Upside Down Mirror: A Grim Tale (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Grimmer Yet

"Someone is here to see you."

"Why?" Regulus looked at Dawlish, completely wondering why anybody would want to see him. After all, Sirius hated him, and his parents wouldn't at all want anything to do with him once they did find out about his betrayal. The man gave him a rather exasperated look, before shaking his head.

"How about I let him explain the reason for wanting to see you?"

"If that's the way it has to be, that's the way it has to be," Regulus responded, standing so he stood in front of his cot and following the man. What Dawlish said next surprised him.

"How are you feeling?"

"What is the purpose of that question?" Regulus watched Dawlish's eyes blink before the man shook his head, obviously flummoxed for an answer to Regulus' question back. They walked past the other prisoners, every scream making Regulus flinch. The sound most certainly reminded him of the times Sirius and their mother got into it, yet he'd found ways to ignore the cacophony at Grimmauld.

However, that was a few years ago now and now his head was filled with this strange cacophony of his mind feeling as if it were in a fog.

"Well, we're here," Dawlish said, opening the door to what appeared to be an interrogation room, though Regulus honestly wondered how often the Auror did use the place for such.

What surprised him was who was sitting at the table. "Potter."

"Black."

"Did Sirius send you?"

"Did..." James Potter's eyes blinked behind his eyeglasses while Regulus continued standing there, trying to figure out why James was so dumbstruck at that very moment, but James answered the question. "I've not spoken to Sirius since, well, finding out that you're here in Azkaban."

"Oh."

"But now that I think about it, he'd likely kill me if he knew I was talking to you without him knowing."

"Nuh-uh. Me on the other hand..." Regulus let out a sigh. "Anyways. Obviously, you're not here to talk about how Sirius hates me and..."

"You do know what hyperbole is, right?"

"A hyperbole is an exaggeration of speech not meant to be taken..." Regulus swallowed. "... literally." He leaned forward into the palm of his dominant hand, muttering. "Still."

"Do you really believe that?" James asked.

"Believe what?"

"That Sirius hates you?"

"Yes."

"He doesn't."

Regulus let out a sigh, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around his chest. His mind felt muddled, the Dementors having more effect on him than he would have thought possible, although he still didn't feel as if he were going mad. "Don't patronize me."

"Do you hate me?"

The question made Regulus look up, but he found himself looking James in the eye. The question honestly confused him, but he let out a slight humming sound before saying, "Why do you say that? I mean ask that?"

"Don't you believe I took Sirius away?" James asked. "I know your parents certainly think that."

Regulus' head tilted to the side, carefully contemplating the question despite how muddled his mind felt because of the presence of the Dementors. "They do think you a major corrupting force, but Sirius is a force to be reckoned with, isn't he? He gets it from maman actually. He says he's not like..." The words rattled off his tongue and his eyes closed, a short hum coming from his lips as he realized his tongue was not at all under his control. Mentally, he reminded himself to be careful what he said, even if this might hurt. "Never mind."