INFERI (REGULUS BLACK)

37

"Wait a minute, who's the git?" Sirius asked.

"You lot call him You-Know-Who. I call him the git," Shafiq shrugged, taking out his wand. "Tea?"

"Sure. But what's Voldemort got against Reg?" Sirius asked. Shafiq looked at him pointedly, handing him a cup full of amber liquid. "Oh," he said, when it dawned on him. "It's because Reg found out about the Horcruxes, isn't it?"

"Partially," Shafiq stirred his cup of tea. "I take it you do not know much about the Death Eaters and the Dark Arts."

"No," he said staunchly. "I'm against all of it."

"Well, to understand Regulus's predicament, and to understand those new creatures you just bumped into, you need to have a basic idea of Dark Arts and the twisted mind of that git," Shafiq shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sure Regulus would want to hear it, so we can discuss it later. I didn't catch your name. Reg didn't talk much about you."

"Oh, I'm Sirius, his brother," he extended his hand for a shake, but quickly retracted it. "I've never heard of you either, you know. First time I've heard your name. Your family must've never hit off with the other pure-bloods."

"I've told you, my family had been kicked off the Sacred 28 after my father married a muggle. Never really had much to do with them after it. That git's followers came after me once, for recruiting, but never came back." The self satisfied smirk on Shafiq's face told Sirius why.

"So you've known Reg since his first year?" Sirius asked, quite eager to hear about his brother's experiences at Hogwarts. "We're you his first friend?"

"I'll tell you this, Reg's a great person, he'll do anything for the people he loves — even become a Death Eater," he stared pointedly at Sirius, who shifted uncomfortably.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He said hotly, trying to cover his chagrin.

Shafiq made a contemptuous sound, but spoke no more on the subject. "More tea?"

Sirius nodded grudgingly. The tea was quite good.

"Well, yes. I've known Reg since his first year. He was trying to reach for a book, right at the top of the shelf. I just help him. Do you know what he said?" Shafiq turned his nose in the air and said snottily, his voice high-pitched, "I didn't need help. I almost had it."

"But he didn't," Sirius grinned.

"Of course. Then he just stalked off to a table, leaving me to wonder, how can an 11 year old be so uptight?"

"How did he befriend you?"

"I befriended him," Shafiq smirked. "I wanted him to loosen up, live a little. I never knew..." he shook his head, like a dog trying to shake water from his ears. "Anyways, I kept on following him until he became my friend."

"Wow," Sirius roared with laughter. "You just pulled a James on him."

"No," Shafiq shook his head. "I didn't tail him like Potter tailed Evans, I was next to him round the clock."

A doorbell rang, deep in the house.

"Oh, she's here," Shafiq stood up hastily, and made for the the door.

"Hey darling," he heard Shafiq's voice as he roamed around the room, fiddling with the interesting models on display. "Come in."

A stunning girl walked in, and Sirius recognised her. "Adelaide?"

"Hello Sirius," she inclined her head slightly. "I hope you'll be pleased to know that Potter and his team have secured the Diadem. We're searching for any traces of the other horcruxes. I just dropped by to meet Shafiq."

"Well, it's good to hear that," Sirius shifted uncomfortably. Why in the name of Merlin's rotting toenail does he have to meet all his estranged siblings in the matter of few weeks? What do you even talk to them about? How they're holding under the cruciatus curse?

"Where's Reggie? Don't see him around, Orion said he's here with you lot," Adelaide peered around the living room.

"He's upstairs. 2nd bedroom to the left. Got hit with a curse. He's fine," he added hastily, seeing Adelaide's worried expression. "Just knocked out."

Adelaide quickly ran up the flight of stairs to check on Regulus, and to make sure he's fine.

"When did Reg and Adelaide get so close?" Sirius asked. "Merlin's pants, I don't know a thing about about my brother," he added with a humourless laugh.

"Reg actually missed you, you know?" Shafiq said nonchalantly, moving towards the kitchen. "He'd just look at you with such longing looks."

Sirius's heart stirred. If that was the case, it'll be a piece of cake to mend their bond.

Shafiq and Sirius then just sat at the kitchen table in companionable silence, sipping tea. Shafiq had rubbished Sirius's want of having some fire whiskey, impressing on him the need to preserve his liver.

"You're as bad as Regulus, you know. He drinks so much fire whiskey, I had to hide the bottle in his fifth year."

Five pots of tea later, Regulus and Adelaide joined them.

"Well," Regulus said, smiling slightly at Shafiq, "what did I miss?"

"Nothing Reg, we didn't dare to start without you," Shafiq quipped, grinning.

Regulus gave a light chuckle, seating himself beside Sirius. "What were those things? I've never seen them."

"Well," Shafiq cast Sirius a meaningful look, "they are not meant to be seen Reg. That git's been disturbing all Dark creatures on Earth. Not much information is available about them, but wherever there is, they're mentioned as Quirods. Powerful dark spirits."

"Quirods? The Dark creatures rumoured to have been Merlin's accomplices? They're still there?" Regulus was astonished. Adelaide mirrored his expression. Only Sirius didn't understand what was so special.

"What's so big about them knowing Merlin?" Sirius asked. All faced him incredulously.

"Did you never listen to the stories Mother used to tell us?" Regulus asked, quite disbelievingly.

"Why would I listen to anything that old hag had to say?" Sirius said quite defensively, crossing his hands over his chest.

"Sirius is right," Shafiq quickly intervened, earning a dirty look from Regulus. "We need to revisit the story. To the library."

They quickly ran up the stairs.