Upside Down Mirror: A Grim Tale (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Boots to the Desk

"Don't," the boy hissed, "underestimate me."

Moody responded by leaning back and putting his boot-clad feet onto the desk again. "You mean like Voldemort did?" He watched Regulus flinch, his eyes widening, yet the boy said nothing and thus his suspicions went unconfirmed. Moody couldn't blame the boy, given the fact he likely didn't know who he could trust from the other side. Instead of pushing, he instead pushed a button on his desk. "Can you send Dawlish in as soon as he comes on shift? Let him know it involves the prisoner from this morning's incident."

They then sat there, with Regulus glaring at him, not at all frightened by Moody's presence, completely stubborn like his older brother. Eventually, Dawlish arrived, taking in the boy's presence carefully. "Sir?"

"I'd like you to escort Mr. Black here to Azkaban."

"He's a child," the other Auror stated, making it clear he didn't like the situation.

"I'm seventeen, thank you very much," Regulus stated. Thankfully, the boy hadn't gone back to his nervous habit of sucking the knuckle of his left hand, likely his dominant one given where the healer found his wand.

"Bloody hell! It's only January, which means you've not yet taken your N.E.W.T.s! And..."

Moody was sure Dawlish planned on mentioning the fact the young man in front of them was also injured only for Regulus to interrupt. "So? I'm a Death Eater. That means I get thrown into Azkaban, right?"

"And Moody just left you sitting here as if you weren't a threat," Dawlish barked back, far from amused.

"I have his wand."

"You of all people know about wandless magic Moody."

"Well, we can't do anything about him turning himself in, can we?" Moody piped up. "Crouch will throw more of a fuss if we don't toss him in there than if we let him wander around free." Moody removed his feet from the desk. "Plus, you know as well as I what happens to those who defect, so let's put him where he's safe."

"I told you not to underestimate me," Regulus growled.

"I'm not. It takes a lot of guts to have gotten into his inner circle and then leave it."

"Has he named anyone? You know Crouch will want to know if he's named anybody?"

"So, you're actually suggesting we go and arrest Bellatrix Lestrange and make Voldemort aware we have someone who can give us information? Plus, we've got the problem of Regulus not having actually observed any of the crimes let alone actually committed any." This brought on a few curses from Dawlish. "Yes. That's a mess Crouch will not want to deal with, a Death Eater whose only crime is being a Death Eater."

"Isn't that enough?" Regulus stated, which sounded a bit naïve, but then that particular trait may very well have allowed the boy to hear things others let slip.

"Of course it's not!" Dawlish muttered.

"I have the Dark Mark," Regulus muttered.

"Well, you're fully aware of how stubborn a Black can be Dawlish," Moody chuckled. "And a Potter for that matter."

"Good lord. I knew there was something familiar about him."

"I'm not like Sirius!" Regulus snapped.

"No. Your smarter than he is, but we must make sure that what's happened to all the other Death Eaters who've defected doesn't happen to you. As such, you're going to Azkaban, and Dawlish and those he feels he can trust are going to see you're kept safe. You get your way, we get ours. Of those in the training program, Potter is definitely a choice, but I suggest you keep Sirius Black away from his younger brother."

"Told you, we're not..." Regulus let out a sigh, looking away. "Never mind. It's no use arguing with you, is it?"

"No, It's not."

"Kingsley's another option. Just finished the training program, but I've got a few others in mind. I get the message about being careful." The man looked at Regulus. "And I'm guessing you'll come without a fight?"

"You don't have to look so displeased," Regulus snapped before muttering something about how they should be grateful for an easy catch. Moody let out a laugh, knowing full well Dawlish's displeasure came from putting someone so young into Azkaban, yet in the back of his mind he had the feeling, given Regulus was indeed a Black, that he could put up quite the fight if he wanted to, though given his injuries, possibly not tonight.

"And not a word. Mind you. Crouch is likely to find out, and what happened might still end up leaked to the public, but let's keep as much under wraps as possible."

"Alright." Dawlish let out a sigh. "Come along."

Regulus followed Dawlish out while Moody tapped his fingers on his desk, before moving to his fireplace knowing what he needed to do next. With a flick of the wrist, he lit the fire and with another summoned his Patronus and sent it off with the message. Soon, a man in colorful robes and half-moon spectacles stepped through the Floo. "Moody. You said it was most urgent that you speak to me."

"Well, it will likely leek out soon enough, but we had an incident here at the ministry Dumbledore," Moody walked over to his desk and put his boots up.

"You don't seem at all phased, so I'm assuming nothing malicious happened, for which I'm thankful, but you still seem to think this is important."

"Well, unless you count the fact our morning's visitor tangled with Infiri before coming here and turning himself in, no."

"Are you saying a Death Eater actually walked into the Ministry of Magic and turned themselves in?" Dumbledore narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

"Regulus Black," Moody stated. He watched the facial features of Hogwart's headmaster falter. "You don't seem happy about that," Moody noted the way Dumbledore turned his head so he might look at the seat Regulus sat in only a few minutes before, taking in the additional stains in his office.

"I'd heard rumors, but don't make a habit of checking the left forearms of my students in hopes they might be more willing to turn to myself or one of the other teachers. Particularly Slughorn, as he's the head of Slytherin. Regulus though..." Dumbledore shook his head. "You won't find a single teacher with anything but positive things to say about the boy. Everyone expected a bright future ahead of him, not this."

"Then you'll definitely be interested in what I have to say regarding the matter."