The Son of Lord Voldemort

Chapter 110

Sirius smiled as he listened to Tonks tell him all about her day. He had spent weeks dealing with the aftermath that was the horror of the World Cup. All those deaths, and all of the fear that they caused — sometimes he didn't know which was worse. The only good thing, and he felt horrible for thinking that something good came out of that night of hell, was that Tonks was doing better. Having to push her pain aside to help people had actually made her feel like her old self. The World Cup, and then going back to her job as an auror, had truly helped her.

"—needless to say, we had him in a holding cell by day's end," Tonks finished her story with a grin.

"That sounds like some day," Sirius said, sounding like a proud father or uncle.

"It was," Tonks agreed. She dug a spoon full of purple ice cream out of her cup and took it all in one bite.

"Sometimes I wonder if I should go back to being an auror," Sirius said offhandedly.

"That would be awesome!" Tonks grinned. "Although, it's still hard for me to believe that you were ever an auror."

Sirius puffed out his chest. "I was an excellent auror."

"I dare say, excellent is much too strong a word," a cold voice said.

Sirius' body went rigid. He watched as Tonks' entire demeanor changed, her shoulders hunched in defensively and her eyes narrowed into slits. Sirius hadn't heard that voice in more than thirteen years. He had known the day would come when he'd hear it again, he just hadn't planned on it being so soon. Sirius looked to the right and he had to force down a growl.

"Hello, Sirius," Regulus Black said coolly.

"Regulus," Sirius glared at his brother.

"Is this what you've been doing since you're…release?" Regulus asked mockingly, and Sirius' eye twitched at the word "released." They both knew he'd still be in Azkaban had he not escaped. "Eating ice cream and living in the past?"

"What I do with my time is none of your concern," Sirius snapped.

"Concern? Oh, no, you misunderstand me," Regulus said smoothly, a condescending smile on his face, "as concern implies I'm worried or anxious, you could not be farther from my truth. I'm merely surprised that given the current state of things in Britain you're spending your time relaxing. Shouldn't you be preparing yourself for what's to come?"

Sirius felt a surge of hatred so strong that it threatened to obliterate all thought.

"Are you threatening me?" Sirius asked, his voice deceptively calm.

"Have you ever known me to make threats?" Regulus asked. "No. I'm merely attempting to engage in friendly conversation."

"Nothing about you is ever friendly," Sirius said. "So why don't you go to hell, and take the rest of our," he spit the word out, "supposed family with you, starting with Bellatrix."

Regulus smile vanished and his face contorted into something inhuman. A spark of something feral appeared in his eyes, and a chill ran down Sirius' spine. For a moment, Sirius thought he was looking at a demon from another world.

"I'm sure that one day I'll find myself in hell, but not anytime soon," Regulus said coolly. He glanced at Tonks and his smile reappeared. "Hello, Nymphadora." Tonks scowled. "Rabastan says hello."