BIRD here.

For anyone who already read this chapter, I have to say, I made A LOT of errors. So I decided to repost since I keep wincing every time I read this. Sorry!

Also, I want to apologize for being so late in the last chapter, and it sounded kind of awkward to me after I read it again. So please give me criticism so I know whether I'm just imagining things or not.

Well, on with the chapter.

And thank you very much for the reviews!

Chapter 4: Adventure

Time passed by so quickly, that Sirius felt like he had only blinked when the clock had ticked away.

The incident at the dinner party wasn't the last time things got hairy for him and his brother. His mother somehow got even harsher, something Sirius hadn't thought was possible. She gave out crueler punishments when he was less than perfect, and favored Regulus as if he was made out of gold.

For that, Sirius was thankful. He's been taking the blame for much of the things Regulus has done by accident, to the point where his mother would blame him without reasoning or proof that he actually did it. It just made things easier for Sirius to protect Regulus from their mother.

He knew his brother didn't like it, but there wasn't a choice in the matter. Either one of them was given hell, or both would be subjugated to something close to a nightmare childhood.

He would never forgive himself if his little brother suffered. If his pain was the price, so be it.

The punishments his mother dished out were frequent curses that caused his bones to ache and his mind to throb in pain. Crucio was his mother's personal favorite. With the house veiled from outsiders, both by sight and spells, the ministry couldn't track down the Blacks' actions.

Sirius laughed bitterly at that. The one matter where he wanted the ministry to do their jobs, and they couldn't do it.

Typical.

Usually after the torture sessions, his brother would always sneak in his room in the middle of the night and sleep with him. Just having his brother near him calmed down his frazzled nerves and pain, letting him sleep in peace.

Days into weeks trickled by when Sirius asked his brother what he thought about of him. It was an impulsive question fueled by curiosity, something that had been nagging him for a while.

He knew he loved his brother. He knew that now, something that had pleasantly surprised him when the realization suddenly struck him the one time he had watched his brother read and relax. He knew what he felt, knew that he wanted to protect Regulus's innocence for as long as he could before the world could taint him like it did to him.

But for the life of him, he had no idea what his brother felt about Sirius himself.

So he had asked, and had been rewarded with an exasperated look that told him he was an idiot.

"You are my brother." Regulus had stated simply, as if this was obvious. Sirius's heart had tightened with those words for they were true. And solid truth was the best answer someone could give.

After that, he never asked again, the younger boy not mentioning it either.

Months has passed without him knowing. His relationship with his brother was relatively the same with the bond steadily growing stronger, while the books grew to a full on library, heaps crammed together in the deepening space of the magical trunk.

When a year went by, his father began to be absent for long periods of time, sometimes with his mother in tow. It gave a lot of breathing room for the pair of brothers since the trips could sometimes last for weeks, leaving them to their own devices. Sirius realized after reading the Daily Prophet that the trips probably involved Voldemort's movements. He wasn't going to let that stop him from taking advantage of the situation though.

Another fact dropped on him when he read the newspaper.

His parents being gone was the perfect time for his brother to leave on their trip. With this in mind, he had burst into his room, and had been surprised by the scene of his brother taking out the travel book from long ago, a gleam in his eyes.

"So, where do you think we should go?" his brother had asked.

He had only grinned in response and set to work.

The boys planned meticulously, supplies and destinations in mind as they scrawled out where they should stay and go. It left a nervous anticipation in their stomachs whenever their parents left, but they always held back.

"Too soon," his brother would say gravely. "We just have to wait."

After three months of waiting, they were finally able to leave.

*SSB*

Sirius glanced toward his brother and couldn't help but smile. His brother looked so excited, his grey eyes glinting with anticipation as they packed the trunk.

Their parents had just left yesterday, leaving them time to pack last night for their adventure. An unfurling feeling of happiness was growing in him, the same excitement his brother was feeling jumping up and down inside of him like an impatient child.

He and his brother never ventured in the muggle world before. They never left the wizarding premises and to do so made every part of him both eager and full on terrified. The latter was definitely winning.

Seeing his brother this happy though thankfully dampened that feeling.

"So, we got everything?" he asked again. His brother rolled his eyes.

"Toiletries, travel books, clothes, and money. We're pretty much good to go."

Sirius nodded. Everything had been easy to pack, money being an issue at one point. Sirius had fortunately made a stop at Gringotts before hand though, exchanging his and Regulus's money with muggle notes, leaving them with five hundred pounds. Even to him, that felt like enough for a few days.

"Okay then, let's go." he responded, picking up the light trunk and going down the stairs. They walked in silence, both not really sure what to say with this being so final, but ready all the same. By the time they reached down, they were greeted by big, bulging eyes that sent a piercing stare in their direction.

Kreacher nodded at them. "Is masters going somewhere?"

Regulus shifted his feet. "Yes." Sirius was slightly impressed by how stable his tone was, not one crack on his mask. "We'll be away for a few days."

The house elf gave Sirius, not Regulus, an assessing stare. Sirius was sure that the elf was going to send them back to their rooms before he nodded again. "Very well. Masters be safe."

Regulus's jaw unhinged a bit at his compliance. Sirius wasn't sure what was shown on his own face, but it must've been amusing judging from the flash of humor that went off in the old elf's eyes.

"You-You're letting us go?" Sirius couldn't help say in disbelief.

