The sky was an endless blue with not a cloud in sight. Regulus didn't notice right away as he crash landed right next to the white marble tomb, hints of smoke making strange patterns still lingering in the air. There was no plaque or other defining marker, but they all knew instantly what it was. The book rested on top.

Nobody moved, nobody dared speak for several moments as it hit them all again like the shock before hadn't yet managed. Someone they all knew had done this to their headmaster, this future could not be allowed to continue in this path.

Regulus finally felt he had some kind of hand to play in that, but now more questions than ever. How had he discovered this? What had made him do such a thing? Dumbleodre had made it clear Voldemort had asked for no one's help when it came to making those Horcruxes, but Lucius had gotten his hands on at least one. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.

He had died just like Sirius, unselfishly, for something more than his own blood to have meaning. And all his brother had done was make a joke about it, again. He didn't really need his brother's approval though, he never had, he just wanted to have him for his own selfish desire of a companion. He had a friend now, he could go and talk to Peter whenever he liked. If Sirius still wanted to talk to him then he'd gladly foster that, but he didn't need it anymore.

The idea of his future explicitly went against his parents wishes though. How had it come about, he'd joined the Death Eaters but died defying them? I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more. Had he even succeeded though, or had he failed at this too, and there was still a horcrux out there lost to time because of his stupidity? What had happened to the real one as he incompetently replaced it? Was Harry going to die because he was incapable of doing anything right?

How long until his theft had been discovered and those other Death Eaters killed him? Had the Dark Lord figured it out and put the real Horcrux somewhere even more dangerous and he'd died for nothing? More than anything, how had he escaped that cave, and who had he sacrificed to die in there in his steed to get this? His own parents? If he'd lied or tried to manipulate mum and dad to come and see the horrors the Dark Lord was capable of and left them there when he'd made a grab for the locket to make this switch? He wasn't sure he could live with that outcome, how cold blooded had he become while still trying to be like Sirius and fight back?

Frank kissed Alice's temple and whispered to her he'd be back as he went over to Sirius and Remus having some kind of conversation by the chairs in the back. They'd all landed in the middle section, breaking a few upon their arrival. Alice squeezed his hand and Lily even considered going with him, but she was curious about something first.

"Do wizards have anything against two blokes together?" She was positive Alice had guessed at this back in the locker room when the two idiots pretended they hadn't been caught holding hands, but Lily had absolutely known inside Hagrid's hut, the look of concern on Sirius's face as he stayed with Remus on the bed. She wasn't sure when Frank noticed and hadn't dared ask in case it was a problem, neither of them had mentioned it.

Alice contemplated for a moment how to explain. "Not really, most wouldn't bat an eye with whoever you wanted to date, why would they? The fun's not getting caught, not who you're caught with," she said with the most un-Alice like smile Lily had yet seen, causing both of them to giggle. "It's a bit of a thing with some of the older pureblood families," she shrugged with a sad look at Sirius, then Regulus, her guess why they would have kept it shushed up at all. "Mostly for the infidelity, but no more frowned upon than marrying a muggle-born I suppose in that regards, kids and lack there of is their biggest aspiration in life as you know," she finished in a scathing tone, before watching Lily in confusion. "Why do you ask? Muggles see it different?"

Lily bit her lip and decided against returning an explanation it was actually illegal, which had never made much sense to her anyways. Mum and Dad had never said much of anything, but their private bedroom life had never been up for discussion. She was still a girl in white as far as they knew, and though they weren't wrong, she had little plan to stay that way until her wedding night, if anything just to prove them wrong, though she had no immediate plans for anything. What with Severus and James at odds all hours, not many suitors, boy or girl apparently, had ever vied for her attention as well, and those that did she only now belatedly realized hadn't tried again after a stay in the hospital. From which party, likely both, she didn't plan on asking.

She well knew her parents expected her to have a certain marriage much like Petunia had with Vernon's business status. She did not want to have to explain that and so just shrugged and muttered, "a bit, yeah."

She found herself once again watching James Potter, who was staring moodily into the lake. She wished she could go over and say something to him, but wasn't sure now anymore than back on that tower. To apologize on behalf of her once friend felt pointless, to offer condolences would hold nothing. Yet she still found herself actually wanting to talk to him now, the strange appeal so disconcerting it left her void of anything to say.

Padfoot cut himself off from asking if he wanted to go inside away from all this extra trauma they didn't need to see, Remus was shaking his head anyways before Longbottom even came over and interrupted.

Sirius took his hand and tried to even pull him slightly behind the perceived threat like he actually thought Longbottom was going to come over and start force feeding him poison again, but Remus rolled his eyes and held his ground as he held back and watched curiously for what this could be.

