So here's the second chapter. Enjoy you savages.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters or names affiliated with the name. All rights reserved for J.K. Rowling and all of her magnificence. Any other characters and names are mine. (P.s. from this point on, the story will proceed in the third person)
UPDATED/REWRITTEN CHAPTER 2
1980
Something is wrong.
Regulus listened from his spot in front of Kreacher as the elf tried to distract him with etiquette lessons as his mother screeched and shouted about his brother.
A traitor? Sirius? How could he be? He gasped at the next sentence that wafted from his mother in the parlor up to his wing in the mansion. Gryffindor? How could he do this? Sirius was always one to defy his mother and other pureblood rules. But to defy generations and the Black tradition of being in Slytherin...how…?
If Sirius could...then maybe he...
The thundering steps of his mother cut off his musing. She smacked at his door and stormed to where he was seated at his small desk. She grabbed him up,pinching skin as she made a fist around his informal robes father bought him yesterday.
She pointed a finger at him, eyes blazing. "You. You are the only hope for the Black family. Your brother-that heathen-has gone and betrayed us. You will be in Slytherin." She shook him and waited for him to nod frantically. "From now, Kreacher will begin your training as the next heir to the House of Black."
"But Sirius-"
Her fist clenched tighter causing him to yelp and she shook him even harder. His brain felt like it was rattling in his skull. She spat at him. "Don't. Say. His. Name. Not in my house! You are my heir!"
She dropped him on the floor absently. ANd turned a furious eye on Kreacher.
"Kreacher, begin his instruction immediately!" Before she stomped out of his room, screaming for the other elves to fetch her a drink.
-FE-
Something is wrong.
Her hand gripped his tightly and the world had not imploded on itself. His skin did not bubble and ripple in agony at the touch of someone who had filthy blood. Instead he felt...he felt...warmth.
Confused he looked from where their skin was connected up into furious blue eyes surrounded by horrid curls. Her skin was peachy now, in her fury. He paid no attention to the heckling of his brother and his idiot friends that stood behind the girl in front of him.
Helen was friend's with Sev's mudblood friend. Helen who was a mudblood know-it-all. Helen who was always smiling and laughing at his brother's and those stupid Gryffindor's antics. Helen Webber whose blood made her beneath him. She stood in front of him in defiance, grasping his hand, and glaring at him.
"There! Now go and scrub that skin raw of my dirty germs you racist maggot!"
Something was wrong-with him. Because washing his hands was the last thing he wanted to do.
-FE-
The screaming had stopped an hour ago but they refused to let him in the room. He had only been waiting here for about three hours because she couldn't get in contact with him right away.
Something is wrong.
It wasn't easy getting contact with him nowadays. He had a much more demanding Lord to attend to these days.
Besides, she wouldn't even really want to. Things between them have been strained for a while. It was his fault, admittedly. He couldn't blame her. How could he? He never stood up for her, not when it counted anyway. He didn't even stand up for himself. He's a coward.
He was a coward and now something is wrong, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. He paced outside of the room.
He spun around at the sound of someone clearing their throat. A MediWizard had the door cracked behind him. But his face didn't ease any of his anxiety. The solemn and pityingly look on the MediWizard's face made an uncomfortable feeling settle in the pit of his stomach.
"You may come in. I'm not sure how long she has, but this may be your only chance to say goodbye. But I must warn you, be quick and be careful." That was all he said before he left him to his own devices.
He was a Black. His family was known for being ruthless and cunning and strong willed. Even his brother—Hell, maybe his brother most of all. But him, right now. He never felt like less of a Black. He stared at the hospital room door slightly ajar before he steeled himself and walked in cautiously.
He took slow and measured steps into the room.
And nothing could have prepared him for the sight that laid before him. The large mass of red curls that he grew to love were dull and plastered wetly across her face with sweat. Her face, the one he once caressed so many times in her sleep, was deathly pale and withdrawn. Her breaths were coming out in shallow pants and the sound of it made him want to wretch then and there. But he feared he would disturb her peaceful disposition.
