Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“What have I done?”

His vision swam, his silvery blue eyes staring at his hands held out in front of him as if they were covered with blood, and yet his hands were clean.

“What have I done?”

The lights around him flickered, his brain on overload, a cold sweat breaking out; his mind attempted putting the pieces together, his silvery blue eyes drifting up to the cupboard under the stairs. Bile—

He dashed towards the sink, vomiting the bile that rose in his throat, his entire body shaking, his mind remembering the sight of Kreacher appearing in front of him like a drowned rat, the House Elf’s ears drooping. At the same time, the sackcloth hung off the old creature’s thin frame as Kreacher trembled from what Regulus had done.

—lights flickered—

“What,” he looked up again at the closet where he’d told Kreacher to hide. “Have I done?”

Taking a deep breath, he stood up, straightening his posture while wobbling on his two feet while looking at the ceiling. Thin fingers reached up to run through the black curling locks as he gasped for air as if he were the one drowning rather than Kreacher, remembering quite well what the House Elf told him, of the lake and the Infiri—corpses—attempted pulling Kreacher down into the lake.

He let out a laugh, fingers still twisted in his hair. “ Im going mad, aren’t I? The family madness? Who would even begin to understand? Who would understand what I’ve done? ” His entire body continued to shake. “ Who? ”

And then he apparated away, out of the kitchen at Grimmauld Place, with its old-fashioned stove and oven, all things he’d never used.

He landed hard , his entire body starting to crumble, the landing having made an impact on his ankle, resulting in a sound escaping from his mouth, a sound of pain that didnt feel like it came from him as his left hand, his dominate hand remained entangled in his dark locks of hair, and then came the mad laugh as tears formed at the corner of his eyes, the thought of Infiri, the bodies of all that person killed dragging Kreacher into the depths—

“Regulus!”

He didn’t see her , not until he felt her arms wrap around his waist, pulling him into a hug, while she leaned in, standing on her tiptoes, vivid blue eyes with long locks of platinum blond hair cascading around her face as he let out a laugh, his hand that didn’t run through his hair touching her shoulder as—

“Thank goodness!”

“Pandora,” Regulus muttered, swallowing, the bile that threatened to rise again abating, her eyes looking into his own as if she understood what went on in his head, the one person he’d never felt uncomfortable looking into the eyes of, as—

“You didn’t run away,” she said, nodding her head; Pandora always felt like a mirror of himself, the light to his darkness. Her smile twisted into a frown, her eyes still reading everything, gauging the situation as she nodded her head. “But perhaps you should.”

Regulus stiffened, his vision starting to glaze over; the madness—

“Not the way you were thinking,” Pandora said, reaching a hand up to run her fingers through his hair, to disentangle his fingers from the mad clenching of his hair as the tears formed in his eyes.

“Pandora!”

Regulus stiffened, hearing the familiar voice, his mind thinking over what Pandora could have meant by the words she’d said.

“What are you doing here this late, Reggie?”

Regulus let out a huff, wanting to say the person’s name, yet his mind—

The lights around them flickered as he staggered on his feet, but he looked from Pandora to that person with hair and eyes the same color as her own. He felt Pandora tug at his clothes, realizing then she’d dressed in night clothes, blue like Ravenclaw, the house—

“Perhaps that’s where I should have been sorted,” Regulus thought. “Certainly would have, had a simply been born a little later. There with Pandora instead of Evan, with…” He paused, his eyes focusing on Evan, who glowered at him, the tip of his wand lit with the Lumos spell. He wanted to open his mouth, to apologize.

“Listen to me,” Pandora said, tugging Regulus’ robes. “You need to run.”

“Pandora,” Evan said, his tone of voice—

Regulus swallowed, hating that he couldn’t read Evan’s tone. “ But if he knows what Ive done, what Pandora knows without me telling her. I can’t follow the Dark Lord anymore, and the secret to his immortality… ”

“Don’t even think of handling the matter on your own,” Pandora said.

“I can’t,” Regulus said. “Drag you into this.” He reached up, gently touching her hair, wishing at that moment that she and Evan were his siblings rather than Sirius, that Pandora had been born his twin. He felt her lean her face into his chest.

“I know,” she said. “But listen?”

“Hey,” Evan said. “What is…”

Pandora pulled away, shaking her head, her platinum locks of hair bouncing around, her eyes looking over at Evan, who froze, the look on his face—

“Wish I could read other people,” Regulus thought to himself. “To know what Evan is thinking.”

“Twenty days,” Pandora said.

“Twenty days?” Regulus asked.

“Run for twenty days,” Pandora said. “Run, be free of all of this.”

“What…” Regulus stared.

“Stay away from all of us,” Pandora said, looking at him, her mouth forming a thin line. “And everything will be okay.”

“But…” Regulus lifted his head, looking at Evan, who—

—horror, that seemed to be the look on Evan’s face, as if—

Pandora tugged at the front of his robes. “I’ll take care of Kreacher.”

Regulus looked down, swallowing.

“Evan!” Pandora turned. “You’re not to say anything about Kreacher being alive, you hear?”

“What?” Evan said, the tip of his wand still lit. “What is going on?”

“None of your business, you idiot!” Pandora said. She turned to Regulus. “Run, Reggie. Run, live, and be free. Twenty days. Remember that.”

“Twenty days,” Regulus said, watching Pandora back away, smiling at him. He nodded quickly, then apparated away, trusting what she’d just told him.

Chapter Text

—calm—

Regulus wasn ’t calm.

After all—

Arriving back at the basement kitchen, one of the first thoughts to cross Regulus’ mind was, “ I ’ve broken the rules, the taboo of apparating in and out of the family home. ”

The first time was the direct result of the anxiety wracking his mind, but that didn’t change the fact that Regulus broke the taboo. He knew full well that proper etiquette meant never entering a home without knocking, without announcing one's presence, and constantly entering and exiting through the front door.

Sirius however?

Sirius didn’t hesitate in breaking that taboo, always being the one to break the rules.

“How is he even able to do that, what with the wards to prevent apparating in and out?” Regulus once asked.

“Any wizard who doesn’t ensure his flesh and blood have an escape route in a worst-case scenario is a fool,” was the answer he received from his grandfather, Arcturus Black.

Which he’d never thought about that particular taboo, being Sirius left home and never came back, thus ending the breaking of that taboo. Taking a deep breath, Regulus quickly performed the Sign of Excalibur as he’d seen his Aunt Dorea do in her old age while she was still alive whenever she let out a wild tirade of curses as the other female members of the family looked on in horror: forehead, heart, right then left shoulder. “I’ll ask for forgiveness later.”

Swallowing, he looked up.

“Papa and Maman are included in ‘all of us,’ so I must hurry and gather what I’ll need to survive on my own for twenty days without waking them.”

He quickly apparated upstairs, emptying his bookbag before casting an extension charm on it despite knowing the Ministry of Magic restricted such things. This resulted in him momentarily hesitating, looking into the bag before sighing and casting the spell, making sure to slip in the Muggle money his grandfather insisted Regulus have around in case of an emergency that the youngest member of the Black family thought would never come around.

“Possibly worse at the end of the day than anything Sirius ever did,” Regulus thought to himself, shaking his head before apparating back down to the kitchen and piling enough food for twenty days into the bag before glancing up at the cupboard under the stairs.

For a moment, he wanted to approach Kreacher, to tell the old House Elf what was going on, but then—

Regulus stood there, holding out his hand, then shook his head. “She said, ‘ stay away from all of us ,’ that she’d take care of Kreacher.” Letting out a sigh, he walked over, momentarily resting his forehead on the door, before sighing again, touching the door lightly with his fingers, backing away, and apparating into his father’s study.

Clutching the strap of his book bag tightly, he glanced around before muttering, “I’m so, so sorry.”

He stepped over to where he knew Orion kept his brand new invisibility cloak, hanging it over his arm as he quickly slipped a few books into his bag that Regulus felt might come in handy once he was on his own before reading the potion cabinet for anything that might prove helpful in surviving twenty days on his own.

A sound from above made Regulus stiffen, looking up at the ceiling. He swallowed, pulling the invisibility cloak over himself before quickly apparating to the sidewalk outside Grimmauld, taking in the rising sun. Glancing down the street, he promptly apparated to that spot, carefully picking out new spots to apparate to the next spot, slowly getting Father and Father away from Grimmauld Place.

Eventually, he found an alleyway where he could pull his father’s invisibility cloak and stow it into the bag. He took a deep breath as his eyes blinked at the sunlight, his mind wondering how his parents would handle him taking off. “Twenty days.”

Shaking his head, he stepped onto the sidewalk and started walking, lifting his hands to blow on them, his mouth twisting into a frown. Eventually, when the sun rose high in the sky, he stopped and sat on a bench, blowing his breath onto his hands and eating the bread and cheese he packed before continuing, shivering due to the cold.

“Should have taken that into consideration,” Regulus muttered to himself before continuing, deciding to keep his eye out for a Muggle store where he could buy gloves and an extra coat, hoping the Muggle money he had on hand would prove sufficient. Only—

He stopped short, stiffening, thinking he saw familiar faces that could lead to a problem for him, his head darting around to look for a place to hide, his eyes alighting upon a Muggle building, his breath sucking in.

Regulus found the building odd, with many boxes above the entrance with words that looked like some Muggle had put each letter in by hand. He noticed a couple of Muggles stepping over, paying for something , and taking a deep breath, he stepped over, his head turning to see nearby—

“At least they’re not Death Eaters, but still,” Regulus thought. “I can’t be seen by anybody right now.” He stepped forward, hoping he had enough Muggle money, suddenly feeling wildly unprepared.

“What film do you want to see?”

“What?” Regulus’ eyes blinked, looking at the female standing in the box, blowing out a bubble which he found obnoxious. He grimaced. “I’ve heard of films from Sirius, so…” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

“Huh,” the woman said. “How about a ticket for Superman: The film?”

“Sure,” Regulus said, frowning. “How much?”

The Muggle gave him the price as he looked out, hoping he hadn’t been noticed. “Yeah. Avoiding your bullies?”

“Huh?” Regulus asked. He shook his head. “Just avoiding people in general.”

“Much of an anorak, then?”

“I don’t know what that means,” Regulus said.

“Well, I hope you enjoy your film,” they said, giving him a ticket which didn’t seem to cost much, making Regulus wonder precisely how much money his grandfather gave him in case of an emergency, that perhaps he did have enough to survive for twenty days as she told him which theater the film would be in.

“Can’t believe I’m doing this,” Regulus thought to himself, and yet—

The building was warmer inside than outside, and he could avoid classmates noticing him.

“If they’re out and about, they’re likely Muggleborn,” Regulus thought, heading to the theater, only to pause, watching the couple buy some food items. He stepped forward, getting a popcorn not wanting to look out of place and then went to the theater, noticing that the couple was going to a completely different theater. “Different film?” He shook his head, deciding not to think too much of it, finding a seat and looking forward, unsure of the entire experience.

Everything started with strange moving portraits on the wall, massive and reminding him for some reason of the Dark Mark placed in the sky, and yet—

“It’s not eerie or scary like…” Regulus looked down at his left forearm, sighing, knowing the Dark Mark marred his left arm. “I hope he can’t trace me through this.” His hand clasped over his forearm. “I bloody should have thought of that.” He let out a sigh as—

A story started playing across the screen in moving pictures. Regulus frowned, confused regarding the orbital features beyond the stars his family was named for, yet while he didn’t understand that, he sympathized with the planet's destruction as well as the orphaning of the tiny infant who would come to be named Clark Kent.

“Is this what it’s like for Sirius when he’s at the Potters?” Regulus wondered as he saw the two Muggles raising the magical being with magical super strength as if he were their own. “And would Muggles really accept someone magical like that these days?” He wasn’t sure.

He was sure, though, how he felt when Clark Kent’s father died of a heart attack.

“Papa,” Regulus muttered, closing his eyes for a moment, worrying about Orion, holding his bag closer, wishing he didn’t have to run, hoping he couldn’t be found via his Dark Mark. “If true, hiding among Muggles is quite unfair to the Muggles, but if not, it’s the one place they would never think to look for me.”

Eventually, the film ended, with plenty of thoughts going through Regulus’ mind because of the narrative, while his mind wracked his brain for where he might stay that was warm. “ I could hide somewhere warm with the invisibility cloak as Muggle places are closed up. ” He let out a sigh. “This stinks.”

But so far, he was alive.

Chapter Text

“Think of this as a study of Muggle behavior,” Regulus thought to himself, in an attempt to justify—

—well, everything.

A mixture of feelings existed in his mind, feelings he couldn’t quite put together after watching the first film. However, he found himself giddy at learning the place was called a cinema, not a theater, all from listening to some of the Muggles coming and going from the place. “But it looks like a theater, doesn't it? ”

His body remained grateful for the warmth of the cinema, the place he’d decided to stay first as the cinema was the first Muggle building he entered, even though in the back of his mind, guilt existed from having enjoyed the Muggle moving portrait he’d just watched, even though some parts he didn’t understand, and some parts traumatized him. And to not catch the attention of the Muggles, he bought another ticket to the same film, which—

“It’s the same,” Regulus thought. “Muggle moving portraits don’t change what they do like wizarding portraits.” In the back of his head, Regulus noted he should tell Sirius what he decided to call films one day, only for a pang to hit him. “I may not live past these twenty days, and it’s not as if Sirius would take any interest in me.”

He also realized cinema, unlike theater, held a sticky feeling to them, a feeling that left him desperately fighting the urge to cast a scourging charm in the dark while those attending the film weren’t watching. Yet, he also fondly remembered the small theater his Uncle Alphard took him and Sirius. That particular adventure was one of the things they never discussed with the rest of the family. It was a secret between them and Uncle Alphard, one of the few secrets Regulus easily kept.

“Always getting Sirius in trouble because I could never lie properly. She always knew,” Regulus thought, remembering how miserable he felt when that happened. “And she’ll find out about all of this when I return, so…”

Regulus brushed such thoughts aside, casting alarms allowing him to know when the theater opened in the morning so he could sneak out and pretend he was coming, just as he pretended the night before to be leaving close to closing time, taking advantage of his father’s recently bought invisibility cloak, knowing full well—

“How dare you!” Regulus already imagined Walburga screaming. “Use your father’s things for such filthy, filthy things!”

“What film this time, love?” the ticket tacker asked, snapping her bubblegum, having sold him the ticket for the same film. “Superman again?”

“Jaws?” Regulus randomly selected a film from the list at that particular cinema and found himself in a different room. “Why does the title have the number two in it?”

“Have you seen the first one?” the woman asked.

“Well…” Regulus looked at her.

“You seemed a bit out of place the other day,” the woman said, the bubble popping.