To be truthful, he had expected the house elf to confront them, and had been fully prepared to order him not to stop them or tell their parents. For the usually stubborn elf to give in was preposterous.

Kreacher bobbed his head. "Masters want to leave. Masters are coming back, so Kreacher will let them." he even gave him a toothy grin at the astonished looks he was getting. "Kreacher will not tell Mistress and Master Black."

Sisrius swallowed hard by the, dare he say it, respectful tone the elf was using towards him. Another thing he had noticed that has changed over the year was the house elf. Ever since the vase breaking dinner party, Kreacher had become bewilderingly civil towards him. It was like Sirius has passed some sort of test with him, and now he was somehow in the elf's good books. It was incredibly weird, but the Black never questioned it. It was somewhat of a good thing, and he didn't want to ruin it.

So he took it in a stride. He grinned back at the elf, startling his brother, and actually stuck out his hand to him. "Thank you Kreacher. We really appreciate it."

Kreacher gave him a long look before he finally shook his hand. "You're welcome sir."

With their hands outstretched like this, though the elf was definitely shorter, the Black almost felt like they were equals. He let go.

"Come on Regulus." Sirius nudged his brother. The younger Black blinked before shaking his head. The boys went out the door, closing it behind them with a click.

Sirius smiled. The very sound sent a satisfied feeling inside of him.

They walked down the pavement for a minute, Sirius feeling Regulus struggle to digest what had just occurred. The younger of the two kept glancing at his brother before sighing.

"What just happened back there?" he questioned. Sirius's mouth quirked up at that but he didn't look at his brother.

"Eh, we just get along better now, nothing for you to worry."

"I'm already worrying." Regulus flatly stated. Seeing the amusement on Sirius's face, he sighed.

"Do I even want to know?"

Sirius only smirked in response.

*SSB*

It took them ten minutes to reach the roads outside of Grimmauld, cars and other vehicles Sirius has read about going back and forth on the street. The weather was cloudy and a bit cold, neutralized by the thick coats Sirius made sure he and his brother would wear.

The trunk had been resized and put into Sirius's pocket, since it would be a hassle to drag around all over London. Regulus carried the bag that held their basic provisions, light enough for it not to bother the younger boy.

Sirius quickly got over the novelty of what he was seeing outside Grimmauld before he waved a hand to a passing yellow car with a taxi sign on the top. The car luckily stopped at his hand, swerving to the curb where they were. The cabbie rolled down his window and gave them an appraising look. Sirius felt irked by the stare and immediately took some pounds out of his pocket before showing it to the driver.

"Will you take us to where we need to go?" he asked curtly. He remembered from a muggles book that taxis were supposed to be transporting vehicles that went wherever a person wanted them to if paid.

The book didn't, however, say that cabbies were grumpy brutes.

The man narrowed his eyes before nodding. "Get in." he barked out.

Sirius dropped the coins back in his pockets. The two boys quickly obeyed, opening the door and going in. It was cramped in the small vehicle, the smell of cigars instantly making Sirius wrinkle his nose. He wasn't surprised to see an ashtray at the front being completely full of snuffs. The man grunted and turned to look back at them, one hand on the wheel.

"So, where to lads?"

"Tower of London please." Sirius replied immediately.

The cabbie frowned, a little bit of concern on his pudgy face. "Your parents?"

"Waiting for us there. Promised to meet them." he lied smoothly. The man grunted, turned around, and started to drive.

Sirius couldn't help but look outside during the ride, marveling at the tall buildings and the busy people walking across. A few double decker buses passed by, reminding Sirius of the Knight Bus he's heard from Bella, who always bragged when she did something he didn't get to do.

He glanced at his brother and saw the wonder on his face, leaning so close to the window that his nose smudged the surface. He inwardly snickered at the childish display but didn't comment.

After about twenty minutes, the cabbie managed to get the car squeezed in to a tight space near the sidewalk, the Tower of London looking majestic even from the far distance. The man glanced behind expectantly with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, here's your stop. Stay safe mate." he grudgingly warned. The older Black had a feeling the man meant it, so he gave a polite nod and gave the man a fifty pound note, much to the man's confusion.

"Keep the change." Sirius called out. He didn't see the flabbergasted expression on the man's face, his meek protests calling out to him.

"But-but-but..." the man blubbered, left in the dust by the eight year old boy with his brother.

Regulus looked behind him briefly. "I think you broke him."

Sirius shrugged. "He'll get over it."

Regulus sighed again when he saw the mischievous gleam in his brother's grey eyes. Of course.

The two strode toward to the historical tower, the sight taking Sirius's breathe away. It was huge. The tower was twelve acres big, dominating the land with the White Tower reaching the skies. The stone structure was a structure to be reckoned with. The very stories behind those walls made Sirius's pace go even quicker, his inner history geekness shining through.

Sirius caught Regulus smirking at him, obviously able to sense his eagerness. The older boy scowled a bit in embarrassment, slowing down his walk. Seeing how his brother wasn't going to let up, he fiercely glared at the boy, earning a wider smirk.

"What?" he snapped. His brother's smug expression was getting to him.

Regulus hummed. "Nothing. You're just such a history buff. It's funny."

"Shut up."

"Who knew an impatient guy like you could sit still enough to be interested in dead people."

