I own nothing you recognize. This is a prompt from The Slytherin Cabal (18+ Only) for their drabble challenge.
Sirius had been thinking hard over the last hour as he stared across the room at his family's house elf and a man who looked oddly like his brother. His dead brother who was 18 the last time Sirius saw him. He was pacing back and forth trying to figure out why Kreacher was in his afterlife. Sure, he was a bit of a bully in school... and he might have led a few girls (and boys if he was being honest) on... but still. Why would the Gods do this to him? He was starting to assume this was a trick.
He had been battling Bellatrix when he called her "a worthless excuse for a witch who was more creature than human." He was distracted and noticed the spell she sent too late to throw up a shield. The next thing he knew, Kreacher popped in and grabbed him before he touched the veil, mumbling something along the lines of worthless blood traitor almost died from lack of coordination.
"Sirius?"
He stopped pacing and spun to face the thing that looked like his brother.
"Sirius, is that you again?"
"Kreacher brought Master Regulus his blood traitor brother. Kreacher would not make a mistake Master Regulus!" The house elf bit out, upset by the accusation.
Sirius walked up and put his hand on his brother's cheek. "Little Reggie. Am I dead?"
"No."
"But you're dead."
"Again, no."
"I went to your funeral. Our parents tried to remove me, but I stayed! You... you were dead."
"Kreacher saved me, just like he saved you."
"Why?"
"Because I didn't want to follow him anymore and Mum would have made me."
"It's been 17 years!"
"I know, but I can't come out until he's gone for good."
"What happened?"
"Well, after you were blown off the family tree... Mum made me take the mark."
"Oh, Reggie. If-"
Regulus waved him off. "We're not doing that now. Back to the story... So right after I got my mark, he called me to prove my loyalty. He required our house elf."
He spent the next hour detailing his defecting from the ranks of faithful death eaters- from the discovery of how awful Kreachers task had been to how he had managed to slip out of one of their raids a few months later to gather the locket and ultimately fake his death. He described the horrible things the potion made him see.
At the end, Sirius was crying and holding the little brother that he never thought he would see again.
"When I left I thought things would get better... you were always more cut out to be the heir. I thought if... they wouldn't have been as cruel."
"They were never as cruel to me, well except for this," he said motioning to his arm.
"Reggie. I'm just so glad you're alive."
"I know. But I'm afraid I'm running out of time."
"What? You can't die again! Not when I just got you back!"
"No, nothing like that Sirius. It's just that you can't know I'm alive. We need to get you back to the house before too many questions are asked. But here. This time you will know what to do with this" He placed something in Sirius' hands before nodding. Kreacher took his hand, ready to take him home. "Obliviate."
When Sirius landed, Kreacher was holding his left hand and in his right hand was a strange locket. It was definitely dark magic. The air around it was thick with hatred and sadness. When he entered the kitchen at Grimmauld, Harry launched into his arms repeating "I thought you were dead"
"No Prongslet, I'm here. Dumbledore, do you know what this is?" He said, tossing the locket onto the table.
"This is Salazar Slytherin's locket. Harry, I think it's time to tell you something."
It had been three years since that day where Dumbledore let a small part of The Order know about the vile creations keeping Voldemort alive. They had all been destroyed and finally, Voldemort was defeated. They were gathered at Grimmauld celebrating when there was a knock on the door.
Sirius hopped over to the door "Moony, about time you and Dora- Reggie?"
"It's me, Sirius."
"Fuck."
"Can I come in?"
Sirius took him into a hug and Regulus told him about how he was still alive and the numerous times Sirius had visited.
"Well then, I think there's one thing left to do," Sirius said before marching out the back door to the family graveyard. He stood over a stone and raised his wand and destroyed it.
The stone had read:
Regulus Arcturus Black
1961 – 1979
