After enduring an obscene amount of groveling from Vernon Dursley, Regulus thought he almost knew how Voldemort must feel while among some of his more pathetic followers. In that case though, how could he stand it? Regulus withheld his desire to immediately cast a cleaning spell on his muggle jacket the moment Vernon patted it. He had obviously mistaken his amusement over Sirius' interruption as having finally worn him down and gained some approval.

As he opened the car door he hoped Vernon might take a hint and finally call an end to the charade for the evening. Unfortunately, he underestimated his brother who immediately jumped into the driver's seat, eliciting a squeal from his wife followed by a moan from Padfoot.

"What happened?" Regulus asked Maliah after watching her jump out of the passenger's seat a moment before Padfoot more or less fell out onto the pavement.

Maliah let out a couple of rather delicate sounding sneezes for Vernon's benefit, as Padfoot made his way into the grass and began roughly rubbing his eyes among the foliage.

After her sneezing fit, Maliah held up a small bottle of perfume, "I didn't mean to get it into his eyes," she answered apologetically.

"Serves the mutt right for not having any more discipline than that," Vernon answered boisterously. "The first call I'll be making when I get inside is to animal control-"

"Padfoot!" a lady wailed from a neighbor's yard, causing Sirius to sit up though unable to keep from squinting and blinking more than usual.

Regulus saw Maliah shift uncomfortably and knew she regretted spraying him. His conscience wasn't terribly bothered though - anything was worth keeping him from realizing who she was. His previous need to involve them in James Potter's son's life suddenly felt immensely irresponsible.

"I've been looking all over for you!" the old lady who was dressed in a floral bathrobe and slippers chided as she made her way towards them. "I only let you out to do your business you foolish animal. You weren't supposed to run off. Did he leave an excrement here?" she asked as she casually brandished a little shovel and baggie from her pocket, eliciting a simultaneous cringe from both Regulus and Maliah.

Regulus evaluated the woman but found he had no idea who she could be. The only females in the Order he could remember had been killed before Voldemort's downfall.

"I didn't see," Regulus answered as he tentatively scratched Padfoot's ears, "Though if I may make a suggestion, there have been studies to show that having dogs neutered helps to keep them from running off." Regulus smirked slightly when he had to immediately withdraw his hand to avoid being bitten.

"You had better get that mongrel under control before I do call animal control!" Vernon shouted in outrage. "You can't just let him go about biting and pooping anywhere he pleases. I'll have you know he actually went inside my house and ate off of my table!"

"I'm sure she won't allow that to happen again," Maliah interrupted before throwing in yet another too-delicate-to-be-real sneeze. "I'm sorry, I simply can't handle being around him any longer," she told them. Turning quickly to Vernon, she remarked, "Please thank Petunia for me. Everything was wonderful," she said as she retreated back to the car.

When Regulus finally managed to extract himself from the rather odd group gathered in the yard of number four, he found Maliah resting an elbow on the windowsill as she covered her face with a hand.

After backing the car out of the driveway, he placed a hand on her knee to get her attention.

"That was a disaster," she remarked, causing him into burst into laughter.

"You didn't even see the best part. Sirius in all of his doggish glory, jumping onto the table and polishing off the rest of the roast. He's never been one to do anything halfway," he smiled fondly. "But if we're discussing disasters, no conversation would be complete without mentioning your eclectic blend of accents this evening."

"What?" she asked in surprise. "It was American."

"Yes... West coast, southern belle. New England. It was like taking a tour of the continental U.S… with some outliers. I think I may have recognized an attempt at Atlantic Canadian at one point."

"You did not," Maliah objected to his exaggeration before catching sight of his pudgy hand still on her leg, "You should be nicer unless you intend to sleep in this car tonight."

"I'm sure I'll manage to get out somehow," he smirked.

"With that physique? I doubt it," she answered haughtily, though soon they both became more sullen.

"What are we going to do about Harry?" Maliah asked.

Regulus shook his head. It was evident Sirius was able to get to Harry if he wanted to. "We shouldn't have come."

