What If...

Inheritance, Guilt and Grief.

Sirius and Remus sat in the great hall of the empty, unusually quiet school.

  "Our house isn't safe." Remus whispered "Peter knows where it is. The whole order does."

  Sirius nodded, a serious look on his face. He looked to Minerva.

"Would you still like to take him?" He asked "We'd be by everyday to look after him while you work."

  "I still maintain that a family member would be the best guardian for the boy."  Dumbledore interjected.

The two boys didn't bother to jump. After 9 years of knowing the man, both Sirius and Remus were unfazed by Albus' habit of popping into rooms without a sound.

  "And would would that family member be?" Remus asked "Surely not Petunia Evans? The woman didn't even bother showing up to her sister's wedding!"

Albus looked taken aback.

"James' boy, our boy, is not going to live with them." Sirius echoed Minerva's earlier sentiment.

Minerva have a small smile, one of pride. Just for a moment.

  "I only suggested Petunia because she is his-"

"And so am I. James was my brother." Sirius snapped "More family to me than my own mother. It's either us or Minnie."

You could see the hurt in Sirius' eyes. The pain of losing James. His best friend. His family. All that mattered now was Harry.

"The boy-"

"Harry." Remus corrected. "Not the boy. His name is Harry James Potter and one day he'll be one of greatest wizards to ever attend hogwarts. I promise you that but for now he's a child. A baby. Who needs a home. With people who love him."

"We don't have the right type of place for him." Sirius stated, looking back to Minerva.

Albus seemed resigned, accepting that he now had not one, not two but three of his stubborn former students standing against him on the matter.

"You do. Actually." He whispered.

Sirius' head snapped back to Albus.

"I do?"

Albus removed a thick, black envelope with a silver seal that held a crest. One Sirius was very familiar with.

"That...that's My family crest." He whispered, his voice shaking

Albus nodded and handed him the envelope. The sun was just peaking over the castle, it's dull orange morning light flooding the great hall as Sirius read the words.

        THE LIVING WILL AND TESTAMENT OF WALBURGA BLACK

At the time of my death, Number 12 Grimauld Place should be left to my son- Sirius watched as the gold ink magically changed to spell out a name other than that of his brother Regulus- Sirius Black. All of my possessions should be left in his care. Including, the family elf, Kreacher. My bank account as Gringotts will be split between Sirius Black, Bellatrix Black, and Narcissa Malfoy.

Sirius looked up.

"Why isn't Regulus in the will? Why was he replaced by me?" He asked

He was shaking again. Albus looked away.

"Albus?" He asked "Albus please. No. He was only sixteen."

"They haven't found his body. It's assumed he attempted to rebel against Voldemort and paid the price."

     "No" Sirius seemed to be loosing his voice as he barely managed a croak. "Why didn't anyone tell me? My brother. My baby brother. He's gone and no one told me."

He stood and ran out into the corridor. He slipped behind a statue and slid down the wall. He let out a scream, one that could make your hair stand on end and your heart stop. It was the cry of a broken man. One who had lost nearly everything.  Remus had followed him. He slid down the wall to sit next to his friend. Sirius laid his head in Remus' lap.

   "James and Lily are gone. Peter is a traitor who tried to frame me for murder. And Regulus is gone too." He sobbed between gasps of air.  "He was a boy. Just a boy."

"I know. I know." Remus whispered, stroking Sirius' long black hair "it'll be okay. We'll be okay."

  Sirius screamed again. If you didn't know any better, you'd have assumed someone was performing the cruciactus curse on him. Remus tilted his head back, biting his lip as he tried not to succumb to his own emotions.

"I should have taken him with me." He whispered, sobbing into Remus' leg. "Kept him safe from all of this. From our family."

"Breathe." Remus said, rubbing Sirius' back.

"We're just kids!" Sirius burst out "All of us. We shouldn't have to fight!"

Remus forced Sirius to sit up.

   "Hey, it's over now. You-Know-Who is gone." He reassured "We're safe. Breathe and when you're ready, we'll  take Harry. Until then he can stay with Minnie."

Remus wrapped his arms around him and started to rock, attempting to calm him down. Life wasn't the same. It wasn't fair. But they were alive. But was it worth the losses? He continued to comfort his friend as silent tears streamed down his face.

A/N: Been while. How's this?