Between Remus Lupin and Sirius Black and James Potter and Peter Pettigrew as siblings.
The moon hung low over the Forbidden Forest, casting an eerie glow across the grounds of Hogwarts. It was a night drowned in whispered secrets and the kind of possibilities that only surfaced when rules were daringly defied.
Inside the castle, four figures tiptoed through the dimly lit corridors, a map clutched in the hands of one, a mischievous glint in their eyes. James Potter led the way, his untidy hair even more unruly with the rush of excitement. Sirius Black was right behind him, his usual smirk playing on his lips. Peter Pettigrew followed closely, his round face flushed with anticipation and nervous energy. And at the back was Remus Lupin, quiet, thoughtful, the weight of the night already resting heavily on his shoulders.
"Are you sure this will work?" Peter whispered, glancing nervously over his shoulder as if half-expecting Professor McGonagall to appear.
Sirius shushed him, "It’s made by the centaurs, of course, it'll work. They've been alive long enough to know a thing about magic that we humans can't fathom. It’ll help Remus and that's what matters."
James nodded, looking serious for a moment. "We need to stick together—Remus needs us. This ritual," he said, holding up a parchment scribbled with ancient runes, "will bind us so we can share his... condition. Make it easier for him to bear. We’ll become true brothers, not just in spirit, but in magic."
As they reached the entrance to the Room of Requirement, Remus grabbed James’s arm, stopping him. "You don’t have to do this—for me. The risk—"
"We’ve discussed this, Moony," James interrupted, his voice firm yet kind. "We're in this together. You're not alone in this fight," he said before placing a hand on the doorknob and turning it. The door creaked open, revealing a room that seemed to pulse with ancient power—and at its center lay a stone circle, embedded with symbols that shimmered faintly in the darkness.
They stepped inside, each taking their place around the stone circle with a seriousness that was rarely seen in the group otherwise known for their mischievous antics. As instructed by the centaurs, each placed a drop of their blood onto the symbol that resonated with their innermost selves—a stag, a dog, a rat, and a wolf—and began to chant the incantation that would bind their lives together in unimaginable ways.
The room trembled as magic, old and pure, began to weave between them, its threads invisible yet palpable. Sirius could feel an energy coursing through his veins, connecting him to his brothers, their hearts beating as one. Peter felt a courage blooming within him, the fear dissipating as the power of the bond filled him. And James saw their future, not as four separate paths, but as one united journey, no matter the obstacles they’d face.
Throughout it all, Remus remained silent, his eyes closed, accepting the gift and the burden of this shared destiny. But as the magic reached its peak, his eyes snapped open, glowing with an otherworldly light. The room settled, the magic completed its course, and the brothers stepped back, looking at each other with new eyes.
Nothing outwardly had changed, yet everything was different. They were truly brothers now—bonded by magic, by choice, and by a fate that would test them in ways they could never have imagined. The night had transformed them, and together, they would face the dawning of a new, uncertain day.
The first whisperings of dawn crept through the windows as the brothers left the Room of Requirement, their lives irrevocably intertwined. They did not speak, but their shared glances held volumes of unspoken understanding and a fierce determination to uphold the bond they had just created—no matter what the future held.