“I have!” Regulus protested, then lied. “I have seen the first one!” Which, “That explains the number two in the title. I hope the fact it’s the second won’t…”

Regulus regretted his choice of Muggle moving portrait for an entirely different reason: the experience—

“Bloody Merlin!” Regulus muttered, not noticing the Muggles giving him odd looks for his vernacular as he tried cleaning himself up from the unpleasant experience. After that, he let out a bunch of curses in both English and French, which caused a few more stares.

He finally sighed and stepped into one of the cubicles, hanging his bag on the wall and waving his wand to scorify his clothes. Hence, he no longer smelled like he’d just crapped his pants more than once, having stayed in that bloody film like an idiot, not wanting to feel out of place or to make any of the Muggles think he was out of place.

“You’re not brave like Sirius. You don’t have to be brave like him,” Regulus tried telling himself, still mortified at what happened. He sat for a while at the entrance, getting himself something to eat, but eventually, he calmed at the thought the person selling snacks was staring at him, thinking him quite odd. “Time to pick another film, I guess, and then cloak myself.”

He stepped out into the cold, blowing on his fingers, wishing for gloves.

“Idiot for forgetting that,” Regulus thought to himself, and then—

He stared, feeling even more like an idiot, seeing the poster for Jaws 2 outside the cinema, the corner of his mouth twitching. The poster for Superman wouldn’t have enticed him in, given how odd a man flying in an outfit that stood out like a sore thumb to Muggles seemed strange to him still, but what did draw his attention—

Regulus stared at the illustrated rabbits, eyes widening, before glancing around to make sure nobody he recognized was around today who might turn him over to whoever might be looking for him. Still, then he glanced down, touching his forearm. “ He's not summoned me yet, which is good. ” He looked up at the poster. “ I'll think I’ll try that one, but I’m surprised how I’ve not even made a dent in what I have for emergency money, but grand-père must have wanted me to be prepared if an emergency occurred. ”

Regulus felt less guilty for enjoying the popcorn, candy, and other Muggle treats that weren’t on the menu for someone from The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.

“An emergency is an emergency, and I’m laying low, making sure he doesn’t find me,” Regulus thought. “Or Bella.” Regulus cringed, suddenly feeling his cousin finding him might be a worse option, but when he stepped in front of the ticket kiosk, “You’re not the person…”

“Have a crush on Louise?” the guy asked.

“What?” Regulus frowned, confused as to why the guy would say that, wondering exactly how he’d slip up.

“What film do you want to see?” the guy asked. “Or do you only want to see films while she’s here?”

“I want to see Watership Down,” Regulus said.

“A bit childish, isn’t it?” the guy smirked. “Wait till I tell Loise she’s got a little kid crushing on her.”

“Not a little kid,” Regulus protested, glaring at him.

“Sure,” the guy said.

“I wanted a break after watching that film,” Regulus said, pointing his finger at the Jaws title.

“What film?”

“The one with the bloody shark,” Regulus said.

The guy remained silent, watching him, while Regulus glared. “So, a break from that one?”

“Yes,” Regulus said. “It seemed tame in comparison.”

“Well, that’s one way of putting it,” the guy said. “A film for little kids is certainly tame compared to the shark of all shark films.”

“Uh-huh,” Regulus said. “Can I have my ticket already?” He paid. “I still haven’t made a dent in what I was given money-wise? Well, other things must be more expensive, right?”

He bought snacks again, extra to sneak into his bag in case he needed something else later, and headed into a third room with a moving portrait waiting to start, but when it did—

“Those must be Muggle moving ads,” Regulus thought. “For items, I certainly don’t want.” There came a pause. “Well, the foods look interesting, I guess.”

The third film—

Regulus left the room satisfied, even though one Muggle called that particular film childish. The ending did not seem silly, yet he felt the film was something he’d want to see again. He couldn’t help but say, “Superman should have been done like that.”

“Because it’s a comic?”

Regulus turned to look at the Muggle, realizing he’d said something in front of them, telling himself to be even more careful of attracting attention to himself. “What?”

“Because Superman is a comic?”

“Huh?” Regulus shook his head, distancing himself from the Muggle, before sneaking back into the cinema using the invisibility cloak, grateful for a warm place to stay. He looked at his forearm, feeling nothing. “The pain I feel when he summons us? Maybe that should have been a clue the situation wasn’t right, but I thought…” Regulus frowned. “Why did I think him hurting us? Anybody was okay? I mean, he’s been killing Muggles and lots of others despite me believing otherwise.”

He brushed the thoughts aside, telling himself he needed to get as good of a night’s sleep as possible.

The next morning—

Watership Down again, as he enjoyed the film and already decided he wouldn't mind watching it again, but his second choice ended up being Death on the Nile , which out of all the films felt the most familiar to him, what with the way everyone dressed, and there wasn’t much technology, but the idea of solving a murder—

“Why can’t we have books like this?” Regulus thought to himself.

He’d planned on watching Watership Down a third time, only—

Regulus froze, seeing in the front area—

Quickly, he left the theater and sighed as he looked down at his forearm, still not having felt anyone summon him, for which he was grateful, but, “ It's definitely time to move on. ”

Glancing back, he felt a pang, hoping the individuals he recognized from school going to see the Muggle films hadn’t noticed him.

“Please. Tell me that I didn’t fail at doing what Pandora told me just because I decided to be a glutton and enjoy those films,” Regulus thought, hurrying along.

Chapter Text

“Bloody Merlin,” Regulus thought to himself. “It’s cold.” He took a deep breath, letting the air out, and watched a mist form as he shivered, leaning against the wall of a Muggle building. He held his wand, allowing the charm he had cast to warm his body, but it didn’t completely protect him from the outside temperatures. His eyes drooped slightly. “And I’m a fool. I’m doing what Pandora said, but I’m a complete fool in how I’m going about it.”

He looked up at the sky, swallowing, wishing he could see the stars from where he was. Yet, he ’d learned a long time ago that Muggle lights tainted the night sky, preventing both Wizards and Muggles alike from seeing them. There were times Walburga would rant about that particular filthy habit of the Muggles and, in that dark hour, for himself.

“I wish,” Regulus said, “I can see what we are named after.” He then let out a chuckle. “Speaking of, I bet Sirius would have handled being on the lam far better than I am, but going to him…” The young wizard tensed, his eyes widening, before both hands went up to his head as he shook it. “No, no! I can’t! Not only Pandora’s rules, but Sirius would never help. He’d never…”

He sucked in his breath, sliding down slightly, sitting on the ground to try and better warm himself for the night, deciding that he needed to find just the right place in the morning to hide away in.

“A place with books would be nice,” he muttered to himself. “I miss reading already, even though I know all the books I’ve ever read from cover to cover. Have I ever gone a day before without reading?” Letting out a sigh, he brought out his sack, pulling out a book, remembering he’d brought them with him, and he was hidden enough, yet he quickly stuck the book back in, shaking his head. “Too cold. To cold to read.”

His eyes squinted shut as he waited for the night to clear, finding himself grateful for the sun coming out. He watched the Muggles pass by him, wondering whether he should engage or not.

“It’s not as if I haven’t already done this, and I don’t see any of my schoolmates around here,” Regulus thought, “But I don’t think I managed on not sticking out to the ones who I paid to see the films.” He finally took a deep breath and approached one. “Hi.”

The person looked at him up and down, then said, “Shouldn’t you be in school, lad? Or has the winter holiday not ended yet.”

“Nice job reminding me I’m not likely to graduate this year, what with everything that is going on,” Regulus said. “Still on holiday. Visiting some relatives.”

“Ah.”

“They forgot to tell me when I left this morning,” Regulus said. “Uh, well, books?”

“Do you mean a bookstore or a library?” the man said. “I know directions to both.”

“A library?” Regulus felt a level of excitement. “A Mu…” And then he paused, his cheeks flushing.

The man laughed. “Oh. Don’t need to thank me lad. It’s always nice to see a young one interested in learning.” He nodded his head in a certain direction, giving out instructions on how to get to the library, and when he was sure Regulus had the instructions, he said, “Have fun.”

Regulus nodded his head as the man started on his way again, only to pause, patting the sides of his head, closing his eyes. “ Come on, Regulus. Now is not the time to be having fun. Watching movies like you were, having fun, you shouldn ’t be having fun while you’re on the run from that monster. ”

And yet—

“Is this how Sirius felt,” Regulus wondered. “With his motorcycles and naked girl posters.”

“They’re not naked, Regulus!” he remembered Sirius protesting. “They’re in bikini! Why do you have to act like seeing them is going to kill you?”

“Yeah,” Regulus muttered. “He’d laugh at me, say I’m not actually Seri…” And then he chuckled, “Sirius!” Taking a deep breath, he followed the instructions on getting to the library, eyes delighted at seeing the building before dusting off his feet and brushing off the slight wetness from outside. And then, he started in, instantly feeling overwhelmed.

“Can I help you?”

Regulus startled, then turned to look at the woman. “I, uh.”

The woman watched him, pushing up her spectecules that reminded him of MgGonagall wore. “I’ve not seen you here before.”

“I’m visiting relatives,” Regulus said, continuing the lie, before looking around, taking a deep breath. “Uh, well…”

“Anything in particular you’re looking for, young man?”

Regulus ’ eyes blinked. “Yes. Well. There’s a,” he tilted his head. “How to put this. I’ve read lots of books. Non-fiction, and chivalric romance. But I was wondering…”

“Oh?” the woman said. “You’re interested in a new genre?”

“Well, yes!” Regulus said. “If that’s what they call it. Nobodies really talked to me about this.” He took a deep breath. “But a specific one? I saw a film yesterday.”

“Oh,” the woman said, looking dissapointed.

“It had a detective. Uh, Poirot. And…”

“Oh!” The woman’s face blosumed with excitement. “You’re talking about Death on the Nile.”

“Yes!” Regulus said. “How did you know?”

And then the woman laughed. “My dear? Agatha Christie’s works involving Ms. Marple and Hercule Poirot are litterary classics. She’s considered the queen of myster.y”

“Who would the king of mystery be?” Regulus blurted out.

“Why, Sir Conan Doyal,” the woman said. “You’ve never read a mystery novel before?”

Regulus shook his head. “It’s an entirely new genre, but one that absolutely interests me. It’s, uh…” He frowned.

“Solving the mystery, figuring it out can be quite fun,” the woman said, then she motioned him to follow her. “I can show you to the mystery section then, and you simply need to look for their works under the names Christie and Conan Doyal, but I do hope you enjoy.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, hurrying after, while mentally, “Curses. I’m not supposed to be having fun, particularly with Muggle things I know maman would throw a fit over. Yet…” There was something about that one movie that perked his interest, but then he blurted out. “What about, uh. Another movie I saw was called ‘Watership Down’”

“That would be in the children’s section under the last name of Adams,” she said. “Your parents have only introduced you to the classics?”

“They are rather strict,” Regulus said, taking a deep breath at the site of the number of mystery books that existed. “It’s also because these genres don’t exactly exist among us Muggles, I think, though I think there must be works created for children.”

“That’s a shame. Reading honestly opens up doors for people,” she said. “Too many amazing places and things.”

“They do?” Regulus asked. “Maybe this isn’t such a bad idea if I can learn something from the books?”

“The children’s section is in that direction,” she said. “But do enjoy. Perhaps the relative you’re visiting might lend you a library card so you can check books out.”

“Ah. Of course,” Regulus said, his face flushing. “It’s a lie, though, that I’m visiting. But I’m guessing this card for the library is how one checks out books, where it is done very differently than at the school. He took a deep breath, tracing his fingers across the tops of the books, holding back his excitement at so many books he’d never read, knowing full well it was inappropriate to cause a fuss in the library.

Sirius, of course, had never understood that rule, having gotten kicked out multiple times.

“He wouldn’t like this place,” Regulus said, starting with the book from which the film he had seen was adapted. He quickly sat down, reading the book rapidly, and soon a pile of books began forming beside him.

“Hey,” someone called out.

Regulus flinched, looking up at a young woman. “I, yes?” He sucked in his breath. “ Have I been caught? ”

“Books don’t put themselves away, you know,” the woman said.

Regulus blinked his eyes, looking at the books. “Oh. I guess they don’t.” After all, “ Muggles don ’t have magic. ” He stood. “I’ll put them away then?”

“What?” the woman shook her head in amusement. “Just drop the ones you’re done with off in the drop-off box, though it seems like you’re planning on checking out a whole lot.”

“Checking out…” Regulus paused. “Oh. No. I’ve read them already.”

“Wait? That many?”

“Uh,” Regulus tensed. “I forgot. I forgot my ability to read books this fast is abnormal.” He swallowed. “Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” the woman said. “I’d love to be able to read as fast as you.”

“That,” Regulus said, looking down at the book in his hand. “Nobodies ever said that they’d like to read books as fast,” and then, “Most people laugh at how much I love books.” He then added. “I really love this place.”

“Well, you might be a bit unusual, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with loving books. I wish more your age would take a liking to books.”

“What? Why?” Regulus said.

“We mostly get younger children with their parents and adults,” the librarian said.

“I stand out like a sore thumb then?” Regulus asked.

“Well,” she paused. “You’re not back in school? For winter break?”

“I’m visiting relatives. Making myself scarce and out of their hair.”

“Ah. Then I won’t ask about your particular situation, but I guess that if you’re missing school, you can catch up here.

“That would be nice,” Regulus said, smiling politely at her, only to let it falter once she left. “But I know that I can’t. I’m struggling to keep up with my education here. She can’t even imagine that, though, as a Muggle.”

And then—

“Wait. If what she said is true, this wouldn’t be a bad day to hide out for a few days. I just have to make sure it looks like I leave around closing time.” He nodded his head. “I’ll find out when closing time actually is when I drop off the books I’ve read at the drop-off point she mentioned, but there are plenty of clocks that will let me tell when it’s close to the time.”

He had a giddy feeling, and for a moment, he thought Pandora was an utter genius.

“I guess if I have to die, twenty days of doing things I enjoy isn’t a bad thing, but maybe that’s not what I should focus on?”

Chapter Text

“You, Black, are a piece of work.”

Sirius rolled his eyes, arms behind his head, and boots up on the desk. “What else is new?”

The Auror currently in charge of his training frowned, tapping their side of the desk with their fingers, before stating, “If you’re not careful…”

“I’ve heard the spill before,” Sirius said.

“Look,” the man said, letting out a sigh. “I know that you have an entire inheritance because you’re a Black.”

“More like my disowned uncle inherited his disowned nephew, or perhaps it’s the other way around,” Sirius snarked, his mouth twisting in a sneer.

“Just because you’ve something to fall back on doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take this seriously,” the man said.

“Serious? I am Sirius,” Sirius said, then he sighed. “Look. I know. I’m trouble. I’ve got attitude.”

