Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters get in.
Black Eyes
Regulus was still turning Hugo's hypothesis around in his mind hours later as he hung out in Teddy's office while the man did more of the endless piles of paperwork that seemed to be a large part of being an Auror. Which certainly explained why they'd been so useless during the war since apparently they were little more than glorified paper pushers, the Slytherin thought to himself before going back to his early musings against his will. Because as much as he'd rather think about how glad he was not to be Teddy at the moment he couldn't seem to shake the thoughts the man's honorary cousin had so innocently shoved into his mind.
The idea that he was becoming more solid, more real because he'd suddenly found a reason to want to do so was disturbing. Disturbing, the Slytherin thought darkly, because he'd gotten the distinct impression that both Hugo and Teddy were considering the possibility that it might be because of Teddy that he wanted to return to a living form.
The curly topped moppet had been under their roof for hardly more than a day, yet he seemed to know that there was something going on between him and Teddy. How could that be? What mistakes had they made? Had Teddy said something to the other man? Had he not made it clear enough to the Gryffindor that what happened in the dreams was between the two of them and was not, under any circumstances, to be discussed with anyone, ever?
"I think it's time I break for lunch."
Jostled out of his increasingly panic worth musings Regulus rather desperately hoped that none of his troubling thoughts had been visible on his face. He'd somewhat foolishly decided to remain visible to Teddy's eyes for the day since the man's earlier comments about him remaining invisible because he was hiding from him still rubbed him the wrong way.
"Don't eat at the cafeteria." Regulus ordered, hoping that his face was as cool as his voice.
"They generally don't give people food poisoning, Regulus."
"Only an idiot goes back to a place that has even once poisoned its patrons." Was Regulus's opinion on the matter, his tone of voice making it clear that he would think and call Teddy an idiot if his warning wasn't heeded.
Accepting the fact that he was going to have to leave the building for lunch, which was a pain but better than dealing with the alternative, Teddy got up from his desk and retrieved his coat, sliding it on before heading to the door, knowing that Regulus would fall into step with him.
He couldn't help but grin when the other man did precisely that, especially since he was already in such a good mood to begin with.
It was taking a great deal of effort on his part not to bring up Hugo's theory, but Teddy knew better than to push the Slytherin on the issue. Regulus would discuss it when he was good and ready and not a second before.
Well that and he was in no hurry to hear the man he was falling in love with inform him that he was not the reason his soul suddenly desired a body and that he needed his head examined for even thinking such a thing, Teddy thought sheepishly.
They hadn't even reached a point in their relationship where the Slytherin was okay with him informing anyone that they were involved with each other, which was just sad in his opinion.
)
The two hadn't gotten very far when they both spotted a trio of people coming towards them from the other direction. Teddy recognized the man in the middle of the trio right away, he was an Auror like himself and they'd gone through their training together. They were pretty good friends, though they were such workaholics that they rarely met socially outside of work. The fact that they'd both become Aurors for similar reasons kept them bonded so to speak, few people who hadn't been in their shoes being able to understand their single minded devotion to their profession. How what dark wizards and witches had done to their families had trickled down to them.
It was the thought of family that had Teddy realizing he recognized the two women with Rick as well, the man's sister and mother if he wasn't mistaken. They didn't live in London so he he'd only met them a couple of times. Thankfully he was good with names.
"Hello, Rick, Emily, Mrs. Alzette."
"Wotcher, Teddy." The other man called out with a friendly nod before his eyes went to the man standing at his friend's side. Like Teddy he had researched and gone over all the information ever gathered about the Death Eaters that had once controlled their country. He knew he was looking at Regulus Black, Teddy's ancestor and constant companion according to office gossip.
The other two women greeting Teddy with warm smiles, the two groups were within a meter of each other when Rick's mother suddenly went still, all color draining from her face as she suddenly found herself unable to breathe. Unable to breathe…or look away from the black eyes she'd just met, having intended to introduce herself to the man with Teddy since no one else had.
And then, even as mouths opened to ask her if she was all right, the woman's eyes rolled back in her head as she lost consciousness, her son and daughter grabbing her in tandem so that they were supporting her, both shouting at her in a panic as they tried to call her back to them.
Having moved to give assistance Teddy knelt down beside his friend as the other two gently lowered their mother to the floor. "Did she just faint? Should I call for a healer?"
"I don't know." Was the other Auror's rough response.
"She was fine today." Emily chimed in, checking her mother's pulse, finding it erratic. "I don't know what happened. She just…she was looking at you." Looking over in Regulus's direction, the only one who showed absolutely no interest in doing anything, the girl's eyes darkened. She knew who he was too. "She looked at you and fainted."
