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Tonks looked at Regulus, " What are you going to do about this? "

"What do you think I'm going to do about this?"

Tonks twirled her wand in hand as she rested her back against the cool brick wall. She couldn't be involved. Not directly. She was still an Auror. She had taken an oath. The best she could do was look the other way.

"I've got to get back to work soon," she offered.

Regular sighed in resignation, "Yes, what a shame that is. No matter. You go back to work. I'll find something to do. "

Tonks shrugged and turned like she was going to leave the alleyway. Regulus stopped her before she could leave. "You know if you ever didn't want to be an Auror, the family could give you a stipend. You could be a Security of sorts."

" I don't think my mother would like that very much. I worked pretty hard to get where I am within the department"

"Yes, well Andromeda would know all about going against her parents wishes. She had no right to judge, but it's just an option. Give it some thought."

Tonks looked at him measuredly. She wanted to make sure this war ended with as little collateral damage as possible. She saw how it tore up her parents' generation to lose so many of their friends. Could she really be more useful outside of her current position?

Then, there was her own family to consider. Though they weren't yet married, she and her partners had been discussing trying for a baby. One of them would have to take off for at least a year. Bill was more than willing, but the more Tonks thought about it, the more she wanted to be at home, at least for that first year or two.

" Do you think that you could give me a little time to think about it?"

" Of course I can."

Tonks nodded, "All right then. I'll have an answer for you by the end of the week. I'm going back to the Ministry. Don't leave any traces of anything you get up to."

Tonks held out her hand, a small paper held in between her fingertips. Regulus took it and opened it carefully. It read 'Number 4 Privet Drive-Little Whinging-Surrey'. Regulus looked up and nodded. Tonks left the alleyway with a wink.

Regulus quieted himself for a moment and focused on his bond with Hypatia. He could feel her happiness of being together with her friends once again, and something akin to amusement that he would definitely want to know about later.

He'd never been more glad that his anger ran cool. Otherwise she certainly would have been aware of what was going on. As it was he'd be lucky if he made it out of his next encounter without alerting her to his rage. He saw no way around it.

They had hurt Hypatia and they had to pay for what they had done. They all would in time.

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The house was nothing- small, plain, forgettable. How could this insignificant house, in this Muggle neighborhood, contain someone as magnificent as his wife? She was regal. This place was anything but.

He heard the loud shouts of what must be Hypatia's teenage cousin. He was a bossy, rude boy. Not that his mother or father bothered to correct him. Did they know where Hypatia was? Did they care that she was gone? Or were they glad to be rid of her.?

None of this was acceptable.

Part of him wondered what would happen if he burned the house with them still in it. On second thought, that would probably leave a trace. Best not to create a mess for Tonks.

His fist was heavy as he knocked against the wood of the front door. A thin woman with a neck that was far too long answered the door. Her nose scrunched up, as if she was better than him. Ironic considering he could buy this entire neighborhood without a second thought.

"Are you the former guardians of Lady Hypatia Potter-Black? "

The woman's beady green eyes bulged. But they weren't beautiful like Hypatia's eyes. They were a green Regulus imagined you might find at the bottom of an overused cauldron that hadn't been cleaned properly.

"I have no idea who you're talking about, " she spat. She moved to close the door in his face but Regulus stopped it by placing his dragon-hide boot in the path of the door.

" Oh, but I think you do. You would do well to develop a better poker face. "

Regulus forced his way through the door. The woman scrambled back as he flipped his wand to lock and ward the door. She ran into the kitchen and tried to slam the door behind her, but Regulus was there too. He blasted it open with a quick spell.

" Vernon! Vernon, help me! There's one of these freaks in the house! "

A large man akin to a walrus came running around the corner. Regulus' raised one eyebrow, and flicked his wand lazily to capture them both.Ropes sprung forth from the end of his wand and wrapped around them, binding them to the kitchen chairs. Their son came in the room next, and a quick flick of his wand subdued him as well.

Their eyes were filled with terror. He strode closer to them, casually, as if he had all the time in the world. He paused as he rested his back against the far side of their counter. He plucked a large bowl from their counter and tilted it back and forth in his hands as he watched them.

"Now let's try this again. Are you or are you not the family that was trusted with Hypatia's safety?"

"I knew that freak would be our downfall!" Vernon spat.

Regulus let the Crucio fall from his lips, and oh, it tasted so sweet. He flicked a silencing charm around the room. He did not want to be interrupted. When the man's screams faded to quiet sobs, Regulus addressed them again.

"I've bound myself to Hypatia. We share a soul, and magic."

Regulus could practically see the woman trying to contain the urge to spew vitriol. At least she was learning, not that it would help her now. He twirled his wand and enjoyed how the boy jolted in his seat. Sirius was going to be sad he missed this.

"As you can imagine I don't look kindly on people who hurt the other half of my soul. So what we're going to do is this - I am going to look at your memories of how you treated my wife. And I am going to inflict on you the pain that she felt for all those years, over the course of a single hour. And then I'm going to wipe your memories. You don't get to remember my sweet Hypatia. You don't get to remember what I did to you. But the damage and the pain will remain. One day soon you'll die, and no one will have any idea why, or any way to prove what happened. "

Their eyes bulged, "That man will stop you! The one from the school! Dumbledore, they call him."