“More like an attitude problem,” the man said. “I’m not sure how much longer…”

“Black?”

Sirius frowned, glaring at Kingsley, though the times he ’d teamed up with that particular Auror had proved far more enjoyable than some of the others he teamed up with. “What?”

“There’s someone to see you. Down in the atrium.”

Sirius frowned. “I’m working.”

“Sure,” Kingsley said. “They said it was a family emergency.”

Sirius ’ mouth opened, confusion setting in. “ There ’s absolutely no way anybody in the Black family would contact me in case of an emergency, ” Sirius thought to himself. “So it must be the Potters.”

“I don’t know. I was simply picked to be the messenger.”

“No,” Sirius said, standing up. “Can’t be the Potters, as they’d be asking for James.” He then sighed. “Must be Andy, then, so I guess there is a Black that might seek me out for help, but babysitting? I’m not sure…” He stopped, then grinned. “Did I say that out loud?”

“You did,” Kinglsey said as Sirius’ training partner gave him a dirty look.

“Since you brought up Potter, I think I might as well remind you he’s already passed his training phase.”

“I’m aware,” Sirius sighed, then he shook his head and headed out and to the elevators, which took him down to the atrium. He stepped out, looking around for whoever might have sought him out, then froze, his eyes narrowed. “Bloody Merlin, no.”

Hee turned, deciding to walk away before they noticed him, yet—

“Sirius, wait!”

Sirius continued walking towards the elevators.

“I’ll send a Howler,” that person blurted out, causing Sirius to stiffen; then he turned to look at the man standing there, seeing shades of himself in the man, much to his dismay.

“Oh? So, do I have to redo the paperwork I already hate doing? Sirius asked. He didn’t shake his head; instead, he remained emotionless, revealing nothing that could be taken as a weakness, only to do a double take. “Hey? Old man?”

“What, Sirius,” Orion sighed, steadying himself with his cane.

“You’ve dropped the mask,” Sirius said. “Out in public, no less.”

Orion looked at him, his eyes screaming that there was, at least in Orion ’s mind, some family emergency that he needed Sirius’ help with. “Yes, well…” He cleared his throat. “Have you seen Regulus?”

Sirius stiffened, his head turning, then, nearly spitting it out, “That twat?”

“That twat,” Orion said, repeating his vernacular. “I was hoping that twat had perhaps holed himself up at your place.”

Sirius frowned, then, “Shouldn’t students be heading back to Hogwarts already? Or am I off by a week or so?”

“You’re off by a bit,” Orion said. “But he certainly should be at home, not at school.”

“Sorry, but I can’t help you,” Sirius said. “Because I don’t want to.”

“There’s no way this old man can hope that you’re covering for your younger…”

“He’s not,” Sirius hissed. “My brother.”

Orion ’s hand tightened around the handle of his cane, then he said firmly, keeping his voice low. “Your brother has taken the dark mark.”

Sirius felt the corner of his mouth twitch and then kept his calm. “What? What are you trying to do? Get me to say? To slug you in public and start screaming about how horrible all of you are? Everyone already knows that, sir . ”

“So he hasn't been to see you,” Orion said, the hurt evident.

“Why would he?”

“Because he’s weak,” Orion said. “He needs…”

Sirius let out a laugh. “You’re calling him weak? Your precious, perfect pureblood heir?

“He’s not strong like you,” Orion said. “If you see him…”

Sirius ’ eyes narrowed. He let out a half laugh. “See him? If I see him, I won’t send him back to that lot, so…”

“Good,” Orion said, closing his eyes, shaking. “When I said weak…” Orion’s eyes didn’t open. “I’m scared, Sirius. I’m terrified that boy’s going to get himself killed.”

Sirius looked at him, his stomach churning. “You. Why? Why come to me?”

“Because, like me, you care,” Orion said. “You actually care about him, unlike…” He paused, his eyes opening. “I know how difficult she can be, but if you think things were bad between you and her, you’ve absolutely no idea what Regulus has gone through, what I’ve tried to protect him from. He’s not like you, Sirius.”

“I’m aware,” Sirius said. “And I don’t see why…” He paused, tilting his head, frowning, catching sight. “Hey? Were you followed?”

“What?” Orion said.”

“I thought I saw,” Sirius paused, his eyes opening and closing. “No. I must be mistaken.”

“I hope not,” Orion said. “Should he have…” The man didn’t finish the sentence. “Please. If he comes to you…”

“Don’t. This is a problem of the Black family.”

“You’re a Black.”

“Bloody Merlin, I’m not,” Sirius said. “I left.”

Orion—

Suddenly, there was a fire in Orion ’s eyes, and he stepped forward, getting into Sirius’ face. “Sir?”

“That chance you got,” Orion said firmly, “He deserves as well. But mark my word; I will not let you forget that Sirius.”

“Is that it?” Sirius asked. “Can I go back to work?”

Orion took a deep breath. “I’m hoping for once I got through that thick skull of yours.”

“As if.”

Well, stubbornness is a trait that runs in my family. The worst …”

“Me or mother?” Sirius laughed almost demonically.

“Regulus,” Orion said. When it comes to stubbornness, Regulus is the worst of us, rare as it may be. Foolish child.”

“He’s seventeen,” Sirius said. “An adult now.”

Orion swallowed, his mask still falling. “How, when unlike you, he never had a proper childhood?”

“Stuff it,” Sirius said. “I’m going to work, and you’d better not send me any howlers, old man.” He turned on his heels, heading back to the offices, yet in the back of his head, he found himself—

Something felt off, off about how he felt. No matter how hard he tried brushing it aside, he couldn ’t settle his mind on what was bothering him, but then, “What was the family emergency?”

Sirius plopped into his chair, glaring at his training partner, thinking of telling him, only to remember trust wasn ’t easy to come by. Still, as he racked his brain for something that would be believable, he couldn’t think of anything beyond, “Typical blaming me for whatever crap is going on.”

“Not surprising,” the person training him said, shaking his head.

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you’re trouble, Black.” Not surprised they disowned you.”

“Yup. Not someone I can share what the older man said to me with. Kingsley, on the other hand…”

He didn ’t get to speak with Kingsley before the end of the day; instead, he found himself heading home to his small Muggle flat. He let himself in and dropped the keys into a tray, as he’d seen on some of the Muggle television shows before, and flopped onto the couch.

A face looked down at him, glaring.

Sirius quickly reached for his wand, back peddling on the couch to sit up, only for the person intruding on his home to disarm him and summon his wand to their hand. He glared at them, spitting out, “Damn Death Eater.”

“Yeah, and Reggie is one as well, Siri,” the person in question said.

“So I’ve heard,” Sirius said, then, “Wait. You. You’re the one watching me and the old man, weren’t you.”

“What did he tell you?”

“None of your business, Rosier,” Sirius said.

“Reggie is my business, but you,” Evan Rosier hissed, storming forward, pointing a wand at his throat. “Don’t know squat about being an older brother.”

“And you should just kill me now,” Sirius spat out, his eyes looking for a way out.

Reggie would hate me for life, so I won't. Not going to, ” Evan said.

“What?” Sirius said. “He wouldn’t.”

“Just because you couldn’t care whether he lived or died,” Evan spat out, “Doesn’t mean he thinks the same way! And you know, everyone who’s close to him should know that Regulus Black doesn’t feel like a normal person.

Sirius let out a sigh, flopping back. “Fine. What do you want if it’s not…”

“Help me find him,” Evan said.

“Uh, no,” Sirius said. “Why do you even need to find him?”

“Because he’s defected.”

Sirius stiffened, then choked out. “You want me to help you lot find him? Are you…”

“I want you to help me find him before they do. Before Barty does,” Evan said. “Before it’s too late, because…”

“Get out!” Sirius reached for a pillow and flung it at Evan. “Get out of my place! And don’t ever speak to me about him again! Or just stop playing these games and kill me like the good Death Eater that you are.”

“Are you serious?” Evan asked.

“Oh, I’m Sirius. I’m Sirius Black, remember.”

To which Evan levied some choice curse words at him before storming out of Sirius ’ place.

Sirius sat on the couch, but after a few minutes, his body began to shake. He realized that a Death Eater had just been in his apartment and even knew where he lived. “Bloody Merlin. My life is screwed, simply because of me being a Black.”

But then, he frowned.

“If there’s any truth to what either of them said…”

He shook his head and flopped back. “No. This must be a bad dream. I must have become overworked at work during those tedious training sessions and found myself dreaming that Rosier was there. I mean…” He glanced over at his coffee table to see his wand. “See. Wand’s there. It must have been a dream. Right?”

Chapter Text

“Don’t be so gleeful at having a case, Black,” his training partner said, glaring at him. “I can very well write a report that gets you kicked out of training altogether, which means you don’t get to become an Auror.”

Sirius let out a sigh, “I get it. I get it. I do.”

“Do you,” his partner said, glaring at him. “Well, at least you wiped that smile off your face, brat. People died. They always die when that mark is in the sky, but this…” There came a pause. “This is different.”

“I just want to make a difference, sir,” Sirius said, smiling again. “And can’t a smile on the face help calm the loved ones of…”

“Can it,” his partner said. “Remember…”

“I’m running out of chances,” Sirius said. “Then shall I follow your lead?”

“Yes,” the man said. “Why, though? What’s changed?”

“Sir?”

“You’ll see when we get there,” the man said.

“Which simply means I don’t have the time or patience to explain it to you,” Sirius thought to himself, but then—

His eyes blinked as they arrived in London, a place that seemed more populous than the Death Eaters ’ regular contacts, which, in the back of his mind, he thought was the first sign that something was off. The next thing he noticed—

Sirius took a deep breath, noticing the film posters; his eyes blinked at the sight of the eerie green death mark right above the cinema sign, the snake curling out. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“You know something, Black?”

“It’s a Muggle cinema,” he breathed in.

“A what?”

“It’s…

“I know what it is, Black,” his partner said. “I don’t have the time of day for such nonsense, but you know something about this Muggle activity?”

“Well, I’ve never had an interest in seeing a film,” Sirius said, “but I do know they’re a form of storytelling from those who have seen them, and Muggles find them entertaining; it’s supposed to be a major date activity among Muggles.”

“And that’s why you know about that one, right?”

“Hey,” Sirius said. “I can behave, and the implication…”

“No implication. Fact, Black, that you’re a known ladies’ man,” his partner said. “Whoever it was left no witnesses.”

Sirius frowned, “Then why are we here.”

“We still have Muggles who saw that,” his partner said, tilting his head up to the eerie green mark in the sky. “And some of the Muggles saw the dead bodies on their way in and out, so a lot of memories to be wiped.”

“Ah,” Sirius said. “How about I start with her?”

“Her?” His training partner turned his head, looking at a young woman blowing bubbles with her bubble gum. “For Merlin’s sake, Black. Stop thinking with your pants.”

“Yeah, but who knows,” he said, stepping over, only to sigh as his training partner followed.

“I’m telling you,” she said, “I haven’t a clue who might have killed Jeremy. I’ve not seen anything…” She paused, looking right at Sirius. “You.”

Sirius paused, his jaw opening. “Uh, me?” He pointed a finger at his chest. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“No. Seeing you,” she said. “There was something weird, although I don’t think about it.”

“Thanks, Black,” his training partner said. “Why do you always find a way to make trouble? Some girl you…”

“No,” the girl said quickly, looking Sirius up and down, “Though I wouldn’t mind.”

“Down, girl,” Sirius laughed. “What did you see?”

“Are you related to the kid?”

“What kid?” his partner asked while Sirius stiffened.

“Have you seen Regulus?” he remembered Orion asking just the day before. Sirius turned his head, knowing what direction Grimmauld would be.

“Surely a coincidence, right?” Sirius thought. “That this place is that close.”

“Black?”

“Nothing,” Sirius said.

“Anyways, what was strange about this kid?”

“Oh, this kid,” the girl sighed. “He didn’t know what film he wanted to see. So, I suggested Superman. And then he watched it again before watching Jaws. I don’t think he actually watched the first one and was only picking whatever. Jeremy saw him, too. He teased me about having a crush on him.

“Don’t see how this is unusual,” the man said.

“You don’t?” An eyebrow shot up. “Most kids have enough money for one film, but this kid? He saw a lot of films, but I’m surprised…” She turned her head, her face having grown pale. “Goodness. I’m glad he isn’t there, among the dead like Jeremy.”

“He was visiting that frequently?” Sirius asked.

And enjoying it, almost as if it were a big treat. I ’d think he’d have stolen his parent’s pocket change if it weren’t how sweet this thing was.”

“Thing?” Sirius said.

“Kid,” she corrected, fluttering her eyelids at him. “Sure you and that kid aren’t related, hot stuff?”

“And why would you think that?” the man said.”

“Black hair, gray eyes of similar color, good looks,” she said.

Sirius watched his trainer stiffen. “Wait? What else can you tell me?”

“Well, he looked about fourteen, fifteen to me,” she said, nodding her head. “And had a backpack with him. I wish I could be of more help.”

“So, does this sound like a relative of yours, Black?”

Sirius cleared his throat. “Well, it certainly does. However, my family? Being caught dead at…” His eyes closed, sucking in a deep breath. “Bad choice of words. They wouldn’t be caught at such a place.

“That might explain the kid’s behavior if the behavior was banned.”

“No,” Sirius said. “Reggie,” he began to speak.

“Reggie?” his training partner said.

“Reggie, unlike me, follows the rules,” Sirius said. “Except, of course, recently, but,” he took a deep breath. “And he’s seventeen.”

“So it couldn’t be him,” the woman said.

“Yeah,” Sirius said, winking at her. “I’d love to get your number, love, so that…”

“Black,” his partner said, shaking his head and exhaling. “Don’t make me write you up.

“Yes, but his charm does have some use,” the woman said. “It’s a lot easier, calming even.”

“I see,” his partner grumbled. “Rather not have to note that.”

“Oh?” Sirius laughed. “Did I do something right?”

“Shut up, Black,” the man nodded, and they stepped aside. “Instead of flirting and picking up girls, start erasing memories.”

“Yes sir,” Sirius said, disliking the task as he looked at the woman, who he thought might have made a nice date. “Why couldn’t it have been an actual Witch that I didn’t have to erase the memory of.”

Eventually, the day came to an end, leaving him exhausted from erasing so many memories. He headed back home, planning on sitting down only to—

“Rosier!” Sirius swallowed, backing himself into the wall. “What are you doing here?”

Rosier sat at the kitchen table in one of the rickety furniture. “You need to get better furniture.”

“You need to stay out of my apartment, you blasted Death Eater,” Sirius said. “Why? You did this yesterday,” and then, “That wasn’t a dream. It was real.”

“Of course it was, but are you going to take me seriously now.”

