Chapter 3
Harry shifted, there was something so familiar about the boy, “I didn’t know you had a little brother.”
Sirius’ smile tightened slightly, “We weren’t very close, towards the end or when we were older at least, when we were younger we were best friends.”
Harry looked back down to the photo, he knew the joy of finally wrapping your fingers around the golden ball, of hearing the crowds cheer for you, of knowing you did something wonderful.
He glanced back up to his godfather, the similarity between him and the boy, ’Regulus’ he corrected, was uncanny.
“Can you tell me about him?”
Sirius’ smile changed again, this time becoming reminiscent.
“Regulus… what can I say about Regulus? He loved to read, poetry mostly. I’d always find him hiding from our parents in the library. And he was a seeker, as you can see, bloody good one too, not as good as you of course,” He added hurriedly, “he wasn’t made seeker in his first year, then again he also wouldn’t have went on the broom, wasn’t really one for breaking rules…” He trailed off.
“Regulus is an interesting name! Where’d that come from?” Harry quickly asked, needing to know whatever he could about this previously hidden part of his godfathers life.
Sirius gave him an odd look but complied, turning the page to a picture of five somber children, him and Regulus in the front, and a woman Harry didn’t know between, he realized with a start, Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange, “My family is very concerned with tradition, as you well know, and one of those traditions was naming their children after stars and such. I’m Sirius, which just so happens to be the brightest star and part of the Canis Major constellation. Andromeda,” he pointed to the middle girl, “Is a galaxy. Bella here,” he moved his finger, “is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. And you know Narcissa of course. The tradition break oddly enough, considering that she’s the one who’s fulfilled everything a good pure blood girl is supposed to do.” He rolled his eyes, “And finally Regulus. The heart of the Leo constellation. It’s sometimes called ‘The Little King’ or ‘Prince’” his lips turned up slightly, reminiscent, “Fitting really.”
Harry kept quiet
“Anyways, he was a nice lad when we were growing up, he was my best friend, I loved him, truly, after I started hogwarts, I don't know what happened, he turned into someone I couldn't recognize. I looked at him and for a moment I could see our mother so clearly in him, and I was terrified, he was my world and I was his when we were little. Well, you know how things go, people change, they grow up, and things and people change them. That's what happened to Reggie, I still loved him, though, that was sickening at first, but I still can't shake it, I still love him" He swallowed and shut his eyes.
“Sirius-“
“He was killed. By Voldemort. He had joined in and then chickened out and was murdered for it. He was 18 years old. It was just a few months before you were born. I thought I saw him once. The day your parents were killed. I thought he was there when I confronted Peter. It’s all so fuzzy though. I was so sure that he was there, and killed by Peter in the explosion. It was only later on in Azkaban that I realized I was wrong.”
Harry looked back down to the book, the next picture held a teenage Regulus working on a potion. He was watching Harry, smiling softly, pride shimmering in his eyes.
He was just so familiar.
“He seems like a nice person to know. I wish I had the chance to meet him.”
“Meet who?”
Sirius jumped slightly looking over to the doorway, eyes sparkling, “Moony!”
Remus laughed and pushed off from where he had been leaning on the doorframe, making his way to the couch, “Hello Sirius, Harry. What are you two looking at?”
Harry looked up at him with a smile, pushing off his hood to see the taller man, “Sirius is telling me about Regulus. Did you realize he had a brother?”
Remus froze mid-step, meeting Harry’s eyes. His mouth gaped like a fish, eyes wide.
Too late Harry remembered the reason he had come looking for Sirius in the first place. Why he couldn’t take down his hood.
“Moony? You alright?”
Harry nervously chewed the inside of his lip, and pinched his leg, “I can explain-“
Remus held up a hand to silence Harry, before promptly turning on his heel, collapsing into a nearby armchair, and pinched the bridge of his nose, “You have no idea what’s happening?”
“I- no?”
He groaned, “Regulus and James are going to kill me when I die.”
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Regulus watched Dumbledore enter the room.