"How can you say that?" Maliah objected. "Did you see how much he jumped when I touched his arm? And all of the silent conversations between him and his uncle-"

"Sirius is Harry's rightful guardian," Regulus answered in a tone that purposely sounded less concerned than he felt. "His presence clearly indicates that he knows of his godson's situation. What more is there for us to do?"

"Does it matter that Sirius knows of his situation if he is unwilling to do anything about it?"

Regulus waved a hand in slight exasperation, "Who besides Sirius could do anything? I might have met with my brother to let him know what we- I witnessed. But, since he already knows, what good would that even do?"

He slowed the car to a stop at a traffic light. "He's already going to be furious I was here if he's managed to figure it out. The last thing I want to do is give him any indication of who you are-" he stopped mid-sentence as something huge jumped onto the car.

Regulus looked up in alarm to find Padfoot on the hood, glaring at him with his teeth bared.

"Oh, yes. He's clearly very rational," Maliah said in a bit of shriek, "Whatever he thinks is right is obviously the way to go."

As the light turned green, Regulus slowly released the brake and began coasting along as if there wasn't a giant dog blocking his view. Maliah gave him an occasional direction as she was better able to see the road ahead.

"Just what are you intending to do?" she asked when he made no attempt to stop.

"I'm trying to think like a rational person. It's a huge dog, and I'd be mad to get out and try to 'reason' with an animal, especially when it could technically have rabies or something. I should be trying to throw him off."

"There used to be a veterinary clinic not terribly far from here. If nothing else, maybe drive towards it and he'll take your threat from earlier more seriously," she advised as she wracked her brain for the proper directions.

"How could you possibly know that?" Regulus asked her in bewilderment. He knew perfectly well that she had not grown up anywhere near Surrey.

"There's an amusement park we used to go to when we visited my cousins-" she began to explain.

"Never mind," Regulus said, sorry he'd asked. "We can relive your muggle childhood after we ditch the mutt."

He made a sharp turn to the right. Both of them winced at the sound of claws scratching against the paint as 'Padfoot' managed to cling on. Before he had recovered though, Regulus made another sharp turn onto the next street. Unable to hold on this time, Padfoot more or less rolled from the car's hood to the pavement and back up to the grass before burying his face in the ground and covering it with his paws.

He was disturbed a moment later by Tonks who landed her broom beside him.

"Did that go as you hoped?" she asked cheekily.

"Go away," he answered after he reluctantly changed back into his human form, welcoming a slew of new aches and pains as he did so.

"Well alright, but as Remus has taken over for me on guard duty, I now have the night free. Since you seem intent on following muggles, I thought I should at least offer to give you a ride," she remarked, indicating her broom.

"They are not muggles," he answered, causing Tonks to laugh.

"You're just full of conspiracy theories tonight, aren't you? If not muggles, who are they?"

"It's-" he began as he pulled himself into a sitting position. Deciding against telling her about his real theory, or even of Regulus' survival for that matter, he tugged at his hair as he answered instead, "I just have a feeling about it. Let's follow them." Noticing that Tonks was leaning towards his face and squinting to better see him, he added a gruff, "Please," causing her to back off slightly.


"You really don't know what happened to them? Remus asked the next morning as he poured himself and Sirius a cup of tea. Sirius ignored the tea in place of continuing to nurse a bottle of Firewhisky.

"They completely disappeared. We searched all over." Looking at Remus carefully, he added, "There's no way a muggle could have vanished like that."

"You think they were some of Voldemort's?" Remus asked with visible concern.

"No, nothing like that," Sirius reassured quickly, "Or maybe it was." At Remus' questioning look, he added, "I don't know. Maybe we just missed them… or maybe it was Regulus."

"Regulus," Remus repeated. "What on earth would he be doing there?"

"I don't know, but there was a familiar scent… I'm almost certain it was him."

"Who would have been with him?"

Sirius shrugged, "It's been fifteen years. I guess even he could have found someone in that time. He could be married by now," he realized. It was an odd thought and it passed as quickly as it came. "He wouldn't be though. He's never cared about anyone but himself."

Remus scratched the back of his head as he observed his oldest friend, "Is that really a fair statement?" he asked. "It's been nearly twenty years since you've properly known him."

"What am I supposed to think about him? He's allowed me to believe he was dead all this time."