“That…” Sirius said.

“I’m aware of the incident you, Auror, investigated today,” Evan said, leaning into the chair, sitting backward, something Regulus would never be caught doing. “By the way? I hear you’re on thin ice. Unlike Potter, you haven’t graduated from the training program?”

“Shut up,” Sirius said.

“It’s expected,” Evan said. “Reggie would find some way to pass early.”

“That…” Sirius said. “A Death Eater becoming an Auror.”

“We’re talking about someone with no real dreams or aspirations of his own, so don’t worry about your kid brother joining up and outshining you,” Evan said.

“The incident today,” Sirius said. “It can’t have involved Reggie.”

“What do you mean?”

“The girl, the woman?” Sirius said. “She described the kid that looked like me…”

“She saw Regulus,” Evan said, sitting up straighter. “Does she know where he went after?”

“That,” Sirius paused, catching the look of pure joy on Evan’s face. “No. It’s not Regulus.”

“It has to be.”

“Regulus is seventeen. Not fourteen or fifteen.”

The look of joy on Evan ’s face disappeared, replaced by a sigh. “I forgot. You don’t know Reggie like I know PAn.” His hands wrapped around the chair, his knuckles turning white as he gripped it tightly. “Of all the things not to know. ”

“What are you talking about?” Sirius said.

“How can you not know, by Merlin?” Evan said. “You’re his brother!”

“He’s not…” Sirius said, his eyes narrowing. “What? What do I not know?”

“Regulus could easily be mistaken for someone much younger,” Evan said. After all, he has always been small for his age. Bloody Merlin. Of all the things you don’t know.” His eyes closed. “And you? You’re my only hope of bringing him home safe and sound.”

More curse words came out. Sirius narrowed his eyes. “As if I care.”

“I’d care. About Pandora, even though we’re…” Evan said, then sighed. “But then we’re not on opposite sides, she and I.”

Sirius ’ eyes widened. “You bloody piece of shit!” He lifted his wand, ready to jinx Evan. “Your own sister? No. Pandora isn’t…”

“Neither was Reggie, you bastard!” Evan said. “But of course, you’d be oblivious to that as well!”

“Oblivious to what!”

“How bloody naive he is!” Evan snapped. He stood up and started to leave. “You’re no help. Absolutely. I’ve got to do this…”

Sirius grabbed his arm. “Hold it.”

“Let go, Black.”

“Naive is the word I would describe him when he was younger,” Sirius said. “But you…”

“Bloody Merlin!” Evan said. “Despite you labeling him a foul, evil monster from the moment he and I started at Hogwarts, he never was! And I’ve no clue what set him off beyond the fact…” He paused, eyes narrowing. “You know what. I’ve no reason to trust you. Yet.”

“Bloody Merlin,” Sirius said. “You said I’m the only one who…”

“Yeah! I’m well aware, Black!” Evan snapped. “Doesn’t mean I trust you, far from it.”

Sirius narrowed his eyes. “But it can ’t be him. ”

“Seriously!” Evan snapped.

“He was watching Muggle films, something our parents wouldn’t have allowed.”

Evan stiffened.

“See. Even you find it strange.”

Evan turned his head, then, after a moment. “Yes. But think about it. He’s finally been let off his leash, so to speak. This is going to make things harder, but maybe…”

“Maybe what?”

“It might be to our advantage,” Evan said. “Though someone managed to track him down despite the unusual circumstances.” But how?”

“What?”

“Somehow, somebody was able to learn Regulus was there,” Evan said. “Speak to you later, but if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Not the same back,” Sirius said. “Because I likewise don’t trust you either.”

Chapter Text

“I’m in absolute heaven.”

Regulus was, after all, at his core a bookworm.

So, hands down, Muggle books would turn into a significant weak point on his part, with him reading as many as he could, absorbing whatever material he could from within the pages, eating up every piece of fiction.

Of course, he’d made the mistake of letting it slip that he didn’t know what fiction was by asking if Agatha Christie’s mystery novels were historical documentation of real crimes that occurred. This resulted in horrified looks from the librarians and comments regarding how sheltered a life he’d lived.

Which, “ I ’m sure they didn’t intend for me to hear that, ” Regulus thought as he burned through many a mystery novel and started picking out other options at the suggestion of the librarians the moment they came to learn that he knew very little fiction, yet one of the ones he knew — the fairy tale — they quickly pointed him towards, allowing him to learn of Muggle fairy tales.

Which—

“Sounds like actual historical events within the wizarding world,” Regulus thought, remembering documentation of an actual wizard noble who’d been put to sleep by family members wishing to take over her family fortunes. However, he didn’t remember the step-parent part.

He found himself looking that up in the encyclopedia and dictionary, but he parked himself near the encyclopedias and kept one of the library's dictionaries on hand lest there be something he didn’t know about. Yet one of the things he found himself absorbing even late into the night after the library closed was those encyclopedias.

“Maman will kill me when she finds out,” Regulus thought. To himself. “Some days I think she’s scarier than the Dark Lord, but if that’s the case, can I blame Sirius for running away?” And, “No wonder Sirius found Muggles interesting. They’ve done so much without magic, but perhaps we wizards and witches take our magic for granted, using it for everything and anything rather than doing for ourselves.”

To which he jotted on pieces of paper ideas he brainstormed on how to avoid those who were after him, though at the end of the day, he didn’t think any of them would have the common sense to look for him in a Muggle library.

“After all, what would Pureblood think of hiding themselves among Muggles when they look down upon them, rather than as something in need of their protection,” Regulus thought. “Though I don’t think they need our protection, beyond keeping magic from interfering with their day-to-day lives.”

And—

“Nobody knew me,” Regulus thought to himself. “Not enough, I think, to look in a bookstore or library. I didn’t even think Muggles would have libraries to hold this many books. I never even imagined that many books existed, and perhaps I might be unable to read every book in my lifetime.”

Regulsu took a deep breath, allowing the smells of the library to calm him. He continued to turn the well-worn and well-loved pages of the books he read, reading tale after tale or gathering random non-fiction information from a variety of books.

He particularly liked the works of Jules Verne, who quickly learned of how Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea predated the modern submarine, which allowed Muggles to explore the depths of dark waters. “ What I wouldn ’t give for something like that to explore the lake at Hogwarts. Wizards aren’t, I think, anywhere near this creative, or thoughtful of what we haven’t yet learned about. Perhaps that’s why certain things haven’t advanced. ”

Of course, he’d read some of the books in his grandfather’s library, books on Muggle medicine, as Arcturus was a healer at St. Mungos, semi-retired as he was. He found even more, but he paid closer attention to some of the inventive ways Muggles dealt with diseases, such as vaccines and antibiotics. This made him wonder why Healers hadn’t attempted to create a vaccine for the Dragon Pox, given how devastating the illness could be.

“I guess it’s because of Pureblood’s disdain for anything Muggle that we’ve ignored just how far Muggles have advanced in all things non-magical,” Regulus thought to himself, wondering if he might be able to outlast the twenty days in the Muggle library. “I’d love for that to happen, given there are so many different books I’d be able to read and learn from. Though how much of this I can use right now, in this instance?”

At the end of the day—

“It feels like I’m learning about things I’d like to do, should I end up surviving,” Regulus thought. “Am I even allowed to hope that I’ll survive this, given I joined up with them? I know I never killed or tortured as I’ve heard in the newspapers, but I did side with them, and I did likely give the Dark Lord some ideas with the research I’ve been doing. And there’s also—“

Regulus stared, frozen.

“Horcrux.”

The thought of the item sent chills down his spine, and part of him wanted to leave the library and have Kreacher take him to the cave, knowing full well he likely wouldn’t survive. His brain told him he needed to do something to stop the Dark Lord, yet he remembered what Pandora said, that he should go for twenty days.

“Wonder if Jules Verne was a seer like she is? Does that mean he’s a wizard writing for Muggles, to help influence them despite the Ministry not wanting us to do so? Or is it possible that certain Muggles can be Seers without us knowing? Or maybe he was a Squib who was a Seer. There are so many unknowns.”

“Excuse me.”

Regulus’s eyes blinked, his head looking up. He looked at the person in front of him, who wore a uniform. He straightened up, realizing he’d been slouching, which would have earned him a lecture from Walburga had she seen, but then spending time in the library would most certainly have led to him being lectured regarding — well, everything.

“Hello, young man,” the man said.

“You’re a stranger,” Regulus said, wanting to go back to the book he was reading. He frowned at the person and noticed another person in a similar uniform nearby.

The person looked at him, wide-eyed, before looking at his partner. “I think the librarians were right.”

Regulus’ eyes blinked. His mouth opened, wanting to say something, yet it snapped shut, knowing it might be better to say nothing that might be construed.

The other person cleared his throat. “Young man. You do realize we’re police officers, right?”

“Oh,” Regulus said. He took a deep breath. He looked down at the book nervously. “They don’t look like the pictures I’ve seen in books, with those high-domed hats.” He let out a sigh. “I’m certainly in trouble, aren’t I?” He looked up, his mouth twitching as he tried smiling. “Have I done something wrong?”

“Well, no,” the second officer said, pulling out a chair across from him. “The librarians contacted us because they were a bit concerned.”

Regulus stiffened, staring. “ Wait? I thought I hadn ’t drawn attention to myself, but apparently I did? ” He swallowed. “What did I do wrong?”

“Oh. Chap,” the first officer said. “You haven’t. They’re just a bit concerned about your well-being.”

“What?” Regulus swallowed. “My well-being? Why?”

“Well, they’ve not seen you before. And while you’re certainly into books,” the first man said. “The thought you are a bit too sheltered.”

“You haven’t run away from home, have you?”

Regulus’ fingers traced the sleeve of his jacket. “ Well, that ’s honestly true, but… ” He frowned. “I’m seventeen.”

“You’re what?” The first man said.

“Sure you are,” the second man sighed.

“Wait? Do they think I’m lying about my age?” Regulus wondered, his eyes widening, realizing he’d somehow managed to step in it.

“If there’s something wrong at home, you can tell us,” the officer said.

“I’m visiting relatives,” Regulus said.

“Then, when the library closes, we can escort you home and check with the relatives you're visiting to make sure you’re actually safe.”

“This wasn’t in the plan,” Regulus thought, swallowing. He looked at the book. “That’s not possible.”

“If you’re worried about your parents finding out,” the first officer pressed.

Regulus continued looking at his hands, thinking it best not to use a spell to modify the memories of the police officers, particularly given he didn’t know who everyone was that he would have to alter the memory of, or if he’d even get it right. “I’ve run away.”

“It’s okay if you’ve come from a broken home.”

“Why would you think that?” Regulus asked.

“Because you ran away,” the second officer said, sitting across from him. “And it’s rather scary you didn’t recognize us as police officers, right lad?”

“What happens now?”

“Well, we’re going to take you back to the station with us, then find you a foster family to stay with.”

“What?” Regulus looked up, eyes widening in horror. “What is?” He sucked in his breath. “What is this foster family? What are they even talking about?” He glanced around.

“Please. Don’t run. We really do mean well.”

Regulus pulled his bag close to his chest. “Fine.”

After all, despite thinking of things like vaccines and submarines, this wasn’t something he’d planned for.

Chapter Text

Leaving the library behind left an empty feeling.

“Is it just because I’m leaving all those wonderful books behind?” Regulus thought to himself. “Or am I anxious because I don’t know what to do in this situation. Grandfather may have given me money for an emergency. Still, he never advised me on what to do in an emergency involving Muggles that Muggle money wasn’t a solution.”

One of the police officers placed his hands on Regulus ’ shoulders as he guided the teenage wizard out of the library, resulting in Regulus tensing up. The librarian looked up, smiling as she did so, before saying. “You’re going to be okay, alright? You can trust the police officers.”

The corner of his mouth twisted. “ Except I don ’t know who I should trust these days. And if it’s not a matter of trust, I don’t want to bring others into this mess of mine. ”

The three passed by the front desk and headed out. The officer, not guiding him, headed towards one of the metal death traps that Muggles liked to drive. Regulus froze, his eyes widening in horror as he swallowed. The police officer, guiding him by the shoulders, squeezed gently. “What’s the matter?”

Regulus pointed at the metal death trap. “That?”

“You’ve never seen a car before?”

Regulus stiffened, his eyes opening and closing. “ I ’ve seen them. From the window, and maman ranting about them. ” He took a deep breath. “Do I have to? Get in there?”

The officer who opened the car door frowned. “Yes?”

“I don’t want to,” Regulus said.

“Come on, chap,” the officer said. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“You’ve never been in a car before?”

“No,” Regulus said, holding his bag close. “Never. Death trap.”

The officers looked at each other, making Regulus feel like he ’d said the wrong thing. The officer guiding him squeezed his shoulders. “It’s okay. You do have to get in there, but you’ll be safe.”

“I’m not going to be given an option,” Regulus thought, reluctantly getting into the car. He slid into the back seat as the officer got in the front.

“He really has been sheltered, hasn’t he?”

“What’s your name?” the other officer said. “Do you have any form of identification on you?”

“Identification?” Regulus frowned. “What is…”

“Never mind,” the one on the left said. “What is your name?”

“Lie. You have to lie.” Regulus took a deep breath. “Rickie,” he muttered, given that was close to his nickname of Reggie in his mind. “Rickie White.”

“Okay,” the officer said. “We’re going to drive to the police station, where you’ll stay until we can find a foster placement for you.”

“What is a foster placement?” Regulus asked, hugging his bag nervously.

“A foster placement?” the cop on the right said. “A foster placement is a foster home, but effectively you’re going to be placed with a family that will take care of you and keep you safe, make sure you’ve got a square meal, and a warm bed to sleep in, rather than you sleeping on the streets.”

“How long has it been?” the other officer said. “Since you ran away from home?”

Regulus took a deep breath. “Too long.”

“Well, you don’t have to go back to what you ran away from,” the man said.

The metal death trap started up and started moving, while Regulus looked at the window, casting a forlorn look at the library, the adventure of reading all those books gone in a flash, just as the adventure of watching all those films disappeared. He let out a sigh. “ Now that I think of it, is anybody other than the Dark Lord looking for me? Does anybody care enough to look? I mean, I was never noticed at home. It was always about Sirius, and how Sirius never toed the line. ”

And in a way, he felt horrible being taken in by the Muggle equivalent of Aurors.

“I, if I get past this for twenty days, should really turn myself in,” Regulus thought to himself as the car continued along, leaving him lost in his thoughts until they got to the station. They exited the car, and his eyes widened. “Wow.”

“Yeah, well,” the man chuckled. “This isn’t even the biggest station in London, kiddo. But we’re not going to stick you in a cell. You can wait by the desks where someone can watch you.”

“No running again, got it?”

