Hungry Eyed and Weather-Stained

"You show up like a hurricane, all hungry eyes and weather-stained."

His hands shook from the cold winter breeze as he paced back and forth in front of a closed door. He had never been inside but he knew the person who was in there from birth, or at least he thought that he did. He was not exactly sure what he knew anymore, what was real, or what was just in his imagination. He guessed it was natural for someone's mind to be in a crazed state when one knew that one was about to face death.

He knew he was going to die within the next few hours, he did not even attempt to deny it. All he wanted was to finish a few things up, he couldn't leave the world with his one and only brother hating him, he just couldn't. He didn't want to be one of those unsettle souls that he had heard about, he needed his brother's forgiveness before he set out on his last journey.

Taking in a deep icy breath, he lifted his shuddering hand and rapped on the stone door twice. Why was he so nervous to see his brother? He had never felt this way before, he used to be able to tell his brother everything, there never use to be secrets kept between them. He heard a groan and someone's footsteps thud towards the door, fingers twisting the chain of a lock. He couldn't breath, he was too afraid, what if his brother just shut the door in his face, walked away without ever listening to what he had to say?

The door was slowly pulled open and a pair of eyes that were identical to his appeared. The grey eyes widened in surprise and the door flew open with great speed.

"What are you doing here?" barked Sirius, his brother.

Regulus' chapped lips pulled back into a smile, something that he had not done in a long time, years maybe. Sirius had not changed a bit since he had seen him last at Hogwarts, long years ago. His brother looked alive, well, and happy. He had hung on tight to his haughty good looks, his thick black hair. Regulus was not as lucky, he had changed a lot since he had last seen his brother. His hair was straggly, so different than it use to be, his eyes looked like they had witnessed way too many horrible things for their eighteen years, his noble looks had been traded in for hardened, crazed ones.

"Aren't you going to invite me in, brother?" Regulus shot back slyly.

Sirius shook his head, he looked completely confused. "I don't know what I am going to do. I have not seen you or heard from you in years, and you just show up like a hurricane, all hungry eyed and weather-stained. Why are you here, Regulus?"

"I need to talk to you. I need you to listen," he replied simply.

Sirius shook his head once more, he no longer looked confused though, he looked mad. "I told you years ago, when you first joined Voldemort's ranks, to never talk to me again. I did not care what excuses you wanted to fill my ears with then, I still do not care now. You are not my brother anymore, I've already told you that." His words were like fire to Regulus, they burned through his mind. Sirius turned his back on Regulus and returned to the inside of his house, bolting the door shut.

Regulus cried out, "Sirius, please!" but he knew that it was all in vain. He knew before he had even arrived on Sirius' front doorstep that his brother was not going to listen to him. He had to try though, and he did, but sometimes things didn't work out no matter how hard one tried or how much one wanted something.

He was happy though, as odd as it sounded. He was able to have one last look at his brother, the only person that had ever really cared about him. Now all that he had left to do was write a letter, fetch Kreacher, and then die.