"That didn't go well," Remus commented looking across the table at Sirius who was starring down into his steaming cup of tea.
"We now know that his hatred doesn't end with muggle born and blood traitors, it extends to werewolves," Remus added, trying to add humor to the situation as he looked down at his torn shirt. The results of Kreacher's tiny claws when he discovered the three men in his room.
"I certainly found it amusing," Severus smirked.
"Why are you still here?" Sirius asked, looking up. His clothes now covered with dust and his face streaked with dirt from when Kreacher launched himself knocking Sirius over onto the dusty and decayed floor.
"Perhaps we need to apply a different approach," Severus commented, trying to remain neutral.
"Perhaps Severus should take a few hits instead of just standing there next time," Sirius offered.
"Perhaps," Remus interrupted, raising his voice to stop the bickering, "Severus should be the one to talk to him. Kreacher is obviously still loyal to your brother, Severus was his friend. If he knows anything about Ginevra he's going to tell him."
"That's ridiculous, I'm his master, he'll tell me when I demand him," Sirius protested.
"It doesn't really work that way, he has to listen to you because you're his master, but he can also be misleading with his information," Remus responded.
"He can't lie to me."
"He wouldn't be lying, he's been around long enough, he knows what he can and can't say to mislead you," Remus answered.
"Why wouldn't he just tell me what he knows?"
"Why would he, you're not exactly kind to him, he holds no loyalty to you," Remus spoke gently.
"What makes you think he'll be a little kinder to me?" Severus asked.
"He already knows you support the dark arts, you need to show him you support his master,' Remus commented pinching the bridge of his nose, as he took a sip of his own tea.
"I don't support Sirius, I think that's painfully obvious."
"Sirius is his master by default, he's the last of this line, but Regulus was his master because he treated him with kindness and respect," Remus pointed out, giving Sirius a look of disappointment.
"So I tell him I was a friend of his masters?" Severus asked skeptical.
"You show him you were a friend to his master."
"How can I do that, Regulus is dead, I can't exactly get him to vouch for me."
"Kreacher collects things, he also happened to have collected this," Remus spoke, holding up a weathered black and white picture.
The picture consisted of of six people, all huddling together to stay away from the dirt that lined the edge of the frame. With a closer inspection you could tell that the 6 people were at Malfoy manor, all dressed in elegant outfits. Narcissa on the left with her arm through Lucius Malfoy's long before they were married, Bellatrix and Severus were on the opposite end, and Regulus stood in the middle with Ginevra, her small delicate hand resting in his.
"I should have been there that night," Sirius said softly his eyes never leaving Ginevra's. Her lips were curled into a pucker that Sirius recognized as her holding in a laugh. She was surround by people he despised and yet he couldn't look away from the picture.
"Why didn't you?" Severus asked quietly. "I remember your brother was trying to figure out a way to break you into the manor without setting off the wards."
"She asked me not to- Ginevra she asked me to let her handle it."
"And you foolishly let her handle it and now she's gone," Severus responded the anger obvious in his tone.
"She's stronger than everyone thinks," Sirius answered. "That's how I know she's alive."