The second Night
04/07/1996 (11:50 PM)
Regulus looks in the mirror at his reflection. He feels a strange kind of anxiety crash over him all over the day, which he does not understand. He was simply meeting Potter, weasely and Granger to discuss about Sirius and the veil.
Yesterday night they decided to meet the next day, so that they could get some rest lest the families of the other three becomes suspicious. They were going to meet daily after midnight for 2-3 hours to come up with a reasonable solution.
Regulus still had not figured out how to tell the society in general that he is back. Especially now that he is back in his 16 year old body, anyone can point out that he is a minor and thus should be under the care of a guardian. Merlin only knows what kind of relatives they will choose for him to stay with. He thinks that Meda would be a fine guardian but he does not know her all that well.
Andromeda Tonks nee Black is his eldest cousin. She ran away with her muggleborn lover after her graduation when he was only 8 years old. That was the last he saw her. He missed her alot. Her tight hugs and warm smile were more motherely than any action from his own mother. But he does not know her nor she him. She is just like this 18 year old girl, freezed in his mind's eye. He does not know how to see her as a 45 year old women.
Other than that there will be Narcissa, whom he was close with until the very end. She was the only one from his family who loved him till the end in her own way and showed him her silent support. Never abandoned him for seeking selfish happiness and freedom. Did what was expected of her. In that way they were both very much alike. Rebellious in their own private little ways but never shone as bright as their siblings who always demanded attention in any room, thus no one noticed the two silent cousin standing in the corner, obseving everyone quitely.
When Andromeda ran away, Narcissa was 12 year old, just started her 2nd year at Hogwarts and Bellatrix was 16 years old, Starting her 6th year. Meda was betrothed to Rudolphus Lestrange, which then fell upon Trixie. At 17, within a year she was married, they did'nt even wait for her to complete her last year. Cissa was also engaged to be married to Malfoy when she was 15. Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Druella did'nt want to take any chance after their run away daughter.
His own mother became more strict with Sirius who was 10 at the time, which was the begining of their conflicting relationship. In a way Meda left House of Black in ruins in her wake. He does not blame her per se, he understands it on some level. But he will always resent her and Sirius for being so self serving that their freedom cost both their respective siblings their autonomy and what little independence they possesed was stripped out of them befor they can even understand right from wrong.
He hopes atleast she is happy, among all 5 of them, she got to make her own life. Because he would like to think that even Sirius, as rebellious as he was, was in a way chased away by his mother's strictness in earlier days and cruelity in the later.
But he loves his warm and sweet cousin all the same because he knows that she did'nt want any of them to be hurt. Just wanted to marry someone she loved. And if she had any inkling of doubt that her siblings and cousins would suffer so much then she might have abandoned her own plans and happoniess.
There is bittersweetness in the love Cissa has for Meda in the same way of Regulus's own feelings for his brother. While Trixie was so far gone each time he saw her after that, that till the time of Regulus's own 1st year at Hogwarts came, she was barely recognisable. Trixie was shattered and took Meda's actions to heart the most. For her this was the biggest betrayal. Not just cause she had to marry Rudolphus who was 10 years older than Trixie, but because she was left to fend for herself all alone, with no one to trust in and no one to care for her. His most Fierce and couragious and protective cousin Trixie was gone and left Bellatrix Lestrange behind her. They made her completely unrecognisable.
Sirius also changed after that but not because of Meda leaving but because of Trixie changing. Siri and Trixie were always the closest. There personality was a match. Even though they had a 6 year age gap, they understood each other on a deeper level. They matched each other's vibe so well that they balanced each other. Initially Trixie was devasted so Sirius was also in misery then Trixie was Mute so Sirius became loud and at last they both became almost feral in their own unique way. At last both hated House of Black for how they were treated and renounced any association that can be held with it. Trixie became a true Lestrange and Sirius became a true Potter.
A pop sound took Regulus out of his thoughts.
"Halfbood master and his mudblood and blood traitor friends have arrived young master" Kreacher says with a bow.
Regullus sighs, "Kreacher, please don't call them that". Regulus did subscribe for the Blood purity cause but he never willingly called anyone by these names, he knows all too well how mere words can bring the strongest of person to their kness. Hurting them in worst possible ways.
