Chapter Text
Harry
Harry slung his backpack over his shoulder as he climbed off the overcrowded and rickety bus. He was sweating profusely and his shirt was sticking to his back, he was not at all prepared for this type of heat, especially not after spending two hours in a packed bus from the airport. He sighed heavily and stopped at a small shop to buy a bottle of lemonade to cool off. It was the middle of August, extremely hot, and he wondered why he hadn’t waited for a more temperate time to make this journey. He sat outside the shop and gulped the lemonade in a few long mouthfuls before wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The sounds of Elvis Presley filtered out from the shop across the quiet square. He turned to see the bemused face of the shop keeper looking at his frazzled state on his doorstep. Harry smiled weakly before noticing the phone on the wall at the back of the shop. He darted in again and said a quick “bonjour” to the shop keeper with a nervous smile. He gave the man an odd sort of curtsey and he wasn’t sure why. He frowned and quickly made his way over to the phone, embarrassed by his own awkwardness. He entered a few coins and dialled the number for home. He tapped impatiently on the plastic receiver and waited a long while for anyone to pick up, he supposed they’d all be out on the farm. Eventually, Sirius did pick up.
“Hello?”
“Hey Pop, it’s me,” he said.
“Harry! Did your flight go okay? What was it like?” Sirius asked keenly.
“Yes great,” Harry said quickly. He didn’t want to mention that it had been absolutely terrifying, and he had jolted around in the sky so violently he was sure they were about to plummet straight to the ground, and he’d hated every moment. “Landed a few hours ago, just made it into town,” he said.
“Oh great. Tell me what was it like? I have to come with you next time. I haven’t been up in one for so long,” Sirius’ voice drifted off as he undoubtedly thought about his time in the RAF. Harry knew from experience that this could quickly descend into a long story about the intricate workings of a plane and his complex maneuverers during the war and so he quickly moved on. Not that he didn’t love to hear the stories, but right now he had somewhere to be.
“Is Pa around? Tell him I got in safe, but I best be off.” Harry said.
“Right, of course. Let us know how things are going. Love you,”
“Love you” Harry quickly replied before hanging up the receiver. He smiled at the shopkeeper who had been watching him quite unnervingly this entire time and quickly shimmied his way out of the shop before he could embarrass himself any further.
He pulled a map from out of his bag and studied its pages as he wandered through the small medieval streets that were canopied by draping trees and brilliant sunshine. He found himself in front of a small stone cottage, there were blooming lilacs and sweet smelling lavender bushes outside of it. There was a man crouched down besides the gate. He was pulling weeds from the flowerbed and patting the soil down with his hands. Harry recognised him at once, even after ten years. He didn’t look so different, maybe a few grey hairs and a new maturity in his face, but he was still the Regulus Harry remembered. Harry approached and stood by the gate, feeling awkward and suddenly very aware that he hadn’t announced his visit.
He was about to say something when Regulus stood up and brushed his hands on his trousers. He stretched his neck and squinted into the sun, as he turned towards the gate he jolted in shock when he spotted Harry standing limply by the gate.
“James?” Harry’s stomach dropped and Regulus seemed to realise his mistake in the same moment the word left his mouth. He stepped back, uneasy on his feet as Harry smiled weakly at him and waved.
“Hi Uncle Reg,” he said.
“Harry,” Regulus said finally. Harry decided it was probably best not to mention the slip of the name, it happened quite often now from people who had known James. He had seen pictures of his father, so he had to agree he did look remarkably similar to him, but it was still strange to be directly addressed by the name.
“I- um… I hope you don’t mind me turning up,” Harry blathered. He was terrible at this, he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly as Regulus’ remained staring at him as if he’d seen a ghost. “I just… well I thought I’d come and see you.”
Regulus nodded appearing to finally come to himself. “Of course!” he said quickly. He darted forwards and opened the gate, gesturing for Harry to enter. Harry smiled thankfully and walked up to the terracotta orange front door. He followed Regulus through the house, and he looked around himself as he walked through the front room. Pictures adorned the wall of people Harry had never seen before, pale pink curtains flapped gently as a breeze filtered through the house and there were yellow tulips in a vase by the window.
