Chapter VII: To Remember a Black
Dumbledore had left Hogwarts. The night that Regis was supposed to have his detention, Dumbledore apparently (and Regis quoted) "flew away with a fiery bird" and disappeared after overcoming two Aurors, the High Inquisitor, the Junior Assistant, and the Minister of Magic himself. Snape had left before Regis arrived at his detention, leaving a note saying he would reschedule it for another night.
Draco Malfoy was smugger than usual as he flaunted his Inquisitorial Squad badge, and even Warrington couldn't help but abuse his power once or twice as a member of the squad. Umbridge's appointment as Headmistress only gave advantages to the Slytherins, and some Ravenclaws- not that Regis minded. The only downfall was the increase in tension between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Rumor had it that Montague was lost somewhere after trying to take points from the Weasley Twins, and they were just about to hex any older year Slytherin they saw- Regis had two wands pointed at him when he tried to confront them, but they were quickly lowered as they recognized who they were threatening. On the contrary, they positively glowed at the sight of him.
"Regis!"
"Just the man we were looking for!"
Regis raised an eyebrow.
"Harry's looking for you." George continued at his questioning look.
"Says it's super important."
"What is it?" He asked, looking between the two. They shared a look before shrugging, both speaking next.
"Haven't got a clue." There was a pause, before Fred added, "you might want to be in the Great Hall at lunch tomorrow."
With that, they were off. Regis spun and yelled after them, but they turned a corner and were gone before he realized it.
Where in the world was he going to find Harry Potter?
"Listen to me, Harry." Dumbledore said urgently, grasping his shoulders. "You must study Occlumency as hard as you can, do you understand me? Do everything Professor Snape tells you and practice it particularly every night before sleeping so that you can close your mind to bad dreams- you will understand why soon enough, but you must promise me."
The man called Dawlish was stirring, and Dumbledore seized Harry's wrist. He paused, as if realizing something before he added, "There is a vial with Madame Pomfrey, tell her that I told you to retrieve it, get Regulus Black, and take both the vial and Mr. Black to Professor Snape. Remember, get Regulus, close your mind-"
But as Dumbledore's fingers closed over Harry's skin, a pain shot through the scar on his forehead and he felt again that terrible, snakelike longing to strike Dumbledore, to bite him, to hurt him-
"-you will understand." whispered Dumbledore. Fawkes circled the office and swooped low over him. Dumbledore released Harry, raised his hand and grasped the phoenix's long golden tail. There was a flash of fire and the pair of them were gone.
The scene was replaying itself in Harry's mind over and over, as he walked down the dungeons to Snape's office three days later. He knew that the potions professor didn't have any class at this time, and Harry had a free period as well- he figured that whatever this was was important enough to pull Regulus out of class. What could he say, he was impatient; Regulus had been acting oddly ever since Christmas Break, and everyone was silently worried about him. He hadn't been able to find Regulus anywhere, and decided to just go through the adult rather than waste time searching.
"Professor?" He called out, knocking on the slightly ajar door and poking his head into Snape's office. His eyes landed on Snape, leaning over what Harry assumed were essays with an expression that he had never seen on the potions master- exhaustion. But Snape looked up quickly, his emotions going cold as he caught sight of Harry. As he didn't seem to say anything against it, Harry stepped into the office, rummaging around in his bag for the wrapped vial. "I, er, got this, and was told to give it to you."
He pulled a smaller bag out, opening it to reveal a perfectly intact vial of silvery liquid. Snape's eyes widened fractionally and he stood up, making his way to the Gryffindor and plucking the vial out of his hand.
"Who gave this to you?" He asked, his voice a hard whisper. Harry paused, not sure if he should say anything. Snape turned his eyes away from the vial and towards Harry, repeating his question. "Who gave this to you, Potter?"
"Dumbledore." He admitted, before adding a quick 'sir' to the end. Snape's eyes turned back to the vial as he spoke.
"Get Mr. Lenoir, he has Transfiguration right now."
"Sir-" Harry started questioning, but Snape wasn't having any of it.
"Now!"
Regis' transfiguration class was interrupted by a door opening. It wasn't that the opener was particularly loud, but he was... Eye catching. He was Harry Potter, of course he was eye catching. As the class continued to practice, everyone kept glancing as Potter made his way up to McGonagall, talking in quiet whispers and glancing around the room. After a pause in Potter's side of the conversation, McGonagall looked up, meeting Regis' eyes. She made her way over, her voice a stern undertone.
"Mr. Lenoir, Professor Snape is requesting for you. Take your bag and go quickly, now." She instructed, and Regis nodded, already grabbing his bag and getting up. "We start reviewing next class for your NEWTS."
Regis gave a nod goodbye before heading out the classroom door, keeping it open as he saw Potter head out behind him. The halls were empty except for the two, everyone either in class, their common rooms, or the library. Potter was walking alongside Regis, going the same direction as the Slytherin, and in return the older student raised an eyebrow in question.
"We're all worried about you, Regulus. Your brother was positively mad when you hadn't come for Christmas Break, and you started getting really chummy with the other Slytherins-" He stopped himself at the slightly confused, slightly angry look that Regis was giving him.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Potter. I don't have a brother." He snapped, already done with the amount of people that called him Regulus. "Why wouldn't I be friendly with my own house?"
They made their way down to the dungeons, Regis knocking twice on the door to Snape's office and opening it when the Potion master's voice permitted them to go in.
His eyes shifted between the Slytherin and Gryffindor, before landing on the latter.
"Don't you have a class to get to, Potter?"
