Pain was the first thing he felt as he woke up the following morning. His whole body was aching, and he desperately tried to get into a more comfortable position—Sirius had fallen asleep half on top of him, so now his arm was in a funny twist, his legs hadn't been able to move all night, and his back was crooked.

"Ow," he mumbled, gently shoving his brother aside so he could free himself. Once freed, he got up from the bed, going through his wardrobe to find a good set of robes for the day, when he heard his brother calling his name.

He turned around to see his brother stirring in his sleep, mumbling something he couldn't quite make out.

Not wanting to wake him, he grabbed his robes and thought about yesterday's events as he ran himself a bath.

He just couldn't stop thinking about Aunt Lucretia, and every time he thought about her he was plagued with images of her crashing into the street, of Father throwing her out, of their little one-sided confrontation—she hadn't even got her wand out!

The images blurred together with the flashes of green he'd seen all those months ago, Bellatrix's laughter and those words, those dreadful words his father had spoken to his aunt. Those dreadful things he had called Bellatrix, a murderer, a killer, when he himself was no better. At least Bellatrix had acted to save family, not to harm them!

Once bathed and dressed he went to the study, hoping to find Father so he could ask about yesterday.

But it was empty, as was his bedroom and the drawing room, the dining room—everywhere Father would normally be was completely deserted.

"Kreacher!" He called out, and the house elf appeared in front of him with a loud crack.

"Master Regulus?"

"Kreacher, do you know where my parents are?"

"No, master."

"Can you go find them?"

The elf shook his head.

"Why not?"

"My mistress said to stay home with Master Regulus and Master Sirius."

Oh, wonderful. So he went through all the trouble to dress up for nothing. He thanked Kreacher and went back up to his bedroom to find Sirius, who was still asleep, on his bed.

"Sirius?"

His brother stirred a little, and he called out his name again. He sat down next to him when he saw Sirius slowly waking up. He told him about yesterday, about how Father had cast their aunt out of the house.

"Hold up, hold up," Sirius said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Father hurt whom?"

"Aunt Lucretia! I saw it happen, I swear it was her—he hurt her."

"She was here?"

Regulus nodded. "She found me outside and brought me back home, then Father just attacked her."

"What did she do?"

"Nothing! Father just blasted her across the road when she wouldn't leave."

Sirius frowned. "But that doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't, but that's what happened... and today, Mother and Father aren't here. Kreacher told me."

"Where are they?"

He shrugged. "He didn't say—couldn't say. I think it's a secret."

Something changed in Sirius' demeanor. There was a spark in his eyes Regulus hadn't seen there before. "They're gone all day, aren't they?"

"Probably."

"Come on." Sirius jumped off the bed, dragging Regulus with him out of the bedroom.

"Where are we going?"

"Out, out, come!"

Sirius hurried down the stairs, holding his robes up with one hand as he took the steps two at a time. Regulus tried his best to keep up, though he didn't like the implication of 'out'. Out where?

He followed his brother down to the entrance hall, but hesitated when his brother opened the front door.

"We shouldn't..."

"Oh come on, Reg, don't be like that!"

His brother took a step outside, his grin widening as he held the door open for him.

"Can't we just stay here?"

"Nope," said Sirius, still holding the door, beckoning him to come.

"It's dangerous out there."

"Not when we've got this," he said triumphantly, holding up his wand.

Regulus smiled. He was right—that changed everything. Sirius already completed his first year at Hogwarts. They'd be OK outside, together.

He followed him outside. "Now what do we do?"

"We go looking for Aunt Lucretia, of course!"

He froze. They were going to look for her, in the middle of the day, in a Muggle neighbourhood, with their parents away from home, with nobody knowing their whereabouts?

But Sirius had already jumped down the stairs, and without a wand, he couldn't go back inside the house. There was no other option than to follow his brother, so he did.

They walked through the deserted street, and Regulus watched the Muggle houses, fully expecting Muggles to come chasing after them if they took one wrong step.

They took a turn into the alley Regulus had ran into last night and nearly bumped into a Muggle man. Regulus dove behind his brother. "Hex him!"

Sirius laughed. "Good day, sir, don't mind my brother."

The man gave them both a strange look but went on with his business, walking past them both.

"Sirius! Do something!"

"Do what? He's just walking. Come on, where did you say she was?"

Regulus watched as the Muggle disappeared from sight, then looked back to his brother. If his brother wouldn't keep them both safe... "I'll tell you... if you let me have your wand."

"No way."

"Please? Please, please, please?"

"It's my wand."

"Then I won't show you where I saw her," he said, crossing his arms defiantly.

