The locket dangled from the chain reflecting the dim light from the living room, where the Durslys sat unmoved. Harry was sitting in the kitchen silently thinking. He would have never thought just a few hours ago, that his godfather's brother would be in Aunt Petunia's kitchen talking to him, as if he was an ignorant schoolboy. Which wasn't at all true, but Harry had convinced himself that he wasn't, after all, he had been through many things that Dumbledore had said many grown men would not have survived. The Sorcerers Stone, and the Basilisk and the dairy, and the Triwizard Tournament, he thought he had earned a little respect.
Harry looked at the locket, and studied it for a few seconds, then it clicked, it was the locket that he Harry had taken out of the cabinet that summer in the black house. Harry had to sit down, he was finally understanding why all this was happening. "Ok, there is only one thing…" Hermione raised her eyebrow, "…Ok, well the thing I want to know most is, how's it possible that He," said Harry pointing to Reguluas, "how can he be here, he's dead, Sirius told me before he died".
"Yes, well I'm not…" said Regulas bluntly. Harry looked at Hermione for the answer… but Hermione was avoiding Harry's gaze, and twiddling her hair absentmindedly…
"Ok, well… then how are you here, why aren't you dead?" said Harry to the man calling himself Regulas… "If you abandoned Voldamort, shouldn't you be dead?" There was a silence following Harry's Questions. Silence bothered Harry, it meant that either, Sirius's brother wasn't willing to tell, or He was deciding how to tell him, which meant, he was going to leave something out.
"Harry, you have been greatly affected by anything that has happened more than anyone, and I understand that…" Harry wanted greatly to roll his eyes at this… but he didn't, even in his frustration.
Harry waited, and so did Regulas. "Well?" said Harry in frustrated tones. Regulas's hand slid down from his chin where he had been rubbing his stubble absentmindedly. Regulas looked at Harry, and for a spilt second he thought he saw a twinkle of the look that Sirius use to give when he was concerned. Harry looked at him perplexed.
"Well Harry…" said Regulas silently in an almost inaudible whisper. He cleared his throat and sat up from the slumped position against the counter and checked his watch. Straightened out his robe sleeves and took his wand from atop the counter, and placed it inside his robes. Harry's reaction was swift, as soon as Regulas took his wand Harry took his own from the counter top as well, Harry didn't stow it in his pocket as Regulas had done though, he held it erect and ready; poised for battle.
Regulas's eyes lingered on Harry for but a moment and then he turned and addressed Hermione. "It's getting late" he said as he passed her and entered the hall connecting the kitchen to the rest of the house. "I have to be back within the hour" tell Harry what he needs to know, but no more miss Granger, no more you here?" Hermione nodded, and Regulas left in a flash of billowing cloak.
"Hermione, what…?" was all Harry said because as he began to talk he could here the outraged voices of his uncle Vernon from the living room, along with his cousin's whimpers and aunt Petunia's gasps for breath. Harry turned and Hermione was bolting up the stairs, silently as a cat, she opened his bedroom door and disappeared inside it, leaving Harry to deal with the emerging Dursleys. Who were all covered in purple soot, which covered them top to bottom!
Harry could hardly remember what uncle Vernon screamed that night in the Kitchen, because not only was his mind in a different place, he had become quite deaf to the shouting, he could only make out small increments of what his uncle was saying. Random phrases like "I SHOULD THROW YOU OUT INTO THE STREET….and… WHAT YOU'VE DONE… I'D RING YOU NECK IF IT WEREN'T FOR…!" Harry was gradually trudging up the stairs after finally ending the loud discussion with uncle Vernon, which had abruptly ended in uncle Vernon loosing his voice, and pointing a finger at Harry then at the Stairs, an order that Harry willingly obeyed.
Harry made it to his room and sat on the bed facing the open window. Harry figured that Hermione had left after transforming into her owl animagus form. Harry thought about how nice it would be to be able to fly, and sore away from all his problems, then he drifted off into sleep thinking about what he had heard that night in Aunt Petunia's spotless kitchen.