A/N: Order meeting! If you remember, Dumbledore means 'bumblebee'. This is mostly Regulus' POV though it is still in 3rd person. Dumbledore reacts to the recent losses. Sorry it's short, but I love the last line! Read and review as always. :)

Chapter 28- A Rattled Bumblebee

Regulus Black leaned back in his chair, watching Albus with concealed amusement. It had been his pleasure to take on the task of 'spying' on the Order of the Phoenix. Lily was assisting him, though she was under a magical contract drawn up on Rial's insistence. Regulus fully understood Rial's reluctance to trust the woman, even though she was his own mother. Not really anymore, since the naming ceremony the previous year had removed her from his parentage. That relieved Regulus somewhat; he didn't want to end up as Rial's step-father if he married Lily sometime in the future.

Curiously he wondered who would take her place as Rial's other parent. At the moment the most likely choice was Severus Snape, which was as Regulus hoped it would stay. Severus was perfect for his brother as their interactions showed. Mature enough to temper Sirius' excitability; Severus was also flexible enough to know he was able to relax around Sirius and his clever, sometimes temperamental son. Rial clearly respected and was fond of the Potions Master as well.

Drawing his thoughts away from his family Regulus looked around the room. He had conveniently forgotten to mention that Grimmauld Place was in his possession now, so after Sirius had kicked the Order out they were forced to meet at Hogwarts itself, in a room the students called the 'Room of Requirement'. School had been in session again for a couple of days. Albus sat at the head of the long table and even from the other end Regulus could tell he was fuming.

"I have bad news to report," he began. "As you know, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson and Rial Black have been withdrawn from Hogwarts. Also, Remus, Sirius and Severus have all sent me a similar letter. They have withdrawn from the Order. Severus also included his resignation from his post here at the school."

"But Severus was our spy!" Molly Weasley gasped. "Without him, how will we obtain our information?"

"Severus will return to us," Albus said smugly. "I had signed an agreement with him that in return for helping us get rid of Voldemort," he ignored the flinches, "I would tell the Ministry that he was a spy for the light. I did not say when I would inform them. Unless Severus wants to be arrested the moment he sets foot in England, he will have to come back to us."

The oldest Weasley son, Bill, spoke up. "That's a bit underhanded, isn't it? Severus is a formidable Potions Master, he would need to travel in his occupation," he frowned at the end of his comments.

Another Order member put in, "Lupin should be easy to find. Without Albus' help he would be unable to find employment with the vast majority of the wizarding world due to his condition," the last word was uttered in a derisive tone.

Regulus snorted and entered the conversation, "Considering the fact that the last time I saw him Remus Lupin was in danger of being spoiled to death by Lucius Malfoy I highly doubt he will be looking for employment at all."

Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke in his deep voice, "Sirius Black has not turned in his resignation to the Ministry. I can attempt to speak with him when he reports back to active duty in another week."

"Do so," Albus said to him. "Also try and convince him to bring Rial back to Hogwarts. If the boy is starting to go Dark, we may have to consider measures to keep him under surveillance."

"Considering you are speaking about my nephew," Regulus said icily, "I would hope that none of your measures are of a questionable nature."

"Of course not," Albus said placidly. "We simply believe it is better to have him here under the guidance and supervision of the Hogwarts professors."

Regulus resisted a derisive snort. He highly doubted the quality of the Hogwarts teachers surpassed that of the private tutors Lucius had hired for the four students. Lucius had the contacts and the money to hire only the best in each subject. According to his brother, the four were also learning weapons and unarmed combat. There would be no sheltering or spoiling involved in their cases.

Unlike the case of Zachary Potter. Regulus looked disdainfully toward the precious Gryffindor, who sat near Albus with a highly bored expression on his face. He would have done well to follow Rial's work ethic a bit more. The Boy-Who-Lived was a spoiled brat, still in shock over the sudden loss of the man who had spoiled and stoked his massive ego the most. Regulus didn't know the exact details of James Potter's death, nor did he wish to. Lily's frightened expression when looking at the boy who was no longer her son was answer enough.

He watched Bill Weasley through half-lidded eyes, observing his facial expression and mannerisms throughout Albus' continuing speech. The man looked slightly troubled, speaking quietly in Nymphadora's ear. Regulus' baby cousin looked annoyed at Albus' words toward Sirius, her hair was beginning to dark from pink to red in irritation. She was an Auror under Siri, one of Alastor Moody's prodigies despite her clumsiness.

Both were nearly ripe for the plucking. Regulus' mind gave him an amusing image to fit of how angry Albus would be when they fell from his far-reaching branches into Siri and Rial's deft baskets. Disillusioned with Albus' ways and with the so-called saviour of their world, all he would have to do is plant the seed of doubt and let it come to fruition with the Headmaster's own actions.

After the meeting closed he approached Bill Weasley and said to the curse breaker, "My brother is not what Albus paints him to be. There are always other options, William Arthur. Not all of them are so… close-minded, shall we say?"

Bill looked both startled and wary, but at the same time he nodded. Nymphadora eyed him with a calculating expression. He did his best to look unassuming, though he had a feeling it didn't work. His baby cousin knew her older male cousins quite well. After a long moment she have a slight smile and said, "Some of those options may be closer than we think, Bill. Isn't that right, Reg?"

"Possibly, 'Dora," he replied, watching her crinkle her nose. She hated any shortened form of her first name as much as the full one.

He deliberately left after that, making his excuses to Albus. He escorted Lily and Zachary home before Apparating under a notice-me-not to Grimmauld, where he wrote a letter to Sirius to inform him of the contents of the meeting along with a warning that Kingsley was going to be approaching soon.

He Apparated to Diagon Alley and took off the charm before walking briskly to the post owl office. Aware of his tail, he made a big deal over a short-distance owl. Waiting until the figure behind him looked away for a moment he sent the letter off with a long-distance falcon. He paid the attendant and made his leisurely way out of the Alley.

His observer looked in his direction long enough for Regulus to note the shiny scars and red hair. With a snort he Apparated. If Albus thought he knew where Sirius was, he would do better to send someone besides a Weasley after a former Slytherin. Gryffindors just didn't do sneaky, not like the snakes.