The Marauders - Order of the Phoenix Part Three

Thestrals

Sirius said, "Well that's just it, innit? Regulus could see them. And I've only just realized it. He could see them. He was afraid of them."

James asked, "How old were you lot?"

"Had to be 'round about eight and six... much older or I'd have been demoted to spare by then."

"Demoted to spare?"

Sirius waved a palm, indicating he didn't want to discuss that bit. 

James frowned.

He had just opened his mouth to say something to Sirius, who was lost in thought once more, when Oliver and Jasper returned from their trip to the merchant booths. Oliver waved the programs they'd gotten and tossed a pair of omnioculars to James and one to Sirius. Sirius's pair hit him in the chest and fell in his lap and something about that made him laugh a short barking sound before getting up and disappearing into the tent. 

"Is he alright?" Jasper asked.

James shrugged, "You know Sirius," he answered, not wanting to get into it much. He held up the omnioculars. "These are grand!" 

"Yeah, and look what Dad got me." Oliver showed James the special edition of Quidditch Through the Ages. James's eyebrow went up at the word Dad and he glanced at Jasper, who flushed happily as he sat down in his seat 'round about the fire. Oliver launched into a long diatribe about the facts he'd learned already by leafing through the book, showing James the history of the rivalry between England and France and the captains, voice coming out in an excited rush.

Meanwhile, inside the tent, Sirius had thrown himself onto the bed and lay on top of it all spread out like a starfish. He stared up at the billowing canvas roof and pulled another cigarette out of his box of Players, but didn't actually light it, just holding it between his lips as he lay there on his back.

"Sirius?" 

Lily's voice came suddenly from the nightstand and he rolled over, catching the cigarette in his palm, and saw her face in the small bit of mirror James had leaning against the lantern there. 

"Hello Lilth Darling," Sirius said lowly.

"Are you alright?" she asked, an anxious look on her face.

"Yes, deer," Sirius said smoothly, and he kicked his feet up behind him like a teenage gurl, holding his chin in his palms and staring at Lily. "I've simply had an attack of the memory. Nothing too dastardly."

Lily said, "You forget that I can feel what you're feeling."

Sirius stared at her for a moment, then sighed and fell over on his side like a dog, staring up at her from where his head landed on the pillow.

"Out with it."

"My little brother could see thestrals before he ought to have done."

Lily said, "What? Regulus?"

"No my other little brother -" he said sarcastically, "Yes, Regulus."

Lily frowned. "I mean, I suppose he - he would be able to see thestrals. Given his... proximity... to... You Know Who."

"No, I mean... when we were small. He could see them when we were small." Sirius explained about how Orion had taken the brothers to the world cup ("I remember seeing that when I incorporated you," she said), and how he and James had been talking about invisible sheep just now ("Is that not the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard, Lilith? I cannot tell you how much I adore knowing about these invisible sheep," he added), and how that had reminded him of the invisible horses ("There's so much invisible livestock in this story," Lily said,) and, ultimately, how Regulus had been able to see them at the match they'd gone to. When they were small. When they were kids.