Hey everyone. This story was brought to you by Folklore: Folk Stories assignment on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I wrote for Task # 8 which was to write about someone protecting or saving a sibling. Warning for mentions of child abuse or over discipline of a child. I hope you all enjoy A Brother's Love.

Sirius and Regulus look around the living room confused. They'd been called into the living room by their mother who told them their father wanted to have a family meeting. A family meeting only meant one thing and that was never good. It meant that someone had done something bad and father was going to make them an example to the rest of the family.

"Who does this item belong to?" Orion Black roared as held up a Muggle magazine from the tips of his fingers. As though touching the actual page would taint his hands.

Sirius remembered that Regulus had been asking all kinds of question earlier about Muggle magazines. Looking over towards his little brother Sirius could see Regulus shifting in his seat uncomfortably.

"Who does it belong to?" Orion roared again spit flying from the corner of his mouth.

Regulus jumped in fear which was a big mistake. The motion had caught Orion's attention which was something that Regulus really didn't want. He hadn't meant to leave the magazine sitting out were anyone could find it. He looked over at Sirius's concerned face as his father loomed over the two of them.

"Is this your magazine, Regulus?" Orion asked his dark eyes going darker and colder than either of his sons had ever seen them go.

"Father..." Regulus began slowly fear in his words.

"It's mine," Sirius spoke up taking their father's attention away from Regulus. "Do you really think that Reg would break you and mother's rules like that? He's to much of a Mama's boy to do anything of the sort."

A soft wail of despair left Walbarga's mouth at Sirius's statement. There had been a time when both her boys had been good dutiful sons. The kinds of sons that would listen and do as they were told. She can't help but wonder were she'd gone wrong with her oldest boy. Her sweet little Sirius was now this horrible blood traitor who sat in front of them.

"Walbarga," Orion finally spoke through gritted teeth, "take Regulus into the kitchen. He doesn't need to see this again."

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Regulus paces back and forth as hears the sounds of Sirius's punishment being doled out. He'll give Sirius his dues. Not once does Sirius make a peep and Regulus feels sorry for his older brother. It should really be him in the other room being punished by father. No Sirius. Sirius is innocent this time. The door opens and Regulus realizes his mother has left the kitchen.

The sounds of Sirius's punishment stop and all is quiet. A tiny part of Regulus hopes that some small part of their mother was protecting her son but he knows she wouldn't do that. Sirius has betrayed everything he was brought up to believe in and he was starting to rub off on Regulus. Not that Regulus would admit that out loud to his parents.

The door opens again making Regulus look up to find his brother there. The pain is clear on Sirius's face and Regulus wonders if father used the belt or the paddle he usually kept by his chair.

"Why did you do it?" Regulus asks to break the silence.

The silence that this question brings is broken only by the sobs of their mother coming from the next room. The situation with their family had never been much worse than it was now.

"Because you can't handle being punished like this," Sirius finally speaks, "and you shouldn't have."

For the first since they were really little boys Regulus allows himself to think he has the best big brother in whole world. One of these days Regulus would show Sirius how much he appreciated Sirius protecting him. He owed it to him.

I hope you all enjoyed A Brother's Love.