It takes two | Sirius Black

82.

Regulus stares at the building in front of him, blood soaking his shirt as he stumbles against the chained bars. He mutters is annoyance, he knew the Wizarding orphanage needed protective spells but this was taking the piss. He just needed to deliver one single letter, incase he didn't survive the final battle. He had yet to tell the family about the child he'd accidentally discovered, how was he supposed to let his brother and Kate know that their dead son had a baby? A baby he didn't even know anything about.

The little boy was identical to his Father, the first time Regulus laid eyes on the portrait he felt his heart crumble at the resemblance. The Black family genes have always been strong but Zion had really copy and pasted himself. It knocked Regulus sick how history kept on repeating itself. Selfishly he decided to keep traces of the boy hidden as best as he could, he wanted to wait until the war was over.

Elias Alexandre Devereaux had been surrendered by a terrified teenage girl after she returned home to France from a school trip to England for the Triwizard cup. She discovered she was pregnant by a boy she had met over there and shared a small fling with. Elias' Mother, Camille had no idea she was expecting until it was far too late. She had considered writing to him, informing him of the news but he'd made it very clear that he did not have feelings for her. She didn't want to ruin his life, so she kept it quite and once the baby was born, he was sent to this dump.

Regulus had heard rumours about the Durand orphanage for disadvantaged boys. The four year old would either be surrounded by hatred in a war or potential hatred in the place he'd been dumped. Regulus chose the latter, but he was starting to reconsider.

The child had only been one when Regulus had discovered the face of an unknown toothless toddler on the tapestry.  He'd found a few weeks after Zion died. It wasn't hard to figure out who he was, and he'd been quick to cover the traces the best he could. He spent just under a year trying to track the poor thing down, praying he was happy and loved by his Mother at least. It had broken his heart when he discovered the truth.

Durand looked like a prison with its high walls, chained doors and barred windows. Regulus couldn't help but wonder where the kids bright happy toys were.. the garden was empty and dry, somewhat resembling a junk yard and despite his reason for visiting, the letter in his hand.. he felt as though he could not leave his nephews son behind. Part of him already knew he wouldn't be returning to England alone.

He spots the sign hanging on the wall, asking him to tap his wand three times and he's skeptic as there are ZERO signs of life in the freaky looking building. He also knows that looks can be deceiving, so he does as it says and is sucked through the gate and finds himself at the front porch steps. It didn't seem like the best means of security but he was over questioning anything anymore.

He knocks at the door before he can change his mind, the letter still clutched tightly in hand. It creaks open slowly, he looks down and sees a house elf glaring at him. Regulus raises his eyebrows, stepping around the elf when he beckons him to come in. The inside of the building is frankly much worse than the outside and Regulus knows that he's returning to England with a child. How he was going to explain that to his brother...well. He never should've kept it from Sirius in the first place.

"Can I help you?" A sharp woman asks, her voice harsh and shallow.

Regulus turns to look at her, the woman is wearing all grey, her equally grey hair slicked back in a tight bun. She looks at Regulus' bloodied tshirt, grimacing at the sight before taking her wand out and waving it to clear the stains away.

"I'm here for a relative of mine." Regulus states, "Elias Devereaux. I won't be leaving this place without him."

The woman smirks at him, a bemused laugh escaping past her lips, "You want the boy?"