Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything what you can recognize from the books. I do however own the plot of this story but I don't have profits because of it unless you count improving my English as a profit.
Chapter two: Past Continuous, Present Not Simple.
Blood on his hands, not his, he doesn't feels like it's his blood. Mirzam Verascez, his Auror partner is dragging him through Diagon Alley, she is practically carrying him away. He screams and tries to get away. He remembers a slap across his face followed a goblet of Firewhiskey handed into his blood covered hands. He remembers washing the blood down, the way it dripped to the sink from his hands. His father's blood, blood of a Black, his blood.
It's October and his mother is standing at the graveyard, two mahogany coffins in front of her, behind his mother stands Auntie Lucretia, her husband Ignatius, Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Druella, Bellatrix and Rudolphus, Narcissa and Lucius, grandfathers Pollux and Arcturus with grandmothers Melania and Irma, even great aunt Cassiopeia are there too. Today is the funeral of Orion Sirius and Regulus Arcturus Black but only one coffin contains body... Regulus's body had never been found.
He watches the funeral from the distance... Ashes to ashes, dust to dust... from it you rose to it you will come... It's too fucking early... Regulus was not even eighteen, barely graduated from Hogwarts... father... he was only fifty, too young to die... to die like that... like a drunk man, on the street... blood on his hands. He washed his hands since his father had died at least hundred times but he still feels like his father's blood remained on his hands ... Be still my heart... they denied you as much as you denied them...
No son of mine will be in Gryffindor... no son of mine would have this evil Muggle device... no son of mine would befriend Mudbloods and blood traitors... You are no son of mine. You are no son of mine. You are no son of mine... No... son... of... mine... No son of mine.
Why you aren't more like Regulus?
You are not a brother of mine. My brother would not run away like a beaten mongrel... My brother would not ask me to run away with him... and different one... You are not brother of mine. My brother wouldn't close the door in front of me... Regulus... he dies in front of him and he is helpless, he watches Inferi dragging his brother beneath the surface... Regulus's brown eyes watching him sadly... Brown eyes... just a shade lighter than James's eyes were... James...
James... lying in front of him, dead... cold... too young to die... James's whose little son... Harry, his little Harry... taken away from him... Harry who had been taken away from him, carried away by a Portkey to Merlin only knows where... Harry who witnessed so much... Harry who is the closest thing he has for a son... but Harry is not his son... Harry is his son... James wasn't there to raise him... neither were you... you were rotting in Azkaban... But Harry is his son... his to take care of, his to listen stories, his to love, his to teach about life... His son... his little son who grew up so quickly, so quickly, too quickly, too soon, too early... Must not think... Harry is James's. Harry... James... James... James... James... James is Harry... Harry is James... Must think ... Harry ... James... Must not show... Harry James... Lily... Remus... Regulus... dad... no... McKinnons... so many... so many... too many... too soon... too early...
He wants to scream, to run away, to warn people whom he watches enter houses from which they do not come out again... It's like being trapped in a fucking nightmare from which he can't wake up... People are dying in front of him... Uncountable faces... screams of agony hanging in the air... Scenes shift in front of his eyes... Death Eaters ambush in St. Ives... Mirzam Verascez and Tracy O'Maley lying unconscious in pools of blood... Hadrian Sheeperman with one leg missing... Gregory Hope begging him to tell his wife that he always loved her and her only... his own bruises and gashes... he remembers that support came quickly... five minutes after the attack... but now support doesn't comes... They are dying one after the other until only he is left... Green light hits him squarely in the chest and he is falling down... falling... falling...
The night had passed and the dawn came and went. The noise which was coming from downstairs indicated that the Weasleys started waking up. But Sirius didn't woke up yet.
"We should come downstairs, Harry," said Hermione gently. "Maybe he will wake up in few hours, he looks drained."
Harry nodded slowly and with a heavy sigh he stood up. But Sirius was looking so vulnerable, so thin, so sick, so fragile. It took Hermione's gentle grip on his left arm to get him away from Sirius' room.
"Let's not tell them, yet," Harry asked her quietly.
"Okay," she replied gently.
They came downstairs in their dressing gowns. Mrs Weasley handed them two big plates full of toasts and two big mugs of tea. She was so irritatingly cheerful that Harry wanted to scream at her for being so ignorant, so cheerful when his godfather was upstairs, unconscious, sick.
"He is still holding you in the library?" Mrs Weasley asked suddenly.
"Yeah," Harry muttered.
"You don't sound so eager, Harry dear," said Mrs Weasley sympathetically.
"I slept badly," Harry replied shortly and looked at his plate with disgust. Suddenly he wasn't hungry anymore. "I'm going to the bathroom," he announced and left the kitchen hastily.
He took a long shower and then he came back to Sirius' bedroom. Sirius didn't woke up, yet. Harry sat down at the middle of Sirius' bed and watched slowly rise and fall of his chest. He didn't knew how much time passed before the door opened and Hermione walked in, she was holding a tray with a plate full of sandwiches and three goblets.
"Still sleeping?" she asked gently.
Harry nodded slowly.
"I thought that you should eat something, you barely touched your breakfast," she said and she set the tray on the bedside table in front of Harry.
"I don't feel like eating, Hermione," he whispered and grasped Sirius' left, pale hand.
"I think that you should eat something Harry, I don't think that Sirius would want to wake up only to find you passed out from hunger," she pointed out.
"If he wakes up," Harry whispered.
"Don't say that," Hermione scolded him. "He will wake up, Harry. Just give him some time to recover," she added more gently and she squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.
He heard her moving away from the bed and moving the chair away from the desk but his eyes even for a moment didn't left Sirius' unconscious body. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and he finally looked up at Hermione. In her right hand she was holding a stack of parchment. He looked at her questioningly.
"They are all yours," she said gently.
He took the letters from her hand and stared at them. On the top of the stack was his first letter he wrote to Sirius.
"He kept them all," he whispered and he traced his left forefinger through the parchment.
"You mean everything to him. There is something else I found," she said and then she handed him a leather covered book. "His diary from seventh year at Hogwarts."
"Diary," Harry whispered.
He felt like an intruder when he opened the book on the first page. They were Sirius' private thoughts, he had no right to read them but he felt unyielding need to get to know his godfather. He just realised that aside from what he learned in drawing-room he didn't knew his godfather very well.
2nd September 1977 (Friday)
Remus bet me and James that we would never get a date with our fixations. We have a month to do something or then we are owing Moony ten galleons, each.