Regulus frowned. “ And that just makes trying to escape their custody even harder. ” He followed them into a rather large room with desks, where he sat in a seat as officers bustled about doing their job. “ Is this what it ’s like at the Auror office at the Ministry? I heard Sirius went into that line of work. ”

To which—

His gut hurt, a sudden realization hitting him. “ Will Sirius have to be the one to take me in, to put me into Azkaban? ”

“Here.”

Regulus looked up and saw a cup made of a strange white material. He reached out, grabbed the cup, and looked at it. “Hot chocolate?”

“Yup. You’ve been on the streets, but it’s been cold, so I thought you’d like it.”

“You’re very kind,” Regulus said, frowning, before drinking the hot chocolate. His mouth twisted slightly. “It’s not high-quality hot chocolate, but it still tastes good.”

He sat there, watching, waiting, looking for a way to escape, growing increasingly bored as he couldn ’t find one that wouldn’t involve magic.

But then—

He noticed a book.

And without thinking, I picked it up and started reading.

“What the?”

Regulus ignored the person, continuing to read the fascinating book about police procedure, having forgotten entirely about finding a way to escape.

“Hey, kiddo?”

He continued reading.

“Rickie? Hey, Rickie White?”

And then Regulus remembered that was the name he was going by. He looked up. “Oh?”

One of the officers leaned back in his chair, frowning. “Are you reading my manual?”

“It’s fascinating,” Regulus said, going back to reading.

“A kid shouldn’t be fascinated with that kind of thing.”

Regulus looked up, swallowing. “Wait? Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” the man said. “The person who did you wrong was the one who robbed you of having an actual childhood.”

“I like reading, though,” Regulus said.

The officer sighed, then went over to another officer ’s desk. “Hey? I’m borrowing this.”

“What? No,” the officer said. “You’re going to tease me for it again.”

“Yes, well, better that the kid has this. He’s bored and reading the police manual,” the man said.

The other man, a new officer, glanced over. “Oh, then tell him he can keep it. I can always get a new copy.”

“Good idea, chum!” the officer said, then came over while Regulus shook his head. He continued to read his book even as he said, “Read this instead.”

The man then slipped a thin book with many bright pictures over the police procedural. Regulus frowned. “What is this?”

“It’s a comic. What a kid your age should be reading?”

“Says the person who thinks I’m younger than I actually am.” But then Regulus’ eyes brightened. “Wait? Superman?”

“Oh?” the man laughed. “So you know the Man of Steel?”

“Saw a,” Regulus started saying he’d seen the film, but then course corrected. “Poster. It looked cool.”

“Well, he is,” the police officer said. “So can I have my handbook back?”

“Ah, sure,” Regulus said, letting the man have the book. He continued reading and rereading even after he was told he should go to sleep, his mind having forgotten that he was supposed to be hiding and on the alert for any Death Eaters coming in. Eventually, he nodded off, the officers making him fall asleep.

They also fed him, though the food at the police station wasn ’t very much to his liking, making him miss Kreacher’s cooking. He stayed there, when—

“Hello, Rickie.”

Regulus glanced up at an older couple, frowning, having gotten used to his alias. “Yes?”

“These are your new foster parents,” a female police officer said. “They’ve come to take you home with them.”

“Oh,” Regulus said. His mouth remained in a frown. “Here we go again. Yet another new location, right?”

Chapter Text

“Bloody Merlin, where is he?” Sirius shuffled through the reports on his desk, looking for anything that might tell him where his younger brother had gotten himself to. He found nothing, but in the back of his head, he remembered the cinema all too well.

“While it’s nice that you’re taking your work seriously, Black,” his partner said, “This may be a worse turn of behavior than your previous behavior.”

“How so?” Sirius asked, continuing to look through the reports, his frustration growing.

“You’re obviously not finding anything,” and then his partner said, “Whatever it is your looking for?”

“I’m just finally trying to be my name,” Sirius said. “You know. I’m Sirius.”

“Very funny,” the man said, letting out a sigh as he sat down across from Sirius. “You were all to gleeful about the case the other day.”

“I remember,” Sirius said. “I promise I won’t be that gleeful again.” He paused, looking up, smiling. “I still think a smile on the face, a kind one, can help calm loved ones though. I mean, if someone came to me, wanting to tell me someon I cared about is dead…”

“Like your brother?”

Sirius’ eyes blinked and he straightened up, closing his case file. “What about my brother?”

“Have you seen your brother lately?”

Sirius sighed. “You’re talking to someone who…” He paused, tilting his head. “To be honest, I can’t remember when I last saw him. It has to have been over a year.”

“Is that so?”

Sirius looked up, eyes narrowed. “Question is, why are you digging into my brother all of a sudden? Asking if I’ve seen him?”

“What if I were to say rumor has it nobody has seen him the last few days? What do you have to say to that?”

Sirius lifted the case files, tapping them at his desk. “I’d honestly be asking what side you’re on.” He watched the man’s eyes widen, a look of surprise on the man’s face. “Ours, or theirs?”

The man let out a deep breath. “And why would you think that?”

“Because nobody ever sees Regulus for days,” Sirius said. “It’s not really something out of character for him, but when I was still back home, he’d lock himself up in that room of his studying to all hours of the night.”

“So you don’t think he’s a Death Eater? You think he’s that good of a kid?”

“Of course he’s a Death Eater,” Sirius said. “That’s unfortunately how my family is, and why I got away.”

“I pity you Black.”

“Why?”

“Because you shouldn’t have to bring your brother in.”

“Well, it’s something that I’d come to expect.”

“But maybe it would be better that it be you rather than someone else,” his partner said. “Moody isn’t very kind to their kind. Even when they’re kids.”

“You're asking too many questions,” Sirius said.

“Because, for starters, that Muggle wondered if you were related to that kid the other day,” his partner said. “And second, there is a rumor going around that he’s missing.”

Sirius looked up, frowning. “I doubt my beggeters would like a rumor going around that a second son’s run away, so where is this coming from?”

“I think it’s their side,” his partner said. “But try to keep your nose clean.” The man stood. “He might be blood, but is he worth it?”

Sirius shook his head, glad when he could finally get off work, heading straight to his flat, only to nearly jump. “Rosier!”

“We need to talk.”

“I’m not finding anything, but could you, a bloody Death Eater stop sneaking into my flat? I just got a lecture today about keeping my nose clean, you know.”

“I’m aware,” Rosier said. “But I think you should talk to your grandfather.”

“Whatever for?”

“I’ve already talked to Orion,” Sirius muttered. “Why do I have to speak to either?”

“Your father didn’t have anything that might help?” Rosier said. “And you don’t know if Lord Black has any information that we can use to help us find where Regulus is. But we need to find him, sooner than they do.”

“I’m very aware of what your lot does to those who leave,” Sirius said. “But I’d rather not be reminded exactly of the kind of situation Regulus has gotten himself into.” He paused, then. “Well, it’s not as if I’ve got any better leads now.” He smirked. “I’m going to crash.”

Evan gave him a look. “Seriously?”

“Sirius is my name,” Sirius said, heading to his Floo. And please, Rosier. Stop sneaking into my place.” He Flooded out, not caring what kind of reaction he would get from the Lord Black, but promptly barked out a loud, “Hello.”

“About time you showed.”

Sirius felt the corner of his mouth twitch as he glared at his grandfather who glared at him. He let out a sound of annoyance upon seeing his father there, wide-eyed. “Anything.”

Sirius felt the color drain from his face, then looked away saying nothing.

“There is something,” Arcturus said.

“I didn’t come to,” Sirius started saying. “Rosier suggested I ask if there is anything you know thta might help me find Regulus. So yes, I am looking for him even though I pretty much said I wouldn’t.”

“He took my invisibility cloak, A brand new one,” Orion said.

Sirius frowned. “Meaning he’s prepared.” He ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes, letting out a sigh. “Good grief. This just means things are harder than I thought.”

“I think it means you’ve a chance to find them,” Arcturus said. “But you’re trusting the Rosier boy?”

Sirius stiffened, looking at his grandfather. “He kind of broke into my flat to get me to look for Regulus.”

“Idiot,” Arcturus said. “You know he’s a Death Eater, right?”

Sirius frowned, standing there. “What was it he said?” He let out a sigh. “Why did it have to slip, what he said?” He lowered his hand, looking at Arcturus. “Look. I actually don’t trust him any more than I trust either one of you.”

And then he stiffened. “Although?”

“What?” Orion said.

“There might have been a sighting.” Sirius said. “But I told Evan it couldn’t have been Regulus.”

“If it’s not Regulus, why even bring it up.”

“Because,” Sirius said. “I need to confirm something that Evan said, as he insisted it had to be Regulus. That I was wrong.”

“You’re his brother,” Orion said. “Rosier is not.”

“And Rosier’s very kindly told me quite a few times I’m a horrible older brother,” Sirius said. “But it is important. I need to know.”

“Know what?” Arcturus asked.

“I need to know if I’m looking for a seventeen-year-old wizard who looks like he’s actually seventeen, or if I’m looking for one that looks much younger than he is. Because if it’s the latter…”

“Regulus was always small for his age,” Orion said. “Still is.”

Arcturus frowned, leaning back, his chair creaking. “Sirius? I don’t like that look on your face.”

“Then someone might actually mistake him, say, for a fourteen-year-old? Maybe fifteen?” Sirius said. “Because if so.” He let out a deep breath. “Then the siting is likely him, as it was close to here. But please. Don’t have me go into details. If that mother of his finds out…”

“No. Keep as many details to yourself as possible,” Arcturus said. “This includes Rosier. Because someone is after him, even if it isn’t our Bella.”

Sirius watched the color drain from Orion’s face, then watched his father look around. His eyes closed. “Hey? Old man?” He let out a deep breath. “I’m going to do whatever I can to bring Reggie home. But things, they’ve got to change at home.”

“I’m aware,” Orion said. “I’m already thinking of what I can do to make things better for him once we get him back. I really am.” And then, “Starting, I think, with you being back in his life, maybe?”

“What?” Sirius stiffened.

“You don’t have to interact with her. Or me. Just Regulus,” Orion said. “He needs you.”

Sirius sighed. “Yet another person telling me I’ve not been a good older brother.”

Chapter Text

Going home with the foster parents meant getting into another metal death trap, but this time, Regulus didn’t argue with it despite still believing in the back of his head that the car was in fact some form of death trap and stupidity on the part of Muggles.

When they arrived at the foster home, the yard filled with toys caught Regulus off guard. When he went inside, he met the four other children who lived under the roof of his foster parents. The younger two greeted them at the front door, the youngest toddling after the older of the two.

“I’m Michael,” the oldest one said. “I’m five and will start school next year.” He turned to the smaller one. “This is Danny. He’s my little brother. He’s going to turn two next month.”

“Hi,” Regulus said.

“Charles and Eric are out back playing,” a young woman said.

“Thanks for watching them while we fetched Richie here, dear,” Regulus’ foster mother said.

His foster father guided him through the house, showing him everything, from the laundry room to where all the boys would sleep. He ’d be sharing a rather cramped room with Charles and Eric, which had two bunks, while Michael and Danny stayed in another room with smaller beds.

“Everybody except for Danny has chores,” his foster parents explained. “We take turns doing laundry and washing the dishes, but you’re expected to keep your part of the bedroom clean.”

Of course, chores were a baffling concept for Regulus. “How do I do that? Do laundry and wash the dishes?”

“We’ll teach you,” they said.

And thus they set him up learning various life skills, from cleaning without magic to cooking, all of which he awkwardly partook in while Charles and Eric, who were also younger than him — even younger than everyone thought he was, laughed at his clumsy attempts at things they already knew how to do on his own.

“Be nice,” their foster mother said, clicking her tongue as she continued helping Regulus make an egg sandwich for himself, while Danny sat in a high chair eating cereal.

The entire thing—

“It’s weird,” Regulus thought to himself. “Doing things without magic. And their expectations of me are much different than what the family ever expected of me.” But then, “What did they expect of me, beyond my having my nose in a book? They don’t even know I play Quidditch at school.”

School—

Charles and Eric went to school and complained that “Richie” wasn’t going as they were, which meant that “Richie had to take placement testing to see where he was to be placed in school.”

“I wanna go to school,” Michael muttered, watching the older two of the boys get to go to primary school without him. He looked out the window, much like Regulus remembered looking out the drawing room window, watching the comings and goings of the Muggles below him. Yet, he never thought before of what he was missing by not being able to interact with Muggles.

“Perhaps Richie will help you with your letters?”

“Letters?”

“He’s learning the alphabet,” his foster mother explained.

It surprised Regulus, having always been made to sit as a mini-adult at the dining room table, prim and proper, that there was a miniature table for the little ones kept in the front room with miniature seats. It was almost as if “the adults don’t expect them to act like miniature versions of them, but instead create miniature versions of adult things for the children. ”

He sat on one of the chairs between Michael and Danny, which wasn ’t the most comfortable given his long legs, yet the two seemed to enjoy his company as they scribbled with colored sticks of wax. Regulus joined in, and his foster father noted that he was actually a very good artist. However, he quickly had to hide his art, given that the magic started reacting. Thus, he started doing more abstract scribbles while experimenting with watercolors and finger paints.

“Rather mundane, compared to what I’d be doing if I’d not run away, if I’d not been caught up with this mess with the Death Eaters,” Regulus thought to himself. “This is even more low-key than watching films or reading books in the library.”

“Oh.”

“What’s the matter?” Regulus asked, looking over at Michael, who was practicing his letters.

“Pencil broke.” Then, Michael turned to Regulus, holding out the pencil to him. “Sharpen?”

“Sharpen?” Regulus took the pencil, frowning at the writing device that was now broken.

“You don’t know how to sharpen a pencil?” his foster father asked from where he watched the two youngest and Regulus in the front room while their foster mother bustled about in the kitchen baking and cooking.

The man got up, grabbed another pencil and a little box, sharpened the pencil into a point, and handed it to Michael. He then handed Regulus the box. “Here.”

Regulus took the device, frowning at it as he held it in one hand and the pencil in another. He then, out of the blue, asked, “How come the two of you never go to work?” Maman and Papa never got to work, but I know that isn’t normal for families, as my classmates' parents have jobs they do outside of the home. ”

“I’m retired,” the man said. “It gives my wife and me time to foster children, but it’s a joy.” And then, “It’s rather simple, sharpening a pencil, Richie.”

Except for Regulus, there was nothing simple to the whole thing, as he attempted to do precisely what his foster father said, yet could never get the pencil to a perfect point as he could with magic, which at the end of the day—

Regulus held the pencil stub in the palm of his hand, looking at it, frustrated with the end result.

“You didn’t have to practice that much,” his foster father said.

“Sorry,” Regulus muttered. “I couldn’t get it to a perfect point.”

