Accusations and a Son
“Shhhh too lawd,” Harry slaps Sirius rather roughly on the face. It leaves a tiny, red palm print on his brother’s cheek, “Don’t be a weirdo pwedophille,” Harry actually scolds and Bianca roars with laughter, barely holding herself upright.
“Wha- WHAT!?” Sirius holds a hand to his heart, stumbling from Harry.
“You make my Reggie sad, ADO AWAY!!!” Harry screeches, desperately shoving a befuddled Sirius away from him, who was suddenly blue-screening.
“Reggie!! Reggie!!” Harry’s chubby little hands were reaching out to him, continuously glaring at Sirius.
Bianca glances at her student and frowns in concern.
Oh, her student hadn’t known about this.
Strange.
“Alright, then.” Bianca exhales, taking control of the situation. “Kreacher, a calming draught for Regulus please,” She tells the distraught elf, who instantly pops away.
She stands up, and picks up Harry, because those green eyes were whelming up with tears and the baby kept shooting death glares at Sirius.
Bianca plops the baby down in Regulus’ lap and the result was an instantaneous.
The foggy look in Regulus’ eyes hadn’t disappeared and her student was still trembling, but he held Harry protectively, arms wound around the baby tightly.
“What’s going on!?” Sirius hisses at Bianca who sends him a bloodcurdling look.
“Sirius, obviously that calming drought did bloody nothing,” She snaps,
“Because obviously your brother knew nothing about whatever it is you are talking about. My student is catatonic, because of you,” Bianca hisses under her breath and causing Sirius to blanch in horror.
“Reggie? Reggie?” Harry was lightly tapping Regulus’ cheeks, large sniffles escaping the baby’s body. “Weeggie you don’t have to be my daddy, I’ll wove you we-we-wegard…” Harry looks at Bianca for help and the woman instantly answers.
“It’s regardless, darling.” She answers softly and Harry nods firmly.
“Wegardwess,” Harry affirms loudly and then whirls back towards Regulus, who was trembling.
In rage, in horror and utter distraught.
How was this even possible?
Regulus sat frozen in his chair, his mind reeling from the unexpected onslaught of emotions. His body felt heavy, as if weighed down by an invisible burden that threatened to crush him beneath its weight. Every muscle tensed, locking him in place as he struggled to make sense of the chaos unfolding around him. The only form of feeling he was getting was the weight of Harry on his lap.
His Harry.
His baby.
His breath came in shallow gasps, each inhale a struggle against the suffocating grip of shock that threatened to engulf him. His heart pounded in his chest, a relentless drumbeat echoing in his ears as he grappled with the overwhelming flood of sensations crashing over him.
Tiny fingers gripping his cheeks were the only things keeping him somewhat sane right now.
The world seemed to blur around him, the once familiar sights and sounds of Grimmauld Place fading into a haze of confusion and disorientation. He felt disconnected from reality, as if trapped in a waking nightmare from which he could not escape.
His thoughts raced, a jumble of fragmented memories and half-formed thoughts swirling in his mind like leaves caught in a tempest. He tried to reach out, to grasp hold of something tangible amidst the chaos, but found himself adrift in a sea of uncertainty.
Bianca's voice sliced through the thick fog shrouding Regulus' mind, her words a distant beacon in the darkness that threatened to consume him. With trembling hands, he accepted the glass of water she offered, his fingers numb with shock as he clutched it tightly.
“Regulus, come on. Here take this,” Bianca hands him a glass of water that Kreacher had dumped a calming draught into.
Bianca had a feeling that they kind of needed to stock up on the potions.
They were rather helpful.
The world around him seemed to blur and distort, each moment stretching out into an eternity as he struggled to regain his bearings. But try as he might, he found himself sinking deeper into the abyss of his own thoughts, lost in a labyrinth of confusion and despair.
"I'm fine," Regulus murmured, his voice hollow and distant, but the tremor in his fingers betrayed the truth of his words. Despite his efforts to maintain composure, he found himself unraveling before her eyes, his defences crumbling beneath the weight of his own turmoil.
