Adorable Gremlin
The crisp, cool air slams into Regulus’ senses, awakening him from the haze of his thoughts.
“What is this Horcrux you speak of?” His Oretta asks
Regulus blinks, the weight of this new revelation settling heavily upon him. "A Horcrux," he begins, his voice tinged with urgency. “-is a nasty piece of soul magic. The one we were discussing contains a piece of the Dark Lord’s soul. It’s hidden away in an object to ensure his immortality." Regulus spits out the last word in disgust.
His Oretta’s nose wrinkles in disgust, “Ahh… so that foul piece of magic in the attic is this Horcrux you speak up. It’s not the darkest magick type I’ve come across in my time, but it certainty is one of the most grotesque,” She admits to him, her own hand slipping into the crook of his elbow.
Regulus tries not to smile at the obvious attempt to slow down his hurried footsteps. Her legs were quite short compared to his after all.
But Regulus had a feeling that if he mentioned it, he’d very promptly be beaten up.
“Before I ended up-” He pauses, swallowing at the thought of the lake. “Before the incident, I told Kreacher to destroy the Horcrux. Considering that the Dark Lord is assumed dead and yet his Horcrux lives on, I can say we can safely assume that he is not actually dead.”Regulus asserts, his voice firm with determination. “And if he’s not actually dead, then James’ son is in danger,” He tells his Oretta.
Bianca nods in agreement, her expression resolute. "Destroying it will be no issue. Not for me and not for you either, especially with your newly found capabilities of wielding that cursed fire you showed me back in the cave,” She explains. “It was an interesting bit of magic you showed back there. I’d never seen flames so emotional and yet so deadly before. You must teach me that spell.” Her tone was filled with pride. “Although, fire might not be my forte, considering my affinity is storm,” She explains to Regulus.
“Ah, yes.” Regulus blinks, “You believed me to be Nameless before, do you still think that is true?? He asks, intrigued and Bianca clucks her tongue in thought.
“Considering the fact that Nevarah assigned you to me, I can safely say it could go one of two ways. You’ll either be of Storm, Nameless, or simply have a secondary affinity to Storm.” Bianca tells him soundly, “We won’t know for sure until we do some tests…. which will require a healer,” She grumbles, her eyes glazing over in thought.
“I never gave much thought to having a student of my own. You’ve given me lots to think of Regulus,” She gives him a fond smile and then raises a brow. “Shall I portal us to your Harry?”
Regulus flinches a little. Harry was not his.
Regardless of how much as he wanted him to be.
“Number four Privet Drive,” Regulus tells his mentor who simply responds by summoning up a portal.
Like last time, all Regulus had to do was walk through it and he was at his desired location.
“Oretta, you need to teach me that spell,” He grumbles, “It’s so much better than apparation,”
Bianca chortles, “I can teach you how to portal when we aren’t in a world that hunts our kind for sport.” She murmurs and then slaps a palm on his back suddenly, her magic enveloping his form so suddenly he jumps.
It was weird feeling his wings, claws and fangs retract. The pain wasn’t as bad as when he first inherited but it still made him wince.
“You couldn’t have done that a bit more gently,” Regulus grumbles and his mentor gives him a droll look.
“Not in the time limit you have given me,” She answers before clapping her hands, her eyes a bright violet. “Well? How are we doing this? Are we walking in there and just taking your child?” She asks and Regulus sighs.
“Oretta, he’s not mine. He’s James,” He grumbles, still wounded over the fact.
Bianca blinks, “I do not understand. Any child of any of my bonded, is mine. So how come you do not consider this child yours?” She asks and Regulus blinks a little, wracking his brain until he came upon the tidbit of knowledge she was referencing.
“Oh, but you’re talking about children of your bonded. James broke up with me because he believed me to be a true Death Eater…. near- near the end,” Regulus tells his mentor in a pained wince. Oretta’s eyes flash dangerously as a result.
Her lips purse as if she wanted to curse but thought better of it, “I see,” Her tone was brisk and bland but Regulus simply sighs and begins to walk up the steps to the very much inconspicuous house.
As they move towards the unassuming house, a rustle in the leaves nearby catches their attention. Regulus and Bianca exchange wary glances, their senses on high alert. Before they can investigate further, however, a sudden shift in the atmosphere sends shivers down their spines.