Regulus led Harry out into the garden. There was a small patio that sat directly in the sun and the garden was overflowing with flowers and trees. It was very beautiful. Harry took a seat at the patio table and sat stiffly as Regulus rushed around. He darted into the kitchen and returned with a large jug of water and a bottle of wine. He appraised it awkwardly for a moment before hurrying back inside and returning with a plate of cheese, meat, and bread.
“Is that okay? I can make something more substantial if you want,” he asked. Harry heard the frantic note in Regulus’ voice, and he felt guilty that he hadn’t phoned to warn him of his arrival.
“No this is great. Thank you,” he replied. There was an odd sort of formality between them and Regulus stood beside him as he poured them both a large glass of cold white wine. Regulus ran a hand through his hair and looked around himself, clearly looking for something he had missed. When he couldn’t find anything, he sat down next to Harry and lifted his glass in a toast. Harry returned the gesture and took a long sip of the refreshingly cool wine. They sat in silence for a long while. Harry kept drinking for an almost comically long amount of time as he tried to think of what to say. He didn’t anticipate it being this awkward, although knowing him, he probably should have.
“I arrived on the plane-”
“How was the jour-”
They both spoke at the same time and chuckled slightly as they interrupted each other.
“I got here this morning,” Harry continued. “I just wanted to visit, I hope it’s okay.”
“Yes, you’re always welcome Harry,” Regulus replied. They fell into another tense silence and watched the gently waving trees in the breeze. “You can stay as long as you want. How’s things back home?”
“Oh good yes,” Harry said, keen to find a thread of conversation. “Same as always. I’m taking some time off before going to university. Ron and Hermione have already left so it’s a bit quiet.”
“Mmm,” Regulus agreed. “What about Dean? He must be how old now?”
“Fourteen. He’s taken over ownership of the hideaway,” Harry huffed a laugh. “It’s him, Lily, and Neville there all the time together now.”
“Neville is Frank’s boy?” Regulus asked. Harry realised that they’d probably never met. Frank had moved to Godric’s Hollow when Neville was already four years old. Apparently James’ constant chatter about how beautiful and quaint the place was had convinced him to move with Alice.
“Yep,” Harry replied. Why was he talking about his friends and the hideaway? It was a ridiculous thing to be talking about after all these years and with so much unsaid between them. He huffed slightly and twirled his wine glass between his fingers as he tried to think of something to break through the awkwardness. “Oh! I have something for you,” he said suddenly. Regulus’ eyebrows raised and he watched curiously as Harry leant down and reached into his backpack. He pulled out a small cloth pouch and handed it over to Regulus.
Regulus took it in his hand inquisitively and opened the drawstring at the top. He pulled out the silver chain and ornate locket and gasped as he looked down at it. “It’s my dad’s locket,” he said rather redundantly. Regulus nodded slowly and Harry saw that his eyes immediately clouded up with tears. He swallowed heavily and looked up at Harry.
“No, I can’t take it. It should be yours,” he said. Harry shook his head determinedly.
“I read his diary, my dad’s. He explained it all, he said that you gave it to him to borrow. He promised that he would return it once… well once it was all over. So, I’m returning it.”
Regulus looked taken aback, he studied Harry carefully and Harry could see that his hand had begun to tremble slightly. Regulus looked at the locket again and ran a thumb down its edge before opening it. Harry knew what he would find inside, a picture of Regulus and his mum at a bar. They looked very young in that photo, and very happy. There was another photo in there too, of James and Harry in a photo booth. Harry couldn’t remember it being taken, but it was one of his favourite photos. It had been torn off a line of four, the other three were safely tucked away in his diary and so he didn’t mind giving it to Regulus. Regulus' face shifted through several different emotions as he looked down at the photos, he smiled slightly, and Harry saw a tear escape his eye and run down his cheek.