To which his foster father looked at him, his eyes wide in horror, and his foster mother came out of the kitchen. She gently closed his hand around the pencil stub. “I don’t know what things were like for you before, dear, but you don’t have to be perfect. Nobody’s perfect.”

“If I’m not perfect,” Regulus muttered, looking at his closed hand while his foster mother remained beside him. “They’ll never let me out.”

His lip trembled, a sudden wave of emotion rushing over him as he remembered. He remembered something Walburga said one too many times. “ I don ’t know what to do with that child. One moment, he acts like a perfect Pureblood child, and then suddenly, he lapses back into his eccentric traits. It would be much easier if he remained at Grimmauld, out of sight and out of mind. ”

“Shush, dear,” his foster mother said, squeezing his hand lightly. “No child should be expected to be perfect, and no child should be kept holed up with no social interaction.”

“That’s not…” Regulus frowned. “It’s not as if they don’t let me out, because they have to let me attend school, but…” He swallowed. “I know that once I graduate. They don’t have to let me out anymore.” He let out a deep breath. “Is that why I joined and ignored all the warning signs? I didn’t want to be locked away?”

He then flinched, feeling his father ’s mother wipe tears away that he hadn’t realized had started up. “It’s honestly going to be okay. You’re living with us now.”

Except—

“Is everything going to be okay? The longer I am here, the more I put everyone in danger from the Death Eaters, right? But how am I to leave without drawing attention?” He glanced up at his foster father, who watched the children in the home like a protective hawk.

And then—

His foster mother hugged him, and he simply cried. He cried because everything in that moment felt so out of his own hands., while Michael patted his arm. “It’s going to be okay. Mama and Papa take care of us.”

“Right,” his foster father said. “That’s our job, see?”

“And it’s my job to keep you all safe from Death Eaters,” Regulus thought to himself. He thought of his wand, hidden in his sleeve, that he slipped in and out without the older two children noticing. “I need to stay alert, in case the Death Eaters do show. But I can’t just leave either, because if I do. I don’t want to think of what they’d do if somehow they traced me back to them.”

A hand ruffled his hair and hugged him as he continued crying. He was suddenly overwhelmed with what was going on, something that had been building since he ’d come off the adrenaline of watching films and reading books in the library.

Chapter Text

“If it’s not a false lead, it’s no lead at all,” Sirius thought, having gone days without any news of where Regulus might have gotten himself to. “But no news may be good in this case, as it means he is still alive and still on the run, right?”

Of course—

“No, Black,” the secretary for the Auror department said. “I’m not going to be giving over cases to the department’s loose cannon who hasn’t yet been cleared to go out on his own because of past trouble he’s caused.”

“Come on,” Sirius said, leaning against the counter, winking, trying to find out what information he could, beyond the gossip that formed around the water cooler. “I’m getting bored, and you know when I’m bored, I’m more likely to cause trouble, right?”

“Then perhaps this isn’t the job for you,” she said, his usual charm not working. She waved her hand. Now scram, Black, before I call in the department head because you won’t stop bothering me, but I doubt you’re in a position to get on their bad side.”

Sirius frowned, leaving her behind before sulking back to his desk and collapsing into the chair, the wheels squeaking, indicating they needed good oiling. He sat there, fingers crossed, irritated that much of nothing happened, that none of the cases they had been assigned led to anything, while the gossip seemed like more false leads.

“Well, beyond the fact that my partner was right. They’re definitely spreading the rumor that Regulus has taken off, almost as if Voldemort is trying to get his hands on information. Still, they’re looking at me as if I’ve grown a second head, making it harder to get near and hear what they say.”

A folder dropped onto his desk, and Sirius looked at it, frowning.

“I think you’ll like this one, but we should be going.”

Sirius reached out for the folder and opened it. “It’s blank outside of the location and needs investigating. They say they’ve never given us cases like this because I’m too hot-headed.”

“I pulled some strings when it came in, but look carefully.”

“Look carefully,” Sirius thought to himself. “It’s in London.” His eyes blinked. “Wait? This location?”

“Might not want to say that out loud,” his partner said, but we should be going.”

Sirius stood up quickly, nearly knocking his chair over. Quickly, he fell in step with his partner. “So, what kind of place is it?”

“I don’t know yet,” his partner said. “Beyond the fact that it’s inside of London proper, where lots of Muggles might notice the incident. Sound familiar?”

“Well, yes,” Sirius said, remembering the cinema. “Regulus. What have you gotten yourself into? You can’t drag others into this.”

But then, when they arrived, Sirius looked up at the rather large building. “It’s huge.”

“Appears to be a Muggle library.”

“Of course,” Sirius muttered. “Regulus always did like his books.” He headed inside, where he saw bodies covered in sheets. His eyes blinked, feeling his stomach curdle. He turned ot his partner. “Why? Why did they target a bigger location?”

“To make it so magic is known?” his partner asked.

“I guess,” Sirius said, though he wasn’t too sure. Taking a deep breath, he headed over to the librarian. “Hey? Officer in charge, here.” He smiled at her, trying to put on the charm and disarm her, even though the librarian appeared older than those he’d usually hit on.

“I’m in charge,” his partner corrected. “He’s still a rookie.”

“Nice,” the librarian said, glaring at Sirius.

“I, uh,” Sirius swallowed. “Did you perhaps see anything strange of late?”

“Strange of late?” the librarian frowned. “There was a boy. He had black hair and grey eyes like you.”

“Really?” Sirius said, trying not to show pleasure at having learned Regulus might have visited the place, yet a feeling of dread, knowing the number of those dead while his brother ran from Voldemort, was indeed growing.

“Loved reading,” the woman said. “But didn’t know what fiction was, and he kept coming when the library opened and leaving when it closed.”

“Sounds like something Regulus would do,” Sirius thought to himself. He took a deep breath. “Do you know where he went?”

“Don’t you know?” the woman said. “You lot came and got him the other day.”

“What? Why?” Sirius asked. “He was just reading, right?”

The woman stared, wide-eyed. “Look. I don’t know what kind of communication issue you police officers have, but we reported to you an at-risk teen—a runaway.”

“Is that—“

His partner nudged him in the ribs, glaring at him. “It was for the kid’s safety, right?”

“Yes. Him sleeping out on the streets in this weather, and no telling what he’s been eating?” the librarian said. “I honestly hoped I was wrong, but the officers agreed that something was off.” She paused, then. “Wait? This, you don’t think?”

“What?” Sirius asked.

“You don’t think his family came looking for him?” the librarian said. “He seemed rather sheltered, and not in a good way. And I heard from her,” the librarian said, looking at one of the sheets. “He seemed afraid of the police officers, unsure if he could trust them. He was also nervous around us, almost as if he were worried he might mess up and do or say something wrong.”

Sirius stared. “I see.” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. “Thank you for the info.”

“You’re welcome, but I don’t know what this has to do with that boy. Unless, of course, his family found him and reacted poorly to him being taken away to a foster home. So please, settle this communication issue and talk with your fellow officers. The last thing that kid needs is family showing up and doing this to his new foster family.”

“Certainly,” his partner said, and the modification of memories started. They headed out, with Sirius thinking he’d gotten nowhere. “So?”

“What is it?” Sirius said.

“You should start checking police stations to see if a kid’s been brought in,” his partner said. “Before the Dark Mark appears over a Muggle police station. Get that information out of the Muggle cops before whoever is after your brother does, but make sure they're safe, whoever his foster family is.”

“What is a foster family?” Sirius asked.

His partner turned to look at him. “Well, you were raised Pureblood, so you wouldn’t know. Foster care is a system Muggles have in place for orphans and abused children to get them into a family situation where they are cared for. Though not all foster parents are nice people, I’ve heard. Hopefully, he’s landed a nice one, but he can also keep his identity as a wizard under wraps.”

“Hold on,” Sirius said. “He’s an adult.”

“Even if he didn’t look younger for his age, which I’m guessing is the case from the descriptions, Muggles aren’t considered adults until they turn eighteen.”

“I see,” Sirius said.

“But as I said, you’d better hurry. I’m surprised he’s been able to outlast them this long. Usually, they’re dead within a few days.

Chapter Text

“Is this all Sirius ever wanted from me?”

Watching Michael play with Danny after his complete and utter meltdown filled Regulus with awe, but thinking back—

“I don’t think Regulus and I ever really played with each other, but I don’t remember when my nose wasn’t in a book, reading. But then, my memories before Hogwarts are vague, beyond Maman wanting me to be perfect and not make all the mistakes I was always making.”

Pureblood children, though, didn ’t get brightly colored blocks to stick through holes shaped like the blocks, yet the way the children were entertained for such long periods of time made him wonder why , when such a thing might have kept his older brother too busy to be causing trouble.

“Let’s see,” Regulus said, holding one of the blocks, letting it hover over the options. “Which hole should we try next?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Michael said, the two toddlers had drawn Regulus into their play simply with the tug of sticky hands that Regulus wasn’t too fond of the touch of, yet—

Danny pointed to the wrong spot, grinning ear to ear, and Regulus reached out, sticking the block into the wrong hole—or trying to. “Ca-chunk,” Regulus said. It doesn’t go through.”

Danny burst into a stream of childish laughter, entertained by the simple act of someone putting a block into the wrong hole.

Michael frowned, taking the block from Regulus ’ hands. “I know! I know which one goes into it!” He slid it through the right hole, resulting in Danny scowling, a pout forming on his face. “See, Danny, that’s the right one?”

“I think he knows it’s not the right one,” Regulus said, picking up another block and purposefully attempting to put it in the wrong one. “Ca-chunk. It didn’t go through.”

Danny burst into laughter while Michael frowned. “I don’t get it. It’s rather silly to be putting it into the wrong hole.”

“I think that’s why he’s laughing,” Regulus said, enjoying the silly games he got up to with the children. “Even though I know it might not last,” he thought to himself, constantly keeping his bag and wand close by just in case.

“He’s not let that bag leave his side since he got here,” his foster mother said.

“It’s all he has,” he heard the man say.

“Yes, but what if he…” The woman paused.

“He’s not run away so far, and he gets along quite well with the younger two. I think they’re even doing him some good.”

Regulus paused, wanting to frown, but not in front of the two younger ones. “ They know I can hear them. Which means? ” He glanced over. “ They don ’t want me to run away, but want me to stay? ”

“Of course we do,” his foster mother said. “You don’t have to say it out loud, Richie, for me to know what you’re thinking.”

“I like it here,” Regulus decided to admit.

“Yes, well,” she took a deep breath. “There are placement tests for school, and a doctor's visit for a physical check-up and vaccines.”

“Ah,” Regulus said. “I read about vaccines in the library. They’re rather interesting.”

“So it’s safe to say you’ve not been vaccinated?”

“No,” Regulus said. “Should I?” He turned away.

But a couple of days later, he was in a doctor's office, looking around, getting Muggle vaccinations, and getting a physical examination to get an idea of his overall health.

“He might not actually be lying about being seventeen,” the doctor said.

“Oh?” the foster mother said, looking disappointed. “Meaning he’ll be turning eighteen soon?”

“Nothing you can do about it, as much as you want to help. But do what you can to get him on his feet.”

Regulus decided not to ask, knowing it upset his foster mother, only for her to bring it up. “See. The importance of you turning eighteen is that it is when you age out of the foster system, because you’re considered an adult.”

“Not when I turn seventeen?” Regulus asked. “Noted difference between Muggles and us there.”

“Is that why you ran from home? You thought you were an adult?” his foster mother said. “Well, I’m glad you did so before you turned eighteen. It makes placement testing all the more difficult.”

“Also making it difficult is my not knowing much about Muggles. Mother would have flipped had I signed up for Muggle studies. It might have come in handy.”

They arrived home, and Michael and Danny begged him to read them a book.

“Careful. Richie just got shots in his arm, you two.”

“Owie,” Danny said, frowning.

“We don’t like shots,” Michael said. “They hurt.”

“Yeah, they do,” Regulus said. “But they apparently keep you from getting sick.”

“Apparently means,” Michael said. Then he raised his hand. “I know that word. I know that word.”

“You do?”

“It means there might be doubt!”

“Uh…” Regulus glanced over at his foster mother. “I messed up, I think?”

“They got that idea because Charles and Eric often use that word when trying to lie.”

“Oh.” Regulus turned to the brothers. “I said, apparently, because I still don’t quite know how they work. For most people, they do.”

“Most people?” Michael said.

“I think I’m digging myself deeper here,” Regulus said, but then looked up, watching his foster parents talk with each other.

“Even if he ages out, I think we should invite him to stay,” his foster father said.

Regulus smiled. “ I ’d use it as an excuse to leave, to keep you safe, if it weren’t for me not turning eighteen until this summer. ” He took a deep breath. “How about we read a book, right?”

He sat on the couch as he ’d seen his foster father do, lifting Danny into his lap as Michael hurried off to pick out a book, but soon he was reading to them, enjoying himself even though in the back of his mind he knew it wouldn’t be forever that he could stay there. “ For their safety. ”

But then—

Regulus ’ eyes blinked, and a hand reached up to wipe a tear away from his eye. “That…”

“Richie?” His foster mother hurried over. “Is something the matter?”

“I think,” Regulus said as Danny sat in his lap. “I think Papa used to do this with me.”

“Are you sure?” his foster father said.

“I think he was sad. When I started reading on my own. I didn’t sit in his lap anymore. I think the expression on his face was sadness.” He watched his foster parents looking at each other. “Papa isn’t Maman.”

“As in your mother?” Then, his foster mother asked. “Is she the one who wanted you to be perfect?”

“Her. Lots of people. I made her look bad, I think, when I did strange things.”

“What kind of strange things?”

“Not reading the room,” Regulus said. He took a deep breath. “Sorry. That’s an issue with me, apparently.”

“Not true! Not true!” Michael blurted out. “There is doubt, doubt, doubt!”

Regulus looked at him.

“Of course there’s doubt,” his foster father said. “Give yourself a little more credit.”

“Wish I could. Wish I understood why I’m different,” Regulus thought. He took a deep breath. “Is it normal?”

“What? What are you asking if it is normal?”

“For children to play like Michael and Danny do?” Regulus said. “Because I don’t remember ever playing.” He sat there, the younger brothers waiting for him to continue the book, unaware of the seriousness of the conversation going on. “Sirius did, despite not having any bright colored books.”

“You didn’t?”

“I read.”

“What?” His foster father took a deep breath. “You mean instead of playing, you read books?”

“Yes. My earliest memories are of reading books. Big ones twice this size both ways, and thick as the pile of pancakes you made this morning. I think I was Michael’s size.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” his foster mother said.

“I guess,” Regulus said. “I don’t think it is.”

