Chapter 1
Regulus hesitantly stood in his room, as he took a deep breath. This was just a message, something stupidly simple. Just to inform his brother of what was going to happen, and all the information that he had managed to compile up until now. Who knew if he would even bother opening the letter. Still, he had to do something, before he went to the cave. He felt his heart jackrabbiting in his chest and took one more steadying breath before he cast the spell and began his message.
"Sirius, this is my last message to you...I have found some disturbing information on the Dark Lord, and before I...die I wanted at least one other person to know what I have found. I doubt you will even open the merlin foresaken thing, but I have to do something, and I cannot trust anyone else, so to you it is. Do not worry, the letter will not be accessible to anyone else, and you will receive it promptly on my death. I have ordered it." Regulus closed his eyes, unable to stop himself as he fell into the nervous habit he never quite rid himself of, and held his fingers together, pulling at the skin as he continued his message hastily. "You may tell whomever you want, I will not be there to try and talk sense into you." He gave a slight hysterical laugh, before cutting it off quickly, glancing towards the door. "I have to finish quickly, so I am afraid I am not able to give the sentiments you likely want, or the apologies, but to sum it up quickly, the Dark Lord is a half-blood descent of Salzaar Slytherin, and has dabbled in magic so dark even the Blacks shudder at the methods he has employed. His sanity gets worse and worse each time he dabbles in the black magic, and now he is a totally different person from even the beginning of the year. You will know what he has done upon my death, I have...added it into the letter to be sent to you. Upon my death I have also reinstated you as heir. Mother will not be able to fight it as it is the last action I have taken as Lord Black, and with that all the monies and estates, do what you will with them, but perhaps save the cottage in France to live with your precious Lupine," Regulus paused, biting his lower lip. He trembled slightly, curling his nails into his palms, unable to quite stem the tear that fell from his eyes. "I love you, and I am sorry it took my death to understand you were right...I cannot regret my actions, you always deserved the freedom, but hopefully my death will at least lead to something...not so dark. Beware of the Rats that lie in the sewers, you big black mutt." He gave a small, sad, smile, before turning his head and waving his hand, wiping his tears. He had no time to dwell on this, and he steadied his nerves. He had to go now. Before he lose his courage, what little he possessed.
-
Sirius jolted as the ghostly missive played in the room with James and Remus. Peter had left early, begging off and they had just shrugged him off. He was missing more and more of their little group get togethers, and none of them knew what to do about it. He almost stormed off but seeing the uncharacteristic image of his brother had led him to stay where he was. His brother's curls were unruly, and his hair was long-something their mother would scream at him for normally before taking it on herself to sheer it short once more, so she had to be much worse off than what the public was being led to believe-his nails were bitten down to the pads of his fingers, which he was pulling at, and his eyes shone with a sort of resigned sadness.
The words were difficult, and Sirius did not quite understand until an envelope dropped into his hands by the family eagle, addressed unfailingly in Regulus' script. Just as Regulus had said, there was no tricks, no curses or anything on the paper. To Sirius Orion Black, From R.A.B. Regulus, always dramatic. He tried to open it but it was sealed shut and he remembered Regulus' words, it would open with his death. He bit his lips. He could not let his baby brother go on some dumb suicide mission. He glanced towards James who looked just as pale as he was but nodded determinedly. Sirius cleared his throat, and for the first time in three years, called for Kreacher.
-
Regulus felt his body dragged under, and let his eyes close. He let his breath flood from his lungs as water slowly flooded them instead. He felt...peace, strangely. As if something would be solved with his death. A relief, a reprive from the pain and torture he was put under over the last several years. Barty had always said his family would drive Regulus mad with how twisted they were. Regulus supposed he was right, after all he was almost certain that he should not feel a peace that he had never felt shudder through his system as he was certain he was gasping his last breath.
-
Sirius did not hesitate to dive into the water, lumosing so that the inferi scrambled away from his light and gripping Regulus wrist, before apparating, not bothering to wait until they were out of the water to do so. Back at the mansion Potter home, he and his brother were soaked to the bone, but his brother was breathing...sort of. He was more puking up water, and hacking, coughing violently and shivering. Remus rushed out of the house, pulling Regulus into a blanket, eyes gazing over the vicious marks along his torso and arms.
"Inferi," Sirius said in way of answer, and Remus nodded stiffly, before coralling Regulus into the house. "JAMES,"
"Mum's here," James said huffing heavily, and Effie was, standing there, looking over Sirius critically before looking at Regulus, dripping wet, and covered in deep lashes, gasping in horror.
"They're from inferi," Sirius whispered as the Mrses did not hesitate a moment and spread Regulus on the kitchen table. "Nobody can know he is here," Sirius said, his voice dead straight as he stared at his adoptive mom. She just nodded once.
"What happened?"
"He figured out something, about You Know Who. I don't know what it is, but whatever it was drew him to a death sentence. There was no way he expected to leave that place." Sirius said dreadfully. Effie nodded simply, not bothering to ask anything else, knowing Sirius was kind of capped out.