And it was peaceful. He can't recall a time she's ever looked so peaceful and...resigned. And that made him angry.
"Why?" He rasped in what was supposed to be a menacing growl, but really came out as a hoarse plea. She didn't turn to face him, but her lips twisted up into a smile at the sound of his voice and he felt the anger rush out of him.
"You weren't ready." That was all she said with her face turned away from him.
His eyebrows knit together and his lips turned down. "What do you mean I wasn't ready? You didn't think I deserved to know I was going to be a father? You didn't think I could handle that knowledge?"
He heard a faint sigh before she attempted to turn her head in his direction. He could hear through her pants how exhausted she was from her struggle so he hurried to her side to help her. He hated how light she felt. She had always been small in comparison to him, but she never felt so light. And it scared him. More than he was willing to say.
"No." She said, her voice barely able to form the word. She took in a trembling breath. "You weren't ready...to be...the man you were...always meant to be. You...weren't ready...to be there for me...or for her."
She coughed a terrible cough and his face twisted up in agony as she lethargically waved him off when he went to help her sit up. She hated feeling like an invalid. She was always so stubborn.
"Her?" His voice stuttered. "You mean it—she...?" He stumbled uncharacteristically around the words.
And then that smile of hers that he loved so much made an appearance. It wasn't as bright and wide as it usually was, but it affected him no less. It still had the power to make his heart stutter.
"She lived, Lulu. She almost didn't. Her heart stopped." And her face twisted up and she bit her lip hard. Until she smiled again. "But she lived. Her heart started beating again. Oh, Lulu she's so strong." Another coughing fit. He reached for the small cup of water near her bedside but she ignored it.
He held back a grimace at her nickname for him. He never liked it, it sounded so feminine and average. But he wouldn't voice his distaste, not now. He didn't want the last thing she saw to be his face skewed in a grimace. She always did say his smile made him look handsome. Even more handsome than his brother.
Her wheezing breaths brought him out of his thoughts and he tried to help her sit up again. Maybe that would help. But she waved his concern away. He tried not to let his frustration show. He hated seeing her like this. So weak, weak and helpless and so close to d—no! He couldn't think about that just yet. He wouldn't be able to bear it.
"Lulu, I don't... have much time left," he was shaking his head before she could finish. He didn't want to hear this. He didn't want to think about her leaving him. "Regulus!"
His head snapped in her direction. Her voice was strong only for that moment before she began hacking again. She was still weak, and weakening by the second. But the control she had over him whenever she spoke his name never waned. Not after all this time.
"Regulus I need you...to listen to me. She is going to need you."
"I don't know how-"
"But you will." She said confidently. She always had such faith him. He never knew where it came from. She always had enough hope and faith for the both of them.
"Lenny—"
"I'm not... asking you Lulu... I'm telling you." And he saw it in her eyes. That fierce determination he's always seen. The bravery in her large brown eyes glowed brightly. It was a wonder she was never one of those lions like his brother. "I didn't tell you before...because you weren't ready. You...wouldn't have...been able to be there...not for us. But now...now you know what...you have to do. You are ready...to make the right choice. For her."
He saw the light in her eyes dimming quickly. Too fast for his preference. She was wrong. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to see her go.
"Lenny I can't do this." He shook his head fiercely but his voice was weak. "Not without you. I-I don't know how—I can't—Helen please." He hated to beg. But right now he'd get on his knees and beg loud enough for the world to hear if it would keep her with him.
"Look...at her...Lulu." She used what little energy in her to smile his favorite smile. Her hands trembled violently as she pointed at the small bassinet in the corner of the room. That's what she had been looking at when he entered the room but he failed to notice it. He was too busy looking at her.