Chapter Text

“How hard can this be?” Sirius thought as he returned to the Ministry of Magic with his partner. “This should take only a day, once I know where the Muggle police station is.” He walked over to the secretary, grinning ear to ear. “So, I’ve a case.”

“And?”

“I need to know the address of the Muggle police station,” Sirius said, winking at her.

Only, she let out a sigh. “This, Black, is why you need to study up more,” she said. “It’s not a single office for their law enforcement as it is for us. There are multiple police stations. Which one are you talking about?”

“The one in London, of course,” Sirius said. “My case is in London, after all.”

“You, Black, are an idiot,” she said. “Hit the archives and figure it out on your own.”

He frowned, then headed to the Ministry archives. “Hit the archives,” he muttered. “Why would she tell me that?”

Entering the Auror archives, he took a deep breath and used a spell to summon the file containing the addresses of Muggle police stations. He smiled, cracking the file open, ready to find the address for the London police station, only for his face to soon falter.

“Bloody Merlin, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Sirius muttered. “How are there so many police stations in London alone?”

Letting out a sigh, it took him the rest of the day to write down all of the addresses, to which his partner kindly reminded him that he needed to search for Regulus on his own time, otherwise he ’d draw attention to himself, which in turn resulted in him going to the different police stations to ask around for his brother in an unoffical capacity in his off hours.

“Too many. This will take forever, and I don’t have time for forever. Regulus’ life is at stake.”

Slowly, he crossed out the locations on the map when he arrived home at night, completely exhausted.

“Please tell me you’ve not been spending your nights bar hopping,” one of his fellow Aurors said. “That won’t look good. What about how much hot water you’re already in, Black?”

Sirius let out a grunt before heading back out to his flat for his list and map.

“What is this list, and what is with the map?”

Sirius stiffened, glaring at the unwanted intruder. “Next time you enter my flat, Rosier, I’ll hex you and turn you in.”

Evan looked at him, frowning, tapping at the area Sirius had already looked at. “What I don’t understand is why you are looking in this area?”

“What do you mean?” Sirius asked.

Evan pointed to the map. “This is where Grimmauld Place would be.”

“You don’t think I know that?” Sirius asked, coming over to look at the map. He watched Evan start marking that spot. “Hey! What are you doing?”

“Helping.”

“I don’t want your help, but Arcturus and Orion told me not to trust you, Rosier. Do you understand?”

“The last thing we need is Barty finding whatever location you’re looking for before you do,” Evan said. “But I’ve not heard of an attack similar to…” He paused, marking another spot. “This one.” He marked another place. “And this one.”

Sirius frowned, looking at the map. “And?”

Evan circled where Grimmauld Place and the two places the Death Eaters were after Regulus hit. “You’re looking in this area.” He moved his finger to where Sirius was looking. “Not this area.”

Sirius walked over, snatching the list and looking at it before groaning. “And just how am I going to figure out which of these are in that area? ”

“I can help.”

“Really?” Sirius said. “Because…”

“I’ll stick to you like glue, even swear an Unbreakable vow,” Evan said. “And if we don’t find this place within your next shift, you can turn me in to the ministry, though…”

“Though what?”

“Don’t forget that you’re still on the rocks.”

“How do I know you’re not the one who’s after Regulus?”

Evan stiffened, looking Sirius in the eye. “You don ’t want Barty finding him, Black. ”

Sirius sighed. “Barty? As in Crouch Jr.?”

“Rather ironic, isn’t it?” Evan said, straightening up. “But of course, there is one thing he’s more obsessed with than….” He paused, frowning. “He’s obsessed with serving him as a Death Eater, yes, but the person he’s obsessed with is Reggie.”

“What do you mean by obsessed?”

“A very one-sided obsession if you get my drift,” Evan said, looking at the map.

“If I get your drift?” Sirius frowned. “I’m not following.”

“Should I add he’s as much of a psychopath as that cousin of yours to get your attention? You know how she can be, when she latches onto something she considers to be hers. Barty considers Regulus his.”

Sirius let out a deep breath, then swallowed. “Fine.” He handed the list back to Evan. “I hope you can do your thing.”

Evan nodded his head, scanning the list, before placing a mark on the map. ”Here.”

“Wait? How did you do that, and are you sure?” Sirius looked at him.

“Well, I don’t know what place you’re looking for, but this is the one closest to the other locations.”

“But we don’t know if they’d take him there,” Sirius said.

Evan looked up, giving Sirius a horrified look. “What do you mean, take him? Death Eaters don’t take. They just kill.”

“Muggle police station,” Sirius said. “I’ve been visiting Muggle police stations in my off time.”

“We’d better hurry then,” Evan said, heading for the door.

“Wait! I didn’t agree you could help,” Sirius muttered. “I’m still inclined—“

“You don’t understand!” Evan said, turning to him. “We have to find him before Barty does. I don’t want to lose him!”

“Sounds like he’s not the only one obsessed with my brother,” Sirius muttered.

“Regulus is family, something I know you don’t understand,” Evan snapped. “And Barty is supposed to be family, but he definitely doesn’t think of Barty that way.”

“Fine,” Sirius said. “But stick close, and if you do anything strange, I’ll hex you. This had better be the place I need.”

He twitched, his anxiety growing, not calming even when they arrived at the police station of his choice. He walked in and took a deep breath. “Hey. I’m looking for my brother.”

“And my cousin,” Evan piped up.

“If you’re here to find a missing person,” the secretary said.

“No,” Sirius said. “I’m hoping someone found him?” He took a deep breath. “A kid who looks like me? Might have been brought in off the streets or something? He’s not a bad kid.”

She pushed a button. “Someone’s here looking for a kid. Has there been one brought in here?”

“I don’t remember a kid being brought in,” the person on the other side of the voice box said. “But I can check our records.”

Sirius frowned, glaring at Evan. “He’s not here.”

“He’s checking the records,” the woman said.

A man came out. “Can you describe your brother?”

“He looks like me, but younger. Seventeen,” Sirius said.

“But he looks younger than he is,” Evan said.

“Name?”

Sirius froze. “I, uh.” He closed his eyes. “ He wouldn ’t be using his real name, if he was smart, that twat. ”

“He might have told you the last name of White,” Evan said. “He doesn’t exactly want to be found. At least, not by us.”

“You mean his parents?” the officer said, nodding. “We’ve a kid here with the last name of White that we brought in a few days ago. He was placed in a foster home.”

“Where?” Sirius asked.

“We can’t give that information out,” the man said.

“You can’t?” Sirius nearly croaked out.

“Apologies,” Evan said, touching Sirius’ shoulder. “Distract the secretary so I can use Legilimens on him, Black.”

“I?” Sirius leaned in, smiling, putting on an attempt at flirting. “What exactly do I need to do? To get that information? To get my brother released into my custody instead of the custody of our shitting parents?”

“Ah,” the woman said. “You’ll have to take this to the courts, and you need proof that your parents are as shitty as you say they are, otherwise they’ll be able to challenge your claim for custody. But if he’s really seventeen, when he turns eighteen, he can choose to live with you instead of your parents.”

“Oh really?” Sirius said, his mouth twitching.

“Got it,” Evan said. “We’ll be leaving now.”

“Wait. I didn’t tell you the full name he used,” the police officer said.

“Something that starts with ‘R’ like Richie?” Evan said. “It’s, after all, close to his actual name.”

“I wish you luck.”

Sirius turned, heading out. “So?”

“Got the address. Now we must find it on the map and figure out the best way to get there, Black.”

Chapter Text

“I think this coat will fit you nicely.”

Regulus tilted his head, looking at the coat his foster mother provided as Michael and Danny clamored about getting to go on a walk with their eldest foster brother, Richie. However, with Danny ’s relatively small vocabulary, Michael clamored more than Danny.

“What do you think?”

“Do kids really like going out to play when it’s this cold?” Regulus asked.

“Particularly if they can play in snow,” his foster mother said, “But there hasn’t been any snow recently. I kind of hope so, because I think you’d like building a snowman with them.”

“Ah,” Regulus said, reaching for the coat and putting it on, noting the style wouldn’t likely be to his mother’s liking. Still, he quickly pushed aside any thoughts of what his mother would think, having concluded over the time he’d been there that Walburga was wrong regarding expecting children to be perfect, that it was far more enjoyable if they were allowed to discover the world around them, as his foster parents explained.

He turned around, frowning slightly, then tugging it on, before nodding his head. His foster mother straightened the collar of the jacket. “A trip to the park will be a great distraction for being unable to go to school like Charles and Eric,” the woman said. “And I trust you to take care of them, and it’s a good responsibility for you.”

“They’re my responsibility,” Regulus said. “Woah!” he said, as Michael tugged him to the door, his eyes blinking. “Let me get my bag.”

“Why do you always, always have to carry it?”

“I just do,” Regulus said, scooping up the bag and hanging it over his shoulder before scooping Danny up as his small legs wouldn’t allow him to walk as far as Michael, or so his foster mother said. “Show me this park you guys like so much, okay?”

Michael let out a squeal that made him cringe, yet he followed after the toddler who was almost no longer a toddler, carrying the other small child who snuggled in. Michael pointed out various things that interested the small child, who, in turn, clamored about all the cool things they would be doing once they got to the park.

And despite Michael drumming it up, the nearby children ’s park, Regulus didn’t expect much of anything, given he’d learned Michael had a rather wild imagination. Instead, he smiled, enjoying the walks, reminding himself how he liked to often take a nice brisk walk at Hogwarts to get some fresh air, to stretch his legs, or even prepare for Quidditch.

“Look! They’re playing football!” Michael called out. “I want to play.”

“Ah,” Regulus said. “They look a bit big to be playing with you.”

“Yes, but,” Michael pouted. “You’re big enough to play? You said you’d like to try when Charlie and Eric were watching it on teli?”

“I did,” Regulus said. “But I’ve got to watch you two. We told them we’d be going to the children’s park, and I think Danny would prefer that.”

“Fine,” Michael muttered, pouting at first, but then growing excited as they grew near, to which his mouth broke into a smile. “Look! Isn’t it amazing?”

Regulus ’ eyes blinked. “It is.” His eyes blinked again. “ Imagine Sirius climbing this instead of the furniture in Grimmauld Place? He ’d have gotten into far less trouble if he weren’t cooped up inside. ”

Danny squealed and he set the toddler down and watched him take off running, only to trip and fall flat on his face.

“Danny?” Regulus’ eyes went wide.

“He’s fine,” Michael said.

“What?” Regulus looked at Michael. “He just tripped.”

“He’s little and he’s not crying,” Michael said, then he pointed. “See? He’s up.”

Regulus blinked his eyes, watching Danny take off again and climb, only to fall on his bottom.

“He’s not very good at playing on the playground equipment yet,” Michael said. “And he can’t say big words like playground or equipment either.”

“I see,” Regulus said, wondering what either of those things had to do with Danny falling down. He headed over with his long legs and set Danny to playing on one of the smaller playground sets, to which a lot of squeals echoed through the park as Danny’s abundant energy didn’t seem to have any end.

There were also swings that Michael said Danny couldn ’t go on because he was too small and would just fall off.

Eventually, Danny wore out and came to rest on Regulus ’ lap as he sat on a bench reading a book, keeping his eye out for trouble. Michael told him that he was bored and wanted to leave. Regulus took that as the cue to head back to the foster home and scooped Danny up, feeling the child snuggle in with gusto.

Everything seemed like the right adventure, similar to his time at the cinema and library, but he stopped short and swallowed.

Michael continued forward, only for Regulus to tug at him. “Stop.”

“Why?” Michael said, then looked up. “What’s that?”

“It’s something dangerous,” Regulus said, thinking he should return to the house. “She said you and Danny were my responsibility, right?”

“Yes?” Michael said. “That’s scary. Why is that snake—“

Regulus knelt down, waving his arm. “I need to come here. Hurry. And hold onto me.”

“But?” Michael let out a sound of fear.

“Do you trust me?” Regulus said. “Please, please trust me. It’s not safe.”

“But mama and papa,” Michael said.

“They made you my responsibility, and I’m going to keep you and Danny safe, understand?” Regulus said. “So come here, and hold onto me tight. I’m going to get us away from here.”

“How?” Michael said, while Danny blinked, confused, but then pointed at the sky.

“Green! Wiggle worm!”

“Yes. Wiggle worm,” Regulus said as Michael latched onto him. Once he firmly grasped both children, he accelerated away, landing back at the park.

Michael let out a gasp. “How? How did you do that?”

“Magic, of course,” Regulus said. “Magic is very real, and I’m going to use it to protect you and Danny.”

“Magic,” Danny said. Then he wiggled his fingers. “Wiggle worms. Green.”

“And if you ever see that mark,” Regulus said, swallowing, starting to walk in the opposite direction from the house. “I want you to run.”

“Run, run,” Danny said.

“And Mama? Papa?”

“They want you safe,” Regulus said, swallowing. “And this is what I thought wasn’t happening, that we were on the right side when we’re not. I can’t let anything happen to either of these children. I’ve got to keep them safe.”

Chapter Text

Sirius arrived via broom alongside Evan, utilizing invisibility cloaks so as not to draw attention from nearby Muggles. However, Sirius didn’t like the idea because he still didn’t trust Evan Rosier. As they approached, he let out a deep breath, his mouth twisting into a smile. “ Looks like we arrived in time. ”

Landing nearby where Muggles wouldn ’t notice, the two wizards walked the rest of the way. Evan looked around, frowning. “This place is, well, quaint, I guess.”

“I get it. “ It’s rather hard to see my brother in this place,” Sirius said. “It’s even quaint for my Muggle-loving tastes, honestly.” He let out a laugh upon arriving the house. “It doesn’t look like a bad place, though.”

“Black?” Evan frowned.

Sirius sighed, tilting his head. “What’s the matter? Being a typical Pureblood snob?”

“I think there are children involved.”

Sirius ’ eyes blinked, then took a second look at the yard, and let out a deep breath. “Good grief. I can’t imagine Reggie having patience with children, if you get my drift.”

“That’s not exactly,” Evan started saying. “Oh, never mind. Let’s knock on the door, but do you have any idea of how we’re going to modify memories so they forget Regulus was here?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“I’m following your lead here,” Evan said, “As a way of letting you know you can trust me.”

“As if,” Sirius said, walking up the path and knocking on the front door, grinning ear to ear and putting on his most natural charm, knowing it might not be easy to convince the foster parents to give Regulus up, yet he didn’t think Regulus would need much convincing. “Particularly when we tell him what’s happened to the other places.” He paused. “Actuatually, simply erasing memories might not…” His eyes blinked as nobody came to the door. “Be that easy.”

“Black? I don’t like that look on your face.”

“Something’s wrong,” Sirius said, letting his wand slide from his sleeve as he opened the door, stepping into the Muggle home, frowning as he did so.