Evans passed next to us before Charms. Wall – one, James – zero. Hexed Goldstain into next week, he was eyeing Verascez's bum … not that she doesn't have a cute bum because she does but no one eyes my girl and lives to tell the tale. Argh…
Here be logic: she is not your girlfriend dunderhead and nothing indicates that she ever will be.
Ah our little delusions… someday you will go on a date with me Verascez if not then my name is Hoppy the Happy Hippopotamus damn it.
12th September (Monday)
Hiding at Astronomy Tower after escaping James' clutches. I swear that Prongs is a sadist. Hence that Evans doesn't want him, it doesn't matter. What matters is that Mr Horny Bastard (I so wanted to write it down since he became a Head Boy) suffers greatly and that someone has to listen to his moaning and groaning about his perfect Tiger, Flower … whatever … Lily Evans. And since Moony is sitting with Wormy in Care of Magical Creatures right now who is better to moan and groan to than dear old Padfoot. I love this guy like a second brother but right now I'm about an inch away from hexing Prongs into next millennium.
Hello! I'm trying to find a way to woo a girl here (between finishing homework for Slughorn). The last thing I need right now is doodling Mirzam Verascez all over my Potion essays. I just can see the grade: 'Troll. Not very eloquent Mr Black, I expected something better from someone who after graduation wants to be an auror'.
She is sitting there – doesn't see me if she did she would run away faster than one can say Quidditch. Merlin she is so beautiful. I don't get what James sees in red-heads, brunets are far more hotter. And Mirzam, unlike Evans plays Quidditch. Merlin why she had to get sorted into Ravenclaw – grr… if she was in Gryffindor we could have the best team at Hogwarts.
One word Black: pathetic.
13th September (Tuesday)
I love McGonagall – that's official. Our dear professor Kitty decided that for the sake of the lesson James is going to sit with Snivellus whereas I'm going to sit with Mirzam Verascez. Oh, my dearest violet-eyed inspiration you don't know that I'm going to chase the dark wizards for you with you.
Later:
James dragged me to Madam Pomfrey because I told him to bugger off when he started making plans of fixing Snivellus with Gryffindor colours for the rest of the week. On a different note: my dearest star has a headache. On completely different note: I have Padfoot's tail right now because my dearest violet-eyed star hexed me with Animagi Inspiration Spell after I suggested that massage can help the headache and offered myself as help. It can't get off – I don't care, I'm going to wear it proudly till it goes off on its own, my star give it to me.
Yes, I'm a lovesick fool.
15th September (Thursday)
I still have a tail – Prongs got his antlers – well thank you Evans, your temper is as fiery as your hair.
19th September (Monday)
Am I a man-whore?
Stacy Reads from … was it Hufflepuff … came around and kissed me. Why that hag had to pick up the moment when I was making civilised conversation with Mirzam? After she left my violet-eyed star told me that's exactly why she will never go out with me. I'm a man-whore.
Man-whore (noun) a man who will shag everything which doesn't have a dick.
Sirius Orion (I hate you dad) Black alias Son Of a Bitch, a man who has more decency than JCP because when he, SOB, proclaimed undying love to one MMV decided to not shag anything which isn't MMV unlike JCP when he proclaimed his undying love to LRE and had been found with his pants around his ankles with FDH in his sixth year in a broom closet by LRE herself.
Then Harry flipped about twenty pages and settled on a completely different day:
14th February 1980 (I don't give a damn what a day it is)
Been at Prongs place – sickeningly happy couple with a boy along their way. A boy… a son… Merlin help the kid if James threat become truth. If I were the kid and had my father named me Puddlemere United then I would murder said daddy on the first occasion.
Besides that I hate Valentines. Melvin 'Fucking' Prewett keeps me away from the case. She is my partner, my girlfriend, my fiancée, my betrothed and she is having my son. How dare your lot expect me to wait for a miracle! I want her back. I can't stand looking at James and Lily's growing belly, with their child. I can't stand their happiness when my happiness had been taken away from me.
1st August 1980 (Friday – or someone said it was Friday)
I've been at the graveyard in Canterbury. I lied a bouquet of violet irises and light a candle.
Mirzam Verascez, born 13 February 1960, died 13 April 1980
It's a damn fluke, it's just a grave, a coffin. There is no body inside it. They claimed her dead but part of me tells me that she isn't dead. I will never believe that she is dead until I see her real body…
James' son was born yesterday, his name is Harry James Potter, he has Lily's eyes. They want me to be his godfather when all I can think about is my little son whom I didn't had a chance to hold in my arms.
When I held the kid in my arms for a moment I thought that anything which had happened in last few months didn't took place and that I was at the Hospital with my girl and the child in my arms was my son. My son.
I never told James that I was going to be a father too. I never told anyone. We wanted to tell the rest after Mirzam's birthday but she was kidnapped three days before it. That's why when I'm with James and Lily I have to put my happiest smile and pretend that I'm fine and reveal not that with everyday a little bit of me is dying inside…
13th September 1981 (Sunday)
I baby-sat little Harry when James and Lily were at Hogwarts, talking with Dumbledore. He called me, dad… I cried until I put him to his crib and fell asleep on the floor next to it. Why I didn't had a chance to hear my son speak this words to me?
Now I'm finally ready to write it down: I have a vial of Frasier's Poison at my flat, in my bedside table. I take it out every night before I go to sleep and stare at it until I fall asleep. I put it back in the bedside table every morning after I wake up. I don't have balls to do it. Today after I came back from the Potters I poured the contest of the vial into the toilet. Despite everything I still have something to live for, the person who is too young to understand it now but maybe someday he will…
Harry, someday when you will read this, know one thing little tyke, you saved your godfather's life. I love you like a son I never had a chance to have and probably never will since there is only one woman who could be the mother of my child and she is dead or as good as. I love you with all my heart Harry. Your godfather, Sirius.
Harry blinked and then he realised that he was crying.
"Harry," said Hermione gently and she squeezed his shoulder.
"Read the last two entries," he whispered and he showed the book to her before he hid his face in his hands.
It was unfair, really unfair that Sirius had his girlfriend and child taken away from him. Was it why he could go through any lengths to be at Harry's side? Because he poured all his love he had for his unborn child into Harry. Was Harry to him a constant, painful reminder of what he could have?
Maybe that's why he was projecting James on him. Because between deluding himself between projecting his lost child and dead friend the later hurt Sirius less. Sirius' life wasn't easy from the start from what Harry heard and later he came through bumpy road to his happiness only to have it snatched away when he last expected it, then came Pettigrew's betrayal, Harry's parents deaths and twelve years in Azkaban … and in the end when everything seemed to be straightening out, when Harry believed him he had his freedom snatched away from him. A lesser man would break down, but Sirius didn't broke down, until yesterday.