"Hey," Sirius instantly turned defensive. "It's a lot more than that." Regulus rolled his eyes at the fanatic gleam in his brother's eyes and elbowed him in the chest. He grinned at the grunt of displeasure from the action and strolled past him.

"Come on and stop dawdling. The line for the tour isn't getting any shorter."

Sirius huffed but followed after his brother anyway, rubbing his chest as he did. Regulus couldn't help but smile.

He loved being the younger brother.

*SSB*

The tour, if Sirius was to debrief it, was annoying.

They waited for an hour just to get to the gate where they had to pay for tickets. It was a hassle to deal with the questioning looks people gave them, seeing how they didn't have a legal adult with them. Sirius had to use all his charisma to be able to pass, the female ticket attendant completely charmed.

It took all of Sirius's patience to not stomp his brother's foot when he muttered womanizer under his breath.

When they entered the premises, Sirius was hooked. He drank in everything, from the stone walls that previously were meant to keep prisoners locked up, to the archways which shined due to the sun. The tour group passed countless, eloquent rooms that put the Blacks household embellishment into shame.

The place was endlessly gigantic. Sirius had the feeling that it would take more than a week for him to find every nook and cranny to the place. He glanced at his brother and saw his curiosity.

He smirked.

Make that less than a week. With his brother, they definitely could cover more ground.

It wasn't any of this that made the tour dissatisfying. No, it was the irritating, perky woman who was supposed to be the tour guide.

It didn't take very long for the Black to analyze the girl and deem her as an imbecile who really didn't know anything about history. After many rapid questioning that went back and forth between the pair of brothers, the girl looked ready to have a mental breakdown. It would've made him feel guilty...

... If she hadn't called him a smart aleck brat.

If the witnesses were to ever comment on what happened next, they would've said they seriously pitied the girl after the eight year old boy was finished with her.

All in all, Sirius pretty much took over the tour after that, more than a little bothered that he clearly wasn't going to learn anything new with the tour guide being an idiot. Said tour guide quietly followed the group without saying a word, knowing better than to argue anymore.

During the whole time, Regulus never stopped grinning with pride.

He was thoroughly impressed by his brother's extensive knowledge of the tower. He even got the dates right when he explained the building's history, speaking in a condensed, straightforward manner that didn't leave confusion afterwards. He answered every question the group had, even quipping up jokes while he did.

He had the makings of a teacher, that was for certain.

This continued for a while, the group following the Black like a bunch of sheep to their shepherd. All the while, Sirius himself admired the tower as he explained to others why they should also be amazed.

Sirius told facts like how the tower was never meant to be a prison until people realized the tower was good at keeping people in as well as out. Or how the tower had received extensive damage during World War II due to bombing.

Regulus rolled his eyes when Sirius gleefully told the muggles group how twenty two executions took place at the tower, the last beheading in 1747. Muggles grimaced at the mental image while Sirius looked positively sadistic.

'Of course he would remember something like that.' Regulus had thought dryly.

Hours passed by as the tour group wandered around the monumental Tower of London. They earned more than a few glances at the sight of a boy leading the group, while the tour guide hung in the back, timidly following after. If Sirius had noticed the bizarre looks he was getting, he would've laughed at their faces for sure.

With closing time coming in soon, Sirius gave a bow to the group. Some people even clapped and thanked him for making the tour more interesting, something along the lines of, 'giving a tour of a lifetime.' Even the tour guide had admitted that he did a better job than her. She said it a bit reluctantly, but one could read the slight recognition from her compliment.

The glow of pride in his chest had him grinning fiercely the whole time till his mouth ached.

Regulus watched with amusement when a younger girl even kissed his brother on the cheek in gratitude. It made the older Black blush at the action.

Catching Regulus's teasing smile, he scowled. "Not one word Regulus."

"Of course." Regulus graciously agreed. There was always later.

The boys walked down the sidewalk away from the tower in companionable silence. It was getting close to evening, the sun setting slowly until it was an ethereal pink and orange. London was still busy even with night coming, muggles mingling around.

Sirius smiled, feeling more peaceful than he had in a long time. Today was the best day he ever had. He never felt more free, burdens lifted off his shoulders with the title of being a Black not mattering at the moment. He glanced at his brother and saw an identical look of happiness on his face. God how he wished they could do this whenever they wanted.

He shook his head at his morbid thoughts and rested a hand on his brother's shoulder to get his attention. "Come on. We better find a place to stay if we don't want to be stuck on the streets."

The younger brother nodded and both began their search.

It took less than half an hour after asking around to find a motel. The place was thankfully cheap, yet not sleazy like some places. The manager had looked suspicious at the guardianless boys but didn't argue when Sirius gave him a wad full of cash.

Their room only had one bed by choice, since it was more cheaper to do so. The room was neat and not overly decorative, the lights and bathroom in working order. The hot water was a godsend to the brothers as both felt the effects after a long, tiring day slamming on to them hard. They took turns for modesty sake when taking a shower, both old enough to take care of themselves.

After getting out fresh and clean, they immediately started planning for tomorrow, both setting times to what sights they wanted to go to. They had their notes and travel book out, laid across the bed as both looked over it. It was fun, reminding Sirius of all the other times they did this at home, the opportunity to actually follow through their plans now present to them. They only planned to explore London for a week at most, five days being ideal.

