Upside Down Mirror: Granger Yet
Headache

"It can't be Regulus." The thought kept repeating over and over in Sirius' head. "It can't be Regulus."

After all, the person in front of him didn't act like Regulus. The person in front of him said their name was Sebastian, not Regulus. They also, when Sirius asked Sebastian if he'd killed Regulus responded with a 'maybe' which sounded like an affirmative. The tapestry also didn't lie.

Yet there Walburga was, claiming that the stranger in front of him was Regulus, his brother who was supposed to be dead. Which was strange, given the fact he could hear her clearly saying Regulus was a horrid child, something she'd always reserved for Sirius growing up, as Regulus was always the child who behaved.

A Regulus who behaved wouldn't have ever painted his nails black. A Regulus who behaved wouldn't have ever braided his hair yet adorned it with silver hair clips. A Regulus who behaved would never have worn a black chocker which was something only the females in the Black family ever did.

A Regulus who behaved would never glare at Walburga with the level of disgust that Sirius saw in that stranger 's eyes as Regulus would never rebel against their mother. A Regulus who behaved would never be unapologetic as this stranger was about making everyone think he was dead, yet the very fact Regulus very pointedly said he wouldn 't apologize—that he wasn't at all sorry meant it was Regulus.

And Sirius felt angry.

The person in front of him didn't at all care how his death—his faked death—ended up affecting everyone else. Sirius sucked in his breath. " I didn 't know who to trust. I didn't know who to trust and I trusted… "

Walburga ripping the choker from Regulus' neck interrupted his thoughts, yet he was sure he heard Regulus tell Walburga, " don 't you dare " despite being tired up as he was in the overstuffed chair before watching Walburga go for the silver hair clips in Regulus' hair. There was no denying how angry he felt towards the tied-up person, yet Sirius was even angrier at Walburga Black.

"Get out of my house."

"Excuse me?"

"You made me the owner of Grimmauld Place, remember?" He followed up by saying, "I want you out of my house."

She glared at him making him expect her to pull out her wand to jinx him. Instead, she said, "This isn't finished."

Which, knowing Walburga Black as he did, Sirius knew her brushing past him and leaving Grimmauld place didn't mean things were finished, yet the way she walked out indicated he'd not won. Looking at Regulus, who had a faraway look, Sirius didn't feel like he won. " Not when I still have to deal with him. "

He stood there, looking at the person, swallowing. His hands clenched together as did his jaw. He heard Remus from nearby let out a deep breath. "So, it is Regulus."

"It's not," Sirius muttered, twirling his wand, not liking how Regulus ignored him. He walked over, folding his arms across his chest. "So…"

Regulus continued to look away from him, making Sirius feel angry at the way Regulus ignored him, let alone didn't care that he'd left everyone thinking he was dead. His hands clenched, looking Regulus over and taking in how much the person in front of him wasn't Regulus when he noticed where he and Regulus pulled back the sleeve of the left forearm.

Sirius sucked in his breath, noticing yet again the scars which marred Regulus' forearm. "How did you get those scars?"

Regulus started but finally turned to look at him—sort of given the fact he still didn't make eye contact. His mouth twisted into a frown, but his silver-grey eyes darkened as one would expect of a Black—any Black except for Regulus. "I don't want to talk about it."

Sirius frowned, his mind attempting to put the puzzle pieces together. "You're hiding something."

"What if I am?"

Sirius closed his eyes. When he opened them, Regulus was yet again not looking at him. "What am I going to do with you?"

Regulus turned to look at him, his mouth pushing together while his head tilted. Yet, as he looked at Sirius he didn't make eye contact. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because aren't you even in the slightest concerned about what is going to happen to you?"

Regulus stared, just like he did when he was contemplating something which in turn meant Sirius didn't know what was going on in his head, but he waited, wondering if Regulus would even have an answer, given his sudden no-care attitude towards everything. He glanced over at Remus, waiting only to get an eyelift. "It's not as if he can go anywhere."

"Well, not unless Sirius removes whatever spell he's put on the place that's keeping me here," Regulus muttered.

Sirius glanced over at Regulus to see that he was now looking away, but there was never any telling what was going on in Regulus' head. "As if!"

Regulus turned and looked at him, for the first time looking him in the eye. He bit into his lip slightly, almost as if he were amused by what Sirius said. "Of course not. I wouldn't expect you to." A laugh suddenly escaped from Regulus' mouth. "That look on your face is hilarious!"

Sirius stared, his jaw-dropping as Regulus bit back a chuckle. A thought crossed his mind. "I wasn't actually thinking of letting you go."

"You expected me to expect you would though."

"That's not funny," Sirius said, remembering he never understood why Regulus found certain things normal people wouldn't find funny hilarious. A thought crossed his mind. With a quick flick of his wand, the ropes disappeared which resulted in a look of surprise appearing on Regulus' face as he looked at the ground.

"What are you doing?" The smile on Regulus' face disappeared.