Harry grabbed Sirius' right hand and pressed it to his lips.
"Oh, Harry," Hermione whispered and he felt her hugging him tightly.
"It's not fair," Harry whispered. "Why he had to suffer like that?"
"I don't know," Hermione whispered.
"I want to make it better but I only destroy everything I touch. If it wasn't for me…" Harry whispered.
"If it wasn't for you, Harry, Sirius would be still in Azkaban. If it wasn't for you he would go mad there or be dead by now," she said gently. "He broke out from Azkaban because he thought that you were in danger. He threw everything away and run across the world because he wanted to be at your side. And when you were attacked by Dementors he had bitten Fred because he was in his way between the front door and it took Lupin and Tonks to restrain him from running to your side," she added fiercely. "You mean everything to him."
"I'm a constant reminder of what he had lost, his friends, his family.…" Harry whispered and he hugged her tightly.
"You are what keeps him from breaking down," she said.
"Not well enough," Harry whispered. "Not well enough."
Suddenly Mrs Weasley's voice carried through the house. They were supposed to get down for lunch. They went, thinking that maybe someone who can help Sirius will be down there.
To say that they were surprised upon seeing newcomer was a little understatement. The man seemed to be tall and quite skinny. A curtain of grey hair was covering his face but when the man heard their footsteps he turned to them so they could see his eyes. They were brown and full of warmth. It occurred Harry that he saw the man earlier, someday, somewhere in the past.
"Professor Mufrid Lemeraude will be our new guest," said Mrs Weasley.
"Professor Lemeraude teaches Ancient Runes," Hermione whispered to Harry.
"Talks about Ancient Runes my dear Hermione," Lemeraude's voice sounded warm yet it felt like he was correcting Hermione. "I talk about Ancient Runes and if someone chooses to listen to me and learn something from me then good for him, or her."
"Could you show professor Lemeraude around the house after lunch and show him his room on third floor? That good for nothing lazy prat fails to act like normal host," Mrs Weasley muttered and suddenly the glass she was polishing shattered into tiny pieces.
Lemeraude was the first person to jump to help her gather the pieces and examine small cut on her hand. He cleaned it quickly, but carefully and taped it with his wand. Moment later there was no sign that Mrs Weasley cut her hand.
Harry and Hermione tried to appear interested by the conversation about cleaning the silverware and for a moment it seemed that they won't need to show Lemeraude around the house but in the exact moment they stood up from the table Lemeraude stood up too.
"I was hoping that I could meet Sirius... I heard a lot about his stunts at school, between older staff he and James Potter are living legend. Do you know why he wasn't at lunch?" Lemeraude asked curiously.
"He came down with a flu," Harry said quickly.
"In the middle of the summer?" Lemeraude asked, now more curious than before. "Sad, very sad. I hope that he will get better in next few days," said Lemeraude quickly. "I will be staying with you for next week, maybe two if I will have problems with getting through books..."
"What kind of books?" asked Hermione quickly.
"Professor Dumbledore told me that the Blacks had big variety of books written in runes and I don't want to miss the opportunity. Do you think that Sirius would have something against if I checked the library without his assistance?" Lemeraude asked cheerfully.
"I don't think he will," Harry admitted though he really wasn't sure if Sirius wouldn't mind.
"Can I ask him about it?" Lemeraude smiled down at them.
"Sirius is sleeping," Hermione said quickly. "He was incredibly tired and he is sleeping... He needs rest... a lot of rest..."
"He just sleeps," Harry interrupted her. "Mostly... Only."
"Did he drunk Sleeping Potion before?" Lemeraude asked curiously.
"Two drops," Hermione admitted. "With two goblets of Firewhiskey."
"When?" Lemearaude asked, his voice sounded more seriously than before.
"Yesterday... and he didn't woke up since then," Hermione answered in a whisper.
Lemeraude gulped visibly before he asked, "How old the potion he drunk was?"
Harry and Hermione didn't answer. Lemeraude paled drastically and asked in barely audible whisper, "Where is he?"
"In his bedroom," Hermione whispered fearfully.
Lemeraude rushed up the stairs with Harry and Hermione at his heels. If Harry had more time to think he would find it curious that Lemeraude who wasn't supposed to know the house since he was supposed to be inside it for the first time knew the exact way to Sirius's room.
When they entered the room Lemeraude went immediately to Sirius's side. He grabbed Sirius's hand and taped it with his wand. It made Sirius's body glow faintly in pink light.
"Sirius," Lemeraude called out Sirius's name. "Sirius," he called again when Sirius didn't reacted, his voice sounded concerned, worried and a bit alarmed.
Harry and Hermione gasped as they saw Sirius opening his eyes a bit and heard him whisper, "Regulus."
"I'm here... you are safe with me. Everything is going to be all right," Lemeraude said, his voice was gentle.
Discovering that his fiancée is missing, his fiancée who is having his son… Raging at Melvin Prewett who holds him away from her case because he is too emotionally attached to it. A quiet funeral in Canterbury, a grave which holds an empty coffin. There isn't a body to bury, there isn't last goodbye, there isn't last chance to hold her pale hand in his.
He falls down into darkness and he doesn't know if there is someone to catch him, to grab him before he smashes into the ground. There is no one…
"Sirius," a warm voice which he could hear before, somewhere in his past, calls him.
He is falling down. Still...
"Sirius," the voice sounds concerned, worried … a bit alarmed.
He is falling still and there is nothing to break his fall...
"Sirius," the voice calls and suddenly the voice finds matching face... warm brown eyes … and greying hair... a hand extends and he is not falling anymore.
The face seems familiar, like he knew that haughty look from before... he sees it every time he looks in the mirror... But it can't be... unless somehow he died and he passed to other side.
"Regulus," he hears his own whisper.
"I'm here... you are safe, with me. Everything is going to be all right," this older Regulus with greying hair reassures him with gentle smile.
It took him some time to realise that he wasn't dead. If he died, his head wouldn't be throbbing so much, that's the only thing he knew for sure. But how Regulus managed to get here was beyond him. He knew that Regulus was dead, and he wasn't, but it didn't explained why Regulus was sitting next to him.
Regulus hair were mostly grey, but the brown eyes were warm and the smile on his face sincere.
"Regulus," he repeated, not sure if this image would disappear.
"I'm here Sirius," Regulus answered and his hand squeezed Sirius's.