There was no way they were going to risk getting caught. If Walburga found them, it was a sure bet they would die. It would be a shame, since they finally were living now.

By the time they wrapped up, it was nine thirty. The boys were tired to the bone and only took a few minutes to change into comfortable clothing and wash up before collapsing on the single bed. They instantly fell asleep on the covers, not even bothering to clean up the mess they left on the bed.

*SSB*

The next morning at eight, Regulus woke up.

It took him a couple of minutes to shake out of his lethargy, but once he did, he immediately shook his snoozing brother awake. It was more than a bit funny when Sirius rolled over and pulled the pillow over his head, moaning.

Regulus gave the older boy a petulent look before he promptly flipped the covers, causing Sirius to tumble off the bed with paper scattering everywhere. Regulus burst out laughing as his brother spluttered on the floor, now wide awake. He whipped his head to look at the laughing boy, homicidal intent obvious.

"Regulus." he said in a dangerous tone, at once snuffing out the annoying, boisterous sound, though he didn't stop snickering.

"Is there something the matter brother?" Regulus mocked. He regretted it the moment he did when he caught the razor sharp smile on Sirius's face.

"Yes. You." and with that, he threw the fluffy pillow next to him at Regulus's face, making the younger boy fall. Sirius roared and was rewarded with the same pillow hitting back at him.

The rest, after that, was history.

Breathing hard after the arduous pillow fight that went on for ten minutes, Regulus smirked at his brother who laid right next to him on the bed. "I won."

Sirius shook his head. "No, I did." he panted. "Anybody could see that."

"Right."

Sirius glared at the sarcastic tone but didn't say anything. It was a waste of breathe.

"So," Regulus sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "shouldn't we get going? We got a schedule to follow, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Regulus snorted at the dismissive response and got off the bed. Both got ready and decided to eat out since they doubted the room service was any good. Sirius left a tip on the now made bed and clean room for the house lady before leaving the room.

They wandered around a bit before finding a small breakfast place just ten minutes away. Having never eaten any cooking other than Kreacher's, Sirius ate a little of every dish he could finish.

The omelet and the juicy sausages were absolutely scrumptious in Sirius's mouth. He couldn't stop the groan of pleasure when the food hit his taste buds. Even Regulus seemed to love the food, though he didn't eat as ravenously as his brother.

After the quick breakfast (and Merlin it was quick with the way he shoveled it all down his throat), they quickly went over the schedule.

The first on their bucket list was the Buckingham Palace. The tour was starting at nine thirty, and would only be a couple hours long.

Sirius had always wondered how muggle royalty lived. After his experience with the Tower of London, he didn't think he could be more impressed.

When they took a cab again just to save time and arrived in front of the palace, Sirius almost had a heart attack.

Boy, was he wrong.

The whole building was intimidating, the statue of Queen Victoria looming over them. The bronze statue stood proud and tall with its wings stretched out on top of the white marble. It was stunning to say the least, much more imposing than the statue in the Ministry of Magic Sirius had seen once when he visited there with his father.

Unlike the incident with the Tower of London, the tour went on without a hitch. Room after splendid room exceeded Sirius's expectations. How in Merlin can anyone say muggles were primitive compared to wizards? Just look at what they could create without magic.

He scoffed to himself. The wizarding community was so blind to what's right in front of them. It was mind boggling to think there was prejudice against muggles after looking at some of the nonmagical people's work.

The tour blurred past rapidly, much to Sirius's disappointment. It was noon by the time they were done, close to lunch time. The brothers ate crisps and fruits at a small restaurant, both not that hungry after eating such a big breakfast.

When they were done, they decided to walk to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Sirius knew it was a long way, but he wanted to just take a look around as they traveled.

Crowds of people surrounded them as they walked, all trying to reach their own destinations. It somehow made Sirius feel small, his brother's presence reassuring by his side. They passed Trafalgar Square as they plodded on and reached where they wanted to go in little less than an hour. With the weather cold, the walk certainly warmed them up, so the chilling breeze didn't bother them.

The globe was exactly what it was. A globe. Seats circled around the stage where hundreds could fit in. He could see the sky if he looked up, the open theatre showing off the cloudy weather. Sirius prayed that it wouldn't rain anytime soon.

He scanned the area and frowned. The place was a bit unconventional in his opinion. Why an open roof? It would only hinder the actors. And the wooden seats looked really uncomfortable without anything to cover them.

Sirius ruefully shook his head and smiled grimly.

The reason why they came to the theatre was solely on a whim to be honest. Sirius had attempted to read Shakespeare once and had halted at the first few pages when he read. He did finish it in the end though and had concluded he didn't like Shakespeare's work at all. Romance was not his thing, and too much comedy made the book seem silly and a waste of time in his mind.

He also really really didn't like how the characters were so easily manipulated and misunderstood. It happened so often that it was unrealistic to him. Surely people couldn't be this stupid.

Or maybe they were and that was the reason why the book bothered him so much.

Either way, there wasn't really much to do at the theatre other than to look around, so the brothers left shortly after their inspection.

They mostly wandered around after that, going from shop to shop aimlessly without losing each other. They tried out some chocolate from a sweet shop near the theatre, and even found a bookshop much to the boys elation. They stayed there for hours end, not in a rush like their trips to Diagon Alley. In the end, they ended up buying a stack full of books, something that greatly pleased the owner of the shop. The day passed on and the boys were satisfied at the end of it.