“Thank you,” he breathed after a long while. Harry felt suddenly uncomfortable with the poignant mood that had descended so he shifted in his seat and shrugged.
“No problem,” he said, trying to affect an air of casualness.
“I have ones just like this,” Regulus said, still staring at the photos. He clasped the locket in his hands and darted up from the table. He quickly walked into the house and Harry looked after him dumbstruck, was he supposed to follow? After a moment, Regulus returned with a photo frame and presented it to Harry. Framed in a simple wooden setting was a line of four photos taken in a photo booth. It must have been the same day, Harry realised. They were of his dad and Regulus, they were smiling at the camera and laughing. In the third picture they were staring at each other with such a look of devotion it left Harry feeling quite shocked. He had heard about his dad and Regulus’ relationship and he had read about it in his dad’s diary of course. But to see the look that James was levelling Regulus with made everything fall into place in a solid, real way that it never really had before. He was in love with him, it was obvious. In the final picture they were snogging and Harry wanted to laugh. Some part of him had always seen his dad as a proper grown up, a solider that was responsible and went to war to fight for ‘the greater good’. Seeing him in that photo Harry realised he wasn’t much older that Harry’s eighteen years. He was young, and in love, and kissing like time was running out.
“What was he like?” Harry asked as he looked at James’ brilliant smile and familiar tufty hair.
“Don’t Sirius and Remus talk about him?” Regulus asked.
“Yes they do of course, but… well what do you remember about him?”
Regulus’ eyebrows pinched and he thought about it for a moment. He sighed and looked up at the sky as he was clearly brought back twenty years.
“He was… he was like a fire. Heated and passionate, full of life and impossible to tame. He… well he consumed me entirely, and he loved like nobody I’ve ever met before. He loved quickly and without bias, he could tell you exactly how he was feeling, and he felt no shame about it. He was just…” Regulus stopped for breath and looked at Harry, his eyes were now watery and Harry felt slightly ashamed that he had arrived on his doorstep and forced these emotions to surface. “He was just life. Everything that involves, the hurts, the successes, energy, and goodness. He captivated it all.”
Harry smiled at Regulus and felt his own eyes begin to sting. He glanced down at the photo again and watched the trapped moment for a long while.
“I wish I could remember him,” he said after a moment, his voice shook with emotion, and he coughed to clear his throat. “I can remember mum a little bit. Or at least I think I can, the sound of her voice, the image of her holding me on her hip. Sometimes I’m not sure if they’re real memories or not. But dad… I don’t remember him.”
Regulus nodded sadly and placed a hand on Harry shoulder. “He only knew you for a very short amount of time. You were so young,” he said.
Harry twisted his mouth to prevent himself from crying. It would be terribly embarrassing to fall apart so soon after turning up uninvited at Regulus’ house.
“You remind me so much of Lily,” Regulus said after a moment as he watched Harry closely.
“My mum? People usually say I look like my dad,” Harry replied.
“You look like him yes. But the way you talk, the way you carry yourself. It’s all Lily.”
“That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come actually. I know you knew her, that you were friends with her,” said Harry.
“Sirius and Remus did too. So did your Aunties Mary and Marlene. They all knew her much longer than I did so they probably have more stories to tell.” Harry shrugged, he had heard all the stories they could tell him. He wanted more.
“Anything you could tell me really,” he replied. He looked at Regulus hopefully, desperate for any crumb that he could give him.
“Well… I suppose…” Regulus frowned as he thought about it for a moment, something came to him, and a flash of a smile crossed his face. “Did Sirius ever tell you about the time she made me a shirt-less sequined suit to piss off our parents?” he said. Harry shook his head, his heart hammering at the idea that there was a story he hadn’t yet heard. Regulus spoke of Lily, about how she had immediately been on board with creating mischief, about how she had embraced him when he had arrived at the manor and was surly and rude to everyone else. He told Harry of their trip to a gay bar in London and Harry laughed with his chest at hearing about it from Regulus’ mouth. Sirius had told a very different story of how they had run off and almost died.
