The Order of Yesterday

Seventeen years ago…

He approached the one whom his loyalty was sworn, careful to keep his mind blank of all thoughts. He wouldn't want his own mind to betray him. After seeing the madness inflicted upon the Longbottoms he knew exactly how easily it was to lose sanity when Bellatrix was around. And she was never far from the dark lord.

His ideals of youth were destroyed so quickly. How foolish he was to try and please his parents and their prejudiced ways of thinking. If only the sorting hat had given him the chance that his brother was granted. But on that fateful night, at the tender age of eleven he was sorted into the house of the serpent for a reason. He lacked the courage and loyalty of his brother but had ambition and power.

His fate had been sealed when the sorting hat placed him in Slytherin. He was doomed to follow in his parents' footsteps or else be an outcast amongst his own house. He envied his brother. Envy was another trait of Slytherin.

Carefully he concealed his thoughts as he bowed in respect before Lord Voldemort. "Did you learn anything more of the prophesy?" Voldemort demanded, his eyes narrowed into snake-like slits. His once handsome face was now more reptilian than human.

"Nothing you did not already know my lord," Regulus answered. "We did confirm your suspicion that Dumbledore was the one whom the prophesy was confessed." He looked up, grey eyes meeting the crimson ones of the cruel wizard. "The soothsayer remains unidentified."

Voldemort hissed in annoyance. "What of your brother? Have you managed to discover more members of the ridiculous Order?"

Regulus' jaw clenched, but he forced it to relax. "No my lord. Sirius would hardly confide in me such secrets." A sneer marred his features, so akin to his brother's. "We aren't exactly what you would call close."

"One never knows. He's a foolish Gryffindor. They always choose to believe the best in the worst of us." He paused, smiling maliciously, "He may just try to save you from your villaneous ways yet!" Voldemort laughed at his own wit and gestured for Regulus to leave.

With a final bow the youngest member of the House of Black made his exit. Just outside of Voldemort's door he crossed paths with Severus Snape. It was ironic that Sirius and Severus hated one another so much when to Regulus they were the most important people in his life. Black and grey eyes clashed for a moment, defiance brimming under the surface in both.

However, both had worked under the thumb of Voldemort long enough to understand how vital Occlumency was to their survival. Regulus had his secrets and had a strong suspicion that Snape too was not exactly what he appeared. Not a word was exchanged between the old friends, both had too much on their mind.

Regulus went to the home of his parents. He would surely be greeted with praises on how proud they were that he was fighting such a worthy cause unlike his 'good for nothing brother.' He would smile and bear it all as he pondered his own salvation from the mess he found himself entangled.

He would forever be grateful that his father and mother, for all their preaching, had decided to not take an active role in the war amongst the wizards. He wanted above all else to discuss with Sirius his situation. But after the last battle he realized something. There was too much betrayal and hurt shared between the two brothers to ever go back to the innocent trust they once shared.

After the necessary words with his parents he made his way to his bedroom. He had barely graduated Hogwarts when he became a Death Eater. It wasn't exactly a paying position and he was constantly on the road. Staying at his parents' home seemed logical. Now he worried about the danger he might be putting them in if he actually did what he thought he might do.

He shut and locked his door, making sure his mother's nosy house elf was no where to spy on him. Once he was satisfied that he was alone he walked to the corner of his room and removed a plank that was loose. He reached his hand in and pulled out a box, shrunken to fit in the small space.

With a flick of his wand and a few choice words the box expanded. He placed it gently upon his bed and opened the lid. Taped to the inside of the lid was a picture of Sirius and himself the day before he left for Hogwarts when he was eleven. There was so much pride on Sirius' face in that picture that Regulus felt his throat constrict.

The look of disappointment reflected in Sirius' grey eyes earlier in their latest battle was too painful and fresh to his memory. He placed the lid aside, no need to dwell on what could not be undone. He would never be the hero his brother would be. His brother was the prankster and loyal friend. Regulus was the one that tried to please everyone.

Unfortunately, he was learning that all along he had been pleasing the wrong people. He then pulled out the other two items. One was a picture of Lord Voldemort in his youth. The difference between the photograph and his current physique was shocking. It was not simply a matter of age, but he truly was becoming more reptilian.

