Sirius shifted uncomfortably as the boy who looked almost exactly how he best remembered Regulus studied him. With all of the questions competing for attention, knowing his age felt most important.

"How old are you?" he asked gruffly.

"Young master should not answer the blood traitor's questions," Kreacher advised the boy at once.

The boy glanced at Kreacher before shrugging, "I'm eleven," he answered, causing the house elf to groan.

Sirius released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. There was no way the kid could be his. Vaguely, he noted that the boy was tall for his age, more like Sirius had been, rather than Regulus. He wondered who his mother was, and if it was anyone he would have known. He hadn't been aware of his brother dating anyone in school. As the boy would have been born five years after Regulus was believed to have died, it seemed more likely that his mother would be someone he met after leaving Britain.

"You're my uncle," the boy said with a hint of a smile, "Sirius."

The confidence in which the boy said that struck Sirius as odd. There was no denying that he and Regulus resembled one another, but for his son to immediately know of their exact relation implied that Regulus had told the boy about him in some detail.

Not quite ready to acknowledge the abomination as family, Sirius said simply, "You're tall for your age."

The boy's brow furrowed and it was evident he had expected a different response. His obvious confusion looked out of place with Regulus' features, though it passed quickly.

"I have heard that," he answered politely.

Kreacher suddenly let out a screech, drawing everyone's attention. He made a mad grab for the boy, who took a quick step forward and turned just out of the elf's reach. The boy laughed under his breath as Kreacher disappeared, failing to take him along as he was summoned away.

The newly discovered Black heir gave each of them a passing glance as if half-expecting one of them to stop him as he began to look about the room properly. He couldn't have been any less concerned about being left alone with his presumed fugitive uncle and those helping to keep him hidden.

Amusement, surprise and disgust all displayed freely on his face as he took in every detail of the room. It wasn't until he picked up a tea cup and studied the embossed family crest that he adopted his father's preferred expression: impassive. Now that it wasn't obvious, Sirius found himself wondering what he was thinking. 'We have the same china at home,' perhaps?

Tonks made an odd bouncing movement next to him. Sirius could tell she was about to burst with questions she wanted answered. Sirius had an assortment of his own questions vying to be asked as well, though he couldn't do so freely with Tonks and Bill there. In truth, he would not have told Kreacher to bring him the youngest Black heir with even Remus there if he'd known he was going to deliver Regulus' son. He did not fool himself to think his brother would believe it happened by accident.

The boy had only just seemed to notice the awkward silence for the first time when Bill came forward.

"I'm Bill Weasley," he told him, proffering his hand. The boy shook it without hesitation. "You recognized Sirius. This is Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks."

"Just Tonks," she corrected, disguising her annoyance over the name for once. "If Sirius is really your uncle," she added doubtfully, "I believe that would make you my second cousin..." she looked to Remus for clarification.

"Sadly, that may complicate things between the two of you," Bill grinned.

"My parents were second cousins," Sirius muttered automatically.

Judging from the boy's lack of reaction, he was either already aware of that, or saw nothing wrong with it.

"There's still the age though," he remarked with a vague smirk. "You are quite a bit older than eleven, I'd guess."

Tonks laughed at that. "Hey, I am closer to your age than I am Sirius'," she chided playfully.

Remus visibly paled at that pronouncement and finished the remaining contents of his glass. Sirius might have found his reaction amusing if not for evidence of his brother's indiscretion standing before him.

Tonks asked the boy his name. Sirius half-expected he would declare himself Regulus Black III, further proving his brother's arrogance. He was even more annoyed when the boy declined to answer at all.

"You seem nice and all, but I can't help but think there might be a reason we haven't met before," he said, smiling charmingly. Sirius scowled at his impertinence, ignoring who he reminded him of. "For instance, Kreacher was ordered to bring me here against my will. Some would call that kidnapping."

"Sirius didn't actually intend for you to be brought here," Remus attempted to explain. "It was a misunderstanding. I think he would agree it's best to get you back where you belong. Isn't that right, Sirius?"

"Wait," the boy pleaded before he could answer. "This is the first time I've ever seen where my father grew up. Can't I have a look around the place before going back?"

Sirius exchanged a look with Remus. Bill and Tonks merely looked confused. The latter decided she had waited long enough for answers "I can't figure out how Sirius could possibly be your uncle," she remarked. "Regulus died when I was… six, I think? Several years before you were born."

"I would be more interested to know who your mother is," Sirius said pointedly.

