Welcome to the new round of SBFC discussions! Let's get this started with the topic of:

Sirius as a Brother

Was Sirius a good brother? Should he have tried more with Regulus and not give up on him? Was James a substitute for the ideal brother Sirius never had? Were Sirius and Regulus more alike than either would have liked to believe?


What do YOU think? Share your thoughts with us below

I think Sirius was disconnected from his family altogether, not just his brother. I'm sure he could have made more of an effort to get to know his brother, but at the same time he was pretty much an outcast of his family, and probably saw his friends (especially James) as his siblings and was a lot closer to them than his actual family.

I think that sirius was only a bad brother to regulus because he misjudged him. Sirius wasn't one to beat around the bush so he was probably honest with his family when he disagreed with them, and he distanced himself from them because he didn't like what they where doing. Regulus on the other hand probably went with the flow more, but sirius probably thought that he actually agreed with them, not that he was just trying to avoid conflict. I think sometimes it is hard for people who are opinionated to understand people who are shy and don't find it as easy to stick up for what they believe in.

I think that Regulus and Sirius were too different for either of them to be a good brother to the other. It was never the fact that Sirius didn't try hard enough. I think that the entire family shunned Sirius so he saw no reason to try any harder to be close with them.

I definitely believe that James was like a familial sub for Sirius. Not just a brother, but a best friend as well. He was everything to Sirius that his true family was not and then some.

The last is an interesting question. I think in the end, yes they were a lot alike. Regulus saw Voldy and the DE's for what they were and became more like Sirius than he ever thought was possible. But not for one second do I think that Regulus was ever half the man that Sirius was.

*puts entirely too much thought into this*

I think he misjudged him too. From what Sirius said about Regulus, the few times that he did, it was clear he thought of him as nothing more than a cowardly follower of Voldemort. I don't know about the shy part, I mean, from the books it's made clear that in the beginning Regulus joined Voldemort's ranks because he was attracted by his power. I think ultimately when he did become disenchanted with the Dark Side, Regulus did stick up for what he believed in (albeit it took him a change of heart to determine what it was) - just maybe not in a way that was flashy enough. He wasn't brave from the start, but I think it took bravery and some guts to stand up to Voldemort like he did and to give up his life; even though unfortunately it mattered little in the grand scheme of things.

Naw, I like it that you put a lot of thought into this, makes me feel less alone in doing so I agree with what you're saying; I too think they shared some common traits and that one of them was bravery - though Regulus' was perhaps just a fraction of Sirius'. Still, I think it takes more courage to stand up to someone (and to a core of values) that you begin by respecting, perhaps even worshipping, than maybe if you started out by dismissing them altogether. I don't know if it makes sense, I'm prolly not explaining myself clearly enough. I obviously think that Sirius was the better man, but I don't think Regulus was just half the man his brother was. I think he had the potential to definitely get there, and maybe if he'd not died like he did, he would've continued to fight Voldemort. I really wish the brothers would've maybe reunited and fought him together. Maybe Regulus could've joined the Order or something! [/delusional]

But yeah, basically I regret the fact that the two Black brothers weren't closer and didn't have a better relationship. I think Sirius would have nurtured the good, heroic side of Regulus and that Regulus would have had a lot to learn from his older brother. I kind of wanted Sirius to find out that Regulus did not die like a coward, that he would've found out about his sacrifice. I feel that Regulus definitely redeemed himself in his final act, but that few people learned about it and more ought to have. Then again, I suppose it's like with charity: if you want everyone to know about it, then you're not really doing it for the ones you're helping; you're doing it for yourself.

I like to think that he tried to influence Regulus, but being away from him for such a long time when Reg wasn't at Hogwarts yet probably gave his parents a bigger influence.
Regulus was probably lost from the moment he was sorted into Slytherin, had he been sorted into a different house I think Sirius and he could've stayed friends and Sirius could've saved Regulus.

I think Sirius might have tried to influence Regulus too

I think he tried to make him see the good side the whole time, but then Regulus might have just gone all pro dark lord and then the two grew apart or something?