“See? Pa never tells me stories like that. From what he says you’d assume they’d all lived like monks in their youth,” Harry said after Regulus had finished speaking. Regulus snorted unbelievingly.
“Oh believe me they didn’t. Remus was no monk as a teenager. Besides, didn’t he ever tell you about how he snogged your dad?”
“Wait, what?” Harry exclaimed. “Remus snogged my dad?”
Regulus laughed again. “It was just a game of spin the bottle down at the hideaway, but I don’t remember him complaining.” Regulus laughed softly at the memory. Harry’s mouth dropped open in shock. He wasn’t sure if he was impressed or horrified. “The stories that shed could tell would be quite scandalous I’m sure,” Regulus said with a laugh.
“Eurgh god, I’m never going to be able to set foot back there now,” he said with a shiver.
“And I suppose you tell Remus and Sirius everything you and your friends get up to at the hideaway?” Regulus said, quirking his eyebrow knowingly. Harry blushed and shook his head.
“I suppose not, no.”
Regulus chuckled and took another sip of his wine. Things had noticeably eased between them now and Harry didn’t feel that same awkwardness that left him feeling so clammy and stiff when he first arrived. He decided it was time to ask more questions, to find out more of the answers he wanted to know.
“How did my mum and dad get together anyway? I asked everybody and nobody really knows the answer. Pa just clams up and goes bright red as if I’m asking for the gory details. In his diary dad doesn’t really explain,” Harry asked.
“He doesn’t?”
Harry shook his head and pulled the diary from his bag. It was wrapped in a cloth to keep it protected, it was his most precious possession and he had read it so often he could probably recite it by heart now. He cleared his throat and sat up straight.
“I quote- ‘Lily seemed like an angel in the moonlight. She looked at me with kindness during my loneliness hour. We were all so lost, back then,” Harry stopped to give a little flourish with his hands to indicate the gravitas with which he was speaking. “We were two lost souls who found each other for a brief, fateful moment as we continued our journeys towards our individual destinies’,” Harry stopped and gave Regulus a disgusted look. He gagged theatrically and raised an eyebrow as Regulus bit his lip to stop from laughing. “Who the fuck talks like that?” he said.
Regulus began laughing heartedly then. “He never spoke like that!” he said, wiping a tear from his eye. “I think James was trying to be poetic.” Harry chuckled and carefully placed the diary back in his bag.
“So what really happened? How come I’m here if they were never actually together? The truth, please?”
“James didn’t know how to pull out,” Regulus said dryly. Harry shot Regulus an unimpressed look as Regulus smirked into his drink. “I don’t know Harry. I think it really was just like he said. They were both in bad places. I had ended things with him… well I’m sure he explained that all in there. And they found comfort with each other. What’s more to explain?”
“Everything,” Harry said. “I want to know it all. From the moment you arrived at the manor that summer.”
Regulus’ smile dropped and his eyes glazed over slightly as he was clearly brought back to a faraway memory. After a long moment he exhaled and turned to face Harry.
“Okay fine. I’ll start from the beginning.”
Regulus talked for a long time, he spoke of his arrival at the manor. He told Harry about how miserable he had been, that he missed London and his debaucherous lifestyle. He spoke of how James had torn down his walls and snuck his way into his heart. He spoke honestly of the troubles they had, about being separated during the war and how James had helped him survive during the worst of times. Harry listened attentively and soaked in every precious word. He was grateful to Regulus, that he didn’t sugar-coat the worst parts, he told it to him honestly. James had never been so real to Harry as when he listened to Regulus talk about him.
Once Regulus was finished they sat in the afternoon sun in silence. Harry contemplated what he had heard and Regulus remained introspective, the memories clearly playing across his mind as he squinted into the sun.
“You are the picture of him, I bet it gets annoying how often people must tell you. But you really are so similar to James.” Regulus said absentmindedly as Harry ran a hand through his hair.