The other item was an old newspaper clipping about the mysterious death of a Thomas Riddle and his family. Upon the old clipping were some notes scribbled days before in Regulus' hand. The word hocrux and orphanage caught his attention. He wished he had the ability to ask Dumbledore about Lord Voldemort before his days at Hogwarts. He was certain there would be clues to the lack of humanity his dark lord showed daily.

Regulus stashed the box back into its secret hiding place and sat heavily upon his bed. He had a choice to make. He was going to prove the sorting hat wrong. He was no coward. He was a Black! And he was not going to try and please everyone. Instead he would do what was right even if that meant his death would be the result.

"Better to die doing what is right than to live this way," he vowed with a steel glint to his solemn grey eyes.

oooooOOOOOooooo

Sirius left the hospital a few hours later. He rode his motorcycle, trying to get away from his own disturbing thoughts. Not surprisingly he was having difficulty. He didn't want to believe that Remus was betraying James. He hated his line of reasoning, but he did hide the fact that he was a werewolf from them for years.

He shook his head at his train of thought. Remus was only a scared little boy at the time. He certainly didn't want to brag to his friends that he was a member of the Black family. But it had to be Remus that was feeding Voldemort the secrets. Perhaps he was under a spell at the time, some sort of truth serum followed by a mind erasing spell.

Sirius growled low in his throat. No doubt Snape had something to do with creating some sort of potion that would cause Remus to betray James and then forget about it. Or maybe there was no potion. If anyone could hide a dirty secret, it would be Remus.

It couldn't be Peter, the small man lacked the guile for deceit. Sirius snorted at the very idea of little Wormtail betraying his friends. Griffyndors were loyal!

But that left the problem of how Voldemort seemed to be getting inside information about the Order's attacks. It was obvious from the expression on Regulus' face that he was expecting Sirius and more Order members to show up at the battle.

He needed to stop getting side-tracked. Thinking about his brother would only cause distress and he didn't have time for that. He needed to focus on the safety of James, Lily, and Harry. As godfather, he decided that Harry's safety rested within his hands. Sirius knew that he obviously wasn't the betrayer so that meant it had to be Remus.

James had already discussed making Sirius his secret-keeper. It was important that he and Lily hide their new family. After the Longbottoms' demise it was only a matter of time. And it would be so obvious that Sirius was the secret-keeper.

Perhaps if he could convince James to use Peter, then since Voldemort would assume Sirius was the secret-keeper he could act as decoy. He grinned broadly at the idea. It was flawless. He wanted to run it by Remus, but if he really was the one betraying them all then he couldn't risk the chance.

The home of the Potters came into view. James had his family staying with his parents for the time being. A house full of powerful wizards seemed like a great deal of protection. In spite of the strong wards it was imperative that James take his family somewhere less conspicuous. It was time they went into hiding.

With a broad smile on his face Sirius entered the house, holding out his arms for little Harry as Lily handed him towards him. A playful bounce into the air sent the toddler into a fit of giggles. Sirius met James' reserved dark eyes. "I have an idea I'd like to discuss with the two of you."

The family gathered in the Potters living room and listened intently to Sirius' plan. Lily held Harry protectively, her face drawn and sad. James' dark eyes flashed. James' parents sat silently, watching the young wizards with worried expressions on their faces.

"I don't like it." James declared, grasping a pillow tight within his fists. His dark eyes locked with Sirius' calm grey ones. "I trust you more than anyone alive, but this idea of yours is stupid."

"No it's not, it's brilliant."

"Madness."

"Genius," Sirius argued.

James burst out laughing. "I can't beat you in this argument, can I, Padfoot?" Sirius merely arched his brow. James' laughter died away into a weary sigh as he looked at his parents, his wife and son.

"James you know I would die before I allowed anything to happen to you or your family," Sirius assured him. He reached out his arms as Harry began to crawl towards him on the carpeted floor.

"I know you would," James agreed. He watched as Sirius lifted up Harry into his lap and began to bounce the boy on his knee making horse sounds. The feeling of foreboding James had been feeling for weeks failed to disappear. He knew Sirius was right. No one would expect Peter to be the secret-keeper. They would all assume Sirius would be the one. And Remus was the obvious second choice, but there were still too many doubts.