swallowed in the sea, 12/??
chapter twelve.
‘You cannot be serious,' James said. ‘The Order think Regulus has done it?’
‘Well, a lot does seem to point in that direction, yes,’ Hestia answered.
‘Ridiculous,’ James muttered and ran a hand over his face. ‘I don’t believe it.’
‘You’ve not yet heard the entire story,’ Hestia started. ‘We’ve got people watching Bellatrix Lestrange. Ever since Regulus’s escape, she’s been trying to contact him.’
Hestia took a tiny, bronze orb out of her pocket.
‘This is an AtmoSphere,’ she said. ‘It records conversations by filling itself with sound waves. It’s almost completely untraceable, because the moment you start looking for it, it vanishes into thin air. Only the person who’s placed it can find it, then. We’ve had one of these recording Bellatrix’ conversations. It’s sent us this a few hours ago.’
She cracked the orb on the table like an egg and gestured that they had to listen carefully.
*
‘You have to admit, you didn’t see this one coming, Rabastan,’ a woman’s voice said. It was a sharp and harsh voice and she spoke with an overly posh accent. ‘You were the first to claim you’d seen his betrayal all along.’
‘Shut up, Bellatrix,’ a man said angrily. ‘I don’t trust him.’
‘You don’t have to trust him,’ Bellatrix spat. ‘Trust is for weaklings. Trust did not get us where we are today.’
‘And where is that?’ the man asked. ‘We’re prisoners in our own house!’
‘Do shut up, Rabastan,’ another man said. ‘She is right.’
‘Of course, I am,’ Bellatrix said. ‘We’ll keep on doing what we’re doing and you, Rabastan, will stop interfering with our business. Rodolphus and I will contact Regulus and carry on from there.’
‘Well spoken, Bella,’ Rodolphus told her.
‘Now both of you, leave,’ she snapped. ‘I have work to do.’
*
Hestia tapped the shell of the AtmoSphere with her wand; the pieces immediately formed an orb again.
‘The rest of it is just Bellatrix trying to contact former Death Eaters,’ she said.
‘Why hasn’t the Order moved on this?’ James asked. ‘This is proof, they’ll be sent to Azkaban once the Wizengamot hears of this.’
‘I don’t know if it matters much if the Wizengamot does.’ Hestia sighed. ‘The Lestranges have enough money to bribe all of wizarding England. We have tried to arrest them, though, when we went to collect the AtmoSphere - but by the time we’d arrived at the Manor, they’d already left. Without a trace.’
‘Nothing?’ Sirius asked.
Hestia shook her head. ‘Not so much as a finger print. We can only conclude that they found Regulus and went into hiding with him.’
‘How could they’ve escaped like that?’ James couldn’t believe what he was hearing. ‘How could the Lestranges not be monitored? Didn’t you have anyone on watch?’
‘Three guesses who,’ Hestia said and rubbed her eyes.
James sighed deeply.
‘Elphias,’ Lily whispered.
‘Which is only more proof that this was all planned.’ Hestia covered her face with her hands.
‘They could be framing him,’ James tried. ‘They did it once, with the lycanthrope-murders. We have to be careful with what we believe.’
‘How could they be framing him?’ Hestia asked. ‘They don’t even know we’re listening in on them. Merlin, is this never going to be over?’
‘Do you really want us to answer that?’ Sirius asked with a smile. He wheeled over to Hestia and gave her a short hug.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, tears in her eyes. ‘I know it’s not fair - you’ve been through so much more but - but when I think about Kingsley I just get so scared.’
‘I know,’ Sirius said quietly.
James glanced at Lily, who was staring at the ground. He was so lucky to still have everyone he cared for and even more lucky that his wife and son had been without any bodily harm.
‘So, when’s the meeting?’ James asked.
*
‘I’ll see you at the Shrieking Shack, James,’ Lily yelled as she walked out the door, baby Harry on her arm. They’d managed to reach Molly Weasley to ask if she could keep an eye on him for a few hours.
‘It’s probably best for Harry too,’ James said to Sirius. ‘It’s clear he’s missing someone to play with, someone his age.’
‘It’s okay,’ Sirius said. ‘You don’t have to explain anything to me.’
‘I feel horrible,’ James told him as he sat down. ‘These past few months have been nothing but locking him up in houses, hospitals, Order places. The poor kid’ll be scarred for life.’
‘He looked fine to me.’ Sirius smiled. ‘He’s a very lively, nice kid. You have nothing to worry about. Besides, in a few months, this is all going to get better and he’ll be seeing so much of you, he’ll throw tantrums at the sight of your face.’
‘And somehow, that actually made me feel better.’ James laughed. ‘I’m sorry, Pads. How’re you feeling?’
‘Aside from the fact that my brother does turn out to be a killer, I can’t walk and my partner’s half a world away, you mean?’
‘Yeah,’ James answered. ‘I don’t know, though. I still don’t know what to think.’
‘That’s he’s a bastard,’ Sirius said earnestly.
Suddenly, there was a hasty rap on the door.
