𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍 | 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺

Chapter 82 - The Invasion of Grimmauld Place

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"Goodbye for now, my dearest."

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"No."

"Regulus—,"

"Absolutely no."

"Reg, come on, mate!"

"It's out of the question, brother."

"Reggy!"

"Cease your nagging at once, Sirius. I do not have the slightest inclination of hiding inside my own house because of my daughter's gullible desire for hosting two lanky hormonal twats."

"Reg, you can't say things like that out loud!"

"You do not hold the privilege to dictate what I can or cannot voice after you called me a soggy brat!"

"Oh, come off it, Reg – it's old news. Move on! Besides, I only spoke the truth—"

Betelgeuse internally groaned as she massaged her temples; she could feel a headache coming on. She had broached the news of Sirius' offer of converting Grimmauld Place into the new headquarters of the secret organisation of Dumbledore, the Order of the Phoenix. 

Sirius quite literally buzzed with excitement, Regulus had listened to her in silence, still as a statue as a frightening pallor had conquered his noble face.

Her father had regained some of his old force only when she had asked him to allow the twins to come live with them two weeks before the established date.

Betelgeuse knew very well that grumbling about the less alarming of the issues was her father's current way of dealing with the bigger problem. How to fix the problem that, unsurprisingly, Sirius had created by offering their ancestral home as the headquarters of operations against the Dark Lord? While preventing the World from knowing of his pretend death and keeping his daughter safe.

Betelgeuse understood all of it, but it was bothersome nonetheless listening to her father and uncle bicker like two school boys.

The youngest Black heard her father sigh. "I depart tomorrow. I cannot fathom an alternative solution to this conundrum."

"Where to?" She asked, meeting Regulus' grey eyes. Her father looked like he had aged considerably. His black locks had lost their vibrancy, and his usually sharp grey eyes appeared defeated and dull.

"Kreacher, prepare my belongings. Shirts, trousers, vests and summer morning coats and frocks, if you will, and my sleeping garments. Please, arrange my books and—"

"Where," Betelgeuse insisted in a calm and detached voice, nailing her father with a piercing stare.

Regulus hesitated as Sirius sat on the green plush sofa, eyeing the two most frightening Black. The younger of the Black brothers' melodious voice cracked as he whispered, "Derbyshire."