A/N: Hooray! It only took me a year to come back to this story.

Chapter 8 - Healer's Insight

One step, two steps, three steps turn. One step, two steps, three steps turn, and repeat. Back and forth, one step, two steps, three steps turn.

The more Sirius paced the more he thought. One step, two steps, three steps turn.

There was no body and no one questioned what happened to Regulus. One step, two steps, three steps turn.

There was no mention anywhere in the paper or in the letter he received. One step, two steps, three steps turn.

The thought of his brother simply being gone from the face of the Earth without any explanation does not sit right with Sirius. One step, two steps, three steps turn.

Sirius needed answers. One step, two steps, three steps, stop.

Determined steps found themselves in front of a messy countertop filled with empty and half-empty bottles of various alcoholic beverages, some parchment, and used quills. Sirius' goal this time was for a piece of parchment and a quill. With the items in hand, the man pushed the other items to make some room to pen a letter. Surveying his apartment, Sirius pulled his wand to summon a jar of ink from across the room and he caught the jar with his other hand.

Finishing off his letter, the wizard sealed it in an envelope with the recipient's name on the front.

Cissa.

However, before Sirius could Apparate to the Owl Post Office a loud chime came from his counter. By instinct, the wizard swiped at the wristwatch the chime originated from to look at the color and the location. Cursing, Sirius grabbed his badge to Apparate to the watch's location as the color of the watch depicted a pulsing red color.

Regulus grew to see the Tonks' household as more of a home than Grimmauld had during the recent years. It felt comparatively less stressful than when he lived in the Black home. Speaking to Andromeda again after years of no contact was something he did not realize he greatly missed. Dora was constantly found by his side as someone who genuinely wanted to be around him bringing light to his mood each time.

Somehow though, after all that time with the Tonks, Regulus had yet to be in a room alone with the male head of the Tonks family. Usually, the man is accompanied by either Dora, Andromeda, or both when Regulus happens to be around. Edward "Ted" Tonks, the muggleborn, the man who was the reason Andromeda cut ties with the Noble House of Black.

Regulus would not say he had many positive or even negative interactions with the witches or wizards that came from impure blood. Throughout his entire childhood, his parents made sure his world was separated from the muggles. A sort of world they forbade him from making contact with and not knowing anything else, Regulus listened.

However, the separation weakened bit by bit once Sirius landed himself in Gryffindor and his letters began to showcase a shift of interest in many things muggle. Eventually, Regulus himself caught glimpses of the world of muggles through his brief interactions with muggle-borns and half-bloods at Hogwarts but he forced himself to keep that world at arm's length per his parents' words. The separation grew into a chasm once the mark darkened his pale arm.

Regulus felt acutely aware of this fact when he decided to read a book in the kitchen one early morning. The older man himself, Edward Tonks, shuffled pass him with a nightcap still firmly on his head. Groggily, the older man went for the kettle Regulus heated up earlier and collected a bag of coffee grounds, a mug, and a filter. The man proceeded to start the process of slowly making himself coffee which it seems he obviously needs. At some point, Regulus realized he was just staring at Edward Tonks throughout the entire coffee-making process when the older man turned and caught his eyes. With great surprise, Edward nearly dropped the hot coffee mug.

"Ah- good morning, Regulus! Sorry, I didn't realize you were sitting there," Edward held the mug up using it to gesture toward Regulus.

"Good morning, Edward," responded Regulus automatically settling for civility.

"Call me Ted. Nobody really calls me Edward," Ted then brought the mug closer to himself, "One drink of this and I'll be wide awake. It's as good as a well-brewed Pepperup," the older man declared with a grin and took a gulp of the beverage. He then immediately regretted that action and proceeded to forcefully cough and wave the other hand at his tongue. Regulus withheld his laughter from escaping behind his book.

After composing himself from the predicament and scrunched his nose, Ted commented, "That's one way to wake myself up, I suppose." The man carefully blew at the surface of the coffee before taking smaller sips and turning to look at the younger man again, "I should inform you that Andy will be out to restock our provisions and potion ingredients. So I'll be taking over watching your health for the afternoon."

