Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
A Good Man
As promised Teddy waited a full week before he put the ring back on, though he'd had to stop himself several times during the week, desperately wanting to run his theories and ideas by the Slytherin. But Regulus would definitely not be in a cooperative mood if he wrecked the other man's experiment and he was already anticipating the other man's extreme reluctance to help him with his project in the first place. So he had put his insatiable curiosity on the backburner for the week and then practically pounced on the ring as soon as the clock chimed the end of the proposed experiment.
The Slytherin reappearing before him Teddy watched with interest as the man's body shifted in form and clarity in front of him, the look of intense concentration on Regulus's face giving away how much more effort the man was having to make in order to get his form to do as he bid it.
"I'm weaker." Regulus stated after he'd done all he could think to do, frowning as he evaluated his findings. "The time within the ring should have strengthened me, it did when I was with Ceres, but with you it appears to be the opposite. And I don't know why."
"I wish I could tell you why, but I can't." Teddy tried to shift his interest over to the man's experiment, but it was difficult. So he offered to introduce the man to someone who could maybe answer the Slytherin's questions. "Actually, one of my aunts has asked to meet you, and she's the smartest person I know. Maybe she could come up with some theories for you."
Regulus's brows furrowed ever so slightly. "I wasn't aware that either of your parents had siblings."
"They didn't. My aunts are…honorary ones. My godparents, Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, always included grandmother and I in all their family get-togethers. I grew up thinking of their family as my own. I was referring to Hermione Weasley, you met her husband Ron a week ago." And knowing how the other man thought Teddy answered the man's next question. "No, she's not from a magical family, she's a Muggleborn. Though if you do want to talk to her about your condition you'll have to be on your best behavior. I won't tolerate you being rude to her and she won't take it either. Trust me."
As if he would ever actually want to talk to any Muggleborn, Regulus thought crossly, not appreciating the scolding tone the other man's voice had taken. And it would be a cold day in hell before he ever asked this Hermione Weasley for help with anything. He flatly refused to believe she could help him better than a true witch or wizard. There had to be someone else or no one else.
Taking the man's expression to mean that the Slytherin had zero interest in meeting his Aunt Hermione, Teddy couldn't really say he was all that surprised. They'd told her as much when she'd asked about meeting him. He was just glad the man hadn't said something about his aunt that would have required him to defend her and further deplete the chances of him being able to gain Regulus's cooperation with his various investigations.
"You don't have to meet her if you don't want to." Teddy informed the Slytherin dryly, before getting to what really interested him. "And I was wondering if it would be okay for me to run a few things by you. Ideas I've had concerning a certain Slytherin widow and her numerous husbands?"
"If you must." Was Regulus's bored reply, though he was somewhat curious as to what the other man had come up with since they'd last spoken to each other.
Grinning his thanks Teddy quickly launched into his findings and theories, watching the Slytherin closely in the hopes of getting hints when he was close or far off. But the man had one hell of a poker face when he wanted to and the Slytherin's betrayed none of his thoughts for the moment. When he'd reached the end Teddy gave the other man a hopefully look. "Well? Am I close?"
The man had put a number of dots together, Regulus mused, reluctantly impressed at the amount of work the Gryffindor had done since they'd last talked. Apparently he had picked the right hints to throw at the man. "You've done well." He admitted, not the type to praise anyone highly, warranted or not.
"So will you tell me what I'm right and wrong about?" Teddy asked. "I mean you obviously know a lot more than I do and it would be a big help for me and future Dolohov victims if you could tell me more."
Regulus lifted one brow in true lord of the manor style. "And just when did you get the impression that I'm anyone's weasel, Gryffindor?"
"This isn't weaseling, Regulus, it's doing your civic duty."
"And when did you get the impression I care about doing that either?" Regulus returned, not about to be maneuvered into being a snitch. He'd done some things in the past he'd regretted, but never had he lowered himself to being a sniveling rat like Pettigrew. Just because he'd done some minor spy work for the Dark Lord didn't make him a weasel, the Slytherin thought with indignation. It made him a former spy. There was a difference.
Not about to give up yet Teddy moved in closer, wanting to be in the man's personal space to drive home his words and throw Regulus a little off balance. "Then do it because you're a good man and you know it's the right thing to do."
Not liking how close the other man was, or more accurately liking the man's closeness far too much, Regulus had to work to keep his expression cool as he tried to weasel out of weaseling. "I doubt very much I'm a good man by Gryffindor standards, or that my word would be believed given my reputation in your circles."
