Maybe Memories

Knockturn Alley wasn't the wisest place to step foot. Sirius has the hood of his robe pulled up around his head. It was dreary and almost honestly darker then Diagon Alley. He kept his eyes peeled for anything at all. There wasn't a sign of Regulus.

Was it possible that he actually didn't like to hang around here? He'd been stalking the place for a week solid, sure that when he made a trip to buy school supplies, he would make a pit stop here.

The school year had started for those attending Hogwarts. Sirius wasn't one of those people, but he did spend a large amount of his time stalking the Hogsmeade grounds. Prowling as Padfoot brought him back to his days attending school. Just a year ago, he was starting his last year at Hogwarts. Somehow, that seemed so very far away.

Crowds of students were in the streets this weekend. Not being Padfoot was not the best idea. Someone might let it slip that Sirius Black was stalking around Hogwarts. He would never talk to Regulus that way.

He stayed in the shadows, observing the passing crowds.

Regulus...

He watched his brother go into the Hog's Head. Padfoot ducked behind the building and shifted back.

With his hand inside his robs on his wand, Sirius entered.

An old man behind the counter eyed Sirius.

Ignoring this, Sirius crept up the stairs. He covered himself with James' invisibility cloak.

Three hooded figures were standing close inside an upstairs room with Regulus. It was almost painful to look at.

"The time approaches," a voice grunted.

Regulus nodded.

"Such an honor to your family," said another, Sirius recognized to be Lucius Malfoy.

"Well, Lucius with you soon being part of my family, the honor will be even greater," Regulus said.

Sirius was gritting his teeth.

"A nice, pureblood marriage is surely approved of by the Dark Lord," the first voice said.

The fourth figure tutted, "But I assure you, the Dark Lord does not approve of gossiping like teenage girls when there are more important matter to discuss." The forth figure was Severus Snape.

Lucius turned red.

Regulus nodded, "Of course. A matter of high importance, but what does it have to do with me?"

"You, my friend, can surely spy. You're one of the only ones who attend Hogwarts the Dark Lord trusts," the first voice said.

"Surely a spy could be detected," Regulus said.

"Afraid, are you Regulus?" the first voice mused, "If you are, I'm sure the Dark Lord can put more fear in you than Albus Dumbledore."

"I never said I wasn't going to do it," Regulus said.

"Good," the voice said, "Not to close with your blood traitor brother to betray his cause, are you?"

"Of course not," Regulus said, darkly.

"You'd have no trouble killing your own brother?"

Sirius felt a chill go up his spine.

"I-- Of course not," Regulus said in a less confident voice.

"I wouldn't let the Dark Lord hear that weakness in your voice when you speak of it," Snape said.

That was all that Sirius could take. He turned around and went back down the stairs.

Sirius withdrew the cloak. He was behind Regulus, who was gazing off into the distance, in front of the Shrieking Shack.

He swallowed hard and stepped forward.

"Regulus," Sirius began.

His brother turned sharply, "Who's there?" When he saw Sirius, he reached into his cloak.

"Regulus, I'm not here to fight you!" Sirius said, "I'm here to talk to you!"

"Oh yeah?" Regulus question drawing his wand.

Sirius drew his too. "I know you don't want to do this, be what you are," Sirius said.

Regulus swallowed, "Don't be so sure."

"I can see it in your eyes," Sirius said, "I know you're trying to please mum and dad but, you don't have to do this. You're my brother. I don't want to see you hurt."

"It's no use," Regulus replied, his wand arm lowering.

"I can help you!" Sirius nearly pleaded, "Dumbledore wants to help you."

Regulus broke into a small sound,almost like a sob, "It's too late."

"It's not--"

"IT'S TOO LATE!" Regulus yelled. He pulled up the left sleeve of his robe to reveal a tattoo of some sort. It was a skull with a snake coming from the mouth. It was like the dark marks that had been in pictures in the Daily Prophet, spread across the sky after a death eater attack.

"What is that?" Sirius questioned, looking rather alarmed.

"This is a dark mark," Regulus said, "It's magically bind me to the Dark Lord. If he needs me, the pain it causes is unbearable. Now, leave before someone sees us and kills you!"

"Kills me?" Sirius questioned, "We're on Hogwarts property. I'm sure no harm will be done to me. You, on the other hand, flashing your dark mark like it's some sort of reward!"

"Well, it's not a reward! It's a mark of being damned for the rest of my life!" Regulus exclaimed, "It's too late for me, Sirius. Just leave me!"

With a pop, Sirius was gone.

He was inside his empty house. Estelle wasn't home. He called her name several times just to be sure. He sank tot he floor and buried his face in his hands.

His baby brother... They used to play hide and seek inside the dark walls of Grimmauld Place. They would show each other the magic they could conjure for hours. Once, Regulus had showed his red sparks coming from the edges of his fingers. Sirius loved to watch him of it. Regulus would always ask Sirius to change the color of his clothes.

When Sirius left for Hogwarts, everything changed.

Weeks progressed and things just seemed to get worse. James' mother died, exactly a month before the wedding. Lily suggested postponing the wedding, but James wouldn't have it.