To that, Remus had no answer. "What did Harry have to say when you spoke to him?" he asked after a moment. Sirius gave him a dark look in response. "Please tell me you spoke to him after-"

"To tell him what exactly? 'That I'm sorry you're stuck with muggles you hate but your two best mates are moving in with me?' That should cheer him right up, shouldn't it?"

"Ah. And when is Hermione expected to be here?"

"Tomorrow," Sirius answered irritably.

"And Harry? Has there been any indication of when he can move in?"

"Whenever Dumbledore pulls his head out of his arse," Sirius answered in a huff before grabbing his bottle of Firewhisky and vanishing from the kitchen, leaving Remus to stare after him.


"Dad, Selene has been inviting me to come visit all summer. When are we going home?" Carina asked over breakfast.

"All summer," Regulus repeated. "That's been what, a week?"

"Regulus," Maliah scolded. "What your father meant to say is that we've been enjoying your company away from the stress of home. We look forward to these trips every year, you know."

"You've been enjoying my company," Carina repeated doubtfully.

"Of course, dear. We've missed being all together under one roof."

"Oh, that makes sense then. Caelum, it was because they missed us," she explained as if answering his unasked question. Regulus and Maliah exchanged apprehensive looks.

Caelum snorted, "Oh, yeah, that clears everything up," he answered sarcastically.

"Yes," Carina answered critically. "Because the first thing I would think to do to with someone I've missed so much is ship them off to some pretentious music camp one of their first days 'home'."

"I didn't want to have to tell you this," said Regulus, "but the last time you played piano was anguish to listen to. That camp you went to is said to do wonders for pianists of all skill levels. I expect you will show us how much you've improved once we get back home."

"Great, let's go home and I'll show you tonight," Carina answered brightly. At Regulus' expression, her smile faded, "You always do this!"

"Send you to a muggle music camp?" he asked bemusedly. "I can't recall that ever happening before."

"No, but you had us go to some children's camp with muggles last year in Canada because it 'builds character.' And let's not forget the day of learning to care for magical creatures in an Australian zoo. If you and mum need time away from us just say so. We're old enough to stay by ourselves now, you know."

"Has it not occurred to you that our intentions for sending you to either of those places might have been exactly as we said?" Maliah asked rationally. "Did you not find the opportunity to be around people you normally wouldn't interact with worthwhile after each of those experiences?"

"Well, I suppose so, but-"

"I can't help but notice you didn't mention any of the things that you've been allowed to do simply because it was what you wanted," Regulus added. "Shall we make a comparison between how many things you've been allowed to do because you've asked, compared to how many things you were 'forced' into? Or do you think it would be wiser to be grateful that you've had so many different experiences for someone your age?"

Carina looked down, "I didn't mean to sound ungrateful," she answered quietly. "But what I said is true," she added quickly, "I mean about us being old enough to stay alone… especially with Kreacher. I'm almost fifteen. Isn't it time you have a little faith we won't kill each other or whatever it is that seems to worry you so much?"

"You've stayed alone with Kreacher before," Regulus objected.

"Not often," Carina answered, as she mentally began counting the number of times she could remember on her fingers. Before she arrived at the number of times though, Caelum remarked,

"And never without mum excusing herself on the pretense of going to the bathroom* while secretly apparating home to check on us," he grinned. "Oh, I wasn't supposed to tell that, was I?" He asked cheekily.

Regulus shifted his gaze to Maliah, "Didn't hurt anything to check," she answered nonchalantly.

Carina gave a long-suffering shake of her head, "While we've maybe been exposed to more diverse experiences than some people our age, we've also missed out on some of the more basic things."

"Have you really?" Maliah asked doubtfully.

"Yes, please do enlighten us as to what meaningful experiences you have missed out on by having parents who love you and want what's best for you," Regulus inquired.

"The two of you are infuriating," Carina answered looking between them. "I was trying to be nice and offer you an out in case you felt guilty about leaving us. Shouldn't a night out alone sound appealing to happily married people?" Smirking slightly, she asked, "Is there a bigger issue here?"

"May I be excused?" Caelum asked uncomfortably.

"No, Caelum. You better stick around for this. Carina wants us to discuss your mother and I's relationship, and whatever her concerns, it's become a family issue. What details do you want to know, Care?" he asked conversationally.