James sighed and rolled his eyes as he went to open it. ‘Lily, did you forget you wand again? Honestly, I-’
He nearly choked on his words, because he was not looking at his lovely, redheaded, green-eyed wife, but at a thin, ghostly-looking Regulus Black.
*
‘How did you find this place?’ James heard Sirius’s voice from behind.
‘You’re welcome,’ Regulus snapped haughtily. ‘I like saving your life. You don’t have to thank me.’
‘I’m sorry if I don’t feel particularly grateful after you’ve killed one of my friends, Regulus.’
‘That’s the reason I’m here,’ he said. ‘If I told you I’m not the bad guy in all of this, would you believe me?’
‘Now you’re saying you didn’t do it?’ James asked incredulously.
Regulus looked at him as if he’d forgotten James was around too. ‘No. I never claimed I didn’t do it.’
He licked his lips and turned back to Sirius, but his eyes lingered on James’s face a bit longer.
‘Look, I don’t have much time, I told Bella I was meeting with an old contact and she’ll start following me in about half an hour. I have to be in a pub in Wales by then, so it’s your choice. Do you want to hear this or not?’
James ran a hand through his hair and looked at Sirius.
‘Tea?’
*
‘Don’t try anything,’ James said as he set down a tray with teacups and a steaming teapot. ‘We’ve got all kinds of wards up and you’ll lose your life trying to harm us.’
‘If I had wanted to harm you, you would’ve been dead by now,’ Regulus answered, unimpressed.
‘Drop the act,’ Sirius said dangerously. ‘Tell us what you’re here for or leave.’
Regulus rolled his eyes, but started talking just the same. ‘You’ve got an Order meeting today, right?’
‘Are you only here to tell us things we already know?’
‘You know, I’m starting to wonder why I even came,’ Regulus said while getting up.
‘He didn’t mean it like that,’ James said quickly.
‘I think I know my own brother well enough to know that he really did.’ Regulus sighed arrogantly, but sat down anyway. ‘Whatever I’m going to tell you now, you cannot let the Order know. Let them believe I’m the bad guy.’
‘Why?’ James asked.
‘Because it would blow my cover,’ Regulus answered and took a sip of tea. ‘Excellent tea, Earl Grey?’
‘Lady Grey,’ James answered absently. ‘Lily’s a feminist. Blow your cover?’
‘Yes. I did you all a favour by killing that Doge-fellow,’ he answered.
‘I can’t even begin to tell you in how many ways I want to torture you, right now,’ Sirius said angrily.
‘You wouldn’t, you’re my brother,’ Regulus said. ‘The point is, that man I killed, he was a double agent.’
‘You’re so full of shit, Regulus,’ Sirius said, his voice growing steadily louder. ‘Is this some kind of cock and bull story Bellatrix made you tell us? Do your research properly, Elphias Doge was one of the most loyal men I’ve ever met.’
‘Yeah, not even Imperius could make him a bad guy,’ James chimed in.
‘Oh, I can assure you, it was not Imperius.’
‘I can’t believe you’re so smug,’ Sirius spat. ‘Do not confuse good with gullible, Regulus.’
‘Elphias was the one who interrogated you, remember?’ James asked. ‘He’s the one who’s helped Sirius wake up.’
‘Yes, and Severus Snape told Voldemort about the prophecy and he taught Pettigrew how to torture people, with or without potions,’ Regulus answered, as if even a child could understand. ‘As far as the Dark Lord was concerned, you had Snape and we had Doge.’
‘Voldemort knew about Snape?’ James asked, shocked.
‘No, not really,’ Regulus said. ‘But he knew there was something going on. He didn’t doubt Snape’s loathing for all of you, but he did know that Snape and the Headmaster was an entirely different story. They have some kind of peculiar bond, everyone could see it.'
‘Then how come the Lestranges believe you're one of theirs after killing Elphias?’ Sirius asked.
‘Because they didn’t know,’ Regulus went on.
‘Am I supposed to believe that Voldemort would not tell his favourite Death Eaters that they had a spy? They didn't even know he was on their side?’
‘It’s hardly the first secret the Dark Lord keeps from his followers. Besides, we're all in capes and masks, do you really think anyone pays attention to who's who? It would take too long,’ Regulus said. ‘I overheard him and Doge talk about the Longbottoms. He was supposed to kill them, but Bellatrix got there first.’
‘And Voldemort was okay with that?’ Sirius threw him a sceptical look.
‘I never said that,’ Regulus answered while frowning. ‘Didn’t you notice she’s walking with a gimp now? And she’s wearing a wig.’
‘A wig?’ James asked.
‘Oh yeah, she’s only got a few strands of actual hair left. She should’ve been in the same state at the Longbottoms, she’s been under Cruciatus so often.’ Regulus shrugged. ‘I suppose that’s where her obsession comes from.’
‘I still don’t get it,’ James said. ‘I have trouble believing you. I can’t see why Elphias would help us like this - why he’d help Sirius wake up.’
‘That’s true; he could’ve easily switched the medicine.’ Sirius agreed. ‘Or he could’ve said there were no traces of anaesthetics in it.’