"What had happened to me?" he asked tentatively.
"You were knocked out by an old Sleeping Potion Sirius," Regulus said, his voice full of concern. "You had the kids worried sick about you."
He turned his head and saw Harry and Hermione standing by the door. They looked shocked.
"Sirius?" Harry whispered tentatively. "How are you feeling?"
"My head hurts," he answered truthfully. "How long I've been out?"
"About six hours," Hermione answered nervously.
"Explains why I feel like a shit," Sirius muttered. "But doesn't explains why you are here, Regulus? I thought that you were dead."
"You and the rest of the world," Regulus said with a small, gentle smile.
He propped himself against the headboard and stared at Regulus. He looked far more older than he should. Sirius was going to turn thirty-six in November and Regulus was year and half younger than him, he turned thirty-four at the end of July as far as Sirius remembered. Thirty-four years old shouldn't have grey hair, he thought.
"What had happened to you?" he asked finally.
"I find more interesting what had happened to you, Sirius," said Regulus.
"The locket," he whispered. "We destroyed it, shortly before I got knocked out. It's gone," he said and watched blood draining from Regulus's face.
"Did you knew what you destroyed Sirius?" Regulus's voice sounded concerned.
"I have no bloody idea, perhaps you could tell me," he answered truthfully.
Regulus turned his face to the kids as if he wanted to say something. Sirius had a pretty good idea what he wanted to say and cut Regulus off before he had a chance to say anything, "They stay, they were there Regulus. I wouldn't destroy it without their help. They deserve to know the truth."
Regulus nodded slowly before he gestured at the kids to join them on the bed. When Hermione and Harry were sitting on other side of Sirius's bed Regulus waved his wand at the door.
He ran his free hand through his hair before he said finally, "Have either of you heard about a word called Horcrux?"
Harry and Hermione shook their heads but Sirius didn't. He remembered reading about Horcrux somewhere, ages ago, but he couldn't for the life of him could recall what it was so he finally shook his head.
"The term "Horcrux" is used to refer to any object in which a person has concealed a part of his or her soul. The purpose of a Horcrux is to protect the given bit of soul from anything that might happen to the body of the person to whom the soul belongs. While the Horcrux is kept safe, the person will continue to exist even if his or her body is damaged or destroyed," Regulus said grimly.
"Voldemort," Harry whispered.
"Yes kiddo, Voldemort," Regulus nodded. "But let me continue. To create a Horcrux, by definition the spell-caster must have split his or her soul into fragments, so that one fragment can be implanted within the Horcrux while the other is retained in the spell-caster's own body. The act of splitting the soul is accomplished by committing murder, which rips the soul apart. Voldemort had done his share of killing," he said slowly.
"The locket was the Horcrux," Hermione whispered.
"Yes, Hermione," Regulus agreed. "That much I knew when I went after it, I didn't knew how to destroy it though."
"Diary," Harry whispered.
"Diary?" Regulus asked, he sounded like he didn't understand what Harry meant.
"His diary was a Horcrux too," Harry whispered. "He came out of it when ..."
"When the Chamber of Secrets had been opened," Regulus whispered quickly. "They told me nothing about what had happened back then, all I knew was what I gathered from bits and pieces, but I never heard about a diary."
"From what I saw back then and now the diary was a Horcrux, sir," said Harry quickly.
"Regulus, or Mufrid when others than the three of you are around," Regulus said briskly. "I like to keep me head attached to the rest of the body, thank you very much. Your theory fits very well, Harry. From what I gathered about Voldemort, I know that he possessed more than one Horcrux," he said grimly.
"How many?" Hermione whispered.
"At least one, the locket. That's what I thought when I went after it. But later, after I survived the cave I stopped being so sure about only one. I'm good with memory charms and shortly after Voldemort had vanished for the first time I found out that," he paused, took a deep breath before he continued, "that he could make seven Horcruxes."
"Seven?" all three of them breathed out.
"Seven," Regulus said grimly. "I chose candidates for Horcruxes and as far as I can tell there are few very likely candidates. Voldemort is a show off, he likes things significant, he likes to make sure that everybody knows that he is a Slytherin heir. So the locket is obvious, then I think comes the Gaunt's ring, another sign of his Slytherin heritage. I thought about Ravenclaw's Diadem."
"It had been missing for ages," Sirius said grimly.
"I know. Voldemort may be a homicidal psychopath but he isn't an idiot Sirius," Regulus said firmly. "Hufflepuff's Cup, it gone missing at the same time as the Locket, actually belonged to the same person, so this one is a Horcrux for sure. Then the diary. Probably his snake, Niagini, he always kept her very close and ..." suddenly he stopped.
"That's seven," said Hermione. "You said that there were seven."
"I did," Regulus muttered grimly. "But I stopped being so sure when I heard the rumours nearly three years ago. It's a wild guess, personally I would prefer to not consider it, but if there is something I know about Voldemort," he paused, "I know that he didn't intended," he turned to Harry, his expression grave, "for you to live."
Sirius knew what Regulus meant and he immediately objected, "That's outrageous Regulus!"
"Still possible Sirius," Regulus muttered.
"I'm the Horcrux?" Harry whispered weakly.
"You don't know for sure," Sirius growled. "Stop even suggesting it Regulus. He has enough on his plate. Harry don't listen to him!"
He felt like someone hit him hard on the head. It couldn't be possible. No. Sirius was right, it was outrageous to even suggest it. But... how do you explain being Parseltongue? How do you explain feeling Voldemort's presence? How do you explain that you are able to feel Voldemort's moods? See what he is doing? You are a Horcrux.
"I'm a Horcrux," he whispered. "It fits. Oh, Merlin."
He wanted to get out. To run away and never came back. To leave the people he cared about, to not endanger them. He will jump in front of the bus. He will die and Voldemort's part would die with him. He rushed in the direction of the door but he managed to make only three steps before strong arms caught him in the middle.
"You are not going anywhere," said the voice he recognised as Sirius brother's.
"I'm a Horcrux," he repeated. "It explains everything," he cried out.
"It explains everything," Regulus whispered. "But you dying won't stop Voldemort. Not yet, at least. Sirius tell him what you know! Tell him about prophecy!"
What?
He felt that he was hauled to Sirius's bed, Regulus's arms still around his waist. He felt the man sitting behind him. What else they hid from you? What else they knew?
He raised his head and looked at Sirius. He was even paler than before. His hands were shaking.
"They told me not to," Sirius whispered. "They told me not to tell you this. I objected, I told them that you were supposed to know it, you were supposed to know something as important as this."