"When was the last time I actually saw him smile before—well, before he faked his death?" Sirius took a deep breath. "I'm letting you go because that is exactly what you wouldn't expect from me, but also knowing you can't leave the house. So what are you going to do?"

Regulus frowned, his right hand reaching out to clutch his left arm, which hung limp at his side. He looked away as if trying to avoid looking at the Dark Mark. "Why? I am what I am."

"Pfft," Sirius looked away, finding himself annoyed while he lifted his wand while rubbing his neck. "As if you could do anything without your wand."

"I can use wandless magic, you know."

Sirius turned to look at Regulus, noting the dark tone of Regulus' voice along with how his eyes darkened like every other Black except Regulus. He opened his mouth, only for Remus to speak up. "But you won't, will you?"

"Who knows?" Regulus glanced away, his eyes seeming to glaze over. "It certainly wouldn't be to my advantage, would it?"

"No. It wouldn't," Sirius said.

"Well…" Regulus kicked up his feet, before pushing himself out of the chair. "Might as well make myself at home."

"Who says you have free roam of the place?" Sirius muttered. Regulus ignored him, sitting down on one of the overstuffed couches while untying his boots with his right hand. Sirius felt his eye twitch, the thought that it wasn't Regulus still rattling around his head, that he should be wary about this stranger tricking him, picking the one thing which would make him crack.

Regulus ignored him, kicking the boots off before plopping onto the couch with his back to Sirius while closing his eyes. His head rested in his right hand while his left was just there.

Sirius felt his eye twitch. "Hey! Are you seriously ignoring me!"

Remus let out a sigh, reaching out and tugging the sleeve of Sirius' shirt. "Why don't we focus on getting something to eat?"

"What? I don't know my way around a kitchen and neither do you." Sirius looked at his friend, still wondering what they would do in that particular situation while not mentioning the fact he didn't want to ask the House Elf for anything as he didn't want to hear the creature's foul mouth going off.

The sound of someone moving on the couch made Sirius look over to see Regulus turn over and attempt to sit up, his facial features not expressing anything. "I could cook something." He continued sitting up only for his eyes to widen and a groan escape his lips. "Or maybe not."

Regulus let himself fall back, letting the back of his headrest against the arm of the couch. Sirius stared, letting his jaw drop before blurting out. "Wait? You can cook?" The response to his question was Regulus pulling back his hand slightly and glaring at him, before covering his eyes with said hand again. "So you're not going to dignify me with a response?"

The lack of response was the response. Sirius turned to look at Remus. His friend simply shrugged his shoulders. "You're the one who pointed out the fact neither one of us know our way around the kitchen."

"Seriously?"

Sirius turned to look at Regulus, surprised he'd said anything despite keeping a hand over his eyes. "You know I'm always Sirius."

"Very funny," Regulus muttered. "It's not that hard to make toast, let alone open up a can of beans and heat it."

One of Remus' eyebrows lifted while his smile twisted in amusement, though Sirius didn't know what was amusing his friend. His eyebrow lifted in disbelief. "You want us to eat toast with a side of beans?"

"Actually, the beans go on top of the toast, not on the side," Regulus muttered.

"Are you serious?" Sirius stared at his younger brother.

"I think…" Remus' lips pushed together.

"You're Sirius, remember. I'm just Regulus," Regulus muttered. "And yes, I get puns now."

Sirius felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "You actually planned on making us toast with beans on top?"

Regulus peeked out at him, frowning. "What do you not get that I'm not cooking?"

"You said you know how to cook, but your idea of cooking…"

"Is something even you can do, Sirius, and yes, I'm serious about it," Regulus covered his eye.

"And you're not cooking because?"

"Because I've got a concussion."

"A what?"

"An injury to the head, likely for me sustained when I tried apparating out of here and my head hit the floor. I feel nauseated when I move and my brain can't remember the other symptoms which is in itself a symptom, at least for me."

"What are you, a damn healer?" Sirius glared at Regulus while Regulus peeked out from under his hand, glaring back.

"Okay. Given the fact we can't get you to a hospital…" Remus watched Sirius turn to glare at him. "Well, it's not as if we can, but we also can't leave him untreated."

"Why not?" Sirius muttered, folding his arms across his chest. He turned his attention towards Regulus who continued covering his eyes with his right hand while lounging on the couch making himself at home.

"Because it's not the right thing to do," Remus sighed. "And you'd regret it later on."

"What?"

"You know what I mean."

"He's not Regulus. Regulus…."

"It's been years."

"So?" Sirius looked at Remus despite knowing what he meant.

Remus glared then turned towards Regulus. "A concussion. How do we treat it?"

Sirius watched Regulus' frown deepen, thinking Regulus would make some sort of smart remark regarding how Remus showing concern wasn't appreciated, when Regulus said, "Wake me."

"What?" Remus sounded as confused as Sirius.

"Wake a concussion patient every few hours. Keep hydrated. That's what I remember," Regulus muttered, keeping his eyes covered.

"Okay," Remus said.

"Okay?" Siris grumbled. To him, it wasn't okay.

Remus sighed.