But Bianca would not be deterred. With a firm resolve, she presses the glass of water more firmly into his trembling hands, her gaze unwavering as she met his gaze with unwavering determination.
"Drink the potion, Regulus," She commands, her tone leaving no room for argument. And though every fibre of his being screamed to resist, he knew that it would be better for him.
Oh, he hated when he spiralled.
With a shaky breath, Regulus raised the glass to his lips, the cool liquid washing over him like a soothing balm. As the potion took effect, he felt the jagged edges of his panic begin to dull, replaced by a sense of calm that washed over him like a gentle tide.
For a fleeting moment, the world increased its relentless spinning, and suddenly Regulus found himself anchored in the present once more, almost dizzy from how quick it was all happening.
“Reggie,” Harry pats his cheeks, “Is you okay?” Harry whispers loudly and Regulus lets out a pained sound, before he envelops Harry in the biggest and tightest hug.
“Sorry Reggie, I shouldn’t have just blurted it out like that,” Sirius winces and he moves to sit beside his brother only to end up kicked in the face by an annoyed Harry.
“Stay away from my Reggie! You hurt Reggie!” Harry scowls, green eyes venomous in how mad he was at Sirius.
Sirius blinks, startled at how vehement Harry was being.
“Uh…. Harry I didn’t mean-”
“DUCKING SHUT UP!!” Harry screeches, hands twining harshly in Regulus’ shirt and continuing to kick in Sirius’ direction in an attempt to have Sirius move farther away.
“Whoa, whoa… Harry bad word,” Regulus scolds gently, “We do not use that sort of language in this house,” Regulus tells Harry who looks up at Regulus with disbelieving eyes.
“The homeless man did though,”
Regulus could feel the metaphorical bullet pierce his brother’s heart and he purses his lips against the laugh that threatened to escape.
Bianca doesn’t even bother. She cackles loudly from her place, sitting perched on the table.
“Ha. Ha. Very funny,” Sirius sighs, not looking away from his godson. His eyes were soft and he was drinking in the sight of Harry, having not seen him in since he was one. “Harry, I’m not homeless,” Sirius smiles gently, “I’m Reggie’s brother,” He points to Regulus, feeling his heart soften as he stared at his brother and his godson….his nephew technically now.
“I don’t care,” Harry deadpans, then turns to Regulus’ mentor, “Etta, burn him,” Harry says pointing to Sirius and at the utterly dumbfounded look on Sirius’ face, Regulus couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore.
“Who taught you that!?” Sirius looked aghast, “Regulus!?” Sirius demands in horror.
“The filthy, abusive muggles that your beloved Albus left Harry with,” Regulus says cooly, he plants a gentle kiss on the crown of Harry’s head and the baby blossoms with warmth and happiness like a flower in the sun.
Sirius looked like he was bowled over by a train.
“A-a-abusive,” Sirius stutters, and Bianca nods humming.
“Do not worry Sirius, I burned the parents and their filthy house,” Bianca was grinning eerily and then she looks at a still waiting Harry and shakes her head.
“No baby, we can’t burn your uncle to death.”
“What? Why? Last time was funner?” Harry asks, standing up on Regulus’s thighs so he can rest his head on Regulus’ shoulder, tiny fingers gripping his shirt tightly.
“Because killing is wrong, love,” Regulus explains and Harry narrows his eyes at them.
“Yes, Harry killing is wrong,” Bianca sighs out when she sees Regulus give her a pointed look.
Harry looks between them sternly, green eyes searching for any lie. When he didn’t find what he was looking for he whirls angrily on Sirius, who was watching the proceedings looking just as stumped and baffled as Regulus currently did.
Sirius instantly sits up, face softening and eagerly ready to talk to the baby who simply glares at him.
“You!” He points at Sirius, “Is burning bad? No lies,”
Sirius blinks so slowly, Regulus was sure he was on the cusp of a mental breakdown.