“Hold on. We shouldn’t just…” Evan started saying, only to stop short upon seeing the entire place tossed and vandalized. “No. No way.” He glanced outside. “There wasn’t—“

“I know,” Sirius muttered, keeping his voice low, putting a finger to his mouth as he crept forward, taking note of the small table and chairs that looked as if it were made specifically for small children upturned, and the toys scattered in a way children were not apt to do, or at least his cousin Andromeda’s little girl wasn’t inclined towards.

“Avada Kadabra!”

Sirius pulled back, dodging the spell as Evan also moved out of the way, before throwing a hex around the corner at the person, and soon spells were flying between him and the person. He gritted his teeth, finally saying. “Rosier?”

“You’re here, Evan?”

“Barty,” Evan said, staying out of sight. “You were sent after him.”

“Not exactly,” Barty said from the other side of the wall, while Sirius glared at Rosier. “I came to convince him not to turn traitor on us, but were you the one who convinced him to turn sides?”

Sirius glanced over at Evan, who shook his head, as if he didn ’t know what Barty was talking about.

“Well, are you a traitor to our Dark Lord?”

“Our Dark Lord?” Evan laughed. “Have you forgotten our loyalty is to Regulus, not him? That he’s our Dark Lord?”

“Excuse,” Sirius said, only to be cut short as a spell went flying by.

“You shouldn’t have turned him against Voldemort,” Barty said.

“How?” Evan said. “Did you find him?”

“Some students thought they saw him at that bloody cinema, which didn’t make sense, but then I thought, why not check places that had books. Simple.”

Spells continued to fly, as Sirius glared at him.

“And how did you get here before us?”

“What?” Barty asked. “I’m wondering how you got past my memory modification of the police officers that brought him in.”

“You’re not family,” Sirius said, then took a deep breath, remembering Evan saying something about Regulus considering them family.

“And neither are you,” Barty laughed. “Filthy runaway! You’re just part of the problem!”

And then the spells stopped flying at him, and Sirius frowned, before peeking around the corner. “Wait?”

A green glow appeared outside the house, indicating that Barty threw up the Dark Mark in the sky outside of the home, announcing to the world that he ’d killed those inside. Sirius let out a curse, looking from room to room, finding an older couple in the kitchen, stone cold because of the Avada Kedavra, but there was nobody in the children’s room, not even Regulus. He then kicked the broken kitchen table. “Bloody Merlin!”

“A little too close for comfort,” Evan said. “What’s our next move.

“What do you mean, what is our next move?” Sirius snapped. “I’ve got to turn you in sooner or later.”

“It’s fine. If Barty gets word back to him, I’m dead anyway. As is,” Evan let out a deep breath. “Pandora’s the one who told Regulus to run, that it will take twenty days.”

“What?” Sirius stiffened

“My sister is a seer,” Evan said. “And I think following her advice is what’s keeping him alive so far, but Barty’s getting close.”

“Is there something between my brother and your sister I should know about?” Sirius asked.

“Completely platonic,” Evan said. “Even though I’d wish otherwise, as I’m not fond of who she has fallen for. But, they’re soulmates of a different kind, almost like twins in a different life, one dark, one light.”

“That’s?” Sirius sighed.

“My allegiance has always been to Regulus, you know.”

“Who did you call your Dark Lord?” Sirius snapped, reaching out and grabbing the front of Evan’s clothing. “I’m going to look around for clues. You’d better stay within my sight, Rosier!”

Sirius started looking around, becoming increasingly frustrated upon noticing there was no sign of Regulus, as if he ’d never been there, as if they’d discovered another dead in lead. But then he heard a child cry out. He looked up at the same time as Evan, and they hurried to the front room, where they discovered two children of primary age looking at the wreckage of the front room.

“Are you the one who did this?” one of the kids asked.

“I’m a police officer,” Sirius said.

“Your badge?” the other child asked.

“Uh,” Sirius stared.

“Magic police,” Evan said. “I mean, you saw the green thing in the sky outside, right?”

Both children nodded their heads. Sirius took a deep breath. “Other than your parents?”

“Foster parents,” the child corrected. “They’re not our real mom and dad.”

“Other than them, who else should have been here?”

“Danny and Michael,” the younger of the two blurted out. “And Richie.”

“So he was here.”

“Richie did this?” the older asked.

“No, no,” Evan said. “Your foster brother would never do anything like this, but someone who is after him would, right?”

Sirius took a deep breath. “Look. I need you to stay here. Don’t leave the front room, but I need you to stay until the rest of the magical police get here, because I’ve got to go after the guy who did this.”

“Black?”

“Trust me,” Sirius said.

“Except we don’t have time.”

Sirius flicked his wand, and a dog made out of light came out of the tip, speeding off to tell his partner about what happened. “Let’s go.”

“Right,” Evan said, as they stepped out of the house. “Are you sure we should leave them?”

“They’re alive, but if that friend of yours…” Sirisu ground his teeth. “Even if he doesn’t kill Regulus, he’ll kill the two kids who are with them, or use them to get Regulus to do what he wants.”

“Right,” Evan said. “And how did you do that?”

“Why explain?” Sirisu said. “Dark wizards aren’t supposed to be able to cast a Patronus, you know.”

Chapter Text

“I hate cheese.”

Regulus frowned, having found a shed for them to hide in, telling the childrren they needed to remain quiet and not draw attention to themselves, which is where they spent the night, but neither liked the bread and cheese he provided for them to eat, of which he had plenty, having prepared enough food for twenty-days not thinking he’d find other food sources on the way. Michael, however, protested that morning. Danny pouted, screwing up his face.

“We’ve got to eat,” Regulus said.

“I want Mama’s cooking,” Michael complained.

Danny let out a whimper, and Regulus decided that with two fussy children, it was time to move on lest he draw the people who owned the shed to their presence. They continued walking, with Regulus carrying Danny. At the same time, Michael complained about his feet hurting, all the while Regulus watched over his shoulder for whoever managed to track him down. He found it hard to keep two toddlers under an invisibility cloak, nor did he realize they would become this fussy this fast.

“I’ve got to appreciate what they’ve done, taking care of these two kids,” Regulus thought.

“Food!”

Regulus’ eyes blinked, and then he let out a deep breath, stepping to the side and removing the cloak so they could enter a small restraunt while wondering why the Muggle police weren’t yet looking for the two younger foster children, yet for a brief moment he managed to make two small children less fussy. However, when they started moving again, Michael complained his tummy was too full as they found another shed to settle in.

“One more day, and then maybe I can properly protect them,” Regulus said, hugging the two children close, wishing the outside wasn’t too cold. “But I’d give my life to protect them, I would.”

“Hungry,” Danny muttered, one of his few words.

“I know,” Regulus said.

“Not bread and cheese again.”

“It’s what I have in my bag,” Regulus said, then sighed. “But, we can go shopping for more food, if we can find a place. Only nonperishable items, though.”

“We’ll have to carry them?” Michael mumbled.

“I’ll carry it all,” Regulus said. “So you just need to worry about being able to keep up with me, and don’t draw attention to yourselves in the store.” He took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn’t draw attention to the store as he had the foster home, yet he knew the children needed food.

And—

Regulus found the corner store overwhelming, with many options, and two children wanting many things. The store clerk who checked them out asked, “Can you afford all of this?”

“Yup,” Regulus said, glad for the emergency funds his grandfather applied, before carrying the groceries outside in the bag, but then, “What’s the matter?”

“How are you going to carry all of that?” Michael asks.

“Watch,” Regulus said, slowly putting everything into his bag, making it all fit. “See, Magic.”

“Wow,” Michael said, while Danny laughed.

“So, we’ve got…” Regulus stopped speaking, catching sight of a snowflake falling from the sky. “Bloody Merlin.”

“Bloody Merlin!” Danny called out.

Regulus frowned. “The sheds won’t cut it, so…” Taking a deep breath, he motioned for Michael to grab on. “Hold on to me.”

“I didn’t like that.”

“I know, but we’ve got to backtrack,” Regulus said, to which they arrived at a house that looked unoccupied. Quickly, he glanced around before unlocking the door.

“We shouldn’t break in.”

“I don’t think whoever owns the place will mind us staying here where we can stay warm once the storm hits,” Regulus said. “And it isn’t as if we’re going to take anything, because we have our own food.” Michael didn’t argue, and when they stepped in, Regulus nodded, noticing the dust layers. “Not that they’ve any food to steal.”

“You said that out loud.”

Regulus ignored him, quickly cleaning the place up with his wand.

“Why do you do that?”

“Because,” Regulus pointed to the floor. “Tracks.” He looked around, finding nobody there, but—

He found a perfect place.

“Michael, come here.”

The boy came over, frowning. “What?”

“If I tell you to go hide, I want you and Danny to come here, alright?”

“But why?”

“Because there’s a bad person after us,” Regulus said.

“Can’t you just magic it away?”

“I wish magic could easily make the world a better place like that,” Regulus smiled. “It’s certainly why I ended up with that group, as I thought I could make a place where I could easily interact with these Muggle…” Regulus’ eyes blinked. “Okay. So maybe not a Muggle child.”

Michael frowned. “That’s the teddy you got for Danny at the store. I thought it was in your bag. And it’s floating.”

“Apparently, your little brother is magical.”

“Me too! Me too!” Michael clamored.

Regulus frowned. “I can’t make you magical, you know.”

Michael pointed, and a vase started to rattle on one of the tables.

“But you know, maybe you are,” Regulus said, trying to smile. “Just not the time to teach you stuff, okay.” He smiled. “I really need to protect these two now, because if whoever is following me finds out they’re Muggleborn, well, that is bad.”

He looked around, soon finding beds for the kids to stay in, waiting, pulling out the watch he received for his seventeenth birthday, and taking a deep breath. “Please. Hit midnight soon. Things should get better then.”

A loud bang made him look up, and quickly he nudged Michael away. “Go. Hide. Take Danny with you.”

“But.”

“Please. Do as I say. I don’t want anything to happen to you two.”

“Okay,” Michael said, carrying Danny to the hiding place while Regulus carefully approached the sound.

He sucked in his breath. “Barty. Bloody Merlin, he’s one of the last I’d want to find me.”

“Reggie,” Barty said. “I know you’re here.”

Regulus said nothing.

“See, the storm hit, which means you would have to backtrack to a vacant place, particularly since you’ve those little ones with you.”

Then the spells started being thrown, the first hitting near where Regulus's head was, and he flung spells at Barty.

Barty sighed. “You’re still not able to use forgivable curses?”

Regulus swallowed, knowing his weakness was hurting others.

“I’m going to fix you, make you better, so the Dark Lord will forgive you and let me keep you.”

“What?” Regulus frowned.

“I think I’ll start with doing away with those filthy brats you’ve taken a liking to.”

“Don’t!” Regulus said, making the mistake of taking out.

And then he was hit with Crucio, his body writhing, resulting in him crashing to the ground.

“As I said, I’m going to fix you,” Barty said. “Where did you hide the brats?”

“No,” spat Regulus, resulting in Barty lashing out and sending a spell at him, resulting in his nose bleeding and his head spinning.

“Look what you made me do to your beautiful, handsome face, Reggie.” Barty raised his wand, and Regulus closed his eyes.

Green light occurred, and for a moment, he thought he’d been Avada Kedavra.

But then, he heard a thump, and his eyes snapped open, blinking. “Evan?”

“Where are the kids?” Evan asked, and the wand still lifted.

“No! Absolutely not!” Regulus said, backpeddling, glaring at him, reaching for his wand as he did, only to find it deflected from his hand.

“It’s okay,” a familiar voice said. “Rosier’s with me, not them.”

Regulus’ eyes blinked, then he began to sob. “You came? You came, Sirius?”

“Well, you’re my little brother, right?”

And then he sobbed before passing out from pain.

Chapter Text

"Ri-Ri!" was the first thing Regulus heard when he started coming too, and then he felt a heavy weight hit him in the middle.

"His name is Reg-u-lus," a familiar voice said. "Not Ri-chie, Danny."

Regulus' eyes opened. "Where?"

And then he knew where he was, looking up at the ceiling of the Hogwarts infirmary. "Oh. Did I make it?"

"Yes."

"Hi, Dora," Regulus muttered. "How's Lovegood doing, by the way?"

She laughed. "He's been worried sick about you, you know."

"Why?"

"Because he cares. Thinks you're a friend. Someone who understands how his mind works." She nodded her head. "You might want to look in the other direction.

Regulus' eyes blinked, turning his head to see Sirius, realizing he'd heard his brother snoring. "Sirius?"

Sirius startled awake. "Oh, good. You're awake."

"Where's Evan?"

"He's," Sirius took a deep breath. "Ministry of Magic."

"Oh." Regulus let out a deep breath. "I guess I'll be going soon as well."

"Depends," Sirius said. "Certain people are convinced you wouldn't just flip sides for nothing."

"Doesn't matter," Regulus said, rubbing Danny's back as he snuggled in, while Regulus wiggled his nose. "Ow."

"Yeah. That will take a bit to mend, but your pretty face is intact," Sirius took a deep breath. "Evan? He killed Barty to save you."

"I remember."

"He'll be standing trial."

Regulus felt his mouth tremble.

"After we find all the horcruxes, though."

"What?" Regulus turned his head. "How?"

"Horcrux," Michael said. "They won't say what it is? Why do you?"

Michael's mouth snapped shut.

"You muttered in your sleep, but Dumbledore pried into that head of yours," Sirius said. He took a deep breath. "Crouch is going to put Rosier on trial."

"Oh." Regulus' eyes closed.

"After we find them, though. He'd rather keep the real reason his son is dead under wraps, and you and Rosieer attending school so they don't know something is up, but Dumbledore wants to pick that brain of yours."

"Joy."

"You're not going to Azkaban."

Regulus frowned. "Didn't you become an Auror?"

"That?" Sirius said. "I've not done well in the Auror in training part, so..."

"Please tell me they've let you go."

"Well, no," Sirius said. "I'm on special desk duty for a while, though."

"You? On desk duty?"

"By that, I'm now your personal bodyguard, but don't scare us like this again."

"What's going to happen to Michael and Danny?"

"Ugh," Sirius groaned. "Orion's already talking about adopting your little buddies."

"Stop joking."

"Shouldn't you tell him to stop joking, but you. Get some rest." Sirius paused. "Ah. They're going to be allowed to stay with you. Here at Hogwarts."

"Fun!" Danny called out.

"Yeah! Fun!" Michael said.

Regulus's eyes blinked, looking at the two. "Oh. That's? That's nice, actually." He waved his arm, and Michael hurried over and hugged him. Even though hugging wasn't his thing, he knew the two loved being hugged.

"Rest now."

"Okay."