Upside Down Mirror: A Grim Tale (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Upside Down

"Are you sure you wanted to do that?"

"Piss off Remus. This is none of your business." Sirius felt his nails bite into the palms of his hands as they clenched into a pair of fists at his side.

"Is that so?" Remus shuffled over to the stove, acting as if nothing happened, but then he tended to be the most laid back of their group of friends. "I'll go ahead and put the kettle on then."

"You..." Sirius felt his throat tighten, taken aback regarding how calm Remus was regarding the situation when he didn't feel calm.

When he received the summons from Moody during the middle of the night, he didn't know what to expect, though he could easily say now that he'd had a few hours to mull over what happened that he expected something involving Order of the Pheonix business, not seeing his younger brother turning himself into the Ministry of Magic.

He most definitely didn't know what to think of Regulus' brazen act, but telling Regulus that he'd practically stalked him in his Animagus form without actually telling him that he was one felt like pure justice as his younger brother squirmed in Moody's office, yet the elation didn't last long with Regulus retorting that he was just like the rest of the Black family.

A few minutes later he'd been kicked out of Moody's office and arrived home, attempting to not wake his housemate despite the fact a whole slew of emotions rolled around his head regarding the matter, including not understanding what was going on in his younger brother's head. There were so many times he'd thought he knew his younger brother, but so many times Regulus proved him wrong.

Then, Orion showed up on his doorstep. He didn't know how the man learned the address of his flat that he shared with Remus, nor had he expected the man who was normally calm and collected to be the one in hysterics regarding Regulus ending up in the custody of the ministry for being a Death eater; he'd expected Walburga instead. Even worse was the accusation that he was somehow to blame for Regulus' current situation.

"Bloody idiot."

"What? For not pushing you for answers like James would?" Remus shook his head. "How many times do I have to remind you that I'm not James?"

"That..." Sirius swallowed.

"Or do you mean your brother?"

"He's not my brother."

Except, he remembered all too well what Regulus said that made him throw a punch which knocked the young man off his feet at the ministry. "Aren't you proud of me Sirius?"

Sirius reached up a hand, rubbing his face, remembering how his father, the man he didn't want to admit was such, that he was to blame for Regulus joining, that he had some kind of effect on what Regulus said or did. "I don't. I don't have any kind of effect on him like that."

Remus let out a sigh. "You're talking about Orion Black's accusations, aren't you?"

"How much did you hear?" Sirius let out a sigh.

"I woke up to you telling him to fuck off," Remus let out a laugh. "I've got good hearing you know, but..." The soft smile on Remus' face left. "Sirius, did Regulus really turn himself into the ministry like your father implied?"

"Regulus is a bloody idiot!" Sirius snapped, folding his arms across his chest before plopping into a chair. Thankfully though, his hands weren't clenched so that his nails dug into the palms of his hands

"And how do you feel about that?"

"I washed my hands of that lot a long time ago!" Sirius snapped, slamming his fist down suddenly, realizing that Remus placed a teacup in front of him as it rattled. He glared at the cup as if it were the one offending his senses.

"That explains a lot," Remus spoke in a calm tone, bringing the cup to his lips. Locks of brown shaggy brown hair hung in front of his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, there is no possible way that you're jealous of your brother is there?"

"Remus, you're heading into dangerous territory there," Sirius growled, pushing the cup of tea away.

"Really? You brought up the fact you considered Regulus the perfect heir but reminded your father who you love saying isn't your father that he has more than one son. Sounds like you are jealous to me."

"That..." Sirius glanced away. "Not true."

"Then what's the truth. Why does Regulus being the perfect heir let alone the only one they consider to be their son matter to you so much?"

"That..." Sirius snapped his head back but then froze upon seeing that look Remus got into his eyes when he was dead serious about something. He swallowed.

"Doesn't it matter because those things you've lost identify you as his older brother?"

"You're implying I actually care about the runt." Sirius laughed. "As I made clear to my father, I don't care what happens to him."

"Even if I wanted to do something I can't," Remus said, lifting his cup to his lips while letting his eyes drift down to his tea.

"What?"

"You said that to Orion, you did."

"I said it because I wanted him to back off. He'd have kept pestering if he actually thought I could do something about Regulus, alright?"

Remus let out a sigh. His cup clinked as he set it down. "Orion's words bother you because there is some truth to them."

"There is not."

"Fine. There might be some truth, but the things he said are definitely things you were already thinking about before he showed up. Also..." Remus stood up, setting his cup onto the counter, indicating he'd finished. "...you've told us many times over how horrible your family is, so tell me right now."

"Tell you how horrible Orion and Walburga are? Or do you want details regarding Arcturus, Bellatrix, Nar..."

"Regulus."

"What?" His eyes blinked upon hearing his brother's name.

"Tell me just how horrible Regulus is." Remus looked him in the eye, smiling as he did so. It was that soft know-it-all look that Sirius hated so much.

And, at first, he didn't have an answer, which infuriated him that Remus was winning at whatever Remus was doing. He then said, "He's a Death Eater."

"Who just turned himself in," Remus sighed.

Sirius' mouth pressed together, still remembering what Regulus said to him. "Aren't you proud of me Sirius?"

"He's an idiot," Sirius stated.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he is."

"Yes. Because one of the students selected for Slug Club is definitely an idiot." Remus shook his head. "Anyways. Go ahead and stew over this for a bit. I'm going back to my room."

Which was Remus' way of saying the conversation was over, but he left Sirius to grumble to himself in irritation.