Orion was growing desperate. It had been over a month since the disaster at Auschwitz, and he still had no idea what he wanted to do to stop Regulus from regaining his memories.

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black was crumbling around him, falling and collapsing due to a ten-year-old blood traitor. Where had he gone wrong?

Regulus was starting at Hogwarts in a few weeks. While Orion could hope that the filth there would convince him, he couldn't guarantee it. The muggle-loving Headmaster had filled too many children's heads with ridiculous ideas of equality.

If the memory charm had failed, then he couldn't cast it again. It would still only be temporary – apparently his son was too strong to remain under a charm like that – and it could cause permanent damage.

Call it a soft spot, but Orion thought he would prefer a blood traitor as a son than one he'd have to disown for mental problems. Perhaps the house really would collapse.

He was growing older, and blood was becoming even more precious to him. Now, however, he wasn't really sure what kind of blood was important. Was it the quality of the blood? Pureblood?

Or was it his blood relations? He had watched Walburga burn another face off the tapestry hardly a week ago, and it had hurt because he had liked that cousin. Orion found that it really didn't matter if she had married a Halfblood.

Orion sometimes hated his sons. He despised their beliefs and their strengths.

But in the end, what father could hate his sons for being passionate? Or strong? Or opinionated?

His sons were so powerful and so great.

Hell, Regulus was cracking Orion's own memory charm. Perhaps it was time to give up on them ever being the perfect sons.

Orion was too old for this. He was beginning to think that a child's view of the world was much more pure than anyone else's. A child doesn't care about race or blood or money.

But a child still cares.

Maybe Orion was too late to ever have a true relationship with either of his sons.

Too many punches had been thrown and spells had been cast for him to ever truly their father.

That thought bothered Orion. It bothered more than believing the Black Family wouldn't continue did. After all, he'd be out of any political game by the time Sirius and Regulus's families began.

Orion had never questioned his beliefs on Blood and its importance. He'd never needed to.

After all, everyone he had ever spoken to believed the same.

His parents, his friends, his wife, his family.

The beliefs had rarely ever been questioned, and when they were, the family member was burnt off the family tree not long after.

Perhaps he'd never be close to his children, not after what was done, not after what was said, but maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to change and form a new relationship where he'd at least be able to see them smile one more time.

He hadn't seen them truly be happy since the whole mess with memories and beatings began. Merlin, he had never seen them smile because of the Black family way.

Hiding emotions and walling off true feeling… when had that ever seemed right?

Orion knew that he'd never become some Muggle hero or anything like that, but it didn't seem so crazy to set his beliefs aside for the good of his flesh-and-blood sons.

He knew what he had to do.

"Regulus, Sirius!" he called through the silent, dark house. "Come here!"

His sons responded immediately and both slunk into the room. They walked slow, caution in their movements and the way their eyes followed him. Both boys thought they were going to be beaten.

They walked like wounded animals, expecting an attack, ready to try and run, knowing they'd never win a fight.

Merlin, when did it become okay for him to form his sons into this?

"Have a seat," Orion said, taking a seat himself. His sons glanced at each other, looking surprised. They had expected to be rebuked and punished for something. Already, Orion was changing up what he would have normally done.

It made Sirius and Regulus even more nervous.

"Sirius, Regulus, I wish to have an honest talk with you. It is obvious that we… differ in opinion. I want to understand why."

Neither boy met his eyes or spoke. Sirius shuffled in his seat, but Regulus sat entirely still, frozen in place.

"At first, I thought it was a fluke that one of my sons believed muggles were okay," Orion admitted. "I thought I could break it out of you – beat it out of you. And I failed. Why was that belief so important to you?"

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Regulus looked up at his father, stealing a glance of his eyes now that his father had officially gone insane.

He glanced at Sirius, who looked as bemused as Regulus felt.

(is he serious right now?)

Their father sighed as if upset or disappointed.

"Regulus? Why?" he asked.

(because they're human. they're people. and they aren't different than us.)

Regulus swallowed hard and found the strength to echo his thoughts.

"Because they are no different than us. They're people. They're human."

Orion nodded at the answer.

"Sometimes it seems that only a child can really open their eyes," he said. "Or perhaps only a child can see the true colour of it."

Orion leveled his gaze at Regulus.

"I have to apologize, my son," he said. "I tried to change you, to break you, to beat you. But I will fix this. I'm going to return your memory, Regulus. It's the least I can do after all I've put both of you through."

"Father –" Regulus began. "I – why?"

"Because you're right, Regulus. I'm proud of you – and Sirius. You are both strong enough to stand up for what you believe even, strong even to stand up even to your family."

"So, what?" Sirius scoffed, suddenly angry and brave. "You've changed now?"

"I understand that you are wary, but this isn't another trick. This is me, as a father, helping my sons, even though it was my mistakes that caused the pain in the first place."

Orion brought his wand and pointed it at his youngest son.

It would be the last time he pointed his wand at his family, any of his family.

It was the first time he wasn't planning to harm his family when he pointed a wand at one of them.

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Hey, everyone! I realize this seems abrupt and took me forever to write, but I'm hoping to finish this fic soon.

After the next chapter, I'll do a few that jump periods of time to hit on Regulus's "greatest hits" of his life.

Tell me what you thought of this!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter