Long ago I wished to leave
" The house where I was born; "
Long ago I used to grieve,
My home seemed so forlorn.
In other years, its silent rooms
Were filled with haunting fears;

Charolette Bronte "Regret"

When next he opened his eyes Regulus greeted a man who looked eerily similar to one James Potter- save for the eyes- those eyes were Evans'- and realization made his mind go blank for more than a moment. He was looking at what could only be Potter-spawn. Which meant, that almost being dead for nearly fifty years could well be true- if a child who had not yet been born when he last remembered was a man grown.

Harry was also having flashbacks- to one Sirius Black late God-father. The boy who looked back at him (somewhere between curiosity and hostility), was eerily similar to the man he had almost-hero-worshipped as a teenager. They had the same Black bone structure with the high almost gaunt Cheekbones, same basic eye shape (slightly downturned) and noble brow. However, there were differences, differences that were only hinted at in the few photographs lying around. One was the nose- where Sirius' was fine and straight- Regulus' was aquiline, with thinner lips and a wider mouth.

All in all it was a disconcerting picture- especially considering that the Wizengamot recognized Regulus's re-acquaintance with the living as soon as the Black tapestry had, and that he had also been recognized as the sole inheritor of all the Black properties by that same court.

"So …" Regulus cut through the silence encouraging the other man to begin the conversation.

"Ah, please, call me Harry…?"

"Regulus is fine"

"Right, Regulus."

There was another two minutes of staring awkwardly among the two- with Regulus not knowing what to say and Harry not knowing where to start.

"I suppose you will want to know what has happened- and what has changed."

Regulus froze and wondered how much had changed then he gathered his breath, "Is he dead?"

Harry smiled bitterly, no need to ask who the who was, "For more than twenty years now."

"How long have I been gone Mr.-" Regulus looked up and scrutinized his face, "Mr. Potter?"

Harry sat down next to the younger man, "Call me Harry," he repeated, "-and well, you've been- er- gone since 1979- and well it's 2021 now."

And even with all of his Slytherin training- Regulus' face still registered a sort of mind-numbing shock, "That's- that's 42 years!" the younger man sputtered.

Regulus' mind continued to race, "But if you say that you defeated the D- Voldemort twenty years ago, that still means he was in power for" he siged distantly, "20 years."

At the thought, both mens' faces paled, "No, no- here, let me start at the beginning- Voldemort was fell twice- once in…"

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"Bella killed Sirius- not that that is surprising really- they always did hate each other," Regulus was thinking aloud- "but Molly Prewett, or Weasley now I suppose, Killed Bella? That is a shocker, she never struck me as one to fight like that."

Regulus paused- lost in the memories of his childhood, and Harry was suddenly struck with what he had before him- a link not only to Sirius but also to his parents- one who remembered them like it was yesterday- not somebody who had to wade through long years of bitter memories to find them.

"You said Cissy and Andy are still alive?"

Harry nodded, "Though, I haven't spoken to Narcissa in years" not since that one ministry party held ten years after Voldemort's fall, Harry privately thought.

"Yes, well…"

Regulus cut his thought off mid-sentence.

"It's a different world out there isn't it?"

Harry looked down at the man before him- boy really- (Sirius had been right, his brother had 'died' young) and considered him. Regulus' face was blank and distantly Harry wondered if he should attempt occulmency, but decided against it (he never had enjoyed prying to begin with).

However, much to his surprise, and to Regulus' as well, the younger man decided to voice his thoughts, " What am I going to do?" he paused and took a breath, "Sirius gave everything to you when he died, and I am just a…"

When it became clear he wasn't going to finish Harry spoke, "Actually, well, Sirius gave me everything, but the Black fortune- titles, names, properties it's bound by blood magic. It was mine while there was not Black heir to take it, but now that you have been found- as well as you father's will, and that you've been recognized by the Wizegamont, and your family's blood magic… well, It's all yours… again."

"What?"

Harry shrugged, Regulus honestly hadn't expected that, and for the man to just give up all that without a fight?

"Also, Professor McGonagall offerd to let you retake your NEWTs, apperntly they disgard test results after thirty years- so to get a job," Harry rubbed the back of his head.

Regulus paused and looked at him incredulously, "You're bloody generous aren't you?"

Harry laughed, the expression clearly highlighting how old the boy actually was (something that was hard to remember with his bitter eyes).

"Yes, well, I have to Potter fortune too, don't I? Also, the Professor would have given you another opportunity anyway."

Regulus ever-so-slightly smirked.

Harry paused, "We've tried to keep the place in good shape- Kreature is far too old to do any house work, but we've managed."

Regulus turned his piercing gaze to him and gave a very deliberate once over, "Generosity is a characteristic of Huffelpuff isn't it?"

Harry didn't know whether he was being complimented or insulted, "Actually, I was a Gryffindor."

The younger men scoffed, kicked up his legs and looked off lazily, and in a very Slytherin way of ending a conversation said, "Considering your parent's I can't say I'm not surprised."

"ER- there is also the problem of accommodations. I've talked to Andromeda- and she would be glad to take you in, but you can also stay with us, if you feel up to it-"

Regulus held up his hand, "Thank you Mr. P- Harry," He corrected himself, "but I think I will stay in my own home."

Harry nodded, "Well- if you need anything, feel free to floo me," he pulled a scrap of paper and scribbled something on it handing it to Regulus, "Here is my address- if you need anything."

Regulus took the paper somewhat bitterly, if only someone like him had been available when had actually needed help.

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"Regulus," his nurse said, "You have another visitor."

He pulled managed to pull himself into a sitting position just as she finished pulling the curtain asaid. What greeted him put his situation into a new perspective, "Cissy?"

And it was, but at the same time it wasn't. His Cissy had been young and haughty and beautiful. The one before him still held her beauty- but her pale hair was more silver than blond and the elegant lines of her bone structure were obscured slightly by the fine lines on her face. On the one hand Her arrogance was all but gone- replaced by acceptance, but on the other, she appeared almost content with her lot, a sentiment that Regulus had never before seen on his (favorite) cousin. Seeing her was what really put him into perspective making him realize that he really had been gone for forty years.

She elegantly folded herself in the chair next to his bed, "I would not believe it till I saw it, but here you are Regulus."

She smiled a bitter sweet smile, "It will be used to thinking of you as one of the living now you know, you have been dead for so long."

Regulus discretely looked around before his face crumbled and he placed his thumb and forefinger to his brow.

"So much has happened."

She gasped his fingers tightly, "Yes it has, but you tried to change it didn't you."

Another bitter smile, "I think we all knew I did not have it in me to slaughter like Bella did."

Cissy's smile faltered when she thought of her long dead sister, ""She was indeed one of a kind."

Regulus, sensing her mixed feelings concerning his cousin debated on whether on not to ask. Bella was clearly a difficult subject for her sister, but Regulus and Cissy had been the closest of all the cousins. In the end he decided that it would be prudent to wait- they had not seen each other in years apparently (though to him it felt like merely a week- she had asked him to be her baby's God-father).

"How is your son, Draco?"

His cousin smiled, "He grew up to be a lot like you, "She paused, "When you died I told myself I would not let it happen to my son but-" another pause, "well, lets just say you are very similar, and I did not do anything to stop it."

Regulus nodded, he understood in a way and tightened his grip on her hand, she continued, "He is outside right now you know, wanted to meet the cousin I told him so much about. He has a son too you know- Scorpius… In fact the only one who didn't come was Lucius, he gives his reguards though- you know how business is."

Regulus nodded, to shocked to speak, Cissy a mother, a grandmother?

She stood and exited, then came in with three other people in tow.

He looked at the older man and tried to hide his shock, "This is Draco?"

The man in question offered a nod, and Regulus noted the look in his eyes, and that was errily reminiscent of Cissy's.

Narcissa nodded, "And this is his wife Astoria, and their son Scorpius."

Regulus nodded to each of them in turn, but quickly his eyes returned to Draco, "The last time I saw you, you were tiny."

The woman- a Greengrass by her eyes, smiled and said, "Yes, Narcissa here showed us the pictures yesterday."