He didn't want to look away from her. He didn't want to miss a single thing, but he couldn't go against her. Not now. Not ever. Not when she looked at him like that. Like he was the most amazing wizard to ever walk the earth. Because he wasn't. He was a coward. He was disgusting and he never deserved her. Not even close. He tightened his jaw at the trembling of his lips.
So he walked over to the bassinet, looking back at her every now and then not wanting to look away for too long. And when he finally made it there his breath caught. He couldn't look away from the tiny figure in the bassinet swaddled in the pink blanket. Inky, black curls littered her pink scalp. Her lips were red stained and almost too large for her small face, forming a pout. Her nose was tiny and her ears were tiny. She was just so small. Small and beautiful and delicate. She looked so fragile. He was afraid he'd breathe on her too hard and she'd break. And when she opened her eyes his heart completely stopped.
"Wow..." He heard himself whisper.
"I know...she looks...just like...you." A raspy voice drew his attention back to the lone figure on the bed. Her eyes drooped more and her hand lay completely limp. But she was still holding on. And she stared longingly at the bassinet.
"She looks like you, Lenny." His throat was tight and the pressure behind his eyes built.
"Let me...see her..."
With careful hands he reached down. He hesitated once as piercing gray eyes shot through him. But he picked her up and tucked her into his chest, and just held her there. He walked over to the bed, one step slowly placed in front of the other, and sat down on it carefully so as to not disturb her. He moved the blankets out of the small child's face, feeling smooth and soft skin as he did so. It only served to choke him up further.
"She's...beautiful...Lulu."
Regulus Black either didn't notice the teardrops that tracked down his cheeks or he didn't care to remove them. He looked at the woman he had fallen in love with so many years ago and tried desperately to remember every part of her.
"...love...you...Reg...love...Her-Hermione.
Her chest stilled.
Regulus adjusted the tiny child in his arms so that he could reach over with the other and close the love of his life's eyes.
Hermione.
She said Hermione. He remembered that name from the silly little talks they would occasionally have when they were younger and they talked about their futures. She wanted her daughter's name to be Hermione. She visited Greece one summer with her family and fell in love with the mythology surrounding the beautiful country. After learning that her own name was a part of the myths, she swore to Regulus that she would include her children in it as well. Child. She'd always tell him that she knew she would have a little girl.
Almost as if sensing what just happened, the once peaceful child began wailing ferociously. Her screams and cries drew the attention of nearby MediWizards and Witches who rushed into the room, but Regulus Black was nowhere to be found.
No one noticed a huddled over black figure carrying a crying child down the streets and through twisting alleys, he silenced magically. No one paid any attention to them or heard the child's cries. And no one noticed the pain etched so clearly across the man's face.
"Kreacher!" Regulus called out no louder than a whisper. Somewhere between St. Mungos and Grimmauld Place, Hermione had cried herself to sleep. Regulus was glad because the sound of her cries did something funny to his insides. But he didn't know how to stop them
He's never been in the presence of babies before. He's seen Lucius' boy once or twice, but that child is spoiled and the sound of his screeches gives him headaches. Severus was the blond babe's Godfather, and even he distanced himself from the Manor quite often. But Hermione's—his daughter's—cries caused him to ache.
The sound of the familiar crack that Regulus had grown used to woke Hermione. And he sighed as her small form flinched awake and her tiny mouth opened.
"Master?" Kreacher asked hesitantly. Regulus rocked the wailing child in his arm gently but it did nothing.
Kreacher tried again, nervously. "Master?"
"What?" Regulus growled.
Kreacher looked down, ashamed to have upset his master and twisted his large ears painfully. Regulus sighed at seeing the house elf that practically raised him hurting himself.
"Knock it off, Kreach." He sighed apologetically.
"Master needs not apologize. Kreacher only wants to know if Master is awares he be holding a child."
Regulus rolled his eyes at Kreacher's own form of sarcasm. "Yes I am. And I want to introduce you to Hermione...Tsarina Black."
"Master...?" Kreacher gasped.