“In more ways than one,” he replied under his breath.
“What do you mean?” Regulus asked, apparently Harry hadn’t been as quiet as he thought. “Don’t tell me, you fancy your best mates younger sibling? Or is it… you like boys too?” Regulus said. Harry could tell from Regulus’ tone of voice that he was just joking, he didn’t realise how accurately he’d pinned him down. Harry flushed and he could feel the bright red burning on his cheeks.
“Um…” he said before darting his eyes around the garden. “I guess… both” he replied.
Regulus snorted so loudly at the shock of laughter that exploded from him that Harry jolted in alarm, quite sure that Regulus was about to choke. Regulus beat his chest with his fist and gathered himself somewhat. “Christ, sorry… Sorry Harry… that’s great,” he said, trying to scrape back some semblance of dignity. Harry laughed too; it was quite funny he supposed. Harry slouched down in his seat and smirked at Regulus.
“Like father, like son I guess,” he said.
“Who is it then?” Regulus prompted.
“Oh… it’s not the same person,” Harry said. “Ginny was my girlfriend for a about a year, we broke up. I don’t know if you remember her-”
“Ron’s little sister? I remember her,” Regulus said. “Ron didn’t mind?”
Harry shrugged. He thought about the day Ron had burst into the hideaway to see Ginny in Harry’s lap snogging with his hand up her jumper. He had absolutely minded at the time. His face had gone a beetroot shade of red and he had proceeded to chase Harry across the grounds until he found Remus and shielded himself behind his tall frame. Ron had sworn and shouted at Harry as Remus swung around trying to make sense of the drama that had descended upon him. Ron had come round eventually, and he’d been a decent mate when Ginny had broken up with Harry six months previously. She wanted to go to university and Harry was still undecided about what he wanted. He supposed that should have been the first sign. Ron had followed Hermione to Cambridge and found a job at a local pub while she studied. It didn’t even occur to Harry that he should plan for a future with Ginny.
“So if the boy’s not Ginny…” Regulus said, teasing an answer from Harry. He hadn’t expected to be admitting this to Regulus, he hadn’t even spoken to Sirius and Remus about it yet. He figured if anyone would understand it would be Regulus. He sighed and took a sip from his wine before speaking.
“It’s not one boy in particular. Well it is but… I mean I’ve fancied other boys too. There was a bloke in the year above on the rugby team, Cedric who was fit. And I used to traipse around after Ron’s brother Charlie before I realised what fancying someone even meant.” Harry was bumbling now, and he didn’t know what he saying. He cringed at his awkward words but Regulus watched him attentively so he continued speaking. “You know I went to Hogwarts for one year before I got sick of it?” he said. Regulus nodded, despite the long absence, he and Sirius had been in constant contact. Sirius continuously sent Regulus updates about what was happening and so he had undoubtedly heard about Harry’s brief stint at boarding school. Remus and Sirius didn’t want him to go but he had insisted as a precocious eleven year old that he wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps. After only a year there surrounded by stuck up toffs he quickly realised it wasn’t for him.
“Well when I was at Hogwarts there was this other kid, he was an awful spoiled brat and so annoying. We hated each other. We were constantly in detentions from fighting. When I didn’t return in second year he sent me a letter making fun of me, saying I couldn’t stick it and I was an unrefined prick.” Harry frowned as he remembered the fury he had felt when he had received the letter. Regulus’ eyebrows pinched in confusion, undoubtedly wondering what this had to do with anything. “So I wrote him back, telling him he was a posh knobhead and I couldn’t stand to look at his dumb face anymore. After that, he sent me another letter. Then we just didn’t stop writing I guess…” Harry sighed deeply, it was quite ridiculous now that he was saying it out loud. “Somewhere along the way we stopped insulting each other and just started… talking. I could tell him things I couldn’t tell anyone else. About mum and dad. He told me about his family too, how he felt like he was trapped with their ridiculous expectations from him and he didn’t see a way out.”
