Chapter Ten
The next few hours were a complete blur.
Sirius, James, and Regulus were taken to the Ministry for Magic, where no one seemed to know what to do with them.
A kind man finally escorted them to his office. He was at a loss for words, and instead gave them cups of strong coffee and a security blanket.
The man then left them to their thoughts, as the Ministry tried to sort things out.
The boys sat, huddled beneath the blanket.
They were the only ones in the room, which was eerily quiet.
After a while, Regulus dozed off, using Sirius's lap as a pillow.
Sirius smiled down at him, before pulling the blanket closer.
He then sighed, shivering.
James put a hand on his shoulder, sympathetically.
Sirius smiled back, but it was weak. After months of being on the run, it felt strange to depend on adults to sort things.
"Don't worry," James said, "Everything's going to be fine."
"You don't know that, mate," Sirius whispered back, "My parents are manipulative. They can find a way out."
"They won't," James said, firmly, "I won't allow it."
Sirius suddenly realized what was happening. Sirius was watching over Regulus, and James was watching over Sirius.
Then who, Sirius realized, was watching over James?
His silent question was answered several minutes later.
Two people burst into the room crying, "James!"
The woman was short, plump, and gray-haired. Her face looked like it had experienced many smiles. Right now, however, she looked worried.
The man was tall, slim, and balding. His eyes had wrinkles of laughter around them, though they were now filled with fear.
"Mum! Dad!" James cried, before quickly glancing at Regulus, to ensure that his cry did not wake the sleeping boy. He then jumped up, hugging his parents.
"Oh James, thank goodness!" Mrs. Potter cried.
"We were so worried, son," Mister Potter said, pale, "We heard that you had quite the adventure."
"Are you hurt, love?" Mrs. Potter went on, "Any broken bones?"
"I'm fine, mum," James said, embarrassed, "Shhh, you'll wake Regulus."
It was then that Mrs. Potter noticed the other two, "Oh you poor dears! Why, just look at you."
She pulled Sirius into a tight hug, and ruffled Regulus's hair. The boy gave a small snore, rolling over.
"Son, when was the last time you had a bath?" Mister Potter asked, genuinely concerned.
"That's a good question," Sirius noted, thinking.
"When's the last time you had something to eat?" Mrs. Potter fussed.
"That's another good question," Sirius held his growling stomach.
He suddenly realized how he must look. His hair was filled with grime and sweat. His face was covered with dirt. His ribs poked through his thin shirt, and he was missing a shoe. Regulus didn't look much better.
Suddenly very self-conscious, he wished that the Potters would stop staring.
"Anyway, thanks for helping me get Regulus back, mate," Sirius turned to James, grimacing, "I expect you'll be off, then?"
"Are you mental?" James cried, "I'm not leaving."
Mrs. Potter hesitated. It wasn't that she didn't want to stay. She just wanted to get James back home, where he would be safe and loved.
Then again, there were two others boys who also needed to be loved.
"Well, of course we're not going to leave," she whispered.
The four sat down. Mrs. Potter took the sleeping Regulus into her lap.
After several moments, the door opened again. The wizard, who had escorted them before, came back in.
"Sirius Black, I'm Attorney Mystic. I'm the DA and Social Worker for the Ministry for Magic. I'll be in charge of your case."
"My case?" Sirius asked, exchanging bewildered looks with James.
"Yes, of course," Mystic said, "You didn't think that we were going to let your parents get away with putting you and your brother through that?"
He sat down, "Now then, Sirius. Tell me everything."
It was a long story, filled with heart-wrenching details. Twice, Mrs. Potter burst into tears, quieting as to not disturb Regulus.
Sirius's throat clenched, when he got to the part about Regulus running away. Mister Potter put a hand on his shoulder, and Sirius managed to continue.
When the conscious members of the room had had their share of tears and storytelling, Mystic finally stood up.
"Well Sirius, I believe that will be all. I'll present your story to the Minister. I assume you have no objection of sending your parents to Azkaban? Mark my words, you will never have to see them again."
Sirius let the words sink in. Grinning, he whispered, "So, we don't have to go back to Grimmauld Place?"
"Of course not," Mystic said, "You will probably go to an orphanage, for a while. It should be a short stay, providing that we find a foster family…My word, boy! What ails you?"
For Sirius had gone white, jumping back, "No! We're not going to an orphanage!"
Mystic looked stunned. He spluttered, trying to calm the boy down.
"I don't want to risk being separated from Regulus again!" Sirius roared, "If we go to an orphanage, only one of us could be adopted!"
"Well, I would think that it would be better to be in a safe environment," Mystic stuttered, "If it means that you'll find a home…"
"You don't get it," Sirius pressed, "I just spent the last year of my life bouncing around London, with Regulus. It's not the structure that makes a home. It's who you're with. Regulus is my home. I'm not going anywhere, where he's not."
James squeezed Sirius's arm.
"Well," Mystic hesitated, "I'll see what I can do."
He left, looking quite flustered.
"He's not going to do anything," Sirius sighed, defeated.
