Regulus wasn't sure he liked being reborn. His knowledge here seemed useless, he wasn't the same, his body was annoying, and he had to go to Hogwarts all over again.

He preferred to stay dead. Not that he remembered it but it sure sounded better than his current predicament.

Cousin Cissa, Aunt Druella, and mother all were in the lounge. Not the worse thing that could happen but it turned into a horror fest quickly.

"Regulus my dear!" His mother cooed at him. He didn't want to walk any closer but the stare she was giving him booked no argument. He was stuck here. Cousin Cissa watched him with a rather bemused look, her usual stare of death wasn't on which was strange to see. Aunt Druella ignored him and pursed her lips at the letter she had received from her nephew. "Sirius made a horrible mistake." He knew immediately.

Somethings it seemed stayed constant in every timeline.

"Oh?" His rather large eyes widened more. Being a child wasn't good for him. He missed the after effects of puberty.

"That filthy blood traitor." His aunt tittered, Cissa patted her shoulder comfortingly. "Do not worry Walburga, Regulus will restore good faith. Won't you?" She finally turned her stare onto him. Aunt druella was no more terrifying than his mother, but that was not without trying.

"Yes Aunt Druella."

All the woman cooed at his voice. He hated the world.

Something had happened to Elena it seemed. His mother was a ball or worry. Not for her health of course but for now it could reflect on them. According to his father the betrothal wasn't set yet but the plans were made.

His mother paced back and forth across their foyer. Pulling at her hair. She had never done that before. Not in this world at least. Such tiny differences had been made. Truly it could have been an alternate dimension where his mother pulled at her hair and arranged marriage contracts so late. His aunt and cousin seemed to not even be surprised at her lack doctrine.

In his own world she had set it out before he had even been born.

"Walburga enough." His father finally snapped at her. He had wondered when it was going to happen. His mother hadn't paid attention to a word of course. That would never changed he was sure of it. "The girl just fell ill. It's normal!"

Right because of course it was. The potters were a lot more open this time around. Regulus wondered about that. His stupid mind couldn't focus on the thought, stupid attention span. Bloody attention span really. But why bloody? When had he been one to curse?

Regulus enough. He practically hissed the words in his mind. He was going insane wasn't he?

He changed things but not enough. There his mother was with her hair in disarray, his father seemed to stand up to her more. She didn't curse as much.

So why hadn't things changed more?

"We're only ten, what could we do?"

He hated her. She seemed to always be right.

"Mother?" He made himself sound scared. He hated being a child. He hated a lot of things now. "Will she be alright?" Naive little Reg. Your heart was always welcoming. You accepted easily. You loved with everything you had. You're no fit for Slytherin.

"Oh my dear baby." Mother turned on him and turned all her stress on him. She always smothered him. Love, attention, expectations. He expected it. But not the hug. She didn't like physical touch. Not even in this life had she done it much, no more than was usual.

Now was the exception, was she truly that worried for her? That didn't seem right. There must be more at stake. No way would they tell him. Don't worry a hair on your head love. You're just a child.

"It'll be alright. She'll be fine. Watch you'll see each other soon." He felt his mother smile. He was unnerved by the entire interaction.

"Walburga."

"Dear go upstairs," she made a face at him as she pulled away. "Sirius wrote and he left a letter for you." A letter from Sirius was a miracle. Even as a young boy his writing skills had been horrible, never wrote at all. Regulus couldn't blame him of course, he wouldn't want to write home to his parents if they hated him nearly as much.

Smiling at his mother he bounced up the staircase. This time line hadn't been different from his original one but still he was apprehensive. They didn't reside at his childhood home nearly as much, spending more time in their Spanish manor instead. Today though was different, they had to be close by for updates.

His room was where he remembered it being. He hadn't been in this room much since his reincarnation, he hadn't liked the memories it brought back. Logically he knew when he opened that door that it wouldn't look the same. He's seen how the room has looked, he had redecorated it himself! Yet as he pushed open the door he expected to see the posters, the green, that news-clippings. He expected a lot of things.

