Redemption and Reconciliation

Chapter 4

Regulus spent the rest of the day with his friends, everyone trying to hold themselves together. Summer was Amara's little sister, only a year separating them. Tristan loved her. And to the rest of them, she was a part of their family, someone they'd burn the world for.

Amara had passed out from crying, and was asleep on the couch. Tristan had taken some Dreamless Sleep, after endless coaxing by Rose. She and Kol had helped Afi bring Summer back.

She was in bad shape, with cuts and bruises, and a large gash down her face. Summer had probably been under the Cruciatus for some time, and Kol's healing was the only thing that had kept her alive. Pale but alive, she was unconscious in the spare room.

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Age three. A broken vase and split cheek. Age four, walking into the house coated in mud after playing in the rain; bruise. Age seven, a fight between Sirius and Walburga; broken shelf, broken fingers. Age ten, the heir's sorting; the spare is under the Cruciatus.

Regulus sat up, panting. Afreen opened an eye, noticed his state, and sat up.

"Reggie, come here," she whispered, patting the spot next to her. He rolled over, putting his head on her clavicle. She pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"What time is it," he whispered.

"Half past six. The sun just rose. Are you alright?" Afi cradled his head.

"Yeah," he rasped. He reached over to the nightstand, and picked up a glass of water, finished it one gulp, and put it back down. "Just you know, the normal."

"I'm half tempted to burn Grimmauld down right now," Afreen said, lying down. She pulled him down with her and cuddled up to him.

"Mhh, wish you could, but we need a place to keep the Horcruxes," he mumbled.

"Take Rose with you," she whispered. "I know it's dangerous, Reggie. I know you're doing what's best. But she'll watch your back."

"I know you don't trust Sirius, mon amour. Neither do I, not completely. But he won't leave me there. If not anything else, that I can guarantee. And Kreacher said that only one human can go. Two humans is already pushing it."

"Just, please, come home," she requested. Afi let out a little sigh of contentment as he put an arm around her.

"I promise."

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Sirius woke up on the couch, staring at a picture of hyacinths. He jumped, before registering the fact that it was a part of the wedding planner. Remus just muttered in his sleep, before opening his eyes.

"My neck hurts," he groaned.

"You fell asleep on top of me. How do you think I feel?" Remus curled back into the couch, grabbing a throw blanket. "When are you going to meet your brother?"

"Around eleven, I think." He pushed Remus into the couch, elbowing for more room. "Moony, does it make me a bad person to say that I don't completely trust him? I mean, he let me into his home, let me meet his children, and trusted me to go with him to an epicly dangerous mission. Yet, I keep wondering if he's as done with our mother as he says."

"It's not wrong, Sirius. There's a lot of shared history between the two of you. Most of it is bad. And I know you probably don't want to hear this, but I don't think his wife trusts you completely either. Did you notice, she wasn't too far from her wand while we were there?"