Ten years ago, Regulus Black and Marlene McKinnon fled the wizarding world and were presumed dead. Now they've returned in time for their adopted son, Harry Potter, to start at Hogwarts. The potion left by Voldemort in the cave had long lasting consequences, however, and Regulus begins to teach at Hogwarts while Severus Snape works on a cure. Can they save him in time, while also hunting down horcruxes and destroying them before Voldemort can return?

When they walked into the hospital wing, Regulus was lying on one of the beds, propped up by a pillow. He looked pale and tired, but smiled when Marlene walked in. The smile dropped when he noticed the two men behind her.

Poppy, coming from her office, bristled at the sight of them. "Excuse me. This is a hospital. Unless you are a patient, I must ask you to leave."

Marlene watched as Kingsley took in everything, from Regulus's shaky hands and white face to the potion vials lined up on the side table next to his bed. "The Minister has given us orders to arrest you to be held in Azkaban until such a time a trial can be had."

"Absolutely not!" Poppy's hands went to her hips. "If he must be held in one place, by all means, set up aurors outside. He is not to set foot in Azkaban and be in the presence of those dementors." She spat out the last word.

"Well-" Dawlish began, but he was cut off by Kingsley.

"Thank you, ma'am. My partner will wait here while I head back to the ministry and speak with my boss about the situation." Again, he rested his eyes on Regulus. "I think under the circumstances, arrangements could be made."

"He's obviously faking!" Dawlish exploded, pulling out a wand. It immediately flew out of his hand, and Poppy calmly pocketed her own.

"The use of magic is prohibited in the hospital wing," she admonished. "You may leave now, you're disrupting my patients." Indignant, the auror tried to protest, but his partner escorted him out after recovering his wand, apologizing to Regulus, Marlene, and Poppy as they left. "Well!"

"Dumbledore didn't say anything about Fudge having you arrested," Marlene said uneasily, sitting in a chair beside Regulus.

"It's policy I'm sure," he said. "It would be easier for me to just go with them." He made to stand, but Poppy bustled over.

"No. You'll remain here. I'm sending for the headmaster." Poppy went back into her office, coming out a moment later. "That's settled. Albus will be writing to the minister, and this will all be sorted by this afternoon!"

But it wasn't.

"Policy dictates witches or wizards on trial for a crime must be placed in the Azkaban holding cells!" They were arguing in the Headmaster's office, and Marlene resisted the urge to throw the Minister's stupid bowler hat out the window as he spoke.

"Of course that would be normally true, but surely under the circumstances-"

"Yes, about that. Nobody has told me what these so-called circumstances are. You said he was injured during the war, but it ended ten years ago! Any damage inflicted then should have been healed long ago."

"Except Lord Voldemort excelled at making new poisons that don't have cures. He enjoyed the pain and suffering that the potions caused, rather than the quick death of the killing curse."

"He used that plenty!"

"In public he did." Regulus, for the most part, had been keeping his mouth shut. Marlene knew he still wanted to just go with the aurors and avoid the arguing taking place on his behalf, but neither Poppy nor the headmaster agreed with him. Frankly, Marlene wasn't too keen on the idea either. When he spoke, every head shot in his direction. "He experimented on muggles that he'd kidnap during raids. The poison I drank, however, was meant to weaken magical beings so Voldemort could question them. My magic is forced to protect itself all the time."

Fudge was speechless, but didn't stay that way long as a knock sounded on the door, and Hagrid's voice came through. "Headmaster? Ms Bones and Mr Scrimgeour are here for the meeting?"

Fudge whirled on the headmaster. "Why do you have meetings with them?"

"Come in!" Dumbledore called, and both Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour walked in. Amelia took everything in with her eyes, and it was Scrimgeour who spoke.

"You asked for us, Headmaster Dumbledore?"

"Ah. Yes. I did need a meeting with you both, but as you can see-" he stopped, and it looked like an idea popped into his head. "Minister, we are all here. Even Healer Wainwright is on her way. Surely we could get this messy trial business over with now? There won't be any need to send Regulus to Azkaban."

"This is most irregular!" Fudge blustered, but Dumbledore only raised his eyebrows at him. "I - that is I mean to say-"

"We are all very busy people, Minister," Dumbledore said, when Fudge seemed to be at a loss for words. "If we can get this settled here and now, wouldn't that be best for anyone? It wouldn't do anyone any good to send an innocent man who's already ill to Azkaban, would it?"

"Headmaster, I must insist to know what this is about," Amelia Bones siad, raising her own eyebrows at the scene before her. "I received your letter about Mr. Black's situation this morning, and I am not sure I understand what is going on."

"It's simple to me. Black's trying to get out of going to Azkaban!" Fudge's face was purple, and Marlene wondered for a moment whether she could get away with cursing him. Probably not, she mused, as another knock sounded on the door.

This time it was Healer Wainwright who, to her credit, simply took in the scene before her, before calmly striding over to where Regulus sat. Without a word to anyone else, she silently cast a diagnostic charm Marlene recognized, and tsked heavily. "My patient is supposed to be avoiding stress," she said, voice deadly calm as she turned to the group of people. "Headmaster Dumbledore. You assured me he would be in good care here, moving out of my office and into your hospital wing." Fudge's mouth dropped open, and Wainwright turned to him. "This is your doing, I suppose?"

"I am the Minister of Magic!" Fudge growled at her.

"And I am American," she simply responded. "Headmaster, you requested my presence as soon as possible. Here I am. I can't stay long, I have patients waiting."

Explaining what was happening to Amelia Bones, Rufus Scrimgeour, and Healer Wainwright took all of ten minutes, at the end of which Madame Bones and Wainwright, both eager to be elsewhere, agreed with Dumbledore's assessment.

"Protocol must be followed!" Scrimgeour, unfortunately, was on the Minister's side. "I agree, though, with Madame Bones - we must have this trial done as soon as possible. Two days hence?"

The trial date agreed upon, the argument turned to what should be done with Regulus in the meantime. Healer Wainwright and Rufus Scrimgeour made the final decision, with the former putting her foot down on the Azkaban issue. Regulus would not be sent to Azkaban, but nor would he be heading home. Instead, he would be held at the castle, under guard. It wasn't a solution anyone was entirely pleased with, but, as Regulus assured Marlene as she left, it was only for two days.