"The prophecy?" Hermione whispered weakly, and Harry felt her hand squeezing his gently.
"Shortly before you were born Harry," Sirius started. "A prophecy was made. We, the Order had been only told the first part. The part which foretells the birth of a boy in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort."
"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 ..." Regulus whispered into Harry's ear.
"You knew it?" Sirius asked in shock.
"I did," Harry felt Regulus nod behind his back. "There are two people in this world which know the full contest of the prophecy. The one to whom the prophecy was made and the one who recorded it. The second one was me the former one is Dumbledore."
"That explains it," Sirius muttered.
"That's why we can't let you die Harry," Regulus said. "Not yet, not now. Not until Voldemort's other Horcruxes are destroyed."
"So he has to kill me," Harry whispered. "He has to kill me in the end."
"Yes," Regulus whispered. "But maybe not for sure," he added suddenly. "There has to be away to extract the Horcrux part from you without you dying."
"There is not," Harry whispered weakly. "I'm doomed to die."
"Everybody dies Harry," Regulus whispered. "Hell. I was meant to die. But I'm here, now, and I'm very much alive."
Harry said nothing. He only felt tears running down his face. He didn't realised when two other sets of arms enveloped him.
"We won't let you die, Harry," Sirius whispered. "Not without trying to find the way around. I swear."
"We will go to Dumbledore," Hermione added.
"Dumbledore would not help," Regulus muttered. "He knows and yet, the only thing he did was keeping the truth away, from you Harry, from the Order. He didn't had done anything to ensure your safety without ulterior motive. He is manipulative old codger, I learned as much. He would be ready to sacrifice each and single one of you if the price was high enough. I trust him with the safety of students at Hogwarts, but I wouldn't entrust my own life in his hands. Never."
He felt his heart breaking. He knew that Regulus was right. The sincerity of every word the man said was suffocating him. Dumbledore's betrayal hurt beyond words. Knowing his fate was making his head swim. The air which he breathed in wasn't giving him oxygen. He felt weak, crushed by what he heard. He heard himself sobbing before the world turned black and he felt no more.
She watched as Regulus put Harry on the bed in his old bedroom, and Sirius draped the coverlet around Harry's body. He looked so small, so weak, so crushed.
"Regulus, take Harry's things from his old room. Hermione will show you," Sirius said as he sat at Harry's side.
Regulus nodded and motioned at the Hermione to come with him. She obeyed him and tailed behind him to the landing, closing the door to Regulus's room behind.
"He will be out for the rest of the day. Sirius will be with him," Regulus said quietly.
"Is there nothing we can do?" she heard herself asking him, her own voice sounded like she was begging.
"There is something which we can do Hermione," whispered Regulus, and she felt him grasping her shoulders. His eyes bore into hers. "We can ensure that Voldemort would not reach Harry's mind. We will find the way around the Horcrux. I want you to know that I don't want him to die. No one should die. I will make everything in my power to find the way around. But I will need your help. You know him the best. You are with him almost all the time. Watching after him when Sirius and I aren't around would be your responsibility from now Hermione."
She nodded. She always watched after him. She could do as much. She felt every word she heard today catching with the reality and she realised that she was crying.
Strong arms enveloped her and held her tightly. They said no words because there was no words to be said.
They moved Harry's things into Regulus's old room quickly. It took them only two trips downstairs to bring Harry's trunk, Hedwig's cage and Harry's books. Thankfully Ron, or anyone else wasn't around because she didn't felt like answering why they were moving Harry's things.
The dinner was quiet affair, at least for her. She tried to appear interested in a talk about clearing the rooms at the ground floor. Regulus, who was sitting beside her, said nothing except 'Thank you' when Mrs Weasley handed him his plate. When they asked her where Harry was she told them that he retired to the bed early. Mrs Weasley of course expressed her thoughts about it but Hermione ignored her. Suddenly she felt like screaming, yelling at the lot of them for being so cheerful, so happy, so ignorant. She felt that if she remained there in the kitchen, with the Weasleys acting like a merry bunch of ignorant they were she would do something she would later regret. She excused herself from the table and left the kitchen without finishing her dinner.
She went upstairs, to Regulus's room. Nothing had changed from before. Harry was still lying on the bed and Sirius didn't even moved for an inch since she left. She closed the door before she approached Sirius and hugged the man.
"I don't want him to die Sirius," she whispered as his arm hugged her.
"Neither do I," Sirius whispered. "Neither do I, Hermione. I would die first before I will let him die."
He spent whole night at Harry's side. He dozed off around three o'clock in the morning when Regulus told him that he will watch Harry. Even then he didn't left the room, he send Hermione to his bedroom around midnight so his own bed was out of questions. He curled in his Animagi form at Harry's side, letting Padfoot keep warm his little boy.
He woke up three hours later, Regulus was still in the room, engrossed in a huge book, checking on Harry from time to time. He changed back into his human form.
"I'm surprised that the Weasleys didn't started looking for them," he whispered to no one in particular.
"I put confudus on the stairs to our landing," Regulus said grimly. "No one other than yourself, myself, Harry and Hermione would be able to get here or get out."
"But they started searching for them?" he asked.
"They did. Molly expressed her worries about Harry not being in his bedroom. I told her that he was and that she needs to have her eyesight checked and to stop bother me since I came here for other reason than cleaning. You should get rid of them quickly. I rather not make everything what had happened here known to general audience," Regulus shut his book with a thud.
"Like it would be easy thing to do," he muttered grimly.
"From what I gathered from Hermione, Molly keeps constantly questioning your authority both as Harry's godfather and the host. Sirius I knew would never let this kind of insult down," Regulus said and sagging mattress on the other side of the bed told Sirius that Regulus switched places.
"They are members of the Order," Sirius said blankly.
"They can come to the meetings too. They have their own house, Sior. Kreacher is handling the house by himself pretty good and you don't need Mrs Bossy around," Regulus reasoned.
"You are right," Sirius whispered. "I will get rid of them as soon as I can. Dumbledore be damned."
She woke up in unfamiliar bed and blinked to clear her eyes. The walls of the room were covered with posters of motorcycles and girls in bikini. It looked like a room of typical teenager boy, that what anyone else would think if they saw the room. She, however, knew that the room belonged to not so teenager anymore godfather of her best friend. Lying there in his bed she couldn't help but admire Sirius's nerve knowing what kind his parents were.
She really appreciated that Sirius let her spend the night here. She was too tired and too worried to go down to her room she shared with Ginny last night.
