The Black Family Fate
Marielle made sure to carefully pack up her whole potion set up, putting a stasis charm to make sure the potion stays frozen and hoping that it won’t alter it even more. The two manage to sneak out of Hogwarts, and were careful to not get caught by the paintings. They walked off the school near the forbidden forest. The two are still exhausted from it being so late and their potion mishap.
Regulus decides and calls out, “Kreacher.”
The silence of the night is cut by the pop of someone apparating. Marielle jumps at the sound which earns a side glance from Regulus. Standing before the two kids, is an old and wrinkled house elf whose scowl switches to that of a shocked expression when it see’s Regulus.
“Master Regulus! You’re alive!” The house elf clings to Regulus’ legs as he starts crying.
“Alive?!” Marielle says in shock, Regulus only sits in shock as they both figure out that Regulus might have died.
The house elf looks at the girl in confusion before looking at Regulus, “Why is Master Regulus so young?” The elf backs away to look at Regulus more while also throwing side glances at Marielle.
Regulus is quick to gather himself, and clear his thoughts of himself dying. “Kreacher, this is Marielle Smith. A fellow student. This is Kreacher, my family's house elf. Kreacher we ended up in a mishap, we are younger and in our future. We need to stay at one of the properties while we get used to the future and find a way back to our time.” Regulus introduces the two before instructing Kreacher.
Kreacher, recognizing that this girl isn’t a pureblood, starts to sneer at her before turning back to his master. “I can take you to the main residence, Master Regulus. Do you also wish to take the half blood with us?” Marielle looks a little insulted but doesn’t say anything in her tired state.
“Wouldn’t my parents be at the main residence?” Regulus questions.
Kreacher's wrinkled face falls as he shakes his head, “No Master Regulus, Master Orion and the Mistress have since passed not long after you did but you are now back.” Marielle looks at Regulus at the news with sympathy.
Regulus keeps his pureblood mask in place, he can’t believe that his parents are gone. They definitely weren’t the best but they were his. They did what they believed would make him a good pureblood man and worthy of his family name. He thinks about how they could have died as they weren’t very old to have passed through age so something must have happened.
Clearing his head to ponder on it later, “Let us go. Take us to the house.”
Regulus and Marielle grab Kreacher’s hands, Marielle holds tight to her bag that contains her potion belonging and notes, as well as a few of her other belongings that were already in the bag. The feeling of her body distorting as they apparate isn’t pleasant.
Feeling them land, Marielle takes a moment to recuperate herself to her body and surroundings. Marielle is glad that she didn’t pass out like the first time she apparated by herself.
Looking around, Marielle holds back a cringe. The place is very dusty and cobwebby and gloomy. Regulus scowls at the dirtiness of his childhood home. Kreacher is quick to start the cleaning process of the house.
Marielle follows Regulus and Kreacher, as the two move through the house.
On the second story, Regulus opens up a door and enters, looking around. “Kreacher, clean up the room. Smith, you will be staying in this room.”
Kreacher does as he’s told and quickly cleans the room. Marielle is quick to unpack her potion supplies and set them on the desk in the room. “We will talk more in the morning and start planning. Breakfast is at seven.”
“Thank you both.”
Regulus leaves after he says that, Kreacher gives the half blood one last scowl before closing the door behind him.
Now alone, Marielle crashes onto the bed, completely exhausted. Glancing at her ingredients and the remains of the potion, Marielle hopes that she can figure out how to get them back home and in their normal bodies.
She leaves that thought for the morning and just goes to sleep.
Regulus goes up to where his bedroom is and sees his initials still on the door, walking inside makes him feel strange. The room looks relatively the same as it was when he left the past, only a few papers and books are left around the room but the dust and dirt makes it clear that no one has been in there for a long time.
Kreacher is quick to clean the room without prompt. Regulus tells Kreacher that they will discuss everything in the morning. Kreacher leaves his young master to his sleep, glad to have Regulus back.
