Only the Brave

Chapter 60: Mending the broken pieces

It's with enormous curiosity and more than a little bit of trepidation that Regulus walks into Potter Manor for the first time. Without the need for secrecy and considering the Potters have possibly the largest property out of all Order members, it was agreed that this meeting would be held here.

The first thing Regulus notices is that the Potter's home is decorated with useful furniture. There's none of that fancy crap he so often finds in other pureblood houses like statues or strange art made of materials one has no business making art out of. It's a house that's been lived in, and it shows, and Regulus thinks it's the most beautiful one he's ever been in.

Before he can get emotional, he follows Sirius, Remus and James to the dining room. It has been arranged to host people around a large table with extra chairs brought around it from other rooms. Nobody is sitting. Not yet.

Immediately, James mutters that he's going in search of his parents and dives into the small crowd. To Regulus' immense relief, James didn't ask if he wanted to go meet them with him. He's not ready for that, and he can't help but love James that little bit more for knowing it without having to be told. Besides, Regulus is still battling with the barrage of things—mostly good, a few bad—that surfaced between them in the past few hours.

"Let's go have a smoke," Remus suggests, gesturing across the room to a door that Regulus suspects leads towards a garden. "We won't start for a bit. A few people are still missing."

Regulus, who has never liked a crowded room to begin with, doesn't need to be told twice. That's how he finds himself leaning against the outer wall of Potter Manor, smoking a cigarette with Remus. They lost Sirius along the way to Moody who wanted to check whether Sirius stuck to protocol and saw a mind healer following his kill (he did not).

"Sirius told me about Walburga," Remus comments after a few moments.

"No talking. I'm enjoying the quiet," Regulus says, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back against the wall.

Remus chuckles, takes a long drag of his cigarette. Fortunately, he accepts this and doesn't try to make conversation again. Regulus thinks about the bridge in school. Their patrols together as prefects.

He's glad he's somehow ended up here, with Remus Lupin for an ally. Not a friend, not yet. Perhaps not ever. He doesn't know if he's capable of making new friends. Real ones. Still, Remus is someone with whom Regulus feels a sense of kinship. They went through some shit together and that'll make you bond with people whether you want to or not.

When their cigarettes are finished, Regulus pushes himself off the wall. "Ready?"

"Yeah," Remus says, nodding. "Let's do this."

By the time they walk back inside, everyone has arrived. Most people are sitting around the table, and what do you know? Action-man is sitting right next to James and talking to him in hushed tones. James looks stern and his body language is very clearly telling the other guy that it's a no. Still, Regulus feels the ice-cold fury spread through him, urging him to do something.

Frustratingly, James was very clear. He asked Regulus not to hurt this idiot and as much as Regulus would like to strangle him, he's trying hard to show James he's not a complete monster despite the atrocities he committed during the war. Huffing under his breath, Regulus watches as the action-man sighs, runs a hand over his hair, and mutters,

"I really thought we had something good going on."

And just. No. Absolutely the fuck not. Regulus never once doubted James' loyalty. That was never the issue. He just doesn't like that this other guy thinks he has any claim over James.