February 10th, 1996

"How are you and Sirius doing?" I asked.

Remus took a chip from his plate and examined it before setting it back down on his plate.

"We're okay," Remus replied. "Things are tense because of the war, but nowhere near as bad as things were between us fifteen years ago."

During the twelve years that Sirius was in Azkaban, I learned a lot from Remus about what went down between them during the war. This was when we both thought that Sirius was guilty, when the whole world thought he was at fault for the deaths of James and Lily Potter, when I thought he was the other Death Eater that helped kill my family.

"Well, that's a start," I said, taking a bite of my food.

Remus shrugged, "It's difficult, but I guess that's how things have always been between us."

Sirius thought Remus was the spy. Remus was going away from long periods of time during the first war, and couldn't tell anyone where he was going, what he was doing, or when he would be back. So Sirius took this as a sign of betrayal, a sign that Remus was the spy.

They fought a lot.

"Do you still argue all the time like you used to?" I questioned.

Remus shook his head. "Sometimes," He answered, "But not constantly. I don't feel like I'm constantly fighting with him."

"That's good," I said.

When Remus returned from a mission and was told three of his best friends were murdered and the one person he loves most in this world was at fault for it, that's when shit got bad.

"What about you and Regulus?"

I looked up at Remus to see that he had started to eat his food and he was waiting for me to answer him.

"We're good," I replied. "We really only fought about not going on missions together, because of the boys, but I'm just worried about Atlas and Elio."

"How come?" Remus asked.

I shrugged, "I'm scared. That somethings going to happen to them, or that I won't be able to protect them from all of this."

"You can only protect them so much," Remus said. "But it's good to be scared. It means you have something to lose."

"I guess you're right. I can't keep them sheltered forever."

Remus sighed, "Unfortunately not."

We fell into a comfortable silence as we ate the rest of our food. We were out for our weekly lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. The pub was almost empty, probably due to the fact that it's been snowing for the past 72 hours and no one wants to brave the blizzard for a pint and some fish and chips.

Our plates were cleared away, and we were left only with our pints of butterbeer.

"You know, I think Tonks has a thing for you," I stated, slouching back into the booth.

"You think so?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded, "Yeah, it looks like she's got a bit of a crush."

"Hm, she must not know about me and Sirius then."

"Everyone knows about you and Sirius," I claimed.

Remus sighed, "I guess that's true. She'll have to get in line then."

I stifled a laugh. "She'll be waiting awhile then," I said.

"Eh, I give it six months or so before Sirius and I have a massive fight or he just gets sick and tired of me," Remus joked.

"Oh hush, don't even talk like that," I teased.

Remus laughed, "Merlin, you are such a mum."

"Jesus, I sound like Molly," I muttered.

"Only five kids to go then," Remus said.

I shook my head. "Hell no," I replied, "Two is enough."

- - - - -

Regulus Black

Meredith is at lunch with Remus, which means that I'm in the study, flipping through stacks of parchment. I have years of research sitting in front of me, years of notes and theories, and I still have nothing.

I have theories, loads of them, but no actual way to test them.

I should've never given up the Horcrux to Dumbledore. It's been almost 15 years since I handed the locket over to him before my trial, and I have yet to hear about it since. It could be destroyed for all I know.

I looked over my notes.

The killing curse (would this work on an inanimate Horcrux?)

Basilisk venom

Years of research and this was all I could come up with. It's pathetic really.

I feel like Dumbledore is keeping something from me, from all of us. I can't explain it but I have this feeling that he's hiding something. I haven't told Meredith, I don't want to worry her.

Maybe it's because I've never trusted him.

I haven't trusted him since I went to him in Seventh Year and told him about the Horcrux, only for him to tell me that I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I haven't trusted him since he told me he could make my trial quick if I gave up the locket to him.

I put all of my parchment back into a stack and put them back into the desk drawer, which I cast a locking spell on.

The snow was coming down hard outside of the window. It blanketed the yard in a sheet of white, and made it look bright outside despite the fact that the sky was a shade of dark gray.

I got up from the desk and ran a hand through my hair as I paced the study.

I don't trust Dumbledore.

He's hiding something.

He knows something.

So many thoughts are running through my head that I can feel a migraine coming on. There's the Horcruxes, the secrets kept surrounding those, and then-, then there is Meredith.

My mind goes back to the day we met again in Athens, almost 15 years ago.

"I don't know who the other one was. My memory of the night is foggy, I think it was tampered with."

She had no idea who attacked her family. When Sirius was convicted, Meredith just assumed that he might have been involved.

Then Peter Pettigrew turned back up.

He was guilty. He's the reason the Potter's were killed, why Sirius went to Azkaban, why Meredith's entire family was killed.

When Meredith found out the truth almost two years ago, she said it was like the fog had been lifted off of her head.

"So he knows that you're still alive?"

She nodded, "Yes. Him and Dumbledore, that's it."

Only true people saw Meredith before she left. Jack, and Dumbledore.

I grew up with Barty, and he's far too stupid to successfully alter someone's memory, and from what I've heard from Sirius, Peter was useless when it came to complicated spells.

That leaves Jack and Dumbledore.

It's like I can physically feel all of the puzzle pieces coming together in my head.

Dumbledore knew. He knew that Peter was the spy. He tampered with Meredith's memory, maybe even Jack's. He knew who the spy was three months before James and Lily's location in Godric's Hollow was given up.

It's all his fault.

I don't even hear Meredith get home until the study door is cracked open and she walks in, still wearing her coat.

"Hello, love," She said, kissing me on the cheek. Meredith glanced at me. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

I shook my head. "No, of course not. I was just spacing out."

Meredith gave me a small smile. "You should get some more sleep, Reg," She said, brushing my hair out of my face.

"I know," I replied, leaning into her touch.