Chapter 2
“Oh ‘cause they will run you down, down to your core
Oh, way down we go”
When Regulus was little, he didn’t know there was right or wrong. He didn’t know there were options.
His only option at the time was his parents. He didn’t understand what they were doing was wrong. He didn’t understand that there were sides to the war.
But as time passed, and Regulus grew, he shut himself in his family’s library every chance he could. He was helpless while being his parent’s son. But as he read, as he gained knowledge, he understood.
Horcruxes, Dark Magic, Soul-Bonding, and Necromancy, all were capable of the Dark Lord. Regulus knew he was helpless. But that didn’t stop him.
So, with the determination to kill the Dark Lord, Regulus set to work. In just a year, Regulus managed to fill 32 journals with information. The more dangerous information, he had memorized.
He then disappeared. His name ended up in newspapers. He was dead to the rest of the world. He didn’t tell anyone. Not Pandora, not Barty, not Sirius. Oh, how he wanted to tell Sirius.
He wanted to yell to him, “Look at me. I’m worth something!
And he did. Just not to his brother, but rather the star.
Regulus lived in a tent for months. The tent was enchanted, but still. His only companion was a house elf.
Kreacher told him about Tilly, a house elf kidnapped and taken by the Dark Lord. Kreacher had found her crying, all drenched. The Dark Lord had used her to help him hide all the Horcruxes.
Regulus freed her that day, and Kreacher too, but he refused. So since that day, they were killing the Dark Lord, bit by bit.
Even now, standing in front of 12 Grimmauld Place, Regulus doesn’t know he has options. He only knows himself.
The main thing he had learned from the months of research, was that the Dark Lord was incredibly stupid.
Who makes it his life mission to kill muggleborns, while being a halfborn himself? His logic was flawed.
And better yet, who puts defense charms limited to only humans?
No matter his intelligence, the Dark Lord made grave mistakes. And Regulus was very thankful for that.
With a deep breath, Regulus shifted into a black cat. He was an Animagus. Mostly because he wanted to, partly because his idiotic brother was one.
He was able to enter the manor since the charms were only put in place for humans. Regulus, while in cat form, was not a human.
As he padded through the cold hallways of his previous house, all he could think about was how close he was to defeat one of the greatest wizards alive.
The Dark Lord always stayed at Regulus’ house during the summer break, and a couple of weeks after. It was his last night here. It had to be tonight.
Regulus quickly changed back to human form and aggressively scratched his head with his wand, something he always did after shifting. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself before pushing the doors wide open and striding into the dining room
There, sitting at the head of table, the table Regulus earned many Cruciatus spells from his Mother, sat the Dark Lord in all of his glory. His skin was peeling, and he was sickly looking-at least more than usual. He was weak.
Five other men were sitting around him. Regulus recognized one as Nott, but couldn’t recall any other face.
Not that it mattered since Regulus waved his wand and killed every one of them in a single go.
There was only one other person who could kill several people in one hex. And he was sitting right in front of him.
“Regulus Black,” The Dark Lord said, his voice a hollow whisper. “I was wondering when I would see you.”
Regulus didn’t say anything, but held his wand up and pointed it at him. The wizard at the receiving end of Regulus’ wand did the same.
“Avada Kedavra,” Regulus hissed at the same time as the Dark Lord.
The Dark Lord was strong. But with most of his soul destroyed, Regulus was stronger.
Regulus could feel the force of the Dark Lord pushing him, but he stood his ground. He grunted but refused to give up.
He was so close to winning. To being respected. To being admired.
The Dark Lord’s wand snapped. It was a loud sound compared to the silence of the manor. Silence that was interrupted by the Dark Lord’s body collapsing against the chair.
Regulus stood for what felt like hours. He stared at the body. He ran spells over the unmoving body, just to make sure he was dead.
Regulus laughed breathlessly as he continued to stare at the corpse. He had done it.
Regulus Black had won the war.
He pushed the doors of the dining room open but hesitated. Oh, he almost forgot.
“Fiendfyre,” Regulus hissed as he watched everything in the room, including the corpse gets swallowed up by blue and orange dancing flames.
Regulus stormed out of the manor and stood at the gates. He watched as 12 Grimmauld Place lit up in flames. He smiled humorously at the thought of his parents being tortured to death by the flames.
The thought comforted him as he apparated away from the place that caused him so much pain.
Just as he was being whisked away, Regulus could have sworn he heard a woman scream in agony.
It hurts doesn’t it, Mother?