A/N: And after that incredibly sad randomness…we start to develop a bit of a plot and move away from the background story and setting up. Yay!
Regulus was the first one awake the next morning. He could hear both Sirius and James snoring loudly, and he laughed softly to himself. He sat up and stretched, removing his aching fingers from around the rock. Eager- for a reason entirely unknown to him- not to be seen changing, he dressed quickly and went downstairs.
Mrs. Potter was already awake, bustling about the kitchen and waving her wand to make the items there do as they were supposed to.
"Good morning, Mrs. Potter," Regulus said simply, hopping up onto the stool he had occupied for most of yesterday. She turned and looked at him.
"Good morning, Regulus dear. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you."
Any further conversation was interrupted by some quiet tapping of an owl on the window. Regulus could see that it was a Daily Prophet delivery owl.
"Would you mind getting that, dear? The money is in a little jar by the window."
Regulus did as he was instructed, climbing off the stool and scampering across the kitchen. He took five Knuts out of the jar and deposited them into the owl's pouch. With a hoot, the owl dropped the paper into his hands and flew away. Regulus reached up to close the window, but something skimming over the snow caught his eye.
"There's another owl!" He said in astonishment. Mrs. Potter stopped what she was doing to come and look too.
"Yes, I see it too. How very strange! James got all of his usual letters yesterday."
As the owl got closer, Regulus let out a small yelp. "That's my owl!"
"It is?"
The great barn owl swooped down and landed on the windowsill, his amber eyes blinking tiredly.
"Rigel," Regulus breathed, gently stroking the owl's feathers, "I thought I'd never see you again! I'm sorry I had to leave you, but your cage was in Mother and Father's room. What are you doing here?"
"That's a valid question," came a voice from behind them. Regulus and Mrs. Potter both turned to find Sirius standing in the doorway. He looked impatiently at his younger brother.
"Well, go on, Reggie! Open it."
Regulus untied the piece of parchment, and recognized the handwriting at once. "It's from Severus!"
"How would Snivellus have your owl?"
"Don't call him that, Sirius. Hang on, I'm looking for an explanation."
Eager for news from his friend, Regulus's blue eyes quickly scanned the short note:
Regulus,
I have just received, via your own owl, news from your mother that your brother has kidnapped you. She wanted to know if you had, by chance, turned up here.
Knowing your family as I do, I very much doubt that Black kidnapped you at all. I am, however, concerned for your well-being.
I have sent Rigel in hopes that he will be able to find you. Please send reply by return owl.
Sincerely,
Severus Snape
P.S. I have also enclosed a twenty pound note of muggle money for anything you may need that your idiot brother has forgotten.
"Kidnapped me?" Regulus said, staring at the parchment blankly even as he stuck the colorful note in his back pocket. Confused, he handed the paper to Sirius, just as yet another owl landed on the windowsill beside Regulus's own.
This one was a tawny owl, about half the size of Rigel. Sirius, who had not yet begun reading the note, recognized it.
"That's Andromeda's owl. She lives about twenty miles from here!"
Regulus untied this one too, and quickly read the rather succinct message.
Boys,
Turn to page two of the Daily Prophet as quick as you can. Keep your heads down. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask.
-Andromeda.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Regulus asked even as Sirius finished the other note.
"Kidnapped?"
Mrs. Potter, who had apparently been reading over Regulus's shoulder, hurried to carry out Andromeda's instructions. After a moment of reading, she gave a little gasp, put the paper down, and quickly rushed upstairs.
Sirius picked up the paper and began to read aloud in a somewhat dazed voice to Regulus.
"HOGWARTS STUDENT ACCUSED OF KIDNAPPING OWN BROTHER.
When Mr. and Mrs. Orion Black went to sleep the evening before last, they had no idea what treachery was lurking under their very own roof. While their parents were slumbering soundly, Sirius Black, age 16, snuck into the room of his 14-year-old brother, Regulus, and kidnapped him right from under his parent's noses.
