A/N: requested on tumblr, sorta.

August 1994

"Did you clean your room?"

Harry sighed as he shuffled past Regulus on his way into the kitchen.

"Harry?" Regulus looked up from his reading and leaned back on his chair to look through the open kitchen door. Harry had opened the fridge and was investigating its contents, his forehead slightly furrowed above his the rim of his glasses.

"I'll do it later," Harry muttered without taking his eyes off the fridge. He found a selection of sliced meats in the back and ate them straight out of the open vacuum pack.

Regulus frowned. Sirius's bad habits were rubbing off on Harry. "Put that away, we'll have lunch soon."

Harry glanced at him before gobbling another slice of deli ham. "But Kreacher hasn't even started it and I'm hungry now."

"We'll have leftovers from yesterday, he'll have them heated up in a minute. Now put that away."

Harry sighed. The vacuum bag rustled as he shoved it back into the fridge.

"Don't leave it open like that, Harry. Put it in a container."

"It was already open."

Regulus crossed his arms over the back of his chair. "Even so, you know better than to leave it lying around open. It'll go bad and then we'll have to throw perfectly good food away."

Harry heaved an exasperated groan. "I'll eat it later okay?"

He walked out of the kitchen, causing Regulus to rise to his feet.

"Harry James." Regulus jerked his head in the direction of the kitchen door. "Go and do it, now."

Harry glowered at him. "But I wasn't even the one who opened it in the first place!"

Regulus held the boy's gaze. "I don't care who opened it. You were the last one who used it."

"If you don't care then I don't care either," Harry responded, holding his ground. "Probably it was you who opened it."

Regulus shook his head at the fourteen-year-old. Ever since Sirius had left for the Auror training conference in Mexico two days ago, Harry had been unbearable. "What's going on with you, hmm? Where's that mood coming from?"

"Nowhere. What's going on with you!"

"With me?" Regulus took a step closer to Harry, causing the boy to tilt back his head slightly. "I simply don't see why I should be cleaning up after you."

"You don't," Harry said sourly.

"And what was that earlier, the mess you made in the sink this morning? And your room looks like a pigsty. You've had one week to clean it and all I ever hear is that you'll do it later."

"I don't see why you care. My room is none of your business."

"It is my business because this is my home and you are my child. Now, I won't say it again, Harry. Please go and do as I have asked."

"I'm not a house elf," Harry muttered.

There was a moment of sharp silence. Regulus planted his hands on his hips. "Oh. I see. Cleaning up after yourself is beneath you, is that what you're saying?"

Harry took a step towards the stairs. "No. But you're the only one who cares. I'll eat the stupid ham later if that makes you happy."

A knock on Harry's door.

"Lunch is ready."

Harry easily caught the golden snitch he had been playing with and sluggishly rolled over on his bed.

Regulus raised an eyebrow as he looked around, took in the state of Harry's room. "You have not even begun cleaning."

"Why do you care."

They had had this discussion already and Regulus did not feel like repeating himself. Reasoning with a moody teenager was not always possible. Perhaps appealing to Harry's emotions would be easier. He walked over until he stood by the side of Harry's bed. "I know you'll feel better in a clean and tidy room. And imagine if you wanted to have your friends over. Would you feel good inviting them over when your room looks like this?"

"Ron's room is worse."

"I doubt that, I really do. Molly wouldn't let it get to this state."

Harry shrugged. "Whatever."

Regulus seated himself on the edge of Harry's bed. "Imagine if we littered the basement or the drawing room like this. Nobody would feel comfortable there anymore." He spotted a dry, squished croissant on Harry's desk. Regulus had bought it over two weeks ago. The boy must have forgotten about it and now it was inedible. It was not the first time Regulus had found old food in Harry's room.

Harry leveled him with a defiant look. "I feel comfortable here. And anyway, Kreacher cleans the rest of the house so there's no comparison."

"He doesn't clean mine or Sirius's bedroom."

Harry sneered. "Wow. You have to cast the spell yourself, that sounds like hard work."

"Is this what this is about? That you're not allowed to do magic here?"

"Sirius doesn't mind it. You just want to make me work for no reason."

"I want you to learn how to take care of yourself the proper way, not to rely on magic."

"Sirius doesn't clean his room."

Regulus felt his expression slip. Sirius this, Sirius that. Now that Sirius was gone for a few days, he suddenly could do no wrong in Harry's eyes. "Sirius is an adult, he has to take care of himself. If he weren't and his room looked like that, I'd tell him to clean it as well."

