"Why would we help you? ?" Asked Evan sharply, mentioning to Regulus and Barty.

"In the future, we are alive and free, and we don't have children we need to protect, I don't see what's in it for us." Continued Barty with a devious smile. He was still laying on the ground between Evan and Regulus, his head toward the group.

Were they trying to negotiate something in exchange for their help ? They needed the Slytherins more than the Gryffindors, if they were honest. These three are the most capable of discovering the Horcruxes ; through their families or themselves, if they were already attending meetings.

"He is dead!" Pursued Ron, drawing his arm in Regulus' direction. This boy had a temper, thought Regulus. Always angry and shouting.

"The message I left with the Horcrux suggests I knew what was going to happen to me. I choose to die." Why did he, was his only question. Out of self-preservation, he had done many things he wasn't proud of. He always knew he had no future, but in his mind, his death would come from his family's wrath or a failed mission, not him changing sides on a suicide mission. When did he die ? Regulus's heart felt like it was beating under his tongue. Was he depressed because James was with Lyle, or because she got pregnant, or because James died ? Maybe it had nothing to do with James, which seemed quite unlikely. He is the only one able to make Regulus feel anything.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other before she hesitantly added"Actually, you have, I mean had, a child." Both James and Sirius squealed for entirely different reasons. Regulus snorted, Barty and Evan laughed.

Harry was troubled. What was Ron talking about ? Regulus had died young at 19, and nothing at Grimmauld place suggested there had been a child at some point. Lying was going to help them, not with Slytherins they would see right through it.

"Lying isn't going to get you our support." Evan told Ron.

Hermione grimaced, setting herself ready for her friends' wrath. "It is true. When we were at Gringotts, they were those vials in the Black's vault, right ?" She looked at Mary, hoping that the latter would confirm her words. Wich she did with a careful nod. "You were too preoccupied on the task to care about the vials, Ron took them and we watched them." She looked at Regulus with embarrassment, her cheeks blushing as she remembered what she had seen. "You had a child, a daughter, her name is Astrée."

The tension in the air between them is so thick that Regulus was sure he could slice it with a knife. James was not immune to the burst of jealousy that flooded him when Hermione's words reached him.

Regulus finally let himself look at James as he shook his head. Should he let it drop ? His friends already knew but this was a bigger crowd, people he wasn't familiar with. There is no shame in it, not amongst pure-bloods families at least. "That's not possible, I do not like girls." He said stoically.

"We did gather that from the memories." Hermione made a pause, her embarrassment visible. "You birthed her." Blank, that's what Regulus' face you looked like as he trapped his emotions in a little box inside himself. Regulus doesn't know what he feels about any of that. He just knows that it's a lot. He watched his brother, waiting for the burst of anger, the bickering. There was no hostility or judgment on his face ; no instant rejection. He suddenly felt an arm wrapped around him. Barty.

For Harry and Mary, this knowledge was confusing enough on its own, but it makes no sense at all when accompanied by the fact that Regulus was a man. "Hermione, are you okay ? Regulus is a boy." Harry was worried, when he had envisioned explaining everything and asking for help, his brain had always imagined the Slytherins silently agreeing. Probably because he had no idea who they were and couldn't fathom their reactions. His brain couldn't be further from the truth. And what was Hermione on about. They need the Slytherins to trust them and not think of them as brain-damaged liars.

Seeing the lost and worried faces of Mary and Harry, and before the three muggles-born started an argument, Theodore decided it was time for an improvised sex education class."It is common knowledge amongst wizards that pure-blood males can give birth. However, since it isn't the same for muggles, this topic tends to be cast aside. In the past, it has raised many tensions between pure-blood and muggle-born or half-blood who see this as something unnatural." Theodore released a breath, annoyed. "It's a shame to keep this ability silent. It is probably one of the few valid reasons as to why pure-blood distrust muggle-born."

"And what about them being inferior when it comes to magic ?" Evan's question agitated the Gryffindors who rejected Pure-bloods' beliefs altogether. There was no malice behind it, he was curious to know what those heirs' beliefs were.

"It was true and still has some truth in it. Theoretically, a child born into a line of wizards has more abilities than ones whose blood is diluted. That is, if said lines aren't related. Unfortunately, there is too much inbreed nowadays for it to really make a difference." Nott replied flatly. Flint and Nott exchanged a glare and reached a silent agreement. "The fear wasn't dirty blood. Witches and wizards were afraid Muggle-born would lead Muggles to us. It was only after blood magic was outlawed as Dark that the division got worse and the whole 'dirty blood' prejudice issue got really bad."

"It's 12:00, can we go eat? It will be too late after." Mary added shyly out of nowhere.