She pulled them out and his nephew (or cousin once removed?) flushed slightly.

Regulus laughed at the photo's, and pointed to one in particular, "That one- to me it feels like it happened about a week ago."

It depicted him, smiling happily as he levitated an infant Draco, who had a huge child-like smile pasted on his face.

Cissy nodded, "That was the last time we say you before you… disappeared."

Regulus looked up to his newphew, "I was supposed to be your God-father you know, who took my palce?"

"It was Severus Snape,"

"Severus? I heard what happened to him... Bloody Brave."

Narcissa nodded, but it was Draco who answered, "Yes, just as," he paused, "brave as you were I suppose," Narcissa nodded, Draco continued, "Mother cried for a week when Potter told the wizarding world what you had done."

Regulus smile slipped, "Yes, well, I stopped swallowing his dogmas after a while, then I got sick of what he was doing," it was his turn to pause, " I really hated him."

The four adults in the room nodded, Scorpius looked out of place, Regulus discreetly looked at the pale flesh on his left arm, "It's never coming back is it?"

Draco nodded and the two shared a thank-merlin-that-psyco-is-gone-forever-look.

"Cissy, how is Lucius?"

She shrugged, something he had never seen her do before, "The Dark Lord's second rise was… hard on us all."

Regulus nodded, that didn't surprise him then asked to nobody in particular, "What is the date?"

"January 3rd 2021," the youngest Malfoy replied.

Regulus nodded, "So that means I've been awake for a few days."

"When are you going to get out of the hospital? Lucius already said that you could stay with us."

He smiled genuinely at his cousin, "I should be free in a few days, the only reason I'm not is because of the way I was preserved. Very rare apparently this 'stasis', I've had uspeakables swarming around me all week."

Scorpius looked slightly more excited about that, "Unspeakables?"

The youngest Malfoy smiled and continued, "When they told us what had happened to you, I started looking in the Library about it, this hibernation that you went though is rare. The first case since the Roman who woke up in Renaissance Italy."

Regulus looked at him and shared a very Black-like smirk, "Well, they would have prodded me longer, but because of my name they can't do any drastic experiments."

Cissy shuddered. Scorpius shrugged, "I've always been curious about unspeakable."

Regulus smirked, "Actually, as to your other question Cissy, I already have Grimmwauld. I also have to make sure the accounts are all in order, and change and move investments. I don't think anybody has changed anything in forty years."

Narcissa nodded in understanding, "But Regulus, I want you to remember, you can always come to the manor if you need anything."

That was the second time he had been told that, but he smiled and nodded (somewhat more genuinely than he had with Harry Potter) all the same.

He went to bed that night feeling far more content than he had in a long while.

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A week later found Regulus pouring over the account number's of all of the Black's holdings (there were many). He came home a few days previous to a much age creature and a house that was barely livable, but he shrugged at his lot and continued on.

After a good three hours of crying (on Kreatures part) Regulus convinced the elf that he was fine, and that no, it was not his fault that he had been pulled into the lake. Still, Kreature went spare when he realized that "Master Regulus" was thinking of finding another house elf. Finally with the understanding that Kreature would be in charge of Regulus' meals, they went together so that Kreature could confer and they two of them together could find the best elf.

That was how they ended up with Inky- a skinny Kreature with dark glossy eyes and very high recommendations, Regulus signed a few papers (by an organization called S.P.E.W of all things) and was told to follow the guidelines (things he had already done anyway) and took his new elf home. From there, the three of them cleaned in the mornings (with the elves continuing into the afternoon) and Regulus monitoring the Black's affairs in the evenings.

So on Wednesday evening, when he heard a knock on his door, he was curious about the potential visitor, his curiosity turned to shock when he opened to door to reveal one much aged Professor McGonogall.

"Mr. Black."

Regulus paused, then opened to door wider indicating her to follow him.

Inky apparated next to the door and hid his appalled look quickly, "Master isn't suppose to be doing the door opening."

Regulus waved him off, "You were busy Inky," in a tone that brokered no argument (or self inflicted punishment).

The Professor watched the scene unfold with raised brows.