The boy who refused to give his name was spared from answering either of them as a loud crack resounded. Kreacher had returned, looking utterly distraught at being accompanied by a girl. She looked to be at least a couple of years older than the boy, though there was no denying they were related. Sirius could only gape at her in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" the boy asked her. Definitely siblings.

"Please," Kreacher pleaded wretchedly. "Please let Kreacher take you back."

"Because you are, obviously," the girl muttered to the boy. They both ignored Kreacher. Rather than relaxed, as her brother had been, the girl was instantly on the alert. "Who are you?" she asked of Tonks, whom she noticed first. Her tone was calm, though her mannerisms exhibited a bit too much authority for her age.

"That's cousin Tonks," the boy told her. "Bill Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Uncle Sirius," he smirked as he pointed out each of them accordingly.

"And you are the children without names," Sirius answered impatiently. "Are there any more of you?"

"No-" the boy began, though before he could elaborate, the girl had extracted her wand and had him under the effect of a silencing charm.

The boy was indignant though his protest was made silent by the spell. The house elf wailed, "Please, let Kreacher take you back."

"No reason to give away everything you know all at once," the girl advised her silenced brother, ignoring Kreacher. "At least not before we get our own questions answered. What did you want with him?" she asked, this time directing the question at Sirius. There was something in the way she looked at him that recalled his mother, and Bellatrix, and everyone he hated from his family.

"You might want to consider the situation you are in before being so demanding, little girl. You're out-"

"Sirius!" Tonks interjected. "What are you doing?" He stopped abruptly, realizing he had been stalking towards the girl. Looking down, he saw Kreacher had stepped protectively in front of the children, as if he actually believed he would hurt a couple of kids.

"Kreacher," he growled. "Go stand in the corner and be quiet or I'll mount your head alongside your mother's."

"Don't talk to him like that!" the girl objected, her voice raised, indignant.

"Everyone needs to calm down," Remus told them, while stepping between Sirius and his apparent niece. A stampede of footsteps could be heard barreling down the stairs.

"We'll stop… whoever that is," Bill said, beckoning Tonks to follow him. She clearly wanted to object but he stopped her with a look.

After they had left the room, Remus remarked, "I think it would be for the best if Kreacher took the two of you back to- where is it that you came from?"

The girl raised an eyebrow, "Why would we tell you that?" she asked coolly.

As if on cue, the tip of her wand emitted blue light. She exhaled slowly as a letter with fancy script expelled from the tip of it. Sirius tried to make out what it said but she snatched it out of the air and shoved it into the pocket of her robes. Not to be ignored, the letter began speaking loudly in rapid French from within her pocket. As she made no effort to muffle the sound, Sirius could deduce there was no way for it be done. No doubt this was not the first warning for underage magic that she had received.

It was evident she was trying to look unfazed by the development. Meanwhile, her brother did not bother to hide his amusement at her expense. Sirius almost ended the silencing spell on him. Since meeting his sister, he found the boy much more likable in comparison.

"I take it you will be headed back to France then," Sirius remarked, while pondering what would have led Regulus to live there.

"That was Canadian French," the girl said. The slight lift of her eyebrow suggested mild surprise that he had not recognized the difference.

Certainly, she was convincing. He could even pick up on the North American nuances in her voice. Had they been there before? He glanced at the boy. If he was surprised by her claim to live in Canada, he hid it well. It didn't seem right though. In France, Regulus would be close enough to keep an ear out for what his old death eater pals might be doing. He would be close enough to check on Grimmauld Place as he pleased. Canada was too far away...

"Why is it that the Canadian Ministry utilizes French when the majority of its citizens speak English?"

"They use both," she answered smoothly. "French is the official language where we live. Communication from the Ministry defaults to the language spoken in the province in which one resides."

"And your English father chose to live in an area where French is the primary language? Did he somehow miss the parts of the country where English is spoken?"

"It hardly matters when he speaks French just as well," she said. The boy caught her eye and she looked for a moment as if she might amend that statement but thought better of it.

"He must be proud that you've inherited his penchant for lies and deception," Sirius said, drawing a disapproving look from Remus. The girl, for her part, looked as arrogant as she had from the moment she arrived. Sirius felt inclined to deflate the overly high opinion she seemed to have of herself while he had the chance.

"I'll bet you have no idea about your father's past. The person he was when he was not much older than either of you," Sirius sneered. "He would hate for you to hear the things I know."

The siblings simultaneously adopted a matching, cold glare as they looked back at him.