The truth was that Regulus felt like a nag whenever he brought it up to Sirius. Telling Sirius to clean his room was like talking to a wall; there was no way to get past that amused grin, the playful yes, mom. Sirius never took him seriously. He still told Sirius to pick up after himself but he had given up as far as Sirius's room was concerned.

Lunch was a quick affair. Harry wolfed his food down, eager to be able to leave. It made Regulus wonder what the boy was up to that was so important. "I want you to go back upstairs and cleaning your room after you're done," Regulus said, eyes on Harry's nearly finished plate.

Harry did not respond. His fork was hovering an inch above his plate now.

"You're not doing anything else before it is tidy," Regulus clarified.

Harry looked up now. "But I'm seeing Ron tomorrow!"

Regulus paused. He had completely forgotten about that. While he had not intended to effectively ground Harry, he realized that he could use Ron as leverage. "Well, then you better get started right away. It can be done in a few hours, you could be free around dinner."

Harry leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms in front of his chest. Suddenly, he wasn't in a hurry anymore to get off the table. "Siri wouldn't care. He wouldn't make me do this."

Regulus was not going to admit that Harry was right. If Sirius were here, he would be just as miserable about the prospect of Harry having to clean his room as Harry was, maybe even more so because it meant that the two of them couldn't do something more fun. Out of the corner of his eyes, Regulus saw the boy glowering at him. "I care and that's enough."

It was past ten in the evening when Regulus knocked at Harry's door one last time. The boy's room was dimly lit and Harry's window was wide open, a cool breeze blowing in, billowing the curtains. Aside from that, the room's state had not changed. If anything, it looked even messier than before.

Regulus leaned outside, looked up the roof. Harry was sitting with his back against the chimney. He was talking softly and only when he moved his hands, Regulus saw that the boy was holding the two-way mirror. Considering that Sirius had taken the other mirror with him on his trip, it was obvious who Harry was talking to.

In the darkness, Harry had not yet noticed Regulus and snippets of their conversation found their way into the room.

"I wish I could have come with you." Harry sounded utterly miserable saying this, like Sirius had abandoned him in the care of a monster.

Regulus did not catch Sirius's response.

"Yeah but I have no one to do anything with. And Reg is… you know how he is. He's no fun."

Regulus's heart clenched a tiny bit. He decided that he did not want to hear any more and leaned further out of the window, clearing his throat. "Harry," he called, "come inside."

Harry saw him before turning back to the mirror. "It's Reg," he muttered.

"Harry. Now, please." Regulus stepped back from the window and listened to the sound of Harry's feet on the tiles as the boy climbed off the roof and entered his room through his window. Regulus had long ago installed wards that made climbing on the roof child safe and which, in the unlikely case that Harry slipped off the roof, would catch him safely.

Harry brushed his messy hair out of his face. "I was just speaking to Sirius," he said. He slid his butt off the windowsill.

"I know. It's time to say goodnight." Regulus held out his hand expectantly. "I'll take it. You get ready for bed. After that, we'll have ourselves a bit of a talk."

Harry froze. "A talk? But why?"

"You're smart, you'll figure it out." Regulus took the mirror from Harry. He turned and walked out of the room, crossing the corridor and entering his bedroom before he looked at it.

Sirius was studying him quietly, feint lines crisscrossing his forehead. It was late afternoon in Mexico and the Sirius was outside, the hot sun creating hard shadows on his face. Beads of sweat were gleaming on his forehead. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Regulus responded before closing the door behind himself. He leaned against it, sucked in a deep breath and released it slowly through his nose. "Nothing I can't handle."

"Now, don't give me that. A talk? What does that mean, you'll have a talk?"

"It means he didn't do what he was told and I'll talk to him about it."

"What did he do?"

"It's nothing you have to worry about. He's simply been acting up a bit. Doesn't want to clean his room, doesn't want to…", Regulus sighed, "look, it sounds like trifles now but we still have to have a talk."

Sirius scratched his beard. "Doesn't want to clean his room," he muttered. Shrugged. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

Regulus frowned. "Don't you start as well."

Sirius smiled softly. "Oh, I know. I truly have no room to talk."

Regulus chuckled unwillingly at the pun. He was relieved that Sirius understood. "Indeed."

Sirius's smile widened into an apologetic grin. "I expect that doesn't make it easier."

"Correct."

