Written for:

Quidditch League. Round 1 - CHASER 1: Write about your chosen Death Eater being at home. Prompts: 2 - (word) Unpleasant. 7 - (dialogue) "If you don't eat your vegetables, you can't have any pudding." 13 - (word) Tomorrow

Stratego - Pairing/Character: Regulus Black/James Potter

The Valentines Making Station - You Rule: Write about any Death Eater.

A/N - this story is (obviously) an AU with Regulus defecting before retrieving the locket.

Going Home

Regulus sighed as he stepped through the wards and pushed open the front door. He could hear Nymphadora laughing in the living room, meaning that James hadn't arrived home first. He had been running late himself and had hoped that James had gotten home early and started dinner.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

Closing the door quietly behind him, Regulus took a couple of deep breaths, calming himself and trying to shake off the stress of the work-day. He didn't like Harry to see the tired, stressed version of himself. After a moment, he headed into the living room, his eyes moving around, until they landed on the pair playing cards on the floor.

"Papa!" Harry exclaimed upon seeing Regulus. He jumped up, dropping his cards on the floor as he ran over. "Finally!"

Regulus wrapped his arms around Harry, pulling him into a hug just as Nymphadora reached them. He let go of Harry, allowing his cousin to hug him.

There had been a time where he would have hated having anyone cling to him, but Harry was his son - the boy he had raised since he was a baby, and he had known Nymphadora since she was a little girl as Andromeda had taken him in when he had run away from his old life. She liked to hug as much as her daughter did, so he had no choice but to get used to it.

"Nymphadora," he began. "How was Harry today?"

The teen pulled away and grinned at the mention of Harry. "He was fine," she said. "He's been asking for you for the last half-an-hour, though. I think he was starting to get worried, actually."

"Was not," Harry muttered, heading back over to tidy up the cards they had been playing with.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Regulus asked her.

She shook her head. "Mum said we're going out for dinner tonight," she replied. "She wants me straight home."

"Sure. Do you want us to drop you home?"

"I'll do it," came a voice from the doorway. The three looked over to see James standing there, still in his travelling cloak. Nymphadora and Harry rushed over, throwing their arms around him, and he hugged them back enthusiastically.

As they pulled away, James pressed some gold into Nymphadora's hand. "We'll see you on Monday morning?"

She nodded. "But next week is the last week. I'll be going back to Hogwarts after that," she told him.

James grinned. "Don't worry. Remus is going to take over," he said.

Nymphadora pulled a face. "But I thought he was working? Did they let him go again?"

"Yes," James replied, his grin fading. "But the bookshop in Diagon Alley is for sale and Sirius is thinking of investing." He turned his attention to Regulus. "On that note, I'd like to talk to you about something after dinner."

Regulus nodded his head. "Speaking of which, I'm going to get started on dinner, if you'd like to take Nymphadora home?"

James nodded. "Harry, do you have any homework left that you can get on with?"

Harry sighed, hugging Nymphadora goodbye before heading to the table in the corner to start on his homework. Regulus headed to the kitchen and pulled out the dinner, ready to cook.

"Can we have chocolate cake?"

Regulus turned around. "Before dinner?" He raised an eyebrow at Harry.

"No. I meant after dinner," Harry replied, his gaze darting to the cake on the counter.

Regulus smiled. "We'll see," he replied.

...oOo...

"You were late too?"

Regulus smiled as he began to serve dinner up. "It was an unpleasant day," he said. "I was working in the accident and emergency department at the hospital today," he said. "The things people come in with are ridiculous."

"But unpleasant?"

"Lucius Malfoy stopped in during my lunch," Regulus said. "Some ridiculous law - as usual - and he wanted my support for it. He seems to think that since we have matching…" his gaze moved down to his arm briefly, "mistakes, that we're kindred spirits or something."

James let out a laugh. Once the food was served up, he moved behind Regulus, wrapping his arms around his waist and placing a kiss to the back of his neck. "You're all tense."

"And you're not? How was your day?"

James shrugged. "Same as yesterday," he replied, cuddling closer to Regulus. "Do you want me to set the table?"

"Does it involve you letting go of me?" Regulus asked. "Because if so, the table can wait."

...oOo...

Regulus quietly tucked into his dinner, his gaze flicking from James to Harry. Thankfully the pair seemed to be enjoying the grilled chicken and new potatoes covered in garlic and herb sauce, with a side of mixed vegetables.

