A/N: Any kiddos reading this chapter, it's past your bedtime...to bed!
Chapter XVI: Parental Control
Regulus opened his eyes to a blurry image swimming above him. He blinked twice and Andromeda's face came into view. He nearly jumped at the realization.
"What are you doing here!"
"Happy birthday," she smiled. "you're sixteen!"
"Is it the fourth?" he stretched his hand towards the flip calendar on his bedside table. Coincidentally, the time keeping device confirmed his suspicions.
Outside, the second or third snow of the season was falling in thick, white flakes.
"We can have a snowball fight today," he smiled ironically. Lying in bed proved a comfort too great to overcome by willpower.
"Perhaps," Andromeda smiled devilishly.
"What - "
Regulus did not get the chance to finish his thought, as a snowball hit him square on the cheek. The anger welled up inside him after the initial shock, but not before another snowball hit him on the opposite cheek.
"Gotcha," Andromeda jumped up. "Come and get me, you lazy bum."
Suddenly the willpower to get out of the warm bed was quite abundant. Not even bothering to put a pair of pants over his boxers, Regulus dashed out of the room and after Andromeda down the staircase.
Another turn and he would be right in the common room -
"Happy Birthday!"
The flash of a camera and the collective shout left him completely dumfounded and rooted to his spot.
"Happy birthday, mate," Otto came up beside him. "I see you wanted to come in your birthday suit, too."
Then reality hit Regulus like a freight train. He had been tricked. As much as he resented the predicament, he couldn't but smile at the simple brilliance of the organization. However, he could still not find the words for the occasion.
"Are you happy, Andy?" Jane was glancing downwards significantly and giving Andromeda a very pointed look. The latter could not help but burst into laughter
The other aspect of the reality was that the cracks directed at his present state of dress, or lack of it, would not stop in the near future either. How hadn't he noticed all of the beds in the dormitory were empty?
"Should we give him his present?" Holly offered.
"In a bit, in a bit," Andromeda was still fighting not to laugh.
"You will pay for this," Regulus tried to look as sternly as possible at Andromeda.
"Fine, give him the present."
Otto stepped forward, carrying a small box, wrapped in a navy blue paper with red ribbon. Regulus took it cautiously, eyeing his best mate with suspicion.
"Don't give me that look, it's not a prank," he promised. "Seriously."
The wrapping fell to the floor and he opened the lid. Inside was a simple golden chain with his initials carved in the pendant. He took it with his free hand and raised it towards the window to examine it better in the morning light. The pendant span around in the air and he saw Andromeda's initials carved into the other side.
It indeed touched him. This was the most personal gift he had ever received and even if it was from all of them, its private quality surprised him. He shot Andromeda a look embodying that surprise, sincere gratitude and at the same time, challenging her audacity. She caught the green eyes for a brief moment, but it was sufficient to cause her to blush and look down.
"You like it?" Otto snapped him from his thoughts.
Regulus took a moment to compose himself. "Yes," he said, looking at everyone in turn, "very much. Thank you."
That precise moment drew everyone's attention from the day's celebrity as the portrait hole swung open noisily and none other than Harry, followed by Hermione walked in.
"Mate, you - "
"Andy!"
Andromeda froze, her expression immediately turned to one of horror, then she turned around and her mouth nearly hit the floor.
"Mom! Dad?!" she aqueaked.
"Hey, darling," Hermione smiled warmly. She walked up right up to her daughter, embraced her and kissed her on the cheek.
She was burning. "What are you doing here?"
"Hello, love," Harry enveloped her in a hug on his own turn. "We've missed you."
Andromeda eyed both of them suspiciously. "I have missed you too."
"Good to see you, Regulus," Harry turned to her significant other with a barely notable edge in his voice.
"Likewise, Mr. Potter," Regulus acknowledged him with the remaining shreds of his dignity.
"You know the rest of my friends," Andromeda waved a hand to indicate the group. "Otto and Albus just recently joined that list too."
"That would have been nice to know earlier," Hermione raised an eyebrow, while Andromeda just turned more crimson still.
