The Culprit
Sirius threw the file down on the table and rubbed his temples.
“My parents come over from France for a Royal ball, someone has them assassinated though Walburga survives and comes after me thinking I was the one who hired an assassin despite Regulus, their other son who hates them also being in England, Prince Evan goes missing, Regulus goes missing. Conclusion?”
James raised his hand. “Regulus hired the assassin?”
“One point to James!” Sirius called out.
“This isn’t a game show, Sirius”, Lily said in a tired tone.
“Ooh, wrong answer Lils, you’re down a point” quipped Marlene.
“Shpierdalah” Lily tried. Marlene snorted with laughter at her attempt of her native tongue.
“Okay, who else was at the ball?” asked Sirius.
“Royals and government officials from England, France, Germany, Poland and The Netherlands” answered Marlene.
“Point to Marlene! Now, do you think Regulus hired someone in attendance?”
“No”, Mary and Remus said in unison.
“Ene due rike fake torba borba ósme smake eos deos kosmadeos i morele bax” Marlene counted out, pointing between Mary and Remus. Her finger ended up on Remus. “You tell him why”.
“First of all, what the fuck was that?” Remus asked.
“To choose who answers” replied Marlene.
“Polish is scary”, stated Remus. “He wouldn’t hire anyone in attendance because Royals wouldn’t kill other Royals for other people, only for their own reasons, and servants are hard to get a hold of”.
“Point to Remus!” said Sirius. “James, Marlene and Moony are tied with a point each. Time for the tiebreaker: Which friend of Regulus’ would be batshit crazy enough to kill my parents?”
Remus made a buzzer noise. “Barty”.
“Remus wins today's episode of guess that royal bullshit!” Sirius planted a kiss on his cheek. “Here’s your prize”.
“Uh, what would happen if I won?” asked Marlene.
“I have a new unopened eyeliner”.
“Damn, I should have buzzed in first”.
“Alright”, said Lily. “Enough of that, now what are we actually supposed to do? We can’t really just arrest the Prime Minister’s son, even if we find him”.
“We can” said Sirius. “Nepotism doesn’t work when you despise your son”.
The room fell silent for a moment.
“Anyway, I suggest we look for Regulus first” said Mary.
“Right. I’ll ask the royal family for tech support”, said Marlene, stretching out on her chair. “Me Mary and Lily will go back to the crime scene to look over the bathroom one more time”.
***
“Do you think it’s weird?” asked Remus when Sirius went to the bathroom.
“That Sirius’ parents died and he was just fine with it until one of them wasn’t dead? Yeah”, answered James.
“No. I mean, that too, but I was thinking about him having us keep tabs on his brother. Why do we know who his craziest friend is?”
James shrugged. “I just know a lot about Padfoot, I guess”.
“It’s still weird”, said Remus, yawning. Anyway, we should finish up here soon, I’m dying”.
Then, James’ phone pinged.
“Apparently”… James began, looking down at the text. “The girls are working with someone called Dorcas to set up some cameras around the castle and they… saw Regulus, we have to go!” he called out to Sirius who just came out of the bathroom.
“What? Where is he?” he asked.
“Somewhere in the castle, come on Pads!” called Remus, grabbing his coat.
They arrived at the castle five minutes later and found Mary, Marlene Lily and Dorcas standing behind the last woman’s car.
“He’s approaching the scene of the crime” informed Mary, showing them the screen.
“What are we waiting for then, let’s go!” shouted Sirius in a whisper.
They walked up to the window Barty and Evan had jumped out of, and James hoisted Remus up. He grabbed the windowsill and pulled himself into the bathroom. James helped Sirius up next.
Sirius looked around the bathroom. He saw a slight movement out the corner of his eye. Remus must have seen it too, as he reached his arm out to stop Sirius from rushing forward. In the dark, he saw a thin shadowy figure enter the bathroom. He knew immediately. Regulus must have known as well. He knew Sirius. He could tell it was him even in the dark.
“Reg”. Sirius said softly.
“Casse toi”.
Sirius hated it when Regulus spoke French.
“Reggie please”, he said, stepping forward.
Regulus made a break for it. Remus followed. Sirius knew he would catch up, so he just sat down on the tile, shaking.
Remus came back with a thrashing Regulus in his arms a minute later.
“Non, Siri, s’il te plaît-’’
It broke Sirius’ heart to see him like this. Afraid of his own brother.
Once he finally calmed down, Remus loosened his grip.
“Regulus, you’re going to come with us” said Sirius.
“Why?”
Sirius was relived he switched to English. “Because you organized the murder of Orion Black”.
Regulus froze. “I didn’t” he said after a moment.
“You did, Reg, we know”.
“I organized the murder of Orion and Walburga Black”.
“Right, but that didn’t exactly… go as planned”.
“Is he alive?”
“No, she is”.
“No, I don’t mean father”.
“What are you talking about then, Regulus?”
“Barty”, whispered Regulus.
“We don’t know. He did also kidnap Prince Evan”.
“Idiot” breathed Regulus.
“Come on now”, said Remus, nodding at the window.
***
They locked him in a cell. They locked his brother up just like they did Walburga. They were only one cell apart.
Sirius was panicking.
Between Regulus’ silence and Walburga’s screams, he couldn’t even think.
They all kept working on the case, but no one was getting anywhere.
“So, why am I here? It’s not like Barty was stupid enough to use a credit card or something” said Dorcas a few hours later. “Wait, you asked me to be here Marlene”.
The blonde girl blushed. “I just… You’re good company”.
“Hm, sure” Dorcas muttered.
At that point, Sirius sprang to his feet. “Right. We are getting nowhere, and I am way too tired for this. I am going to bed and you all are too”.
“But I live so far away” complained Dorcas.
“Oh you can stay over at my place” offered Marlene.
Sirius rolled his eyes and left the room. He had lied. He wasn’t going to bed. He was going to see Regulus.