother, and now that he was gone, he wasn't prepared for the aching feeling in his chest that he'd become so good at blocking out over the weeks in Dauntless.

Regulus hadn't looked terrible at least. Just tired, but when were they not tired? Regulus could've felt just as tired mentally as Sirius did physically.

And Sirius was so tired.

He felt it then, in that moment. He was letting everything in, so why not let the bone deep soreness, the pounding in his head, the aching in his muscles seep into his mind as well? He resisted the urge to sag against the wall, to sink to the floor and never get up.

So he started walking, back to the Pit or back to the dorms he didn't know, he'd decide at the end of the corridor.

"Sirius!"

Or James would decide for him.

"Shit, I've been looking for you everywhere!" the boy said, grabbing hold of Sirius' arm and pulling him along, "Come on, I want you to meet my parents."

And so Sirius allowed himself to be dragged into the Pit, bombarded by noise and people talking all at once. But one look at the brilliant grin on James' face and he knew he could last a few minutes before he really needed to be alone.

They stopped before James' parents, who smiled warmly at Sirius, their eyes kind.

"This is Sirius," James said, slinging his arm around Sirius' shoulders, "He's one of my best mates."

Mrs Potter stepped forward, enveloping Sirius in a tight but quick hug, "It's lovely to meet you Sirius, James has told us all about you."

"Well," Mr Potter said, "As much as he could in fifteen minutes."

James laughed, "I needed to catch you up on everything!"

Sirius didn't miss the brief flash of sadness in Mrs Potter's eyes as she smiled at her son, "I hope you know how much we miss you Jamie."

James sighed fondly, as if he'd heard it a thousand times, "I know Mum."

Sirius wouldn't have sighed. He would've asked his Mother if there was something wrong.

"So, Sirius," Mr Potter said, "How are you finding Dauntless so far?"

Sirius shrugged, "It's not the easiest faction I could've chosen, but I don't regret it," he grinned weakly, "I guess getting beaten up on the daily isn't exactly everyone's idea of fun but..." he trailed off, unsure what to say.

Mr and Mrs Potter were looking at him with such attentiveness that he felt like they could stare right into his soul. He wasn't used to adults looking at him like that, like what he was saying mattered.