"Sit down, Andy," Harry indicated one of the cushion chairs.
"Why?"
"We need to talk," Harry told her significantly.
"Can my friends stay?"
"If they wish."
"But we've got class in half an hour."
"You, in particular, have been excused for the day," Harry said.
Andromeda did not appreciate the depth to which the issue may go with her parents...
"Well, I'm staying," Regulus stood his ground. "Attendance, be damned."
He caught Hermione giving him an instant, but approving look.
"We'll cover you in Potions, mate," Otto clapped him on the shoulder. "But for Merlin's sake, put some clothes on, you're embarrassing me in front of my girlfriend like this!"
Despite the unexpected seriousness Harry and Hermione brought, involuntary smirks went around the group.
"See you on the other side," Albus told him. "Blasted Slughorn wants us fifteen minutes earlier today."
"Good luck," Jane whispered to Andromeda as she walked past. "Weren't you going to put some clothes on?" she turned to Regulus on her way out.
His jaw stiffened and as calmly as possible, retreated towards the staircase to recover his robes.
The Potter family was one short, but alone at last.
"Shouldn't we wait for James?" Andromeda tried to delay the inevitable.
"That's another point we need to raise. You have not talked to him since the year began," Hermione shook her head.
"Well, I've been busy, you know that now," she defended herself.
"That is not a justification to avoid your brother," Harry reprimanded her. "I'll be right back."
He disappeared up the staircase leading to the boys' dormitories to recover James. Another set of approaching footsteps meant that he had just passed Regulus, who was on his way down.
"Finally presentable," he said once he reappeared. "Now, where were we?"
"You were on your way to sit down," Hermione commented, pointing to the adjoining armchair.
"Right," Regulus gave her an awkward smile. He tensed up as he took the assigned seat.
Instinctively, Andromeda reached for his arm and he took it. However, the hard look on Hermione's face did not soften. Her eyes kept flicking between the two of them.
"Dad, why are you here? Let me go back to bed," James' voice carried over from the staircase.
"Surprise visit, son," Harry told him. "Thought we'd have an impromptu family reunion."
"Do you realize how not cool you are?" James' exasperation came through.
They finally appeared. "Of course I do, James, I was your age once too."
Hermione eyes shot from her unruly daughter to her husband at these words. "Hi, James. You can sit next to Regulus."
"Really," James muttered under his breath.
"No worries, Jimbo," Regulus winked at him. "You'll be fine."
"Alright, first things first," Harry opened the `meeting', "Andromeda, why have you not been talking to your brother?"
"That's not true," she objected.
"Is too," James supported Harry and Hermione.
"I've been too busy," she declared.
"That's not a reason not to at least say hi to him once a week," Hermione admonished her.
"I know," Andromeda looked down.
"And you, James, why have you been avoiding your sister?" Harry turned to the youngest member of the Potter familia.
"Well, she was ignoring me, it seemed the right thing to do."
"Didn't you think it important to seek her out? When we're gone, she will be one you can count on!"
"Well - "
"Don't `well' me, young man," Hermione's motherliness shone through fully, "you owe your sister an apology."
James averted his eyes, trying to think of a way to avoid the predicament, but found he was cornered. "Sorry," he said.
"Me too," Andromeda made amends before her parents could prompt her to do so.
Around them, students were already coming down and crossing the Common Room on the way to class, some sniggering and others looking oddly at the unlikely family scene unfolding this morning.
"Good, now the other matter is your little adventure in the Forbidden Forest," Harry checked off a mental itinerary. "Tell me about it."
Regulus and Andromeda shared a look. By the look in her eyes, he knew she had told them of his little furry problem.
"What do you want to know?" Andromeda tried to play the diplomat.
"And why wasn't I invited?" James asked loudly.
Right then, Sirius appeared.
"Oi, James, what are you doing down here?"
"Not now, Sirius," James snapped at him, "I'll see you later."
"Hi Mr. And Mrs. Potter," Sirius greeted Harry and Hermione.