He also knows that Kreacher has spent all his life learning this and being conditioned to it so their is little to no hope in changing his ways.
He makes his ways to the Kitchen, the two wizards are discussing about quidditch and Granger is immersed in a book.
He sits in the position similar to last night, opposite to them.
Their conversations stops after that and all three greet him with a nod of head and he returns it.
"Potter ,first of all since the house now belongs to you, you need to hide my name from the tapestry lest anyone sees it." He tells him, getting straight to bussiness.
"I can't do magic outside the school." Potter frowns.
"Your magic won't be traced since it is a magical household but even still you don't need to use magic. Just ask the house."
All three of them looks at him as if he had grown another pair of head.
He rolls his eyes. "Grimmauld Place is sentient, just like Hogwarts and listen to the lord of the house and other blacks because of centuries of magic absobed in its walls from generations of Blacks. But since no one has occupied it for more than a decade it has lost it connection to me. You as the owner of the house can ask it to do anything you want. When someone of Black blood is reinstated as the Head and the Lord of the House then it will be back to its old functioning level." He explains.
Potter hesitates a little. "Okaayyy. Umm so aahh listen Grimmauld place could you ummm please hide regulus's date of revival from the tapestry. Please?." He finishes, doubting his request.
Nothing happens for a few seconds as if the house is considering the request then the lamps in the Kitchen flickers and there is woosh sound. So Regulus assumes its done.
Weasely runs in the tapestry room, wanting to check. "Holy shit, its gone" He laughs astonishingly.
"Language Ronald". Granger admonishes him, though she also has a small smile.
Potter also appears pleasantly surprised. "Thank you Grimmauld". He says sincerely. In response wind blows his already windswept hair teasingly. He gives a small chuckle.
"Now I think along with finding way to bring Sirius back, we should also try to find ways to trap Pettigrew and bring him before the ministry. Otherwise there is no advantage in bringing Sirius back if he is to be assumed an escaped convict". Grangers says and the other two nod.
Here he asks them what they know of pettigrew's role in all these crimes, Sirius's break from azkaban and about how he fell through the veil.
They tell him in detail about Pettigrew's cunning and how he framed his brother. How at the end of their third year they met Sirius and learned the truth and how Pettigrew helped in bringing his master back to a body.
After that they seemed to hesitate in telling him about Sirius's death, only telling him that the Order of the Pheonix went to ministry to chase some death eaters in the minsitry, which is stupid and does not make any sense. He knows that according to Daily Prophet, Potter was present there in the ministry along with his 5 friends. So what would 6 school children be doing at the minstry but he lets it slide. They are entitled to their secrets.
Then they go in detail telling him about the duel between Belletrix and Sirius and Sirius's fall through the veil after being hit by a stunning spell. He is momentrally shocked by the revelation.
Trixie is responsible for Siri's supossed 'death'. The same Trixie who used to fire hexes at anyone who made her young cousins cry and defend them from their own parents. Used to tell that he and his brother would grow up to become great wizards and lead House of Black in the correct direction. The two of them used to be engage in friendly duel. Trixie's curly hair dancing with her every move, both of them dueling with grace expected from a Black and laughingly knocking each other and sending mild stinging hexes. This time there were no Trixie and Siri dueling lazily, only a death eater against an order member aiming to maim at best and kill at worst.
".......Black ,,,, Black.......REGULUS??,,,,,"
He wipes at his eyes conspiciously, coming out of his thoughts, back in the kitchen of Grimmauld place. All the three Gryffindors staring at him.
"Are you okay?." Potter asks him. He nods and takes a deep breath.
Granger seemingly inderstanding the need to change the topic, launches into her study about veils around the world and the few cases in which people returned. He asks them to lend him the books so that he can himself read and study about the matter.
Not wanting to be in presence of any company, he tells them that he is tired. They leave after giving him a week to research and come up with a way to bring his Brother back.
He makes his way to the room asking Kreacher to drop his guests.
There in the dead of knight he mourns the loss of a very beautiful relationship between his cousins. Destroyed by outer world and over prideful Blacks.