Is difficult to hate your brother when you are scared for his life

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/53703136.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: Gen
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Relationship: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Characters: Remus Lupin, James Potter, Regulus Black, Lily Evans Potter, Sirius
Black
Additional Tags: Letters, Summer After 5th Year, Marauders Era (Harry Potter),
Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), Post-Sirius Black's Prank on
Severus Snape, Mentioned Sirius Black, The Noble and Most Ancient
House of Black, very very very small james/lily shenanigans, im sorry
guys im not a jegulus girly im old fashion like that, Mentioned Peter
Pettigrew, this is the this is my first time posting here idk how to tag tag,
Wolfstar but they dont interact and Sirius isn't really even here, Bad
English
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2024-02-11 Words: 1,357 Chapters: 1/1
 Is difficult to hate your brother when you are scared for his life
by Sofiaekaterina

Summary

Little Black wrote that is difficult to hate a brother when you are scared for his life. He thinks
I would not understand it, but I hope you find it as appropriate for our (all four of us)
situation as I did.

As Sirius needs to get out of Grimmauld Place, a series of short letters in the aftermath of the
Prank.
None of them knows the full story. Not really.

Notes

English is not my first language (how surprising)

Also, i haven't write a fic (or anything) in a solid 7 years, and this one is the first in english.

ps: the letters are all in order, except the last one.

Enjoy!

See the end of the work for more notes

Potter.

As I’m writing this letter, Sirius has been under the Imperius curse for two days now.

Whatever happened at the end of term (I am only aware Snape was involved, but he has been
surprisingly quiet about it), it granted him a punishment from father himself. This has not
happened since he came back home for christmas his first year, with all your disgusting
mudblood lover ideas in his head.

I thought he was going to be smart about it and be quiet for the rest of the summer. Even
Sirius is not stupid enough to push my parents when father is involved. Instead, he has
constantly put himself in the way of our mother’s wrath.

You would probably think this is his normal attitude. It is not. I know my brother. Over the
years I have seen how he can’t help himself but speak his mind (and get punished for it). This
is not that. He is looking for punishment, speaks exclusively to make mother angry.

I don’t know how much longer his body can tolerate his penance. Sirius has been able to fight
the Imperius curse for years. His mind has lost all strength. He has been consistently
Crucio’d for weeks. I know mother had to heal him last tuesday night. He was unable to
breathe. I heard it all from my room, as it happened right on the landing.

You would not understand this as an only child, but it is difficult to hate your brother when
you are scared for his life.

I don’t know what happened at Hogwarts (and I hardly care), but I know you two are not on
speaking terms.

If you care for him, if this five years long friendship that he chose over his family duty ever
had any meaning to you, get Sirius out of Grimmauld Place before my mother ends whatever
fight there is left on him.

I would like to hate my brother again.

Regulus A. Black.

***

Dear Moony,

How have you been? I truly hope last night was an easy one for you. Don’t lie to me, I know
it was not. I hope it didn’t hurt you as badly at least. How has the last few weeks been? I
know you asked me to not write for a while, but three weeks is plenty, and you know how I
worry.
Things here have been particularly uneventful, although it was hard to explain mum how
angry I am with Sirius without telling her what happened and why Dumbledore told dad I
was quite a hero (I am so embarrassed about it. I am so ashamed it all happened Moony,
truly, is not a feeling I'm used to). At one point, she asked me if he had finally bent to his
family ideas. I’m not even sure she believed me when I told her not, she is so confused.

This is the part where you get mad at me. I want you to know that I’m on your side. This was
a complete betrayal. I know you won’t ever forgive him. I don’t think I could, I don’t think I
can.

But I received a letter from Regulus last night. He is worried for his life. He is certain the
failed attempt of a witch they have for mother will kill him.

That is why I confused mum even more when I told her we might need to go and get Sirius. I
tried to make contact through the mirror all night, but he didn’t answer. I think he might have
left it at the bottom of his trunk. Or maybe he didn´t pack it, I wasn’t there to see.

I will try to send him a note with Wicky. Is a risk I don’t want for her, but you know how
house-elves magic works differently than ours, and I am certain the Blacks think it way too
beneath them to protect themselves from a little house elf intrusion.

I am so sorry Moony. I know you will be mad at me. It’s alright, you are more than allowed
to. But I need you to believe me: I’m on your side . Only yours, not him. I will never forgive
him if you don’t, and I’m not planning to even speak to him when he is back. I might visit
Wormtail for a while, to avoid the awkwardness.

Little Black wrote that it’s difficult to hate a brother when you are scared for his life. He
thinks I would not understand it, but I hope you find it as appropriate for our (all four of us)
situation as I did.

You don’t have to answer, but I would really love it if you do. Even if it’s just a “fuck you
Potter”. I would like that. Please include a PS with your health state too.

All the best,

Prongs.

***

Dear Moony,

Sirius escaped from Grimmauld Place around midnight. I’m not sure how, but he made it to
my house and passed out on the front steps. Mum cured him and he is now on a sleeping
drought. I just thought you should know.

Prongs.
***

James,

I’m ok, the moon was hard, but I've had worse. It’s just a few new scars, none very big.

My summer’s been as dull as yours. Dad’s barely here and mum’s found a job in a muggle
bookshop in town, so most of the time I have the house all for myself. I’ve finished all the
homework we were assigned already (I definitely failed the potions OWL) and I had a few
ideas for that map we were talking about, back in april. I don’t think I’ll have the time, with
all the studying we’re gonna have to do for the NEWTs. Who even has the map anyways?

About Black, I’m not mad at you. And I won’t be, even when you forgive him.

You’re gonna forgive him, James, eventually. It’s ok, I don’t expect you to hold a grudge on
him forever. But I’m not forgiving him. Ever.

So let's not talk about it anymore. I don’t wanna talk about any of it again, please.

Say hi to your parents for me. Maybe forward me a few copies of the daily prophet? My dad
doesn’t say a thing about what’s going on, but he’s busier than ever, so I'm guessing the war
hasn’t stopped in the last five weeks.

Remus.

***

Dearest Evans,

Hi.

How has your summer been so far? Mine has been the worst of my life.

I’m sure you won’t read if I keep writing, so I’ll get to the point:

I’m worried about Remus. I can’t get into details, but I’m sure you realized some awful
business happened on the last day at Hogwarts. The heart of it is Sirius did the most stupid
thing ever, and Remus was hurted badly for it. I’m worried he will isolate himself. I have
explained to him I’m on his side, and he says he knows, but Sirius lives with me now (don’t
ask) and I know Remus doesn’t really believe me. You know how he gets sometimes. He can
have all the proof in the world that we care for him and his brain will still manage to
convince him otherwise.
I just want to know he is talking to someone, and you are the only one I could think of.
Would you check on him please? I don’t want to push him, it's all so bloody complicated. I
just don’t want him to be alone. Maybe he will speak to you.

Yours, James Potter.

***

Potter,

I don’t need bloody instructions on how to take care of my friends.

I saw how in pain Remus was on the train back home, but he has been perfectly normal in his
letters. I will try to get him to agree to come visit and see him with my own eyes.

Hope Black is fucking sorry, or I will find the way to make him.

Lily Evans.

P.S: Don’t write to me again.

***

Sirius,

You can always come home with me. I love you no matter what brother.

James.
End Notes

I may or may not write a second part with all the things Remus didn't said, but if i didn't
publish this, i feared i would spend another 7 years without writting. I can't believe i wrote a
whole 1k+ after so long.
Hope my english wasnt a complete disaster.

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