"I always did remember you as the Black who was kind to house-elves," she said by way of greeting.

Regulus looked her over, his face revealing nothing of what he was thinking.

"Yes, I imagine that was quite a change from the typical Black."

She might have smiled.

"Mr. Potter came to me with an interesting proposition Mr. Black, and that, if I do say so myself, works wonderfully."

He waited for her to continue, "You will take your NEWTs at the end of this term with the graduating seventh years, and from there we will make an accurate career placement, should you want one."

She looked around Grimmauld, and Regulus could accurately guess at her thoughts, and no he didn't actually need to work, just maintain his funds.

He nodded to her in understanding, "Yes, well, I would please me greatly if you would send me the results."

She smiled again, "You always were more polite than your brother."

Regulus smirked slightly, "Yes, well, That was also not a very difficult thing to achieve."

The older woman smoother her dress, "I could have owled, but I wanted to see you myself, Mr. Black. When I had heard what you had done, I could hardly believe it. Then when I thought about it, it made sense."

She patted his arm, he froze, not really knowing what to make of her statement.

She smiled up at him and pulled an envelope out of the air, "Here are some books you might want to review, after all, theories have changes since you last attended school."

He nodded and walked her to the door, "Thank you…"

"Call me Minerva."

After she had gone Regulus turned to both the elves, "Well, that was odd."

Inky simply looked up at him, snatched the list and said, "Inky is going to Diagon Alley," and apparated away.

After that both elves refused his help in cleaning, claiming that he needed to study (but really Regulus knew that was the excuse they had been looking for to make him stop). Needless to say he surrendered (less than) gracefully.

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It was a few days after his schedule had altered drastically, that Regulus decided that he needed some form of exercise. So it was a few weeks later that he found himself slowing his jog, cooling down, covered with sweat and face to face to his oldest living cousin, and he noted the same sort of gentle age on Andromeda as he had on Cissy.

"Andy- Andromeda" he corrected himself, he did now know if she cared for him to use their childhood nicknames.

"Reggie," she smiled, he returned it hesitantly, "Your house elf told me that you weren't in and to go away," she paused, "I didn't believe him."

He walked up the steps and opened the door, indicating that she should follow.

"Inky, would you please get some tea," he turned to his cousin, "If you will give me a few moments to," he gestured to his appearance, she nodded, he rushed upstairs. In the shower he distantly heard the bell ring and Kreature's complaints. When he came down neatly dressed in a new set of robes, he found his kitchen filled not only with his cousin, but also a young man with the most violent tomato red hair he had ever had the (dis)pleasure of seeing.

"Hullo Andy."

She smiled above her tea, "Reg- this is Teddy, my grandson, Teddy- Regulus, my cousin."

The man called Teddy gave him a small, somewhat familiar, smile.

"So…" he still felt somewhat reluctant to use her nickname, "Andy…"

His cousin seemed to realize that he did not really know where to start.

"I spoke to… Cissy the other day," she had the same sort of hesitation on her sister's name that he had with hers, "and she said that she visited you in S. Mungo's."

He nodded, she continued, "She also said that you would want to meet your family," though she really looked like she wanted to add something more.

Regulus froze for a moment before quickly gathering his thoughts; trust Cissy to see right through him, he smiled slightly.

"I was curious too, you see," it was Teddy who spoke, "Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to know who you were, so when they told me you were my cousin, I ask gran about you."

"We've met before?"

"Only in the cave."

Regulus scratched his forearm absently at the mention of that damned-cave, "Ah, so I was unconscious."

Teddy affirmed, "Yes. I'm an Auror now you see."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw his cousin move, but ignored her, "That is very impressive for one as young as you."

Teddy nodded, an action that caused his hair to change from vibrant red to viridian green. Regulus could have smacked himself for not making the connection sooner, "You're a metamorphagus, like you mother."

He turned to Andromeda, only to see that she was reaching for his hand. Alarmed, he tried to snatch it away, but Andromeda was already there.

"Regulus-"

He tried to protest, but she shushed him with a look, "I am so proud of you- when you visited me last- I didn't really know what to make of it," she paused gathered her breath, " but Reg- I am so proud."