Third day of exploring was to the London Library, one of the world's biggest lending libraries there is.

To the Black brothers, there was no denying they were in heaven.

Sirius was on cloud nine. The little bookshop they visited yesterday was a dingy cottage compared to this monstrosity. A sea of shelves were infinite to Sirius, subjects varying and unheard of genres existing in the magical reading castle. There were even floors for Merlin's sake! To say Sirius was enchanted was the understatement of the century.

Needless to say, the Blacks spent the whole day there right until closing time, losing themselves in the written word. It was a mournful parting to both of them, though the resolve to go back later if they could momentarily pushed down the yearning they felt.

The fourth day was Sirius's day.

They got to visit Benjamin Franklin's house. Regulus didn't really see what the big deal was and was incredibly annoyed by his brother's impatient foot tapping while they were in line. He kept fidgeting and trying to look over people who were much taller than him, making him look like a bouncing boy on a sugar rush.

In Regulus's mind, the description wasn't that far off.

"Sirius, back down!" Regulus hissed out. Sirius wrangled his hands in a nervous gesture.

"We're actually here. We're actually here!"

"Yes, we get it." Regulus snarked. His older brother had been repeating those lines for the past twenty minutes and it was starting to get on Regulus's nerves. "Now stop fanboying for Merlin's sake and calm down."

Sirius whirled to look at Regulus in horror. "How can my own flesh and blood say that to me? This is Benjamin Franklin we're talking about! The man is brilliant! He's a politician, inventor, writer, philosopher- heck, he's a musician too for crying out loud!"

Regulus simply gave him a flat look that could rival Lucius Malfoy at the outburst. Sirius huffed and shifted his horrified expression into a grin.

"So, how was my performance? Does it beat Shakespeare?"

Regulus gave a long suffering sigh. "You're impossible."

"And that's why you love me." Sirius teased lightly.

"Was your agitation an act too?"

Sirius waved a hand. "Nah. I actually am kinda on my wits end."

Regulus already knew that. He had noticed when his brother was nervous or insecure, he always went back to joking around to ease the tension. So instead of lecturing him more on not embarrassing them in public, Regulus simply pinched the bridge of his nose and twitched his eye.

"Just... Let's get through this without getting kicked out."

"Aye aye captain!" Sirius gave a mock salute with his two fingers and winked.

Regulus face palmed.

Ten minutes later, both got to the front of the line when one of the ticket guards quirked up an eyebrow when he saw them. The man's face was taut, sharp eyes glaring at them in a way that would intimidate most people.

Without hesitation, Sirius gave a winning smile and started to open up their money bag. "Hello good sir. Two tickets please."

The man narrowed his eyes, instantly causing Sirius to tense. "Where are your parents boy?" the deep baritone voice sounded like it was growling, making Sirius feel uneasy. He smiled to cover it up when his brother's shoulder stiffened at the tone, obviously sensing something was wrong.

"At home. They know we're here of course, if that's what you're worried about." Sirius drawled out. "So if you don't mind..." he gestured at the money in his hand.

The man ignored the action. "You can't come in without adult supervision. This is a historical place that does not welcome troublemakers."

Sirius wanted more than anything than to punch the man in the face but held back. "Well, since we're not troublemakers as you say, please allow us to pass." his polite tone was colder than before. "Unless you have a problem with paying visitors."

"I told you. No." the man enunciated the last word slowly, as if speaking to a toddler. Feeling his brother about to snap, Regulus cut in to the conversation.

"Sir, I understand your weariness, but I assure you we are not here to cause problems at all. Even if we were, there are tour guides here who will keep watch of us and can kick us out whenever they want. So please good sir, allow us to pass."

The man gave Regulus a long look before scowling. "Fine. But if I hear anything at all..."

"You won't." Regulus assured him.

Taking the money out of Sirius's hands, Regulus paid full price for the tickets and dove right in while pulling his still fuming brother. When they went far past the door, Regulus let go of his brother's hand and silently waited for his brother to cool off.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair in a frustrated manner before sighing. "Merlin, that guard was a bloody prick. Did you see how he almost threw us to the streets? That bloke I swear-"

"Sirius!" Regulus's sharp tone cut him off. "Calm down."

"It's therapeutic to vent." he quipped. Seeing his brother's unamused expression, he groaned. "Okay okay. Just give me a minute."

Regulus did give him a minute before they both joined the tour group. Things went well after that, though Sirius couldn't completely revel in the experience due to his irritation.

Insufferable and annoying. By Morgana, how he wanted to throttle that muggle.

By the time the tour ended, Sirius had gotten over his previous annoyance but was still unhappy he didn't get to fully enjoy the tour. Regulus rolled his eyes at Sirius's sulking attitude and convinced him to get some grub. The meal did raise up the older Black's mood, making him forget all about the incident.

They went back to the motel by cab and started to pack up their bags. Tomorrow was the day they had to leave. The thought saddened the brothers, but also made them more determined to repeat their act of rebellion again someday. Getting everything ready, the brothers slept uneasily that night, not knowing that tomorrow was going to be very... different from what they would expect.

*SSB*

The next day, the brothers went to the London Library for the last time for a few hours, the idea of visiting once more too tempting to ignore. They even skipped lunch at noon in order to buy some more time.