“Ah Mr and Mrs Potter, thank you for having me”
James clutched the baby tighter, Regulus ached to be there to protect their son with him.
“The pleasure is ours headmaster.” Lily said, voice tight.
Dumbledore hummed, keeping his eyes locked on the sleeping bundle in James’ arms. There was something so familiar about the look he gave him. It made Regulus’ blood boil.
James seemed to catch the stare as well and cleared his throat, “Well Headmaster, as nice as this is, Lily really needs to rest, and if there’s nothing else…”
“Of course, I’ll get right to the point. I have some,” he hesitated, “concerning news, regarding the boy.”
James’ bouncing slowed, Regulus felt the urge to throttle his old headmaster.
“And what would that be?” Asked Lily.
“I think it best if you sat down.”
James hid his anxiety well, as far as he knew only Regulus could see his tells, a slight bite of his lip, a shake of his leg, the shifting in his seat. Regulus’ fell more along the lines of pulling a curl or pinching his leg, the later of the which he was doing now. Dumbledore only ever came bearing bad news, they all knew this well.
“Well then, what do you wish to tell us?”
“There is a… prophecy, that your boy falls into the perfect conditions for. Him and just one other boy in fact.”
Regulus held back a scoff, ignoring the slight chill that ran down his spine, old warnings from Pandora.
“Who’s the other boy?” Lily asked after a few too many moments of silence. James remained silent, cradling his son in his arms as if he were the most precious of all the treasure in the world. Wasn’t he though? A child born to the perfect Black son and the heir to the Potter house. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor. He probably shouldn’t exist, and yet he does. Regulus would do anything for him.
“The Longbottom’s child, born just yesterday.”
The redhead took in a sharp gasp of breath.
“The prophecy.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The prophecy,” James bit out, “What is it?”
Dumbledore cleared his throat, and Regulus prepared for the worst, “The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies....”
A roaring overtook Regulus’ head. James stilled, eyes widening, he took in deep shaking breaths and desperately searched the room.
‘looking for me’ Regulus realized with a small start.
“So what does this mean?” Regulus will be eternally grateful for Lily, her calm, cool demeanor taking charge during the fearful moments such as these.
“It means, Mrs. Potter, that a boy, the chosen boy, the possible savior of the wizard of world, will have been born at the end of July of this year. He must have parents that defied Voldemort three times and survived. This special boy will have powers that Voldemort is unwilling to understand. The one of whom which the prophecy speaks will be the one to kill the so called ‘dark lord’ or be killed by him. The child-“
“Harry,” James gritted out finally, the name Regulus had chosen, just a week earlier, “His name is Harry.”
“Excuse me?”
“My son’s name is Harry. And Alice and Franks son is named Neville. They are not pieces of a prophecy. They are not the “chosen ones” or the “saviors” they are boys. They are children. And they will have no part in this war you’re so eager to fight.”
James was standing now, voice hoarse with unshed tears, Harry beginning to fuss and cry in his arms.
Lily had lifted a hand to her mouth, seeming shocked, but Regulus knew her well enough at this point to know that she was on the verge of jumping up herself.
“Mr Potter-“
“I think it’s time you leave,” James cut him off, voice cool, “My son is crying and my wife needs rest.”
Something flashed again in Dumbledore’s eyes, but he nodded and inclined his head, seeing himself to the door, “I shall contact you with ideas on how to protect the child- Harry- soon.”
“Right. You do that.”
As soon as the door clicked shut James slid to the floor, weeping softly. Regulus removed the cloak and made his way over to his crying husband, picking up his son and trying to soothe him as well, ignoring the pang in his heart ‘ ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...’ His baby boy. The youngest son to the house of Black went back to his chair and held his son, hoping to protect him from all the evil in the world.
“I think I should go grab Remus, shouldn’t I?”
James nodded stiffly.
“Right then,” Lily hesitated but clearly sensed that they needed to be alone, “I’ll be back,” and shut the door behind her.