"She is my own Kreacher. You must tell no one of this, do you hear me?" Regulus ordered his house elf, who in return nodded his head frantically. "Take it off the tapestry too."
"Yes master. Kreacher understands." He nodded swiftly, his large ears flopping around.
"Good."
Hermione's cries continued to escalate and Regulus feared that she would never calm. He had no idea what to do with a child. How was he supposed to do this without Helen?
"Master, Kreacher knows how to care for young Mistress."
Regulus looked to Kreacher in exasperation. "You know how to calm her down?"
Kreacher gave him a look. Regulus looked properly abashed.
"Of course, you practically raised me and—" But Regulus quickly cut himself off. He's thought about his brother a lot more lately, more than he's gotten used to.
"Young Mistress is hungry. And dirty. Oh yes, dirty and hungry. And sleepy." Kreacher mumbled as he took Hermione from Regulus.
He popped in and out of the rooms periodically throughout the day, feeding Hermione and changing her nappies every now and then. But she refused to nap unless she was in Regulus' arms. As if Regulus would even put her down in these times. Regulus caught himself staring at her all the time, especially when she was asleep. He couldn't get over how beautiful she looked. She was the perfect blend between him and Helen. She had his hair color but Helen's curls. She had the Black family trademark silver eyes, but Helen's small nose and full lips. And on occasion when Regulus swore that Hermione would smile, he could just make out the slight indentation of a dimple. Dimples that reminded him of his brother.
Three months later and Hermione still refused to sleep completely through the night. She cried a lot. And each and every time Regulus would go running into her makeshift room to check on her but he has yet to distinguish her cries of hunger from the others. Kreacher has been incredibly helpful lately, so helpful in fact that Regulus even considered paying the enthusiastic little elf. Kreacher wasn't usually so peppy, but he loved to attend to Hermione. He knew not even his grumpy house elf could resist his daughter's charms. Regulus refused to think of the future where Hermione's charms would come to bite him in the ass.
Regulus closed his floo, not letting Severus, Narcissa, or Lucius come through. The few times he could peel himself away from his daughter, and let Kreacher sit her, he'd go to the Manor and have a few drinks with them. If they noticed his inattention or his distancing that they didn't say so. It wasn't very Slytherin-like to ask so boldly, anyhow.
He spent a lot of time thinking and plotting and planning. Oh he had plans.
Regulus sighed as he stared down at the tiny human being that has taken over his entire existence in less than a day. He so irrevocably tied to this precious little beauty now he knew he'd do whatever it took to protect her. Even if it meant dying in the process. He could no longer be a coward, not now that he has Hermione. Helen would never forgive him.
"Kreacher!"
A crack ripped through the air.
"Yes master?"
"I'm going out. If Severus or Lucius floos tell them...tell them I went out."
"Yes master."
Kreacher looked to his Master oddly. His master had been behaving so bizarre the last few months. He loved the young Mistress. Yes he did. Young Mistress cried and whined as much as the Master did when he was her size. But his Master has been staring into space a lot more lately. And he was always so tired. Kreacher wondered if it had anything to do with the necklace Master told him to hide a month ago. But Kreacher did as his Master instructed and watched dutifully as his Master left with his young one bundled in a thin blanket.
-FE-
"Oi, Prongsie. You're out of juice!"
"Of course we're out of juice you git! You're always drinking it all!" James rolled his eyes from the living room as he yelled to Sirius in the kitchen.
"Well I wouldn't drink all of it if there were more things in here to drink. All you have in here is sour milk."
James thought for a minute before remembering something, and he snickered. "That's breast milk Sirius."
"It sure as hell don't taste as good as it's name."
"Oi!" James turned, offended by the insult to his wife's milk.
"Would the both of you knock it off. You're acting worse than children." A beautiful redhead scolded the childish men as she cascaded down the stairs, belly showing the child she was carrying
"I resent that Evans," Sirius smarted, smirking at the redhead.
