We Were Forever

Dear Sirius,

Hey mate, how's your summer? I've got big plans for pranking the pants off the Slytherins next year. Literally, pants off! We're going to have quite a year. You'll never guess what I found in my dad's study! AN INVISIBILITY CLOAK! Can you imagine what we can get away with if we're bloody invisible, mate?!

Hope your parents aren't giving you a hard time. Cheers.

Sincerely,

James Fleamont Potter

P.S. UGH. Sorry. Mum got me personalized parchment for getting top marks on my exams.

—-------

Dear James Fleamont Potter,

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FLEAMONT?! Your middle name is Fleamont?! That is priceless. Sweet Merlin, you're never living this one down.

Anyway, an invisibility cloak? That's bloody brilliant! Think you can sneak it to school without your dad knowing it's gone?

My summer is alright. I've been keeping to myself mostly.

Pantsless, you say? I'm intrigued.

-Sirius Orion Black

P.S. At least my parents had the decency to give me a good name.

—-------

Dear Remus,

DID YOU KNOW THAT JAMES' MIDDLE NAME IS FLEAMONT?!

-Sirius

—-------

Dear Sirius Orion Black,

Your initials stand for Son Of a Bitch

-Remus

—-------

Dear Remus,

Touche.

-Sirius

—-------

James,

An invisibility cloak? Your dad will definitely notice that gone, they're bloody rare! But how fantastic would it be to have one?!

-Peter

P.S. Sirius is never going to let you live down that middle name, mate.

—------

S.O.B,

I've asked Mum and Dad and they said if you want you could come and spend a week or two at our house. Think your parents would be alright with it?

Sincerely,

James Fleamont Potter

—-------

Remus,

Have you heard from Sirius at all? He hasn't answered me in nearly two weeks.

Sincerely,

James Fleamont Potter

—-------

Sirius,

Are you alright? James said he hadn't heard from you. I hope you're okay.

-Remus

—-------

Sirius,

James and Remus said you haven't responded to them. Is everything alright?

-Peter

—-------

James,

Mum's got the bloody house elf on my case. She heard me tell Reg that I asked the sorting hat not to put me in Slytherin. I'm fine. I probably won't be able to write much, though. Let Remus and Pete know, yeah?

-Sirius

—-------

Sirius Orion Black could not be happier when September first finally arrived. Leaning up against the brick wall of Platform Nine and Three Quarters, he tried to ignore the sound of his mother fussing over and praising Regulus in a way she had never done for him.

"Regulus, dear, I know you'll make me proud."

"Yes, Mother."

Folding his arms, Sirius scanned the crowded platform for his friends.

"Sirius. Sirius, I am speaking to you!"

"What?" Sirius snapped back, a decision he immediately regretted as his mother grabbed his shoulder, digging her nails in.

"You listen to me, Sirius. Slytherin or not, you are still a member of this family. Blood is everything. You watch out for your brother and you stay out of trouble. Do I make myself quite clear?"

"Yes, Mother," he hissed through gritted teeth.

"SIRIUS!"

Pulling away from his mother, Sirius ran forward to meet up with James Potter. "James!"

"How are you? Are you okay? Is everything alright?" James asked, his hazel eyes risking a glance at Walburga and Regulus.

Sirius shrugged. "Yeah. Let's just get on the train. Have you seen Peter or Remus yet?"

"Not yet." James slung his arm around Sirius' shoulders.

Sirius glanced back to his family. "Reg, you coming?"

"In a minute." Regulus waved him off.

Together, James and Sirius pushed through the crowds of students saying their goodbyes to their parents and clambered onto the train in search of an open compartment. Not long after they had settled into their seats, Peter joined them and they all peered out the window in search of Remus.

"He's going to miss the train, where d'you reckon he is?" Peter asked.

"He's probably fallen asleep somewhere… The bloke can sleep anywhere…" James mumbled.

"Sirius." The three boys turned around to see Regulus Black standing at the door to their compartment.

He was shorter than Sirius, but just as handsome, with the same cloudy grey eyes and high cheekbones.

"Hey, Reggie," Sirius smiled. "You want to sit with us?" The boy nodded eagerly and took a seat beside his brother. "Regulus, this is James Potter and Peter Pettigrew. Mates, this is my brother, Regulus."

"Hello," chimed James, and Peter and Regulus mumbled his hello back.

"You nervous?" Sirius asked.

"A little…" Regulus admitted. "I just don't want anyone to–"

But what Regulus didn't want anyone to do, they did not get to hear because in ran Remus Lupin just as the train began to move.

"Nice of you to join us, Lupin. Thought maybe you were skipping out." James smirked as Remus nearly collapsed into the seat beside him.

Panting, Remus rolled his eyes. "I over–"

"Overslept," the other three Gryffindors chorused.

Remus got himself situated and caught his breath, regaining his composure before he turned to Regulus. "Oh hello… You must be Sirius' brother. I'm Remus." He offered his hand, which Regulus shook with a weak smile.

"Reg is a little nervous," Sirius grinned, draping an arm over his brother's shoulder. "You shouldn't worry so much."

"Yeah, mate. We'll watch out for you," James added.

"Oh, there you are Regulus!" Squealed a shrill voice that made Sirius' arm hair stand on edge. "What on earth are you doing, sitting with these Gryffindorks?"

"Bugger off Bella," Sirius growled, tightening his grip on Regulus' shoulder.

Bellatrix gave them a smirk. "I'm only saying that Reggie here would be in far better company if he sat with his fellow Slytherins."

"That remains to be seen, Trixie," Sirius countered. "You don't know he'll be sorted into Slytherin."

"And you don't know he won't be," Bellatrix retorted. "Come on, Regulus! I want to introduce you to your new Housemates!"

Regulus bit his lip, "I dunno, Bella… Sirius is sort of right… I mean… I don't know what house I'll be in yet…"

Sirius gave a satisfied grin and leaned back in his seat. "See, Bella? He doesn't want to sit with your slimy little snakes."

"I… I didn't say that either…" Regulus said quietly, but neither Sirius nor Bellatrix heard because the two of them were bickering.

"I think," said Remus in a slightly raised voice. "That Regulus should sit with his brother."

Bellatrix shot Remus a nasty look. "No one asked you, Lupin!"

Remus shrugged. "What would it matter, Bellatrix? If you're so sure he'll be in Slytherin with you, then you'll have him all to yourself until you graduate." Sirius snorted and mumbled something along the lines of 'in your dreams' and Remus kicked him.

Bellatrix considered this for a moment. "Fine," her gaze landed back on Sirius. "Have your last hours of brotherly bonding time, Siri! See you at school." And she turned on her heel and left.

Sirius stood and slammed the compartment door, mumbling swears under his breath.

"Who the bloody hell does she think she is?" He plopped himself back into his seat. "See, this is what I'm saying, Regulus! You don't want to be part of that lot! They're all a bunch of evil little-"

"Evil?" Regulus blinked at him. "Surely not all of them… Sirius, what if I do get sorted into Slytherin? What will you do then? I don't know what house I'll be sorted into, but this… this isn't what I want! I don't want anyone to be angry over where they put me!"

"I just don't want them turning you into-"

"Into what? You think I'm that easily persuaded?"

"Anything from the trolley?" The witch with the food trolley came just in time, and James, Remus, and Peter jumped up immediately to buy their sweets as the Black brothers stared at each other in awkward silence.

"Sirius, Regulus, do you want anything?" James asked carefully. Both brothers shook their heads.

It was going to be a long ride to school…