Two Steps Ahead, He Turns Back With A Smile

ACT XXIII: DEADMAN WALKING, A BROTHERS' BOND

Regulus opened his eyes for the very first time in what he can assume a long while. His body felt light, airy...and disconnected.

He turned to the man who "awakened" him in a daze.

Memories came flooding in at that very moment, "I died...I died?" He whispered to himself, not minding the man who watched him with intrigued eyes.

"Regulus Black." The man called out once more.

Regulus felt his body involuntarily shake at the sound of his name.

The man calling him excluded a dangerous yet authoritative aura. An aura that demanded his attention, one that he can't help being drawn to like a moth to a flame.

"Yes?" He finally whispers a response.

The man finally introduces himself, "I'm Cepheus Potter-Black. I'm also known as Lord Potter, a pleasure."

"Black?" Regulus whispers in surprise to himself.

"Yes Black, my mother is Dorea Black-Potter. Your mother's aunt." Cepheus clarified, although the much younger boy did not ask.

Cepheus stared at the now standing yet slightly floating ghost? No, not quite ghost. His body is still alive somewhere. A soul is a better term than ghost.

Though Cepheus was quite surprised the younger boy's body was still alive considering a long time has passed since his "death".

"You died." Cepheus stated the obvious.

"I know." Regulus replied calmly, having already accepted his fate.

"Am I a ghost?" He asks the man, Cepheus Potter. A feeling lingered in his mind that the man wasn't ordinary.

"Not quite."

Regulus shook his head, "what do you mean? Am I not one?" He asks again looking down at his ghostly transparent hands.

"Your body is still alive."

Regulus' eyes comically widen as his calm demeanor dropped, "What?!"

"How?" He softly asks in disbelief, not asking the question to anyone in particular.

"Do you know where you died?"

"Yes. Exactly. I can't forget."

***

Regulus stretched his legs as the inferi cowered away from Cepheus, who smiled kindly back at him whenever he caught his glance.

"Any questions?"

"What year is it?" Regulus asks as he stretched his bones.

"1991."

Regulus' eyes widened. 'Has it really been that long?'

There was one question that Regulus really wanted to ask.

"How is my family...are they okay?" He politely asks with a feeling of desperation. He needed to know.

Cepheus looked around the cave before responding. "Orion and Walburga Black passed away not long after you did."

"I..I see..." Regulus twisted his fingers. "What about... what about... Sirius..is he alive?"

"Sirius..." Cepheus sighed. "It's a bit complicated, it's better if he told you himself. He will be happy to know his beloved younger brother is alive."

***

Sirius arrived at the Haven Manor with enthusiasm after receiving a patronus message from Cepheus' raven, Kuro.

"MY LOVELY GODCHILDREN I'M HEREEEEE!!!" He shouted as he walked into Cepheus' home.

"I—" , he stopped in his tracks.

His hand holding the doorknob shook. "Regulus..." he whispered softly.

Regulus looked at his rugged yet neat looking older brother who aged quite a bit. "Brother..."

Sirius' eyes burned, "He's dead. Don't play jokes like this Cepheus! This isn't funny! COME OUT HERE! Stop playing jokes on me....he's dead. Please stop, don't do this...."

Regulus watched his usual confident brother break down. His eyes filled with burning tears, "I'm alive. It's me, Regulus."

Sirius bit his lip and charged at the imposter and gripped his arms, "He's dead. Who are you? How dare you wear his face. He's dead... he's dead..."

Regulus winched at the bone breaking grip on his arms.

Cepheus who was watching quietly, finally made an appearance.

"He's actually Regulus Black, your brother."

Sirius let go of the imposter and turned to Cepheus, "Why... why did you play this sick joke on me?"

"It's really him."

"Don't lie!"

"It's really him, Sirius. He's not an imposter, I saved him when I was looking for something."

Sirius' mind cleared up a bit, "if he really is my brother then..." he turned to the imposter who rubbed his bruised arms.

"If you're really him... tell me something only he knows about me."

Regulus glanced at Cepheus, who walked away up the stairs leaving the brothers alone. Gathering his courage he confidently walked to Sirius and whispered into his ear.

Sirius' eyes widened and facial expression fell into confusion and wonder (and a bit of hope).

"It's really me brother." Regulus said once more.

"Brother..." Sirius finally accepted that the imposter was actually his younger brother.

"You're back. You're alive. Where have you been? Do you know how much I missed you, how our parents cried for the first time in front of me?" Sirius whimpered, trying to hold back his tears.

Regulus hugged his brother in tears, "I'm back brother."

Sirius sobbed.

***
A/N: Okay.. realistically Regulus was probably turned into an inferi himself after he was dragged away to his death.

But hear me out, this is FAN FICTION aka a means for my copium to come true lmao

Also my eyes were in tears writing this. Siri... Reggie 😭