The Black Lion

The Black Lion 

Chapter 7

Hermione and Regulus stared at each other. Neither knew what to say to the other or what step they should take with the other.

Narcissa stepped forward, breaking the tension that had thickened the air. Though only minutes had passed, it felt like hours since Regulus had last spoken.

“It’s been a long day,” Narcissa said softly. “Why don’t we sit and have some tea? Ms. Granger, I’m sure you have questions, and we all need a moment to process.”

Nodding not taking his eyes off Hermione, Regulus turns to her. “Yes, I think that would be great Cissy.” he smiles slightly. He looks back at Hermione. It felt impossible yet there she was. The daughter he thought lost forever, sitting mere feet from him. Years of guilt, grief, and hope surged through him all at once."

Hermione’s gaze darted to Sirius, panic flickering in her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to sit and talk, but Sirius caught her gaze, nodding gently. His eyes seemed to say, It’s alright. You’re safe.

“Yes, I think that would be okay,” she responds to Lady Malfoy eyeing the unknown man warily.

Silence overcomes the room as Sirius calls for Kreacher to bring them tea. Draco looks around the room. Even though he tried his eyes never stray away from Hermione and Regulus, he looked at the side of their faces trying to find some resemblance in them.

Kreacher returned with the tea, and the clinking of cups was the only sound as they sat in a strained silence. No one dared to speak, each unsure of how to begin.

“How would you like your tea, Ms.Granger?” Narcissa asks Hermione. Hearing Hermione's last name Regulus winces slightly.

‘Her last name isn’t Granger it’s Meadows-Black’ he corrects to himself.

Hermione was shocked at being addressed first and responded softly “A splash of milk and sugar with lemon please Lady Malfoy.”

Narcissa smiles slightly at the girl her eyes looking over at Regulus. The girl had manners and if what Regulus is assuming is correct she would need them in the future. The request caught Narcissa by surprise, though she remained poised. She fixed the tea and handed it to Hermione, her gaze flicking toward Regulus again as if to confirm her suspicions.

“That’s how I take my tea,” Regulus said quietly, catching her eyes across the table.

Hermione grabs her tea cup tightly looking at the man. She didn’t respond. Something is off and she couldn’t put her finger on it. It felt as though she knew this man but didn’t.

Sirius, sensing the mounting tension, broke the silence. “Alright, enough with the pleasantries.” His voice was sharp but not unkind. “Brother, it’s time you tell us everything.”

Nodding Regulus takes a deep breath before starting. “It’s a long story so I will tell you the short version. Well as short as I can,” he whispers before continuing.

“When Mother pushed me toward the Dark Lord, I thought I was ready. I thought I was following our family’s legacy. But I was wrong. So very wrong. Before I could officially join I had to do a mission. The mission was Dorcas Meadows.” he takes a sip of his tea his eyes looking around the room.

At the mention of the name, Hermione’s brow furrowed in confusion. She recognized the name immediately a member of the Order, someone she'd heard mentioned in passing. She heard that Voldemort killed her, himself something he would usually never do. However, she never thought that Regulus would be part of that story as well.

"Why her?" Hermione asked softly, unable to hide her curiosity.

Regulus sighs softly running a hand through his hair, "Dorcas wasn’t just a member of the Order. She was powerful. She might’ve been a half-blood, but she was what they call a true witch one of the most powerful of her kind. He wanted her power on our side.” he explains softly.

He takes a slight pause to drink his tea before continuing, “So I did what I was told. I got close to her, I learned everything about her pretending to care but then…” he strays off becoming deep into his thoughts

“But then he fell in love with her,” explains Severus who has been silent this whole time.

Regulus nods his head and smiles, it is obvious he is thinking about her. 

“Yes, I fell in love with her. She changed everything. Dorcas showed me that everything I believed in was a lie. My loyalty, my duty to the Dark Lord, all of it… I couldn’t do it anymore. We married in secret. Severus was our only witness”

Hermione’s eyes widened slightly at the admission her eyes glanced over at Professor Snape. 

"It wasn’t long after we were married that we found out she was pregnant," Regulus said, his voice breaking just a little. "And at the same time, I found a Horcrux. I was terrified, terrified for her, for the child. So, we went into hiding. I faked my death to protect us. Only Severus knew I was still alive at that time."