Carina's mouth fell open slightly as she looked at him, horrified, "That was a joke."

"Yeah, I hoped," Maliah answered with a laugh. Looking back at Regulus she remarked, "It might be nice though, Reg. A night out without any certain time we have to be home." Regulus looked at her in surprise. "Kreacher would contact us immediately if anything happened."

"Of course he would, but-"

"Regulus, will you please take me out tonight? Just the two of us? It would make me ever-so happy," Maliah pleaded with a smirk.

Regulus looked from her to Carina and Caelum. Both of them looked much too eager to hear his answer than the situation should have warranted. Maliah gave the faintest nod of her head, and he found himself answering, "I'd love to," fully aware he'd soon be regretting it.

Carina and Caelum excused themselves a few moments later. When only Maliah and Regulus remained in the room, he remarked,

"You just played into whatever they were planning. You know that, right?"

"Of course," she smiled slightly. "But it wasn't as if their request was anything I couldn't live with. Besides, what better way to catch them in their plans than by first agreeing to them?"


Harry sat in front of the window in his bedroom with his leg bouncing in agitation.

How could Sirius have been inside his uncle's house, and not even bothered to talk to him? He had been out of contact with everyone since leaving King's Cross Station. While he desperately wanted information, even a friendly greeting would have been a nice change to the resentful looks he had come to expect from the Dursleys.

Someone knocked loudly on his door once before forcing it open. His aunt Petunia walked in carrying a pile of clothes which she dumped onto his bed.

"Put all of this away neatly so it doesn't wrinkle," she instructed him irritably.

"Er- what is it for?"

"To wear, you foolish boy," his aunt snapped.

"For who to wear?" Harry asked bemusedly. Noticing the items looked to be new but much too small to fit his elephant-sized cousin, he asked doubtfully, "Are they for me?"

"Why else would I have asked you to put them away in your room?" she sniffed.

"But, why-?" he began to ask as he had never received anything new from his aunt before.

"Don't ask questions," she bit out before leaving the room, slamming the door behind her.

Harry remained seated at his perch by the window, staring at the pile of clothes with disinterest. New clothes wouldn't change how his neighbors would look at him. They certainly didn't mean his aunt and uncle cared for him. They meant nothing beyond the value his uncle placed on sealing a business deal with Mr. Eddings.

He was still being held captive in the muggle world, away from where he was anyone remotely valued as a person. Being unable to lash out at anyone else over his situation, he resentfully glared at the pile of clothes as if the new jumpers and trousers were somehow responsible for his current situation.


Only when the house finally became quiet, did Sirius leave the company of Buckbeak in his mother's bedroom. He might lie to the others but he couldn't deny to himself that he was avoiding everyone. The Weasley's had overtaken his house a week ago. Hermione had arrived shortly after lunch. The Order members were in and out.

He had spent twelve years in prison and another two on the run. There were times he would have done anything for company then, but now that he had it in excess, he would prefer to be alone.

Realizing he hadn't consumed anything solid since breakfast, he made his way down the stairs hoping no one under the age of eighteen or with red hair would be in the kitchen. As he reached the lower landing, he managed to trip over his loose-fitting robes and instinctively grabbed the nearest object to steady himself.

He started to release the object, and was repulsed to find it was a mounted house elf, who nose remained in his hand, having broken off from its host. Paying closer attention to the elves, he noticed something he hadn't given much thought to before now. Kreacher wasn't there.

Not overly concerned with repairing the house elf, he carried the nose down the rest of the stairs with him and into the kitchen.

He was no more surprised to find Remus sitting at the table looking over a blueprint of the Ministry than he was to find a plate of Molly's cooking waiting for him on the table. He was grateful for both. He could tolerate Remus better than he could anyone else, and was immensely glad no one else had attempted to wait up for him.

Silently taking his seat, he sat the house elf's nose down on the table beside him before pulling the plate towards him. As he ate, his thoughts involuntarily went back to Kreacher.