"Fine. Then I'm going home," said Sirius, and he turned around, already leaving the alley.

Regulus watched as he disappeared from view, much like that Muggle had before him.

He was determined not to let it get to him, he was sure that his brother wouldn't actually leave him behind in such a dangerous situation anyway. So he took a few steps into the alley, looking around if he could find his aunt again. She had been here yesterday, but why? And where was she now? He hadn't seen her lying on the streets on the way here, so she had to have left... Maybe she was back at home, but something told him to keep looking here.

He cast one last glance over his shoulder, hoping his brother had returned—nothing. The alleyway was empty.

So he set off walking. He reached the end of the alley and turned into the street, walking along the Muggle houses, trying his best to ignore the little voice in his head telling him to run, to go, that it wasn't safe here...

Occasionally, a Muggle would walk by, and give him a funny look. He gave them a funny look back, wishing desperately he had a wand of his own in case they did more than just look at him. One man even waved at him. Regulus could have sworn it was the same Muggle from before, and quickened his pace, scared the man would follow him and do... something.

As he walked on, looking over his shoulder to check if the Muggle was following him, he noticed two hooded, cloaked figures hastily leaving one of the houses to his left. Regulus watched as they seemed to be arguing with each other. He wanted to run off when he noticed the wands the pair were holding.

Thank Merlin.

He took a few steps in their direction and one of them pointed a wand up and something green was shot into the sky, rising higher and higher. With a jolt he realised that he had seen this sign before—on Bellatrix's arm! The snake slithering out of the skull high in the air above him excited him, and he stared at it in awe for a moment. Then he turned his attention back to the two figures.

They had turned around and Regulus saw their long, black robes, similar to those Bellatrix wore. He saw their masks and their hoods and he saw they were still arguing amongst themselves, apparently not noticing him there.

Curious, he walked up to the two men. "Excuse me."

He was eye to eye with two wands before he knew it. One of the men lowered his wand just as quickly as he had raised it, nudging the other. "It's just a child, let's get out of here."

"Child or not, he's seen us."

"Plenty have. He's what, six?"

"I'm not six," Regulus protested. "I'm nearly eleven."

The man with the lowered wand let out a cold laugh. "Same difference. Can barely walk."

"I can walk just fine!"

The second, broader man kept his wand pointed at Regulus's chest, though the other put it back in his robes. "We better go," he said. "It won't be long before someone sees the Mark."

"What is it?" Regulus asked. The wand pointed at his chest didn't really do much to him. He hadn't done anything wrong, he hadn't angered them somehow, there was no reason for them to hex him. The first man certainly seemed to agree, which helped put him at ease.

"Look, I don't know who you are," said the first man, "but-"

"I'm Regulus Black," he said, holding out his hand to the man, who let out another laugh, though this time it was more playful.

He nudged the other man again. "You hear that? A Black? That makes him your in-law."

"I'm not married," the first man grunted, although he had slightly lowered his wand.

"Yet," the second man added playfully. "I've seen the way you look at dear Bella-" he got a punch to the stomach but it didn't stop him from laughing.

Bella? Bellatrix, his Bellatrix? Hadn't she said she would get married soon? Who was it she said could become her husband... "You're Lestrange!"

"Keep your voice down, boy." The first man, Lestrange, had now also put his wand back into his robes, but it didn't make him any nicer.

Regulus had so many questions. What was the green mark hanging in the sky above? What were they doing in that Muggle house in this Muggle street? Why were they here, when Aunt Lucretia had been here yesterday—what was so special about this place? He didn't get the chance to ask any of the questions, though.

"It's best you go home, kid," the nice man said, staring at Lestrange and back at Regulus as he spoke. "Perhaps it's best you stay at home for a few days. Don't come here."

"Why-"

"Just go, kid," said Lestrange, his hand gripping his wand again. "It's not safe here."

They were right. Of course they were right.

He let out a sigh and walked back along the road, the questions he had still burning inside him. Maybe Bellatrix would know? She was smart enough. Yes, he'd go home, Floo Bellatrix and get his answers.

He turned a corner, back into the alley he had come out just moments ago and stopped dead in his tracks—there he was again. The Muggle.

Except this time, the Muggle wasn't 'just walking'. This time, the Muggle had Sirius pressed against the wall, and he had a wand to his throat.

The Muggle wasn't a Muggle at all. He stood there, frozen, for a second or two before running back to the street as fast as his legs could take him. He had no idea what was going on with Sirius, but he knew full well he would never be able to do anything about it. Not without a wand.

"LESTRANGE!"