When Sirius checked the clock, he was dismayed at the fact it was four o'clock, far longer than they had planned to stay. Shaking Regulus from his dreamlike reading trance, the younger boy paled considerably when he too looked at the clock.

"Bloody hell." the boy cursed, an uncharacteristic action coming from the usually clean mouthed boy. "We're gonna get skinned alive."

"Then we got to go. Now." Sirius hissed. It took less than a few seconds for the pair to dash out of the huge library, startling more than a few people as they passed. Sirius didn't think when he unhesitently whistled loud and clear to the street with his fingers in his mouth. A cab miraculously appeared at the action.

Before Sirius could marvel at what he just did, Regulus grabbed on to his wrist and pulled him in. Tumbling in, Sirius nearly snarled out the word Islington to the cabbie.

The cabbie floored it and rode off, not asking questions, something Sirius was grateful for. Both exhausted from the run, Sirius was barely able to warn the cabbie to wake them up later before he knocked out completely.

It felt like minutes when Sirius felt someone poke him on the arm roughly, grunting they were here. Sirius woke up with bleary eyes and paid the driver the money before stumbling out of the car with his half awake brother. The cabbie left, leaving them in the dust in an empty street.

Only, it wasn't their street.

As he began to take note of his surroundings, Sirius slowly felt dread eat him up little by little. He didn't recognize where they were. Since it was around seven o'clock, judging from what he could tell by the sun, Sirius could tell they were actually near a mill, something that didn't exist in Islington.

He glanced up to see the street name above him, the sign saying 'Spinner's End' in bold letters. He gulped.

Galloping gorgons.

This was not good.

His brother moaned at that exact moment, snapping Sirius's panicking mind to his brother. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly to calm himself down. They were alone in the middle of nowhere with a near depleted amount of money and it was almost night time.

'In another words, we're screwed.' he summarized, hating his intellectual mind for thinking that awful truth.

He looked at his brother again and steeled himself not to go into hysterics. His brother, though conked out right now, was counting on him. With that in mind, he picked up his brother and gave him a piggy back ride. He grunted at the sudden weight and began to walk down the street to find help.

While he did, he tried not to flinch at every odd sound that usually came out during the night. Grimacing at the near deserted street, he half wondered whether anyone lived here at all. Even though the night wasn't quiet due to animals and the wind, there was absolutely no sounds of civilization from what he could tell. He dearly hoped that wasn't the case.

He didn't know how long he walked, the sun dipping further and further down, when he saw a lone figure in the middle of the street up ahead. He couldn't make out if it was a man or a female, and hesitated to go any further.

If it was a man, there was a good chance getting sighted would be a bad idea. One could never know a grown man's intentions. A woman, on the other hand, gave Sirius a better chance if she took pity on them.

Trying not to lose the courage he had managed to gather, he finally shouted out toward the person. "HEY! YOU THERE!"

The sound made Regulus stir on his back, but he didn't wake up. Sirius was amazed the boy could sleep through any of this.

The person stood stock still at his voice before quickly starting to stride towards him. Sirius forced himself not to flee and glued his feet to the ground, trying to make out the gender. The closer the person got, it became obvious that the slight figure was a woman, unconsciously making him relax his tense shoulders. When she got even closer, Sirius had the dawning realization that he's seen this woman before.

"Eileen?" he blurted out in shock as she came into view. It was her! Her warm, brown eyes were unmistakable to Sirius, which were currently wide from flabbergasted surprise.

"Sirius?" she sounded thoroughly bewildered, not that he blamed her. She was the last person he ever thought he would see. "What are you doing here?" she frowned when she caught the sight of Regulus on his back. "Who's this?"

"Oh, uh," he chuckled a bit and shook his head. "it's a long story. This is my brother, Regulus."

Dawning realization shone on her face as she slowly nodded. "I see. Well, as I have asked before, what are you doing here?"

"Got lost." he answered truthfully. "We took a cab, but the guy must've misheard when I told him the street." he winced internally at the admittance. This whole situation was his fault, and he felt incredibly ashamed at the fact.

The woman smiled. "Everybody makes mistakes." she said. Her simple reassurance made Sirius feel warm inside oddly enough. He had no idea what to make out from the initial feeling and ignored it at the moment when he felt his brother's head slipping off his shoulder.

"Um," he cleared his throat and looked up anxiously. "I know this is going to sound rather abrupt, but my brother and I need some help."

"Do you want to contact your parents? There's a floo network in my house you could use-"

"NO!" Sirius yelped before he could stop himself. Seeing her startled expression, he winced. "No, uh, that would be a really bad idea. My parents would, well," he hesitated. "be really mad if they found out we left the house." That was really downplaying it. His mother would behead him and hang his head up like the house elves if she ever found out. Heck, she might just throw the head away because she wouldn't want to be reminded of him.

Floo network wouldn't work for their situation. There was a slight chance that his mother might check if the fireplace was recently used, and he wasn't risking it.

Eileen wrinkled her brows but didn't argue his point, something he was grateful for. "Well, why don't we go to my house at the moment? You don't look like you've eaten all day."

Sirius blinked. "How did you know that?" he asked curiously. She smiled and tapped her temple.

"Mother's intuition." she leaned to look behind him again. "Do you want me to carry him?"

He shook his head. "No, it's all right. I can take care of him."

