Black Manor

"My, do you look handsome?" Sirius said, leaning back on the couch and looking at Regulus as he came out of the room, which resulted in his younger brother sending him a death glare.

Orion also sent him a glare, his hand on Regulus' shoulder. "Don't tease your brother, Sirius."

"I wasn't," Sirius said, turning slightly from where he sat, getting a better look at his younger brother, who'd managed to don wizard robes with the help of their father, although they were draped over his shoulders, which were bare, while he wore a vest underneath. Regulus watched him, rubbing his wrists with both hands, the left slightly slower than the right.

Orion sighed. "Don't rush headlong into things, Sirius. It's one of your weak points."

Sirius let out a deep breath. "So, where do we start, Reggie?"

"By not involving Lupin any further," Regulus said. "Not that I think you're incapable, Lupin."

"No," Remus sighed. "I heard what you said earlier. You're not keen on bringing more people into this than you have to."

Regulus glanced away. "I need to speak with Grandfather, Sirius."

"Excuse me?" Sirius stiffened, glancing at Remus, who shrugged his shoulders. "You say that after telling Remus to get lost?"

"Grandfather has resources," Regulus said, looking away, still rubbing his wrists, while his right hand reached up a bit further. "And we need a base of operations. Better I think Black manor, then here and definitelyn ot Grimmauld Place." He tilted his head slightly. "Or do you want to drag the children into this?"

"That," Sirius said, then he took a deep breath. He looked away. "Point taken."

"Father's already agreed to contact him."

Sirius' eyes widened, glaring at Regulus. "You did what?"

"You're not the only one who can make decisions, Sirius."

"Says you." Sirius gritted his teeth together. "The person who didn't ask for help in the first place."

"If it's not a matter of trust," Regulus said, "It's a matter of not wanting to drag that person into my mess."

"We might not..."

"Boys!" Orion said, letting out a deep sigh. He shook his head, pulling out his wand. "This way may be fastest." He flicked his wand, and a bloodhound Patronus appeared, dashing away. "He'll expect you two soon, so you should be going. You remember how to use the Floo, Reggie?"

"Yes," Regulus said, letting out a sigh. He headed over to the fireplace and glared, mouth pressed together, not doing anything at first, but then he reached up, slightly with his left, but then he sighed, reaching for the Floo Powder quicker with his right hand. "It's been a while." He tossed the powder in, then said, "Black Manor."

He stepped in, and Sirius let out a sigh. "For a moment, I worried he'd say the wrong thing by mistake and go to the wrong place."

"Give him more credit, Sirius," Orion said. Orion nodded at Remus. "Care to stay for dinner? It may help distract the children from what's going on?"

"Me?" Remus pointed at himself. "But, I'm?"

"I'm aware," Orion said. "Thanks to a certain someone's shenanigans at school."

"Go ahead," Sirius said. "You can always use a good meal, and it's not charity if you're helping Orion keep the kid occupied. But do give him whatever help you can."

"Got it," Remus said. "And this way I don't upset your brother by helping you either."

Sirius grimaced, then stepped through the fireplace, only—

His eyes widened, then he groaned. "We don't have time for this."

Yet Regulus could not enter Black Manor with certain family members without them reacting to his sudden appearance.

"He looks utterly miserable, and I'd take delight in that misery if it weren't so important for us to be getting these Horcrux taken care of," Sirius thought. His voice strained. "Aunt Lucrettia. Nice to see you."

She glanced up from hugging Regulus close while Regulus completely stiffened up from the touch, his eyes darting over to Sirius as if to beg him to rescue him from their paternal aunt.

"I'm not rescuing you."

And then she loosened her grip, kissing Regulus on both cheeks, smiling. "I've been telling your brother how naughty he's been, making us believe him dead."

"Didn't know," Regulus said. His eyes narrowed. "Nobody came."

Her thumbs traced Regulus' cheekbones, and she took a deep breath. "You're here to see Father, the two of you?"

"Actually, I need to speak to Kreacher."

Sirius nodded his head, then startled. "Wait? What? You want to what?"

"I gave the," Regulus started to say, then he frowned, looking at their aunt with a pained expression. "You know I love you, Aunt Lu. Right?"

Her eyes blinked. "I've known that. I've always known that." She took a deep breath. "Never thought I'd hear those words come out of your mouth for anybody, dear." She reached up and brushed a lock of hair away from his face. "Let's get a good look at you."

"Aunt Lucrettia?" Sirius cleared his throat. "I think Regulus is trying to say—"

"Reggie can speak for himself, Sirius," Lucretita said, her fingers reaching out for the orthosis device on his left arm. "You've been through a lot, haven't you, dear?"

"I don't want you involved."

"Blunt!" Sirius said.

"It's alright," Lucrettia said, letting out a sigh. "You want me to say nothing to your mother?"

"I don't want to see her," Regulus said. "Ever."

Lucretia stopped. "But what about?" She took a deep breath. "What about my brother?"