He tensed, before shaking his head. "No, sir."
There was a pause, as if Snape was waiting for Potter to put two and two together. Regis could see the moment he understood the question, as he mumbled something incoherent and left the room.
"Is this about my detention, sir?" Regis questioned, curious. Snape gestured for him to sit, and he did so, watching as his professor stood from his seat.
"Do you remember the two days leading up to Christmas Break, Mr. Lenoir?"
Regis paused, considering the question. His mother and father said he would have to stay at school over the break at that time, didn't they? He explained as such to Snape, whose face stayed stone cold. The professor took a vial out of his desk, holding it in his hand for Regis to see. It was filled with a silvery mist of sorts, and a part of Regis wanted to reach out and take it, possessive.
"Drink this." Snape commanded, uncapping the vial and handing it to Regis. The student looked into it, confused.
"What is it, sir?" He questioned, making Snape pause.
"It will make sense once you drink it. I assure you, I have no reason to poison you, Mr. Lenoir."
Regis decided that Professor Snape was right, and with little hesitance, he drank the contents of the vial.
He was walking alongside another version of himself- one that was standing straighter, his eyes colder. Regisand the other version of himself made it to the guarding gargoyles, and with a "Bertie Bott's," he was able to get to the door of the Headmaster's office. Not knowing what else to do, and half disappointed that Dumbledore did not appear to have a special power to know he was there, he knocked.
"Come in." The familiar grandfatherly voice called from inside, and Regulus opened the door, revealing the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore sat at his desk and Regulus made his way over to said piece of furniture, taking a seat as Dumbledore waved a chair into existence. "Mr. Black, I do believe I must apologize for not speaking to you in so long. Please, take a seat."
"It is quite alright, sir, I understand that things must have gotten in your way." Regulus assured him, waving off the apology. Dumbledore merely smiled, eyes twinkling; he knew that it got to Regulus, no doubt.
"And you understand what I called you here for, I assume?"
"Yes- the Horcruxes, sir. I can offer all the information I have to help search for t-"
"No, my boy, that is not why I called you here today." Dumbledore interrupted, still managing to seem polite; Regulus didn't seem too upset with him, as he quieted to listen to what Dumbledore had to say. "I heard of your… predicament with Voldemort, Mr. Black, and I believe we must prepare you for anything he throws your way, whether you choose to meet with him over Christmas Break or otherwise."
"Sir, if I may be blunt, I was not going to go. There is not much else I can do to hide myself other than my Glamour. It would be a- a suicide mission, I already have the mark, and he would surely realize that I am hiding something if I have no memories of France-"
"That can be arranged, through some nicely placed Obliviations and filling in with memories."
A pause. "Are you suggesting I forget I am Regulus Black, sir?"
He was a child now, not even fifteen. His brother (Yes, he had a brother, Harry was right) had his back to Regulus. Sirius was putting away a few of the muggle shirts he had gotten to upset mother, setting them into his suitcase. Regulus was pleading with him, but his words were falling on deaf ears. When Regulus put a hand on Sirius' shoulder, the older Black turned around, his wand pointing at his brother's face. Regulus froze, before taking his hand off and leaving the room. They never said goodbye.
"You cannot be any more well protected, and you would not mess your story up. Just for the meeting, of course." Dumbledore assured him, and Regulus actually had to think before responding. This was… Hm. He wasn't quite sure what he felt about it. It was smart, yes, but what about his physical appearance? He let out his question, and Dumbledore simply nodded.
"Multiple Glamours. The top one will make you look just like this, and the bottom will have a bit more scars and burns. A third doing the same, to be safe." It made sense, most people stopped when scars and such were revealed and start apologizing for being rude. But would he risk it? What if something went wrong, and he didn't remember who he was? It was a risk he had to take, however. He knew that You-Know-Who wouldn't give up on seeing him, and ignoring the demand would only make him suspicious. He had to become Regis Lenoir if he had a chance to survive.
Regulus met Dumbledore's eyes, each of them not able to see what the other was thinking. Stillness was shattered as Regulus nodded, giving permission for this to transpire.
"May I remember that the Weasley twins owe me five galleons?"
This next memory was not his own. He was standing next to Dumbledore's desk, watching as the Headmaster in question spoke with Snape. Spoke to, not with, he realized soon afterward. Through the window, he could see students outside in the grass- it was spring.
"It is safer for him this way, Severus. If Tom ever got wind of him not being who he said he is, if he ever requests for Regulus before we can replace his memories, he would be figured out and killed. Possibly worse."
"How long, Dumbledore? Will we have to wait until the war ends to restore his memory? This is his second chance at a life, and he isn't even allowed to live as himself-"
"Would he ever have been able to?" Dumbledore questioned, silencing Snape. "Every pureblood knows the name Regulus Black. The traitor to the Death Eaters that died more than a decade ago. He would never be able to return to a normal life as himself. At least this way, he can live normally while at Hogwarts."
"And after he graduates?"
"'His parents' are murdered by Death Eaters three days before school ends, and he becomes a spy for the Order."
"Black would hardly approve of this."
"If he learns the circumstances, I think that Sirius would agree with my decision."
"You assume that Black can put his emotions aside and listen to logic." Snape pointed out, and Dumbledore gave an amused grin.
"You think this is logical, then, Severus?" He didn't reply. Dumbledore cleared his throat, getting up.
"As long as I am confident in my ability to keep him safe, Regulus Black will not get his memories back."
The memory swirled away, and Regulus was aware of a pounding headache as he opened his eyes, revealing the ceiling of the Hospital Wing.