"And Gryffindors are always such good judges of character." Teddy shot back. "And I'm just asking for some information. It will be my job and duty to prove it."
Thoughtful, and somehow knowing in his gut that the other man was thinking of Pettigrew when he spoke of Gryffindors being wrong about who they did and did not trust, Regulus nodded his head in acknowledgement of the validity of that statement. "You Gryffindors too often let your emotions get the best of you."
"That's one way of putting it. Now will you please tell me what I want to know?"
Regulus gave the Gryffindor a dry look. "You don't honestly think that you can talk me into weaseling for you, do you? Give me one truly good reason why I should want to help you with this?"
Teddy grinned and revealed his ace. "Because she's killing off pure blooded wizards, and there are few of them as it is. She's contributing to the end of pureblood families and you're helping her by being complacent in her evilness."
Regulus couldn't have said which hit him harder, the power of the Gryffindor's grin, or the truth of the man's statement. Of course the purebloods Evangeline was killing weren't Slytherins, but their bloodlines were still important to the continuation of the old families. And though it was unlikely Evangeline's future victims would be reproducing at their age…they still needed to be around to ensure their children and grandchildren made proper marriages instead of marrying Mudbloods or worse, Muggles.
Crossing his arms in front of him Regulus sighed his aggravation. He still didn't like the idea of playing weasel, but he disliked the idea of having Teddy hound him for answers more. And the Gryffindor would, he could see it in the other man's gorgeous eyes. They were almost the color of dark purple lilacs today, a favorite color of his. He could look at Teddy all day really and not get the least bit bored.
Which made him question his mental well being again, but that was becoming fairly standard in the other man's company.
"You aren't wrong about her brother being a Metamorphmagus. They kept him away from everyone not because of his condition, he does have hemophilia by the way, but because of the fact that he loves his condition."
"Why would anyone love having hemophilia?" Teddy could see absolutely no benefit to the disease at all. In fact, he would have felt really sorry for the guy if it weren't for the fact that he was most likely a murderer.
"He likes it because he loves the sight of blood. It's his greatest pleasure. They had to drug him from an early age because if he wasn't bleeding naturally then he was making himself or whoever was close by bleed intentionally." Regulus explained, his words laced with distain and dislike.
Teddy's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, factoring in this new data. "He's a sociopath?"
"No, he does feel, he truly cares for Evangeline. Their parents don't have much use for him, but she pays him just enough attention to insure she remains his favorite person. Unless things have changed he'd do anything for her. She's all he's got since the family keeps everyone else away from him. I doubt he's even met more than a handful of people outside the family in his entire lifetime. I only met him once, and that by chance."
"It's Kreacher all over again." Teddy muttered to himself, elaborating when Regulus gave him a questioning look. "Kreacher went to see your two Death Eater cousins while the Order of the Phoenix was using this place as their headquarters. They apparently kissed up to him big time, convinced him to help them set a trap for my godfather…and Sirius. They couldn't have given a damn about him, but they knew he'd be useful so they went out of their way to play up the being part of the Black family. Evangeline is doing the same, using her brother as a tool for her own benefit. Pisses me off."
Mentally raging inside as well, Regulus did his best to hide his reaction as he processed the parallels Teddy was making. The idea of his cousins using the creature, using Kreacher to kill Sirius…well Narcissa was very lucky she was not within his grasp at the moment. Sirius might have betrayed them all, but the two Black sisters had betrayed the family just as much in their lifetime by their dishonorable conduct. And using Kreacher, who they had never treated with even a hint of common decency, royally pissed him off. Even before he'd died the old elf's hold on reality had been slipping. To take advantage of that…was beneath them.
And if he didn't think about something else he was going to say something he'd regret.
"Her brother wasn't a Death Eater, too much of a liability. There were mumblings that the Dark Lord was considering using him but I can't confirm that. He would have been a bad bet in my opinion, but when the Dark Lord was out of commission those that remained might have used him."
"Is it common knowledge in your former circles that she uses him to kill off her husbands?"
Regulus shrugged his shoulders, this not being something he could confirm or deny. "I wouldn't say common, I would hazard to guess that most think she's the one doing them in. But she doesn't have the bloodlust in her. I'd imagine she considers their demises the end of a business deal so to speak. But she wouldn't kill them on her own, by her own hand. She doesn't have the stomach for it." Regulus's lips curved ever so slightly. "She'd be too worried she'd break a nail."