"Coming down for breakfast?" asked male voice from the doorway, she turned her head in that direction and saw Regulus leaning against the doorframe.
"In a minute," she mumbled. "He got a nerve," she waved her hand at the walls.
"Oh, yeah," Regulus chuckled. "He did. Mother was livid when she realised that he used Permanent Sticking Charm to glue them."
"How is Harry?" she asked.
"Didn't woke up yet and to tell you the truth I would prefer him unconscious until I figure out how to deal with what had happened," Regulus answered sincerely.
"You can't keep him unconscious for an eternity Regulus," she pointed out.
"I know," he nodded. "Considering our plans Harry should be out till some time later today, worst case tomorrow morning."
"What kind of a plans?" she asked as she picked up her jumper which she took off before she went to sleep, she slept in her clothes last night.
"You will see," he said as she put the jumper on.
They left the room together. On the other side of the door Sirius was waiting for them and together they went to the kitchen.
They sat at the table, she in the middle and both Blacks on her sides. Mrs Weasley was already there bossing around the kitchen, unaware of Kreacher glaring daggers through her head. When Sirius sat down the elf looked at him expectantly but Sirius shook his head which made old house-elf sigh heavily.
Just a moment later the commotion on the stairs was heard and the rest of the Weasleys came down, first Fred and George, followed by Bill and Ginny with Ron tagging behind.
"Where is Harry?" asked Mrs Weasley.
"No idea," Ron muttered as he sat down in front of Hermione. "Wasn't in his bed when I went to sleep nor when I woke up."
"Hermione wasn't in our room too," Ginny said quickly as she sat down next to Ron.
"Where were you?" Mrs Weasley asked her bossily.
"In the house," Sirius muttered before she had a chance to answer. "You aren't her mother so she doesn't have to report you where she goes."
"Sirius," Mrs Weasley said warningly.
"I was only stating the facts," Sirius muttered and he picked up a toast from the plate in front of him.
"We are not eating till Harry comes down," said Mrs Weasley sternly.
"So it means that we will die from hunger because Harry isn't coming down," Regulus muttered. "He had a terrible nightmare and currently is sleeping in his bedroom until the effect of Sleeping Potion which won't wear off till noon."
"You mean that he retired to the bed yesterday very early and he is still sleeping, and not in his bed? I checked yesterday, he wasn't there," Mrs Weasley asked sternly.
"He is sleeping in his bed," Sirius muttered grimly.
"Last time I checked Lily Potter had been dead," Regulus snorted.
"What it has to do with Harry?" Mrs Weasley asked surprised.
Sirius snorted grimly and Regulus grimaced before he said, "Everything."
"Like?" Mrs Weasley asked.
"Like the fact that she was, is and will always remain Harry's mother," Sirius said sternly. "You aren't her and no one asked you to try to take her place, Molly. If someone possess the authority to bossy Harry around and tell him what to do and what to not do it's me. He came to me last morning saying that he had a nightmare and asked me if I could give him another room so he didn't had to wake Ron up every time he had a nightmare. I told him that I could. It's my house and I can do everything I want."
"Made you feel important, didn't it?" Mrs Weasley asked lividly.
Sirius hadn't a chance to answer it because Regulus cut in quickly, "Did you?"
"Did me what?" Mrs Weasley snarled at him angrily.
"Made you feel important?" Regulus mocked her. "Big house, a bit too lingered, but there is nothing which a good clearing can't get rid of. Ancestral house of one of the most oldest pure-blood families, and there is the heir of the house. An only heir of another most respectable pure-blood family on that. Did I failed to mention that poor dear is an orphan?" Regulus said as he stood up from his chair and walked around the table to stand in front of Mrs Weasley. "Why not play concerned family to lull his senses, made him think that we are only concerned about his well-being."
"What you mean?" Mrs Weasley asked surprised.
"You know fucking well what I mean Molly!" Regulus snarled. "Do you think that it was the draft which opened the door to the library? I caught you fucking red-handed and yet you got a nerve to flatly deny your filthy little master-plan which concerns poor orphaned boy, with no family but with huge inheritance and status of a wizarding world's hero, your little daughter and her petty crush! Do you seriously think that no one would see through your filthy little plan or you're just this stupid?" he screamed and then he turned to Sirius. "Yesterday night I caught her in the library with the book about strong, undetectable love potions. If there is anything from which your godson can be shielded that's fucking her!" he pointed at Mrs Weasley.
"That will be enough," Sirius said through gritted teeth. He stood up, drafting himself to the full high and said icily, "I give you two hours to pack everything you had in this house and leave and never appear here unless on Order's meeting."
"You had no right!" Mrs Weasley yelled.
"My house. My godson. My right," Sirius said sternly. "If I see you or someone from your family after ten o'clock I will have them kicked out by Kreacher sooner than you can say Love Potion. Get out!"
"Sirius!" said Bill quickly.
"I said two hours," Sirius growled. "Hermione. Lemeraude. Both of you with me," he motioned at them.
They went upstairs into Sirius's room where Hermione and Regulus sat down on the bed as Sirius kept pacing in front of them.
"You really didn't make it up?" he asked finally as he stopped for a second.
"Did I had a reason to make it up?" Regulus asked.
"You really saw her?" Hermione asked timidly, she was surprised when she heard it for the first time.
"I really did. I was under Harry's cloak when I was checking if everyone was asleep. I caught her red handed," Regulus muttered grimly.
It made sense. She remembered Mrs Weasley telling her and Ginny about love potions she made when she was their age two years ago day before they left to Hogwarts. She remembered how concerned Mrs Weasley was always about Harry, sometimes even more than she ever was for Ron. She could perfectly well play concerned matron without showing that she had ulterior motive. And Ginny ... Ginny pinned for Harry for ages, she was the only daughter and she would have no objections if Harry took the interest in her. What was worse Ginny could know about her mother's plan and never say a word…
Suddenly she shuddered as she remembered how Ron had been acting last year. Maybe ... Maybe she was the victim of Mrs Weasley's plan too. No, it couldn't be possible ... but what if it was? She felt sick, about everything, about Harry's state, Mrs Weasley's hypercriticism.
"That's sick," she whispered angrily.
"Sick, but still legal," Regulus muttered. "Let's check on Harry. It will make this two hours pass quickly. Quicker than watching the Weasleys pack."
"You still have Harry's cloak with you?" Sirius asked.
"On the chair," Regulus muttered and he pointed out at the chair at the desk.
"You two keep an eye on Harry. I will check how seriously they took my words," Sirius muttered.
