Regulus had been quite uneasy for the past few days. Ever since they had last met the Potters at Godric Hollow, he felt there was something very important that he was failing to see.

Something that could help protect the young couple and their son.

Ever since he met them, he realized how good people they were and how much his brother adored them. Therefore, he too felt an incessant need to protect them. If not for himself, but for his brother Sirius who had given up his life for him. He would look out for them as Sirius couldn't do so anymore.

So he shifted into the role of a silent protector, making sure that they were safe from the Death Eaters and their terrible leader.

However, he couldn't overlook the sense of foreboding that filled him up each time he saw Peter Pettigrew.

Even though he was one of James Potter's closest friends, a part of the Marauders themselves, still Regulus felt there was something off about him. He was always too skittish, and it seemed as if he was afraid of being caught, a behavior that Reg had observed in fellow Death Eaters who had not fully revealed their allegiance.

If his assumption was right and Peter had the Dark Mark, Voldemort could have easy access to the Potters. No protective enchantment or precautionary measure could stop the Dark Lord from killing them.

Regulus had never taken his instincts lightly and in that case, he knew he had to act fast. So he went to the only person he could trust and who would selflessly help the Potter family.

Remus Lupin.

He didn't believe him initially but he couldn't risk his best friend getting endangered so they decided to confront Peter by themselves, exposing the situation to the Order only if he was found guilty.

Much to their surprise, Peter seemed to be leaving in a hurry when they reached his house.

"Remus? I... I didn't expect to see you here," the stutter was very evident in his tone, showing that he was anxious.

Regulus chose not to reveal himself yet as he observed their conversation.

"Did James make you the secret keeper?" Remus demanded, his amber eyes piercing through his friend who was trembling like a leaf.

"N-no, of course not. He should have ch-chosen you. Just like it... It was decided... If not Sirius, then you..."

However, his hesitation gave his act away. And Remus was not the secret keeper so it only made it obvious that Peter was lying.

What motivation would he have to lie to his best friend? Unless Regulus was right and he had joined the other side.

"I am not the secret keeper," Remus hissed, his features depicting anger and the bitter look of suffering betrayal at the hands of a closest friend. "Tell me, did you rat us out? Did you join the Death Eaters? Answer me!"

Regulus spotted the flicker of his wand in Peter's shaking hands and before he could cast any spell to thwart Remus and make his escape, he acted fast and appeared behind him, wrestling the wand out of his grip.

There was one thing common in the Black brothers. They were proficient in curses but things really got messy when they chose the Muggle way to fight.

A sharp sound was heard and the chestnut wand with dragon heartstring core snapped in two.

Regulus's cold blue eyes bore into Peter as he stated rather than asked, "You are a Death Eater. You betrayed James and Lily."

"No! You're the one here on the Dark Lord's orders. You're the one responsible for all this, you..."

He was turning the blame on Regulus to save himself, hoping Remus would believe him and doubt the youngest Black. But he couldn't resume with his accusations as a hard punch shut him up, Regulus's fist colliding straight with his jaw.

At that moment, he looked no different than Sirius who could punch the living daylights out of anyone who dared to go against James Potter. Peter trembled to see that stark resemblance, knowing all his lies were running out and he had no time to escape.

In the skirmish, Remus saw the proof: the skull and serpent mark that was imprinted on his lower left arm. So before Peter could free himself from Regulus's grip, he cast the body bind curse on him.

The anger Remus felt at being betrayed was turning into hurt and pain. But he couldn't let emotions take hold of him. He had to act on reason and make sure that the Potters were safe.

"We're taking you to Dumbledore," he remarked, dragging the immobilized Peter out, "he'll deal with you and decide what to do with you."

However, it seemed like Peter desperately wanted to say something so despite himself, Remus had to remove the curse but bound him in tight dark ropes instead to ensure he didn't trick them and escape.

"It's too late..." He choked out, tears of either guilt or frustration rolling down his blotched face, "you're too late."

Both of them stilled, not wanting to believe the meaning behind those words.

"I was the secret keeper," Peter confessed at last, "and I gave their location up on the Dark Lord's orders... He must have reached there hours ago. He must have... Must have... Done what he intended to... You're too late..."

His voice stuck but he got those words out which sent a chill down Regulus and Remus's spines.

If what he said was true, then the Potters could have already been murdered.

"Too late..." Peter's confession turned into frantic sobs and in that shock, Remus didn't know what to do with him. 

But Regulus hadn't lost his calm and took hold of the situation. He petrified him again before he could use that distraction to switch into his Animagus form and escape.

"Take him to Dumbledore," he told Remus who was slightly shaking himself with a dreadful sense of loss, anxiety, and guilt. "Take him and I'll go to Godric Hollow. I'll check on James... He will be alright, he will be alive..." But then his gaze fell on Peter again and disgust laced his tone, "Just keep him somewhere he can't escape from. We'll need his confession to be recorded, just in case..."

In case James and Lily had been attacked and he was responsible for it. But Regulus couldn't complete the sentence.

Fortunately, Remus understood the dire situation and let Regulus go to Godric Hollow while he took the responsibility of taking the accused Peter Pettigrew to the Order.

But it didn't change the fact that his world had come crashing down on him by that bitter revelation and he was praying for the Potters to have survived but deep down, he knew it had been too late indeed.

***