Time and Again

Chapter 9: The Letter

(Regulus's view)

I sat on the edge of Dimitry's bed holding one of his hands in mine when suddenly there was a commotion in the front room.

"I'll be back, I'm just going to see what that was." I told him before kissing his forehead and walking out of the room and down the stairs toward the living room.

"Hello?" I asked as I approached the fireplace before I was suddenly knocked off my feet as Luci and two boys fell out.

"Oh, hi dad, sorry about the unexpected arrival." Luci said as she helped me to my feet.

"That's alright dear, what a pleasant surprise." I said taking her hands into my own.

"We found something that might save Uncle Dimitry." she said as she pulled out a piece of green velvet and held it out to me.

"All the ingredients we need are inside," The raven haired boy said as I looked at them confused.

"Ingredients for what, Luciana?" I asked my daughter as she met my gaze with her own.

"A cure to save uncle." she said as she made her way over to the table before setting the cloth down on the table and carefully opening it to reveal the contents which consisted of a blue rose petal a glass shard and the feather of a raven.

"That's wonderful dear, but erm, what exactly are we going to do with them?" I asked once the four of us were all seated at the table.

"I think we're supposed to make them into a potion." she said as she looked over at me excitedly once we had all made our way over to the opposite side of the table to examine the ingredients we would need to make the potion with.

"Well then, would you be a dear and grab me that cauldron on the counter please?" I asked with a smile.

"Sure thing, dad."  she said, as she made her way over to the counter grabbed the cauldron and handed it to me.

"Thank you, mon amour." I said before pressing a kiss to her forehead as she sat down again.

"Mmm hmm." she responded as she began to crush the ingredients in a bowl humming something softly.

"What are you humming, darling?" I asked as I looked at her curiously. 

"I'm not sure, but it's very pretty, and the tune is hauntingly beautiful." She said as she met my gaze with hers.

"Would you play it for me ?" I asked and she shook her head with a soft smile.

"I'll play it after dinner." She said before leaning in to kiss my cheek as she finished crushing the ingredients in the bowl before pulling out her wand and pointing it at the pot.

"Incendio." she said and the bottom of the pot caught fire as she set it carefully on the stove before turning to me.

"Tell me about mother." she said and my head snapped up as I turned to face my daughter.

"What?" I asked in surprise as tears built up in my eyes.

"You never talk about her, and I want to know why."  she said as she wrapped an arm around me as she sat down next to me again.

"Well, your mother was very beautiful and funny and she didn't let anyone talk down to her or those she cared about, which was one of the things I adored about her, that being said she was also headstrong and confident." I said with a fond smile as I remembered my wife.

"She sounds lovely dad." Luci said and I smiled as she wiped a few tears from my cheeks with her hand.

"You would've loved her, darling. She was my best friend, she saw me and your godfather in ways that others didn't." I said while stroking her soft curls with my hand.

"What house was she in?" Luci asked curiously and I gave her another watery smile.

"Your mother was a Ravenclaw." I said giving her hand a light squeeze before kissing her cheek.

"I hope she's proud of me." Luci said as she looked at me with a soft smile.

"She is mon amour, she is." I said as I gave her hand a light kiss.

"The necklace you're wearing is the same one I proposed to your mother with." I said with a small smile as her eyes watered slightly.

"This was mum's?" She asked in amazement as she ran her thumb across the blue-black pearl in the center.

"Yes, my love, that was your mother's." I said before taking her hand again.

"What happened to her?" She asked as she searched my face for a reaction.

"She died." I said before wiping the tears from my cheeks.

Luci rested her head on my shoulder as she carefully ran her thumb over the pearl in the center of the necklace again which suddenly opened with a small popping sound and something small fell out onto the table.

"It has your name on it, dad." Luci said as she pushed the small piece of paper towards me which I picked up with trembling hands and opened it.

Regulus,
I have uncovered one of the dark lord's biggest secrets.  He has split his soul into seven horcruxes, one of which is the locket of Slytherin himself.  I intend to destroy it and have switched it with a second locket which should fool the dark lord for now.
  I love you darling always and forever, you and Luci are the best thing that ever happened to me.

I will always be with you my love.

Your Wife,
Roxy

I sat in shock for a few minutes as fresh tears began dribbling down my chin and I rested my head on my daughter's as I continued to silently sob while holding her hand.

"Dad?" Luci asked as she stroked my hair in an attempt to calm me. "Y-Yes?" I asked hastily wiping the tears from my eyes.

"You okay?" She asked as she rubbed my hand with her thumb in an effort to calm me down.

"I'm okay darling, I just miss your mother." I said and she smiled before kissing my forehead.

"I do too." She said before getting up and handing me a cup of minty tea.

"The potion is almost ready, but I want you to rest." She said as she smiled at me in a way that reminded me vaguely of my wife before she got the potion and got to work.