Granger Yet
Yes Ma'am

"I'm sorry," Regulus muttered. He took a deep breath. His hands still gripped the side of the stairs, the stuffed rabbit now in his lap as he listened to the footsteps of everyone else retreating into the drawing room, the sound of each step pounding in his head.

"What for?" Her tone of voice—there was a definite feeling he shouldn't bat around the bushes with her.

His eyes opened. "For not being honest about who I was."

She sat down beside him, her mouth twisting into a frown. "What are you talking about?"

"Diagon Alley?" Regulus sucked in his breath. "Surely you remember? Olivia and I—we told you and your husband about Lizzie fighting us about going to Hogwarts."

"Oh, that," Molly sighed, reaching her fingers up only to pause when he winched, his eyes closing. She cleared her voice, and one hand shifted back to clutching the stuffed rabbit while the other clung to the railing. "How about we talk about that later and what I'm actually angry with you over? After we've gotten your injuries taken care of?"

"I—yes, ma'am," Regulus muttered, keeping his eyes closed.

There came another sigh.

"If it's about," Regulus started saying.

"Please," Molly started saying.

"Me having taken the Dark Mark back then."

"Bloody hell."

The voice from the landing above made him flinch, his eyes opening as his head turned to look up the stairs to see—Regulus recognized the red-haired children as Arthur and Molly's youngest but found himself guessing the other two were also hers. Yet, he distinctly remembered there being one other. His eyes blinked, taking that in as one of the older boys said. "Sirius' younger brother, Ron."

"And that changes things how?" said the second youngest, the one who was Hermione's friend.

"Charlie," Molly said, clearing her throat. "Can you take your younger siblings into the drawing room with everyone else and try to keep them out of trouble? Bill, could you come down here."

"Sure," the one who'd mentioned he was Sirius' younger brother said while the other motioned the others to follow him. Regulus saw the looks he was given and let out a sigh, having the feeling this would come back to bite him—or more of bite his daughters in the butt. Yet, there was something he felt far more concerned with.

"Mrs. Weasley?" Regulus muttered.

"Molly," she sighed, gripping his hand, the one that was holding onto the stuffed rabbit. "And can I have you open your eyes so I can get a good look at them?"

He shook his head, never liking looking others in the eye, always finding it uncomfortable. "Mrs. Weasley, where is your other child?"

There came a gasp and her grip tightening slightly, to which he broke out into French muttering condolences, his eyes opening as his head moved back and forth, remaining unfocused. He swallowed, the thought of Molly having already lost one of her children—when Bill said, "Percy's not dead."

"What?" Molly said, her tone of voice tightening, her hand squeezing his.

"He noticed Percy wasn't with us and, for some reason, this weirdo," Bill said.

"Bill," Molly said, letting out a deep breath.

"Well, it is weird hearing one of his lot spouting out," Bill said, only for there to be a yell from the drawing room, which made Regulus blink.

Molly frowned. "Was that Ron?"

"I think so," Bill said. "The French, he was spluttering out. Sirius' younger brother. He was saying…."

"Mr. Granger," Molly said.

"What?" Bill's eyes blinked.

"Hermione Granger's father," Molly said. "And what was he saying that I couldn't understand a lick of?"

"He thought Percy was dead," Bill said. "And muttering condolences."

"Bloody Merlin, Reggie," Molly said, sighing. "Percy's not; he's not dead dear, but thank you for worrying." Regulus felt her touch his chin and winced away from the contact. She let out a sigh. "Billy, I really need your help as I've got a very uncooperative patient here."

"Patient?" Regulus muttered.

"Dear, on top of having heard something about you hitting your head, I'm also concerned about your hand there."

"Ah," Regulus frowned, holding onto the rabbit tighter. "That's why you wanted to look me in the eye?"

"Bill?" Molly said. "You're right behind him. Could you take a look at Mr. Granger's head, please? And, just to let you know, he's never been found of being touched so that he may flinch away."

"I'll try not to," Regulus said, keeping his eyes closed, feeling Molly loosen her grip on his one hand and reaching for the one still gripping the side of the stair, prying his fingers loose. And he flinched when her son touched his head, sucking in his breath, reminding himself to hold still.

"He's got quite the goose egg, mum," Billy muttered.

"Yes, well, Sirius does have a hard head," Regulus blurted out.

Molly let out a snort. "I doubt Sirius' hard head is the reason for that injury of yours."

"Yes, but hitting my head—I gave him a bloody nose," Regulus muttered. "Couldn't have helped."