He smiled as he stabbed the fork into a piece of broccoli on the side of his plate, bringing it to his mouth. If someone told him eight years before that he'd be raising a child with James Potter of all people, he would have laughed in their faces.

...oOo...

Regulus watched his brother carefully. He knew that Sirius would never hurt him, but, due to the war, he couldn't take that chance. He didn't even attempt to reach for his wand. The silence between them was unpleasant. If Sirius had only listened to him, they would be having a cup of tea and… well, not bonding, but they would be slightly more comfortable around each other.

Finally, the door opened and James Potter walked through with Remus Lupin right behind him. "So, you said it was urg…" James trailed off at the sight of Regulus. "Are we taking prisoners now? Should he be tied up?"

Regulus couldn't help but smirk. "Fantasy of yours, Potter?" he teased.

Remus hid an amused smile whilst James began spluttering about having a girlfriend.

"So what we need to do is work out why he's here," Sirius said.

"Have you tried asking him?" Remus suggested, walking over and dropping down into one of the chairs. He reached behind the cushion and pulled out an unopened chocolate bar, his eyes fixed on Regulus.

"We can't trust -"

"He sent Kreacher on a secret mission. He wouldn't have returned had I not ordered him to return afterwards. I don't know what the mission was, but Kreacher can bring us there."

"To a trap?" Sirius muttered.

"Take my wand, give me Veritaserum, whatever you want," Regulus stated. "There is something Dark, hidden away. It's something of value to him and it may help you."

"And what are you after in return for this?" Remus asked.

"Safety. Freedom. I want to be on this side of Azkaban when this all comes crashing down. I want it to all be over so I can live my life!"

"Do we trust him?" James asked.

Sirius stared at him for a long time. "He's telling the truth," he finally said, leaning back. "Fine. But you need to speak to Dumbledore."

...oOo...

Regulus was drawn out of his memory by a loud, dramatic sigh from Harry. He glanced over to see the boy staring at his plate in dismay. The only thing left was some cauliflower.

"I'm finished; can I have dessert now?" Harry asked, raising his eyes from the plate and looking between James and Regulus.

Regulus looked over and shook his head. "You've left your vegetables."

"But… it's cauliflower," Harry stated pleadingly.

"Your papa is right," James stated. "If you don't eat your vegetables, you can't have any pudding."

Harry reluctantly stabbed at the cauliflower with his fork, slowly bringing a piece to his mouth. "Do I have to?"

"If you don't, we'll invite your uncles over," Regulus threatened.

"No! Uncle Remus always eats all the chocolate," Harry said. "There'll be none left for me!" He quickly put the food into his mouth and began to chew quickly, scared that his Uncle Remus would be invited over before he could get a bit of dessert.

...oOo...

James ran out of the bedroom, his gaze moving around. He hadn't heard Harry cry, and freaked out. He knew Harry had been there when he had gone to bed.

He froze, his eyes fixed on Regulus Black with the boy curled up in his arms as they watched cartoons together.

"Regulus?" he murmured.

"James," he whispered. "I didn't want to take him far. I knew you… Harry was upset and I wanted you to get some sleep for once. You haven't slept well since… for almost a year now."

"Thank you," James whispered, dropping down onto the sofa next to him. Harry shuffled so he was cuddling into both of them and turned his attention back to the cartoons.

"It's okay. You've helped me so much. I can't help but wonder - if I had waited longer before defecting -"

"You couldn't have known," James stated. "But it's… I meant thank you for everything. For helping me through it all. I knew Sirius and Remus would be there for me, but I never expected the support you offered me."

Regulus grinned. "You were there for me when I defected. You all stood by me when the others didn't trust me."

"So we're even?"

"If you're keeping count," Regulus murmured.

"I don't know what I would have done without you... I mean, all of you," James whispered.

The three watched the television, and one by one, they fell asleep.

When Regulus woke up, James' arms were around him and Harry was laying across their laps, fast asleep.

"Is this okay?" James whispered.

Regulus could only nod. He had no intention of moving or having James move away.

...oOo...

"So, any plans tomorrow?" James said, pulling on a t-shirt and slipping into the bed. "Has Harry said what he wants to do?"

Regulus shook his head. "Sirius and Remus have offered to take him to the Aquarium," he replied. "They said that we could have the evening to ourselves and pick him up on Sunday morning."

"Sounds like a plan," James decided, patting the space next to him. "I'm cold, come and warm me up."

Regulus smirked. "Needy, aren't you, Potter?"

"For you? Always!"

Thanks to Raybe and Firefly for betaing :)