He knew how that felt.
“Uhhhh- yes?”
”You LIE! I KNEW IT!”
“God damn it Sirius,” Regulus hisses, “I’m teaching him morals!” He snaps at his brother who scoffs.
“You? Teaching morals? Since when did you have any?” He mutters bitterly and Regulus raises an eyebrow.
“Oh noooo…” His voice was overly hurt and overly dramatic in such a way that Sirius instantly honed in on him, with bewildered eyes. “Sirius you’re making me so sad,” He says.
Harry gasps, rearing back and staring at Sirius in horror, “You make Reggie sad??”
Sirius scowls at Regulus who was trying and failing to not act smug. His elder brother’s scowl falls instantly when Harry starts to look like he was seconds from jumping him.
“I- uh…. only sometimes,” He grumbles, trying to avoid Harry’s judgemental stare.
"Who even is you?" The baby demands, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Sirius blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the innocent question. "I'm... I'm Sirius," He replies, his voice confused.
“Kweacher!!! Siri should be kicked out of the house for making Reggie sad!” Harry hollers into the air, causing the elderly elf to appear instantly and nod in agreement.
“I completely agree young master. I shall see to it-”
“No Kreacher, he still needs to explain what he meant by Harry being my son,” Regulus says, finally getting in control of his emotions.
Kreacher looked like he’d rather do what Harry suggested and Bianca snorts.
“Regulus, I can’t believe you couldn’t tell. You have all the same facial features. You even scowl the same,” Bianca snorts.
“Ah-what?!” Regulus whips his head to stare at his Oretta.
She raises his brow at him and Regulus in turn holds Harry tighter to him, pressing him close.
“He has Lily’s eyes, don’t lie to me,” Regulus hisses, not even able to look at Sirius.
Harry was humming softly - well loudly but Regulus didn’t really care-
His brother swallows a bit before warily and guiltily eyeing Harry. He winces when Regulus whirls on him to stare at Sirius incredulously.
“Undo the spell now,” Regulus snarls, “You put a masking spell on a baby!?” Regulus snaps and Sirius glares at him.
“Despite me not being a Dragel,” Sirius snaps at his brother who stares at him in shock at the proclamation, “I still understand the basics of magic perfectly fine, thank you,”
“Besides blood magic like what we performed on Harry won’t hurt him,” Sirius murmurs, “His eyes looked too much like his third’s for us to not be forced into covering them up.” Sirius states, “Dumbledore would’ve known Harry was a Dragel the second he looked at his eyes,”
“How do you even know what a Dragel is Sirius?” Regulus snaps, grey eyes almost black in his rage, moving to stand up, Harry still bundled in his arms. “And remove that bloody magic off of my child now,” Regulus hisses, and Harry stares up at him in awe, green eyes sparkling.
“I’m yours now?” Harry asks quietly, his voice trembling a little and hiding his face in Regulus’ shoulder.
Regulus swallows a little and then glares at Sirius, “I will be right back. And you will be explaining everything,” Regulus informs his brother with dull eyes.
Before he could leave the room to speak with Harry though, his Oretta stands up and then taps the top of Harry’s head and then Regulus’ as well.
“Oretta?” Regulus asks but before she could answer both Harry and Regulus light up with a pale blue and Bianca snorts, a soft grin on her face.
“Congrats, it’s a boy,” She tells him and he sucks in a breath, realizing she’d just done a paternity test.
“Oh my god,”
“Oh my god,”
Both Sirius and him exclaim respectively.
Regulus simply gives his Oretta a nod of thanks before he walks out of the room to talk to his son.
Any explanation Sirius could give him wasn’t as important as Harry was.
Harry was trembling in his arms, his tiny frame quivering with unspoken fear and uncertainty. Regulus sits both of them done on his bed, his arms wrapped around the baby tightly and holding Harry close as if he could shield him from the world's cruelties with the sheer force of his embrace.