Regulus blinked and slightly lowered the book, "Thank you for letting me know." After that, Regulus hid his vision of the elder Tonks with the book in an attempt to keep the conversation from continuing. The attempt was apparently futile as Ted spoke up again when he settled himself in the chair across from Regulus.

"How are you doing? Both health-wise and mentally?"

Still hiding behind the book, Regulus awkwardly responded, "Both are fine."

"If you were to rate either from one to ten, one being no pain and ten being excruciating you might as well as want to throw yourself off a cliff to stop it, what would you rate them?"

Regulus slowly lowered his book to stare at the older man's neutral face which greatly contrasted his features from his entrance.

"Why?"

Still, with a neutral face, Ted replied, "I'm a healer at St Mungos though it's been getting too dangerous for me to continue to work there so here I am. Regardless, a quantitative answer from my patients helps me assess their health."

"I should specify, why would you want to help me? I understand why Andromeda would want to help me but why would you?" Genuine confusion painted Regulus' face.

Measuring his tone, Ted responded, "I took the Hippocratic oath where I use my power to help the sick to the best of my ability and judgment, essentially, I use my skills to heal my patients regardless of their background. I'll be frank with you Regulus, I'm well aware of your background and past since Andromeda grew up in much the same environment you did. I'm also well aware of people who want nothing to do with me because of how I was born and raised. I know some people think I don't deserve my magic or believe that I stole it. And some much rather want me dead."

At that Regulus averted his eyes to look directly at words in the book, not taking them in as Ted's words cut him and shame filled him.

"Despite all that, I'm the fool who still believes in helping others even though I know some won't return the same for me."

Snapping his eyes back, the younger man saw a wry smile twitch on the older man's lips at Regeulus' obvious expression of disbelief, "Why help those that hate you?"

"Help enough people and eventually the right ones would recognize that even from people who hate you. Or maybe I'm a fool who still holds hope in that," Ted shrugged and sipped from his mug.

"That sounds like a Hufflepuff answer."

"I am a Hufflepuff alumnus."

Regulus shook his head.

"You still haven't answered my question."

The younger man picked at the edge of his bandaged arm self cautiously, "I suppose a rate of three for both, I feel mild pain in my left leg and left arm, especially in the mornings along with mild headaches that come and go throughout the day. Nothing too extreme like the first week."

Ted nodded, "Continue using the salves Andy prescribed to you, and let me know if you need any potion to levy your headache. If the pain physically or mentally is more than five let me know immediately."

"Thank you," the younger wizard said softly.

"Of course."

Anxiously rubbing the spin of the book still in his hand, Regulus also added, "Also, I don't hate you. I- I'm rather neutral about muggles."

Raising an eyebrow, Ted asked, "Why join that so-called supremacist Death Eater group then if you feel neutral?"

Guilt and shame filled Regulus, "It's an inexcusable excuse, but I had no choice and nowhere to turn to. There were eyes everywhere expecting me to hold the Black as the heir. When my brother left, my parents had stricter reigns on everything I did. People within my own Hogwarts house stuck closer to me leaving me no room to breathe or even think. Out of the need to survive, I lied about what I thought to others until I started believing my own lie. I don't remember much during that period of my life. It took my only friend nearly dying before I snapped out and realized the weight of what I've done." Regulus felt his throat close up as he paused and forced his eyes to connect with Ted's.

"For what it's worth, I am sorry to contribute to any of that."

Silence filled the kitchen with only the sounds of the birds chirping outside and the ticking of the clock. Another moment passed before Ted spoke as he rubbed his face from exhaustion, "Honestly, it's nice to hear any form of apology especially a sincere one these days, so I'll accept your apology."

Regulus blinked in surprise.

"However, even with my forgiveness, I do think you should make up for the things you've done."

With resolve, Regulus quickly responded, "I want to do everything I can to make up for my mistakes."

"How do you plan to do that?"

That question gave Regulus a pause. How would he plan to do that? With being heir no longer on the table after he faked his death, Regulus finally had the freedom to think about what he wanted to do next. Only the locket, the madman who created said locket, and the people who followed the madman were the obstacles to some semblance of his future. With that realization, there's the possibility that Regulus could survive to even make up for his mistakes. The younger man looked at the book he chose to read that morning which was aptly titled, "A Healers Handbook: A Guide to Help Those in Need."