"I'm glad you're alright," Longbottom spoke with guilt of all things, watching between the two like he still expected Sirius to break his nose off any moment.

"Um, thanks," Remus said at once. "We all got out, and trust me, I'm not going to think twice about any of that."

He wasn't holding a grudge, but Sirius still glowered when Frank turned uneasy eyes on him. To his surprise though, Sirius glanced towards James, and his expression softened, just the barest hint. Remus winced at the sudden pressure on his hand, it was very clear Padfoot in no way felt okay with that situation, but his voice was sincere. "I still owe you one of Remus' potions to your face-"

Not bothering to stop and acknowledge the woebegone look Remus gave him for that.

"-but I'll give you this Longbottom, you'd make a good mate some day."

Frank immediately flustered and turned neon red in surprise, maybe looking a tad terrified at the idea of being Sirius' friend even, but Sirius turned away like the conversation was done from there. "I actually need to talk to Reg before anyone grabs that book, don't fall in the lake." Then he gave a quick, casual kiss like it was nothing and walked off.

Remus touched his lip and just watched him, fighting back the urge to pinch himself to make sure he was awake.

"You ever think he'll figure out how to have a normal conversation?" Frank asked wearily, still watching his retreating form and clearly still at least minorly fearing for his health.

"Merlin I hope not," he said sincerely. "It's too damn entertaining. Don't worry though, he's not one to hold back. If he had a real problem with you, he would have said so."

"Thanks," he sort of meant that. "I'll wait until they're done to grab the book. Enjoy the sun while it lasts."

"You too," Remus grinned and waved before going over to James, he was starting to get worried he hadn't moved towards anyone.

Wormtail had landed near a pile of arrows for some unknown reason, and Sirius caught his eye and begged him to back off for a moment so he could talk to this kid without an audience. Moony had picked a really odd time to distract him!

"Hey," Sirius said gently as he watched his little brother stroke the six on the silver spine while chewing on his cheek. He didn't look up, he'd seen him coming over. "You, doing okay? That was, weird to take in, right? I mean, if we're even right. That could have been a coincidence, or those letters could have meant any number of things, some secret code or," he stopped and sighed. They knew, it would be outlandish to believe otherwise at this rate.

"You don't think I can do it?" Regulus asked calmly.

Sirius toyed for a moment laughing that off, but glanced guiltily at Prongs once more and for the first time in his life recognized when that did and didn't help so instead bluntly stated, "never knew you had it in you before. I'm, adjusting?"

He purposely let the question hang in the air, he had no clue what change this could be or even if Regulus hated his own future actions like he hoped Peter did. He thought back to the moment Regulus had actually stood up to him, against him, for Peter; it put their entire childhood together into question for the first time in him what his brother might have done if he hadn't always left the room instead. If he'd given him a reason to stay.

"Well that's good to know," Regulus wasn't helping at all. He'd stopped chewing on his cheek.

"So, any plans I should know of, other than avoidance of anymore funerals?" He asked candidly, needlessly patting the cool slab.

"Depends on how much you care to get involved I suppose," Regulus finally looked at him. Sirius was just impressed to see that steely resolve over anything, better than the spineless kid he'd always known.

"As much as you want me to," he said honestly. "I'm not a fan of anyone dying, believe it or not. Well, there's a select few, but you still don't make that list, I'm sure you're so relieved."

Regulus didn't laugh, he didn't even smile. He really still had no idea how to talk to this kid. He couldn't decide if he should ask Peter or not, which would be less invasive?

"You're not coming home this summer, are you?"

The question blasted him, but his impulsive response was honest. "No." He could no longer bear the very idea, he would not let any part of this future play on repeat, let alone them kicking him out. He'd take that into his own hands before they got the chance and get off the train with James like Mr. and Mrs. Potter had always offered.

Regulus bit down hard for a moment, Sirius knew he'd changed his mind to asking something else than whatever that had been meant. "Did Gryffindors ever treat you different? Besides Potter, obviously."

"Obviously," he echoed with an amused snort before delegating, "kind of. Some of them laughed or whispered, it wore off after a few months though. Why?" He asked with real hope now.

"I don't know what to expect when we get back," he sighed, and there it was. More than any future note he couldn't get his mind around of what could have changed, Sirius finally saw that he knew it was coming at all. It was enough to him, for now, that Regulus even wanted that.

"Your house doesn't mean shit," Sirius said sincerely. "You give them a message to back off and I can't imagine they won't listen. You know those kids who avoided you for hanging out with the likes of Snape and Mulciber? Well, start trying to talk to them if you want!"

"I've never had a problem making friends," he still held a note of superiority in his voice Sirius had to fight the urge to smack him for, that Black pride. "I'm just trying to figure out how to get mum and dad to ease into the idea. I know you're no help with that," he finished in exasperation.