“Harry? Love? Can you look at me?” Regulus whispers and Harry shakes his head.
“You don’t like my eyes,” Harry whispers, his face still hidden in the crook of Regulus’ arms.
Regulus makes a pained sound, feeling a stab of pain in his chest at Harry's words.
“Harry, I love your eyes. Because they’re yours love,” Regulus was going to cry. “I’m sorry I was missing, love. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. I didn’t know you were mine. I should’ve protected you,” Regulus croaks out, unable to stop himself from planting tiny kisses on the top of Harry’s messy, curly dark hair.
It makes him choke on a sob, when he realizes that yes, the texture of Harry’s hair was definitely due to Potter genes. And it was no wonder Harry’s hair would never be able to stand still. But those curls? Those were his.
“You’re mine. Mine. Mine,” Regulus inhales in a shuttered breath, “And I promise you, Harry, I will never leave you again.” Regulus whispers, his voice trembling with emotion.
Harry sniffles, his small hand reaching up to grasp Regulus' shirt with surprising strength. “Pwomise?” He whispers, his voice barely audible.
Regulus feels tears running down his cheeks as he wrapped Harry in a tighter embrace. “I promise,” He vows, his voice breaking with emotion. “I will always be here for you, Harry. Always.”
“You won’t weave me?” Harry peeks up at him, trying to gauge his honestly. “You’ll-” Harry pauses and looks down almost in embarrassment, “You’ll be my papa?” He whispers the last word so softly, it physically hurt Regulus to see how uncertain Harry was about Regulus’ place in his life.
He gently lifts Harry's chin, allowing both hands to cradle the small face staring up at him from Harry’s place on his lap. Regulus meets Harry’s gaze with unwavering sincerity, a watery smile on his lips and fire in his eyes.
"I will never leave you, Harry," Regulus assures him, his voice filled with tenderness. "I'll be right here by your side. I want to stay with you forever and ever. And yes, love-“ Regulus swallows harshly, “I’ll be your papa if you want me to." His kisses the top of Harry’s forehead, smiling when Harry's eyes widen in disbelief, a glimmer of hope flickering in their depths. “Weally?" The baby breathes, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Really," Regulus affirms, his voice steady despite the overwhelming emotions coursing through him. "You're my son, Harry. And nothing will ever change that."
A small, tentative smile spreads across Harry's face, and Regulus feels a surge of warmth enveloping them both. He smiles in amusement at the awe and wonder on Harry’s face, planting as many kisses as he could on Harry’s face until the baby was giggling, his hesitant stance disappearing in the face of finally having a family.
Regulus revels in the sound of Harry's laughter, the warmth of it washing over him like sunshine after a storm. He pulls Harry into another tight hug, feeling a sense of completeness settling over him.
"You're stuck with me, kiddo," Regulus chuckles, ruffling Harry's hair affectionately. "Forever and ever."
Harry's grin widens, his eyes sparkling with newfound joy. "Forever and ever," He echoes, the words filled with a sense of wonder, he pauses for a second, “… Papa?” He tries out, testing out the word and checking Regulus’ reaction, tensed up.
Regulus's heart feels like it might burst with love as he holds Harry close, his arms wrapped protectively around the precious little boy who had stolen his heart in an instant.
“Yeah, love,” Regulus murmurs, kissing Harry’s forehead. The baby relaxes in his arms instantly, tiny arms winding around his neck and trying to get even closer to Regulus.
“I wove you,” Harry whispers, “You can have all the huggies and mwahs,”
“Thank you, my soul. I love you more,” Regulus responds and Harry positively beams.
Regulus strolls in the living room, his glare astronomical.
Sirius lets out a couple nervous chuckles, instantly standing up and scurrying to hide behind one of the couches.
“If you don’t start explaining right this second, Sirius Orion Black, I will show you exactly why I was considered one of Voldemort’s best fucking lieutenants,” Regulus snarls, fingers crackling with magic, and eyes blazing in anger.
Sirius swallows heavily, a nervous laugh suddenly escaping.