"It's Potter, Black." Lily snapped.
James bounded over to his wife and child practically skipping along the way. Sirius made mock barfing sounds as he watched his lovesick friend kiss his wife and her stomach repeatedly.
"James!" Lily scolded her husband, but it didn't come out quite the same as she giggled this time.
"Wotcher, you two! I'm trying to eat here."
"Why don't you go to your own place and do so?" James finally broke away from his wife. Lily went into the kitchen to prepare breakfast and he watched as his wife's lithe hips swayed as she walked.
Sirius grumbled. "'Cause Moony is still off doin' something for Dumbledore and what not. It's lonely back at our bachelor flat." Sirius pouted.
"Hm. Have you heard from him lately?" James asked Sirius seriously. He and Sirius shared a long look.
"No." Sirius responded curtly. They hadn't heard from their hairy friend in a while and he refused to tell them anything he was doing. Times were already strained right now with a madman on the loose and gaining followers like it's nobody's business and trusting people in this day and age wasn't easy.
But neither Sirius nor James would voice their concerns out loud. This was their best friend, Remus. The shy little kid they met on the train on their first day huddled up against the window reading a book. He's come a long way but was still the same Remus. It'd kill them to doubt their friend.
"What about Pete?"
James shrugged. "Don't know. Said something 'bout his mom last time we floo-ed. But he was a bit twitchy."
Sirius snorted. "He's always been twitchy." James nodded.
"Yeah but—"
The doorbell rang interrupting what James was about to say. The two men tensed and took out their wands. You could never be too careful these days. And the pair of them would protect their family until their last breath.
"Who is it?" James barked.
The person on the other side of the door huffed before clearing his throat. "It's er, Regulus. Regulus Black." He whispered.
Sirius hand tightened around his wand and threw James behind him. He ignored his best mate's shout and opened the door sticking the wand in his brother's face. He stared harshly at the face so similar to his. The one he grew up looking at as they played games and he told stories to. But that seemed like forever ago. And things have changed between them. Too much.
"Could you lower your wand?" Regulus' voice was blank and so was his face. But inside he was trembling. Sirius didn't seem to notice the small bundle in his arms. Hermione was pretty tiny and at the moment she was asleep. He really hoped his brother wouldn't try anything with Hermione right here. If he hurt her...
"What are you doing here?" Sirius growled. His brother's lack of emotions bothered him greatly. In fact it peeved him off. His brother acted as though it was okay for him to casually waltz up to the Potter's house.
"I tried your flat first but when I realized you weren't there I came here."
"How did you know—?"
"The Potter's wards need work." Regulus replied curtly. Hermione was beginning to wake up at the rising voice and his eyes flitted around his surroundings. He hated to be so exposed like this.
"Oi, you little Deatheater. Who do you think—?!" James protested this time from behind Sirius.
"James?" A woman's voice floated from inside.
Regulus had forgotten all about the redhead mud—muggleborn. Severus came crying—or as close to crying as he would get—over to Lucius' place a few weeks ago when he heard the news of the muggleborn and Potter's spawn. Lucius only entertained his friend to get away from his wife and newborn. And to drink himself into oblivion.
James maneuvered over to block Lily from Regulus view. Regulus held back a snort because he knew from the way both of their hands were twitching that they wouldn't hesitate to kill him where he stood. And couldn't risk Hermione like that. So he would have to swallow his pride.
"Look, I'm not here to start any problems or cause any harm to either of your or your family—"
"The hell you're not!" Sirius held his wand steady aiming at Regulus' face.
"—here, against my better judgment," Regulus rolled his gray eyes, "for your sanctuary."
"Why the hell would we help you?" Sirius spat. Regulus would never admit it, not even on his deathbed, but Sirius always had the power to cut him down and strike him where it hurt most. Inwardly he flinched but refused to show how much it pained him to see his own brother look at him with that much hatred.