Sirius' heart stuttered in concern, his hands actually twitched to put him in a headlock and not let go.

"Peter can't come over you know," Sirius warned in growing concern for what they'd do to the kid if he finally opened his mouth in that house, trying to make him hear what he'd really just said. "They'll spot him a mile a minute for what he is."

"I know," he really wasn't concerned with this idea at all, Sirius could visibly tell.

"I, Regulus they-" he stopped though as the kid just kept watching him with a level, unimpressed gaze. He closed his mouth and nodded, finally earning a small smile from his little brother. He fought back the urge to hug the idiot for what he was about to get into, it would not be well received he was sure. "Be it your own head then," he whispered.

Regulus beamed and threw his arms around his waist. Sirius froze in surprise before tentatively returning the gesture and squeezing gently as his little brother whispered, "thanks Siri."

He grimaced where the kid couldn't see and held tighter for a moment before fixing his face and gently pulling back.

"I'll owl you what they say, promise," Regulus told him, still watching him with unbridled joy. Merlin's pants this kid was going to be the death of him. How on earth had he grown up enough to actually try and get rid of a piece of Voldemort's soul when he still actually believed in anything like warping their deranged sperm donors to a decent existence?

It was his fault. He knew that. He just didn't have a way to fix this one, and he'd long since lost that right to even try.

"Yeah, you do that Reggie," he agreed, forcing himself to let go one finger at a time. He sincerely hoped it wouldn't be another death note like what existed in that locket.

He waited impatiently until Regulus turned away first before darting off to where Prongs was hanging beside Moony and whispered, "fun fact guys!" His every visible presence made it clear this was not in any way such. "That kid's going to get himself killed!"

"What did you do now?" James asked in exasperation.

"He's being an idiot and still thinks his parents aren't nutjobs! If I tell him the truth though, he'll just think I'm lying now to make him not be around them!"

"Peter knows better," Remus reminded calmly, though he was now frowning between the two Black's as well. "He'll get it through to Regulus what all they've done to you, he has no reason to lie."

"Not if I tell him to do it!" He groaned, shifting so much in place it looked painful.

"There's a difference Padfoot," James patiently reminded. "If Wormtail catches wind Regulus will be dealing with half the shit you've been, he'll set Regulus straight, no matter who told whom what. How the little idiot never noticed as much as he claims to-" he stopped and rolled his eyes, there was just no point in attacking the kid for his worshiping ways on anyone.

He was disappointed though, he'd thought Regulus was finally growing up, not going deeper down some rabbit hole chasing after people who were not worth saving. After what Walburga and Orion had done to Sirius, and even then Padfoot had never told them everything, they were unsalvageable to him. "I need to stretch," he sighed, contorting his arms and bending his back as he got off the tree and started off around the lake, quite farther inland than he usually did, the two instantly noticed. Prongs had a tendency to even jump in the water and splash them when he usually did this, but that apparently wasn't happening again.

Sirius went at once, and when he felt Remus hesitating like he actually thought he wasn't invited, grabbed his hand and towed him along. Moony smiled and followed just like always.

The book came and went, Frank offering to take it from Regulus so he could go over and talk to Peter some more. None of them felt the need to avoid each other anymore, it just felt natural, to co-exist around each other in this way.

Prongs had not divulged whatever thoughts were still eating at him, and Remus decided to leave him to it for now, at least he was back moving and smiling with Sirius as they chatted animatedly for all the people who showed up at Dumebldore's funeral. He watched carefully for any hint of jealousy in Sirius at the mention he really did hook up with Tonks in this future. He couldn't imagine why he wouldn't, Sirius was so protective of him when they were just friends, shouldn't he be just as bad if they were actually dating? He'd been jealous for years of Padfoot being with others, he should be too, right?

He didn't seem to though, he barely acknowledged it past chuckling and squeezing Remus' hand as they continued. Remus scolded himself that hadn't been fair anyways, Tonks wasn't even born yet in their time, and this was not a future any of them would bear repeating long enough to note the important details and fix them, this clearly wasn't one to Padfoot.

HPHPHPHP

Would you lookie there, they're all finally on an even kilter! All it took was a few life threatening experiences, some forced therapy via Alice, and a good motivation for each of them to want to be better. Who knew?

Yes, the fact that I had these two brothers having this conversation at Dumebldore's funeral is absolutely meant to parallel Albus and Aberforth's once fight at Ariana's funeral, because I can not live with myself if I didn't.

Since they're all at least friends now, the next book is sure to go better. Right? ...

Anyway.

I'll be taking a little time off this fic, but I'll start posting again at some point in December, New Years at the latest.

Talk to you all soon my lovely souls!