UDM: Free Falling II - Seconds Away (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Out the Window

"How do you like our new home?"

Lyra stood at the bay window watching the rain fall outside before turning to look at—

The young man with curly black hair and silver-gray eyes stepped forward to look out the window, his arms crossing his chest. "You can have your choice of room, but also style it any way you wish. I'm thinking of going with blues for mine."

Her eyes blinked, a hand brushing back a strand of brown hair. "I thought you liked the color green?"

Regulus frowned, his nose wrinkling slightly. "Where did you get that idea?"

"Isn't your room at Grimmauld green?"

His silver eyes blinked. "How?"

She took a deep breath, looking at the floor.

Regulus' eyes narrowed, focusing on the rain falling outside. "Never mind. I'm not the type of person to pry into such matters." He didn't notice her open her mouth to protest yet said, "So don't worry about telling me or anyone else how you know the things you do."

Lyra shuffled her feet, looking at them.

"And grandfather isn't going to ask questions either," Regulus said. "But I guess he and I are the only ones in the family you should be worrying about regarding what we think, I guess?"

"I, um," Lyra stammered, unable to say anything. She turned away from the window and walked into the drawing room of the flat Regulus picked out for their new home, entirely with the blessing of—

"For your information, yes, it is green," Regulus said, walking over to one of the couches and sitting down, arms still folded across his chest, his facial features remaining emotionless, a stark contrast to the flood of emotions when she'd first met him and saved him in the cave. "Folly of youth, I guess?"

"What am I supposed to do," Lyra said. "What am I supposed to call him?"

Regulus turned to look at her, not making eye contact despite looking right at her, which made her shuffle from one foot to another.

"Well, legally. But age-wise."

"I think it should be your choice, Lyra," Regulus said. "Whether you call him grandfather or father, although I'd prefer..." He tilted his head. "I guess I consider you my sibling?"

"Yes!" Lyra blurted out. "Because it feels bizarre being your aunt. You're like, um—how old are you?"

"Seventeen," Regulus said, sitting on the gray couch as the furniture the flat came with was quite drab in that regard. "And you?"

"Eleven."

"So you'll be getting your Hogwarts letter soon?"

"Oh, no!" Lyra said, lifting her hands in protest. "Absolutely not! I mean, I'm not magical at all! Right?"

"You're not magical?" Regulus asked, then took a deep breath, shaking his head. "Uh-uh. You definitely knew a spell—you used magic to save me in the cave, remember?"

"In the cave?" Lyra stammered, not wanting to remember.

"Incendio," Regulus said calmly. "I believe that's the spell you used on the Infiri. Quite the spell for a first year, although perhaps the fact your magic is yet uncontrolled worked to our advantage in that situation?"

"The Infiri?" Lyra's throat tightened, her mind trying to block out the memory of the dead bodies, the ones Voldemort killed, coming out of the lake to kill the two of them. "The Infiri, the Infiri."

"Sorry, sorry," Regulus muttered, his voice softening. "I'm still having nightmares as well, although I doubt that's much help. But, I'm going to try and be strong."

"Why?"

"Because I think that's what older brothers are supposed to do?"

Lyra's eyes blinked, her eyes on the floor, her hands clenched at her side. "Older brother."

"It's—well, I assume that's the case. Sirius was never..." Regulus took a deep breath. "Truth be told, I actually got along better with Potter than I did my own brother."

Lyra's head jolted up. "Wait? You're not jealous of James?"

Regulus' mouth hung open slightly. "James? Did I..." He glanced at the ceiling. "When we were at the Ministry of the Magic the other day or before that?"

"What?"

"No. I did mention Potter's first name. Back when you said—when," Regulus stumbled over his words. "Harry. Harry Potter. And the books are named after him?"

"Probably not anymore, though," Lyra said.

"I'm not sure," Regulus said, waving his wand and lighting a fire in the fireplace. "It is a bit damp in here, with the rain, but there is no need for this place to be anywhere near as gloomy as Grimmauld Place. I might ask Pandora and Lovegood for suggestions for brightening the place up.

"Luna's parents?" Lyra's eyes blinked. "Wait. You referred to her mother..."

Regulus stiffened. "Uh-I..." He took a deep breath. "Could we perhaps leave the names of my cousin's firstborn child a surprise?"

"You mean like Narcissa Malfoy's?" Lyra said.

Regulus stared. Then he let out a laugh. "That—I, oh!"

A smile broke across his face, the first sign of emotion to break his emotionless mask. Lyra stood there. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Well, just that Cissy and Lulu have been trying for some time," Regulus said, laughing. "But knowing they'll get to have a child before they know—she's going to kill me!"

"That's not a laughing matter!" Lyra said, stomping her foot. "Particularly, given you're not even supposed to be alive!"

Regulus' eyes blinked. "Ah. The cave." He took a deep breath. "Narcissa won't actually kill me. I'm not exactly good at keeping secrets, though, hence—well, it's why I decided as I did only for a change of plans when you showed up. I'm glad, actually, to be alive." He let out a laugh. "And I've got a sibling now." Then, the laugh faltered, his head turning away. "Sorry. I'm not good at this whole social thing, but Sirius always said..."

"If grandfather and you are the only ones I need to worry regarding what you think, then grandfather and I..." Lyra said, clapping her hands over her mouth.

"This is," Regulus muttered. "Why don't you go ahead and pick out your room?"

"But it's so big, with so many rooms? How can you afford this? We can afford this."

"I'm a Black," Regulus said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Grandfather, then?"

Regulus' eyes blinked, his head tilting slightly. "Well, we can rely on him, but we don't need to. I've invested in some things. Have my own fortune." He let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Mind you. It was a grandfather who taught me about investing when Sirius ran away from home."

"Ah."

"I know this doesn't feel like home yet, whatever that feeling may be, but we should make ourselves comfortable."

"At home," Lyra said, nodding her head.

"Yes."