According to Mr. Black, who filed a report the next morning, it appeared as though his younger son had been placed under the Imperious Curse by his older brother, forced to attack his own father, and then flee the scene.
'Sirius has talked for a long time about leaving,' said a relative who wishes to be left unnamed. 'He has an over active imagination, and thinks that the world is out to get him. I just never thought he would be so delusional to as to drag Regulus into his fantasies.'
Sirius, a fourth-year Gryffindor, has often been the source of unrest and foul play during his time at Hogwarts. Reportedly, as many as twenty-five parents have sent letters to Headmaster Dumbledore asking that young Black be expelled. Considered to be dangerous and capable of foul things, Mr. Black said he would not be surprised if young Sirius had run away to join forces with you-know-who and forced his brother with him.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Black say they only want their younger son returned to them, and are willing to pay a substantial reward for his safe return. Any information is to be given to Ministry of Magic."
Sirius looked up from the paper, a weak smile on his face. "Only twenty-five? My last count was thirty."
Regulus, however, was not in the mood for Sirius's humor as hot tears managed to fall onto his cheeks. "Sirius, this awful! Everyone thinks you're a criminal because of me! You should have just left me behind!"
"Regulus…"
"What's all this then?" James asked, blinking in the sudden sunlight as he walked into the kitchen. Sirius held out the article for him to read, and James took it.
He put it down after a moment and swore loudly.
"Kidnap your own brother? Imperious Curse? That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard!"
"Yeah, but you know me," Sirius said weakly. "To the rest of the wizarding world I'm dangerous."
"Bullshit," James said again.
"You're family is in danger because of us. We have to go…"
"You're not going anywhere," it was Mr. Potter's voice this time as he came hurrying down the stairs. "You're a marked man, and the safest place for you to be is here."
"If you try traveling anywhere," Mrs. Potter explained, "they'll turn you over to the Ministry. What we're going to have to do is think of a way to prove that Regulus was not removed against his will."
"Can't I just go down to the Ministry and tell them?"
Mr. Potter shook his head. "If they believe you're under the Imperious Curse it won't do any good. We need a way to prove how your parents have been treating you."
The three boys exchanged glances.
"There's Reggie's tattoo…"
"I don't think that would be enough, Padfoot."
"Yeah, but I haven't got a mark on me from anything they've done."
"Just calm down," Mrs. Potter said soothingly, suddenly pulling Regulus into a tight hug, which he gladly returned. "We'll think of something. We won't make you go back there."
"What is this tattoo you mentioned?" Mr. Potter asked the boys when Regulus had pulled away from the matronly embrace. James shifted uncomfortably while Sirius looked down at his feet.
Regulus sighed in a resigned fashion, then pulled his shirt off and turned around for the second time. He winced as the heard Mrs. Potter gasp.
Her soft fingers traced the letters in much the same manner that James's had the night before.
"You poor little dear…"
"Your parents did that to him?" Mr. Potter asked, sounding truly angry for the first time.
"Our Mother." Sirius responded darkly as Regulus put his shirt back on and turned to once again stand by his brother's side. He could see the tears falling from Mrs. Potter's hazel eyes, and his stomach twisted unpleasantly. He did not like the fact that he'd made the sweet old woman cry; his fault or not.
Mr. Potter thought about this for a moment, "is there anyway to prove that?"
"Well, she's charmed it. Maybe if they can trace the magic to her."
"It still won't prove it…but it's a start. I have a very good lawyer friend that owes me a favor. I think it's time I called it in."
"You don't have to do that for us, sir," Sirius said, gripping Regulus's hand and pulling him close.
Mr. Potter knelt in front of the boys, looking them each in the eye in turn. "I know that life has treated you both very badly, and you don't feel that people will do you favors because they care about you. I intend to fix that. I've only known you for one day and I can already tell how special you are. I am going to do everything I can to help you. All I ask is that you trust me in return."