Again, she didn't argue, and simply walked away from him while going down the street. Sirius followed after her slow pace, again grateful that she was so patient.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, both not really sure what to say. After all, they had only met once by chance, so it wasn't like they really knew each other. Not liking how uncomfortable the situation felt, he turned to look at her. "Would your family mind if we come? I wouldn't want to intrude."

The woman's face turned dark for a moment. "My husband is out of town and won't be back till morning." her expression softened considerably. "My son is at a friend's house."

Sirius noted how happy she sounded by that but didn't point it out.

The house they stopped at was an old house. It looked clean and well kept, yet Sirius couldn't help but shiver. The house felt so lonely for some reason, as if the people who lived there were never loved. It made the Black both weary and intrigued at the same time.

Eileen climbed the steps toward the front and unlocked the door, swinging it open into blackness. She walked right in with Sirius trailing apprehensively after her, the creaking of the floorboards rattling his nerves.

Much to his relief, she turned on one of the lights by switching what Sirius knew to be a light switch. It lit up the hallway, which led to the kitchen. He glanced around and saw a case of swirling stairs leading up, and a coat hanger near the entrance. He looked away and followed Eileen in to the kitchen that was ahead of the hallway, watching his steps so he wouldn't step on anything that would creek. It would not be good if his brother woke up in a stranger's house with no clue why.

The kitchen was small, an elegant table right next to the counters. Sirius saw the living room was right next to the kitchen and gently putted down Regulus on to one of the couches. He took off his warm coat and laid it across his brother's small frame. It wouldn't do if the younger boy catches a cold.

He twisted to see Eileen frying some scrambled eggs, the contraption called a toaster humming as she did. She spun to look behind her and smiled assuredly. "Just cooking some food. You must be hungry."

Sirius felt a lump in his throat at the unexpected kindness and swallowed. "Thank you." he said quietly.

She simply shook her head and continued to cook.

It didn't take very long for her to be done, making two servings to include Regulus. The fact she made more for Regulus again threw him off. With the younger boy asleep, she didn't have to do that. He evaluated her thoughtfully and saw something that made him freeze.

Right on her thin neck was a jagged, white line, obviously an old scar. It looked like it had been a gruesome wound, something most wouldn't have survived from.

He kept his face carefully blank. He forced himself to calm down and started to scan the room.

On the mahogany table far from Regulus in the living room was a twelve pack beer. Only, it was all empty from what he could tell. The jagged line could only be from something sharp. Something like a broken bottle. Assessing the situation, it was clear to the eight year old that Eileen's husband was an alcoholic. And when there was an alcoholic...

He glanced at the oblivious, humming, bone like woman who was setting up the table. There was abuse.

The thought made him want to throw up.

Eileen looked at him and smiled. "Food's ready. Go wake up your brother. I made enough food for the both of you."

Sirius managed to nod and mechanically shook his brother's shoulder. He was met with irritated, grey eyes, making him smile a bit.

"Regulus, there's food." was all he had to say before he heard the boy's stomach growl. He smirked at the sound, causing Regulus to scowl.

"Fine." he grumbled. He stood up and blinked rapidly for a moment before he froze. He slowly looked around before whipping his head around to look at his brother, glaring.

"Where are we?" he demanded. Sirius shrugged.

"Spinner's End apparently."

Regulus blinked owl like at him. "Huh?"

At any other time, Sirius would've mocked Regulus endlessly at the stupefied look on his face. The revelation of Eileen being abused, however, kept him somber.

"The cab took us someplace else by mistake. He, uh, misheard me." he said the last part sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head.

Regulus gave him a flat look. "How can someone mistake Islington to Spinner's End?"

"No idea."

Regulus sighed. He surveyed the room and stopped when he saw Eileen. His body immediately froze before his eyes flashed toward Sirius, grey eyes questioning. Sirius smiled encouragingly which minutely loosened Regulus's tense shoulders. Turning back to Eileen, who had been watching the exchange with some fascination, he gave a short nod. "I apologize madam, but, who are you?"

Sirius snorted. How typical of Regulus to be polite despite everything.

Eileen smiled and walked toward the weary younger boy. She didn't stand too close though, having enough sense not to make the younger Black more nervous. She stuck out a hand in front of him.

"Hello Regulus. I'm Eileen Snape." she said warmly.

Her introduction made Sirius raise his eyebrows.

Snape, huh? It didn't really fit her.

Regulus smiled back politely and gave Sirius a pointed look, eyes piercing with an unhidden question. He sighed, knowing what was coming next.

"Yes, it's the Eileen." he answered out loud. The woman cocked her head at the implication in his words.

"The Eileen?" she repeated.

Seeing her confusion, Regulus shook his head. "I am assuming you were the one who picked out the poem book for him?"

"Yes, why?" she suddenly frowned and looked at Sirius worriedly. "You didn't like it?"

His brother snorted. "On the contrary, he can't stop reading it. I can't tell you how many times I've caught him with that book, reading it over and over again."

"Hey," Sirius warned. "there's some pretty good writing in there." he grinned at Eileen's astonished expression and winked. "Because of you, I've become a Dickenson fan. I even bought two more poem books on her, including a biography."

"He really like biographies." Regulus added. "Especially if it's unbiased."

"Well, a person's life can't be built on lies." Sirius shot back. "No matter how bad it is, it doesn't mean it's something to be ashamed of."