The funeral was quiet. Sirius stayed at James' side the whole time. Many of James' relatives came to make their condolences and pay their respects.

James was a wreck though. He could hardly keep himself pulled together.

The sound of busting glass echoed through the church and a green flash came. Dark, black smoke filled in through the door and formed into four hooded figures. They all had on disturbing silver masks.

Sirius took at out his wand and pushed past Estelle. He stood facing the crashers. He noticed the gruff-looking man from the Order had acted even more quickly than he had, dueling two of the four. Did Dumbledore assume death eaters would come?

Everything had turned to chaos. Some were disappearing most were panic-stricken.

The cry of a voice of pure evil rang out above the rest, "Crucio!" The voice of Bellatrix Lestrange was one he heard in his nightmares.

"Stupefy!" Sirius called.

She deflected the spell and cackled.

"Crucio!" she cried, almost happily.

He dodged.

"Crucio!"

This time, she called to quickly. He collapsed on the ground, struck with pins and hot wax all over. Bellatrix was cackling in the background. She removed the curse. The cried, "Crucio!" again. Oh, she was a cruel one.

"Now, now Bellatrix, we needn't spend all of our time torcher," another masked figure said.

She removed the curse.

"Everte Statum!" Sirius exclaimed, throwing the other death eater backwards.

Bellatrix grunted.

"Stupefy!" James exclaimed, stunning Bellatrix.

"There's more of us than you!" Sirius spat at her.

The room stilled. A death eater was on the floor. Bellatrix and the other two aparrated.

"He's dead," Moody called.

Estelle rushed to Sirius and clutched his arm. He pulled her close and looked around the room. Lily and James were talking to each other. Remus was speaking with Moody. Where was Peter?

"Where's Peter?" he called.

James looked at him and froze, "Where is Peter?"

"Pettigrew apparated," Moody said.

"Lies!" Sirius exclaimed, "He wouldn't!"

"Maybe he panicked," Estelle said.

Sirius left her side muttering curses.

Estelle sighed, partly in relief that everything was over with. She approached Remus, who was looking slightly confused.

"You alright, Remus?" she questioned.

He nodded, "Yes, I'm fine."

She hugged him tightly. He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head.

"You mind if I come to your house tonight?" he asked.

"Of course not," she replied.

After everything was sorted out; muggle minds modified, the church cleaned up, the Marauders all went to Estelle and Sirius'. James didn't want to spend a night alone at his house. Lily came as well. There was still no sign of Peter.

James and Lily declared they had almost found the perfect house, Being left with his parents wealth, and selling their house (he couldn't bare living there), James was wealthy enough to stay jobless.

"I envy James, and I'm so ashamed," Remus told Estelle, while they were alone in the kitchen. "I have...well, I don't have much. My condition is taking its toll on my ability to obtain a job in the wizarding world."

"Well, that isn't fair!" Estelle fussed.

"Now that I've seen the way other... werewolves...act, I understand all too well," Remus cringed, "They're simply disgusting."

"Is that what Dumbledore's had you doing?" Estelle questioned.

Remus nodded, "I'm trying to detour them from joining Voldemort. It's becoming increasingly difficult to deal with them. Each pack is different. I've only come across two packs, but only a few from one pack were friendly enough to answer questions."

"Oh, Remus..." she said. She ran her thumb across his cheek. He reached for her hand and held it against his face.

"Don't worry about me," he whispered.

They dropped their hands simultaneously and mutually decided to go back into the sitting room where Sirius, James and Lily were talking by the fire.

Hogwarts was still a familiar place to Estelle. Aside from visiting many, many directories and searching places she ought not, she was at Hogwarts. She patrolled the hallways sometimes, the outside others. Today she was here on her own accord.

Surely, she was used to the halls. A trip to Dumbledore's office wasn't a new thing either.

"Cauldron cake," she said smiling. Dumbledore's password was always a sweet, whether it be wizard or muggle.

She then knocked on his door.

"Ah, Ms. Grant," he smiled, "What a pleasant surprise."

"Hello, Professor," Estelle replied.

"Please do come in, have a seat," Dumbledore said.

After they were seated, she spoke up, "Sorry to come without notice, sir. I have some things to ask you and to tell you."

"It's no bother," Dumbledore said, "And please, do go on."

"I don't believe we've spoken about...my mother. The woman who was a prisoner of death eaters for all those years, Daphne Danvers. She's my real mother," Estelle said.

Dumbledore nodded, "I try not to pry into all my students business, but this bit could be extremely important."

"Well, sir, I was wondering if you knew anything at all about her. Or any way I could find some things out about her. I'm attempting to track her down."

"My dear, I know no more than you do," Dumbledore said, "But I have an interest in this woman. Being a prisoner, she must have information on the death eaters we don't know."

"That's what I thought, sir," Estelle said, "But she seems to have disappeared. I can't find anything at all on her. Not even in the muggle world."

Dumbledore adjusted his half-moon spectacles, "Maybe she's looking for you as well."

"I never thought of that," Estelle said.

"She has no idea which school you attended, therefor it's likely she assumes you attended Beuxbatons."

"Do you think that it would be of any help if you or I spoke with the headmaster there?"

"It might."