"We know all we need to know about who our father is," the boy said, his silencing spell having ended. His tone was absent of its previous warmth. He was the one to call for Kreacher then, no longer interested in the secrets Grimmauld Place held.


Regulus and Maliah quietly walked towards the door leading into their temporary residence. They exchanged a look upon hearing slightly raised voices coming from within. Rather than immediately interrupt, Regulus hesitated, listening for a moment to get a sense of what the argument was about.

"You're the one who escalated everything by being so defensive," he could hear Caelum say. "He is family- and it's not like he has ever done anything to you."

"Why did he call you there in the first place?" said Carina. Regulus heard something hit the floor as if dropped, immediately followed by Carina demanding, "What is that?"

"Uh," Caelum stammered.

There was a moment of shuffling before they again heard Carina, "I cannot believe you took that. Get rid of it!"

Regulus unlocked the door then as Maliah half-heartedly chided him for being obvious about eavesdropping.

Carina was sitting cross-legged on the sofa when they entered the room, flipping through a magazine; Caelum was idly surfing through the stations on the television. Both looked casual enough that they could have been sitting there all night- which was exactly what they wanted them to believe.

"Oh hey, mum, dad," Carina smiled brightly. "You're back earlier than expected."

"Why do you sound out of breath?" Regulus asked suspiciously.

"Do I? Must be the change in altitude," she answered, nonchalantly turning another page in her magazine. "I've had a bit of a headache too."

Regulus glanced at Maliah and could tell she was thinking the same thing. If she had suffered any altitude sickness since leaving home it would have resolved by now as they were farther from the mountains. She had also never had altitude sickness in her life.

"Where is Kreacher?" Maliah asked, noticing his absence.

"He said something about going to bed a while ago," Carina answered, turning another page in the magazine. Caelum was still flipping through the channels with the remote control, almost too quickly to see what was on.

"I see," Regulus answered simply. Carina and Caelum both looked at him. Carina had once told him those two words at the start of a sentence never made for a happy conversation.

"Anything interesting happen while we were out?" Maliah inquired, looking between the two of them.

"Nope," Carina answered, exaggerating the popping sound at the end of the word as she pretended to be reading.

"Don't lie, Carina," Caelum scolded her suddenly. "She got bored and took to insulting Kreacher. I told her to stop but does she ever listen?" he asked exasperatedly. "She cast a silencing charm on me because she knew I was right and didn't want to hear it. Oh, and she got a letter from the Ministry for using magic. We owe another fine."

His attempt at sounding regretful would have been convincing if not for the slight upturn of his lips giving him away.

Carina looked positively livid at his outburst.

"Anything you'd like to add?" Regulus asked her disappointedly.

"I- was not insulting Kreacher. You can ask him. I did cast a silencing spell on Caelum but it was nothing compared to what he deserved." Regulus raised an eyebrow and she amended. "I shouldn't have done it. But he did deserve it! And I thought… I thought there would be enough protections to cover the spell."

"You know better than that, Carina. The French Ministry binds the wands of those underage to those of their parents. If you cast magic without either your mother or me around and you're not at school, they have no choice but to assume you are out of compliance with the restriction of underage magic."

"It's too bad we can't live in one of those homes specifically warded against such detection," she remarked in an effort of sounding offhanded. "Oh wait, we do. We just aren't there right now-"

"Fortunately, there is another solution to keep you from breaking the decree before we return," he told her flatly.

Carina faltered slightly, then held her hands up as if to emphasize innocence, "I cannot believe I am the one being punished for this," she answered bitterly. She glared at Caelum who was carefully avoiding his gaze.

"Who would you have us to punish, Carina? You've admitted to casting a spell on Caelum. Even without regard to the Ministry, you've broken a house rule."

Looking as if she would much prefer to toss the wand across the room instead, she dragged her feet towards them until she was close enough to hand her wand to her father. After dropping it in his hand, she turned on her heel without another word and retreated to her bedroom, sending one last scathing look at her brother as she went.

Regulus watched her until she was out of sight. His eyes then fell to Caelum, who had stopped flipping channels and allowed the television to remain on something that was surely meant for adults.

"Do you have any idea what they are saying?" he asked.

Caelum glanced at him, "I'm trying to learn Italian."

With a flick of her wand, Maliah turned off the show. "Not watching that you won't," she told him distastefully.

Regulus left Maliah to deal with Caelum and went to find Kreacher, intent to find out exactly what had happened in their absence. He had a feeling his kids had left out some of the finer details.