Still it was a pleasant surprise to see a rather toned down room. Childish still with toys littering the ground, paper skewed in the corner and thrown books on his bed.

The letter was supposed to be here but where he wasn't sure. He walked around the room slowly inspecting every corner. It's different but still the same. There was even that little stain on the wall that he had never managed to take out.

It was unsettling to see. Still he should take pleasure in the little things like this. It wouldn't last long, in a few short years everything would be gone. No matter how much of the future he changed things had to stay the same. Sirius would abandon him.

Treasure the moments you have and don't look to far ahead. It was his mantra for the time being. Just until he had the power to make the changes he needed done. Nothing consequential has happened to the future yet, the marriage was new but he would live with it. His duty came first, his family remained. Everything he did it was for them.

But yet he still felt the pang of something in his chest. When his mother went off, when his father stood passive at her side. He adored them, he would till the bitter end. The things said and done wouldn't leave him alone.

He glanced around half looking for the letter. His mother could have been lying about it, that was always an option. Would she? Maybe, she had wanted to rid him. Even in this life she still lied to him, lies piled on lies. He was conscious of his life. Of what she said. He knew what she was saying but he didn't comprehend it enough. Never enough was it? He was never enough for her? He wasn't worth the truth, not in this life nor any life before it.

Bitter bile rose into his throat. A painful sting was felt behind his eyes. "Why am I crying?" He whispered. Pushing through everything he moved to his bed.

As he finally moved the last book away there sat a letter. He could hardly believe his eyes, his mother hadn't lied? He rushed to grab the letter and tore it open. Hungrily he scanned the words only to be left in disappointment. Sirius had left a letter for him. Of course he hadn't written it himself, it was rather a letter written by his best mate James Potter.

The prat! He couldn't even bring up the energy to pen his own letter? James had littered the letter with little comments of his own, often sarcastic and childish. Commenting on the state of his dress of all things really.

But the words were Sirius. They had him written all over them. Even if it wasn't his handwriting he could cherish it all the same.

He laid down in the bed scanning the letter over and over again. Sirius and him hadn't been close in this life. He couldn't bring himself to move closer. He would have relished the attention of his brother but now when he looked at him he saw the scared teenager who ran away from him. Who didn't love him enough to take him along.

It could be his fault Sirius didn't care to write himself. After all he hadn't made many attempts to cultivate a relationship this time around. Still what brother wouldn't write? Idiotic ones most likely.

Regulus found solace in his alone time. He hadn't changed much in that respect, he liked to be on his lonesome. Alone forever.

It was only fitting that his mother took that moment when he had finally relaxed to call him down. Regulus sighed and put down the sheet of paper.

Snatching the letter from his bedside table, he stuffed it into his pocket. With a look of resigned irritation he forced himself down the stairs. Ignoring the line of judgement from the portraits. Walking down the hall was a test of patience forever and always. ("Look at his posture-""I cant believe they let him walk freely!""In my time children were left in their-") always watching, always talking. Only seen never heard. That was the life of a boy before eleven. It was the life of the spare.

His mother seemed far more relaxed now. She sat in her lounge chair sipping what looked like wine. His father was no where to be found.

Patting the seat next to her she beckoned him forward. "Regulus," she smiled in a way that I hadn't seen in a long time. "I know you worry." He froze mid-step. His mother grabbed his forearm, the left one he noticed with a thin veil of anxiety, she pulled him down into the seat. With a low exhale he allowed it. "She'll be okay, I told you. You get so worked up all the time." He frowned. He wasn't really worried so much about her, not that he didn't feel a slight sort of worry, yet he couldn't clue his mother into that could he?

"Yes mother." Regulus said. Obedient as every child must. "I know she'll be fine."

She took a sip of her wine and peered down at him. He had never been so happy before to know she couldn't read his mind. A hazy memory of past anxiety, of her knowing when he had been bad. He was his own self discipline. She hadn't even need to do anything had she? Mother patted his cheek. Taking another sip of her wine she turned away. His aunt and cousin has returned to the room.

Cissa was carrying a little package with her, she winked at him and handed it over. On the package was a note.