Sirius lowered his head and Regulus caught a glimpse of his eyes under his sunglasses. The gray was intense under the cloudless Mexican sky. "Maybe that's why Kreacher likes you best, you've always been the tidy one. Look, you can count on me, all right? Even though I'm not present right now, if you want me to have a talk with him after I return -"

Regulus interrupted him. "That won't be necessary." Sirius would no doubt look like the biggest hypocrite in Harry's eyes if he got involved. It would weaken Regulus's position and make him look hypocritical as well.

Sirius stepped into the shadow of a nearby building, turning away from the muggles who were walking past him. He removed his sunglasses, then sticking the arm of the glasses into his mouth as he rubbed his hand across his sweaty forehead before wiping it on his shirt. He slid them back on and turned his shiny mirror gaze on Regulus. "All right. Just know that I have your back."

"I know you do," Regulus responded. "How are things in Mexico?"

"Pretty hot."

"I see."

"Do you not want to meet Ron tomorrow?" Regulus crossed his arms across his chest. He was standing in the middle of Harry's room, dirty laundry to his left as well as his right on the floor. The clothes Harry had worn today had been tossed over the end of the bed. Regulus felt more than annoyed with Harry by now, and the boy's belligerent expression did not help.

"Of course I do." Harry had changed into his pajamas and was sitting on his desk chair, his chin resting on his drawn-up knees.

"Really? Because from how things look, you're doing everything in your power to draw this out as long as possible. And mind my words, you're not seeing anyone before this room is clean."

"You didn't say my room had to be clean when I asked you if I could see him! You can't suddenly say no just because you feel like it." It seemed as though sparks of anger were flying from Harry's emerald eyes. A forest fire, still manageable, but which strategy was the most efficient?

"I'm not forbidding you from seeing Ron," Regulus explained, taking a deep breath, "I am asking you to do something before you see him. I frankly have no idea why you are punishing yourself by putting it off further and further."

Harry glowered at him. "I'm not punishing myself, it's you who decided that."

"I didn't decide anything," Regulus said, "you chose not to clean your room. I honestly hope your day off was worth it because it means that you will be cleaning your room tomorrow instead of seeing Ron."

Harry screwed up his face, stomping both feet down on the floor. "Why do you have to be such a prick!"

Regulus blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Regulus felt his jaw muscles tense. He walked over to the boy, placed his hand under Harry's chin and tilted his head up. "Say it again. Look at me and say it again. I dare you."

Harry leaned back and tried to turn his head away. Regulus's grip on him tightened. "I dare you, Harry," the man said once more, "you want to stand in the corner like a little child, all you have to do is say that once again and I'll happily escort you there. Happily, Harry."

Harry lowered his eyes and shook his head slightly.

"Then what do you say instead?"

Underneath his fingers, Regulus felt Harry's jaw muscles twitch. "Sorry," Harry grumbled after a brief moment of silence.

"All right." Regulus let go of the boy's chin. He pointed to Harry's bed. "Bed."

Harry did not look at him as he got to his feet and shuffled over to his bed. Regulus walked with him, lifted the covers and motioned for Harry to get under them.

"I don't need you to… tuck me in," Harry muttered.

"I know you don't. Now lie down. Our talk isn't quite finished yet but I want you in bed. It might help you to settle down a bit."

"I don't have to settle down." Nevertheless, Harry obeyed reluctantly. He climbed into his bed and lay down on his side.

"I beg to differ." Regulus pulled the covers up and tucked them around Harry. He gently removed the boy's glasses and placed them on Harry's nightstand. Harry studied him suspiciously when Regulus sat next to him on the bed. When Regulus spoke, he kept his tone gentle, conversational. "What do you think could be the reason behind your moods?"

Harry drew the covers up over his mouth and the tip of his nose. "Dunno."

Regulus sighed. "Sometimes there's no clear reason. I remember that, when I was your age, the smallest things would set me off." When Regulus had been fourteen, he and Sirius had both been in their teens, struggling to get used to their new living situation, and Regulus had felt like walking dynamite. "However, usually, there was a pebble that started the avalanche. When you think back, think of the last days, what's the first thing that annoyed you?"

Harry shrugged at first, his shoulders tense. "Sirius leaving," he mumbled into the covers, his voice muffled.

"Him leaving or you not being allowed to accompany him?"

"Both."

It was unfortunate that the week-long conference had been scheduled over Harry's summer holidays. Sirius too had been unhappy about it because it stole precious time he could have spent with Harry. However, the rising number of in dark wizards made the conference essential for the Aurors of different countries to connect, discuss, and formulate strategies on how to combat the growing threat.

