Chapter 7
As Regulus and James near the kitchen door, they hear Sirius’s raised voice. “I haven’t seen him since I was in Hogwarts. Why would he be here?”
James exchanges a confused glance with Regulus but pushes open the door before immediately coming to a halt.
Regulus peers around James and has to hold back a groan. Remus, Sirius, and motherfucking Dumbledore are standing in the kitchen. Regulus sees Remus facepalm.
“Hello Mr. Potter,” Dumbledore’s gaze seems to sweep past James before landing on Regulus. Regulus remembers his parents telling him about Dumbledore’s skill in Legilimency, usually in the same breath they warned him about Voldemort’s power.
“Never look a legilimens in the eyes, especially one as powerful as Dumbledore or the Dark Lord, unless you are prepared for them to see every thought in the forefront of your mind,” Walburga would tell him harshly in between bouts of invading his mind to “teach him occlumency.”
Regulus learned quickly how to hide his thoughts from his parents but he doesn’t trust his occlumency against a wizard as skilled as Dumbledore. Instead he averts his eyes as Dumbledore pierces him with his gaze. He stares resolutely at the wall behind Dumbledore’s head and the man sighs.
“Regulus, my dear boy, I was hoping to have a word with you.” Regulus’s skin crawls at the familiarity with which Dumbledore says his name.
“How did you know he was here?” James says defiantly.
“Do not presume to think you could have hidden his arrival from me. I felt his presence as soon as the wards readjusted around him,” Dumbeldore replies and Regulus takes note of how Dumbledore seems to have control of the Potter Manor wards.
“Now, my dear boy, if you will accompany me to the sitting room, I believe we have a few things to discuss.”
Sirius takes a step forward, his eyes blazing and Regulus remembers that despite the fact that his brother joined the order, he grew up hearing the same stories of the headmaster that he did.
“Now hold on. Anything you say to him can be said in front of us.” Sirius gestures to Remus who stands beside him and James who stands defensively at Regulus’s back. Regulus feels warm at their blatant protectiveness.
Dumbledore gives Sirius a disappointed look. “Do you really trust me so little you think I would harm your brother?”
“No, I just think it will save time telling all of us at once, rather than having Regulus repeat it all later,” Sirius counters.
Dumbldore frowns but doesn’t push, instead just turning to Regulus as if Sirius wasn’t in the room. Regulus sees Sirius bristle with unconcealed anger at the dismissal but Remus places a hand on his arm and the anger subsides.
“What brings you to this stronghold?” Dumbledore asks.
James butts in, “This is NOT a stronghold. It is a place of sanctuary and a safehouse for my friends.” Regulus gets the feeling that this debate has happened before.
Regulus places a hand on James’s arm, unknowingly mirroring Remus, and feels some tension leave him.
“I defected from the Dark Lord and needed a place to go. Potter has been nice enough to provide shelter,” he slips back to using James’s last name in the presence of the Headmaster.
Dumbledore looks in disappointment at James. “Why would you take this drastic measure without consulting me first?”
“Drastic measure?” James says incredulously. “I provided shelter to my best friend’s brother in his time of need. I did not realize I had to run my every move past you.” Regulus hates the way he is referred to as Sirius’s brother, like that is his only defining quality, but he is glad James is standing up to Dumbledore.
Dumebledore has apparently decided that James won’t be swayed and plays the card that Regulus has been waiting for.
“My dear boy, surely you must realize the danger that puts everybody in.” The Headmaster looks pointedly at Regulus’s left forearm and despite expecting it, Regulus feels that simmering anger in his gut.
“If these wards are as strong as you think they are, everyone here should be perfectly safe,” Regulus says icily.
“But the second you leave the wards you could attract danger to whoever you are with. Surely you are aware of how Voldemort can track you through the Dark Mark.” Dumbledore clearly expects this to be news for James, Sirius, and Remus and Regulus hates how Dumbledore tried to take this away from. Take away the opportunity to tell his brother and friends about being marked on his own terms.
Dumbledore’s face falls when he gets no reaction from the Marauders but quickly conceals it.
“I am working on that. By the end of the week, it should no longer be an issue,” Regulus gives no more information than he has to and is relieved when James also seems inclined to keep the potion a secret.
Dumbledore’s facade finally seems to crack slightly and his anger seeps through. His left eye is twitching slightly. This meeting is obviously not going the way he wanted it to and Regulus is loving it.
“Look Regulus, I cannot in good faith allow you to continue living here and endangering all the good people who come to take shelter or meet here,” there is magic in Dumbledore’s voice when he speaks and Regulus is for once glad of the training his parents gave him, learning to resist the imperius curse and compulsions.
“And am I not deserving of shelter? Besides, the people who “meet here” as you say are not unable to defend themselves. They’re all members of your order right? I assume they knew the risks involved when they joined and were prepared to go against the Dark Lord and his followers.” Regulus raises an eyebrow and is secretly amused at the look of hatred that flashes across the Headmaster’s face.
In his typical fashion of completely disregarding everything you say to him if it goes against his own convoluted logic, Dumbledore ignores what Regulus said and instead turns a disappointed gaze to James.
“You told Mr. Black about the Order?” Of all the things Dumbledore has done and said to enrage Regulus, it is the way he makes James wilt under his words that infuriates him the most.