I think that as innocent children, they would have been really close. But as they grew older, Regulus started siding with the family more and Sirius the opposite. I feel that Regulus and Sirius could have been extremely close if they tried. Also, the fact that Regulus was sorted into Slytherin must have had an effect on their relationship-same thing when Sirius was sorted into Gryffindor. Also, I think that Regulus wanted to please his parents very much, and be the good son, so he didn't try and be close to Sirius.

I do think James was like a replacement brother: the brother Sirius never had. I think he wanted to badly to rid the image of being a Black that he stuck to James and the rest of the Marauders for a sanctuary.

Personally, I think that Sirius would be saddened by his little brother's death. And I do think Sirius had an influence on Regulus turning on the DE in the end.

I think that if Sirius and Regulus just had a day with talking, not that he would, they might find that although they have little in common, they could probably get along. I mean, I know with my own sibling we hated each other and it was absolutely horrible, but after a while things change and you come to accept each other. I think for Sirius, if things hadn't happened the way they had with James and Lily, he would have seen the way they acted as a family and not having children, but watching Harry grow, he may have wanted to build some sort of bridge with Regulus for that other link to a family. Even though he didn't really like his family and was shunned by them. I'd like to think that anyway. I don't like thinking that Sirius or Regulus never would have tried to mend anything when they were both more mature adults.

I think that James, Remus...and Peter were all a substitute brother for Sirius because they were the people that he talked to, hung out with, and did everything with them.


I think that Sirius thought that Regulas was just like the rest of his family, all they cared about was what a witches or wizard's blood was. I think is Sirius and Regulas would have talked more and hung out then their relationship could have been better.

But theres also another thing to think about a relationship is two sided-both sides have to try.

^ I would have loved to see a chapter or something from the view of Regulus. I just think it would have been amazing reading about how he went from Death Eater to finding out about the Horcruxes and going to destroy them, knowing what it would cost.

I think Sirius never really gave himself a chance to be a good brother to Regulus, since he did his best to show how different he was from his family. But when it comes to his friends James, Lupin, and Peter, he showed how great a brother he could be.

I think Sirius and Regulus being close brothers/friends as children/teenagers might not have been possible, but they would have been at least in good terms with each other as adults (quite different personalities as siblings often are, but both against Voldemort) had they been given the chance.

I agree ^

It's like all siblings in some way, once they all leave the nest and mature they can find some common ground. But I think Regulus may have liked being the favourite, whereas Sirius was not interested at all. I can just picture them never having much to do with each other during their childhood and teen years, but I don't know if that's just because of the lack of informaiton.

^also I dont think Sirius would have been keen on talking to him and hanging out with him during school because Regulas was in Slytherin, and that might have been a sign to Sirius that Regulas was just like the rest of his family.

I think Sirius wasn't a great brother towards Regulus. Because of the fact that Regulus was for the death eaters from the start. He wasn't against them, his whole family was leaning towards the dark side. Maybe at first Sirius tried to tell Regulus that he should turn away from the dark side as well, but when he realized he wouldn't Sirius turned against him as well.

Of course he looked towards James as a brother, they were like brothers. They hung out together at school, became close friends, he probably even looked towards Lupin as a brother as well!

^BUT, Regulus went against the Death Eaters when he learned what exactly Voldemort's plans were in order to get what he wanted. So, perhaps Sirius wasn't very kind to him...but remember that their parents were constantly telling Sirius that "Regulus was a better son than him." So, there was bound to be animosity there - especially with Regulus being the younger brother. Their relationship really went downhill after their respective sortings and Sirius was placed in Gryffindor instead of where he "should" have been in Slytherin - so we might be able to assume that prior to this they got along reasonably well. Then Regulus made it his ambition to become a Death Eater and, well, that was all she wrote for their relationship.

I imagine that Sirius tried to make him see the light of his ways and the choices his brother was making - which made him a GOOD brother. Sirius had wished that Regulus had not been foolish enough to go with what their parents told him to do, and was rather upset with losing his little brother to the Death Eaters at such a young and promising age and there must have been some sort of influence there since Regulus did eventually turn against Voldemort and become the R.A.B of legend

^I agree I think that if Regulas at first didnt have gone to the dark side with his parents then maybe the two could have had a chance, and also the seperation of Houses had a major affect on them too, since Slytherins hanging/talking to Gryffindors was looked down upon and same for the Grffindors talking to the Slytherins.