From Regulus,

To Elena

Oh. Was that what they wanted him for? He hadn't turned eleven yet and neither had she. But marriage rights be damned he supposed.

They always did demand gift rights for marriage hadn't they? He could hardly remember any of it now. It was a lifetime ago.

"It might be a little early, she'll appreciate it though I'm sure." They smiled so happily. What were they trying to get from this? Why were they so focused on the Potters? We're they powerful here?

"What's wrong with her?" Regulus said. He bit his lip, to do this would require it to be sealing. He hadn't been aware it was this far along. Damn it all they were already moving. He had been rather nonchalant while talking to her about it but that changed nothing. Even here he was being used for some purpose. She may have accepted it but he couldn't. He was fine marrying her but they were pushing so early. Why had they done this? What were they gathering?

Aunt Druella pushed him forward. They were leading him outside pass the wards. His heart was practically leaping out of his chest. His anxiety had all but fled him but now it seemed to have come back with a forceful vengeance. White seemed to cloud his minds eye.

"The black madness has started Regulus." It was Cissa who pulled him back to reality. Blinking slowly he felt the tug on his naval.

Apparating had always been his most hated activity. Followed quickly with dying.

The black madness was enough to have him pause. It was a phenomenon that took many shapes but it started with every member. Bellatrix in his original life had gone insane in her devotion. Cissa had grown to her name, she was extremely vain. Andy had run away with a muggleborn. For the most part that had played out the same. Bella's hadn't played out, yet there was nothing he could do to save her. She was slipping away. Cissa fussed more, Andy was already gone.

Yet for the madness to target a future member, it all but solidified her in the family. It accosted her life. Robbed her of the choice. Their contract was formed for life. Bound to his side and his wishes.

He could force her to change the future.

They always did demand gift rights for marriage hadn't they? He could hardly remember any of it now. It was a lifetime ago.

"It might be a little early, she'll appreciate it though I'm sure." They smiled so happily. What were they trying to get from this? Why were they so focused on the Potters? We're they powerful here?

He could force her to change the future. That all relied on the fact that she had come from far enough in the future to be of any meaningful help.

His aunt had dug her hand into his shoulder. He hadn't paid a hint of attention as they walked down the hospital. They were in front of a white door. Behind that door he had a feeling about.

The package was shoved into his hands again. He glanced up and noticed the Potters walking to them, Lady Potter with that bright smile that never seemed to leave her face. Lord Potter with his large glasses and his far more confused smile.

They were making small talk, he hadn't wanted to listen but they forced him into it. The Potters seemed hardly able to comprehend their presence. Finally it seemed they reached an awkward silence.

Lord Potter ("Call me Fleamont!") coughed. "Regulus why don't you give your present to her? She's been itching for actual company now for months." Regulus had no clue what he actually meant by that but smiled nonetheless.

He walked in hesitant. The adults all watched him for a moment before shutting the door leaving him alone with her. She was awake thankfully and looking at him crossly.

"This is your bloody fault." The first words she had said to him in how many months?

"Actually it's more my family curse. You could blame this on our parents."

"Yeah well I want someone to blame and it has to be you."

"Why does it half to be me?"

"I can't very well blame them!"

"If you're going to act like that I could not give you you're gift."

This seemed to peak her attention. Looking decidedly not crossed all of a sudden she grinned at him. Regulus hadn't felt elven after, but arguing with her brought out the child in him. Sometimes he couldn't just bother with pretending, but it hadn't seemed to matter now.

"Can I have it?" She said. Regulus raised an eyebrow and moved to hand it over. She opened it carefully and pulled out a nice ring.

"Oh."

He hadn't felt this uncomfortable in a while. The awkward silence that fell them was worse than the one outside the door. He looked away from her shocked gaze and noticed her hair was different.

"I see it affected you than." Her hand raised to the white strand in her black hair. He wondered what it meant.

"Like I said this is your fault."

"No it isn't!"

So they argued for a while longer. The ring laid in the bag for a while finally when they're argument seemed to settle did she finally shove iit on. Their argument seemed to only grow worse from than on.

Their parents had walked in eventually and smiled. Children they thought would be children.