"Hi Sirius," Hermione smiled at him. "Your mom sends her love to you."
"Thanks," Sirius said. "Alright, mate, I'll see you." And then he ran out towards the portrait hole.
"Right now," Harry returned to the matter at hand. "Start talking."
"There isn't much to say, dad," Andromeda was still looking for an escape. "Most of it is even a blur now."
Harry looked at her. "You're not telling me the truth, love."
"I was there, so I know. There's no way you can tell," she defended herself.
"All I have to do is look in your eyes," he smiled. "I am your father, after all, I've known since you came out of your mother's womb."
"Your dad is right, darling," Hermione affirmed his words with a smile of her own playing on her lips.
"Fine," Andromeda rolled her eyes at their patronization. "I'll tell you."
"Go ahead."
"Like I told you in the letter, Otto, Albus and Jane were kidnapped by the centaurs. Why I still don't know, which is something I want you to help me with. Then Regulus, Holly and I went after them to rescue them, but things did not turn out as we planned them."
"Did you really have a plan?" Hermione asked.
"No," Andromeda stared resolutely at the floor. "It almost cost us our lives."
"Maybe that was the intent," Harry commented darkly. "Go on."
"Well, without knowing it, we were being stalked by a werewolf and then out of the darkness, it came at us."
She involuntarily shuddered at the memory and Regulus made it a point to tighten his hold on her hand.
"He came out of the darkness," she regained her train of thought, "and jumped on Regulus. The impact alone almost killed him. He yelled at Holly and I to run away - "
"I just wanted them to get away safe," Regulus continued when her voice buckled. "I knew I was a goner."
Harry and Hermione had fallen silent and James' mouth was slightly agape.
"He scratched me up pretty good, bit me and then I heard Andromeda casting spells at the werewolf, but they just jumped off his hide, you know how they are almost impossible to affect with magic," he took another breath. "Then he got annoyed and temporarily left me alone. After that I heard a set of hooves coming our way, and next thing I know, his entire is collapsed on me. I think that's what broke a few ribs..."
"You're not joking," Hermione repeated mildly. "Harry?"
Harry was mulling over the story in his mind. Small tears were falling down Andromeda's cheeks. She had seemingly not received the chance to truly connect with the incident or rather, forced herself not to do so.
"You are brave, I will tell you that," Harry finally said, his eyes flicking between Harry and his distraught daughter, "but it was sheer luck you got out of there in one piece. I'd appreciate if you don't do that again, there's no point risking your lives to that extent. Next time, ask for help."
"Are you alright, dear?" Hermione put a hand on Andromeda's shoulder.
"Yes," Andromeda quickly wiped away the tears.
"You could be a little more empathic," she turned to Harry.
"Right, sorry," Harry apologized awkwardly. "Andy, I only have your best interests at heart. To see you hurt would hurt me."
"As a result," Regulus filled the consequent silence, "I was turned into a werewolf. Now, once a month, I transform. Really a pain in the arse, because you don't remember anything after it's over."
"Not until you learn to control it," Harry commented on a side note, "but the overarching point is that it is an inconvenience for you and everyone around you."
"That's one way to put it," Regulus tended to agree, but at the same time did not quite appreciate Harry's forwardness.
On his own turn, Harry still had reservations towards the boy. He attributed it to the fact that he was Draco's son, but he was on very friendly terms with his former nemesis these days, so the suspicion was groundless, but it was still there.
"My friends and I have done some research," Regulus said, "and there is an available cure. The other part - "
" - is that it requires a trip to the Balkans," Hermione finished for him. "Already did it once, sorry for interrupting you like this."
"Right," Regulus chose not to dwell on the interruption, "which is why we need your help to get the ingredients."
"Did you read they'll only work if brewed there?" Hermione asked him.
"What?"
"The ingredients will only be effective if you take the potion in one of those countries, else it will be useless if we brew it here."
"You're not serious," Andromeda said, "do you realize how much school we're going to miss?"
"Personally, I'm not," Regulus exchanged a sly smile with Harry.