Oh how far they've come from playing in their nursery suite at Grimmauld Place and the many Black holiday properties. It was hard to believe that the brother who held his hand when he fell off his broom after his mother drank herself into a stupor was the same man holding him at wand-point. It was hard to conceive that the boy he once looked up to could break him down when he was already so low.
"It's not for me."
"Then who is it for?" James interrupted the two brothers. "Huh? And why would we help them?" James would be damned if he would help a snake or a deatheater.
"If you would let me finish—" Regulus grew impatient at their badgering.
"Like you deserve—!"
"James! Sirius! Enough!" Lily shouted over the two of them and pushed her way to the front.
James' eyes widened and tried to situate her behind him but Lily stubbornly ignored his efforts and stood her ground.
"If you two would shut up and let him talk I am sure he will explain why he is here and just why he is holding a child." She pointed at the bundle in Regulus' arms.
Regulus doesn't think that there has ever been a time that he's ever felt relief that the annoying chit was around. James' and Sirius' eyes looked down and noticed the child in his arms for the first time. Sirius' eyes looked back and forth between the child and his brother gaping. James blushed under the stare of his wife.
"Come in Black," Lily opened the door for Regulus and pushed her husband and his friend out of the way.
Regulus walked into the Potter's home and that seemed to wake James and Sirius up from their stupor. They began to immediately shout their distaste of having a deatheater in their home and woke Hermione. Regulus rocked Hermione in his arms to quiet her but she continued to wail and scream. His daughter sure had some powerful lungs.
James hurried to cover his ears and Sirius looked astonished to see his usually sneering brother frantically rocking a crying child and cooing. Sirius couldn't believe his eyes. Regulus looked at the two men accusingly as Hermione continued to cry.
"Is she okay?" Lily asked softly.
"I don't know. She cries. A lot. I don't-I'm not good at—Kreacher usually knows why she's crying. But she was fed before we left and she napped on the way here." Regulus stammered, frantically trying to soothe Hermione.
Lily approached Regulus without a care in the world. Somehow, seeing the little boy who sneered and glared at her in the hallways in a tizzy over a disgruntled child, made him seem a lot less harmful.
"Lily..." James warned. Lily waved her husband off.
"Oh hush James." She turned back towards Regulus. He did look a lot like his brother, slightly less handsome and shorter hair, and a lot less confident. His eyes were much dimmer than Sirius' though she had a feeling she knew why. But she pointedly ignored those thoughts and focused on the child in his arms. "Did you burp her?"
Regulus looked down at Lily bewildered. "She doesn't do that on her own?"
Lily laughed softly. James had the same look on his face when they went to Muggle parenting classes and the instructor showed them how to burp their babies.. It took her a few minutes to convince him it wasn't child abuse and to not call the authorities on the instructor.
She reached for the child and Regulus. Hermione has only ever been in his arms and Kreacher's, and Kreacher always handed her off to Regulus immediately after feeding and changing her nappy. He wasn't sure how he felt giving her to anyone else. But Lily waited patiently. Regulus took a deep breath and handed her over, but stayed close by making sure she didn't squeeze her too tight or drop her.
Regulus watched unnerved as Hermione was soothed by a woman who wasn't Helen. He fought back the bitter stinging sensation as he tried to block the thoughts of the deceased love of his life. Did Helen ever get the chance to hold Hermione? Had he robbed Hermione of the opportunity to feel a mother's arms around her? Yes. And he was going to rectify that.
"I will have a child of my own and I've attended all of the classes. I know how to hold one." Lily huffed, mistaken his antsy behavior for distrust of her abilities.
"Yeah, well mine is actually here. And more delicate. And prettier." Regulus said petulantly, not correcting her. He wasn't sure what classes she's been to, but he doubted
"Harry will be the prettiest." James protested using the name Lily and he agreed on when they learned the sex. Sirius nodded proudly beside his friend. Sirius hadn't seen Regulus' child but Harry was going to be his godson, you know?