"But you're not mad at him, are you? You're mad at me."

Harry's silence said it all. Regulus reminded himself not to take it personal.

He thought about how to phrase things. He did not want to steer their conversation back to the mess in Harry's room, at least not yet. He had to take one step towards Harry in order to pull him back two steps later. "I'm sorry you feel like you're stuck with me. If I did anything that upset you, Harry, I apologize. And if I didn't pay enough attention to you, I apologize for that as well." He waited anxiously for Harry's response.

"Okay," Harry said softly.

Regulus fought the urge to smile. He leaned a little closer to Harry. "What can I do to avoid that over the next days?"

There was another moment of silence. "Maybe just… not make such a big deal out of everything…"

Regulus contemplated that. "Can you give me an example of when I made a big deal out of something that wasn't actually a big deal?"

Harry's entire face was now hidden underneath his covers. "When I ate the sliced meats."

Regulus dared to reach out and touch the boy's head. When Harry did not turn away, he gently ran his fingers through Harry's thick black hair. "You're probably right. I should have let that go, it wasn't worth the argument we had about it. I regret that."

The covers slid down a few inches and Harry peek at Regulus.

"Do I have your forgiveness?"

"Yes," Harry said softly. The anger had disappeared from his eyes.

"I'm glad," Regulus smiled, "because I hate arguing with you. And I'm glad that, even though sometimes, things get out of hand and we fight, we can still have a reasonable discussion about it afterward. Like we do right now. All I want is to have peace with you, I really do. I don't want to fight with you."

Harry nodded and rubbed a finger under his nose.

"Unfortunately," Regulus said, "we're in a tricky situation right now." He motioned around Harry's room. "The state of your room is not the only issue any longer. It's also the way you've been talking to me and that you flat-out refused to cooperate and at least try to make an effort. I wouldn't have had to basically ground you if I had seen you making an effort, like cleaning at least a small corner of your room."

"I did start on my laundry," Harry objected softly.

Regulus glanced at Harry's wardrobe. The doors were open and the clothes had been carelessly stuffed inside the drawers, so much so that they did not close anymore. The rest was strewn across the floor. It was impossible to tell which clothes were clean, which had been worn once, and which clothes were old and belonged into the laundry basket. "Can you honestly say that you made a real effort? Is this the best you can do?"

Harry looked away, a blush creeping across his cheeks. "No…"

"You see," Regulus said, "three or four hours and this room would have been clean. Even if you had started after dinner, you would've had enough time to get most of it done. You could be done by now, we could have had a nice evening with you looking forward to meeting Ron tomorrow. But you didn't choose that."

"It just sucks that I can't see Ron. It's unfair."

"It's a consequence, Harry. One that you were well aware of even before it was too late."

Harry hid his face in his covers once more.

Regulus studied the boy quietly. "I'm sorry, pup. I really am. But you know how it goes. And I imagine you'd prefer a consequence of this sort over the one Sirius normally delivers."

There was a muffled yes. Harry turned back to look at Regulus. "Reggie?"

Regulus reached out, brushed Harry's hair back from his forehead, revealing the his scar, etched like a lightning bolt into the teenager's smooth, delicate skin. "Yes?"

"What if I get up really early in the morning and clean my room?"

Regulus chewed on the inside of his cheek. He had planned to send Molly a letter after his talk with Harry. He did not want to wait for the last possible moment to tell Molly that they would have to postpone the date, especially because the reason for it had been foreseeable.

Still, the eagerness in Harry's gaze, his body rigid with anticipation, fingers curled tightly around the edge of the covers…

Regulus sighed. He had to be fair to Harry too and the boy deserved this chance. It would teach Harry a valuable lesson if he managed to motivate himself and get his room to an acceptable state. Regulus did not expect perfection from him, but he wanted to see that Harry made an effort. "You promise me that you'll do your best. Is that clear?"

Harry nodded quickly. "Yes. I promise." He sat up on his elbows, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the room, like he was, for the first time in days, becoming aware of the true extent of its mess. He rolled over and extended his arm to reach for his glasses.

Regulus chuckled. He caught Harry's hand, held it in his larger one, his thumb gently running across Harry's palm. "Not now, pup. You need your rest. How about I wake you at seven, we have an early breakfast, and you'll clean your room after that." He tucked the covers around the boy once more. "You can make it."