Which one?

‘We’re here~!’ Hari sang.

‘FINALLY!’ Regulus exclaimed. ‘I was getting sick of that bus, maybe the reason why it’s so cheap is because it’s dangerous and the driver failed their driver’s test?’ He said as they walked up to the dark, gloomy house.

‘Seems like it, everything feels so cheap! When you convert gallons to pounds that is. I think it’s because of magic, which could do anything really!’

‘Or maybe it could be that the average income or something is rito-redu-ridiculously low.’ Regulus said with a thoughtful voice. ‘I mean, we haven’t even used the money from the vaults yet! We’re still using the money you brought with you to buy some pencils! You know what that means?’

‘We’re bajillionairs?’ Hari said with a thoughtful look on his face.

‘That and we have enough to buy as much ice cream and chocolate as we like!’

‘COOL!’ They stopped in front of the house. ‘Is this the place?’ Hari said, shrinking back. The house looked dusty and old and looked like it could break apart any second. Maybe it’s abandoned? No one lives here? Maybe they should turn back?

‘No~, this isn’t the house, the house is just down the road and we’re here to sell girl scout cookies!’

‘Ha ha very funny Reggie, come on, let’s go inside.’ Hari went to open the door.

‘Wait!’

‘You don’t want to go?’

‘No, It’s not that, but we can’t just walk in uninvited, maybe someone’s inside? We should knock first.’

Hari let out a huff but decided to humour him; this house looks old and run-down, what are the chances of someone living here?

After a few minutes of knocking no one came out to greet the two children. ‘Well that sucks.’ Hari said, ‘We should go ba-’

‘-Who dares to enter the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black!’ Said the little man who opened the door. He was bald and wrinkly and had big ears, eyes and a long nose. ‘Who dar- Master Regulus? You are alive? Why are you so young! Kreacher does not know how but Kreacher is Happy! Mistresses will be Happy!’

Regulus felt his ears burn up. What was the little man talking about? ‘I’m sorry I have no idea what you are talking about?’

The little man gave a quizzical look. ‘Master does not remember? Does Master not remember the locket?’ He started to think, he slowly nodded his head. ‘Kreacher will take Master and Master’s friend to Mistress, Mistress will tell Master and Master’s friend everything’

‘Ok then.’ Regulus said stepping inside ‘Where is Kreacher?’

OOO

‘MISTRESS! MISTRESS! Look! LOOK! Kre-’

‘Quiet down Kreacher.’ Said the new voice, to Hari, it sounded like the voice was gently chiding Kreacher. ‘We do not yell in this house. Take a deep breath and calm yourself.’

Kreachure did just that. It left Hari wondering. ‘Kreacher must be very loyal, is he like a butler or something? I mean, Reggie’s parent’s were pretty rich.’ 

‘Now, tell me what you were about to say.’

‘Today, Kreacher has a surprise! Master has returned! Master also has a friend!’

‘That cannot be.’ The voice said. ‘It has been years he has died, right in front of your eyes.’ The voice turned cold and accusery.

Hari could see the little man trembling a bit from where he was standing. ‘Kreacher knows, Kreacher knows, Kreacher knows Mistress is right. But Kreacher is telling the truth.’

Kreacher beckoned them to come inside the room, Regulus gave Hari a shrug and walked in first, Hari quickly followed.

Hari’s eyes widened. The figure in front of him looked young, around 20? 30? Hari wasn’t sure. She looked beautiful yes, grey eyes and pitch black hair, but she looked as pale as a ghost! But that wasn’t all that was frightening about her. She was… She was… She was a-

‘Are you a portrait?’ Regulus exclaimed before he had the chance to. ‘And you can talk? How? Wait, wait, don’t answer that, let me guess. Magic right?’

The Lady’s eyes widened when she saw Hari, but it widened even more when she saw Regulus. ‘Regulus? No, impossible. How?’

‘Er… yes, well you see.’ Regulus started to fish out his inheritance sheet from his pockets, by now it was a crumpled up ball of paper. Regulus Smoothed it out. Hari started to bring his paper out too when he saw Regulus doing that. ‘Well you see we went to the bank. Grintoks? Grinox? GRINGOTTS! Yes, we went to Gringotts where we learnt about our inheritances and um, also I’m supposed to be the heir or something? That was all yesterday and then we decided to check out some of the properties and so here we are!’

The lady had a confused look on her face. ‘Heir? No, that is impossible’ her eyes started to harden. ‘Both my children are either dead or in Azkaban and Narcissia’s son was tested but was declined.’

‘He’s telling the truth!’ Hari Squeaked, the Lady looked at him but her yes seemed to soften. She still looked scary though. Hari snatched the paper from Regulus’ hand and opened it and showed it to the lady’s face. ‘See? This Is Reggie, this is Reggie’s Dad, Regulus and that’s Reggies Mum Rose and those are her parents and those are his parent’s and those are his Dads parents and those are his Mums parents and tho-’

‘I think it’s best you stop Hari, pretty sure she knows now.’ Regulus said, interrupting Hari from going on and on until he reached the very last portions of the paper.

‘Mistress?’