Now there were many ways he could have responded to this, one of which involved letting go and speaking to her as he had done when they were much younger. If he had done so, it likely would have gone something like this:

"It was," he sputtered, "er- I was just…"

Regulus Acturus Black was not used to praise, and, simply put, he did not know how to deal with it, especially when it came from somebody like Andromeda- who really had no reason too. Quickly, though, so she wouldn't know how she had affected him, he had his Slytherin mask in place and gathered his thoughts behind it.

"I…" a sigh, "the thing is, I realized far too late that what our parents taught us was rubbish."

He wanted to tell her more too, all of the things he has done, people he had killed or watched die for a cause he hadn't believed in, things that still haunted his dreams, but he refrained.

"So when an opportunity presented itself," he made a dismissive gesture, "I took it."

He looked at her, gathered his breath, and repeated to her what he had told Cissy, "I hated him- still do. Sometimes-" another pause, only this time he didn't continue.

Instead he waited a few moments for her to continue and changed the subject (Andromeda had always been closer to Sirius, and he did not feel like explaining his feelings to somebody who did not know how persuasive the Dar- Voldemort could be).

She smiled and squeezed his hand, and he smiled sadly, but returned the gesture, "I am sorry about Ted and Nymphadora."

She waved dismissively, though briefly her eyes had clouded over, and both were relieved when a much safer topic opened for discussion.

"I suppose you will be wanting to hear about the changes in the Ministry- It wouldn't do for a Black not to be politically versed- you know. That's why Teddy's here too, even though he's an Auror, he still has a decent understanding of other areas."

Regulus smiled at his cousin's smooth transition, after all, politics was a crucial aspect of his upbringing.

"Well, after Voldemort's second fall, witches and Wizards all over the world, but especially all over Europe decided that unity was the best way to stop another Dark Wizard from gaining too much power. So, when the Muggle European Union formed, Wizards created the WWT or World Wizarding Treaty."

"WWT, is it some sort of Organization?"

"No, it's a treaty, mainly it deals with tying the countries cultures closer together through ambassador's, but it also monitor's not only trade itself, but also what is being traded. The ministries are still separate, but they are tied closer now."

"That is rather controversial isn't it?"

"Oh yes, but the Half-blood ministry supported the idea because it pulled power away from the Purebloods who still held sway."

Regulus nodded, it was a very clever way of usurping power from the Pureblood elitists.

"Then about ten years ago the board of Governor's for Hogwarts united with supporters of the WWT and allowed the children of the ambassadors to attend the school of their host nation."

"Ah, very clever. They wanted to create ties between the children, and because the Ambassador's are most likely Pureblood," Teddy affirmed, "new family ties can be created as well."

"Teddy was at school when the new law applied, wasn't there a boy in your year from…"

"I had forgotten about him," Teddy made a slight face, "Chang Huang-bao, his father worked for the ministry in Shanghai."

Regulus nodded once and leaned back, once more pondering upon his situation. His childhood had groomed him for a radically different future- so how was he going to cope with the one he had been given.

He returned his gaze to both his cousins, Andromeda smoothed her skirt and smiled, "We'd best get going. I have dinner to finish and Teddy has to file a few repots."

"I wish you hadn't reminded me gran," but he still flashed a smile.

All three of them stood together walked to the door where they made their goodbye's.

Regulus then turned to Kreature, "I really need to do well on these tests I suppose."

"That is what Kreature has been trying to tell master," the elf replied.

Regulus just smirked, "Kreature, will you ready a set of Robes for me. I have dinner at Cissy's tonight."

A.N

I do have a valid excuse for why it took me so long to update this time. We moved, and for those of you who don't know- moving is a bitch. We just got our internet back today. I also have a few more chapters almost finished, but soon I will be relocated for college (finally) so that might slow me down too.

TricksyBee-

Thanks for the advice. I was trying to stay as general as possible with my language. No slang- ya know. Unfortunately that will be more difficult when I incorporate the younger generation, mostly because teenagers are never so formal with each other. That means slang- which I wouldn't mind help with (I don't know any British slang).