Teddy's tone said it all. "One of those."
"One of those." Regulus agreed.
)
Teddy thought about pressing the man for more information about the other men and women the Slytherin had worked with while he was a Death Eater, but he sensed that Regulus had taken real offence to the suggestion that he would weasel for them. Apparently betraying the Dark Lord had been one thing, his former comrades were another. The man would probably remain mum on what he knew unless he could come up with a very good reason for the Slytherin to spill more secrets, Teddy mulled over. Which would not be an easy task, but he figured he had time to work out some strategies later on. So for the time being he'd turn the conversation to something the other man would want to talk about.
"So I was wondering if you'd like to maybe catch a Quidditch game at Hogwarts. Not as good as seeing the pros play of course, but both our houses have decent teams this year. In a couple weeks they're playing each other according to my godbrother James, who teaches flying at the school and referees the games. I thought you'd like to go."
"You'd…take me to see a game?"
The man had a near perfect poker face, Teddy noted, but the mention of Quidditch had revealed the slightest of cracks. He'd definitely hit on one of the man's rare weak spots. "That's what I'm offering. I enjoy a game or two when I can make time to go. We could make a day of it, if you like. Visit the school and Hogsmeade."
Regulus had no desire to go visit either landmark; it wasn't like he had good memories associated with either place. Being at school had been better than being at home, but not by much. But there were worse places from his past to visit, and Teddy apparently liked the idea. So he nodded his agreement to the plans and then narrowed his eyes as he studied the other man more closely.
"What do I have to do for you first?"
Understanding dawning Teddy shook his head, not surprised that the other man was looking for an ulterior motive on his part. "You don't have to do anything for me. I'm not asking you as a bribe. I just thought you'd enjoy it."
In his world things never came free. Especially when it was obvious the other man wanted more information from him. Probably thinking to soften him up with trips and Quidditch games, Regulus thought scornfully. As if that would work. He was a man of principle. Of personal standards that he'd bend for no man. Not even one so appealing as this one.
So he'd go to the Quidditch game and such, but he'd have no problem saying no to the other man's requests when it became necessary to do so.
Teddy could see that the other man didn't really believe him, but decided to let it go for the time being. Instead he decided to distract the other man by talking the Slytherin into going to the room where the Black Family Tapestry was hung, asking questions about the various names listed there. It didn't surprise the Gryffindor to discover that there were few on the tree he was particularly proud to be related to, but it obvious made the other man happy to teach him about their family so he remained quiet and listened contently.
They'd been at it for about an hour when an owl flew into the room, dropping a rolled up piece of parchment into the Gryffindor's lap.
Unrolling the scroll while the owl flew around the room Teddy winced as he recognized the handwriting. "Oh bugger."
"What's wrong?" Regulus asked, walking over with a questioning look on his face.
Teddy groaned as he read the rest of the message. "My ex is coming here. My evil ex. My cheating, money borrowing, clothes taking, chronically late ex. Dammit."
Regulus lifted a brow at the man's description. The man had said he had bad taste in men, apparently that was very true. "He's done all that and yet you allow him to live? And you call yourself a man."
"You don't know Adam Chamberlien." Was Teddy response, rolling his eyes expressively as he walked to a nearby window to let the owl out. "And I just can't go around killing people. There's not enough room in the backyard to bury all my good for nothing exes. Believe me."
"Hmm." Following the man as the Gryffindor headed out of the room Regulus wondered why this Chamberlien person was writing the other man. "So what did the letter say? Is he trying tro borrow money or clothes from you again?"
"Don't know. I'll find out when he gets here in twenty minutes." Teddy explained as he headed for his bedroom. "I should have just enough time to change and hide the silverware before he gets here. I'm joking about the silverware." Teddy added, just in case. After all, any silverware in the house would belong to the Black family.
"Why do you need to change?" Regulus wanted to know, disliking immensely the idea of the other man dressing up for this disreputable cretin.
"I need a turtleneck. He goes for my neck."
"Goes for your neck?" Regulus repeated. "Is he a vampire as well?"
"No, he's human. Mostly." Teddy smirked as he rubbed the back of his neck ruefully. "My neck's one of my weak spots and he knows it. He's talked me into plenty of things in the past because he was kissing and sucking on my neck at the time."
Regulus's eyes narrowed. He hated the man already.
"Go get a turtleneck on." The Slytherin ordered, his voice warning of dire consequences if he wasn't obeyed. "Now."