He picked up Harry's cloak from the chair where Regulus left it and covered himself before he made his way down as silently as he could. When he passed the wall of Confundus Charm which Regulus put yesterday he saw Bill leaning against the wall. At his side were standing Fred and George, both looked unusually sombre.
"Do you think that Lemeraude lied, there in the kitchen, Bill?" asked Fred quietly.
Bill said nothing, just stared at the wall between his brothers shoulders.
"Bill!" George prompted.
"I don't know very much," Bill muttered grimly. "Actually the only thing I'm sure about is what I heard both from Percy and his ex-girlfriend."
"What Percy has to do with it Bill?" asked George.
"He turned his back on us," Fred added.
"He did, I won't deny it," Bill sighed heavily. "I will tell you what I know and under no circumstances you will pass it to anybody. What you two know about Penelope Clearwater?"
"Not much," George answered.
"Only that she was in Ravenclaw, same year as Percy and that she was a Muggle-born. They used to date," Fred added.
"That's the problem," Bill muttered. "Last year when I asked Percy how things were going between them he told me that they split, told me that mum persuaded him that it was nothing serious and that it will distract him from work. Percy, being Percy, did what he thought was best."
"What about Clearwater?" asked George.
"I ran into her two days ago. Actually she approached me when I was having lunch, she had to recognise me," Bill shrugged. "She asked me about Percy, she sounded really worried. From word to word I gathered that about year ago mum approached her at her home and asked her to end things with Percy. Penelope told her that she won't because she loved him but then Percy ended it on his own. I'm more than sure that mum had something to do with it," he muttered.
"So Lemeraude might be right?" asked Fred grimly.
"He might," Bill nodded. "I never really cared but now..." he hung his voice.
"So we are packing?" asked George.
"Unless you want Sirius to fulfil his threat. With Sirius reasoning flies out of the window as far as Harry is concerned. This you know as much," Bill muttered.
"He bit me," Fred snorted.
"Told you so, reasoning flies out of the window, puppy was in danger," Bill snorted.
"Where is Sirius?" suddenly Remus's voice carried across the corridor. Tagging behind him was Dora. Both looked very concerned.
"Judging by the look on your face mum got you," Bill muttered.
"He has no right to kick you out!" Remus growled.
"Frankly he has every fucking right to do so," George snorted.
"As far as Harry is concerned Sirius will even get out and beat the shit out of You-Know-Who himself. He is trying to protect him," Bill muttered.
"From whom?" asked Dora.
"Mum," Fred muttered. "Lemeraude found her with a book about love potions yesterday."
"He caught her reading it," Bill added grimly. "We have to remove ourselves from his house till ten o'clock. Mum already told Dumbledore that Sirius is kicking us out. He will come here in the evening to try to reason out with Sirius but he told her to leave the house nevertheless."
"Knowing Sirius it won't help much. What about the Order?" asked Remus grimly.
"He allowed us to come here for the meetings," Bill answered.
"Do what he says," Remus nodded. "I will try to talk to him. Maybe he is exaggerating and maybe he is not."
"He went upstairs with Hermione and Lemeraude, they are with Harry," said George.
"But you won't get there. There is a spell on the stairs which prevents anyone from walking there. We tried," Bill muttered.
"Then I will wait here till he comes down," Remus said and he sat down cross-legged on the floor. "Go pack."
Three redheads nodded and left the corridor. Dora, however, remained with Remus.
"Do you think that he has a reason Remus?" she asked in a small voice as she sat down on the opposite side of the corridor to Remus.
"It's Sirius we are talking about Tonks," Remus sighed. "Bill is right as far as Harry is concerned Sirius will do everything for him to not get harmed by anyone. He broke out from Azkaban because he thought that Harry was in danger. He lived in the cave for a year. He will do everything to ensure that Harry is safe."
"What do you know about that Lemeraude guy Remus?" Dora asked curiously.
"He teaches Ancient Runes since Landsand decided to leave Hogwarts after Christamas in 1990. He is incredibly close guarded and quite well educated in Defence Against Dark Arts, but that's what I know from talking with him, he never wanted that post. But there is a very curious thing about him, Dora, when I had Marauder's Map with me I never saw him there. I even saw Binns and Peeves and other ghost but I never spotted Mufrid Lemeraud on Marauder's Map."
That's curious. Regulus managed to get himself whipped from the map.
"Do you think that he is a Death Eater, Remus?" Dora asked.
"If he was then he hides it better than Snape does," Remus replied. "But I admit that Lemeraude always reminded me someone I knew before but the scent is completely wrong…"
"Out of the things I know for sure," Snape muttered, he was standing two steps below the third floor and looked even grimier than ever, "is that there wasn't a Death Eater named Mufrid Lemeraude, or Lemeraude or Mufrid. If he is a Death Eater then he is pretty good at hiding it and he is probably not in Dark Lord's favour at the moment or not at all."
"What brought you here, Severus?" Remus asked politely.
"Dumbledore told me to check upon the boy. He fears that Black knocked him out just to ensure some kind of control over the kid," Snape said sourly.
Damn right you are, Snivellus.
"Then you are welcome to go through that ward," Remus pointed at the stairs. "The Weasleys kids tried to get through it but failed miserably."
"Did you tried to get through the ward, Lupin?" Snape asked sarcastically.
"As far as I know Sirius, beside very strong confundus there is a blood ward on the stairs," Remus replied. "Which is weird because I'm sure that Hermione is up there with Harry and him and she is not a Black."
"So if you need Black to get through the ward then why Nymphadora didn't tried?" Snape asked ironically. "After all she is part a Black if Black's mutters from the meetings from last few weeks over that elf not taking orders from her were correct…"
Dora quickly stood up and went to the stairs. She wanted to make her hand go through the ward but it stopped like there was a glass wall in front of her.
"Doesn't work," she mumbled.
"Or it's keyed to the male member of Black family," Remus muttered. "Which would be weird because Lemeraude is supposed to be there too and he is not a Black."
Actually he is, Moony.
Remus looked pensive for a moment then he muttered under his breath, "Moony you damn fool."
"Not that I would disagree but what you just realised Lupin?" Snape asked grimly.
"It's a ward which allows male member of Black family to pass along with something else because it let in Hermione," Remus said and he stood up. "But I know why Lemeraude is up there."
"Why?" asked Dora.
"Severus," Remus turned to Snape. "Imagine Lemeraude's face, just his face and not his hair. Whose face it reminds you?"
Snape looked pensive for a moment before he whispered, "A dead man on whose head Dark Lord gave a price fifteen years ago."