He ran through the street, seeing the cloaked men in the distance, praying they'd hear him and listen. They were his only hope. What had they said... go home, stay home for a few days... it's not safe... what had Aunt Lucretia said? It was dangerous to be outside...

"Lestrange! Lestrange!"

His stomach turned as he thought of his brother, poor Sirius... the Muggle—no, he wasn't a Muggle, he had a wand... But Sirius was in danger and he wouldn't let him get hurt without trying to fix it.

"Lestrange...!"

He had reached the men, who had removed their masks and hoods, giving him a good look of them for the first time. The broader one, Lestrange, was staring at him with a face blank of emotion, not even a frown was present on his face. The other, the nice man, was thinner and a tad nervous. They looked a lot alike.

"Sirius," he breathed as he pointed behind him. "Sirius... h-help..."

The men looked at each other but Regulus couldn't wait for them to discuss the matter. He looked between the nervous man and Lestrange and back to the nervous man. "Help... my brother..."

Tears pricked behind his eyes as neither of the men moved at all, neither seemed willing to do anything about it, and Regulus was starting to regret ever coming here with Sirius. It had been such a stupid idea! Granted, it was Sirius' idea, but that was exactly why he shouldn't have come. Most of Sirius' ideas were stupid.

"Please..."

"Fuck it," the nice man said, "where's your brother?"

He guided the man back to the alley, the street was starting to get busier as more and more people noticed the green skull and snake hanging in the air, but Regulus ignored them as he hastened through the street. He had only one thing on his mind: Sirius.

But as he turned into the alleyway, Sirius was gone. As was the fake Muggle.

"Is this a trick?"

Regulus shook his head. "No, no, they were here! A Muggle, well, not a Muggle, because he had a wand, but he—hey!"

The man had started walking away and Regulus went after him. "I swear, it's the truth—they were right there! Right there in the alley!"

But the man didn't listen, mumbling something about stupid children and practical jokes and falling for it.

"You've got to believe me!"

Regulus nearly ran into him as he stopped. "I haven't got to do anything," he said slowly, his voice low as to not attract any unwanted attention as he saw his drawn wand. "And I suggest you go home."

He nodded, his eyes fixed on the wand, flickering up at the person holding it only to see a face laced with annoyance and a hint of anger. He didn't dare push his luck, so he agreed to go home.

He walked back to the house, ignoring the Muggles he passed, praying for them to stay Muggles, and to not attack him. He couldn't actually go home, he couldn't get in... but he never wanted to go home more than he did now.

He climbed up the front steps and tried to knock on the door to get it to open, but it remained closed. It needed a wand to open, which he didn't have.

Had Sirius managed to get out? Had Sirius managed to get home? Was he sitting in his room, laughing at what had happened? Maybe the man was right, maybe it was some kind of practical joke after all...

But he knew, deep down, that it wasn't a joke. He knew it was real, no matter how strange it sounded. The Muggle wasn't a Muggle but the Muggle attacked Sirius.

And now Sirius was gone.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting on those steps, trying his best to ignore everything around him. At least on the front steps he was hidden from Muggles, but he didn't know what he was more afraid of; Muggles, or the person who took Sirius. Which wasn't a Muggle.

His parents arrived that evening with the familiar cracking sound of Apparition. He sprang to his feet as he saw them, rushing over to them before realising the state they were in. They looked weak, tired, different somehow. But none of that mattered.

"He took Sirius!"

"What? Who did?"

"The Muggle – well, he wasn't a Muggle – but he took him! He took him with his wand—he-"

Father opened the door for him. "Get in. Now! And don't come out."

He hesitated for a moment, but Father just pushed him towards the door before turning around and leaving, Mother hurrying after him.

Kreacher appeared in the doorway. "Master Regulus must come in."

He shook his head, looking back to where his parents had been moments ago. They had gone off, again... trying to find Sirius, no doubt, but he was stuck here at home when he could be helping them search for his brother. It wasn't fair.

But still, he obeyed. For the simple reason that he was scared. Every time he had left the house, something bad had happened. First Diagon Alley last year, then seeing Sirius off to Hogwarts, and yesterday when he went to pick up Sirius was just as bad. But today was probably worst of all, and he knew why. This time they had gone out without permission, and Sirius had to pay for it.

He sat down on the stairs in the hall and waited some more. Waited for his parents to come home with Sirius. He waited hours and hours, ignoring his growling stomach (he hadn't eaten all day and refused to eat now, despite Kreacher trying to get him to).

He waited until he felt his eyes slowly falling shut as he rested his head against the wall. He tried to stay awake, he really did, but sleep was too powerful and took him away.