“Sirius, I taught you better than to show your fear so blatantly,” His mother drawls, seeming to act bored, but her eyes were sharp from her place in the portrait in the main salon.
“I’m sorry, do you see your son right now?” Sirius scowls at his mother, who turns to her youngest son only to purse her lips for a second and then nod, “Continue,” She says, head in the palm of her hand, looking entirely entertained.
“Sirius!” Regulus shouts, “You and James have screwed me over majorly before but this?” Regulus demands, “-this is too far,” He snaps.
“Listen Reggie-” Sirius starts, hands coming up trying to placate him.
“You took MY SON! You hid him from me and he ended up in the clutches of those fucking disgusting muggles who abused him and KEPT HIM IN A BLOODY CUPBOARD!”
Sirius pales in horror, sucking in a stuttered breath, “What?” He breathes and Regulus seethes.
“Why wasn’t I told?” Regulus sucks in a pained breath, “You knew, you both knew I wasn’t a real death eater, so why?” Regulus demands, making Sirius flinch, “-why would you do that to me? To Harry!?” Regulus hisses pointing upstairs where he’d put his baby down for a nap, with a monitoring spell around his crib.
The baby was so tuckered out from the events of today, Regulus didn’t even have to debate with Harry over having his daily nap.
Sirius pales to a degree in which he looked ashen.
“A- a cupboard??” Sirius stutters, looking like his entire life had been a lie.
“Indeed.” Regulus states coldly.
“He- He was supposed to go to me if- if…. when,” Sirius corrects, looking like he was in pain.
“-when James and Lily passed away. But with me in Azkaban he was supposed to then go to Remus,”
“Remus is a werewolf, you idiots, the ministry would have never let Harry go with him,” Regulus states, rubbing his forehead. Sometimes he hated Sirius and James, regardless of how much he loved them.
Because it was actual pain dealing with their pampered and privileged ideals of the world.
Sirius less so than James.
But it wasn’t until the war started that they stopped seeing the world as black and white and started to see it in shades of grey.
“But there were a dozen wizards and witches listed in their will. Harry was never meant to have ended up with Petunia! James even included a clause in the will against anyone doing that,” Sirius snaps, making Regulus raise a brow slightly.
“Who was the first person on the scene?” Regulus snaps, and Sirius swallows.
“It was Severus. He was found them first,” Sirius admits and Regulus stares him to continue.
“And then it was me,” Sirius winces. Regulus has to close his eyes, physically praying for another calming draught.
“You left him didn’t you?” Regulus breathes in horror, feeling a sense of vengeance when his brother flinches, “You left my son there alone and went after Pettigrew. Because obviously there isn’t anyone else who would’ve been put as secret keeper. You and James wanted to be smart, but anyone with half a braincell would have figured out what you and your best fucking friend were thinking,” Regulus snarls, hands gesturing wildly.
“I gave him to Hagrid, I was meant to come right back,” Sirius croaks out, eyes pained.
“You abandoned him. Your nephew, your godson.” Regulus snarls, “You knew Harry was mine and you still left him?” Regulus couldn’t believe it, he was going insane.
“EVERYONE I LOVED HAD DIED!” Sirius screams all of a sudden.
“NOT HARRY!” Regulus immediately shouts back, “And, I’m pretty sure James would have agreed with me, if he were alive,” Regulus snarls, “Although I’m not really sure I do know him anymore, not after he hid the existence of our son from me,”
“You died a month after he found out about the pregnancy, what was he supposed to do? Resurrect you?” Sirius says tiredly, plopping down on the couch behind him, suddenly exhausted, like his strings had been cut.
Regulus's heart clenched at the mention of James, memories of their time together flooding back with painful clarity, but his mind was clearer than it had been in days and his heart was what was aflame.