He could vividly remember when his mother died and had her head shrunken to better fit with the others mounted on the wall. Kreacher had watched in awe as her head was hung up, proclaiming there would be no greater honor for him than to join her. Sirius had offered to make his dreams come true sooner rather than later, which naturally had served to anger Regulus - which, of course, had been his reason for saying it in the first place.

Sirius concluded that Kreacher must have died while under the care of his mother, while Regulus was believed dead. His brother would have never denied the elf its dying wish otherwise.

"Do I even want to know what that is?" Remus asked, nodding towards the nose.

Sirius' lips involuntarily turned upwards, "Bits of house elf," he answered, causing Remus to pull a disgusted face. "Shame it wasn't Kreacher. Kreacher…" he repeated. On whim he called, "Kreacher."

With a loud crack the small elf he despised appeared in front of him, looking distinctly horrified that Sirius had been able to summon him.

Covering his face behind his long fingers, he cried, "Kreacher won't! Kreacher won't! Kreacher won't serve the blood traitor!"

"Who will Kreacher serve?" Sirius asked predatorily. Kreacher became silent then though he continued to shake his head and refused to remove his hands from his eyes. "Escape to overseas with Regulus, did you? The coward. Couldn't answer for his past mistakes so he fled. He'd be better off dead than what he's become."

Kreacher let out a gagging sound, suggesting he might have attempted to defend Regulus but had been forbidden to do so. Of course he had been, Sirius mused. Regulus had always given house elves too much credit. As a result though, he had been the best at giving Kreacher orders no one else could find a way to break.

"You know, I have a few questions for that master of yours, Kreacher. Bring Regulus here. Now."

Kreacher brought his hands down from his face then and fixed Sirius with a look of loathing. After thinking over the orders for a moment, he gave the elfin equivalent of a smirk.

"Kreacher can't," he told him smugly.

"What do you mean you can't?" Sirius snarled. "I'm the head of the Black family. You are bound by your magic to do as I command."

"Kreacher can't bring you what you want," the elf told him proudly.

It went on like this for several minutes. Sirius asked Kreacher in a variety of ways to bring Regulus to him. In a moment of frustration he had even asked Kreacher to take him to Regulus which had sent Kreacher into a fit of raspy giggles. Sirius moved to within arm's length of the house elf then.

"Surely he will be summoning you home any minute now. I've got nothing but time to wait."

For the first time since his initial meltdown, Kreacher looked afraid, "No," he shook his head as if to convince himself. "He won't call me now."

"Where has Regulus been hiding all these years, Kreacher? As the head of the Black family I command you to tell me."

"Master Regulus died fifteen years ago," Kreacher answered serenely. "It was a tragedy."

"How did he convince everyone he died?" Sirius demanded.

"The Daily Prophet announced it."

"How did he convince Voldemort he died?" Sirius rephrased his question, raising an eyebrow slightly when Kreacher didn't flinch at the name.

"No one knows how master Regulus died," he answered evasively.

Tonks and Bill Weasley entered the kitchen then, somehow managing to be quiet enough not to upset the entire house for once. Having his back turned to them, Sirius missed their entrance as he commanded authoritatively,

"Bring the youngest Black heir here to this household this instant Kreacher, or so help me you will have joined your mother's head on the wall by morning." Kreacher's eyes widened in a mixture of panic and horror as his own magic forced him to obey the orders given to him.

"Um..." Tonks had just enough time to announce rather ineloquently before Kreacher returned. In his grasp was a black haired boy with gray eyes, clad in jeans and a gray t-shirt. Despite his obvious surprise, he managed to look casually elegant in a way that was all-too familiar to Sirius.

"Oh my-! Sirius he is so cute!" Tonks exclaimed, grinning broadly as she moved closer to the boy.

The boy smirked, "You're pretty cute yourself," he offered mischievously, causing Tonks and Bill to laugh. Sirius could only stare in stunned silence. The resemblance between them was undeniable.

As if only then fully registering the oddity of the situation, the boy turned to Kreacher.

"Where exactly are we?" he asked curiously.

The house elf had covered his face in his hands miserably, "Kreacher brings young master to the Black family's ancestral home as the blood traitor demanded." The boy knitted his eyebrows as he properly took in the three adult males in the room for the first time. Finding Sirius last, his eyes settled on him as Kreacher added, "This is where your father grew up."