"He's seen Orion," Sirius said. "Orion's at my flat watching the kids for me. At the same time, we get some things that must be taken care of. But," he continued. "I don't want you involved either."

Her lips pushed together. "Reggie? Listen to me?"

"Aunt Lucrettia!" Sirius said.

"Don't walk out on your father," she said, pinching his cheeks. "Don't do that to him again, if you can."

"I, what?" Regulus stared, confusion setting in.

"If we lose you," Lucrettia said, "We'll definitely lose Orion this time around." And then she stiffened, hearing her name called.

Sirius let out a curse. "Wait? Cissy is here?"

Regulus let out a groan.

"You don't want to see her?" Lucertia asked. "I think she would—"

"Her husband's a former Death Eater," Sirius snapped.

Lucerttia frowned, then looked right at him. "She's here speaking with Ignatius." She stiffened, hearing her name called out. She frowned. "Oh dear."

"Uncle Iggy?" Regulus said, looking pained. He glanced at Sirius.

"Right. More people that Regulus didn't want to involve." Sirius let out a sigh. "Why is she here to talk to Ignatius?"

"Well, he is a lawyer," Lucretia said. "I can't say more..." Her name was called again. "I'd best be going, but I'll tell father that the two of you are here." She paused, then nodded her head at a chalkboard at one side of the study. "I don't know what you two are up to, but I don't think Father would mind you using that to organize your thoughts, dear."

And then she was gone. Sirius sighed. "Organize your thoughts?"

"She's not wrong," Regulus said, walking over to the chalkboard.

Sirius reached out, grabbing his arm. "What are you doing?"

Which only resulted in another death glare from his brother.

"I could ask the same thing," Arctuus said, closing the door to his study. "It's nice to see you alive and well, Regulus."

"You call this well?" Sirius said, holding up Regulus' left arm.

"You're making it hard for me to use the orthosis, Sirius," Regulus hissed.

"Interesting device," Arcturus said, "But I'll speak to you about it later. My interest as a Healer can certainly wait, because you wouldn't be showing yourself after all this time if it weren't important."

"I want to involve as few people as possible," Regulus said. "I should be the only one getting hurt."

Sirius let go of Regulus' left hand and popped him on the back of the head. "Excuse me? You think I'm going to let you get hurt?" He nodded his head at Regulus' left arm, the scars visible. "After you went through that?"

"After what I made Kreacher go through?"

Sirius' eyes widened, then he threw up his hands. "Of course! Of course, the bloody House Elf would be involved."

"I left the Horcrux in—"

"Horcrux?" Arcturus said,

"Great," Sirius muttered. "What happened to not involving him?"

"Given Regulus likely found the information in my library, Sirius Orion?" Arcturus said, hobbling over to his desk. He let out a sigh. "So that's what you got yourself into." He shook his head. "Really? I'd felt you'd challenged a magical being and not finished what you started, but this?"

Sirius stiffened. "Magical being?" He sighed. "Voldemort isn't some beast."

"We are magical beings," Arcturus said, sitting down. "And he has made himself a beast, ripping his soul apart. Regulus understands what I mean."

"Wait?" Sirius said. "You're not siding with Voldemort?"

"When have I ever sided with Voldemort?"

"Always!" Sirius said.

"Actually, never," Regulus said. "I think that was more her and Bella's thing."

"And there has to be more to this than fetching some Horcrux in Kreacher's care, but I suspect you tasked the poor creature with destroying it?"

"House Elf magic," Regulus started saying.

"It's an amazing thing, Regulus, but not like that," Arcturus said.

"I know that he's only alive because of the order I gave, compelling him to come home. House Elves are able to Apparate to places wizards can't."

"And it never occurred to you to have him Apparate you out of whatever place you found that vile object in?"

Regulus' eyes blinked, his mouth opened. "I, uh?"

"You don't have to answer," Arcturus said. "I saw the kind of madness you were descending into right before you ran away from home, but I really wished you'd come to me or Orion in the first place."

"Does Orion know about the Horcrux?"

"Orion knows of their existence," Arcturus said. "Because he's actually studied, unlike you, Sirius Orion."

"Please stop calling me that."

"I won't." Arcturus took a deep breath. "If this were, as I said, just a matter of fetching a single Horcrux from Kreacher, then you wouldn't be here. So what is going on?"

"More than one." Regulus looked at Sirius. "What was the other one?"

"Something he made in his youth. A journal of sorts."

"If it helps," a voice piped up, resulting in Sirius groaning, rolling his eyes at Phineas Nigellus' portrait. "Dumbledore suspects it was in Lucius Malfoy's position."

"Wait? So I am going to have to speak with Cissy?" Regulus asked.

"I can speak with her," Sirius said. He then frowned. "No. That's not good. She won't help."

"Actually, I think she'll be more willing to help than you realize," Arcturus said. "But this does explain some things."

"What?" Sirius' eyes blinked. "What are you talking about?"