A/N - This has been knocking around in my head for a while, so I thought I'd get it down here :)

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, this would be canon, no fanfiction :)

Sirius knew that voice anywhere. It echoed through the dark, empty parts of his memory he'd rather not return to.

"Do you want to go?" Remus asked softly, but Sirius shook his head.

"You want to buy that book." He replied, nodding towards the handsome volume Remus was holding.

"It doesn't matter." Remus assured him, "Really. We'll come back another day."

"No. You've been going on and on about this bloody book for weeks." Sirius insisted, taking Remus's hand and leading him down the small spiral staircase of Flourish and Blotts.

"Really, Sirius you don't have to…" Remus tried to protest, but Sirius was having none of it.

"If you think I'm going to run and hide from my ridiculous, bigoted family then you are very, very wrong. If the man I love wants to buy a book, then he will buy the bloody book." There was something a little dangerous in Sirius's voice as the pair walked out into the crowded shop, so Remus saw fit to remain silent. He made a mental note never to come to Flourish and Blotts in the last week of August again; the shop was crawling with parents and children buying last minute school supplies. Today, this included Regulus Black and his mother, who was barking orders at a distressed looking shop assistant.

"This book list has been the same since my grandfather was at Hogwarts, so I demand to know who this Goshawk woman is. Are they letting Mudbloods write the textbooks now?"

Sirius rolled his eyes and made his way to the assistant on the other till.

"Just this, thanks." He said, reaching into the pockets of his jeans to pull out a small moneybag.

"Sirius, I think I can…" Remus started to protest, but Sirius cut him off.

"I know you can, but I just got a job and I want to do this for you. Then you can't ever say I don't let you have nice things." He said with a smile, handing some silver to the shop assistant and giving Remus a peck on the cheek.

"Sirius!"

His brother's exclamation was so loud that half the shop stopped where they were, staring at the Blacks and Remus, who looked mortified.

"Regulus! How nice to see you!" Sirius exclaimed with a ridiculous faux bow. Regulus, however, did not smile as he looked from Remus to Sirius and back again. Sirius's mother had finally stopped harassing the shop assistant and was staring at her eldest son. It had been three years since they last saw each other, but neither felt any less hatred.

"Come, Regulus. We won't waste our time here." Mrs Black spat, but Regulus held his ground, looking his brother straight in the eye.

"Who's he?" He asked, nodding towards Remus, who put a warning hand on Sirius's arm.

"This, Regulus, is Remus." Sirius said slowly, trying to keep his breathing even, "You know him, he was at Hogwarts with both of us."

"Oh yes, the half-breed. Funny, that: I'd always thought only wizards were allowed to go to Hogwarts." Regulus sneered, and Sirius's wand was pointing straight between his eyes before Remus could stop him.

"Sirius, please. It's not worth it, let's go home." Remus pleaded, but Sirius was deaf to his words. Holding Regulus by the collar of his robes, Sirius breathed,

"Say that again."

Regulus was spared having to answer by his mother's barked,

"Unhand my son, traitor."

"I will when he's civil to Remus." Sirius replied, surprised that he'd managed to keep his voice steady, even more so that his mother remained on the premises. She was watching them now with a mixture of shock, anger and fascination that appeared to have her rooted to the spot. The shop assistants seemed to be suffering a similar affliction: every face was scandalised, but none could tear their eyes from the scene, open their mouths and call the Blacks to order.

"Why should I have to acknowledge that filthy half-breed?" Regulus sneered, and Sirius couldn't help a couple of sparks flying from the tip of his wand as he hissed,

"Because he's got a hundred times more human kindness and intelligence than you could ever hope to have, and because he's my friend."

A horrible smile was spreading over Regulus's face as he replied,

"Really? Because that isn't what I heard. I heard you're shagging him."

Regulus's voice was quiet, triumphant, but not quiet enough to escape his mother's notice. Her lips went white, and her hands shook, but Sirius knew he was safe as long as they were in a public setting. He had learned long ago that no matter how angry his mother became, she would never let it show completely when there were others there to see; the full extent of her wroth was saved for behind the doors of Grimmauld Place, where laws did not apply to her, and even if they did, there were no witnesses.

"So what if I am?" Sirius replied, looking Regulus straight in the eye, as though daring him to break the contact.

Then, suddenly, the truth of his words dawned on him. Letting go of Regulus, who stumbled backwards behind his mother, Sirius let out a harsh laugh.

"So bloody what if I am? I love him, for Merlin's sake, and if you're wondering what that is, I'm sure this fine establishment has a dictionary you could peruse."

He knew he was pushing it now, as his mother's hand twitched towards her wand, but he ploughed on regardless, he hadn't felt this completely free since the night he left Grimmauld Place, he was above it all now, above their petty insults and their madness, and it felt fantastic,

"You know what?" he continued, "I bet you're regretting disowning me, mother dearest, if only because it means you can't disown me again now. With that in mind, I'm going home, where my half-blood, half-breed boyfriend and I are going to have mind-blowing sex. Good day."

Leaving his mother and brother dumbstruck, and the rest of the shop in uproar, Sirius took Remus's hand and led him out into the street.

"You see, this is why we shouldn't let you out." Remus chuckled as Sirius tucked him under his arm.

"It's the in-breeding. We can't help it." Sirius shrugged, "But I promise not to get into any more fights between here and the apothecary's. Unless, of course, I have to defend your honour again."

"Of course." Remus agreed fervently, "Did I ever tell you how devastatingly handsome you are when you defend my honour?"

Sirius stopped mid stride and grinned.

"On second thoughts, the apothecary is an appalling idea. We're going home. Right now."

A/N - Since I can't have Remus and Sirius, can I have a review please? *Puppy eyes*