"Well I am dead." Regulus pointed out with the faintest of smirks. "I've seen enough fainting in my life to recognize it. She'll wake shortly. We should continue on our way." He added in Teddy's direction, having only added the fainting comment so that his lover wouldn't feel obligated to stay. He didn't recognize the woman on the floor but the other chit's comment that the mother had fainted at the sight of him was correct. He'd seen a horrible recognition in the woman's green eyes and he'd rather Teddy not be around when the fainter regained consciousness.
Getting slowly to his feet with a predator's grace Rick stared at the former Death Eater, the only thing keeping him from drawing his wand was the voice in his head pointing out that the man was indeed dead and therefore couldn't be taken out, arrested…or killed.
When he spoke though his words were ice cold. "When my mother was six two Death Eaters broke into her family home and tortured her father nearly to death in front of her, her two siblings, and her mother. From the description given I believe the one was Barty Crouch Junior, but the second one…I never got a clear description of him other than the basics, and we all know that a clever wizard can change his appearance to suit himself."
Even dead Regulus could feel the chill that now invaded the room, the Slytherin deliberately not looking in Teddy's direction since he found that he couldn't bear the idea of seeing the man look at him through this other man's eyes.
"If you're looking for a confession I'd point out I don't even know who she is. One would assume she didn't look like this at six."
Unable to breathe as he stared between the two Teddy prayed in his mind like he never had before as he waited to see his lover's reaction as his friend gave his mother's first and maiden name, hoping with every fiber of his being that Regulus wouldn't know the name.
But his hopes were in vain. "She's one of Orion Flint's spawn?"
The sounds that escaped Rick and Emily's throats indicated they wished they could rip Regulus's out.
They might have tried, too, if their mother hadn't picked that moment to groan and start to weakly move as she struggled to open her eyes and regain consciousness.
)
Her children immediately turning their attention to their mother Teddy shifted away, his thoughts so horribly jumbled and filled with nauseating possibilities that all he knew was that he had to get Regulus out of there before the woman on the floor caught sight of the Slytherin again. His fingers were on the cool metal as he started to slip it off when the now sitting up woman suddenly lifted a hand and pointed it in Regulus's direction, a mixture of puzzlement, fear, and determination in her voice.
"I know you. How do I know you?"
Going with his gut Teddy allowed his hands to drop away, having no intention of standing in as Regulus's shield. He would shield the others instead, he decided with a sick, toxic brew rolling around in his stomach, sending waves of nauseating agony through his body as he braced himself for what was possibly to come as the woman's children gave their mother Regulus's name and a brief recap of his stint as a Death Eater before his demise.
Forcing herself to stare into the dark eyes that watched her unflinchingly Brenna Azette fought back the panic those eyes inspired, the other emotions she felt enough to keep her on her feet and looking. Yes this man scared her on some basic level, but she didn't fear him the way one would expect given the fact that her very being crawled at the idea of getting closer to him. Her son's explanation had made it clear that he was thinking her reaction to this Regulus Black meant he was the second Death Eater who had nearly destroyed her family all those years ago, yet her gut said no. But he would have to be tied to that night, wouldn't he, as there was no other time that she'd ever come face to face with any member of Voldemort's army.
"My children might not have mentioned, but I had night terrors after the night the Death Eaters came for us, to the point where I'd seize up and stop breathing. My parents arranged to have shields put up to block the memories so I have no memory of what happened. But I know your eyes, Mr. Black."
Though it was a long shot, Teddy found himself offering up an excuse that was weak and pathetic even to his own ears. "His cousins Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy have the same eyes."
"He recognized her name and called her spawn." Rick pointed out, giving Teddy a fierce look that made it plain that their friendship was being tested and that any more defense of the Slytherin who watched them so coldly would severe it completely.
"He would know your grandfather regardless. They were distantly related, and of the same social class. I would imagine you were one of the many who turned against him when he chose to marry a Muggle." Her father had never really spoken of it, but she had never had any contact with any of his relatives and while she hadn't gone to Hogwarts, she'd understood what it meant that her father had come from a long line of Slytherins.
Even the thought of it had Regulus fighting back a grimace. Of course he'd been horrified along with everyone else over Orion's decision. They'd intermarried with the Flints for generations and to see yet another old family be polluted with the blood of Muggles…it had been too sickening for words.