"It doesn't change the fact that you are liars!" Barty shouted at the same time. He was looking furiously at Ron, and ready to leave. In the next second, he was on his feet and was gripping Regulus' arm to force him up.

"We ain't !" Responded Ron in a similar way, angry to be called a liar. "We can show you, ... if you know how to use legimency." He continued, a bit more hesitant.

"You want to show Regulus his own memories. Memories you obtained by breaking into the Black's vault, and then watched despite the fact that they were labeled for someone else. And we are the cunning ones." Evan replied with venom. Ron felt he could die of shame under the Slytherin's scrutinizing stare. "We do but not for a large number, a pensive would be better."

"Perfect, so can we just go eat before it's too late ?"

"What's it with you and those bloody hours ?! Food is going to be there until 14:00 or even 14:30. Can't you wait ?!" Ron burst aggressively.

"Ronald !" Reprimanded the twins and Harry.

"What ? She is the one being bloody weird, and none of you are saying anything, Sirius even indulged her ! Is eating at the right hour really important right now ? I don't even get why we are discussing this ! Any of this ! We should find a way to go back ! Not go bloody hunting Horcruxes ! We don't know what happened. Is everyone safe ? Did they escape ? Did our parents come ? Are they looking for us ?" Ron was breathless and red from his angry tirade. His chest is heaving, and his throat is tight and sore from yelling. He hadn't even realized he was so worried about their situation. He felt, more than he saw, the concerned and constrained gazes. Not ready to apologize and to face the situation, he stood up abruptly and left the group without a glance. Hermione followed seconds later.

"Your friend seems to be severely angry. Until, he is able to show us, I suppose we can part ways." Came Regulus' unbothered voice as he rose to join Barty, who still had a hand on his arm, Evan followed.

Nott, Flint and Greengrass decided to go back soon after the others. Not without Theodore casting a quick glance at Mary.

This left a much smaller group on the ground. Mary decided to move closer to twins and Harry. Ron's tirade had some truth in it. They didn't know how everyone faired in their time and how to go back. Consciously or not, the subject had been avoided and they all chose to focus on Horcruxes as if they were still in 1996. She suddenly felt very tired and angry. She was craving an afternoon tea, and a slice of Kreacher's carrot cake, with Harry and Sirius. Seeking some semblance of comfort, she put her head in George's laps.

Lily broke the awkward silence. "There is still so much to unpack."

James wished he could have followed Regulus to comfort him and ask him about the possibility of a child. James knew he couldn't, so he focused on another of the main issues.

"Harry, is my sister still with Vernon ? Did they treat you right ?" Lily asked, her voice gentle but unyielding. The question came from genuine concerns.

James hunched forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and his face in his hands. The future was a mess. Lily and he had become good friends during their fifth year. He knew about Petunia's behavior toward Lily, and that horrible boyfriend of hers. There was no doubt those muggles hadn't been happy to be Harry's closest relatives. How could anyone think that Sirius had betrayed them, of all people. Where was Remus ? Why didn't he defend Sirius ? Why wasn't Harry left in Remus' care ? Another thought suddenly occurred to James. His parents. They would never have left their grandchild in someone else's care. He knew he had been more than desire, coming late into their lives after many failed trials. They were doting parents, and sure as hell, would be doting grandparents if given the chance. Harry didn't even mention them, he never knew them. James felt his blood run cold. It wasn't so much the fact that they died, everyone dies. It was that it would happen soon. Mary said she was born in 1980, she was in Harry's year. James had only had three years left with his parents, maybe even less.

"Honestly, I do not really know. I spent for more than 10 years in the cupboard under the stairs and was asked to do a lot of chores. They made me believe this awful story about James being a jobless drunk. And they punished me for each accidental magic incident. Now that I'm out, I don't like to think about it too much."

Sirius eyes glinted with both concern and curiosity, and his tone was drained of all his usual teasing when he asked "Should we take a break, go eat and maybe play some Quidditch this afternoon?" They had thrown themselves into the war as soon as they left Hogwarts. And it didn't end well for any of them. Were they misguided ? Had Dumbledore retained a good deal of information ? There was also Peter's betrayal, which they all tried to ignore because he is their friend and he didn't do anything not yet.

"Yes, Sirius is right, no talking about it for a few hours is probably best." Remus added, closing any conversation.

Without a sound, they all made their way to the Great hall. Mary spotted Theodore at the Slytherins' table with Flint and Greengrass. The sixth graders were seated a few seats away, with a witch with dirty-blonde hair and a Ravenclaw tie. She had a familiar face. Mary made a mental note to ask about her later.

She followed Harry and the twins, who chose to let the others have space, and seated next to others fifth years.