Softly Regulus said, "I don't want to hurt people anymore."

With more conviction, Regulus stated, "I want to help people and I think I can achieve that by being a Healer."

A cloaked figure quickly entered the store with barrels of slimy stuff just outside the door. Above the front a dark oak wooden with faded white paint titled Apothecary. Waving passed the shopkeeper who nodded at her, the figure browsed the selection of jarred herbs, dried roots, and bright powders that lined the walls. Another tickle of the bell signaled another customer. The cloaked figure glanced at the newcomer and turned away once she recognized the newcomer's face. The cloaked figure tugged the hood to cover more of her face.

A male voice accused the shopkeeper, "What are you looking at, Shafiq?"

"Just making sure everything is in order, Avery," Shafiq responded clippingly.

Rough steps circled the store until it reached the herbs, "And what is a lady like you doing alone? Haven't you heard it's been getting dangerous around here lately?"

With a touch of a French accent, the cloaked figure replied, "Leave me be, I'm just getting ingredients and I'll be on my way."

"Look me in the eyes when you're responding," Avery snapped.

The witch's dark eyes gazed at Avery coolly, "Leave me be so I can complete my shopping."

With a scrutinizing face, Avery commented edging closer towards her, "I never seen you as any functions but you look like a Rosier."

"I'm visiting my family from France," the witch looked away to grab another jar of roots and roughly added it to her basket taking steps away from the persistent wizard.

"Why not have a house elf obtain the ingredients for you then, Madame Rosier?"

"I prefer obtaining quality potion ingredients myself, now please leave me be."

Before Avery could ask another question screams and a flash of light exploded outside the store. Without a look of surprise, Avery glanced at the witch, "You should scatter off, Madame Rosier before you get hurt." Soon after Avery exited the Apothecary.

Andromeda let out a sigh of relief and quickly looked at her reflection on one of the brass cauldrons making sure her cosmetic charm was still holding up. She rushed towards the shopkeeper at the front. She pulled out the exact amount of money she needed to pay and threw the bag onto the counter.

"Is there another exit?!"

Shafiq was near the storefront setting up shields and making sure the door was barricaded, "There should be a backdoor behind a crate of porcupine quills! Quickly now!"

Another explosion sounded closer urging both Shafiq and Andromeda to the back exit.

"I should be safe within my store, but you should apparate out now!" Shafiq waved at Andromeda and slammed the door shut. Outside in the narrow alleyway, Andromeda could hear shouts and bangs from the other side. Great black clouds peeked over the rooftops.

As Andromeda was about to focus on her destination home a body slammed at her feet. The witch jumped back to avoid falling over. Looking at the body she noted the familiar black hair and familiar facial features. Andromeda thought of the irony that the body's brother was knocked out much like the body was. Her second thought was why were her cousins prone to injure themselves whenever possible?

Immediately noting the area of impact, the cloaked witch kneeled down to fix up Sirius' injuries with practice ease. After propping her cousin up against the wall so he was in an upright position, another wizard soon entered the alleyway pointing a wand at her warningly.

"Auror! Identify yourself!"

Andromeda raised her hands, "I'm a licensed Healer, I've just healed this man since he landed before me and I felt obligated to do my duty to help."

Another explosion and a flash of light brightened the alleyway's entrance momentarily distracting the bespectacled Auror before he turned back and made a split-second decision by pointing his wand down which was followed by swearing. The bespectacled Auror rushed towards the Healer and the downed Auror. "What is the diagnosis?"

"A concussion, some cuts and bruises, but he'll be fine with some Murtlap Essence and a potion for his concussion. It seems that he wasn't hit directly by a spell but rather blasted back here by one of the explosions so he needs some salves for the first-degree burns."

Nodding, the Auror gave an appreciative grin, "Thank you. You should escape now before you get hurt."

Andromeda nodded back, "Good luck."

With a twist and a pop, the Healer left the two Auors.

Honestly, I felt like this fic lacked some sort of direction since I originally started this fic years ago. Now that Regulus has a goal he wants to work towards it also gave me an idea of the story's likely end goal. This will lead me to do a bit of revision which I'll let you guys know when I get to that.

Reviews, comments, and critiques are appreciated! ^^

~FairyRave