Two arms lifted him, tearing him away from his dream for just a moment.

The next thing he knew, he lay in a soft, warm bed. It was morning, the sunlight coming through the half-open curtains.

He stared around the room and it took him longer than it should have to realise he was at his grandparents' house. There were pictures of him and his brother on the walls, smiling and waving at the camera, or chasing each other, fooling around...

Sirius.

He jumped out of bed. He was still wearing yesterday's robes and didn't bother changing, not when there were more important things to worry about—Sirius' whereabouts.

He made his way over to the living room. The door was slightly ajar and he saw Grandmother Irma in front of the fireplace. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The noise startled her. She turned around and flashed him a smile. "Good morning," she said. "How was your night?"

He shrugged. "Why am I here?"

"Now, now," she said, shaking her head. "Why don't we start with a nice cup of tea instead of difficult questions? It's still early."

He sat down in the armchair. She poured him a cup and he took it from her, but he had no interest in drinking it. He needed answers. "Where are Mother and Father?"

"Out," she said curtly.

"Out where? Did they find Sirius yet? Why am I here, couldn't I have stayed at home?"

"There is plenty of time for questions later, Regulus."

He nodded but his mind was racing, trying to piece together the full picture with every bit of information he had available. "Mother and Father are cousins," he blurted out. "Did you know?"

She shook her head in amusement. "When did you figure that out?"

"Father told me, a couple of months ago... it's really weird."

"Is it?"

He nodded. "I don't want to marry my cousin."

"Just wait until you're a bit older. You'll change your mind about marriage, you'll see."

Regulus seriously doubted that, but didn't say anything about it. "Did you marry your cousin?"

"Your tea is getting cold."

He took a sip and burnt his tongue against the scalding hot water. "Have they found Sirius yet?"

Grandmother Irma shook her head. "Not now, Regulus."

"But he's my brother!"

She sighed. "I'm sorry. No. He hasn't been found yet... your parents won't rest until they do, though. No need to worry. They're strong and capable."

But Regulus was worried. "I want to help find him."

"No."

"But I'm his brother!"

"You are a child!"

"But-"

"I said no. And that's the end of it."

He took another sip of his hot tea. "May I go to Diagon Alley today?"

"No. Your visit wasn't exactly planned, I haven't the time for a visit to Diagon Alley."

"I could go alone..."

"No."

"May I go to Narcissa's?"

"No," she said, letting out an exasperated sigh.

"Why?"

"I believe she isn't home."

"Maybe Bella is."

"She isn't."

"Where is she?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "You are not leaving this house, Regulus."

He put his tea on the coffee table and stood up. "Fine. Then I'm not!"

He stormed out of the living room and back into his bedroom, the pictures on the wall grinning at him, reminding him of what happened yesterday. He just wanted to help!

If he could get out of the house... he needed a wand, and the only place to get a wand was Diagon Alley, so that's where he had to go. He couldn't just stay put when he saw his brother being taken right in front of him!

He decided he'd try his cousins' house first, see if they wanted to help him get a wand. He'd see for himself if they were at home or not! He grabbed a handful of Floo powder, stepping into the fireplace in the bedroom.

He emerged from the emerald flames in his cousins' house, looking around the room. Empty.

He couldn't help but think of the last time he had been here, Andromeda had sat right there on the sofa, her face buried in a book...

He shook his head as if trying to physically remove the memory. Best not to think about her at all.

He made his way over to the double doors, and left the room. The hallway was just as deserted as the sitting room had been, and it was eerily quiet. "Is anyone there?"

No answer.

"Hello? Bella? Cissy?"

Still nothing.

"Aunt Druella? Uncle Cygnus? Are you there?"

The longer he stood in the hallway in silence, the worse he felt. Dread washed over him and he quickly ran back into the drawing room. He scrambled back into the fireplace, hastily throwing the Floo powder in. "Malfoy Manor!"

It was harder to travel when you had no idea where you were going. He spun around through the Network, trying his best not to bump into anything.

"Regulus!"

He saw Narcissa hurrying towards him and he couldn't help but smile a little. He had done it, he had found her. Behind her he could see Lucius lounging on a black velvet sofa, looking rather bored.

"What are you doing here?" Narcissa asked, dusting him off.

"Sirius is gone," he said. "Yesterday, I saw him-"

"We know," came Lucius' voice.

He fell silent, watching the blonde man get up from the sofa and approach him with that air of elegance and snobbery he remembered so well from that Christmas.

Narcissa broke the silence. "Can you..."

"I cannot."

"What?" Regulus asked.

"We have him," she said, which earned her a glare from Lucius. "He's here."