Once morning came, Regulus comes out of his room to see the house is now clean. On the ground floor, at the bottom of the stairs, is Marielle looking lost. Her curly dark hair is in a messy bun and the girl is still in her school uniform. Regulus was able to adjust some clothes left in his closet to fit his younger body.
“If you are looking for the kitchen and dining room, then it is this way.” Regulus tells Marielle who startles and quickly turns at the sound of his voice. He gestures to where the dining room and kitchen is.
“Black! Oh. Thank you, lead the way.” Marielle follows Regulus to the dining room and kitchen.
Kreacher is floating the food onto the dining table, Regulus takes his seat where he would normally sit at the table. Marielle doesn’t know where to sit so she just sits across from Regulus.
Marielle and Regulus just eat their breakfast in silence. After they finish eating, Regulus addresses Kreacher for answers.
“Kreacher, you said my parents passed away not long after I did. How did they pass?”
Kreacher upsettingly tells Regulus while Marielle also listens closely, “Master Orion got very sick which caused him to pass, however the Mistress lost herself to her mind after losing you and Master Orion.”
Marielle spares Regulus a glance as he thinks about what Kreacher told them, “How did I die Kreacher?”
Kreacher and Marielle both flinch at the question and the lack of emotion in which Regulus asks it. “Master Regulus, it doesn’t matter as you are now here! You can-” Marielle sees the desperation in which Kreacher speaks to Regulus, she wonders how long he has been alone and wanting Regulus back.
He is cut off by Regulus himself, “Answer the question Kreacher.” Regulus firmly cuts off Kreacher who looks at his feet, tugging at his rags.
“You died after retrieving the horcrux of the Dark Lord, you were dragged into the water by the inferi after giving me the order to destroy the horcrux.”
Marielle flinches at the mention of a horcrux and inferi and looks on in horror and shock between a depressed Kreacher and a resigned Regulus. Regulus had figured that the Dark Lord had one and he had been suspecting it for a while but to have it confirmed and find out that he died to get it.
Marielle speaks up then while Regulus is still quietly thinking, “Have you already destroyed it?”
Regulus looks up at Kreacher who shakes his head in disappointment, “Kreacher is not strong enough to destroy it.”
Looking between Regulus and Kreacher, she sports a strong and determined expression. “We’ll figure out a way to destroy it before we go back to the past.”
Kreacher's eyes shine as he looks at the determined expression that the half blood has, he can do right by Regulus’ last orders before his death. Regulus nods after seeing the determination, knowing they will have a full plan.
“What happened to Sirius? Everything would have gone to Sirius after my parents and I passed as he was never formally disowned and he was the last male Black alive.”
Kreacher sneers at the mention of Sirius, “The blood traitor landed himself in Azkaban after betraying the Potter boy.” Regulus looks bewildered as Sirius considers James his brother after Sirius left behind Regulus and their family.
Even Marielle looks confused and shocked, despite sticking to herself and her own friends, the Marauders were notorious around the school for their pranks and mischief. Everyone knew Sirius was close with James Potter.
Regulus glances at Marielle who still looks confused, a question coming to his mind. “Are you alive in the future as well?”
Marielle looks surprised by his question but debates whether she would actually be alive during this time. “I don’t think I am.” Marielle glances at her hands.
“Truly?”
“We were all going into war, I don’t think I would have survived. I’ve been warned to keep my head down as I’ve been gaining more attention lately. That's why I was working on the time potion in secret.”
Regulus thinks back and he had noticed more talk about Marielle in the Slytherin house and around the school about her genius in regards to her creation of handy spells and potions. He remembered one of the other new death eaters mentioning how the Dark Lord would want Marielle’s smarts brought to the man's attention. Regulus can make a quick guess on how Marielle died if she is actually dead in this time.
“We will have lots to look into and research.” Marielle says with an excited smile on her duel toned lips.
“Let’s get started.” Regulus nods, his lips tilting at the edge.