Regulus laughed, and it was full of bitterness and hate. "Don't you know? Dumbledore only helps people that can give him something. He doesn't care about you, silly Muggles."

Their faces were terror filled. Regulus was well aware that it pleased him much more than it should. " Now let's just see how bad you have been. "

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Regulus emerged from the makeshift pensive. He glowered at the muggles still bound to the chairs.

"Did you know that most Purebloods struggle to conceive? They try for years and years before they are successful. Yet your sister and her husband were able to conceive at the age of 19. By all rights Hypatia is a miracle, yet you treat her like a curse."

"Why are you telling us about your freakish world?! "

"Because I need you to understand why I'm doing this. I'm not usually a cruel man. I'm not a wizard that takes pleasure from hurting people. But my family is sacred. I would do anything to keep them safe, even from threats such as you."

"We're not a threat to that freak of yours!"

Regulus tilted his head, "Do you really think that? I saw what you did. The threat you pose now is inconsequential at best, I give you that, but our fears are not always rational. Especially when rooted in childhood. Perhaps this will give her some peace, I know it will give me some."

Regulus used the curses he had learned the hard way, at the end of his mother's wand. Their screams became tiresome, and he silenced them all together. He wondered if this was worse. To not be allowed to express your anguish. He certainly hoped so.

Those memories had to be nothing short of sickening. Hitting her had practically become a family sport. Anytime Hypatia had shown the smallest bit of accidental magic she had been punished severely. But it wasn't just beatings. It was starving and tauntings.

He knew the pain of physical abuse, but his parents never tore him down the way the Dursley's did Hypatia. His parents had drilled into him from an early age that Purebloods, and especially their family, were better than everyone else. Confidence was not something he lacked.

Hypatia on the other hand, had to contend with these horrid people telling her she was ugly everyday. As if she could ever be anything less than exquisite. She had to keep an iron tight grip on herself when she was at home, to make sure she didn't get beaten for any imagined bad behavior. It shed some light on why she wanted him to take control from her, why she wanted to sit back and let herself be led.

Finally, she was safe. She could relax.

Well, they had fainted. That wasn't very fun. He supposed he could wake them up, and start all over again, but it seemed like they were already at their breaking point. Beginners. He had endured much more than this at the end of his mother's wand and not once fainted.

He made quick work of untying them and floating them to their beds. He wiped their memories and removed any trace that he'd ever been here at all. In the next few weeks their states would deteriorate and deteriorate until they died.

On that day he would drink champagne.

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By the time Regulus arrived back at Grimmauld Place it was nearing lunch.

He had invited Hypatia's friends over while he was gone to give her some time to catch up with them alone. No doubt they would have lots of questions about what happened after the battle. It was silent in the house when Regulus entered, though he heard sounds from the direction of the kitchen.

He walked down the stairs, checking his hands one last time to make sure there was no blood, or sign of a fight. They were flawless. His attention was drawn up by the sound of bare feet on tile, and then Hypatia was jumping into his arms. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him all over the face.

Regulus smiled, "Miss me, did you?"

"I did! This was the best surprise ever!"

"Where is everyone? I was hoping to get to know your friends better."

Hypatia pulled back to beam at him, "They're out in the garden. I just came in to use the restroom. We've been hazing Draco. We're making him pull weeds by hand, but Neville's too nice. He's joined him."

Regulus shook his head, "You Gryffindor's just can't help but be noble, can you?"

Hypatia laughed, "Well maybe a little. Where's Tonks?"

Regulus sat her back down on her feet. She looked so happy and calm today. She had donned a simple white sundress, and it contrasted beautifully with her rapidly tanning skin. He slid her strap to the side, amused to see how much she'd darkened in just a morning.

"She had to go back to work, love."

"So you were alone?" Hypatia asked with an arched brow.

"No, not really."

Hypatia gave him a sharp look, and he smiled. Her concern was heartwarming. He could feel her love and concern pouring down the bond, so unlike anything he'd ever felt.

"Would you like your ring?"

"Oh, yes please!"

Regulus pulled the ring box from his pocket, and held it out in front of her. Her eyes lit up as her fingers twitched. Regulus smirked, "Go ahead Princess, take it. It's yours."

Hypatia reached out slowly, like she wasn't sure he would let her take it. Finally she took it from his hands, and opened the box. There were two rings within, learly meant to go together. One held several large stones that were beautiful, and uncut. The smaller band beneath held several of the uncut gems as well.

"What are these?" Hypatia asked in wonderment.

Regulus held out his hand for the box, and she handed it back. He took the rings and slid them on her finger, and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

"They're called raw diamonds, my love. Something about it just made me think of you."

"It's gorgeous," Hypatia admired.

Regulus pulled her close to him, "You are gorgeous, and I'm very glad you like your rings."

He pulled her into a kiss. He was so glad to be back home, to be able to touch Hypatia, and know that she was safe. Hypatia pulled back after a moment, and looked up at him with a knowing smirk. "Don't think I missed your flares of anger, just because you bought me some jewelry.I expect a full explanation once my friends have gone home."

Regulus balked, "That's it? No fight?"

"I've never seen you get angry that it wasn't justified. I trust whatever you did, you left no evidence. Did you want to fight about it?"

Regulus shook his head, "No. You just continue to surprise me. You're so good."

"Yes, well right now I'd rather go enjoy hazing Draco. Will you join me?"

"Of course."