Molly let out a laugh. "Well, knowing Sirius, he likely deserved it."

Regulus swallowed. "He did say father deserved to die."

"Well, you should also know not to listen to that brother of yours," Molly said. "I mean, this is Sirius we're talking about, trouble with all capitals."

"I guess," Regulus muttered.

"And this one isn't?" Bill asked.

"Well, he's a Black," Molly said. "One might say they're all trouble with all capitals, one way or another."

To which Regulus laughed. "Don't let mother hear you say that."

"Can I look at your eyes now?" Molly said. "I'm concerned about you having a concussion, Mr. Granger."

"Probably," Regulus said, flinching when she reached for his face.

"Mr. Granger. May I please get a look at your eyes to see how unfocused they are or not?" Molly said, resulting in a chuckle from Bill. "Also, we know Sirius' hard head isn't the reason for your head injury, so what is?"

Regulus let out a string of curses, making Bill say, "I'm not translating that."

"Don't bother. It's some of the few French words I remember Sirius using when he was younger," Molly said. "And those were always curse words."

Regulus laughed, only this time it was half-hearted.

"The reason for the head injury, Mr. Granger?"

"The reason?" Regulus said, surprised she used his Muggle last name instead of the last name he was born into. "The reason is I'm not allowed to," and he flinched as she continued to try and look into his eyes.

Molly sighed. "Confirmed. We'll have to have Snape brew a potion for that once he has the time."

Regulus spluttered. "Severus Snape? But he's…."

"Our spy," Bill said. "You know, he could…."

"Absolutely not!" Molly said, her voice rising, making Regulus flinch. And then, she squeezed his hand. "Sorry." She turned to Bill. "Absolutely not, Bill. I won't allow it. I'll put my foot down." She took a deep breath. "And your head injury, dear?"

"The reason? Apparently, I'm unable to leave Grimmauld. Sirius wanted me out, but I couldn't touch the doorknob without it burning my fingers," Regulus said, to which he felt Molly lift his left hand. He cleared his voice. "No, the other one."

"But you're left-handed," Molly said. "I remember that quite well."

"Yes, well, whether I can use my left hand," Regulus said. "Rich says it's now a psychological thing, but it wasn't always. And I'd rather not talk about it. Please."

"For now," Molly said, taking his other hand. "Thankfully, there aren't burns on your hand from touching the doorknob, although I am still concerned about this bandage, Reggie dear."

"Oh. That," he grimaced. "Do I have to say?"

"Regulus Arcturus Black," Molly said firmly. "Out with it. How you got your head injury and how you injured your hand, young man."

He took a deep breath. "The hand—the head injury. That was because I tried apparating out. To get back to Olivia as I promised." He let out a laugh. "I'm not going to get to see her again." His eyes closed. "All because of mother…."

"And the hand?"

"I attacked the wall of my old room," Regulus muttered, feeling like an admonished child.

"You did what?" Molly sighed. "Why? Why, Reggie, why would you do that?"

"Because in the folly of my youth, I'd made a collage I'm less than proud of, and I'd rather leave it at that," Regulus said.

"Considering your hand is bandaged," Molly said, unwrapping it. "Hermione's work?"

"Yes," Regulus said, letting out a sigh. "She caught me in the act, so she's seen those articles."

"Well, we can't have you staying in that room, can we?" Molly sighed, shaking her head, obviously far from amused at his personal folly. "Definitely going to have to rethink where to put everyone."

"Sorry. I didn't…."

"Oh, don't you dare," Molly shook her head, waving her hand to brush aside his attempt to apologize. "I'd rather we not have any more self-destructive behavior on your part, Mr. Black." He winced, hearing her change from calling him Mr. Granger to Mr. Black for the second time, and yet, in the next moment, he heard her say, "Bill, could you take Mr. Granger to the other room on this floor? Not the one the girls are staying in, but the room we're using in case any of the Order needs to catch a wink?"

"Sure."

"And could you heal his hand as well?"

"Yes, mum," he said as he gently tugged Regulus' arm, leading him to one of the rooms.

"And be sure to lie down!" Molly called after him. "I don't want any of the usual Black stubborn nonsense, Mr. Granger, but if you could keep an eye on him for a bit, Bill, it would be much appreciated."

"Yes, ma'am," Bill said, far from pleased at the order.

His head turned, blinking, noticing the heads on the wall, "He's not there." He sighed in relief, grinning as he did so, repeating, "He's not there."