"Besides, you've got a walking faculty right here," Harry jabbed Hermione in good humour. "Hogwarts has nothing on her."
"So you're saying we're not going to lose anything from our education?"
"You will," Harry turned serious, "however, this is an example of a time in life when you have to recognize what the more important priority is and it just so happens that it is curing Regulus."
"What of our friends?"
"They can choose to come or stay," Harry told her, "but if they know their priorities, they will stay."
"Are you going to dissuade them, Mr. Potter?" Regulus said.
"I'm not going to try, Regulus, but on second thought, it may be wise they do come with us."
"Why?"
"The kidnapping may be connected to a bigger plot," Harry said, "There is sufficient evidence to suspect it."
"Really? How do you know?" Regulus looked concerned.
"We are working on a particularly nasty case in the office right now. People are burning up spontaneously when they're about to reveal something. It's disturbing," he relayed his most recent experiences with the Unspeakables.
"You think the Aurors are in league?" Andromeda proposed.
"This is the first time I'm considering it, but it is a distinct possibility. Hermione and Luna are the ones who are going to find the connection."
"Right now, however," Hermione interjected. "We need to get to Romania as quickly as possible. I think we need a day to prepare and leave on the sixth."
"Wait a minute," James suddenly interrupted the plans, "what of me? Am I staying here?" He looked hopeful.
"Oh, no, no," Hermione dismissed him immediately. "You're coming with us."
"Hermione, this might also be a good opportunity for you to try and find some other connection we might be missing," Harry commented.
"I know, Luna and Ginny are going to be thrilled at the opportunity," Hermione was a little excited herself.
"Alright, so we're leaving on the sixth. Any objections?"
"What if our friends can't make the date?" Andromeda pointed out.
"Well, they will have to," Hermione said. "Not only are we trying to reverse Regulus being a werewolf, but also fighting a conspiracy we know almost nothing about."
Andromeda looked at Regulus. "This is going to be one long trip."
"It won't be that bad," he smiled to reassure her. "Sure, I might transform a few times..."
"Well, that's about it," Hermione stood up. "Be ready for the sixth."
"One more thing," Harry raised a hand. "Happy birthday, Regulus, Hermione and I want to wish you all the best."
Then he stood up and gave him a fatherly smile. "Take good care of my daughter, now."
"Thank you, Mr. Potter." Regulus suddenly found himself feeling much elated. "I definitely will."
**
Later that day, Regulus and Andromeda were by themselves in the Room of Requirement. They decided they need to talk without interruptions and the room in question provided the perfect setting.
They had fallen into a comfortable silence, each with their own thoughts.
"It'll be ok," he put a hand on her shoulder.
"I know," she kept looking resolutely at the carpet.
"Trust me," he pulled her in closer and made her look at him.
She let herself lean into the embrace. "How can you be sure? What if someone kidnaps you or me this time?"
"I don't deny the possibility," he shrugged, "but let's not think about that right now."
He laid a soft kiss on her and she responded almost immediately. Something inside Andromeda seemed to grow, take her over in a way she could do nothing to control. She wanted to kiss him harder, more forcefully, maybe even -
Regulus felt his typical restraint starting to buckle. The passion in him rattled the bars of its cage. It wanted out. He rarely let it out, but this might be the first time it went really far out...
He ducked his neck and laid a trail of kisses along her neck. She gasped involuntarily, enjoying the attention. His hand travelled further up to the underside of her breast.
She pressed herself into him. The door to his cage swung open and there was nothing to stop him. He immersed himself fully into the love threatening to envelop him. His mind dissolved into an utter incoherence that only saw and recognized Andromeda.
Andromeda was alive. Truly alive. This was as natural as breathing, it was right, necessary, amazing. Simply amazing. She had given herself up to him and he had given himself to her. It was a feeling words too inadequate to comprehend.
Time had stopped. Or started. She didn't know. Tonight, however, would be forever imprinted in her memory.
A/N: An author's note after this ending? Really? I won't even bother...
-->