“So you kept in touch?” Regulus said, understanding in his voice. Harry nodded guiltily and looked up at Regulus.
“Yeah. We sent each other pictures as we grew up, he’s so fit now. He said we should meet but I’m nervous… what if he doesn’t feel the same way? What if he’s still a prick in person?”
Regulus smiled reassuringly at Harry and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Even if that turns out to be the case, which I’m sure it’s not. You won’t regret trying. You’ll only ever have questions if you don’t try.”
Harry sighed deeply and nodded. “Don’t know what I’ll tell Pop. He’ll go fucking spare,”
“Harry, you do realise that Sirius is gay?” Regulus said amused. “I don’t think he’ll mind you fancying a boy,”
Harry chuckled and shook his head. “No of course, he might mind that I fancy Draco fucking Malfoy though.” Regulus gasped and his eyes widened in surprise.
“Malfoy?” he asked. Harry murmured and took a sip of his wine.
“Yup, Lucius’ son.”
Regulus bent over laughing again from the shock of the admission. “God it’s a small world,” he said. “His wife, Narcissa is our cousin you know? They tried to marry me off to his sister once upon a time.”
“They did?” Harry asked before a horrifying realisation dawned on him. “Oh god I just realised… if she’s your cousin, does that make me and Draco…” he trailed off as his mind worked in overdrive trying to figure out the complex problem.
“No, I think you’re safe there,” Regulus laughed. “Sirius isn’t actually related to you,”
“Oh yeah,” Harry huffed, it was easy to forget sometimes that Remus and Sirius weren’t his real family. “I think I’m just a bit mixed up at the moment,” Harry admitted. “I’m not sure what to do with myself. When dad was my age he was about to head off to war and I can’t even figure out what I want to do next week.”
“Your dad didn’t have a clue what he wanted at your age either,” Regulus said quickly. “And he never wanted to go to war, we were forced to sacrifice those years in which you’re supposed to have no clue what you’re doing with yourself.”
Harry sighed and nodded. He had read his dad’s diary enough to know that Regulus wasn’t lying about that. James had made it perfectly clear how desperately he wanted to return to a normal, quiet life.
“I thought about moving to London for a bit, to stay with Aunty Marlene and Dorcas,” Harry said.
“That’s a good idea,” Regulus said. “Are they still in Bethnal Green?”
“No, they moved up to Highgate when Dorcas started her medical training.” Dorcas was a doctor at the Whittington now and she and Marlene lived in a bright and colourful house in Highgate Village. “Although I don’t know what I’d do in London either to be honest.”
“Don’t you want to take over the estate?” Regulus asked. Harry sighed dramatically and slumped even further into his chair.
“Would it be awful if I told you no?” he said guiltily. “Truth is, I’m not much of a farmer. Don’t have any interest in it. I think I might want to be a teacher.”
“A teacher?” Regulus responded, clearly surprised. “That sounds like a great plan.”
“Pa said he’s fine with it, but I’m worried I’m letting him down,” Harry replied. Remus had always loved working the estate so much, he always came to life when he was in the fields. Harry struggled to picture him anywhere else, it was like he was part of the landscape. He had never felt that same affinity. He loved the countryside, he loved Godric’s Hollow. But when it came to harvesting or mucking out the pigs, he just couldn’t find the enjoyment in it that his father seemed to love so much.
“You couldn’t let him down if you tried.”
“He has a guy working with him, Mikey. He stayed with us during the war. Pa is training him up so he won’t need my help anyway.”
“Well there you are then,” Regulus said, as if it was as simple as that. “Besides, it’s not like Remus is an old man. He can cope just fine on his own.”
“Urgh try telling Pa that,” Harry groaned. “They act like they’re basically retired and they’re only thirty-nine years old!” Regulus laughed at that.
“Sirius too?”
