Between Fine Lines

Two.

The only other person they ended up allowing in the office was Minerva.

The group sat in silence for a while, the house elves from the kitchen bringing up various cookies, pastries, coffee and tea. Ron had dozed off in a sitting position on the floor, his hand lightly holding Hermione's as she sat next to him, reading a book about elf magic she had helped herself to from Dumbledore's collection and sipping her coffee. Harry sat on a stool, his eyes going from Mcgonagall to Remus to Regulus as they spoke.

"What are we going to do with him?" Remus questioned from where he was leaning against the table. "Sirius is on a mission with Kreacher, he's not to be pulled out in case of an emergency-and I do not want to explain this to Shacklebolt- not yet, after everything that happened here tonight."

"Kreacher is still alive?" Regulus perked up a bit from where he was pushing around a cookie in his tea. Hermione moves her eyes from the book on her lap to Regulus. "Yes, your house elf is still around for you to abuse," she commented, sarcasm dripping from her tone with venom. Regulus scowled, "I do not abuse Kreacher, I always treated our house elves with respect."

Hermione blinked a few times, perking up at Regulus' words, pulling her hand from Ron carefully as she pushed to get off the floor. "I started a club for elf rights," she informed him. Harry couldn't help but hide his eye roll, "Not the time to discuss SPEW, Hermione."

"It's not SPEW, its S.P.E.W.," Hermione corrected, an irritation in her tone. Ron stirred a bit from his spot on the floor, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "What's happening?" he questioned groggily, looking around.

"Summer begins in just a few days, Regulus can return to Grimmauld Place with you," Minerva insisted, looking at Remus.

"Absolutely not, I don't know when Sirius will be back, I can't just surprise him with this, can't just bring Regulus around Order members-what if I end up on a mission?" Remus shook his head, pushing the sleeves of his sweater up as he crossed his arms.

"Well we cannot send him with Harry to the Dursleys, perhaps to the Weasley family?" Minerva pondered, peering at Regulus over her glasses. "Although, I would hate to burden Molly with another person to feed and watch over, especially since Regulus doesn't have a wand, and might not even be able to do magic."

"He can stay with me," Hermione began. "We have a guest bedroom, my parents know about magic, and like you said, he doesn't have a wand, nor do we know if he can still do magic, so the muggle world is probably the safest place to hide him right now-nobody would recognize him."

"Wait..." Regulus paused, looking at Harry. "Where's your parents?"

"Dead," Harry spat unhappily at him. "Thanks to Peter Pettigrew and Tom Riddle."

Regulus raises his brows, "Peter Pettigrew? What the hell did I miss?" he questioned incredulously, looking from Harry to Remus, who was silently shaking his head, trying to deter the conversation.

"And you live in the Muggle world?" Regulus questioned, looking from Harry to Hermione. "Are you a Mudblood or something?"

At the use of that particular word, Ron was suddenly wide awake, jumping to his feet with his wand pointed at Regulus. "You do not call Hermione that!" he exclaimed angrily, moving to crowded Reggie's space in an intimidating manner.

"Ron, stop," Hermione insisted, putting a hand on his chest to prevent him from moving any further past her. "He doesn't know any better. Just because Sirius shed his blood prejudice brainwashing at a young age doesn't mean that Regulus was the same. He's basically another Draco Malfoy."

"Malfoy?" Regulus muttered. "That asshole had a kid?"

"Thankfully only one," Remus muttered under his breath, looking away from Minerva's glare as Harry started to snicker.

"As we were discussing," Minerva commented, looking at Remus and Harry, brow raised. "Miss Granger, are you sure you want to do this?" she questioned, looking at Hermione, her face softening but still serious in stature.

"Yes Professor, Regulus can stay with my family and I for the summer break holiday."

"Probably better off at Hermione's anyway," Ron added in. "Talk like that in my house and you'll get hexed seven different ways," he gave Regulus a look, still upset at how the Black heir had spoken about his friend.

"Well, if Regulus here acts anything like Malfoy did in third year, I think Hermione will be able to handle it," Harry replied, a small smirk playing on his lips. Ron looked to his best friend and the two of them began to laugh.

"Is there something I should understand here?" Minerva questioned, causing Remus to shake his head, an amused expression on his face.

"Probably better if you don't."

"Alright then, the decision has been made. Mr. Black will stay within the Headmaster's quarters until summer time, where I will then personally escort him and Miss Granger back to her home."

"You will behave," Remus threatened to Regulus, pointing a finger at him. "Hermione did not have to offer her home up to you, we could just as easily lock you up in a classroom all summer."

Regulus looked at his brother's friend, raising his hands up, palms open in mock innocence. "I will behave... and I am grateful I do not have to stay here-although I do love the library."

Hermione's face lit up a bit at Regulus' words... maybe having him stay with her for the summer wouldn't be so bad after all.