Daring to take a couple of steps closer Brenna refused to show any more sign of weakness as she continued to watch the man who watched her. Because even as her children lashed out at the former Death Eater for the way he was looking at her, the man simply smirking back at them to make it clear he could care less what they thought, Brenna couldn't shake the feeling that she was right to think that this Regulus Black had been there that night. But in what role, she wondered, not surprised that her children hadn't thought to cast this dark figure in the other, also unnamed figure from that night.
Because that person had made it clear they were never to speak of him.
"Can't we go now? These annoying little insects keep buzzing in my ears." Regulus stated, tired of the ranting but even more annoyed by the way Flint's daughter was staring at him. Because while it was in the back of his mind to just lay it all out and admit to how she knew him…he was just too much a Slytherin to so willingly admit to what he had done.
"Insects!" Emily's eyes flared dangerously, starting forward. "I'll show you who's an insect. When I'm through with you you're going to regret the fact that you didn't just finish my family off that night!"
"If I'd wanted them all dead that night it would have been beyond easy." He couldn't wait to see her try for him. It was sure to be amusing.
"Emily, stop!"
Instinctively doing as ordered the girl gave her mother a questioning look, some small part of her brain reminding her that she couldn't actually harm the man in the first place, the realization bringing furious color to her cheeks.
Once she was sure that for the time being weapons would not be drawn, not that they'd do any good in this case, Brenna asked the question that her children had not known to ask, one that would answer the questions they all had even with the Slytherin's refusal to cooperate. "Teddy…did your family ever own a house elf by the name of 'Creature'?"
No one missed Regulus's reaction to her question, the man's dark eyes flaring with heat for the first time since the confrontation had begun.
Very slowly Teddy nodded his head, a hint of hope flaring inside his aching heart. "Sort of. Its actual name was spelled-K-R-E-A-C-H-E-R, but it sounded like 'Creature', which was probably the point. Why?"
"Because, according to my mum, while the Death Eater that saved our lives that night never gave his or his house elf's name…house elves always talk in the third person."
)
Seeing that the truth was now out of the bag Regulus couldn't help but curse under his breath, so pissed off by the way things were going that he started muttering quite audibly, the shocked silence of the others working against him. "Dammit, can the Fates not cut me a single, solitary break? Is that too much to bloody ask? Have I not suffered enough by now to have atoned for any past wrongs? It wasn't bad enough that Sirius went to his death thinking that I was some stupid, gullible child who got scared of the dark side, oh no, the insults just have to keep coming. The stupid Gryffindors just had to find out the truth and tell everyone their twisted, 'he realized in the end that being a Death Eater was bad, so he heroically died for the sake of the Wizarding World and to show remorse for all he'd done' bleeding heart version. And now, well now this will get out and the stupid Blood traitors of the world will hail me as some sort of savior of filthy Muggles and shouldn't even exist Mudbloods. Will the insults against my name never cease to build up and accumulate? How am I supposed to ever face my ancestors with my head held high knowing the sort of sins I've heaped upon my family's name because the pollution of our pureblooded race has led to people being unable to use what little intelligence they have?"
"You…you saved my family that night?" Bewilderment was written all over Rick's face. "But, Mum, you never said…no one ever said that someone saved you that night."
"Because we didn't want word to get around what he'd done. The other two Death Eaters had obviously known who he was, and since we didn't know if they'd been charged and arrested for their crimes…we couldn't repay our savior by putting him in the line of fire." A hint of a smile curled the older woman's lips. "That…and according to my mum our hero made it clear that if we were to speak of his help he'd hunt us down himself and cut out our tongues."
Regulus had no intention of talking, resolutely staring over the Auror's shoulder as he ignored everyone in the room. If it hadn't been a coward's move he would have simply disappeared from sight. Things were bad enough without him actually confirming things even more than he just had with his stupid mumbling and the unfortunate fact that Kreacher hadn't thought to not call himself by his name that blasted night.
Argh.
Reaching out Teddy placed a hand on Regulus's still solid shoulder, squeezing it as he repeated Rick's question.
Unable to stop himself from looking at that hand out of the corner of his eye Regulus knew what Teddy wanted to hear, what was being asked of him. He understood that the other man had feelings for him and that those feelings could, and probably were at times, painful to Teddy because he felt such things for a former Death Eater. Logically he should answer with the truth, Teddy would like it, but he didn't want to admit that it was the truth. He didn't want to be remembered that way. He didn't want to be a disgrace to his name and bloodline. He didn't…this wasn't all about him, Regulus abruptly realized. His actions reflected on his family…and Teddy was family.
And Teddy's opinion of him…was more important…then the others…to him.
Merlin help him.