He paused, his eyes closing for a brief moment. "But Dorcas couldn’t stay hidden. She felt she owed it to the Order to keep fighting, even though she had a family now. I begged her to stop, but she wouldn’t. She believed in their cause too much. And then… then the Dark Lord found out."

Hermione breath catches in her throat as she listens to his story. Even Narcissa was slightly leaning in listening carefully to him talk. Draco had a hand over his mouth to hide his emotions.

"Voldemort threatened her family," Regulus said, his voice growing bitter. "It was a trap, and she fell right into it. He killed her. He wanted her power, her strength. But he took her life instead."

Hermione lets out a slight gasp. Even though she knew the story it was different hearing it firsthand was completely different. A heavy silence looms over the room. 

“What happened after?” Hermione asks her voice barely a whisper trembling with fear. However, she was intrigued she had to know what happened next.

Regulus looked at her directly now, his voice steady but full of pain. "I stopped answering Severus’s letters. Letting him think I died as well. I had a daughter to protect, and I was consumed by the thought of revenge. But I couldn’t find all the Horcruxes. I tried, Merlin knows I tried, but I had no idea how to destroy them."

He swallowed hard, his gaze dropping to his hands again. He slowly picks at his fingers, a nervous tick. 

"I realized I was failing my daughter. I was too caught up in trying to destroy Voldemort. So, I made a choice. A couple we were close to, who couldn’t have children… I asked them to adopt her. I knew she’d be a witch, and I hoped that one day, once it was all over, I could find her and explain everything."

Hermione stares back at the man. She wasn’t called the Brightest Witch Of Her Age for no reason. He was trying to say she was his daughter. However, she didn’t believe it not yet anyway. 

“You said I have your wife's eyes?” she asks him.

Regulus nods a tight smile on his face. “Yes, you have her honey-brown eyes.”

“Do I look like your daughter?” she asks him softly. She was scared of what his answer might be. Regulus gives her a once-over. It seemed as though it was only them two in the room. 

‘Yes, she does look like his daughter. Honestly, she’s a perfect mix of them.’ he thinks

“You have my nose and Dorys' hair. You might not notice it but you wrinkle your nose when you’re thinking she used to do that too. However, the biggest thing that makes me think you’re my Hermione, my daughter is your eyes. I know those eyes from anywhere. It’s many shades of them but your eyes are exactly hers.” he tells her.

Hermione slouches in her chair taking a deep breath. He was convinced she was his daughter but she knew who her parents were she wasn’t adopted. Not that she knows of. Making a quick decision she looks at the only person she trusts most. “Siri, is there a way to prove it?” she asks him.

Sirius nods, “Yes, it's a quick spell honestly.” he says his voice soft.

“Do it,” she demands. She couldn’t wait. If this was true, it would unravel everything she thought she knew about herself. But if it wasn’t... she couldn’t bear the suspense any longer.

“Lion you don’t have to do it now. You’re tired and it’s a lot of information we can wait a couple of days.” Sirius responds squeezing her hand.

Hermione shakes her head. “I can’t hide forever right,” she whispers thinking back to their conversation.

Sirius took out his wand, his eyes flicking from Hermione to Regulus. The tension in the room thickened, and with a sharp flick of his wrist, he muttered, 'Parentalus Revelare.' The words hung in the air. A rush of magic filled the room, and Hermione felt a jolt like electricity sparking in her veins. The world around her blurred momentarily, and for a heartbeat, time stood still.

A parchment pops in Sirius's hand he looks at Hermione wanting to make sure she is positive she wants to know. In his heart, he knew the results would change her life. Seeing the silent question in his eyes she gives him a nod

Sighing softly Sirius opens the parchment and reads it quickly. The occupants in the room held their breaths for the result.

 “Lion…. He’s your father.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. A wave of disbelief crashed over Hermione, and she felt her heart race, the world spinning out of control. She was adopted. Her adoptive parents had never told her. A realization settled like a stone in her chest, and feeling her throat close up, she began to cry, overwhelmed by the her emotions.