Hiraeth

14

"Kreacher?"

"Master Regulus!"

"Kreacher!"

"Master Regulus is alive! Kreacher is so happy! But, how? Kreacher saw master Regulus drown!"

"Ughhh, long story Kreacher. But, I'm alive! And you can't tell anyone."

"Oh. Can Kreacher tell Master Walburga?"

"No, you can't tell anyone. Okay?"

"Okay. Kreacher promises. Kreacher won't tell anyone that Master Regulus is alive." Kreacher promises Regulus, looking up at him, still in disbelief.

"Okay, well, Kreacher, remember the necklace uncle Regulus gave you in the cave? Do you still have it?"

"Oh, yes! Kreacher keeps it with him all the time. Kreacher doesn't give it to anyone." He replied, pulling out the necklace from underneath his torn pillow cover. He handed it to Regulus, and waited.

"Thank you so much Kreacher! Now, don't tell anyone what happened here or where you went, okay?" Briar told him, as he nodded and apparated back to Grimmauld place.

"And I'll be taking that, '' she spoke again, trying to take the necklace from Regulus's hands, however he snatched it back.

"What? Why?" He replied, confused.

"Because this necklace almost got you killed last time, i'm not risking it again. Hand it over." She spoke sternly. Reluctantly, Regulus handed it over to her, sulking back in his place.

"Thank you" she replied to him, and tucked the necklace into her bag. She leaned back on the swing, and looked up at the stars.

"You know, I've never really been good at astronomy. I remember when I told that to the painting of Walburga and she started screaming about how the Blacks were supposed to be 'the best at astronomy. It's in our genes.' And how I'm a 'disgrace' and disappointment to the Black lineage' for sucking at astronomy. And then two minutes later, she offered to teach me astronomy." Briar recalled, still gazing at the sky, as Regulus let out a little chuckle at her story.

"No, really, and then the next time she saw me, she asked me if I wanted help in astronomy, and Sirius was next to me and he muttered something about 'favourites' which Walburga heard and called him a 'filthy wet dog' for. And obviously more stuff, which I have to admit, I laughed a lot at."

"She never really offered us help. She said that we should know all of this, and if we don't, then we should and I quote 'open those books for once and use the brain that's given to you!', then Narcissa and Andromeda would help us."

"Speaking of Andromeda, I wanna meet her. I met her daughter, Nymphadora, but from what I've heard of Andromeda, I would love to meet her."

"Andie was always my favourite. She would stand up for us at family dinners and shit. If mother and father would be fighting, she would take me upstairs and tell me stories to keep me distracted. But then she got disowned for marrying a muggle-born." He recalled, solemnly, looking down at the grass.

"You know, you don't have to call them 'mother' and 'father' anymore. You can just say their names. Or even bitch. And asshole." Briar added in a joke, hoping to make Regulus laugh. She smiled triumphantly when he did.

"Hey, it works! That's all I'm saying..", she laughed, resulting in Regulus also laughing more.

"Hey, I didn't disagree, did I?"

"But, actually though, you don't have to call them mother and father." She turned to him. Regulus was now gazing at the stars. His grey eyes, sparkling in the moonlight, or maybe with tears. His black curls, falling perfectly on his face. His freckles and cheekbones were now more prominent, as the stars shone on him, perfectly.

"I know. But I just feel like if I don't, somethings gonna happen. Like I know they're dead, but it's as if not calling them mother or father is a big sin, that I'm going to get punished for." He confessed, tears threatening to leave his eyes. "I don't know. It's stupid and I shouldn't feel like this"

"Hey, it's okay. It's not stupid, I understand. You have every right to feel that way, after everything that happened. It's normal. But uncle Regulus, you have to understand, that they are dead. Six feet underground, rotting in hell, very deservingly so. They can't hurt you anymore. Yes, it will take time, but it's okay. You can do this. I'll help you do this, and I'm sure Lily and James will help as well. We're all here for you uncle Reg." She comforted him, speaking in a low, soft voice.

Regulus turned his head towards Briar, and smiled a little. His eyes, still glistening, but this time Briar was sure they were tears. His sad, solemn smile, showed how much he had gone through. Regulus quickly wiped his eyes, before any single drop of tear could fall.

"Thank you, little one. That means a lot. And hey, if you want, I can help you with astronomy. Or any other subject." He gave Briar a short reply, but his eyes and pained smile said a lot. Briar had felt bad for the older man, ever since she read his diary, but right now, this moment pained her even more. She couldn't- didn't understand how Regulus went through all that. She hoped no one, no person, would ever have to go through what her uncle went through. And as he smiled, and said he was fine- that it's fine - she promised herself, the universe, and most importantly she promised the defeated, misjudged man that was sitting in front of her, that she would never let anyone or anything ever hurt Regulus Arcturus Black ever again.

"Okay then, moving on. I wanna be an Animagus." Briar wondered aloud, changing the topic.

"Really? Why?"

"I don't know, it seems fun. But I don't even know how to do it. And nobody is going to help me."

"Hey, Briar?" Briar turned to her uncle and replied "Hmm?"

"So don't tell anyone but.."

YALL ISTG 3K?!??? WHAT? HOW? WHO?!WHEN? WHERE? WHAT??? I'm so thankful for u guys, thank u thank u thank uuuuu. This really made my week, and made me so happy.

Also in the coming chapters, i will be revealing who Briar will be dating, so that's going to be funnn.

Anyways y'all take care, leave any suggestions thank u for 3K! Love y'all byeee/-author