‘It appears you have made a mistake Kreacher.’ The lady said. ‘This is not Regulus. Rather his son.’

‘Um.’ Said Regulus, speechless. ‘Could you please repeat that again?’

Walburga sighed. This was the fifth time she was explaining to the boys and they still did not understand. ‘Your father, meaning my son had a child before he died, Rose Rosier went missing a few weeks afterwards never to be seen again, three days after she went missing, your uncle Edmund Rosier was given the kiss. With that, it was assumed the Noble House of Rosier went extinct. However that is not the case as it seems.’

‘I’m guessing getting this ‘Kiss’ is worse than those girls give you when they are happy with you?’ Said Hari with a worried look on his face.

Walburga looked at the little child in front of her. ‘You do not know what the kiss is? Did your care-takers not teach you the basics of the wizarding world? Speaking of care-takers. Why are they not here with you?’

‘Um, see… That’s the thing. We grew up in this orphanage in the normal world and we kinda got to the bank by accident? Like, we were being chased and then we ran into the Leaky Cauldron and then the owner Pom-’

‘Tom.’ Corrected Regulus.

‘Ya.’ Hari said, nodding his head. ‘That sounds about right. Tom thought we were muggleborns or whatever that is and then showed us how to get into diagonally-’

‘Diagon Ally.’ Regulus sighed.

‘Same thing! And from there we went to the bank!’ Hari said while taking in large gulps of air.

‘I see.’ Walburga said. ‘I suppose that is when you two realized that you two were part of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black?’

‘Ya.’ 

‘Basically.’

‘Hm...’ Her eyes turned cloudy and dark. ‘I do not understand one thing however. Why did Gopitick not tell Narcissia of your existence?’

‘Who’s Gobich?’ Harry asked with eyes filled with confusion. Regulus sighed at his pronunciation.

‘Gopitick is the Blacks and Potters account manager. Why? Did he not lead you to your vaults?’

The boys looked at each other, they started to feel uneasy. ‘No?’ Hari said. ‘Mr. Griphook took us to our vaults. Why? Is that a prob-’

‘-MEOW!’ Hari stilled while Regulus shot Hari with a disappointed/angry look.

‘Hari.’ He started. ‘Do you have something to share with the class?’

Hari’s satchel started to move. ‘Meow!’

‘Uh. No? Nothing at all!’ He said while desperately trying to stop the figure moving inside the leather bag, but it was too late to do anything: Crookshanks escaped from it.

Regulus looked at Hari in disbelief. ‘You told me you would get rid of that thing! You know you’ll get in trouble when we get back!’

‘But he was so sad!’

‘I honestly don’t care right now!’

‘Children.’ Sighed Walburga. ‘Could we please go back to the matter at hand? And why do you have a malnourished cat with you?’

Regulus groaned. ‘The malnourished cat was the Potter’s cat, before we came here we went to the Potter’s cottage and then we went to visit their graves and pay our respect. That’s when we found this mangy thing.’ He said, pointing at crookshanks. ‘It didn’t have a home so Hari decided to take him.’

‘Look how sad he is! We can’t leave him! He was my parents pet but now they’re dead so that must mean that I am the new owner! I won’t abandon my cat like this, just no!’

‘Wow Granny ‘Burga was so kind to keep Crookshanks with her! Even Though she’s just a portrait.’ Said Hari jogging towards the orphanage. 

‘Yes, it was very kind of her to keep the devil cat.’ Regulus said with a nod. He looked up at the sky, the sun was setting, it was almost 6 o’clock. He sighed in relief. They made it back before curfew.

‘Why do you hate him so much? What did he ever do to you?’

‘Did you not look into it’s eyes and find madness from beyond the human realm? Did you not find it’s soulless stare a bit weird?’

‘Oh now you’re just making that up!’ Hari said, laughing. ‘But seriously though, did you see how worried she looked when I said this Griphook guy took us to our vaults instead of Ghripithick or something?’

‘Ya what was that about?’ Regulus asked.

‘I dunno!’ Hari said. ‘But I do know that we should go back tomorrow because she promised to tell me about my grandparents and why there were so many wands in my family vault with 1942 as their ending year.’ 

Regulus’ stomach let out a low grumble, he started to walk faster. Hari started to jog to keep up with him. ‘Walk a bit faster Hari! I’m hungryI’

‘I’m jogging!’

‘Not good enough!’

‘BOY!’ The large man growled out. ‘Marge is coming! So you better be on your best behaviour! Absolutely no funny business!’

‘Yes Uncle Vernon.’ Grumbled Charles.

He looked out of the window. The sun was setting in the distance. A year had passed both at a snail's pace and as quick as lightning. Had it really been one year? It felt like an eternity really. Day in and day out with no one to talk to. Sleepless nights in the cupboard. Was the cupboard always that spacious?  Detention was boring, no one was there. There seemed to be a Harry shaped hole in his life. And it wasn't going away anytime soon.

‘One day.’ Charles said to himself. ‘One day, when I get out of here, we will see each other again and everything will be alright.’ He smiled softly. ‘One day.’

‘BOY!’

‘Coming Uncle Vernon.’