"Whom?" asked Dora.
"Regulus," Remus told her. "Sirius's younger brother. Take away Lemeraude's hair and you will see Regulus. Same eyes, same high-cheekbones, same lips. He smells differently but he looks like him and it explains why I never saw him on the…" he paused there, "He is Sirius's brother, Sirius was the keeper of the map, Regulus was bound to find out something about the map and he somehow managed to whip himself from the map."
"The map?" Snape muttered.
"Doesn't matter now," Remus said. "Quickly, what does matters is that if my assumption are right there is a former Death Eater upstairs with Harry, a Muggle-born girl and a man whose death would only give him profits."
It was time to take of the cloak before Remus would tear apart the house in attempt to find the way upstairs.
"Nothing will happen," Sirius said and he took of the cloak from his head so it was visible. "I trust him more than I trust you," he turned to Snape.
"That's very reassuring, Sirius," Remus snorted. "He is a Death Eater."
"He is a Death Eater too," Sirius pointed at Snape and shrugged. "But since I trust Regulus with Harry far more than I trust him," he pointed at Snape again, "if the word gets around about his true identity trust me you three would wish that Voldemort got you first."
"Thank you very much for your concern Sirius but I assure you that I can fight my own battles," he heard Regulus's voice from behind. "Red-headed devils are gone?"
"Not yet," Sirius sighed. "How is Harry?"
"Still sleeping," Regulus replied. "You three, keep in mind what Sirius said before. Especially you Severus, I won't have much of a trouble with pointing out your faults with the Dark Lord if you betray me because unlike most of the Order of the Phoenix I know to whom you are really loyal," he turned to Snape with a wicked smile on his face. "You are Master Occlumens of course but even a Master Occlumens supplied with Mensveritaserum which I happen to have on me will sing everything to anyone who would ask him."
"What is your true allegiance?" Remus asked quietly.
"My only allegiance is my brother and his son. These are people whom I will never betray. I'm not the one of Dark Lord's but if it will be required I will once again go to serve him as long as I know that the Dark Lord will live no more shortly after that."
"But Sirius doesn't have a son, do you?" Remus asked.
"I speak of his godson," Regulus snorted. "My loyalty lies with them not Dumbledore, not Voldemort not the Order of the Phoenix nor Death Eaters. My intention is doing far more than the Order of the Phoenix does, making sure that the Dark Lord would be gone for good."
"Dumbledore…" started Remus and Snape at the same time.
"Is great master puppeteer," Regulus snorted. "If the case required he would sacrifice every single one of you for virtually nothing. You," he turned to Snape, "were tricked by him but didn't it ever occurred you that all what you are is just a puppet in Dumbledore's hands? He promised you redemption but what you got instead? A double life suffocated by your guilt, a constant painful reminder of what could have been if you weren't stupid enough and you will continue to lead this life until one of your two masters will ask you something which you won't want to do, even then there will be to redemption to you, only death. How does it hurt to see the eyes of the woman you loved dearly in the face of the man you despised? How many time you persuaded yourself that its your school archenemy you see not an only child of the woman you loved, an only child who had been denied love all his life. A child of the woman you loved who at few close calls were about an inch from death because of his 'beloved' relatives."
"What do you see when you look at him?" Snape snarled.
"I see a child who had been denied love all his childhood, a child who clung to friends who didn't deserved to be his friends. I see a boy whose only desire is to be loved because he had been emotionally abused all his life, who doesn't wants the fame because he would want his parents back instead of the fame he has. I see a martyr of the wizard kind. You know why Voldemort is after him, Severus. We both do," Regulus said firmly.
"Did you told him?" Snape finally paled at that.
"Which part?" Regulus asked curiously. "That one which concerns a little globe which a certain Dark Lord very much wants to have or this part where you as good as signed the death warrant on his parents and himself?"
"What?!" Sirius growled and before he had a chance to launch himself at Snape Regulus caught in the middle. "You told Voldemort the prophecy?! You fucking asshole! Wait till I get my hands on you! Reg, let me go!" he struggled against his brother's grip.
"No, Sirius. As much as I hate to point it out we still need a spy within Dark Lord's circle if we want him gone for good," Regulus said sternly, his grip on Sirius tightened even more. "Plus I dare to say that living for fourteen years with knowledge that you lead to the death of the woman you loved more than life itself is more than proper punishment for his crime, after all at the time he passed this information he was still enchanted by the Dark Lord imbecile."
"Look who's talking," Sirius muttered grimly.
"Remember what I told you about Dumbledore, Sirius?" Regulus asked quickly. "If you kill Snape right now trust me that Dumbledore won't even blink before he will find a way to ship you off to Azkaban again. Think about your little boy, you don't want to leave him to deal with this on his own. He needs your guidance, Sirius," he added fiercely.
"How did you found out? All of it?" Snape whispered, he was paler than Sirius ever saw him.
"Mensveritaserum," Regulus replied shortly. "After three drops of it with your evening goblet of wine you talk in your sleep, about everything. I have been dosing you ever since I came to Hogwarts. It's tasteless and untraceable so you can't tell if you had been dosed by it or not. If I wanted too I could write a book about your life using only the information which I got from you."
"So you had been dosing me for nearly five years," Snape whispered. "With highly illegal, known only by few, potion."
"I was good with memory charms, Severus. Whom do you think is responsible for mass amnesia concerning Mensveritaserum?" Regulus chuckled.
"You? But if the Dark Lord…" he mumbled.
"The Dark Lord does not knows," Regulus snickered. "Fortunately for us the Dark Lord is not a Potion Master nor a pure-blood and even if he once wondered about this specific potion he has no one to ask since my great-grandfather consider this knowledge as something which should be perished from wizarding world since Veritaserum itself was enough to ruin someone's life. He is mostly responsible for mass-amnesia amongst the men of his age. Only First Class Potion Master knows about Mensveritaserum and even then he or she can't prepare it because essential ingredient in the recipe is missing. Right now I have very important question and I would like to know the answer quickly."
"And that would be?" Dora asked.
"Where you loyalty lies? With the Dark Lord? With Dumbledore? Or within something else?" Regulus asked curiously.
Awaiting criticism - like always. I'm replying as long as you leave me your email or you log in while reviewing. Bring my ego down ;)
Explanations about Sirius: I always thought that this whole Sirius projecting James on Harry in OotP had more deepth than the one we got in OotP.
Explanations about Regulus: I'm delusional, I preffer him alive and when I have a chance to write a story he is alive in it - I got better with bringing around excuses for it with the time ;).