Lily rocked Hermione gently and Hermione quickly quieted in her arms. Regulus stared at the woman in awe. Not even Kreacher could get Hermione to stop crying that fast. And without food in her mouth.
"I don't know James, Harry will have some competition." Lily teased her husband who in turn looked to his wife as if betrayed. He marched over to get a look for himself. Regulus stiffened at everyone coming so close to his daughter. He wasn't used to sharing her.
"Whoa," James breathed staring at Hermione. "She's um...she's..."
"Told you," Regulus smirked. His Hermione was the most beautiful baby in the world.
"Shit." Sirius said in agreement gawking at the child. On one hand, he hated that his brother was right, but on the other, this is his niece...allegedly. The girl was a knockout.
"Language, Sirius." Lily offhandedly scolded not looking away from the child who stared back. Silver eyes meeting green.
Now that she wasn't crying her face was no longer red and scrunched up and she stared openly at the strangers. She didn't seem to be the least bit uncomfortable in the stranger's arms but she didn't seem to care for everyone staring at her. Her mouth began to form a pout and Regulus knew it wasn't long before Hermione would begin crying again.
"Aw, you don't like everyone staring at you like you're in a zoo, don't you," Lily cooed. Hermione blinked at her as if to say yes. Regulus often wondered just how bright his little girl would be when she grew older.
"Come on let's go see if we can get some gas out of you." And Lily walked out of the room, ignoring the men. Regulus looked after them, unsure of what he was doing not for the first time since he was here.
"Alright now get to talking." Sirius ordered, arms crossed defensively.
"I need sanctuary." Regulus repeated.
"You said that already. And, I'm going to go out on the limb here and say it's for that little beauty in there." Sirius nodded in the direction of the kitchen. Regulus nodded.
"Why should we help you?" James reiterated.
Regular blew out a puff of air. He was tired and frustrated and desperate. He had plans he needed to carry out and he didn't want Hermione in the crossfire. And he hated to beg, but it wasn't about him anymore.
"Look. Don't help me. Okay. I get it. You hate me. And trust me, the feeling is mutual." He glared at the two Gryffindors in front of him. "But don't do it for me, do it for her. I don't want her to pay for my mistakes."
"How do we know this isn't just some trick. It wouldn't be the first for you. Why should we believe you now?" Sirius eyed his brother suspiciously.
Regulus ran a hand through his short hair, "You think I would really stoop so low as to use a child?!" He shouted.
"I don't know what you'd stoop down to!" Sirius shouted back. Sirius didn't know who Regulus had become.
"I would never do something like that. You'd think growing up in the same house would afford you memories of my character!" Regulus growled.
"My brother died when he chose to lick the shoes of a blood purist maniac!" Sirius spat at him, eyes glaring at Regulus like he was a smudge of dirt on his shoes.
"Yes, and you wasted no time replacing me!" Regulus was spitting fire. His eyes burned with betrayal and Sirius felt a twinge within him as Regulus' candor.
James stood awkwardly between them staring at the two tortured souls of Black House. ."Okay, we're not getting anywhere yelling," James reasoned.
Regulus looked up at the ceiling to urge the pressure of the tears to retreat back within him. His neck strained and the veins bulged as he swallowed harshly around a clenched jaw. It looked like he was fighting something, himself, his anger, his memories? He shook his head as he cleared all the thoughts he had about his older sibling as he only thought about his daughter's safety.
"Alright. I am...I have plans. Plans that are dangerous and I don't want Hermione anywhere near them when I complete them. I'm most likely never going to see her again." Regulus swallowed the lump in his throat. James and Sirius reluctantly softened at the sight of the tears in his eyes. "Please. Just take her. And protect her. Protect her as if she were your own. Please." He stared into his brother's eyes pleading with him to take his child.
Completed and rewritten Chapter 3 (Minor changes, grammatical errors fixed, and few additional scenes)