Sirius carefully watched Eileen's expression when he said those words. He knew the double meaning he implied there, and felt a pang in his chest when she closed her eyes, looking ready to cry. The smile on her face, though, proved she wanted to cry out of happiness.

She discreetly wiped her eyes and gave a tight smile, one hand gesturing to the table. "We can talk more over supper. The food is getting cold."

Sirius beamed and walked over to a seat, sinking down when he sat. Regulus followed example, still looking tired even after the long rest. They ate swiftly, both minding their manners as they did.

Being a noble had some perks. It taught one to eat fast yet eloquently.

After he was done, Sirius looked down at the empty dishes and gave a firm nod. "Right. I'll clean the dishes."

Eileen nearly dropped the pan she was holding.

"You-You really don't have to do that." she stuttered out, flustered. Sirius dearly wanted to ask if anyone had ever done anything for her, but kept his mouth shut into an easy smile.

"Nonsense. You didn't have to cook for us either. It's only fair." seeing her waver, he continued. "Besides, I actually never really washed dishes before." with a house elf, he didn't need to. "So you'll actually be helping me out if you could teach me how. I'll be learning something new today."

He grinned in satisfaction when he saw her shoulders slump at his words, defeat evident. She chuckled and shook her head. "My, aren't you an eager one." her eyes turned into melted chocolate. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

It didn't take long. The process was actually kind of easy, though he did fumble a few times which made Regulus guffaw every time. When he did, he splashed some soap in the younger boy's direction. Despite this, the boy just kept on sniggering much to Sirius's aggravation. Though his annoyance did lessen when Eileen also looked amused at his clumsy attempts.

After the dishes were washed, dried, and put away, the question of how to get home came up again for the Black. A cab magically appearing was highly unlikely, and floo network was out. He could ask Eileen if she could drive, but that went beyond tentative friendship or whatever they had going on right now.

Eileen, though, already had a solution.

"The Knight Bus?" Sirius questioned. Eileen nodded.

"It'll take you home." she bit her lip. "Though the price is a bit expensive..."

"It's fine." Sirius could already tell she was going to offer money she couldn't afford giving. "We have money, I swear."

Eileen frowned but still nodded her consent, much to Sirius's relief. "I can call it out with my wand." she looked at Regulus. "Do you have everything?"

"Yes Mrs. Snape." Regulus replied obediently. Sirius saw Eileen minutely wince.

"Please, call me Eileen."

Regulus raised an eyebrow, his eyes calculative as he stared at her. Before he could say something, Sirius interrupted.

"So, could we do this now? I mean, we really have to go I'm sorry to say."

And he was sorry. In this small house that was nowhere as big as the Black's manor, he felt so much at ease with just Regulus and Eileen here with him. It was a new feeling.

Eileen nodded. "Let's go outside. We have to be near the sidewalk in order to do this."

The three ambled outside over the edge of the curb, the night air stinging cold. Sirius was glad he had put on his coat before coming outside. He was sure he would've froze to death if he hadn't.

The dark haired woman got her wand and pointed it out in front of her. Suddenly, a bus appeared instantly in front of them with a loud bang, the purple decker bus vibrating as if filled with unharnessed energy. The door opened, revealing a young man who grinned widely at them, showing off all his pearly whites.

"Hello gentlemen and gals. The names Anderson Shunpike and I am your conductor this evening." he narrowed his eyes at Eileen for a moment before his expression cleared up. "Ah! Miss Prince!" he leaped out of the bus and grabbed her hand to kiss it, eyes twinkling. "It's been a very long time."

"And to you as well." she answered, looking a bit amused. Sirius pondered over the last name Prince for a moment before his eyes widened. At that same moment, Regulus seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"Eileen Prince? You're the Eileen Prince that's been wiped from the family tree?" Sirius blurted out. She gave a wry smile at his unintentional bluntness and took her hand away from Anderson.

"Yes, that is me." she sounded bitter when she admitted this. Her smile became more genuine though when Regulus tried to flounder out an apology. "It's alright. It happened a long time ago."

Before either could ask, Anderson butted in by literally dragging the boys away from her, talking nonstop.

"Now I recognize you little man. You look just like your father Orion Black, yup yup. I'm guessing you need a ride home. Well, going to Grimmauld is gonna cost you Eleven Sickles, but for fourteen you get chocolate, and for fifteen you get a water bottle and a toothbrush in the color of your choice..."

Sirius gave a pleading look to Eileen, who merely gave them a little wave as they were taken away. Sirius couldn't help but feel a little betrayed, especially when she had the audacity to watch and laugh while it happened.

He looked out the window of his seat, seeing the blurring colors of the city lights pass him. It was weird to know that he had probably walked those streets just a few days ago.

He glanced at his brother who was death clinging on to the seats, face incredibly pale at the insane speed the bus was going. He would've laughed at him if he wasn't also stuck in the same predicament as the younger boy. He grimaced and tried as hard as possible not to throw up.

And tried not to think about how much he had wanted to stay at Eileen's house.

He wondered briefly what her son was like. Maybe, if he was lucky enough to meet him, they could become friends.

Somewhere up in the sky, Time was laughing his pants off. Oh how irony knew how to bite a person back in the ass.

*SSB*

Well, that's the end. Please review and thank you for reading.