His Oretta’s eyes widen in alarm as she senses the wards surrounding the house. "Magic siphoning wards," She breathes in horror, her voice tinged with dread and anger. “Who would dare? On the house of a youngling?” She snarls out, disbelief in her tone.
Regulus's heart skips a beat at the mention of the ward.
"We need to get that youngling, out of here,” Bianca urges, her tone urgent as she grabs Regulus's arm, her grip tight with urgency.
Regulus swallows heavily and he starts to work on dismantling the wards, wand in hand due to the delicate nature of ward making, but something stops him in his tracks.
“You did a fweaky thing!” A tiny, squeaky voice yells.
Regulus freezes in his tracks, his heart pounding in his chest as he turns to face the owner of said voice, who stares up at him with wide eyes filled with wonder. Oh, this was Jame’s baby. And Harry looked so much like his dad, it was agony.
The innocence in Harry's gaze belies the gravity of his words, and Regulus can't help but feel a his throat clog a little with his surprise.
"A... a freaky thing?" Regulus stammers, his voice barely above a whisper. He feels a shiver of unease creep over him as he tries to comprehend what Harry means.
Harry nods eagerly, his small face scrunched up in concentration. "Yeah! You apeawed out of thin air. It’s a fweaky thing!" He exclaims, gesturing animatedly with his tiny hands. “Like me!” Harry was beaming in delight and Regulus blinked.
“Appeared. It’s appeared,” He corrects absentmindedly and Harry stares at him silently.
Harry was tiny, like a miniature tornado ready to wreak havoc if not carefully watched. His cheeks were soft and round (not round enough in Regulus’ opinion), reminiscent of perfectly ripe peaches, and his eyes sparkled with the innocence of a child discovering something new for the first time.
However, the wariness Regulus could see in the outlines of Harry’s body, was making a bad feeling whelm up inside him.
Harry’s unruly hair stuck out in all directions, defying gravity in a chaotic dance, and he wore a much too oversized t-shirt like a makeshift dress, adding to his endearing disheveled appearance.
Regulus couldn't help but feel a tug at his lips as he observed the adorable chaos that was this baby. Compared to the brooding, unhinged kids he'd grown up around, Harry was a breath of fresh air. However, it was painfully clear that the little tyke was not receiving the care and attention he deserved. His clothes were threadbare, and his frail frame spoke volumes of neglect.
As Regulus and Bianca approached, Harry's eyes darted between them with a mixture of confusion and fear. He shuffled back cautiously, his tiny feet barely managing to navigate the uneven terrain without stumbling.
"Are you alright, little one?" Regulus asks softly, his voice gentle and reassuring. But Harry's suspicion was palpable, and he retreated further, his green eyes narrowed in wary distrust.
Regulus attempted to bridge the gap, extending a hand in a gesture of goodwill. "Can I pick you up?" He offers tentatively, hoping to ease the tension. But Harry's response was swift and decisive.
"No!" He scowls, his small voice filled with defiance.
Regulus pressed on, determined to establish a connection. "Harry, I only want to talk. I knew your parents," He tries to explain, taking a step closer. But Harry's reaction caught them off guard.
"No!" He screams, his tiny fists clenched in indignation. With surprising agility, he darts away, narrowly evading Regulus's grasp.
"Go away!" Harry's voice echoed, his words sharp and cutting. "I don't want to follow no pwwedophiles!” He shrieks, leaving Regulus and Bianca stunned into silence.
Harry proceeded to punch Regulus in his calf, let out a scream that was honestly the equivalent to a banshee and proceeded to hide behind the bundle of lilies planted a couple of feet away from them.
Regulus was left blinking in stupefied shock and his Oretta… well….
His Oretta was obviously not going to be any help, considering she was laughing so hard, she had to steady herself on Regulus’s arm.
He was honestly so bewildered. What was going on here?
Clearly, baby Harry was not one to mince words. It was going to take more than charm and persuasion to win over this pint-sized firecracker.
Of course James’ son would be just like him.
The thought made his heart ache.
Bianca shoots him a bemused glance, her lips twitching with suppressed amusement. "Did a two-year old just outrun you?" She snickers, her tone incredulous.
Regulus grits his teeth, feeling a flush of frustration rising in his cheeks. "I didn't want to startle him," He mutters, glancing down at Harry, who stood a few feet away, eyeing them warily.