Mister Potter stood up, "I'll make sure that he does."
He and Mrs. Potter followed Mystic, but not before carefully placing Regulus onto a bench, tucking him beneath the blanket.
"He's out of it," James laughed, trying to ease the tension.
"It's been a long day," Sirius grimaced, sitting back.
He could understand how Regulus was so sleepy. Indeed, Sirius's head was feeling heavier by the minute.
His eyes fluttered, before finally shutting.
James woke him up, half an hour later, offering him a scone. Sirius had the sneaking suspicion that James had nicked it from Mystic's desk.
Sirius ate it, hungrily.
"Where are your parents?" he asked, spraying crumbs.
"I haven't the faintest," James said, worried.
Sirius suddenly grew worried. James had done underaged magic, after all!
What if he was in trouble?
What if his parents were in trouble?
What if his parents were shipped off to Azkaban?
They were too nice for Azkaban.
"Sirius, mate, calm down!" James cried, as Sirius began to hyperventilate.
"I'm sorry," Sirius gasped, "I should've never brought you into this."
James looked thoughtful, "My dad always talks about fate and destiny. Who knows? Maybe it was destiny that got me into this."
Sirius pondered this, for several minutes.
Finally, Mister and Mrs. Potter came back in.
Sirius jumped up, "You're not being arrested, are you?"
Mister Potter gave a start, "Arrested? Why, of course not."
Mrs. Potter knelt, until she and Sirius were eye-level, "Sirius, dear, I know that you don't want to go to an orphanage."
Sirius swallowed, shaking his head.
Mrs. Potter suddenly smiled, "That's why Mister Potter and I were wondering if you wanted to come stay with us?"
The floor seemed to have fallen from underneath Sirius. A warmth spread through his body, "What about Regulus?"
"Of course," Mister Potter laughed, "Providing that James doesn't mind sharing his room."
James was ecstatic. He bounced on his heels, too excited for words.
"What do you say?" Mrs. Potter asked.
Yet, Sirius couldn't seem to find any words to express his feelings.
Instead, he leapt forward, hugging his new parents.
Regulus, meanwhile, had woken up with a start.
He rubbed his eye, murmuring, "What'd I miss?"
Epilogue
I can vaguely recall a time, when my brother once sat me down, and tried to explain the meaning of fate and destiny.
I didn't quite know what he meant, but Sirius had been so persistent, that I nodded my head, telling him that I understood.
Nowadays, I think that I'm starting to understand.
My name is Regulus Arcturus Potter.
Sirius and I were a bit anxious, when James's parents stated that they wanted us to live with them.
From the moment we set foot on their farmhouse, however, we were in love.
The wide open fields and pastures surrounded the beautiful house, that looked as though it was carved from a storybook.
Oh, how Mister and Mrs. Potter spoiled us!
We received a whole new wardrobe, and three square meals a day, with endless snacks in between.
We could play outside, whenever we liked. Or, sometimes, we'd sit in the den, as Mrs. Potter read aloud.
It wasn't that Mister and Mrs. Potter were carefree. There were some rules that were set in place.
For example, Sirius and I weren't allowed to touch the stove, unless she was there to supervise. And we had to wear a jacket, if it was cold outside. And we had to make sure to make our beds, in the morning, unless we were jumping on them.
For the most part, however, it was paradise.
Still, someone kept nagging at the back of my mind. Sirius seemed to sense it, as he always did.
One day, Mister Potter announced that we were going to go for a ride, in the Muggle car. Sirius, James, and I loaded into the back, and quickly fell asleep.
Mrs. Potter shook me awake, with a tender smile.
I remember pressing my nose against the car window, and seeing a figure running towards me, guided by Mister Potter.
For a second, I couldn't believe it. Then, I realized that we were at the dog shelter.
"Shadow!" I screamed, joyfully, hugging the dog.
Sirius and James laughed, at my excitement, petting and fawning over Shadow.
Just when I thought that my luck couldn't get any better, it did.
Towards the end of summer, Mister and Mrs. Potter announced that we were going to go on a family vacation.
I remember screaming with delight, as they announced that we were going to Paris, France.
Sirius hugged me, "I promised you, didn't I?"
It was the greatest trip of my life. We visited the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre, and ate real croissants.
The fun couldn't last forever, however, and soon Sirius received a letter, in the post.
"Hogwarts," he cried, excitedly, "I got accepted!"
I wanted to be happy, for my brother, but I found myself bursting into tears.
"Reg, what is it?" Mrs. Potter asked, gently.
"I don't want him to go," I sniffed, "We've always been together!"
In the end, Professor Dumbledore and Mister Potter worked out a proposition. Sirius and James used the Floo Powder, nearly every night, to come visit.
We'd laugh, and play, and read.
One day, two other boys came with them. The one was thin, and shabby, with a face of scars, and a heart of gold. The other was rather pudgy, with watery eyes, and a jumpy demeanor.
The five of us curled up, every night, with Shadow at our heels, and watched as the stars shot across the inky sky.
My name is Regulus Arcturus Potter, and I have finally found a family.
The End.