‘There's only so many ways he can boycott investigations without it getting suspicious,’ Regulus said with a sigh, as if he was explaining completely obvious things to five-year-olds. 'That's how you finally discovered Pettigrew was the traitor, isn't it?’
‘So why?’ James asked. ‘Why come over here? Go through all that trouble just to tell us this?’
‘Because I need you,’ he answered. ‘The Lestranges believe I’m on their side. Now that I’ve killed one of the supposed good guys, they’ll take me in, let me in on their plans.’
‘And?’ Sirius crossed his arms and lent back in his wheelchair.
‘We meet every fortnight,’ Regulus went on. ‘I name the place and time, I’ll get you whatever I can. You don’t tell anyone, not even Dumbledore.’
‘What’s wrong with writing your lovely letters?’ Sirius still seemed unimpressed.
‘The Death Eaters have found out someone’s double-crossing.’ Regulus took a golden pocket watch from the inside of his coat. ‘They know about the letters, they’ll be watching the owls.’
Sirius and James looked at each other and sighed. James bit his lip. He didn’t know what to believe anymore. He couldn’t believe Elphias had been a traitor, but if Regulus’s proposal was a genuine offer, they’d be fools not to take it.
‘Listen, I’ve got to Apparate to Wales within the next two minutes.’ Regulus got up and walked to the door. ‘I need to know now: are you in or out?’
When neither of them made to answer, Regulus looked at the ground and opened the door.
‘Very well,’ he said and made to leave.
‘Wait!’ Sirius yelled suddenly. ‘How will you contact us?’
'There's a Muggle newsagent's around the corner. Buy The Times every Saturday, I'll make sure it has all the details you need to know.' Regulus smiled. ‘Thanks, big brother.’
'Don't thank me yet,' Sirius muttered under his breath.
‘How do we know it’s not another plan to kill us?’ James asked.
‘You don’t,’ Regulus answered earnestly. ‘But I think I’ve shown you enough proof for you to draw the right conclusions.’
And he left.
*
Sirius swore as they were going up the stairs to the conference room in the Shrieking Shack.
‘For Merlin’s bloody sake, did no one ever think of wheelchair access?’
‘You’re floating up just fine,’ Lily said with a smile. ‘You always were good at Charms, weren’t - oh, little more to the left there!’
But she was too late; Sirius had already crashed into the wall. ‘I’m going to dent this thing even more than I did the bike the first time I rode it.’
‘You’ll get used to it,’ Lily told him.
‘Bollocks!’ Sirius swore as he almost fell out of his chair.
‘Are you all right? Both of you?’ Lily asked, frowning. ‘You’re both so tense. James, you haven’t spoken a word since you got here.’
‘Not much to tell, is there?’ he said while shrugging.
‘You’re a terrible liar.’ Lily laughed. ‘I don’t know what it is you two boys are up to, but something tells me I do not want to know.’
‘I’ve always known you were smart,’ Sirius said daringly.
‘There you are, you’re late,’ Hestia said.
‘Actually, no,’ Sirius said while checking if his wheels weren’t bumping into anything. ‘We were perfectly on time, but then I still had to climb a thousand stairs in a wheelchair. Don’t worry, I’m fine now.’
Hestia gave him a half-smile and gestured for them to follow her into the conference room.
‘We’ll talk to Dumbledore, after the meeting, see if we can arrange something with Apparating.’
‘I’d be very grateful.’ Sirius drew a deep breath and let his chair fall down onto the floor with a loud thunk.
As they entered the room, James felt Lily take his hand.
‘The group just keeps getting smaller and smaller,’ she said in a sad voice. ‘Even now the war’s supposed to be over.’
It was true, James realised. Last time, there had been nine people - without counting Snape and themselves. Now, there were only seven. Remus had gone, Elphias had died and both Moody and Arabella Figg not there.
‘Sirius, I’m glad to have you back among us,’ Dumbledore said as they took place at the large, oak table. ‘As you can see, both Alastor and Arabella are not present. I believe it speaks for itself why Alastor’s not here. He’s immensely busy keeping Azkaban in check after Regulus Black’s escape.’
‘Imagine that,’ Kingsley muttered dryly. ‘And everyone’s always said no one could escape.’
‘It’s like the Titanic,’ Hestia said.
James didn’t know what exactly she meant by that. He assumed it was something Muggle. He’d have to ask Lily later.
‘And as for Arabella,’ Dumbledore continued. ‘After what has happened to our good friend Elphias, she feels she needs some time alone. A close friendship like Arabella and Elphias’s is not easily forgotten, I’m afraid.’
James snorted. Maybe Arabella knew about him. If only he knew what to do and who to believe, things would’ve been much easier.
He wished he’d got some time with Sirius, to talk it over because his head was filled with so many questions at the moment, he didn’t even know which one to ask first.
If only Remus were here, he thought. He’d know how to look at this objectively.
But no one knew where Remus was, not even the owls he’d sent after him.
Mighty Merlin, how the hell did he get into this? James covered his eyes with his hands. And more importantly, how could he get out?