“Oh he’s just as bad. The other day I came home to find the pair of them sitting outside the cottage in bloody lawn chairs. I asked what they were doing and Pa said that he had seen a badger run through the yard the night before so they were waiting to see if it would come by again!” Harry raised his hands in exasperation and Regulus’ tightened his mouth as he tried not to laugh too hard. “That’s not the worst bit,” Harry said gravely. “They had blankets over their laps and Pop was knitting!”
Regulus laughed again and relaxed back into his chair. He smiled now, the tension entirely lifted from when Harry had first arrived on his doorstep unannounced.
“Is that why you’re here? You’re trying to work what you want to do with your life?” Regulus asked.
“Yes, partly.” Harry said. He took a breath and tried to find the confidence for what he was going to say next. He was nervous, he realised, he didn’t know how Regulus was going to react. “I’ve also come… well I’m here to bring you home. You told Pop you’d come back.”
Regulus’ eyes widened in surprise, and he looked speechless for a moment as Harry’s words landed. “I know I did…” he said carefully. “But I have a life here. I have… I have Barty.” Harry nodded like that was no problem at all.
“I know. But I thought… well I don’t know where I’ll be in a few months. Hopefully I’ll end up back in Godric’s Hollow, but I don’t think I’ll be at the cottage much longer. I just thought, if I could get you to come home the place wouldn’t seem so empty.”
Regulus’ eyes softened and he looked kindly at Harry.
“I can’t leave Barty. Truthfully, I don’t want to. Your dad would probably go mad with jealousy, but I love him Harry. And he needs to be here, he can’t move very well with his leg and… well this place holds a lot of memories for him.”
Harry frowned and considered this. He had heard about what had happened to Barty during the war from one of Regulus’ letters. He had joined the resistance with his sisters and had been quite successful until he got caught in a bomb and needed most of his leg amputated. Later, his sisters had both been arrested trying to lure some German soldiers into a trap and they had been executed in the village square. It was a horrifying story and Harry couldn’t imagine how Barty had coped with the loss. Right on cue, Barty appeared at the door behind the pair. He was keeping himself upright between two long crutches beneath his armpits. He looked out at Harry and Regulus, he had clearly overheard at least the last part of the conversation. Regulus jumped up upon noticing him there.
“Barty! This is Harry-”
“James’ son,” Barty finished, looking at Harry with an inquiring gaze. “Reggie wasn’t lying, you look just like him.”
Harry smiled at Barty, feeling awkward around this new man. He was no good at talking with new people, especially people who held so much weight. He wondered what Barty was thinking, that Harry had turned up at his house of the blue like this and asked Regulus to come home. He didn’t seem annoyed however, he looked kind, if a little tired.
“He wants you to go back to England?” Barty said in French. Harry wanted to interrupt, to tell him that he could understand perfectly. Sirius had made sure that he was fluent by the age of ten. Regulus knew however and didn’t seem too concerned about their conversation being overheard.
“He does. I was telling him that I won’t be. That my home is here now.”
Barty frowned and began making his way out of the house towards the table. Regulus darted forwards and wrapped an arm around him, helping him to the patio.
“Where’s your chair? You’re putting too much strain on your leg,” he complained as Barty sat heavily besides Harry. Barty chuckled and raised his eyebrows at Harry, letting him in on some joke after only a few minutes of knowing him. Regulus pulled up another chair besides Barty and poured him a glass of wine.
“I didn’t mean Regulus should come back alone,” Harry said, breaking the silence. Barty and Regulus both looked up at him in surprise at that. “I wanted to ask you both to come back. We’ve cleared out the office on the ground floor of the manor for a bedroom, so you won’t have to climb the stairs.” Regulus’ mouth dropped open and he was clearly speechless. After a long moment Barty cleared his throat and turned to Regulus.
“Mon chou, I know it must be difficult… but maybe it’s not a bad idea?” he said. Harry was surprised that it was Barty who was the most receptive to the idea.
“What are you talking about? This is your home,” Regulus replied. Barty looked around him and frowned slightly.