“LIAR!” Harry shrieks and Regulus ends up praying to any deity that would listen for patience and mercy.
Bianca chuckles softly, shaking her head. "You're too soft Regulus," She teases, a fondness in her tone.
Regulus sighs and crouches down just outside the wards, making him only a couple feet away from the tiny baby.
"Hey, kiddo," Regulus called out to Harry, trying to keep his tone light and friendly. "I'm Regulus."
A long pause. “Hi.”
Regulus smiled, feeling a flicker of warmth in his chest at the sight of the timid child. "I have something for you," He says, summoning a bar of chocolate out of thin air. "But you'll have to come closer to get it." The magic makes Harry’s head pop up from behind the lilies, a loud gasp escaping him.
“You weally are like me,” Harry’s eyes were bright in delight and he shuffles forward slowly until they were fact to face. His button nose wrinkles in distaste and suspicion, and the baby makes a cute, grumpy noise that has Regulus’ heart in distress.
“There is no dwugs right?” Harry asks, eyeing him warily and Regulus was a hundred percent sure this kid was going to give him a heart attack.
“What!? No! Where did you learn that word?” Regulus demands, very, very concerned now.
“I smart,” Harry shrugs and starts unwrapping the chocolate bar he’s snatched from Regulus, who hadn’t even realized.
“And I’m concerned,” Bianca grumbles, her arms crossed. She kind of looked like a frazzled golden retriever with all the panic she was going through and her frizzy hair up in whirls.
“Do you weely mmmmow my mmmarents?” Harry babbles out, stuffing his face with the chocolate and getting his hands all dirty.
“Don’t speak with your mouth full,” Regulus scolds gently and Harry sticks his tongue out at him.
“Duddy does it, so I do too. Just because Duddy has a mummy and daddy does not mean he is better than me,” Harry said, starting to lick the chocolate off his fingers.
Regulus blinks, honestly not knowing where to start with that.
“Oretta,” Regulus sighs and Bianca snorts.
“I casted a ward around us the second that baby started screaming. No one can see or hear us,” She reassures him and he breathes a sigh of relief.
“Thank you,” Regulus murmurs and goes back to this Potter baby he was getting increasingly attached to.
“Do you really know my mummy and daddy?” Harry asks and Regulus nods.
“Okay so what is my name?” Harry demands at him.
Regulus honestly had experienced shock in these three minutes more than he had his entire life time.
“Harry. Your father named you Harry,” Regulus says gently and the child seems to bloom a bit with the acknowledgement.
“Oh,” Harry murmurs, and it seems like he was blinking back tears.
“What’s wrong, darling?” Regulus asks him and Harry shrugs.
“Aunty only calls me Harry when she has people over at the house. I thought my name was Freak until I was like this much,” Harry informs them holding out a finger and a half.
And Regulus? Regulus feels his blood go cold.
He didn’t think anyone would mind if he slaughtered a couple of muggles.
People thought he was a Death Eater already.
What was a couple more murders to that?
Regulus swallows hard and then leans forward waving a hand over Harry’s sticky hands and face. Instantly the chocolate is cleared and he is left with a squeaky clean baby, looking at him in awe.
“Your name is Harry James Potter.” Regulus whispers quietly his arms open and inviting, as said baby scooted closer and closer.
“And if you need to judge if someone is safe or not, them knowing your name is not a good indicator,” Regulus says and Harry nods firmly in agreement.
“Yes, I know. Uncle’s de- deee-detec-” Harry scrunched his face as he thinks of the word.
“Detective?” Regulus offers and Harry lights up.
“Yes! Detective shows! The tv taught me a lot of things. I know how to talk now,” Harry says proudly and Regulus blinks away tears.
This was why no magical child should be left in the care of muggles.
Harry should be spoiled and loved and adored.
And instead he was learning how to speak from muggle television.
James would have killed them.
“Do you know my daddy and mummy’s names?” Harry asks, getting up with some difficulty and plopping right down in Regulus’ lap.
His Oretta makes a pained noise and Regulus was gritting his teeth so hard, he was sure they’d break if he pressed just a bit more.
He ran a gentle had over the baby’s messy hair and almost bawled when Harry melted into his touch.
Touch-starved.
“Lily and James,” Regulus murmurs, “Your parents are Lily and James. They were some of the bravest people I knew,” He tells Harry who looks at him like Regulus had brought him the sun and the moon and all of the stars.