“Maybe, maybe not.” Regulus says cooly, “Although I would’ve. I loved him that much,” Regulus tells Sirius who looks up at him in surprise, “I would’ve given my life for his in an instant. But he married the muggleborn four months after I supposedly died,” Regulus snarls, “So forgive me if I don’t have any confidence in how much you or James used to love me,”
“I do love you Regulus. You’re my baby brother,”
“I’m not the brother you chose,”
Sirius jolts like he’d been electrocuted.
Regulus stares at his elder brother, eyes as hard as steel, “Maybe if I was the brother you cared about, you would’ve gone looking for my body when you found out I had died. Maybe then you could’ve helped me escape and maybe then Harry wouldn’t have had to suffer as he did,”
Sirius stands up, “So you’re blaming everything on me as always,” Sirius demands, “Because that’s all you can do, right Reggie? Everything is always Sirius’ fucking fault,”
“The first thing I did after getting my life back was find out if Harry was safe -which he wasn’t by the way so fuck you Sirius for traumatizing my son because you didn’t have your priorities set straight- and then I helped free you from Azkaban,” Regulus stares at him with dead eyes.
“I didn’t ASK YOU TO DO THAT!?”
“SHOULD I HAVE LET YOU ROT IN THERE?!”
They were both screaming.
“Thank Arielle for silencing wards,” Bianca muses, rolling her eyes at the dramatics of the brothers in front of her.
“Regulus sit your ass down,” She snaps and at Regulus’ look she shoots him a glare that has him instantly sitting with a scowl.
Sirius snorts at his brother and ends up privy to a scorching look from his Oretta, and Regulus had never seen Sirius shut up so fast.
It makes him smirk.
“I’m rather jealous of how quickly you wrangled my sons. If I were alive, I’d attempt to seduce you,” Walburga looked impressed and both Sirius and him choke.
“Mother!?” They both exclaim in horror.
“What?” Their mother looked confused and Regulus inhales sharply through his nose, trying to calm down.
“Each of you will explain your stories to one another, without interrupting,” Bianca points a manicured finger at each of them.
“But Oretta, he-”
“Regulus, you know Sirius loves that boy. He would have never allowed for Harry to go to those people-” She manages to wrangle out, “-were he able,”
Regulus shakes his head, “He was careless,” Regulus spits, “If he had prioritized my son, over his stupid need for revenge -because that’s what happened right? I know you Sirius, you got so fucking mad that you went after Pettigrew instead of caring for your godson! Revenge was more important to you than Harry was!” Regulus was spitting venom with every word and Sirius looked stricken.
“I’m sorry,” Sirius whispers, “Harry suffered so much because of my impulsiveness,” He admits.
Regulus's anger simmers, but the hurt in his eyes remains. He takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "You left him in a place where he was abused, where he was neglected," He says, his voice trembling with emotion. "You left him in that hell, Sirius."
Sirius bows his head, unable to meet Regulus's gaze. "I know," he murmurs, his voice heavy with guilt. "I was a fool, Reg. I let my anger cloud my judgment, and we both paid the price for it." Sirius wheezes in pain.
Regulus analyzes his brother.
He sees the toll that years of suffering have taken on Sirius. He notices the lines etched into his brother's face, deeper than he remembers, each one a testament to the pain and regret Sirius carries with him. There's a weariness in Sirius's eyes, a heaviness that speaks of the burdens he’d been carrying for far too long.
Regulus's anger begins to ebb, replaced by a wave of empathy for his brother. He forces himself to breath steadily, reminding himself of how much he missed his brother. He knows that Sirius has suffered, just as much as he has.
“You need to tell me everything. I want to know everything,” Regulus demands and Sirius swallows but nods firmly.
“Yeah okay, Reggie. You deserve that much at least.” Sirius grumbles the last bit out making Regulus stare at him silently.
Bianca sighs and plops down beside Regulus, offering her hand in comfort. Regulus grabs his mentor’s hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Sirius,” Regulus stares at his brother who meets his gaze head on and he asks the question burning on his tongue. It's the question that had been lodged in his throat, weighing heavily on his mind for days, “Why did James actually break up with me?”