“Yes, it is. But truthfully, before you came here, I was desperate to leave. After what happened…” Barty paused to steady himself as his voice wavered slightly. “After my sisters, this place felt haunted. There are so many memories in these walls. You’ve brightened them up and brought so much joy, but often… often it feels like I can’t escape those bad thoughts. Maybe now it’s time for us to move on?”
“I didn’t know you felt that way,” Regulus said softly. He frowned deeply and reached out to clasp Barty’s hands in his own. He looked down at their hands for a long time, contemplating it intensely. Finally, he looked up and met Harry’s eye.
“Effie and Monty? They don’t mind?” he asked. Harry shook his head vigorously, excited that the idea seemed to be gaining traction.
“Not at all! It was Grandpa's idea to convert the office!” he said quickly. Regulus bit his bottom lip and glanced at Barty. They shared a meaningful look before he sighed and nodded.
“Okay then, let’s go home,” he said to Harry.
Harry approached the manor first. They walked around the side of the house and Harry could see the anxiety playing on Regulus’ face as looked around nervously. It must bring back a lot of memories, Harry considered. They walked across the large green lawn and Regulus paused as he looked over the expansive grounds with a distant look in his eye.
Harry led them towards the kitchen garden, Regulus wheeled Barty in front of him but remained firmly behind Harry. They made their way through the rows of vegetables and opened the kitchen door. Harry stepped in first, his family were seated around the table, speaking loudly and laughing. A painting of yellow tulips hung on the wall behind them. His grandparents were sat next to each other reading from the same newspaper. Their age was showing, but they were as spritely and warm as they had ever been. The men who had raised him were sat besides them. Remus was drinking a cup of tea and listening carefully as Sirius explained something apparently very thrilling, gesturing his arms out wildly.
They all stopped and looked up as the group entered the kitchen. Barty had stood from his chair, and he had one arm around Regulus’ shoulder, the other resting on a crutch. They walked in and Regulus gave the group a nervous smile.
“Hi,” he said in a wavering and uneasy voice.
Sirius was the first to jump up from the table, he bounded across the room and embraced Regulus tightly into his arms. They clung to each other for a long time as the others slowly made their way to the door. Sirius eventually released his hold from Regulus, he clasped hold of his shoulders and looked into his eyes.
“You came home,” he said.
“I said I would,” Regulus replied. “Just needed a little reminding.” The brothers grinned at each other then. Their smiles changed their faces in near identical ways, both men’s eyes crinkled in the same way and Harry thought they almost looked like twins in that moment. Sirius then turned to Barty and pulled him into a tight bearhug resulting in a surprised huff from the other man. Barty visibly relaxed with the eager welcome he received, and he shot a relieved look towards Harry.
Once they had all embraced Regulus and Barty, they sat around the kitchen table with a fresh pot of tea and talked about the journey there. Harry was pleased to note that Regulus was even more suspicious of the airplane than Harry was and he had no problem telling Sirius about it. Harry watched as they fell into a familiar and comfortable conversation. Barty spoke with Effie and Monty and Regulus’s entire body seemed alleviated of some invisible tension he had been carrying.
Later that evening, as they sat on the terrace drinking cool glasses of white wine, the doorbell rang and echoed across the house. They all looked up and Effie frowned.
“Expecting anyone?” she asked. Everybody shook their heads except Regulus who shot Harry a slightly guilty look.
“I hope you don’t mind. I invited my cousin’s son to stay for a few weeks. I should have asked-” Regulus said quickly.
Effie quickly shook her head and made to stand from the table. “Of course not, Reg. The more the merrier! You know how I hate a quiet house.” Harry’s face had immediately flushed red, and his heart began hammering in his chest.
“I’ll get it!” Harry said quickly before standing abruptly from the table. Everyone turned to look at him with surprise and he rubbed a hand through his hair. He narrowed his eyes at Regulus who couldn’t hide the smile playing at his mouth despite his best efforts to look remorseful. Harry walked away from the table with as much casualness as he could muster before launching himself through the house and towards the front door.