Regulus discreetly grabs James’s hand and squeezes it, trying to bring back his previous defiance. It seems to work and James meets Dumebledore’s eyes.
“Of course I told him about the Order. He defected from Voldemort and is willing to help.
He even brought us valuable information about how to defeat him.” Regulus elbows James sharply in the ribs but it’s too late and Dumbledore grabs the opportunity to regain his footing in the conversation.
Suddenly returning to his kind old man act, Dumbledore addresses Regulus. “What information, my dear boy?”
“Please don’t call me that, Headmaster,” Regulus finally says, thoroughly disturbed by the term of endearment.
“Of course, Mr. Black, my apologies. But please, it is imperative that you tell me exactly what you know about Voldemort so my Order can defeat him,” Regulus sees Sirius’s lips twitching at the annoyance in Dumbledore’s voice and thinks that everything has finally been cleared between them, at least for the time being.
Regulus still hates the idea of telling Dumbledore about the horcruxes but he knows that James and Remus are right and he may need the Headmaster’s help if he wants to destroy them. So Regulus inhales, clenches his left hand so hard his nails dig into his palm, and gives over the one bit of information that makes him valuable. “Voldemort made horcruxes.”
Dumbledore’s expression is unchanged and the realization hits Regulus like a bludger. Dumbledore already knows about the horcruxes. Regulus feels the same way he did when it was confirmed that his brother and his friends were members of the Order of the Phoenix.
There was no way Dumbledore knew about horcruxes and hadn’t told any members of his Order. Of course there was the possibility that he just hadn’t told the Marauders but had informed the senior members of his vigilante group, but Regulus knows deep down that Dumbledore hasn’t told or planned on telling anyone this key piece of knowledge.
Regulus looks sharply at Dumbledore but otherwise gives no signs of his revelation. The Marauders look up to Dumbledore as a symbol of hope and Regulus doesn’t want to ruin that until he knows for certain what Dumbledore’s plan is.
After a period of silence, Dumbledore finally nods.
“Well then, that changes a lot,” the Headmaster says and the double meaning is clear to Regulus. The existence of horcruxes changes nothing. It’s Regulus’s knowledge of it that changes everything.
“And how did you come across this knowledge?” The Headmaster looks down his nose at Regulus and he draws himself up, refusing to be intimidated.
Before he can respond, Sirius jumps to his defense. “He found two bloody horcruxes already. You should be thanking him.”
While Regulus appreciates his brother sticking up for him for the first time in years, he wants to scream. His brother has never been known for subtlety but Regulus wishes Sirius had a shred more Slytherin in him.
Dumbledore’s eyes are glinting again.
“My dear boy, why didn’t you say this earlier? You must hand them over to me at once. They are incredibly dangerous magical artifacts.” Sirius has the sense to look contrite. Regulus tries not to scowl at the moniker.
“I don’t think that’s in my best interest, Headmaster. Just moments ago you wanted to kick me out of the Manor.”
Dumbledore looks enraged. “You dare to use the one thing that could defeat Voldemort as a bargaining chip?”
Regulus just raises an eyebrow and says nothing. Dumbledore heaves a sigh. “I am sorry that I said what I did. You are of course welcome to stay at the Manor. Now, it is vital that you hand over the horcruxes this instant.”
“No. You can destroy the horcrux here, in a warded room. I'm sure the Manor has something like that?” Regulus looks to James who immediately nods his consent.
“Of course. The dueling room upstairs is warded enough that even fiendfyre wouldn’t threaten the house.” Regulus sees the way Dumbeldore’s eyes widen marginally when James utters the name of the dark spell.
“I’m afraid that is too big of a risk. I need to do some research on how to destroy the horcrux first. In the meantime, I would like to store the horcruxes in a spot much safer than anywhere you have them.” Dumbledore fixes Regulus with a harsh stare but Regulus just stares nonchalantly past his shoulder.
“I know you don’t need to do any research, Headmaster,” He says carefully. Regulus prays his guess is correct. “You already know how to destroy the horcrux. You just want time with the horcrux. What I can’t figure out is why.”
Apparently, Remus caught Dumbledore’s slip up as well.
“It’s fiendfyre, isn’t it,” Remus’s voice is low and quiet but everyone clearly hears it, just as everyone clearly notices the way Dumbledore shoulders drop, his face taking on a defeated expression.
“Fine, yes, fiendfyre can destroy a horcrux. I simply didn’t want you children to know because I didn’t want you to attempt the spell yourself. It’s one of the most dangerous spells for a caster to perform, and I didn’t want any of you to get hurt unnecessarily.” Regulus bites back a sigh at the way Dumbledore has managed to weasel his way out of the situation but forces himself to say nothing.
“I know of the spell. I can’t cast it but I could probably control it. There’s no way you don’t know how to cast it, so let’s just go do it. We have the horcruxes, the means to destroy it, and a safe location to do it. Why wait?”
Regulus hides his shock at Remus’s small speech. He didn’t think the werewolf would have the guts but he guesses he was wrong.
Dumbledore looks upset, but he has no choice, and Regulus enjoys the checkmate he’s forced the older man into. He nods, conceding to Remus’s point and gestures to James. “Lead the way.”