“Hawwy James,” Harry points to himself and smiles, “I have daddy’s name too,” He beams in delight and Regulus’s heart squeezes.
“Harry James,” Regulus corrects, sounding out his r’s so that the child could hear them better.
“That’s what I said!” Harry’s voice was indignant and his Oretta couldn’t help but laugh… probably at his own baffled look.
“Harry, we’ve come to take you home with us,” Oretta kneels down as well and Harry gapes at them.
“You- You want me?” Harry whispers, his face scrunching painfully.
Regulus had to forcefully blink away the tears. He held James’ child all that much closer to him, hugging the tiny baby to his chest.
“Of course we do,” Regulus’ reply was immediate. “We came to take you away from here. From what I can tell your uncle and aunt aren’t the best people to take care of you,” Regulus explains.
Harry points at Regulus, “Reggie,” and then points at Bianca, “Etta,” He tells her and Bianca makes a quiet, high pitched sound.
“He’s so cute,” His mentor kept muttering and Regulus sighs because it was true.
“Yes, Harry.” He replies and then the baby makes a firm nod as if he had decided finally on what he was going to do with his life.
“I go with Reggie and Etta,” He affirms, hands wounding around Regulus’ neck and tiny legs wrapping as tightly as they could around his waist.
Regulus’ hold on the precious bundle in his arms, grows tighter and more protective. He stands up slowly, his Oretta doing the same.
“Is there anything you need from inside the house, youngling?” Bianca asks Harry to which he shakes his head.
“My cupboard only has my blankie and my dwawings,” Harry says, resting his head of Regulus’ shoulder. Regulus' blood was boiling.
Those muggles were dying today.
“Drawings,” Oretta corrects gently, but her eyes were blazing in anger.
“If I burn this house down, that be fine, right? It would destroy the magic siphoning wards connecting them to Harry,” Bianca offers, trying to convince Regulus who simply raises a brow at his mentor.
“My morality is very skewed Oretta. My answer to that is always going to be a yes,”
“I say yes too!” Harry raises a hand very excited and Regulus feels a string of panic.
Oh my gosh, I’m raising Jame’s son.
….he’s going to end up as a Dark Lord….
“No, love, arson is bad. Fire is bad, Harry. You can’t hurt people on purpose,”
“What? Why?!” Harry demands, kicking his feet. “Bad people have to die!”
Regulus stares at Harry, who stares back at him unrepentantly, green eyes wide and adorable.
The image made Regulus want to coo, because gosh the baby was squinting. He needed glasses just like his dad had and Regulus was finding the adorableness almost too much to bear.
“Little tyke has a point you know,” Bianca drawls, grabbing a pair of sunglasses out of nowhere and plopping them on her eyes, the house behind her already alit with intense white and blue flames. "The adults have perished and the child in the house was portalled away and put to sleep," She looked so proud of herself. Regulus was almost certain what she did was kind of illegal in Nevarah. But bloody Hell, Regulus of all people wouldn't be telling. Pfft. He wanted to get her a gift for all her help.
“Did you just cause an electric fire?” Regulus asks incredulously, looking closer at the house-fire, and his mentor beams, a blood thirsty little grin.
“Of course I did, silly. I'm a Storm-type. I’m also your mentor and a Gheyic-Alpha, hence I am claiming blood rights on behalf of my student's son. It is entirely legal," Bianca was almost dancing in place from how excited she was at the presence of a baby. Also she was very clearly lying to Regulus who was certain that in a world like Nevarah, they'd probably have to go through actual court to see Jame's muggle in-laws get justice.
Regulus stops himself from groaning when he realizes what his mentor had said though, “Oretta he’s-”
Harry gasps, interrupting him, “Reggie is my daddy too!?” Those green eyes were looking at him so hopefully that Regulus immediately softened.
He plants a gentle kiss on Harry’s head and shoots a glare at his mentor who was smirking at him unrepentant.
“He has you wrapped around his little finger doesn’t he,” Her grin was growing wider by the second.
“Etta! Can I have more chocolate?” Harry asks her, turning those green, pleading eyes on his mentor, who folds so fast, it’s Regulus who was cackling now.
He ends up getting a smack to his back while his mentor summons a portal to get them back to Grimmauld.
Regulus regretted nothing.